Douluo: The Adventures of King Skin

"The first to establish a great tactical principle that still solves almost all decisive battles today - do not divide your forces equally along the front, but concentrate your forces in decisive areas for the main attack."

——Engels’ critical comment on Ipaminondas

The essence of the Olympic Games was still a ceremony dedicated to Zeus, and Pyrrhus naturally could not miss the sacrificial ceremony. Afterwards, he and the other winners shared the sacrificial meat - roast beef, and had another hearty meal.

Thinking that he had just lost his job, Pyrrhus shamelessly ate and packed a lot of food under the murderous eyes of the virgins.

When he came out of the temple and joined his friends, the sun was already setting. He put on his limited edition crown, rode on his imported BMW, and swaggered back to his residence in Ellis City.

Ellis didn't think it was a big deal. In a short period of time, his achievements had spread throughout the city-state, and "sports enthusiasts" greeted him excitedly along the way.

Pyrrhus was riding on his horse, returning greetings from time to time while listening to reports from his trusted friends who had escaped from Epirus.

It is said that the system of cavalry companions was first developed by King Philip's father or grandfather. Generally, the cavalry of the Guards is staffed by the monarch's "loved relatives and friends". It is a convenient good thing that integrates , elite cavalry, and there are many similar systems in ancient and modern times at home and abroad.

However, Greece is all city-states, so in the past, only the monarchs and tribal leaders of Macedonia, Thessaly, and Epirus did this. Now, the successors have benefited more monarchies around the world.

The current man, who was about to become a savage in such a state of embarrassment, was one of Pyrrhus's closest friends. His name was Metilas. He was in his 20s and was born into a noble family of the same clan.Pyrrhus had always trusted him the most as he was honest, honest, and skilled. He also paid him the wages of a cupbearer and ordered him to stay in Passaron before coming to Elis.

Of course, the so-called staying behind does not mean that he can stabilize the political situation, but just guard the palace.Even if he wanted to stabilize the political situation, Metilas didn't have the ability.

Not to mention that Metilas can't do it, Pyrrhus himself can't do it either. This matter has to be dealt with by the anti-Macedonian elders of the Molossian Grand Council.

Why is it said that the elders of Molossia need to stabilize the political situation in Epirus?

This is because, although Epirus appears as a monarchy to the outside world, internally, Epirus is actually just a tribal alliance, consisting of Molossia, Caonia, Thespro Xia is composed of three tribes.These three tribes themselves are also tribal alliances, and each has its own grand council, with the powerful factions of each tribe and prestigious figures among the people serving as elders.

It's just that Molossia, to which Pyrrhus belongs, is the strongest and has established a preliminary "constitutional monarchy". It can command the other two tribes. It is customary for Basileus of Molossia to serve as the alliance commander.

Speaking of which, Macedonia was also an alliance composed of eight small states, and the situation was similar to Epirus.It can even be said that these two countries, which are located back to back in the northern part of the Greek peninsula and occupy the east and west, have grown up together by supporting each other.

There was originally a certain strength gap between the two countries separated by this mountain. There was no way that the mountain in the middle was to the west. This was because the birth point was not drawn well. Later, Macedonia was conquered by two generations of monarchs, Philip and Alexander. Under his leadership, it expanded rapidly and completed the further improvement of the system, but Epirus was trapped in internal strife due to endless party disputes.

Later, Alexander and his uncle Alexander I, the then commander-in-chief of Epirus, agreed to expand eastward and westward. As a result, Emperor Asia went all the way to the east and created unprecedented great achievements. However, Alexander I suffered repeated setbacks in Italy and finally became envious. Jealousy hates death.Since then, Epirus has been completely left behind.

In the following years, Epirus went from the Lamian War to the Second Diadochi War, to the Third Diadochi War, and to today's Fourth Diadochi War. Epirus was constantly fighting internally and externally. , the fundamental reason is that there is a much stronger Macedonia on the side of the bed.

If Macedonia is divided, Epirus will be divided; if Macedonia unites, Epirus will be united.

Macedonian fart is a little bigger, and if it reaches Epirus, it will be a terrifying and huge wave, not to mention the powerful successors who fight every few years?

Although Pyrrhus hasn't gotten many details about the current coup, he can guess that there must be some big changes among the successors.

Perhaps it has something to do with the failure of his would-be brother-in-law Dmitry in Rhodes Island.

**

"...Two pieces of news came out at once. One was that Demetrius had failed in his siege of Rhodes a few days ago; the other was that Cassander had become king last year and had stabilized the political situation in Macedonia. Mapai started to connect..."

Pyrrhus was also speechless. Demetrius was defeated in Rhodes, which was thousands of miles away, and everyone knew it in a few days; and Cassander became king of Macedonia, which was close to Epirus, for half a year. The news just came.So much so that it irritated the centrists in Molossia.

I think the reason is simply that the siege of Rhodes took place at sea, and there were merchant ships coming and going on the sea every day. However, there was no official communication between Macedonia and Epirus, which were opposed to each other, and they could only rely on the mountain tribesmen who made one or two trips a year. The caravan passed some gossip.

