Marshal Paskevich's arrogant declaration made Alexander both angry and depressed.
It is precisely because he knows that his anger is meaningless that he is so angry.
Just as the marshal said, his army has arrived at the gates of Warsaw at this moment, and no one can stop him and his men from continuing to advance until the flag of the Russian Empire can once again fly in Warsaw.
No matter how many bloodshed and sacrifices are made, this result is already destined and there will be no change.
Although he kept saying in front of the marshal that he was just a French diplomat, deep down in his heart, why did he want to see such a result?
Therefore, although there was an extremely rich food in front of him, and although he was already hungry, he still found it difficult to swallow at this moment.
However, in this depressed and painful atmosphere, there is good news - the marshal has made it clear that he does not want to make things difficult for him. As long as he waits for Warsaw to fall, he will send himself to Petersburg and then be sent back to his country.
Personal safety is at least no problem.
As long as you live there is hope...
He is still young now, and if nothing unexpected happens, he still has several decades to live. Maybe one day in the future, he will really be able to see the arrogant marshal in front of him, and even the tyrannical and violent Emperor Tsar behind him.
What about the loss?
In the past few decades, too many dramatic and bizarre events have occurred on the European continent. Who can say that others will not happen in the next few decades?
At least, he could hope so and wait with this hope.
Thinking of this, he reluctantly cheered up, and then said nothing, concentrating on eating the food, and the marshal did not make things difficult for him again. After the two of them finished their lunch calmly, he waved his hand and asked an orderly to take him
Go to rest in a villager's house that has been vacated.
Before he left, the marshal also specifically warned him that although he could get the treatment he deserved as a foreign envoy here, in exchange, he could not talk or act randomly here, let alone talk to people casually or inquire about Russia.
The situation of the army.
In other words, it is tantamount to house arrest.
Alexander was mentally prepared for this arrangement, so he agreed very calmly - for him, his mission had been successfully completed, and the most important thing now was to ensure his own safety and return to France safely.
his new homeland.
Only when he sees his half-brother again can his experiences in the past few months be meaningful.
Therefore, he cooperated very well with the Russians' orders, eating and resting at fixed times, never having contact with the outside world, and quietly waiting for everything to end.
And he didn't have to wait long.
After just two days of rest, the re-arranged Russian army slowly started to move towards Warsaw again.
After several months of continuous fighting, the goal of conquest was in sight, and the rural areas near Warsaw were relatively prosperous and developed, with abundant supplies of materials that could be "requisitioned" on the spot. Therefore, the morale of the Russian officers and soldiers was high.
On the side of the Polish rebels, the situation was naturally the opposite. After many days of hard fighting, the patriots who were the most enthusiastic and impassioned and were willing to join the army to fight against the Russian army were either dead or injured, or were physically and mentally exhausted.
They are exhausted, and their weapons, medicines and clothing are becoming increasingly scarce, so their resistance is naturally becoming weaker.
What is worse than the material dilemma is the hatred and fighting between people when disaster strikes.
Because the situation became increasingly chaotic, the original Polish government could no longer control order, and looting occurred everywhere. Officials, nobles, and members of parliament who were originally united to resist the tsar were also torn apart by their differences and cursed each other.
Some people even publicly stated that the entire revolution was a mistake, which caused Poland to lose the little autonomy it still had, and then faced brutal repression.
Of course, these people are only a minority, and most people choose to numbly resign themselves to their fate, waiting for the coming doomsday judgment, or find a way to escape from Warsaw, or at least go somewhere else to avoid the limelight.
Only a very small number of people remain unmoved in this desperate situation. It is not that they still have hope, but they are just ready to die.
After the Russian army launched another attack, the front lines outside Warsaw were easily broken through, and the survivors had to retreat into the city, preparing to rely on the city itself for the final resistance.
At this time, the Russian army's shelling of Warsaw was still continuing. This shelling was no longer to kill the enemy, but to clearly show the tsar's anger to the Poles and serve as a warning to others.
