It was a while later, after the physician administered some herbs to the unconscious Alexius, that he slowly regained consciousness. Seeing the tearful officials before him, he roared in anger, "I'm still alive! Are you all wishing I'd gone to meet God?"
Upon confirming that His Highness the Prince was still full of vigor and even had the energy to scold his officials, the tight string in the hearts of the officials loosened, and some even let out a long sigh.
Looking at this group of officials, Alexius felt both annoyed and amused, so he dismissed most of them, leaving only the officers led by Patniko to continue discussing strategies against the enemy.
"Patniko, how many troops do we have left?" Alexius asked urgently.
"Your Highness, we lost about 4,000 men in this campaign. I'm not sure about the Prince's side, but here we lost both conscripted and elite field troops. The situation is quite critical. If Genoa decides to attack Mangup, we can only hold fast to the fortress."
"Alas." Alexius sighed deeply, then quickly recovered his composure and ordered, "Have the entire army prepare to defend against the enemy, strengthen our defenses, clear the fields, and hold our fortress. If necessary, I permit you to use scorched-earth tactics." A hint of ruthlessness appeared in his eyes, and he added, "Just like we did in 1422."
"Yes, Your Highness. But strictly speaking, in 1422 we only faced the Kaffa Consul's forces. This time, it's troops sent from Genoa proper…"
"Just do as I say!"
Meanwhile, Manuel was in his palace, tallying the detailed casualties. "Your Highness, we lost nearly 2,000 men to eliminate the enemy, but most of them were conscripted farmers and citizens…" Isaac Arno reported.
"Cut to the chase, I need detailed information," Manuel interrupted him.
"Yes, Your Highness. According to relevant statistics from the Kaffa region, approximately 1,200 conscripts were killed or wounded, over 300 Tatar mercenaries were lost, and the field legions suffered only about 500 casualties," Isaac completed his report at a quick pace.
"Aidian, Vladimir, what about the Philaka Legion's losses?" Manuel turned to his two adjutants and asked.
"Reporting to Your Highness, the Philaka Legion's losses were less than 20 men. Here is the detailed list, please review it," Aidian respectfully handed over the detailed casualty list.
"My efforts were not in vain," Manuel felt some comfort in his heart.
"Use a small force to try and see if we can retake Olstyn, and at the same time, contact Mangup," Manuel quickly made his necessary decision.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Oh, and one more thing," Manuel turned to Badars and instructed, "Badars, send someone to buy a dozen carrier pigeons in the city. We'll need them later."
"Yes, Your Highness."
For the next nearly half a month, the two sides maintained a strange balance: Carlo Merlo, waiting for those 2,000 men, made no significant moves other than encroaching on some villages and towns in the direction of Mangup; while Mangup and Kaffa repeatedly used small forces to probe the enemy, constantly testing the possibility of retaking Olstyn.
However, neither side intended to actively escalate the conflict in the short term, maintaining relative peace. But this caused hardship for the orthodox population in the Genoese-occupied territories. Every piece of land Carlo Merlo occupied was heavily plundered to meet the needs of his mercenaries, while also trying to break the enemy's will to resist. Although, due to his actions, the minor lords and common people under Theodoro's rule became more loyal to the Principality and hated Genoa even more.
By mid-May, the 2,000 men Carlo had been eagerly awaiting finally arrived, but with them came people sent from Genoa proper to deliver important matters to him and his overseer.
First, Genoa had a new Doge. Simon Boccanegra's term had ended, and he was replaced by a Milanese nobleman, a cleric named Bartolomeo de Capra. Since Carlo Merlo was a General promoted by the local faction Boccanegra at the end of his term, this made him worry about his future and the promised title.
Second, because Doge Capra was new to his position and urgently needed achievements to prove his capabilities, he ordered Carlo Dominus Merlo to prioritize the capture of Kaffa, to reclaim the city for the Republic. If he did not follow this order, then Overseer Brignole had the right to take command of the entire army in his stead.
Carlo Merlo felt his head throbbing. After dismissing everyone, leaving only his younger brother Alberto, he threw the Doge's order to the ground and roared, "The Council is a bunch of useless fools!"
Alberto looked at his angry elder brother and asked somewhat softly, "Brother, isn't it just prioritizing the attack on Kaffa? Why are you so angry?"
"Alberto, I really don't know what to say to you!" Carlo shook his head, a headache forming. "Do you know how thick the walls of Kaffa were built with concrete by the Republic to defend against enemies? It's said even the armies of the Tatar princes to the north couldn't breach them. Do you think our army, composed of these mercenaries, can take the city within three months? Making us attack Kaffa first is just a waste of time."
"Brother, we eliminated over 4,000 of Theodoro's men. Their military power must be crippled."
"No, this is a region predominantly of Greek heretics. Moreover, to make money and allow the mercenaries to vent, these days we've not only plundered locally but also sold so many orthodox heretics as slaves. Do you think they wouldn't hate us? Driven by hatred, they can raise another two to three thousand conscripts within a few months.
"And the new Doge doesn't know that the walls of the Mangup region are far inferior to Kaffa, and it's also Theodoro's center. As long as we take it, Kaffa will be an isolated city. But if we prioritize attacking Kaffa, Kaffa can receive blood transfusions and support from Mangup and the nations behind Theodoro, because with our current forces, it's very difficult to completely cut off communication between these regions."
"Then, Brother, should we eliminate that overseer first…?"
"Are you crazy? That's the representative of the Council's will, and the army is willing to obey me because I am the General appointed by the Doge and recognized by the Council. If we kill the overseer, the army will definitely mutiny on the spot. Besides, is that in line with knightly spirit? Does our Melo family want to continue to thrive in Apennine in the future?"
"Then do we have to obey the orders from home? As Generals abroad, isn't it okay if we occasionally don't follow some incorrect orders?"
"But even if we win this way, it will be difficult for us to be promoted to Marquis," Carlo coldly reminded his foolish younger brother.
"Then let's ask home to send more troops…"
"That would be proving our incompetence. How would we get promoted?" Carlo refuted him.
Alberto was a bit dejected, "Brother, will we lose?"
Carlo looked at him, smiling and comforting him, "Don't worry, we won't lose. It's just a matter of how long it takes to win. Losing 4,000 men is already a major blow to such a city-state Principality. They can't muster more powerful fighting forces. Prioritizing the siege of Kaffa will only consume more of our energy."
Subsequently, he called in all the officers, explained the orders from home, and finally issued the military command: "The entire army will move out and march towards Kaffa."