The Last Frontier of Fire and Sword

"It's not surrendering, it's making peace. Uncle Blair, don't you think that too many people have died on both sides because of this war." Chechen explained.

But in Blair's view, there is no difference between negotiation and submission.

"Chechen," he said with great disappointment: "What do you think of Cossacks? Do you think that Cossacks were unwilling to be good people in the first place? Yes! Cossacks are the worst. They don't want to farm at home. , Praying in the church, working in the nobles’ mills, and ran to kill people and set fires. These were supposed to be military affairs! But who made them like this? Those nobles, their rent collectors, the Jews They are all going to die! The exclusion of the Orthodox Church has continued unabated, and the disabled who have been wounded in the war for the country will not be given any compensation. They will labor arbitrarily, insult women, and kill the rebels. Old Hemei (Bogdan Hemei) Isn’t it the best example? When he was young, he fought for the Republic as a registered Cossack, was captured at the Battle of Secora, and was imprisoned by pagans for two years before returning to his country—he was enough. Be loyal; the old Hemei is fluent in Ukrainian, Polish, Latin, Turkish and Tatar, and has a very high command and negotiation skills. He was awarded the position of Cossack team secretary very early. Talented enough. But because of an argument with the local Polish aristocracy, the latter took advantage of the old Hemei to occupy his estate while he was out, and killed his youngest son. Old Hemei was sued to no avail and was once arrested in prison. A loyal and talented person like Old Hemei can’t get along in Poland. What can we expect! When it comes to peace, we have negotiated, but the Polish noble masters continued to exploit Orthodox Christians after returning to their manor. The peasants who had participated in the uprising were hung to death. Many people were forced to leave their homes to settle in the deserted areas bordering Russia in the East. What do you call Cossacks and Ukrainians? What should they do? Should they be separated as the nobles said Stay at home and be peaceful as serfs to the nobles? Just because their **** arranged them to be nobles from birth, and we were born to be inferior people at orders. Bah! Damn! Why should we negotiate peace with the Poles? Let them start anew. Turn us into slaves? You see that women and girls are pitiful. Are they pitiful if they are abused by the Polish nobles? Freedom and survival, if there is no freedom, what is the meaning of survival!"

Cheerchen was embarrassed, he didn't mean that. He hurriedly apologized to Blair: "Sorry, Uncle Blair. I didn't mean that, no."

Blair didn't accept Cheor Chen's apology, he turned around, his body still twitching involuntarily because of his excitement. He was saddened by Cheerchen's misunderstanding of Cossack.

The more Blair was like this, the more Cheerchen felt unconscious. He walked around in a circle in front of Blair, squatted down and said, "Uncle Blair, I know I was wrong. But I really don’t think that the Cossacks and Ukrainians should be slaves. Moreover, this time the peace talks, the king And Stanislaw Potocki are very sincere."

"Cheerchen, I didn't blame you." Seeing that Cheerchen apologized so solemnly, Blair stopped choking and said: "Everyone who comes to Ukraine for the first time thinks that this is a barbaric first impression. Land. Yes, some of our methods are rougher, but that’s because the land has never been peaceful. And how did the Polish nobles treat us before? In Ukraine, the government, courts, financial departments and None of the colleges are Ukrainians. They forced Ukrainians to convert, closed Ukrainians’ universities, and prohibited them from teaching in Latin or Greek, even in elementary and middle schools. There is no book printing office in Kiev to print books for Ukrainians. Teach them to read and read. Can such people not be barbaric? Have you noticed that even heroes like my master Bao Hong are illiterate. But Ukrainians have a heart of gold, no matter how much it is dusty Can’t hide it. If you stay for a long time and get in touch with the people here, you will find that they are no different from people in other parts of Europe, and they are even more hospitable and enthusiastic.”

