Chapter 797 - 797 705 Dagger

Chapter 797: Chapter 705 Dagger! Chapter 797: Chapter 705 Dagger! Zubov was immediately stunned.

Stanisław II gestured for his attendant to fetch a map, and began to discuss with the Russian State Minister which areas should be ceded in detail.

Not until after five in the afternoon did both parties finalize the new border between Poland and Russia.

Stanisław II generously allocated most of the central and eastern provinces to Russia.

Then, he picked up the treaty drafted by Zubov: “You see, just amending these clauses in the constitution won’t guarantee that those fellows in the Congress won’t harbor ill will towards His Majesty the Emperor again.

“We should discuss a detailed plan to ensure that the Congress does not defy His Majesty’s wishes.”

Zubov’s eyes widened as he nodded: “Okay, good.”

The armistice negotiations entered the fourth day.

Stanisław II glanced at the Russian guards armed with live ammunition at the entrance of the negotiation hall, thinking to himself: It’s been 22 days. Warsaw still needs 18 days.

After enjoying a few days of “kowtowing”, Zubov’s attitude towards the King of Poland had softened significantly. Seeing the latter enter, he immediately smiled and gestured: “Ah, you’ve arrived. Please, have a seat.

“Oh, and the orders you gave to General Kosciuszko should be delivered soon. His Majesty the Emperor has decided to award you a Saint George Medal personally after his army surrenders.”

Stanisław II was immediately shocked and delighted: “This is truly the honor of my life! Thank you so much, Your Majesty.”

Zubov brought over the recent results of the negotiations, saying: “His Majesty the Emperor is very pleased with this treaty.

“However, we have been discussing for quite some time, and His Majesty seems a bit impatient. He commanded us to sign the armistice treaty as soon as possible, and we can discuss the details later.”

“That’s certainly no problem,” Stanisław II replied with a forced smile. “However, I think regarding your troops stationed in Warsaw, we still need to strengthen them a bit more…”

He dragged the negotiations out by adding quite a bit to the treaty, talking until twilight. When Zubov pressed him to sign, he suddenly clutched his stomach and fell to the ground: “Ah, such agony… My dysentery must have flared up again…”

After a whole day of treatment, Zubov finally came to the room of the King of Poland with a dark face, demanding: “I asked the doctor, you haven’t had diarrhea or fever all day. You don’t have dysentery at all!”

“I don’t know what it is, but I feel extremely weak…”

Just then, an official came to Zubov’s side and whispered something to him.

Zubov immediately pointed at Stanisław II and said coldly: “Kosciuszko has rejected your orders, and his troops are still advancing further east!”

“That’s impossible!” the King of Poland still desperately stalled, “I can write him another letter, with more severe wording.”

Zubov’s expression darkened, and he sat down beside the sickbed, handing over the armistice treaty: “I want you to sign this now, immediately, right here!”

“Ouch…”

“Guard, prop up His Majesty the King. Give him a pen.”

Stanisław II reluctantly sat upright, casting a mocking glance at the Tsar’s lover: “You know, according to the Polish constitution, a ceasefire treaty needs Congress approval to be effective, so I…”

Zubov suddenly exploded with rage, bellowing: “You bastard! I will make you regret this!”

The King of Poland watched his retreating figure as he slammed the door, murmuring to himself: “24 days… I really did my best. May Jesus protect Poland.”

…

Stanisław II and his entourage were thrown into prison.

Catherine II, seeing Morco standing by, trembling like a leaf in the wind, swept up her cane and struck him fiercely: “Fool!”

Rumyantsev hurriedly diverted her attention:

“Your Majesty, fortunately, our defensive measures in the central region are still being implemented as planned. The situation is not too bad.”

The Tsar turned around, panting:

“Huff, huff… we must teach the Poles a harsh lesson. Order Count Suvorov to personally command the battle at Minsk.”

Previously, Russia did not take Poland seriously, and Suvorov was only nominally the commander-in-chief for the war against Poland, responsible for overall coordination in Smolensk.

But now, in his fury, the Tsar cared no longer for the old general’s age, directly placing him at the front line.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Rumyantsev glanced at Morco and added, “Perhaps we can let General Rumyantsev confront Kosciuszko, to atone for his faults.”

“Do as you say.”

…

Central-western Russia.

Outside Bryansk.

Serf Yakov handed a plank to Yeager, who was squatting on the pigsty, and loudly said: “I heard from old master Gumilov that His Majesty’s army has almost captured Minsk.”

“So what?” muttered the serf hammering the pigsty, “Give me that narrow plank. It’s not like they’ll share even half a loaf of bread with us.”

——————

Alexander Vasilevich Suvorov, a distinguished military leader, military theorist, strategist, and commander of the Russian Empire, one of the founders of Russian military academia and army reform. Born into a military family, Suvorov enlisted in 1742. Participated in the Seven Years’ War in 1758. From 1768 to 1774, he fought in the fifth Russian-Turkish War. Promoted to General of the Army in 1786. During the sixth Russian-Turkish War from 1787 to 1791, he repeatedly defeated the Turkish forces, during which he was titled Count of Rymnik. In 1794, he led troops to suppress the Polish uprising and was promoted to Field Marshal. Opposing Tsar Paul I’s adoption of the Prussian military system, he was dismissed and exiled in 1797. During the Second Anti-French Alliance War, Suvorov was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the Russo-Austrian Allied Forces in Italy, defeating the French Forces at the battles of the Ad River, Trebbia River, and Novi. In September 1799, he led troops across the Alps into Switzerland to rescue the Russian forces fighting there, successfully retreating. He was once titled Duke of Italy. In October, he was promoted to Grand Marshal of Russia. After returning home, he was again demoted, and he died in Saint Petersburg in 1800. Suvorov commanded in thirty-five battles throughout his life without a single defeat, considered a representative figure of the Russian military reformist faction. In his military theoretical works such as “Science of Victory”, he introduced a series of new combat and military training methods, advocating for decisive offensive and field annihilation strategies, combined with skirmish formation tactics, which greatly influenced subsequent generations. Alexander Vasilevich Suvorov was born in Moscow in a noble family of not particularly distinguished status. In line with the prevailing practice of claiming foreign ancestry, the Suvorov family asserted that their ancestor was a Suwoer who left Sweden in 1622, but as early as during the reign of Ivan IV of the Rurik Dynasty…