The War Court and Lap Pillow, Austria's Mandate of Heaven

Chapter 1794 The Tsar's Toast
No sooner had the Viscount of Stratford taken Queen Sheffield Zafza away than the British army in Constantinople surrendered before the palace could even be cleared of its contents.

Austrian and Russian troops immediately contacted the British forces responsible for guarding Dolmabahçe Palace, and both sides dispatched elite troops to capture the Ottoman royals.

Fortunately, Viscount Stratford acted swiftly enough; otherwise, it wouldn't have been just a group of servants and attendants who were captured, but the entire Ottoman court.

The British surrender was remarkably efficient, without any hesitation or delay.

This made the Austrian side, which had dealt with the British for many years, very uncomfortable. In fact, a considerable number of people within the Austrian army felt that the British surrender was fake and that they were really plotting to buy time.

There is even a hypothesis that the British wanted to wait until the Austrian army was off guard before launching a surprise attack.

Although this defies common sense about European warfare, Austrian generals, thanks to Franz's relentless propaganda, believed that the British were capable of such an act.

After all, it was quite unbelievable that the British army would surrender en masse after only three days of fighting.

In fact, due to the extremely heavy casualties in the street fighting, the Holy Alliance forces now regarded the British troops stationed in Constantinople as an unprecedentedly formidable enemy.

In preparation for a potentially tough battle, both Austrian and Russian armies have requested reinforcements from their home countries.

However, the British army did choose to surrender, not only giving up their positions but also pointing out the enemy's location to the Holy Confederate forces.

"Is this the power of a unanimous vote?"

Albrecht didn't dwell on it too much, after all, the main target of this battle was the British Royal Navy, and the possible capture of the Sultan's family.

Franz was not really interested in the Sultan’s family, nor did he want to use them to puppet the lands of the Ottoman Empire.

The problem is that if these people fall into Russian hands, the Russians might skip the armistice and accelerate the annexation of the Ottoman Empire's legacy.

Russia's advanced development is actually not conducive to the stability of the Holy Alliance, so Franz must do his best to prevent this from happening prematurely.

However, since they failed to capture any members of the Ottoman family, the Austrian side simply sealed off the entire palace, leaving Nicholas I to personally open the "blind box."

As for why we didn't loot first?
Franz could only say that what was in the Ottoman imperial palace was not worthy of the title.

In fact, the Austrian Empire had always had spies in Constantinople. Long before the Holy League attacked Thrace, and even before the last Battle of Constantinople, the wealth in Constantinople had already been transferred to Anatolia and other regions.

Even if the Austrian army looted the Ottoman palace, they wouldn't get much money. Instead, the British would continue to smear them, and the Russians would be jealous.

Franz would not allow Russia to do anything that would undermine unity, and he himself certainly wouldn't do it either.

The surrender of the British army caused even greater panic among the Holy League forces. They were eager to quickly seize the British army's food depots, armories, and strategic locations.

On the other hand, they also had to monitor the disarmament of the British troops to prevent a sudden attack. Even after the British troops had withdrawn from the city, the Holy Confederate Army had to provide them with sufficient barracks, food, fresh water, and medical care.

Given the British’s consistent performance, the Holy Alliance forces were forced to break up and divide the British troops.

Not only should officers and soldiers not be allowed to stay together, but even soldiers in the same unit should not be allowed to stay together to prevent a riot.

In some ways, dealing with these hundreds of thousands of surrendered prisoners was more difficult than killing them; Austrian and Russian reserves were mobilized to accommodate them.

While everyone else was working themselves to the bone, Nicholas I was the only one who was really excited. He not only had a chimney converted into a viewing tower overnight so that he could watch the entire surrender ceremony, but he also couldn't help but sing a song.

In fact, Nicholas I prepared a grand banquet and intended to invite all the generals to attend, including the surrendered British.

Nicholas I did not intend to humiliate them, but rather to personally thank them.
The Tsar's temporary palace was decorated in a magnificent style, with long tables laden with exquisite silverware and vodka, as well as some delicacies rarely seen on the battlefield.

Nicholas I's guard of honor stood on both sides, and even on the battlefield, their clothes and boots remained spotless, their posture upright, and their faces solemn and sacred.

