The Last Frontier of Fire and Sword

What the emissary said to Jerzy Khaletsky was half-truth.

Because although Karl X did return to Sweden, the army did not advance to Lithuania. And Karl X has not yet known the news of Boguslav’s capture.

When Baron Carl Gustaf Wrangel sent the news of Princess Louise Henriette’s rescue to Stockholm, King Carl X was meeting with parliament members in the parliament in Gothenburg.

He wants to persuade the congressmen to continue to support his war.

In the four-year war, in addition to occasional losses in the war with Poland, Karl X won great victories in the wars against Tsarist Russia, against Denmark, and against Norway, and created miracles one after another.

In other countries, some people even exclaimed: "The Nordic Lion Gustav is resurrected."

But although this series of victories brought endless fame to Karl X, it also brought the Kingdom of Sweden to the brink of collapse.

In the cross-sea expedition to Denmark, Karl X, who came across the sea, carried more than 20,000 troops. At this time, the population of Sweden was less than 1.2 million. That is to say, every 60 Swedes had to support each other. A soldier. This does not include the Polish troops in Sweden.

Such a high ratio of soldiers to civilians has caused domestic complaints. Especially because of the war with Denmark, the maritime trade routes of the Kingdom of Sweden were cut off, and the bourgeoisie and peasants in the country suffered huge losses.

Yes, although the kingdom gained great benefits in the early stages of the war against the Republic of Poland, and ships loaded with trophies almost blocked the channel to Stockholm, these wealth has long been invested in the bottomless pit of war. Now in the entire kingdom, only soldiers and nobles and those mercenaries benefit, while the survival of merchants and peasants is deteriorating every day.

The merchants who were not willing to continue to act as takers took advantage of the weapon of Congress to pressure Karl X to stop the war and recuperate.

For such a request, of course Karl X could not agree to it. In Karl X’s view, he had defeated Denmark and Norway and forced them to sign an alliance under the city; while the main force of Tsarist Russia was confined to the quagmire of Ukraine, it is now that he has swept Poland and reoccupied this prosperous country. Time, how can you give up halfway!

"Dear congressmen!"

Karl X is standing in the center of the house. Today he is wearing a sky blue dress and a white wig.

Karl X shouted hoarsely to the parliamentarians sitting in an oval shape: "Poland, my next goal is Poland. And it will succeed, just like Denmark and Norway."

The lawmakers began to stir.

Some members of the noble and military members greeted us, while representatives of the bourgeoisie murmured: "I'm afraid we have gone bankrupt without taking Poland."

"You won't go broke." Karl X said.

He listened to those discouraging words.

Karl X wanted to go on at once, but his throat suddenly hurt, and then he coughed violently.

When crossing the sea in Denmark, Karl X walked through the thick sea ice in blankets like ordinary soldiers, which caused serious damage to his body and contracted pneumonia.

Karl X hurriedly took out a handkerchief from his pocket and covered his mouth. He coughed again, then put the handkerchief back into his pocket without looking.

"Everyone, businessmen, workshop owners, think about it. What's in Poland? With an endless population, with uncut wheat, and flocks of flocks full of high-quality wool, we have taken Poland. , Are you afraid that your products will not be sold? Are you afraid that your factory will have no workers? Are you afraid that there will be no raw materials? I want to say that there will be bread and butter."

"But the people there hate us, and their cavalry is invincible." In a corner of the House, a stocky fat man whispered.

This is a hand factory owner from Riga. Four years ago, he gave the factory to relatives, and then borrowed a large sum of money to invest in Karl X's war against Poland. Four years later, he had nothing but a back of his hand in Poland-it was a memorial left by a Polish dragoon.

"The people there welcome us."

Carl X didn’t even look at the handicraft owner who objected to him. He said: “The Poles believe that I will bring them permanent peace, because I am a benevolent and benevolent monarch. And Jan Kazimierz is a Coward, and vainly attempting to destroy the golden freedom belonging to all Polish nobles. The so-called "helpful" and "unhelpful", this time, there will be more Obollinskies and Gudzlinskies devoted to my just cause. middle."

Both Oborlinski and Gudzlinski mentioned by Karl X were great nobles in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. During Wydenberg’s army invaded Poland, the two did not resist, and they surrendered happily and swore allegiance to the King of Sweden. They handed over control of the richest province of Greater Poland in the Republic of Poland to each other, including the land. All the churches and royal properties in the city; including all the towns and castles within the important towns of Poznan, Calis and Kossi’an.

What is even more shameless is that on the night of the signing of the surrender agreement, the two shamelessly attended a banquet in the Swedes’ camp. They feasted unscrupulously, as if nothing happened during the day, as if the people around them were friends rather than invaders who slaughtered their compatriots and plundered the wealth and land of their motherland.

