The Han culture is spreading strongly in Southeast Asia

Chapter 886 The Sacrifice of Abdication - The Rus' Empire
To understand how badly France lost this time, just look at Napoleon's position.

He ran all the way from south of the Danube River, which is only twelve kilometers from Vienna, to Munich, which is four hundred kilometers away, before stopping.

Nearly 100,000 troops followed Napoleon on his eastern expedition, but only more than 30,000 returned to Munich. Among them, 24 officers of brigadier general rank or above were killed in battle, accounting for more than 30% of all officers.

Of course, it wasn't that the remaining 70,000-plus French troops were all wiped out, but rather that a large portion of them scattered, and some, after escaping the pursuit of the Anxi army, chose to defend important towns and provide some protection for their emperor Napoleon.

1809, April 7.

French and Austrian troops clashed again at Waldclaysburg, about 70 kilometers east of Munich, but the fighting was not intense.

The Austrian army of over 60,000 men, plus 7,000 Xia troops, under the command of Archduke Karl, faced off against the 20,000 French troops and 30,000 Rhineland troops personally commanded by Napoleon. There was no battle where hundreds of thousands of troops were mobilized in a single engagement.

In reality, only the front lines of both sides, numbering over ten thousand, clashed. After each side lost about a thousand men, the Austrian army chose to retreat.

The reason is simple: the Austrian army is out of ammunition. Currently, each Austrian soldier has only two small bags of gunpowder, enough to fire a maximum of thirty rounds, and less than a thousand artillery shells for the entire army.

After the disastrous defeat of the previous anti-French coalition at the Battle of Austerlitz, the Austrian army not only suffered huge military losses, but its size was also limited to 60,000 men.

These 60,000 people are not someone you can just settle by signing a document; they are someone you need to inspect the equipment and dismantle the arsenal.

In other words, after the Battle of Austerlitz, Austria's military production capacity was greatly weakened, and most of its lathes were sent to France.

Meanwhile, due to the blockade imposed by the Continental Policy, England's supplies simply could not be transported in, and Austria could not obtain supplies from other places either.

Of course, the French army was also exhausted, and the statistics of the Battle of Aspern-Aisling were already available before Napoleon personally arrived at Waldclaysburg.

More than 9,600 French soldiers died in the battle, especially in the battle where the Anxi army launched a surprise attack. Marshal Lannes and General Saint-Hilaire were killed in the battle, and the Saint-Hilaire Division of more than 3,000 men was almost completely wiped out.

Although these were not the old guard, they were still elite French troops, mostly veterans, and their losses could not be recovered in a short time.

Besides those killed in battle, more than 15,000 wounded soldiers died, and roughly the same number were captured by the Austrian army, so it is likely that few of them survived.

This is also why casualties are counted together in this era.

With this level of medical care and investment, even if someone were hit in the leg by a lead bullet, the chances of survival would be less than 50%.

As for being hit in the chest or abdomen, it's basically a death sentence; often, being injured is equivalent to death.

"The Austrians also suffered heavy losses. It seems that their casualties were only half that of the French, about 20,000, but most of these 20,000 were the elite of the Austrian army."

"I think the main problem is that they don't have enough weapons. Two hundred years ago, people could fight just by wearing armor and carrying swords, but that's not possible now. Without gunpowder, the army can't fight."

"Leaving aside the weapons, I think the Austrians are running out of food. They have conscripted 120,000 people to the battlefield, in addition to another 30,000 to 40,000 civilian laborers who are not going to the battlefield."

But Austria's population is only around nine million, definitely less than ten million. Their autumn harvest season is just around the corner, and if these soldiers don't go back soon, the grain will rot in the fields.

About four or five kilometers away, the generals of the Anxi army were observing the battlefield through binoculars on a hillside, making various analyses, but they showed no intention of going up to help the Austrians.

