The Last Frontier of Fire and Sword

Chechen escorted Stanislaw Potocki from Warsaw in half of July.

The entire mission was composed of 20 Polish officials and nobles. Chechen personally selected a 60-man guard consisting of 20 Hessian cavalry, 20 Polish dragoons and Polish Cossack cavalry to escort.

Although the ratio of the number of missions to the number of guards is exaggerated, it is 1;3, but this is very necessary. Because in addition to the personnel, there are five large vehicles in the mission, and the large vehicles are loaded with 50,000 talers. This is the funds used by the Republic to buy out Wigowski and support him in power. In particular, the money was not given by the king or the treasury. In fact, the king’s pocket and the republic’s treasury have long since become the existence that can starve mice to death. The 50,000 talers were taken out by Marshal Lubao Macki from his private vault. After receiving King Jan Kazimierz’s message about Bogdan Khmelnitsky’s condition and his own coping strategies, the General Marshal was extremely in favor, and he immediately replied. In the letter, Lvbaumacki thanked the king for his trust in him. He said that a peaceful solution to the Ukrainian issue is indeed the best policy. In order to facilitate this, he has ordered his manager in Warsaw to spend 50,000 yuan. Thaler is used as activity funding.

In this matter, Marshal Lubao Macki rarely thought of with the king, and he really started from the interests of the Republic.

As a result, the contradiction between the king and the marshal seemed to have eased to a certain extent.

When starting from Warsaw, Chechen was only beside the armored Cossacks and Polish dragoons. Although Uncle Pidro brought several Hessian cavalry, but the number was far less than Cheerchen's request. So Chechen asked for a coincidence. Four days ago, he asked Uncle Pidro and Natalie who had returned to Vidava to bring back a letter to Xie Miao, asking them not to come to Warsaw, but to go directly to Livo. husband.

At the time of parting, Natalie handed a waistcoat sewn by herself to Cheerchen's hands. In Poland, girls give vests to men as an expression of love and longing.

Cheerchen held the waistcoat in his hand, and he kissed gently with his lips: "I must put it on my body all the time."

"I will wait for you to come back in Vidawa." Natalie also said affectionately.

Cheechen's uncle Pidro hugged his nephew vigorously.

"I should have gone with you," Piedro said.

"Uncle, I don't worry if you are in Vidava."

"Don't worry, I will be the peacemaker between Fatima and Natalie." Piedro assured Cheerchen in a low voice.

Before, Cheerchen and Natalie had decided to return to Vidava, but Cheerchen was no longer able to make the trip due to their mission to Ukraine. He wanted Natalie to stay in Warsaw and let Uncle Pidro go back first. When I come back, I will return to Vidava together. But Natalie said that the mission will not be able to come back within three months of this trip to Ukraine. Although Cheerchen could write a letter to Fatima explaining the reason, it was not enough.

After becoming a wife, Natalie thinks more and more organized. She compares her heart to heart. A woman, especially a woman who has given birth, is very sensitive. After his own man and other women were together, a letter explained that he would not be able to come back from a long journey, so the woman would definitely have doubts in her heart, wondering whether the man had changed his mind.

Therefore, the so-called unlocking of the bell still requires the person who tied the bell, and he must go back, and only when he goes back will Fatima believe that what is written in Cheorchen's letter is true, and will be relieved.

Although Cheerchen felt that Fatima might not be like what Natalie said, because Fatima trusted her 100%, but he couldn't help Natalie's insistence, and when Natalie said this again, he was heartbroken. Doubts, so I agreed to go back with Natalie and Uncle Pidro.

Originally, Cheerchen also hoped to wait until Yelishei, Fedot and others came back before leaving. Because the two of them are the most powerful fighters in the mercenary group, with them both by their side, the combat effectiveness of the guard can definitely be raised to a level. But time waits for no one. The news about Bogdan Khmelnitsky’s illness sent back from Ukraine is becoming more urgent day by day, sometimes even contradictory. Just yesterday, the Kazimierz Palace received three secret letters from Kiev within a day. The first letter stated that Bogdan Khmelnitsky’s condition had improved and he was even able to get up. Drinking; in less than 2 hours, in the second secret letter sent, Bogdan Khmelnitsky was already at his deathbed, and the archbishop of Kiev entered the mansion of the chieftain as Bogdan. Khmelnytsky made his last confession on his deathbed; and another hour later, in the third confidential letter, Bogdan Khmelnytsky was healthy again. The spy who wrote the letter repeated the words of the Archbishop of Kiev: "The Lord made our Moses, the savior, the redeemer and the liberator of the oppressed people of Poland, live a long life..."

