Bab 124: Nope
"Who supports the idea of tactical retreating, and coming back on another day to lay our blades of punishment on the neck of Constantine?"
Most of the Pashas and nobles raised their hands one by one following Candarli Halil Pasha's words.
Candarli Halil Pasha held his waist with his hands and nodded with a wide grin on his face, though that grin did not last long as he took a quick glance at Zaganos Pasha by the side and found out that the later is staring at him, he quickly changed to a stern face and continued calling for the vote.
"Those who supports the idea of staying here and continue laying the siege on the Rumelian, raise your hands."
Only a few hands, including that of Zaganos Pasha, showed themselves in the air.
Although the vote is decisive, but Candarli Halil Pasha still counted the number of hands and declared the results trying to act as just as he can. "The results are clear, ten noble Pashas agree with the idea of temporarily falling back, while three supports the idea of staying here. I hereby declare that the vote is over."
"We shall prepare to leave this place at once."
"Wait! Candarli Halil Pasha!" Zaganos Pasha trudged towards the exit and blocked it with his body as he stares at the rest of them signalling them to go back seated. "Grand Vizier, I know that your intelligence is as high as the stars hanging in the sky, your heart as tendering as the lake of Izmit, may your horses forever be mountable and sturdy…"
"… Please reconsider my proposal to stay put over here, and continue the siege, I bet that you can see that the benefits of persevering and conquer the city, is much more than giving up like a coward!"
Candarli Halil Pasha walked forward grinning, hugged Zaganos Pasha and patted him on the shoulder. "Thank you for your kind hearted good wishes my honourable Zaganos Pasha. Your gut, wits, and sense of service not only for the True Faith but also for the Sultanate does really impress me and the rest of us over here…"
The other Pashas nodded with agreement to Candarli Halil Pasha's words.
"Who said that we are giving up? No, we never give up, we are just going back for the time being to replenish ourselves, feed our horses, wait for the taxation and trade income from the year, recruit more young men into our forces, wait for the Rumelian to dissemble their mercenaries and aids from the infidels, then we will come back and surprise them taking the city according to the Hadith, and the honour of taking the red apple according to the Hadith, shall still be us."
The other Pashas nodded with agreement to Candarli Halil Pasha's words.
"Go back have a good rest, my dear Zaganos Pasha." Candarli Halil Pasha shook and patted on Zaganos Pasha's fragile hand palm. "The country… the new Sultan, still needs an experienced military like you to lead his army."
Then, Candarli Halil Pasha eye signalled Karaca Pasha to move Zaganos Pasha to one side, and opened the curtain door about to go away while chit chatting with his sub coordinates. However, although infirm and shaky, Zaganos Pasha still pushed Candarli Halil Pasha to one side and begged supporting himself on the door frame.
"Don't go… As the commander in chief of the army as appointed by the Sultan, I order you to stay here , and finish the siege…"
Candarli Halil Pasha almost fell down on the floor from the push, although already fuming with rage inside his head, he still went back to the door facing and staring Zaganos Pasha while the later stared back at him and whispered. "Listen, honourable Zaganos Pasha, it is the majority of the Sultan's government's decision to temporarily withdraw, please respect the decision by the majority."
"…I am the commander in chief of the army…"
"You are now forfeit of your office" Candarli Halil Pasha interrupted impatiently.
"I am appointed by the Sultan, you cannot…"
"Excuse me, 'previous' Sultan." Candarli Halil Pasha continued interrupting and gave Zaganos Pasha another warning. "Till the next Sultan decides you shall continue to be the chief in command, you are no longer in control of the army, now, Karaca Pasha, please take him to rest, he looks a bit hay wire in his head."
Karaca Pasha quickly shoved his friend aside letting the
Pashas go away but when Selim Pasha is going through the door, he turned back, giving Karaca Pasha and Zaganos Pasha a sinister grin that made them shiver down their spine and suggested. "Well, if you want to continue the siege, you can always keep your own levy here and drag on with the Rumelian as we temporarily fall back, all of us will thank you a lot. If you need any help, just say the word, we will put it in top priority when considering…"
"Yes…"
"…Yes!'
"Yes…"
The other pashas answered with agreement while they walk away.
Karaca Pasha continues supporting his pal in his arms while his pal, seems a little bit lost at Candarli Halil Pasha and Selim Pasha's reply. He knows the feeling, the man in his arms has been betrayed, humiliated, not taken seriously and disobeyed so almost everyone around him after the decease of his ruler, and friend, the Sultan. But what can he do about this? He, Karaca Pasha, is neither an influential pasha in the court nor a powerful warlord in the borders.
"Well. He is the de facto regent now." Karaca Pasha tried to comfort Zaganos Pasha. "Zaganos my friend, be optimistic, you see, there is at least still some good news."
"I don't need this kind of good news." Zaganos Pasha replied in a graven tone. "You know what they mean in their words?"
"…Nope."
"Temporarily withdraw… Haha… Hahaha…. Hahahaha, I guess it is called permanently withdraw, we have gathered so many resources for this siege, if we give up so easily this time, are we able to gather the same amount of things like this time?"
"…Nope."
"My support? Allow me to stay here and continue the siege?" Zaganos Pasha continued laughing sarcastically. "I know what they mean, notice that Selim said that he will 'consider' giving me support in top priority, which means he will give me no support… And allow me to continue the siege? More like watch my men getting eaten up by the Genoese, my friend, do you trust what he just said?"
"…Nope."
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