Although Blair accepted Cheerchen's apology, he obviously did not believe Cheerchen's words about the king and Stanislaw Potocki. In this regard, Cheerchen had to pause the organizational language and said: "Uncle Blair, if this time the King and Stanislaw Potocki give you the government, courts, financial departments and colleges with Ukrainians, freedom. Beliefs and religions of Ukraine, there are Ukrainians’ own universities, which allow the use of Latin or Greek to teach Ukrainians to read and read, and there are printing houses that print books for Ukrainians..."

"Do not!"

Before Cheerchen finished speaking, Blair interrupted Cheerchen. His eyes were rarely full of hope: "Do you know the content of the negotiation? Is this true for the Poles?"

"No, I mean what if." Cheer Chen shook his head.

"It's impossible. Poles will never give us this." Blair disappointed.

Chechen looked at Blair disappointed but thoughtfully-what if the peace brought by the king and Stanislaw Potocki was such a peace?

After thinking about it this way, Cheechen hurriedly went to the old man Stanislaw Potocki. At that time, both Henry Potocki and the Duke of Konitzki were there, and Cheerchen eagerly asked the old man regardless of others: "My lord, have you and the king drawn up a peace treaty."

It is obviously impolite and non-compliant to ask the mission’s Zhengshi in public about the specific treaty of the peace talks. As soon as Cheerchen's voice fell, Henrik Potocki immediately dissatisfied with Geology and asked Cheerchen: "Alvar, what are you asking about this?"

Cheerchen also realized that he was wrong. He apologized, and then said his thoughts publicly: "Master Stanislaw, as well as the Duke of Konitsky, Henrik Potocki, I want to say if we can give the Cossacks We have Ukrainian government, courts, financial departments and colleges, free religious beliefs, Ukrainian universities, which allow the use of Latin or Greek to teach Ukrainians to read and literate, and a printing house that prints books for Ukrainians. I believe that the Cossacks will be willing to accept the peace of the Republic."

"Then should we give them a certain crown, and then call them your majesty." Duke Konitzki sneered Chechen.

Obviously, the Duke of Konitzki thought that Chelchen was nonsense at all. What is the difference between such a condition and selling the country? How can a nobleman of noble blood work with Cossack's mud legs in the government? After thinking about it, Konitzki felt that he would be infected with the plague.

And Stanislaw Potocki stared at Cheerchen since Cheerchen began to speak. When Duke Konitzki finished speaking, the old man said to Cheerchen indifferently: "Cheerchen, your majesty and I have already finalized the terms of the agreement, so you don't need to worry too much."

After speaking, the old man closed his eyes and rested his mind. This action declared the end of the conversation.

Cheerchen resigned helplessly.

But after a while, Stanislaw Potocki called Chechen into the carriage.

Stanislaw Potocki called Cheerchen into the carriage to remind Cheerchen. Along the way, Cheerchen has done too many things that dissatisfied the old man, and he is about to go to Kiev now. The old man hopes that Cheerchen can become sensible and stop making trouble for himself.

"Chechen, you are no longer a child. You must be careful in your words and actions in the future." The first sentence of Stanislaw Potocki made Chelchen restless.

Seeing Cheerchen's embarrassment, the old man didn't stop talking about it. It seemed that he wanted to vent all his grievances against Chechen from this way.

"It’s the King’s intention to let you go as an envoy. I didn’t agree with it. You just reconciled with Natalie, and it’s unkind to separate you in such a hurry. But Queen Ludvika thought it was an experience. Your good opportunity. Although you have outstanding military exploits, you have no experience in politics. The Queen hopes that through this mission, you can grow up and will be able to serve His Majesty better in the future. For this reason, the Queen even has no experience in politics. He did not hesitate to ask for the title of a nobleman for your Fatima."

Hearing these words that he had never known before, Cheerchen's blush turned to the base of his neck, and he became more and more restless.

"My eldest man, I was a little rash in what I said just now." Cheer Chen apologized.