The king and queen, as well as Stanislaw Potocki, thus determined that Bogdan Khmelnitsky was actually in the back light and might pass away at any time. Once Bogdan Khmelnitsky dies, the various power factions of the Cossacks will inevitably break their blood for the position of the Great Chief, and all the powers will inevitably follow the wind. The Republic must seize the time and reach Kiev as soon as possible to get in touch with Vygowski.

So on the day of July 16, the mission departed from Kazimierz Palace and headed to Kiev, Ukraine.

After Stanislaw Potocki received the blessings of the king and queen, the old man got into the carriage, and the delegation headed for Kiev under the protection of Chechen and the cavalry.

The team arrived in Lublin on the second day, and Stanislaw accepted Jan Zamois' reception. On the fourth day, the team arrived in Lviv. After meeting the Hessian cavalry brought by Lviv and Semyon, the mission took a day to reach Zbarazh.

"This is Zbarazh." Stanislaw Potocki pointed to the bastion fortress in the distance and said to Chechen: "Zbarazh fortress was built by the Dutch engineer Henrik von. Pina was built in 1605. It used the most advanced fortifications of that era and also had a moat arch guard. Because of its small size, it reduced the attack area, which is extremely beneficial to the defenders. Look at that At the same time, along the Gniezna River and the two small lakes, stepped fortifications were built in accordance with Western European techniques. Because of the cover of the castle, the small lake and the river, the enemy can only attack from the front. But in this way, this way Once the enemy attacked, it would be caught in the attack of three defensive formations that were horns of each other. Eight years ago, I remember that at about this time, 10,000 defenders composed of armed citizens, volunteers and a small number of Polish regular troops and mercenaries fought against Hundreds of thousands of Cossack-Tatar coalition forces (actually, the enemy forces attacking the Zbaraj Fortress at that time included 70,000 Zaporozhe Cossacks and nearly 50,000 Tatar cavalry, totaling 12,000 men)."

"That must be a thrilling battle." Cheerchen sighed. Looking far away, he seemed to be able to see the bullet holes left by the fierce fighting on the wall of Zbaraj.

At this time, the gate of Zbaraj Fortress was opened. A group of awe-inspiring wing cavalry rushed towards the mission under the leadership of a commander.

The wing cavalry is the pride of the Polish Republic. These elite Polish men screamed and shouted, their flags fluttered in the wind, their feathers rustled, their armor clanged with clanging steel, and sharp sabers struck the knight’s thighs as the horses galloped, approaching. The three-meter red spear was raised high and pierced the sky.

The commander, wearing a winged cavalry helmet and a leopard-skinned winged cavalry armor, stopped his horse five steps in front of Stanislaw Potocki. He raised the scepter in his hand, and the wing cavalry behind him stood neatly in a straight line behind the commander.

"Colonel Jan Skrzedusky sends his regards to Master Stanislaw Potocki." The visitor announced his name.

The visitor was impressively the commander-in-chief of the Zbarazh Fortress, Colonel Jan Skrzeduski.

To Colonel Jan Skreduski, Chechen is also an old acquaintance. He is not only a friend of Chechen’s good friend Mihav Worodjavsky, Chechen and Natalie also rescued him and his wife in the first Warsaw battle.

The careful Stanislaw Potocki heard Jan Skrzeduski call his full name, and to welcome him he even brought a whole wing cavalry, knowing that the colonel was demonstrating to him. More than greeted.

However, Stanislaw Potocki can also understand the rude behavior of Jan Skredusky.

