Chapter 455: Eating Sugarcane from Both Ends
As for the Duke of Brunswick, he wasn't worried about the French betraying him; it was a fair exchange, money for lives. Mostly, he had no other options. Refusing the French proposal would likely mean losing his over 50,000 men.
West of Liegnitz.
Wofenstein had returned to Austrian control. Outside the town, by the Austrian military camp, hundreds of honor guard soldiers stood in neat rows lining the road, eagerly watching the French officers pass by, especially the young man leading them.
Behind them, the ordinary soldiers disregarded protocol and shouted at the top of their lungs: "Thank you, our French brothers! May God bless you all!"
"You came just in time! Long live France!"
"Thank you, Your Royal Highness! You saved us all!"
How could they not be thrilled? Just moments before, when the Prussian army had breached their lines, they had all believed their end was near.
In that desperate moment, the French Royal Guard Legion suddenly appeared, cutting off the Prussian forces that had breached Austrian territory.
Simultaneously, the French sent cavalry to cover their flanks, helping them withdraw safely.
The surrounding military music suddenly swelled with a rousing crescendo. Marshal Lacy, accompanied by dozens of officers, stepped forward to greet them.
As he caught sight of the French Crown Prince, he immediately signaled to the officers behind him, and together, they pressed their hands to their chests in a respectful salute: "Thank you for your timely aid, esteemed Crown Prince. Austria will forever remember your invaluable assistance!"
Joseph dismounted from his horse, returned their greetings with a warm smile, and exchanged cordial pleasantries. The atmosphere was remarkably harmonious.
Marshal Lacy personally escorted Joseph towards the camp. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, a question that had been lingering in his mind resurfaced, and he promptly inquired: "Your Highness, you previously mentioned being encircled by Driesen and requested reinforcements. How is it that you've suddenly appeared on the Liegnitz front?"
Joseph had already formulated his alibi. He immediately made the sign of the cross over his chest and declared with a pious expression: "To be frank, the situation was exceedingly perilous; I nearly perished on several occasions. Yet, by the grace of the Lord, one of our cannonballs, after a series of ricochets, fortuitously struck a high-ranking Prussian officer, throwing his entire unit into immediate disarray."
"I seized the opportunity to break out of the encirclement and fled all the way back to Liegnitz. No sooner had I arrived than I found the Prussians smashing through your lines. Our forces happened to be positioned on the enemy's flank, so we pressed the attack and, by sheer fortune, managed to rout them."
The Austrian officers were all left speechless. This was utterly... unbelievable. Even fiction wouldn't dare concoct such a tale.
Lacy, too, paused for a few seconds, completely dumbfounded, then hastily made the sign of the cross over his chest: "Ah! God truly favors you, Your Highness. You are incredibly fortunate!"
The group proceeded into the encampment. It was still some time before lunch. Given the intensity of the ongoing battle, Marshal Lacy requested the French Crown Prince to rest first, as he still needed to convene a war council.
Hearing this, Joseph glanced at Berthier and the others standing nearby: "With such a formidable enemy at hand, it would be prudent for us to attend the council as well."
Marshal Lacy didn't argue, recognizing the critical nature of the war. He invited Joseph and his party into a farmhouse, which served as his temporary command post.
The farmhouse's parlor was cluttered with maps and operational documents. It was clear Lacy and his officers had been holding their meeting here prior to their arrival.
At a nod from Lacy, an officer briefly outlined the current Austrian troop dispositions, then continued: "The battlefield situation is roughly as follows. The Marshal's plan is that once General Davidoff's and General Conrad's corps return, we will first reinforce the breach in our defense line, then encircle the enemy forces west of the line from three directions."
"Presently, the enemy, centered around Andreas's corps, is entrenched on the low hills north of Bard Village. To dislodge them, we must first secure the high ground on either flank..."
Joseph observed the spirited Marshal Lacy, patiently listened as the officer concluded the operational briefing, then, with a grave expression, he spoke: "Your Excellency Marshal, your strategy is indeed impeccable. However, how long do you anticipate it will take to completely annihilate these fifty thousand-plus Prussian troops?"
Lacy replied without a moment's hesitation: "Gathering the necessary forces will likely take five to seven days."
After all, a significant portion of his army was still at Ratibor; withdrawing them and allowing for even minimal rest would already make that timeframe quite tight.
"If the engagement proceeds smoothly, we could rout the Prussians within a week. Even if they offer stubborn resistance, I am confident we can conclude the battle within two weeks."
While the Prussian army was indeed cut off west of the Liegnitz defensive line, they still comprised over 55,000 well-organized troops. Should they choose to resist resolutely, their annihilation would undoubtedly require considerable effort.
Joseph nodded his head: "Very well then. Once this enemy force is annihilated, what will be your next course of action?"
Marshal Lacy responded with a wide smile: "Why, of course, to continue our eastward offensive, recapture Liegnitz in a single decisive stroke, and then advance on Breslau!"
"Do you truly believe it will be so straightforward?"
"Hmm?" Marshal Lacy's brow furrowed slightly in confusion. "Your Highness, what do you mean?"
In the past, he certainly hadn't given much thought to this young man, but only two days prior, Joseph had rescued his army from an almost certain annihilation. How could he possibly disregard the Crown Prince's counsel now?
"As you just stated, it will take approximately two weeks to a month to annihilate the enemy forces west of the defensive line," Joseph pointed out. "Such a lengthy period would grant the Duke of Brunswick ample time to re-fortify the Liegnitz defenses."
"Even with our numerical superiority, we would still face a grueling siege."
He paused, sighing: "It's possible that even half a year, or longer, might not suffice to break through those defenses."
"And as you are aware, public opinion in Vienna already presumes you have recaptured Liegnitz. Should this drag on for such an extended period, you would undoubtedly face considerable political pressure."
With over 200 cannons still positioned along the Prussian lines, even with the Austrian Coalition Forces' numerical superiority, a swift victory was far from guaranteed. Of course, Joseph's estimate of half a year was a deliberate exaggeration.
Marshal Lacy's expression turned grim upon hearing this: "You are correct, Your Highness. But this is the optimal strategy I can devise. If His Imperial Majesty blames me for a disadvantageous campaign, then I can only..."
Joseph, however, shook his head gently: "Your Excellency Marshal, we currently possess an exceptional opportunity. The Duke of Brunswick previously withdrew a significant number of troops, creating disarray in his defenses. Coupled with his recent defeat, his soldiers' morale is undoubtedly low."
"If we amass all our forces now and launch a concentrated assault on the southern flank of the defenses, it is highly probable we could achieve a decisive breakthrough."
Marshal Lacy, too, shook his head: "Your Highness, the Prussian lines are still manned by at least 90,000 defenders; it would be far from easy to breach them swiftly."
"Furthermore, we cannot simply disregard these fifty thousand-plus enemy troops to the west of the defensive line. Should we commit to an assault on the main fortifications, they would immediately strike us from the rear."
Joseph had been waiting for precisely this point; a sly smile flickered in his eyes: "Your Excellency Marshal, what if I possess a means to draw away the soldiers from the enemy's main defensive line, while simultaneously ensuring those fifty thousand Prussians cause us no further trouble?"
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