Of course, the traitors in the eyes of King Jan Kazimierz and the Polish people were the loyal men who welcomed the king in the eyes of Karl X.

The councillors began to chat again for a while.

Five minutes later, an old man in a robe with a cross on his chest stood up-he was the archbishop of Relva.

"Your Majesty," said the archbishop in a trembling voice: "Of course we all know about Obollinski and Gudzlinski, but now in Poland, please forgive me for offending. You may not find it anymore. The attack on the Czestochowa Monastery by some of our generals ignited the anger of the Poles. Now, we are not fighting against Jan Kazimierz or certain Polish nobles, but against a nation And in that nation, we have no friends, only enemies. Just imagine, is there an example of a nation successfully conquering another nation in history? Your Majesty, you and your warlord can defeat a thousand people, ten thousand people, Even one hundred thousand people, it is absolutely impossible to defeat a nation with millions of people!"

The old bishop is highly respected and has been to Poland. The authenticity of his words is undoubtedly reliable and convincing. As soon as his voice fell, some MPs who had the same views as the bishop shouted: "Peace! Peace!"

The sound of peace became louder and louder, and the shocking Karl X was dizzy.

Karl X supported the podium in front of him with his hands. There was a sweetness in his mouth, but he resisted and swallowed.

Karl X must continue the war. Not for myself, but for my children.

He knows his body very well. Since he got sick, his body has been worsening every day. Even the doctor said that he might be able to live in a few years.

Therefore, he wants to pave the way for his son's successful ascension.

The real purpose of the war is not how much Polish territory can be occupied. Karl X knew that putting on another crown for himself was already a luxury.

He is just going through war to promote peace through war. And he forced King Jan Kazimierz to meet his two requirements: first, completely abandon the claim to the Swedish throne; second, cede the regions of Pomerania and Livonia.

King Jan Kazimierz never gave up his claim to the Swedish throne, which kept Karl X in his throat from time to time. Karl X was not the direct heir of the Vasa dynasty in Sweden. He was able to become King of Sweden by the abdication of his cousin, Queen Christina. In a sense, he is in an improper position. When he is alive, he can still suppress all opposition. But once he dies, those with ill-conceived minds and Jan Kazimierz will definitely renew their demands for the throne of Sweden. In his generation, he will completely interrupt from Sigismund III Vassar to Jan. Kazimierz’s claim to the throne of Sweden made his son the only legal heir.

The southern Baltic Sea and Pomerania and Livonia are the most important sources of trade income for the Kingdom of Sweden. Only the rights and interests of the Kingdom of Sweden here are guaranteed. The Kingdom of Sweden’s finances, which are under high load due to the war, tend to collapse. , It is possible to slowly alleviate through blood transfusion.

Before he died, he must do it.

Karl X raised his head. Suddenly, he saw two figures outside the door of the house—his wife Heidwig Ilionora and their three-year-old son (the future Karl XI).

Heidewig Eleonora is wearing a red dress today, and her golden hair is curled up high, like a dazzling red candle. And little Carl is wearing a black and white dress. Young Karl inherited Karl X's thick, jet-black hair, and the front forehead covered his forehead.

Heidewig Eleonora was holding the child by the hand and was looking at herself worriedly. And their children, looking at their father and their mother, looked innocent.

Seeing these two loves of his life, Karl X's body seemed to be full of power again.

"Who said no!"

The clamor in the House of Representatives continued, and Karl X suddenly stood up straight like a sword out of its sheath.

"In Lithuania, Prince Boguslav Laziviu is still on our side and is determined to be loyal to me; and,"

Speaking of this, Karl X paused.

Although the elector still showed no signs of succumbing to him, Karl X believed that with his only son and wife in his own hands, the elector would certainly succumb.

Just a matter of time.

"The Elector Frederick William has changed his mind, and he will be allied with me again."

This news was undoubtedly a powerful bomb, and the house exploded in an instant.

Since this statement came from the mouth of the king, no one doubted or dared to doubt the authenticity of this statement. They were just calculating and calculating how the elector’s re-election would affect the situation.

Karl X did not have time for every MP to consider the pros and cons. He said in the direction of Archbishop Reval: "Master Bishop, in Lithuania, tens of thousands of Protestants are being persecuted by Catholics. They demolished Protestant churches, deprived them of their right to vote and reside, and even forced Protestants to convert. These Protestants have no way to go, they are united by Prince Boguslav in their last dying struggle. The reason why they do not give up their faith, unlike Jan Kazimierz’s surrender, is precisely because they believe in the Kingdom of Sweden. , Our Protestant country will not ignore the desperate situation of the faithful. You said that we cannot defeat a nation, but I want to say that God can!"