Information delivery in this era is such nonsense.

The information is really not well-informed, and I will still have to find a way to establish my own intelligence organization in the future.

Pyrrhus motioned to Metilas to continue.

"At that time, Ptolemaius, Alexandros, and the Megacallides family were all jumping up and down in the Grand Council, saying that they wanted to restore Neoptolemus and the Gorondes family. None of them spoke, and the two elders, Underclyde and Angelus, were alone..."

"So Neoptolemus was reset like this?" Pyrrhus was speechless and couldn't help cursing:

"It's okay to depose me. It's not like Aiacides is dead and no one is left. At least we choose a better one. Do we have to let this inbred retarded person come back?"

Who was Neoptolemus?

Speaking of which, this man's life experience is more prominent than that of Pyrrhus.

He is also a descendant of the royal family of Aiacides and Achilles, and he has all the buffs that Pyrrhus has.He and Pyrrhus were considered brothers, and they separated only in their grandfather's generation.

What's even more awesome is that his father is Yadi's biological uncle, and his mother is Yadi's biological sister.Even today, when Yadi's bones and blood are cut off, this is an incredibly strong claim!

However, although it was an incestuous marriage, it was not as mentally retarded as Pyrrhus said. It was just that he had a "ruthless antisocial personality" since he was a child - which is why this guy was kicked off the throne so easily three times in a row. .

Pyrrhus spoke angrily, but Neoptolemus was a royal after all, so Metilas could not accept these words, so he continued:

“They detained the two elders, Underclyde and Angelus, and their entourage on the spot, and then went out to arrest people everywhere.

"When I saw them coming towards the palace with their guards, I told the slaves not to resist, and then hid them. Later I found an opportunity to escape to the mountains. I walked for many days before coming out...

"But I didn't hear anyone was killed until I escaped."

The two elders, Underclyde and Angelus, were once friends of Pyrrhus, and they were also the great benefactors who saved the young Pyrrhus from death.Moreover, although their families suffered heavy losses in the upheavals at that time, the powerful factions in Epirus are now the only remaining die-hard supporters of Pyrrhus.

"As long as everyone is fine," Pyrrhus breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that the two of them were safe:

"The balance of strength among the successors has not fundamentally changed... If they failed in the assassination this time, the two elders will be fine. I will send a letter to warn the heads of the Golondes family later, even if Neopto If Lemos wants to cause chaos, they won’t just sit idly by.”

Metilas was also a descendant of the two elders, and Pyrrhus mentioned it specifically to reassure him.

Then he looked at the ragged Metilas and said to him sincerely:

"You have worked hard, and you took a big risk this time. Unfortunately, I have nothing to repay you now. I only have a lot of sacrificial meat left. I'll treat you to it when I go back."

"I have been drilling in the mountains for many days, and sacrificing meat is just what I want! And it is an honor for me to serve the 'Triple Laurels'," Metierras smiled and expressed his loyalty. When he came, he happened to meet Pyrrhus to win the championship. I also feel proud of it.

Then he looked at Pyrrhus with admiration:

"Fortunately, I have moved the people and property in the palace in advance according to your instructions. You are really good at predicting things!"

Pyrrhus smiled and waved his hands without explaining.

In fact, there is no such thing as a god, it is just a matter of being prepared.

Anyone who has an understanding of the history of the struggle for the Molossian throne since his father will know that the balance of power between the pro-horse faction and the anti-horse faction is actually determined by the trend of the Diadochi War.

Just like the Megakalides family and the Gorondes family, although there are pro-horse people like the Fat Secretary, they usually appear as centrists.However, when the news came this time, they immediately abandoned Pyrrhus in Antigonus and switched to Neoptolemus in Cassander. This shows that the so-called centrists are fake and the wallflowers are real.

Therefore, since he returned to Epirus and took the throne, he has been walking on thin ice in an abyss. During the naval battle in Cyprus two years ago, he wore a breastplate to sleep every day, and his horse was tied at the door of his bedroom.

——Now that we know that "Besieger" Dmitry will most likely fail in Rhodes Island according to historical trends, we have to consider the possibility of pro-horse faction taking action.

At the same time, fortunately, there was no such extreme situation as "Dmitry was smashed to death with a brick under the city of Rhodes", so the pro-horse faction still had room to do things.

For example, the two elders Underclyde and Angelus were not liquidated. If they return to Epirus in the future, they still have roots.

In the end, it was not up to anyone, but he had tried his best to prepare, and he had nothing to regret until now.

And the result is not too bad, so why bother to affect the morale of your friends with a sad face?

This moment is suitable for a feast to celebrate the hard-won victory and peace.

So Pyrrhus, who was wearing a gorgeous laurel wreath, and Metilas, who was in ragged clothes, rode together in front, and led a group of friends back to the city of Elis with great joy.

However, when Pyrrhus saw the pile of "fan letters" piled up in the hotel and the precious papyrus rolls, all of which were love letters sent by old men from Greek city-states throughout the Mediterranean, he finally endured it. He kept yelling:

"These bastards don't have any sportsmanship in their hearts. They are just coveting my body!"