"Your Majesty, are we really not going to join the war?" Bao Youxin, the commander of the Xia Fan Left Guard, felt a little regretful. If the Anxi army had charged forward now, they might have been able to defeat the French army.

Upon hearing this, Li Xingtai waved his hand and said, "I would never do something like pulling chestnuts out of the fire for someone else."

Besides, war is dangerous and unpredictable; we're not 100% certain of victory, and it wouldn't be worth it if we lost more men.”

"Of these 20,000 men who followed me on the westward expedition for thousands of miles, almost 10% have already perished. Now that they have achieved meritorious service and will soon receive their rewards, they should return home to reunite with their families and enjoy life. We cannot let them sacrifice themselves in vain in an insignificant battle."

"It is truly a blessing for us generals that Your Majesty is so considerate of your subordinates!" A group of officers were immediately delighted to hear Li Xingtai say this.

This is why many soldiers in the Anxi army were willing to fight to the death under Li Xingtai.

This is also why Li Xingtai likes to use unconventional methods and succeeds every time; he truly treats the soldiers around him as brothers in arms.

"Tell the French that the five thousand male slaves and five thousand female slaves I want are to be delivered to the vicinity of that abandoned castle over there in an hour. If they are a minute late, my Anxi men will march straight to Munich and teach Napoleon a lesson!"

It turns out that Li Xingtai's decision not to fight the French army was also part of a behind-the-scenes deal. Napoleon sent someone to sue for peace, claiming that as long as the Anxi army did not participate in the war, he was willing to give one million francs, which is about 140,000 silver dollars.

However, Li Xingtai didn't want money. Anxi was a vast and sparsely populated area with a not very active market economy. Goods transported from the mainland were ridiculously expensive. So, tens of thousands of silver dollars were very valuable in the mainland, but they were just average in Anxi.

So he asked for what Anxi needed most: 10,000 serfs, half men and half women.

And he doesn't want Austrians, the rest are fine. As for where Napoleon came from, Li Xingtai doesn't care, he just wants the man.

Ge Yunfei shook his head almost imperceptibly. It wasn't that he was dissatisfied with the Anxi army's strategy of avoiding battle.

As Li Xingtai said, the Anxi army provided its own food and weapons to help the enemy, and they were not going to risk their lives for the Austrians by doing all the dirty work.

The reason he shook his head was that the banditry of the Anxi army was still too severe. From the commander-in-chief to the soldiers, they were all keen on robbing money, food, and people.

When such things are done too often, military discipline is not well maintained. Therefore, within the Great Yu, the Anxi Army is far inferior not only to the Twelve Imperial Guards and the Sixteen Garrisons of the Capital, but also to the garrison armies of many provinces.

Li Xingtai noticed Ge Yunfei's unusual behavior. Although the kid thought he was hiding it well, he was only twenty years old. How could he possibly fool the eyes of a group of old foxes?

“Pengqi, you are different from us. You are destined for the Beijing Garrison or even the Imperial Guard. Your future is bright and limitless.”

But many of them are destined to serve their country on the frontier; if they were expected to live a life of obedience, no one would be willing to come to Anxi and endure such hardship.

Seeing that he had been seen through, Ge Yunfei stopped pretending and looked at Li Xingtai, saying, "Aren't we, the Anxi Army, the Six Commanders of the Crown Prince?"
They were not imperial guards, but they were even more powerful than them. Ten years later, they returned to the capital with His Highness the Crown Prince, each one a meritorious official who had helped him rise to power.

Li Xingtai laughed loudly, "Do you think the heroes who helped the emperor rise to power are like sweet potatoes in a cellar, to be given away by the pound or by the basket?"

If all the people of Anxi were to return and become meritorious officials who helped the emperor rise up, wouldn't the people of Jiangnan and Lingnan simply revolt?

After saying that, Li Xingtai patted Ge Yunfei on the shoulder and said, "Soldiers may not need to play games, but they must understand these intricacies."