Religious correctness is the greatest correctness. After Karl X moved out of the banner of protecting Protestants in Lithuania from persecution by Catholics, even the Archbishop Revaldu dared not stand up.

Karl X seemed to have won a big victory. In the subsequent time, no one dared to raise objections. But when it was time to allocate funds for the next war, the lawmakers began their unremitting "struggle" with the king.

Karl X asked the parliament to approve a war appropriation of 300,000 talers, and to pay at least 50,000 in each subsequent month. This made the congressmen mourn all over, yelling that even if they killed themselves, they didn't have that much money.

Karl X said that his mouth was dry, and he was eager for several times, but the congressmen only agreed to allocate 100,000 talers for the war and pay 30,000 every month thereafter.

In the end, Karl X accepted the plan. He has secretly made up his mind that he will sell the royal castles, farms and other properties to make up for the shortcomings, because in the next war, he can only win but not lose.

After the meeting, Heidewig Ilionora took Karl into the house. Little Carl saw that everyone was almost walking, and threw himself into his father's arms.

"Dad!" Little Carl cried milkily.

Karl X gently dragged the child with one hand, and put his other hand around his wife's shoulder.

"I won," he said.

Queen Hedwig Eleonora smiled.

"I know, I know that my husband is always at a disadvantage."

The attendant from Sakon came over and put on a cloak for the king.

In November, the whole country of Sweden has long been shrouded in ice and snow.

Holding his wife and daughter in his arms, Karl X suddenly felt guilty.

The time I spend with them is too little, too little.

"After the battle is over, I won't go there anymore. It's in Stockholm. Our family." Karl X whispered.

Heidewig Eleonora leaned tighter against Karl X's shoulder.

While Karl X was enjoying a rare family time, Count Orval von Goethe, the king's attendant, entered the house. He was obviously in a hurry, but seeing this scene, he couldn't help stopping.

Karl X raised his head. He read an anxious look in Oval von Goethe's eyes.

The king's arms around his wife couldn't help letting go.

Heidewig Eleonora rose from Karl X's arms. She knew it was time for the king.

"Carl, let's go. Let Dad handle official duties." The queen said softly.

Little Carl reluctantly walked out the door under the lead of his mother.

"Your Majesty!" Oval von Goethe stepped forward.

"What's the matter?" Karl X asked.

"Princess Louise Henriette has escaped."

Hearing this news, Karl X staggered. Fortunately, he was on the side of the podium in time.

"When did it happen!" Karl X asked.

"Half a month ago." Oval von Goethe said.

Fifteen days!

Karl X was anxious once again, he asked Oval von Goethe, why Karl Gustav Wrangel only reported now!

"Your Majesty, the heavy snow has blocked the road, and the Baron has nothing to do." Bo Jue explained.

But what Carl X wanted was not an explanation. What he is worried about now is that Louise Henriette was rescued, and he lost the only support to hold the elector, and may also forge a deep feud with him for this matter, and then the elector will inevitably and Jan Kazimierz joined forces to seek revenge.

"Damn it! Damn it!" Karl X hit the podium with his fist hard.

"Your Majesty~www.readwn.com~ Your sire!" Oval von Goethe persuaded him worriedly when he saw Karl X's appearance like crazy.

"Ahem!"

Suddenly, Karl X coughed violently. This time he couldn't even take the handkerchief out of his pocket. Big mouthfuls of blood splattered to the ground.

"His Majesty!"

Oval von Goethe exclaimed, he hurriedly supported Karl X by thousands of people, and gently slapped the king on the back.

After a while, Karl X felt better. At this time, Oval von Goethe proposed to call an imperial physician immediately.

"No need, count." Karl X wiped the corners of his mouth with a handkerchief and stained blood. He joked: "Those doctors do nothing but bleed me."

Oval von Goethe was still worried.

"Count," Karl X said: "You immediately give my order:'Order Simon Grundel Hemfit to secretly assemble an elite force of 1,000 people, and wait for my call at any time. Then order the cloth Rahe Wichensburg also secretly assembled two thousand people on the front line.'"

Hearing these two orders, even if it was stupid, Oval von Goethe knew that the king was going to use troops in winter. But fighting in winter in Eastern Europe has always been a taboo of the use of soldiers, and it is impossible for the king to understand this truth.

But Oval von Goethe didn't ask much. As a soldier, he knows that obeying orders is the first duty of a soldier. Moreover, Oval von Goethe extremely admired Karl X as a role model and idol. For the earl, even if Karl X let him jump off the cliff, the earl would not hesitate.

"Yes!" Orval von Goethe led the order.

Then the earl went down to deliver the order without delay.

Only Karl X remained in the House.