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Chapter 1193: Patience is Sometimes Harder than Death

Prince Heinrich asked calmly, "Do you believe Warsaw is plotting something?"

"Certainly not," Chodkiewicz replied dismissively. "You really should see for yourself what a mess Warsaw has become. Because of the serfdom issue, the Great Sejm was dissolved, and they haven't even managed to complete the new elections yet."

"The Lithuanians and Ruthenians in the east have no desire to fight at all. Poniatowski knows very well that if there is no peace treaty, both his position and the King's throne will be lost."

"Go back and tell the Polish Regent that if they cede everything west of Łęczyca, our country can choose to cease hostilities. Oh, and the port of Gdańsk must be handed over within ten days."

And so, without firing a single shot, the Prussian and Austrian armies marched into Gdańsk and Lublin respectively.

However, once the news that Poland was going to surrender spread through the two armies, their originally high morale gradually dissolved into lethargy and laziness.

In the city of Warsaw, an unprecedented movement condemning the government erupted over the fact that two major cities had been lost because the Polish army offered no resistance.

Following the suggestion of the French Crown Prince, Regent Poniatowski dispatched his Chief Secretary, Piattoli, to deliver a public speech outside the parliament building.

"In recent years, the Commonwealth has suffered from trade suppression by countries like Russia, Prussia, and Austria, and our financial situation has drastically deteriorated," Piattoli said, his voice earnest and pleading. "Furthermore, the war broke out so suddenly that we don't even have the funds to procure logistical supplies."

"The soldiers at the front can only be guaranteed two meals a day. They are desperately short of vehicles and tents. Under these conditions, our soldiers would only be subjected to a massacre by the enemy..."

"His Highness the Prince Regent does not want our young men to bleed in vain, so he was forced to choose negotiations within a limited scope..."

The rowdy crowd gradually fell silent. Everyone knew that Poland's financial situation was indeed dire; many civil servants had not received their salaries for several months.

Suddenly, a middle-aged woman wearing an apron pushed through the crowd and came to the podium. She fumbled under her apron for a long time, hesitated for two seconds, and finally placed two silver coins gently on the wooden stand. "I can only give this much, otherwise my children will starve. Please, defeat those shameless invaders."

Just as she turned around, several middle-aged men followed suit, placing money on the podium. "From now on, I will donate half of my wages to the army."

"We must take back Gdańsk!"

"I only have these two Złoty left. When I go back, I'll sell my house and come back to donate more..."

A nobleman also shouted, "Please set up a donation point at the City Hall! I have another thousand Złoty!"

"Yes! As long as we can drive out the invaders, we will find a way to raise the military budget!"

As the people swarmed toward the podium, Piattoli had to temporarily interrupt his speech. Watching the silver coins and banknotes pile up at his feet, he couldn't help but clench his fists tight.

Two hours later, after returning to the Tin-Roofed Palace with 2,445 Złoty, he immediately submitted his resignation to the Regent.

"I am sorry, Your Highness. I feel I can still carry a rifle. Perhaps I can do something at the front."

What even Joseph had not expected was that his "financial delay tactic" had lasted less than a week before more than 2.7 million Złoty were donated across Poland, the equivalent of 4.3 million Francs.

For the impoverished Poles, this was essentially everything they had.

And this amount of money was enough to cover the expenses of forty to fifty thousand soldiers entering the battlefield.

However, Poniatowski's special envoy entered a second round of negotiations with Russia, Prussia, and Austria. Yes, seeing Prussia and Austria gain benefits so easily, Russia had also quickly dispatched its army.

After a series of humble compromises, Russia obtained Minsk and Babruysk, Prussia continued southward into Kuyavia, and Austria got its wish by taking the regions of Krakow except for the silver mines.

The Polish army, meanwhile, was constantly being shifted around pointlessly, always kept far away from the enemy forces.

Time quickly moved into mid-May.

In the city of Pinsk in central-eastern Poland.

In the temporary camp of the Royal 12th Infantry Regiment, Major Karoslaw looked at the red marks on the map, irritably rubbing his short blonde hair.

Those were all places already controlled by the Russian army, including cities like Mozyr where he had once fought bloody battles.

"Damn it, where exactly are they sending us to fight?" he vented loudly. "Have the old men in the Military Committee not woken up yet? If this continues, we'll be left defending nothing but Warsaw!"

Beside him, Major Janik, who had a terrifying scar on his collarbone, shook his head. "The years of peaceful life have allowed many useless fools to climb to high positions. Poland will be destroyed in their hands sooner or later!"

Karoslaw struck a nearby tree violently with his riding crop. "Then what should we do? Are we really going to wait until the Russians hit Warsaw?"

Just then, two cavalrymen galloped over and shouted to Janik, "Major, we have spotted traces of the Russian army north of Slutsk. There should be over two thousand of them."

Janik gritted his teeth. "Those bastards... do they really think we're all dead?"

At that moment, an orderly arrived and tipped his hat to him. "Major Janik, our regimental commander is preparing to go to Slutsk. He asks if you will come with us."

Janik looked at his adjutant with doubt. "Are there transfer orders?"

The latter shook his head. "No, Major."

The orderly lowered his voice. "Do you plan to just watch Slutsk be occupied by the Russians? Forget about the orders! We have three regiments, enough to wipe out that Russian force!"

Janik and Karoslaw looked at each other and nodded simultaneously. "Fine, we're going too."

"At worst, we'll face a court-martial. What's there to fear!"

The next morning, the three Polish infantry regiments stationed in Pinsk quietly marched eastward.

Just as Janik and the other two regimental commanders were excitedly discussing their upcoming tactics, they heard the rapid thud of hooves coming from their rear flank.

Soon after, Janik's adjutant approached with a dark expression. "Major, it's the people from the Military Committee. They've ordered us to return to our station immediately."

"Damn it!"

A thin, dark-skinned regimental commander snarled, "Magolkov, take my guards and block them!"

In that instant, Janik suddenly heard a very familiar voice: "Boys, for the sake of the motherland, I beg you to continue to endure."

Janik spun around. Standing before him was an old officer, his trouser leg hanging empty beside his saddle.

He immediately jumped off his horse in excitement, standing stiffly at attention. "Marshal! Why are you here?"

Kościuszko nodded to the officers. "Go back. Now is not the time. But I swear, when that day comes, I will be with you to tear the invaders to pieces!"

The three regimental commanders lowered their heads. A moment later, they one by one gave the order to retreat.

Kościuszko turned and asked his guard, "Where to next?"

The guard replied immediately, "The 5th Guards Cavalry Brigade in Vladimir, Marshal."

"Cavalry? Then we must pick up the pace."

And so, Kościuszko traveled day and night between the various army corps. Relying on his immense prestige within the Polish military, he personally held back the hot-blooded soldiers who were straining at the leash in the rear.