But who knows, Stanislaw Potocki slammed the base of the carriage with a silver crutches, and said, "I didn’t mean this. Although this is also one of your mistakes. You have long recalled, since How many things have you done wrong when you release the Cossack captives to hit the Duke of Konitzki and then hook up with Blair!"

Being so scolded by Stanislaw Potocki, Cheerchen was a little bit dissatisfied with everything he was wrong.

"My lord!" Cheerchen argued: "I admit that I was wrong when I beat the Duke of Konitzki, but I didn't think I was wrong with the other two things. Especially with Uncle Blair, he is a good Cossack. Besides, it’s not the boss that you allowed me to get in touch with Bao Hong more? Uncle Blair is a close friend of Bao Hong."

Stanislaw Potocki snorted angrily when Chechen ran on his own words. But that was indeed what he said, and Cheerchen did not seem to be wrong in doing this.

"That's not to mention Blair." The old man said: "Let's talk about your private release of prisoners. Now there are only two of us in the car. I can tell you that I also strongly disagree with those armored Cossacks and dragoons against the Cossacks. Our brutality. I should praise your kindness, because this is the most precious character in the world."

Just like most compliments have a turning point at the end, the old man started to criticize Cheorchen with "but" after complimenting Cheorchen.

"But you let the prisoners go. It was too rash to do that. You only saw dozens of lives saved in front of your eyes, but you forgot. Once they tell the news about the abuse of prisoners, it's almost certain. Yes, this will cause much resistance to the negotiation. Those die-hard Cossacks who hate the Republic, as well as the Russians and Swedes, will make waves and provoke the Cossacks to war with us. By then, the number of dead and injured will be tens of thousands. Have you thought about it? this one?"

"I have." Cheerchen replied without even thinking about it.

This answer was completely beyond the expectation of the old Stanislaw Potocki, who stared blankly there.

"What? You say it again." It's not that the old man didn't hear what Chechen was saying, he just couldn't believe it.

Chechen secretly scolded himself for nothing. Chechen also realized that Stanislaw Potocki’s excitement was brought to a critical point by his own words. In order to appease the old man, he immediately concealed his true thoughts, but gave a rational explanation. "Boss, in fact, it’s impossible for you to hope that the killing is not spread. We did not completely wipe out the troops of Company Commander Ivan Mahra, and Blair found the valley the next day. Think about it. , If Blair saw the corpses of dozens of tortured Cossacks, what would he do to the whole mission? We release the prisoners~www.wuxiaspot.com~They are grateful to us"

Chechen's explanation was reasonable, and Stanislaw Potocki also realized that he hadn't looked at him for a long time.

Indeed, if all the captives had died in their own hands, it was self-evident what Blair and his Cossack would do. At that time, I am afraid that except for Chechen, everyone else will have a different head.

"Even if you did it right," Stanislaw Potocki admitted reluctantly.

Cheerchen breathed a sigh of relief. He smiled and said to the boss: "In that case, boss, I can get out of the car."

Cheerchen is leaving now in a hurry. Facing the preaching Stanislaw Potocki alone, Chechen was sitting on pins and needles every minute.

But the old man didn't mean to let Chechen go. He told Cheerchen not to rush away, and then asked: "You said earlier that the Cossacks should be given government, courts, financial departments and colleges, free religious beliefs, and universities, etc. Is this your idea or Who told you that?"

"It's my own conclusion." Cheerchen said.

Then Cheerchen talked about Blair's original complaint.

"Oh."

Stanislaw Potocki was disappointed after hearing this, he thought it was Bao Hong's meaning.

"It should not be."

Chechen thinks that it should just be Blair's own complaint.

"I see."

Stanislaw Potocki felt relieved. Because if Baohong, the top Cossacks, wanted so much, the treaty drawn up by the king and himself would be really hard to satisfy.

But if it's just a delusion of an ordinary Cossack, it's a different matter.

After that, the mission continued to move forward, and they finally reached the city of Kiev on the afternoon of July 26.