Klier's hidden plan was unknown to Giray. That afternoon, he led the nearly one thousand soldiers Giray had granted him, as well as the Janissaries who only obeyed him, towards the Kuba region.
Five days later, just as Manuel had predicted, scouts reported early in the morning that the Crimean Army was about to arrive.
"Alas, what is meant to come will come." Manuel stood on the city wall, a bitter smile in his heart, then he soberly ordered, "The enemy is approaching, prepare the entire army!"
Just as Manuel was deploying his troops and preparing to resist the invading Crimean Khanate army, Aidian and others, whom he had sent to the Golden Horde for aid, finally crossed the steppes and reached the Golden Horde's main camp, which was still slowly marching in Toretsk.
After some twists and turns, he finally managed to meet the commander of the Golden Horde's entire army, Tenek Emir.
After receiving the plea for help and reading it carefully, Tenek Emir understood the general situation but was also quite incredulous. "I generally understand the specific situation. But you say the Principality of Theodoro completely annihilated the Crimean Khanate's defensive forces in the south, is that true or false?"
"Yes, it is true." Noticing the other party's astonishment, Aidian repeatedly explained, "Emir, this matter is not as exaggerated as you imagine. We merely took advantage of the Crimean main force moving north and their southern general's underestimation of us, setting up an ambush for the unsuspecting Crimean defenders."
It's even more exaggerated, alright. Tenek had a rough impression of the Crimean Darhkan. In his memory, those Darhkan were brave and skilled Tatar warriors, seasoned in many battles. How could they be so easily ambushed? Otherwise, he, leading nearly ten thousand troops, would have already decimated the enemy's Darhkan.
Moreover, as far as he knew, Crimea's south had at least four thousand flexible defensive forces. From this Christian's tone, they must have dealt with the Crimean Army in a short amount of time. "You know, even four thousand pigs would take three days and two nights to catch, let alone the Crimean side being our kind of skilled Tatar!"
However, this would explain why Giray, just as he was about to win at Bakhmut, instead withdrew almost all his forces to the south.
Previously, he had thought it was due to his effective command, delaying until a rebellion broke out in Crimea's southern territory. Now it seemed he had merely benefited from Theodoro's great victory in the south.
"I wonder what Khan will think if he knows that his army, just before a major defeat, was instead saved by a vassal?" Thinking of this, Tenek smiled helplessly in his heart.
After pondering these thoughts and looking at the Theodoro soldier before him, who was beyond respectful, a malicious idea arose in Tenek's mind: Why not wait until Theodoro and Crimea were both heavily wounded from fighting, and then he would lead his army south to finish off Crimea?
It would also be a good opportunity to weaken the subtly dangerous vassal state.
However, this idea was quickly dismissed. "I am merely a general. My only mission in this campaign is to destroy the Crimean Khanate. As for Theodoro, let Khan worry about that."
Considering this, and thinking of the easily attainable military achievements before him, Tenek quickly agreed to send troops and invited Aidian to accompany the army to guide and urge them on.
Just as Tenek was dispatching nine thousand troops to attack the main Crimean force, on the walls of Adamakha, facing the overwhelming army, Manuel's heart pounded as he broke out in several cold sweats: This was his first time attempting to defend a city at a disadvantage, even if it wouldn't be for too long.
To counter the returning Crimean Army, Manuel had no choice but to use force to mobilize civilians within these five days to repair two watchtowers, mend the stone walls, have artisans carefully maintain all the firearms, and ensure the soldiers were well-fed and rested.
Now, it was a matter of whether Theodoro could hold out until the Golden Horde's reinforcements arrived.
Facing the vast, dark, cloud-like Crimean Army, Manuel forced himself to calm down. Only when the enemy gradually approached did he instruct the artillery to prepare, until he gave the order: "Fire at these infidels!"
As Theodoro's cannons roared, Crimean soldiers were continuously hit by cannonballs or the stones they dislodged, falling to the ground.
However, Girai Khan, in the center of the army, was not anxious. Instead, he calmly observed and pondered countermeasures. After experiencing Theodoro's firearm "baptism," Giray had a rough idea of how to deal with them.
Soon, based on his observations and the soldiers' reports, he roughly deduced Theodoro's artillery deployment: at least from the current situation, Theodoro's cannons were indeed numerous, totaling nearly fifty, large and small.
"To crush our deployment in the south, these Kafir really went all out." Recalling this conjecture and looking at the battle report from just half a day, the casualties of over a hundred men made Giray clench the corner of the report.
These casualties were acceptable, but they should be minimized. Giray took a deep breath, then ordered his soldiers to prepare for a frontal assault on the city.
Upon noticing signs of an imminent assault, Manuel immediately ordered the few artillerymen close to the front lines to retreat to a safe position, personally led the infantry to prepare, and simultaneously ordered the archers and musketeers to get ready to withstand the Crimean's upcoming offensive.
Soon, at the call of the Crimean Ulema accompanying the army, Crescent Sect Tatar soldiers, in a fit of passion, climbed the stone walls, which Theodoro had reinforced and heightened, intending to bravely and fearlessly enter the city. However, these reckless men were immediately shot down by Theodoro's various long-range weapons. Both sides began to fall into a stalemate.
Watching the two sides locked in a stalemate, Giray looked enviously at Theodoro's various firearms. If his five cannons were still operational, he would definitely try to engage in an artillery duel with Theodoro.
However, his current thoughts were just thoughts and had little effect on changing the situation. By night, Crimea's seemingly fierce offensive had little impact; at least, the stone walls of Adamakha were still completely in Theodoro's hands.