Forty minutes later, the French delivered 10,000 serfs as promised. A few days earlier, they had directly looted two towns in the Kingdom of Bavaria, keeping the money for the French and giving the serfs to the Anxi army.

Just then, King Xia, Mo Gongze, arrived. Li Xingtai looked at him and said with a smile, "Brother King Xia, you have nothing to worry about. The French army has gone from being a revolutionary force to just another ordinary one."

In fact, not only did the Anxi army not participate in this battle, but the Xia Fan Three Guards, who were on the battlefield, were also just there for show.

In the Battle of Aspen-Eslin, Mo Gongze lost more than two thousand men, not counting the Hungarian army, just the Xia Fan Three Guards alone. He was so heartbroken that he almost cried.

Now, his cousin, Emperor Franz I of Austria, had not kept his pre-war promise to cede the title of King of Hungary to him, so naturally he would no longer fight to the death. His Xia Fan Sanwei still needed to fight the Ottoman Turks, and even the Tsarist Rus'; he didn't even have that much enmity with the French, so naturally he wouldn't risk his life at this time.

"The revolutions of Tang and Wu were in accordance with Heaven and the people. This is a quote from the Book of Changes." Mo Gongze said with some emotion as he looked at the group of Bavarian slaves who were tied up and crying in the distance.

"Although European civilization is ancient, most of it has little to do with modern Europeans. For more than a thousand years, they have hardly lived like human beings."

Only in the last one or two hundred years, as they learned from the East and began to absorb and develop Chinese culture, did they begin to have a civilization.

France has always been the cultural center of continental Europe, which led to the flourishing of diverse schools of thought and the Enlightenment—a period that, sadly, ultimately failed to last.

As someone who is half European, Mo Gongze was indeed deeply moved.

Moreover, things were different at that time compared to later generations. If Chinese people in later generations dared to say that the European Renaissance and the Enlightenment were influenced by China, they would be labeled as pseudo-scientists and Han chauvinists.

At this time, it was generally acknowledged that the initial cultural enlightenment movement in Europe was indeed greatly inspired by Chinese culture before developing its own unique elements.

Just like Mo Gongze said, the major European ethnic groups today were originally semi-savages struggling to survive in mud and swamps, with no decent art or culture at all, so what kind of revival is this!
How can you revive something that doesn't even exist? It's just a matter of finding some Roman knowledge in old books, secretly stealing some Arabian culture, and mixing it with the Eastern knowledge brought by missionaries.

But what's remarkable about these people is that after they've experimented and refined their ideas, a real talent pool has emerged, and they've created something truly unique.

"Jean Lannes is the son of a coachman, and Saint-Hilaire is the son of a low-ranking officer. Many of the officers and soldiers they led were revolutionaries, and some are still revolutionaries today, but the French Revolution is over!"

Mo Gongze gave a concluding speech, then shook his head, as if trying to get rid of this emotion that didn't belong to him.

"However, I believe that given Napoleon Bonaparte's character, he will not admit defeat so easily, and we will have a fierce battle to fight."

Seeing that Li Xingtai was accepting benefits from the French, Mo Gongze couldn't help but remind him.

"Hahaha!" Li Xingtai laughed three times. "King Xia, do not worry. If ten thousand serfs can distract my twenty thousand Anxi warriors, then you are underestimating us."

He smiled and pointed out the fierce and ruthless men behind him to Mo Gongze, "These are all meritorious officials of the country, heroes of the Han people, and His Majesty's most valiant henchmen. They are not lowlifes who have never tasted or seen anything like this before."

"I intend to take over Napoleon Bonaparte's serfs. Not only will I take them, I'll actively seek them out. Once he truly believes that my Anxi men have no intention of fighting, he'll be in for a terrible loss!"

Ge Yunfei, who was still some distance away, was shocked and finally understood Li Xingtai's scheme.

No wonder this nobleman, the King of Liang, has been so greedy lately; he was setting a trap for the French.

. . . .

