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Chapter 1414: Falling into a Trap Again

What impressed him most wasn't the lamps, but the cannons; his voice choked with emotion as he spoke. It wasn't sorrow for the Poles, but the unbearable sight of so many excellent cavalrymen and fine horses being so easily killed. He and his people were also cavalrymen; if the methods for slaughtering cavalrymen were so simple, how would the Cossacks survive in the future?

"Go to the tents next door and have something to eat and rest. Don't leave for now!" Marshal Buturin said, seeing that Tatarinov was alright and the scouts couldn't recall any more details.

“Mishka, we’re in big trouble. If they’re not lying… I don’t think so, then this city is a trap set by the Ming army, waiting for their prey to fall into it.”

If the Winged Hussars are defeated, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth will have lost most of its fighting capacity, and the Ming army's next target will undoubtedly be us. What to do? What to do? What should we do now?!

As soon as the scouts left the tent, Marshal Buturlin revealed his true colors. His composure in the face of imminent danger was gone; he was now filled with anxiety, pacing back and forth with his hands on his hips, muttering to himself.

He had largely accepted the scouts' report, and it seemed too late to send someone to check the east side of the city. Judging from the timeline, the battle should be nearing its end. If the Ming army had other plans, they would probably have bypassed the city without even cleaning up the battlefield.

The Russian army has little time and options left. They could either commit all their forces to protect the flanks of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Army, or, without preparation, the Ming army would have little advantage in conducting a large-scale nighttime flanking maneuver. They might be able to stabilize the situation and redeploy after daybreak.

Alternatively, they could retreat quickly, leaving the Bolivian Federation army to the Ming army to devour, and by then it would be dawn. They could then decide whether to continue fighting or choose another path based on the situation.

Choosing between two options is actually quite easy, and there's no need to worry at all. However, both options have serious flaws.

Sending troops to protect the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth could preserve its strength to the maximum extent, but it could also lead to being implicated and suffering significant losses. Whether it's the former or the latter, the Russian military cannot decide; it all depends on the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth's attitude.

If Konetspolsky hadn't been terrified and had been willing to hold his ground after losing his winged hussars, and cooperate with the Russian army to fight against the Ming army, then the tactic would have been successful.

But if he loses his will to fight due to heavy losses and tries to retreat quickly while his allies advance, he will have ruined the Russian army. Afterwards, no one will be willing to pity him, and he will even be called a fool.

"But Marshal, where else can we retreat to?"

Faced with Buturin's increasingly urgent questions, Tatarinov was even more at a loss. He was used to Cossack tactics: fight if you can win, run if you can't—a style of mobile warfare, he'd never commanded a large-scale battle before!

"Yes...where should we go?"

By this time, the intense anxiety caused by the huge drop in elevation gradually subsided, and Buturlin realized that retreating was now a pipe dream. Unless he could run all the way to the west of the Aral Sea, enemies could be hiding everywhere, and running around blindly in this state was not a good option.

"Marshal, Marshal Konetspolsky requests a meeting!" Before anyone could decide where to go, another shout came from outside the tent.

"His presence here means the Winged Hussars are in grave danger. Mishka, take your Cossacks and cover the flanks, keep a close watch on the east, and await my orders!" The last sliver of hope that remained vanished instantly with that shout. Buturlin was now 100% certain that something terrible had happened to the Winged Hussars; otherwise, the Poles would never have come to meet him.

However, they couldn't refuse to see them when they arrived. Otherwise, the Poles wouldn't say they didn't listen to their advice, nor would they mention launching an attack hastily without notifying their allies. They would only say they were letting the Russians die without helping them, and then pin the blame for the defeat on the Russians.

In Europe, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth has a significantly greater voice than the Russian Tsarist Empire and is more likely to gain the trust of other countries.

In contrast to the two marshals in the Russian camp who were both gloomy and depressed, Ma Lan and Chang Jiang in the east of the city were beaming with joy. Standing in the temporary command post surrounded by several four-wheeled carriages, they listened to the constant stream of good news and their smiles were so wide that their back teeth could not be covered.

What a satisfying battle! 3000 infantrymen and 3000 light cavalrymen fought against 4000-5000 heavy cavalrymen on the vast plains at night, and not only did they not suffer any losses, they completely routed the enemy.

Whether the standard of annihilation can be achieved is currently uncertain; a careful headcount after dawn will determine the outcome. In reality, even if some escape, it doesn't matter much. This place is completely unfamiliar to the Winged Hussars who have come from afar, and most of them will likely get lost. Not many will be able to return safely to the western camp.

"Brother Chang, shouldn't we hurry up and go see the commander, urge him to stop waiting for the wind? Let's eat now, and then head straight out of the city. Or should I go from the north and you go from the south, and we'll kick over the Rakshasa's camp too!"

Looking up at the starry sky, Ma Lan felt restless. According to intelligence gathered from various sources, among the European coalition forces facing the Western Theater Command, the Polish-Lithuanian Winged Hussars were both the most combat-effective and the most dangerous.

Once this army is dealt with, the rest are nothing to fear. Let's just cut through the mess quickly and wipe them all out in one fell swoop. This will free up some troops to support other war zones, or we can simply march west and strike at the heart of the enemy. It's a matter of each fighting their own battle, and seeing who can win first!
"...I think so! Chief of Staff, signal the cavalry to turn back. Stop chasing, rest and replenish ammunition on the spot, and gather all the wounded to come into the city with me!"

Chang Jiang was older than Ma Lan, had served longer and had more experience, and was also more decisive. After listening to the suggestion, he thought it over carefully and decided it was a good idea. He threw away his cigarette butt, got up, and took action without the slightest hesitation.

"What a load of rubbish! 'Go straight for the enemy'? What's growing on your necks? Are they all empty inside?' It's understandable that the soldiers think this way, and it's also understandable that the centurions and commanders think this way."

But you are commanders, high-ranking officers qualified to attend theater operational meetings. How can you just spout off like that? If your subordinates hear this, it will cause unrest within the troops, and every single one of them will be in deep trouble!

However, what awaited the two victorious generals was not praise. Huang Taiji slammed his fist on the table and started cursing after only hearing half of what was said, exaggerating the serious consequences.

"Commander, that's an exaggeration. Even if we were ignorant, we wouldn't go around spreading rumors without orders. But what you did wasn't very ethical either. You suppressed the brothers' sense of accomplishment just to give the Eagles Brigade some recognition, didn't you?"

They slammed their fists on the table, glared, and made threats, but to little avail. The usually composed Chang Jiangguang pursed his lips and remained silent, his expression clearly showing his defiance. Ma Lan went even further, abandoning all pretense and laying her cards on the table, almost slamming her fist on the table herself.

(End of this chapter)