Jan Skrzeduski was once a captain of the armored cavalry under Prince Jarime, and the prince’s territory was in Lubne on the left bank of the Dnieper. This territory has long been reduced to ashes in the Zaporozhye Cossack rebellion led by Bogdan Khmelnitsky. Every Polish and Cossack who left Lubne with Prince Jarime has Destroy the enemy. And Zbarazh Fortress, that is the place of glory for Prince Yarime and Jan Skrzeduski.

Nowadays, the fortress defended by Jan Skrzeduski to resist the Cossack invasion has ushered in the peace delegation of the Republic. How can this not make Jan Skrzeduski feel suffocated.

"Colonel, thank you for coming to greet us." Stanislaw Potocki said to Jan Skrzeduski with a smile on his face.

Jan Skredusky jumped off his horse, took off his helmet with a huge nose guard, and paid a military salute to the old man.

"You don't have to be so polite."

"Master, the fortress has prepared a banquet for you, so please enter the city."

After speaking, Jan Skreduski stopped speaking, he got on his horse again, and he used his wing cavalry company as the leader to open the way for the mission.

"Who are you?"

"Jan Skretuski... Lieutenant Wing Cavalry..."

"Who's serving under whom?"

"Governor Ross."

A burst of chirping voice filled the hall.

"How is your place? How is the situation?"

"Misery...hungry...a tomb..."

The king covered his eyes with his hands.

"Jesus of Nazareth! **** of Nazareth!"

"Can you hold on for a long time?"

"Without gunpowder, the enemy has reached the barrier..."

"Is it strong?"

"Khmelnitsky... Khan leading the entire Crimean army."

"Khan is there too?"

"Yes......"

There was dead silence in the hall, and everyone present looked at each other, and everyone's face showed hesitation and horror.

"But how can you stand it?" the prime minister asked, with a doubtful tone.

Hearing this, Skretuski raised his head, as if new power had been injected into his body. The proud figure flashed across his face, and unexpectedly, he replied in a powerful voice:

"We have repelled the 20 storms, we have won all 16 battles, and we have made 75 strikes...

...

"Jan Skrzeduski, Zbaraj is at the forefront of the confrontation between the Republic and the Cossack rebels. Are there any abnormalities on the Cossack side these days?"

Stanislaw Potocki's questioning awakened Jan Skrzeduski from his memory. At this time, the mission had entered the fortress gate.

"abnormal situation?"

Jan Skredusky's horse took the lead out of the city gate, and he waved his whip and pointed to the left and right: if that counts.

Chechen and Stanislaw Potocki looked around. The sight greeted them horrified the two.

I saw ten sharpened wooden stakes on each side of the gate of Zbarazh, and a different number of people's heads were inserted on the wooden stakes. The more one has more than ten, and the less one has four or five. Some people's heads have long been weathered and only bones are left, while others can still be seen clearly. Look at their hairstyles ~www.wuxiaspot.com~ are all Cossacks.

"My old man," Jan Skrzeduski said proudly, "it has been almost ten years since the defense of Zbarazh. Sacrificed comrades in arms. I erected wooden stakes in the city, and every time I killed a Cossack leader, I would put his head in it. There are now 68 heads here."

"Colonel, I can understand your feelings, but the killings can't bring peace." Although Stanislaw Potocki is concerned about Jan Skrzedowski's feelings, he still persuades him earnestly. road.

"Give the losers peace, they will be grateful; the winners will only laugh at you." Jan Skrzeduski gritted his teeth and said the famous words of Prince Jarimay.

"None of us are winners." Stanislaw Potocki sighed.

After speaking, the old man stopped talking, because he knew it was useless to say more.

And when Stanislaw Potocki and Jan Skrzedowski were talking, Chechen was silent.

He looked at these dried or fresh heads, and he couldn't help but think of his big brother Bao Hong.

Of course, Cheer Chen knew that Bao Hong must be alive now. Because if a famous Cossack like him were to die in battle or be captured, he would definitely be known throughout the country. And logically, Bao Hong is now accompanied by Bogdan Khmelnitsky in Kiev, comforting the dying old man or forming cliques to fight for the position of the chief of the Cossack emirate. Chechen was only worried that if the war between the Republic and the Cossacks continued, whether Bao Hong would suffer the same experience as the leader of these heads before his life. And myself, will there be a day of meeting with Bao Hong.