The first clash between Manuel and the Aq Qoyunlu Dynasty thus came to an end.
After Kara Osman and his retinue completely vanished from sight, he turned and took what he had brought today.
Next, he still had to carry out a series of follow-up actions.
The most important of these was to station troops locally to prevent incursions from the Aq Qoyunlu Dynasty or Turkmen nomads.
Additionally, he had to bring the talents he had gathered during these days back to Trabzon, and quickly decide on the local governance model…
"There's a lot to do next."
Although he was experienced, Manuel still felt a bit overwhelmed.
While the Bosporus contingent was returning, there were some rather unpleasant voices from the White Sheep side regarding this treaty—
"Father, are we just giving up West Armenia like this?" On the way back to Diyarbakir, Ali asked his father from his horse, sullenly.
Without the taxes provided by the infidels of Erzincan and Erzurum, he firmly believed that the tribal alliance's annual income would significantly decrease.
"It's just a temporary measure," the old Sultan waved his hand, "Once we repel this invasion from the Black Sheep Dynasty, I will personally lead a large army again to reclaim this land that has always been under our rule.
A treaty? It's just a piece of waste paper!"
This typical Muslim monarchical rhetoric powerfully convinced the various tribes under him.
But what they didn't know was that for a long time afterward, the tribal alliance would never have another chance.
By the time the Aq Qoyunlu Dynasty barely repelled the Black Sheep Dynasty's attack, Kara Yuluk Osman was already in his twilight years.
Not long after, he would pass away in mid-1435, just as in historical records.
At that time, his children would fight fiercely for the position of White Sheep Sultan, until Ali finally secured the Sultanate several years later.
But by then, the Gavras Family, or rather, the Goth Dynasty of the Roman Empire, had already established a firm foothold in Asia Minor, and was not something that the White Sheep, with only a part of East Anatolia, could offend.
It would be decades later, when his grandson, Uzun Hasan, had swallowed up the Iranian Plateau, that the Aq Qoyunlu Dynasty would once again have the strength to launch a large-scale conflict against the Empire.
But that is a story for another time.
Turning back to the present.
Afterwards, on the way back in triumph, the Bosporus Army held a five-day parade and celebration along the route.
During this period, the good news of Bosporus's victory over the Aq Qoyunlu Dynasty was also spread throughout Trabzon city.
When Manuel returned on a tall, armored warhorse on the morning of the fifth day, he was met with the enthusiastic cheers of the city's citizens.
Among them, his old subordinates whom he had brought from Tauris, led by Justinian Seresnus and Vladimir, stood directly at the front to show their love and loyalty to their monarch.
In fact, the idea of holding a triumphal ceremony came from Seresnus himself.
A few days earlier, upon learning that the army was about to return, he, who was handling routine official duties in the palace with George Amiroutzes, excitedly cheered with raised arms, "His Majesty is back!"
In contrast to his colleague's excited demeanor, Amiroutzes simply clasped his hands, offered a prayer to the Holy Father and Mother, and then continued his work.
After his colleague calmed down, he softly reminded him: "Don't forget to report to His Majesty about the Venetians who came here a few months ago."
He was, of course, referring to Gracio, the young Venetian noble who had come to Trabzon in the second half of last year attempting to seek an audience.
Representing the Black Sea consul and even certain factions of the Venetian Senate, he had waited in Trabzon for over half a month, but due to the ongoing Bosporus-White Sheep war, he had to return to Tana disappointed.
Upon hearing this, Seresnus suddenly shivered.
After sincerely thanking his colleague, he began to prepare the relevant materials and reports, intending to inform his Caesar of the matter as soon as he returned.
And at this moment, facing Caesar Manuel who had returned, Seresnus had already planned how to present the affairs he had no authority to handle during this period, one by one.
However, Manuel was not yet aware of the thoughts of this capable subordinate of his.
At this moment, he turned his head and smiled at David Komnenos, who was also riding a warhorse behind him.
His smile made his cousin feel quite ashamed.
Indeed, in his memory, the last time Trabzon celebrated a large-scale military victory was so long ago that he couldn't even recall it.
And during the campaign in West Armenia, where he was essentially just a supporting character, he had come to understand that he could not contend with his cousin, whose strategic vision far surpassed his own.
Although somewhat unwilling, he finally made up his mind to abandon those unrealistic delusions and cooperate wholeheartedly with the Gavras Family, relying on the Komnenos family's foundation in Pontus to secure long-term benefits.
At least, this would be the case until Manuel showed signs of decline.
While the monarch and nobles at the very front were receiving a fervent welcome, the soldiers following behind them were also enjoying this hard-won joy.
Besides them, the scholars and their attendants whom Bosporus had unearthed from West Armenia were also among them.
For example, the young Armenian, Bagrat, followed his mentor, the old Greek scholar John Anagnostes, in a daze: this was his first time traveling beyond Erzurum.
Although he didn't know what would happen next, he clearly understood that his life had changed.
Thus, with various emotions, the participants completed this celebratory ceremony.
By the afternoon, after this grand victory celebration ended, everyone returned to their posts, each performing their duties.
Manuel also once again sat in the Trabzon Palace, beginning to fully implement his will across his Asia Minor territories.
Perhaps the political turmoil in Pontus was about to end?
But for some, this was just the beginning.
That evening, Suleiman Karamanoglu met an unexpected yet unsurprising visitor in his residence.
"Your Highness," his loyal servant, Rutaoglu, of similar age, dressed in black night clothes, knelt before him and reported with extreme solemnity, "Everything is ready."
This moment had finally arrived, Suleiman responded with an excited and slightly sinister smile in his heart: "Finally, the will of Allah!"
At the same time, not far from Trabzon city, in Andos Fortress, which had been acquired by the Genoese as a commercial outpost over a hundred years ago, the exiled Alexander Komnenos was offering empty promises to the three factions he had gathered, painting a "beautiful blueprint" with words.
"Gentlemen," Alexander tried his best to put on a confident smile, "Although my unfilial cousin had a slight mishap, this does not mean that the usurper has succeeded.
"It's not over yet," he laughed, covering his forehead, "This is the will of the Holy Father."