After the shelling ended, the Russian army officially entered Warsaw in an almost marching manner.
The honor of marching into Warsaw first was awarded by the marshal to the prestigious Preobrazhensky Guards Infantry Regiment. As the closest troops to His Majesty the Tsar, this regiment has always had the best treatment. At this moment, it
The officers and soldiers, all wearing bright uniforms, lined up calmly and entered the city of Warsaw as if they were victors in a military parade.
And other Russian troops followed closely behind, and in the same arrogant way, they once again spread the iron heel of the Russian Empire to the land of this famous Eastern European city.
This has happened countless times.
Even though there are still people resisting on the streets and in the houses in the city at this moment, and even though the sound of firefights in the city is still heard, none of this affects the good mood of the Russian officers and soldiers. In their view, everything is over, and only
It’s just the final finishing touches—admittedly, that’s indeed the case.
However, this time, the marshal issued an order in advance to prohibit Russian officers and soldiers from looting after entering Warsaw - after all, this city has once again become a treasure in the hands of His Majesty the Tsar and cannot be destroyed casually; and the marshal himself will also become the imperial ambassador to Poland.
Governor, of course he also hopes to have a complete and well-functioning city in his hands.
Under the supervision of the officers, no riots or robberies occurred. The Russian troops who entered Warsaw quickly moved into various areas of the city. Although there were sporadic gunshots and firelights everywhere, everything was different.
Ordinary peace.
Compared with the commotion caused by previous defeats, the people of Warsaw seemed indifferent to this defeat. Because a large number of citizens had fled, the population of Warsaw was more than half what it was not long ago, and the streets and houses seemed empty.
; And the remaining citizens can only hide in their houses shivering, praying to God that they will not encounter bad luck in the future - this is all they can do.
Of course, in this desperate and tragic scene, some people responded much more "smartly". Groups of officials and nobles appeared from nowhere and surrendered to the Russian army with white flags. Many people even claimed that
I have been opposed to this rebellion from the beginning, and have long been looking forward to the Russian King's army regaining Warsaw.
These despicable cowards were treated with contempt but politeness by the marshals and officers. After all, for the Russian army, the most important thing was to restore order in Warsaw as soon as possible. After the overall situation was stabilized, it would not be too late to liquidate afterwards;
Furthermore, if the empire wanted to rule Poland, it also needed the cooperation of local elites, and those who were willing to submit to the tsar should receive preferential treatment.
In this way, the Russian troops poured into Warsaw like a tide, passed through the streets and alleys, came to the Royal Palace of Warsaw, came to the City Hall of Warsaw, and occupied important places one by one.
In the end, after less than two days of sporadic fighting, the Russian army reoccupied the entire Warsaw with very few casualties. The ancient city of Warsaw returned to the hands of the Tsar without much damage.
After completely pacifying the resistance in Warsaw, the proud Russian commander-in-chief, Marshal Paskiewicz, rode a tall horse, surrounded by soldiers and cheering, to the City Hall Square in the center of Warsaw. He was going to use
A grand military parade was held to celebrate the victory of the empire's counter-insurgency war (although sporadic resistance in other places still needed to be suppressed, but this was no big deal), and at the same time declared to all Poles the invincibility of the empire.
The empty square was already crowded with Russian officers and soldiers. They looked different, but they had the same excitement and joy on their faces.
At this moment, the marshal was wearing a brand-new military uniform, with important medals he had received after joining the army on his chest, and a bicorne hat on his head, showing the majesty and domineering look of a conqueror.
At this time, following his instructions, Count Alexander Valewski was brought before the marshal by several cavalrymen.
"Young man, I said, I asked you to witness with your own eyes the moment Warsaw fell into our hands." The marshal waved the scepter in his hand gently, motioning for him to come closer, "Now, you have seen it."
Alexander looked pale and felt extremely depressed.
Although he knew that this was bound to happen and had already been mentally prepared for it, when he actually saw thousands of Russian officers and soldiers crowded in the square to celebrate the victory, he still felt extremely sad in his heart.
Disgust and dissatisfaction.