A huge religious painting depicting St. George slaying a dragon hangs behind Nicholas I, who is seated on the throne. St. George is the patron saint of Moscow and the Russian army, and his image of "slaying the dragon" is self-evident at this moment.

The British generals had all changed into clean uniforms, and they all stood tall and proud, but they still couldn't hide the shadow of defeat.

Nicholas I sat alone at the head of the table, occupying an exceptionally long table, while to his left stood a restless Austrian diplomat.

On the left side of the table were generals from both Russia and Austria, while the right side was reserved for the British.

In fact, there were quite a few empty seats at the dining table on the left. After all, the fighting outside was in full swing, and people were too busy to sit here and keep Nicholas I company.

"Generals, please raise your glasses."

Don't be embarrassed by the fact that it's vodka. Trust me, in this cold winter, it's more heartwarming than any of the hypocritical debates in your parliament!

The British generals were somewhat surprised, because this man, who looked like a brown bear, could speak fluent French.

This is completely different from their stereotypes. After all, the Tsar should be synonymous with violence and eccentricity, and should only be able to roar like a beast with his vocal cords not yet fully developed.

Nicholas I continued his toast.

"This first cup of wine should be offered to Almighty God. Our gathering here today is not by chance, but by the unfathomable yet eternally just judgment of God."

The courage and sacrifice of the warriors are manifested through His will; we can only humbly receive them!

Nicholas I raised his glass and drank it down in one gulp. The generals from Russia and Austria also drank their drinks, although a considerable number of the Austrian generals were not used to such strong liquor and coughed repeatedly.

The British generals looked embarrassed. Nicholas I attributed the British defeat to the will of God, which on the surface seemed to be an attempt to exonerate them, but in reality it was a sarcastic remark that the British army had aided and abetted the evildoer.

However, they also understood the principle that one has to bow one's head when under someone's roof, especially since the Russians had previously drowned Admiral Dundas, the commander of the Mediterranean Fleet, by stuffing him into a wine barrel.

Nobody wants to drown in this spicy vodka; it's said that Russians also have a penchant for soaking the corpses of defeated soldiers in alcohol.

The thought that their drinks might have been soaking someone's corpse made some of the British generals gag, but they swallowed it back down under the Tsar's piercing gaze.

Nicholas I spoke again.

“I know that your newspapers and parliament have always called me a tyrant and referred to us Russians as barbarians or descendants of Mongols.”

But who is now fighting against the enemies of European civilization? And who is protecting that crescent moon against the cross in the name of freedom and trade?
Look outside! Right now, fighting against the enemy in Europe on the front lines are two barbaric nations you despise, while you, under the guise of civilization, are abandoning your faith to help the enemy in Europe.”

Nicholas I suddenly stood up and shouted, "Bring the carriage over!"

Soon, a series of horse-drawn carriages loaded with wooden boxes stopped at the entrance of the tent, leaving everyone somewhat puzzled.

"Open the box!"

At the Tsar's command, heavy boxes were opened one after another, some of which seemed to have been stored for many years, and dust filled the air when they were opened.

Only then did people realize that the boxes were filled with books, some of which were even parchment scrolls that looked very old.

"In 1485, the village of Arenia was attacked by the Ottomans in collusion with the Tatars, who abducted 35 women and killed 103 people."

On the banks of the Havelworth River, Ottoman cavalrymen committed atrocities, killing 36 people, impaling four children on spears, and luring and killing 52 villagers.

Kalamata, Moria Peninsula, 1821.

Ottoman Pasha ordered that five hundred Greek prisoners be built alive into the city wall—the cracks in the bricks still seeped with human oil—and the wall stands right on the beach where your combined fleet landed years ago.

The Ottomans committed many other crimes, and each book here records the crimes they committed against us.

I, Nikolai Pavlovich Romanov, the fifteenth Tsar of the Russian Empire, have always carried these with me, as a constant reminder to myself to forever remember this history and to drive these Ottoman devils out of Europe.

Every word was like a knife; those who had just been insisting that Britain was on the side of justice were completely devastated.

At this point, the British realized a problem: British morality could not judge Russia and Austria, nor could it even judge the heinous Tsar before them.

The British claims of protecting Europe, resisting aggression, and advocating free trade are utterly untenable in the face of this century-old feud.