When Napoleon heard in the French camp that the Seres had accepted his peace offer "gift" and were even showing great greed by wanting to buy more in secret, he was finally relieved.

Unless the Seres' fighting spirit is more resolute, the Austrians are doomed next time.

"Prepare to draw troops from Spain and Portugal. I need at least 60,000 men, of which no fewer than 40,000 should be veterans."

“I will send an envoy to St. Petersburg to tell Tsar Alexander that as long as his army marches into Austria and joins the war, I will sign a treaty to support the Tsar’s recapture of Constantinople and immediately hand over the Polish territories west of Warsaw to them.”

Napoleon quickly issued orders; he certainly couldn't swallow this insult and had to completely crush the Austrians to secure his position as the hegemon of Europe.

Meanwhile, in the Austrian camp, Archduke Karl saw that Mogongze's men were not putting in any real effort, and that the Seresian Army simply refused to participate in the battle, so he had no choice but to withdraw his troops.

After the Battle of Aspern-Essling, Austria lost more than forty officers of brigadier general rank or above, and many units were wiped out. They had to go back and reorganize as soon as possible.

"Ferdinand really doesn't consider himself an Austrian. He's disgusting. We should never have handed Hungary over to him!"

Inside the tent, Archduke Karl's brother, Archduke John, was throwing a tantrum. He felt the biggest reason this battle was unwinnable was that Mogongze was unwilling to make any sacrifices.

“John, you should control yourself!” Grand Duke Karl was indeed a little dissatisfied with Mo Gongze, but when he heard his younger brother Grand Duke John say this, he instantly understood why Mo Gongze was always so cautious.

Like his brother Emperor Franz, Archduke John was harsh, ungrateful, and fickle in his treatment of the Belgian princes, always on guard and sometimes unwilling to even put on a show of it. It would be strange if Ferdinand had been wholeheartedly devoted to him.

"Stop saying things that will only damage the unity between us brothers. It's because you always treat Ferdinand like an outsider that the Empire has come to this!"

Thousands of miles away, in St. Petersburg.

Tsar Alexander I received the French envoy. He was satisfied with the terms offered by Napoleon, but he hesitated and dared not make a move.

"The French fighting strength has declined too quickly; how could they be defeated by the Spanish and Austrians in succession?"

If they possess this level of fighting power, how can we possibly defeat, or at least repel, the Khitans?

During a secret royal meeting, Tsar Alexander I expressed his concerns, revealing that he was now considering turning back.

Many ministers of the Russo-French Empire shared this idea, whispering among themselves and calculating the consequences of withdrawing from the Franco-Russian alliance at this time.

"It is precisely at times like these that we must uphold our alliance with France, because the importance of us Slavs will become even more apparent when the French Empire is facing problems."

The only one who publicly voiced his opposition was Speransky, the chief civil advisor to Tsar Alexander I.

"As you all should know, over the past four years, the Khitan crown prince has stockpiled countless cannons and bombs in their Anxi region."

"So many supplies couldn't possibly be used to fight the Persians, or to invade India; they must be used against us."

With just a few words, Speransky silenced the wavering Tsar and the ministers of the Rus' Empire.

"We have received definite news that the terrible Eastern Emperor is preparing to hold an abdication ceremony, one of the oldest succession systems of the Khitan Empire."

When the old wolf king retires to enjoy life, what will the new wolf king use to prove that he has enough ability to make the old wolf king step down from the throne early?

How could he prove he was better suited to rule the empire?

Speransky suddenly waved his hand, and Tsar Alexander I broke out in a cold sweat that began to roll wildly down his back.

"That is to utterly defeat us, conquer us, and prove that he is the most ferocious wolf king of the new generation with the blood of the Slavs and their kneeling in pleas for mercy!"

After a chilling silence, Tsar Alexander I, whose back was almost soaked with sweat, stood up.

"Marching! Immediately march on Austria and eliminate the Khitans' representatives in Europe!"

(End of this chapter)