The only thing he was thankful for was that Warsaw was not razed to the ground by the angry tsar after all. It was still preserved - even under the rule of a foreign tyrant, but at least it was still alive.
This is the last comfort.
"Your Excellency, Marshal, congratulations on retaking Warsaw for His Majesty the Tsar and the Russian Empire." Alexander suppressed his dissatisfaction, and then congratulated the other party in as calm a tone as possible, "The Russian people will definitely celebrate your great achievements.
"
Marshal Paskevich saw the insincerity in the young man's heart, but he just enjoyed this insincerity, because it meant that the great power of Russia had once again subdued the Europeans, forcing them to recognize the empire even if they felt unhappy.
Strong and acquiescing to the empire's step-by-step expansion.
In his excitement, he pointed to the imperial double-headed eagle flag flying again on the top floor of the Warsaw City Hall, and then confidently replied to Alexander, "Sir, this is what we have exchanged for our swords and guns, and we will use our swords and guns to defend it in the future."
!We are here now and we will be here forever!”
After finishing speaking, he took off the bicorn hat on his head and waved it gently.
"Ula!"
"Ula!"
In an instant, the Russian officers and soldiers lined up in neat rows all uttered the famous word "Russian Army".
The deafening cheers made Alexander's eardrums ache, but in order not to be embarrassed, he managed to maintain his composure, stood beside the marshal without changing his expression, and watched with cold eyes the Russian officers and soldiers' display of prowess.
"How's it going?" the marshal turned his head and asked Alexander with a hint of sarcasm, "You French people have done so many little tricks, but what's the point? Just like in the past, we have crushed Poland into powder again. It is destined to be us.
That's right...His Majesty the Tsar's army is enough to defeat any conspiracy."
Then, without waiting for Alexander to answer, he narrowed his eyes slightly again, seemingly lost in thought.
After a while, he spoke again,
"In 1814, the scene when we followed the emperor into Paris was ten times more grand than it is now. I was there at the time... That scene was really nostalgic. We defeated the man who conquered Europe, and then we conquered
The capital of Europe! I'm sorry for the disaster this scene has brought to you, but I want to tell you, young people, the peaceful time that makes your generation feel comfortable and boring now is what the previous generation and the generation before it could only dream of.
Thing! In order to allow yourself to enjoy this pleasant time longer, you'd better be more at ease, otherwise, I can't guarantee whether this scene will happen again."
"He was not defeated by you, he was only defeated by God and himself." Alexander's blood boiled for a moment, and then he loudly responded to the marshal, "Your Excellency, marshal, of course we love peace, and we know how precious and hard-earned peace is today.
It is not easy. We are willing to do our best to defend peace, but I want to tell you that loving peace does not mean fearing war, nor does it mean kneeling down to any threat and begging for mercy... If the price of peace is that we lose all national honor and all patriotism
If we are not supported by the patriots, then this kind of peace is humiliating and absolutely unacceptable! I think, as another patriot, you will agree with this."
Amidst the endless cheers, Alexander's voice was a little blurry, but even so, it was clearly conveyed to the marshal's ears.
"Huh, you have backbone, but backbone doesn't bring victory." The marshal commented coldly, "We are the winners, no matter then or now."
"Then let's see what happens in the future." Alexander showed no sign of weakness.
The atmosphere was tense now. Fortunately, the marshal was in a good mood now and did not want to continue the verbal dispute, so he shrugged again, "Now you can go to Petersburg. I wish you a safe journey."
——”
"Before I leave, I have a small request..." Alexander said suddenly.
"Please tell me." The marshal was a little surprised, but still nodded.
"I have a friend who should have died in the two days of fighting... I ask you to send someone to help me collect his body. I plan to take his ashes away with him." The more Alexander spoke, the more he felt in his heart.
I was sore, but I still endured my grief and finished my request.
"I can agree, but...are you so sure that he is dead?" the marshal asked.
"I'm sure." Alexander lowered his head and replied sadly, "Damn it, I'd rather not be sure!"