In addition, given what the British generals had seen and heard over the past year, especially after witnessing the Ottomans' despicable and cruel tactics and their ability to betray their allies, there were virtually no British generals who could still empathize with the Ottomans.

As a result, the atmosphere at the banquet became very heavy.

"However, please rest assured. The Holy Alliance is benevolent, and we will not treat you the way we treated those Ottoman prisoners of war."

I will provide you with the treatment befitting your status, as agreed upon.

But the war is not over yet, and you will be staying in Russia as guests for the time being.

You can also take this time to see how the empire you look down on operates.

This was actually something Franz had discussed with Nicholas I long ago. The Austrian Empire didn't need those prisoners of war, and in Franz's eyes, those British were just a waste of food.

However, for Nicholas I and the Russian Empire, it was entirely different; they needed these prisoners of war to prove Russia's greatness.

Actually, those prisoners of war were quite disappointed; they would have preferred to go to Vienna, not just because the south was warmer in winter.

Despite being portrayed as morally corrupt and dangerous by British propaganda, any Englishman or Frenchman who has visited Vienna has to admit the strength of its entertainment industry.

In Vienna, there's nothing you can't see if you can imagine it. Of course, whether you're even qualified to go is another matter, since money is basically just an admission ticket in Vienna.

During the banquet, Nicholas I did not forget to preach, especially criticizing the British system.

According to Nicholas I's logic, this Near Eastern War should have been avoided or that Britain, in conjunction with the Holy Alliance, should have defended the sacred order of Europe, rather than being an anti-European and anti-faith war launched by certain maritime powers out of commercial calculations and so-called political needs.

It praised the fighting power and courage of the British Army, while also disparaging the British government, which was dominated by businessmen and politicians.

Nicholas I attributed the defeat to the parliamentary system and the misguided leadership of British government officials, believing that the tragedy was caused by incompetent people leading experts, and that even the motives themselves were wrong.

Although Nicholas I's words were very crude, and it was immediately obvious to the British generals who were often involved in politics that he was trying to sow discord.

But what was most terrifying for these British generals was that everything the Tsar said was true, and few generals supported him throughout the Near East War.

Their specific strategic choices were completely opposite to the British government's decision; in their minds, it could even be said that those politicians had pushed everyone into the abyss step by step.

On the other hand, the British surrender left a huge gap in the defense of Constantinople. If the Holy Alliance had not been busy receiving prisoners of war, the outcome would probably have been decided by now.

Of course, even if the Ottoman army was still putting up a stubborn resistance at this point, the outcome of the war could not be changed.

The British surrender was a devastating blow to the morale of the Ottoman army, as they knew from the beginning that they could not win.

Now, with the betrayal of their allies, the Ottoman officers simply dared not tell the lower-ranking soldiers the truth.

They themselves would be betrayed by the lower-ranking soldiers, so a large number of Ottoman officers chose to escape by boat overnight.

In the heat of war, Ottoman soldiers didn't have time to think much, and many found themselves unable to find their officers as the fighting progressed.

They wanted to surrender or escape, but the Holy Alliance army was so bloodthirsty that they didn't give them any chance.

The remaining Ottoman troops could only wander around aimlessly like headless flies or fight to the death, while some British officers and soldiers who refused to surrender took over the scattered Ottoman soldiers.

Some British troops, out of a sense of honor or faith in freedom, refused to surrender to the Holy Confederate Army and continued to organize resistance.

It was precisely because of these people that the Holy Alliance's casualties remained high. Franz admitted that they were very capable fighters, but it was they who made the battle even more brutal.

Burning streets and corpses everywhere could not deter their determination to hold their ground; in fact, these British soldiers even took on the role of overseeing the battle.

It was they who repeatedly drove Ottoman soldiers, who were trying to disguise themselves as civilians, onto the battlefield.

Of course, it wasn't just deserters who were driven to the battlefield; there were also many genuine civilians. After all, the Holy Alliance Army had the advantage in both manpower and firepower, and they had to resort to any means necessary to hold their ground.

Some Ottoman commanders were also influenced by them, but due to cultural differences, most of the desperate Ottoman commanders chose to charge in a suicide attack.

Refusing to surrender and fighting to the death was the highest honor for the Ottomans.

The predictable battles and pointless killings continued for a week before finally ceasing.