According to Ridwan and Amiroutzes' initial expectations, the Trabzon Palace soldiers, led by someone, should have arrived some time ago, so they wouldn't have to face the suspicious enemy forces so early.
That's why they dared to argue freely in the room first.
But it wasn't until they were apprehended that they realized the formidable strength of these enemy forces.
At the same time, they immediately began to wonder, "Where is Sir Dungar? Wasn't he guarding? How did the enemy forces break in so quickly?"
This truly couldn't be blamed on the young man named Dungar.
Although he was skilled in martial arts, the number of soldiers he led was relatively too small, and he was unprepared psychologically; ultimately, two fists are no match for four hands.
On the Bosporus Army's side, not only were they numerous and powerful, but they were also all well-prepared elite Philakatoi.
Therefore, in a battle lasting less than half an hour, Dungar de Laporte was lightly wounded and captured, and the Trabzon Palace soldiers were almost entirely subdued.
Only one officer escaped in the chaos to the room where Amiroutzes and Ridwan were temporarily staying, attempting to warn them, but he was subsequently caught by the Bosporus soldiers, and they were all rounded up.
Within the next day, Manuel dispatched his soldiers from the Palace to forcibly take over all important military affairs, including city defense, armaments, and garrison duties, completely bringing the Trabzon capital under his control.
Many people believed this unknown army was there to forcibly occupy and plunder the area, causing widespread panic.
But Manuel's goal was not limited to this; he also wanted to establish stable rule here.
To this end, after suppressing several sporadic resistances, he immediately went to personally interrogate the Trabzon high-ranking officials who were under house arrest in the Palace, hoping that after he explained his intentions, they would change their ways and serve him.
The first to be personally interrogated by Manuel was naturally his cousin, John IV.
Although it was previously described as both an interrogation and house arrest, John's treatment was actually not bad; he was not subjected to any form of coercion and lived comfortably with plenty of food and clothing.
Aside from being heavily guarded and unable to leave his room, he lacked nothing materially.
After all, in the Middle Ages, no matter what happened between nobles, the most basic decorum had to be maintained.
Upon seeing Manuel in person again, John let out a despondent, bitter laugh, "The situation must be under your control now, right? What do you want from me at this point? Considering you are my cousin, I'll state this first: by the Three Saints, no matter what you say, I will not give up the throne that is rightfully mine!"
As expected, but he didn't anticipate the other party would cooperate obediently.
Manuel smiled inwardly and changed the subject, "What about your children then? If you remain stubborn, I cannot guarantee their future status in Trabzon.
After all, finding a few willing collateral branches from the Komnenos family to serve me isn't a difficult task."
John IV's body trembled, and after a long while, he let out a resentful snort, "Alright, if you can control all of Trabzon, I will obediently go to a monastery."
"Do you think you still have the power to negotiate with me? I know, you've only been on the throne for less than a week, and your position isn't stable; my other two cousins, David and Alexander, are eyeing your position covetously."
John's body involuntarily broke out in a cold sweat, and he exclaimed, refuting his cousin, "What nonsense! Alexander, perhaps, but David would never act before the appropriate time.
So how exactly do you know these things? These are all secrets!"
Is that so? Manuel mentally noted what he said, then smiled gently and explained, "Cousin, when you previously took the risk of purchasing cheap iron weapons from Bosporus, leveraging the fact that no one understood the Panticapaeum iron industry, did you ever consider who was operating that part of the industry?"
Upon hearing this, John instantly understood the meaning of the words, "Your people?"
"That's not accurate; strictly speaking, the iron industry has always been directly operated by our Gavras Family; we just prefer not to be overt, so we use agents," Manuel corrected the other party lightly.
"You started infiltrating people then?"
"Hmm, strictly speaking, I also infiltrated people into your ranks.
On a side note, that Turkmen has already confessed about your patricide; I must thank him properly."
Upon hearing this, John IV finally collapsed completely; he understood that he had lost this time.
No matter whether his brothers or cousins won next, the ownership of the throne would have nothing to do with him.
Seeing this, Manuel no longer pressed the issue, and after giving the order to continue the house arrest, he calmly left the room, preparing to fast-forward to personally writing a letter to persuade David Komnenos to join his side.
He did not do this without basis.
It should be known that his sister Maria is David's wife; in other words, David is not only his cousin but also his Brother-in-law, with this additional relationship bolstering his position.
Coupled with the current situation where he had forcibly taken control of the Trabzon capital within a day, he believed David would seriously consider the matter.
"By the way, where was David again?" Manuel thought of this question after returning to his temporary council room.
"Reporting, Your Majesty, he is still in the city outskirts, waiting for a message from His Majesty John IV," Badars bowed and said.
"John hasn't summoned him into the city yet? It seems he never intended to bring David into the political center, even though David secretly assisted him in this coup," Manuel almost laughed out loud on the spot, but he quickly and effectively concealed this small emotion.
About half an hour later, Manuel had written a short, handwritten letter and dispatched a opportunistic minor noble who had already pledged allegiance to him, protected by a small squad of Philakatoi, to the city outskirts to secretly deliver the letter to David, and then continued to send people to interrogate the captured Trabzon high-ranking officials.
The next afternoon, David Megas Komnenos, who was temporarily residing in a fortress on the city's outskirts, finished reading the letter with a frown.
After perfunctorily dismissing the envoys and telling them to avoid suspicion for a while, he summoned his wife, Maria, to discuss the matter with his subordinates.
"Your Highness, what does the letter say?" a young noble he favored asked worriedly.
"It roughly describes what my brother John did and then offers me an empty promise similar to his.
I never expected it would be someone from the Gavras Family getting involved in this mess."
David's frown deepened; he resented John IV's deliberate refusal to summon him into the city after the successful coup, and he felt nothing for this cousin, who had usurped the fruits of the coup and whom he had only met a few times in childhood.
"So, Your Highness, what is the content of the letter?" one of his middle-aged veteran nobles tentatively asked.
"The gist is that he promises me to be his co-ruler in Asia Minor, and he particularly emphasizes that he and John are not the same."
At this, David's dark eyes were full of suspicion, "Maria, what do you think?"