Chapter 1281: On the Eve of the Storm

Xiao Qian's words shocked all the generals nearby.

"General!"

"General, this must absolutely not be done!"

"How can we launch a counterattack? This..."

Matters on the battlefield are indeed ever-changing, but they must always be conducted according to an overall strategy. At this moment, they should be defending passively, strategically abandoning some areas, and then counterattacking. But Liu Zheng's intent was clearly to have their great army prepare for a counterattack! This difference is massive; it involves every aspect of a war: grain, fodder, baggage, ammunition, and the mobilization and deployment of troops. These things are very difficult to change in a short period of time.

Therefore, once they prepare for an all-out counterattack, there will be no turning back.

They urged Xiao Qian one after another.

"General, when a general is in the field, he is not bound by the orders of his sovereign!"

"General, Lord Liu is brilliant, but he does not know the true situation in Liaodong..."

Xiao Qian could not help but smile bitterly; how could he not understand this principle? But although he was a fierce general under the Prince of Wei, he had always held a unique conviction in Liu Zheng. This conviction was not innate, but verified through event after event. It verified one principle: that whatever Liu Zheng said could always be proven by facts.

The war situation in Liaodong, although not as severe as the war situation in the Northwest.

However, once a wrong choice is made, it will still lead to eternal damnation.

Therefore, Xiao Qian still intended to follow Liu Zheng's orders. Despite many people trying to dissuade him, he still issued the order for an all-out counterattack!

For a moment, the Tsarist Russia soldiers who had just intended to land on Kuye Island were all stunned.

Ushakov, having received news on his warship that the Longyan Army had begun to strike back, was also damn stunned.

This shouldn't be.

Longyan's Xiao Qian is a famous general; even he, when facing Xiao Qian, would not dare to be careless. This is a famous general who is brave, yet meticulous and methodical. Under such a fierce offensive by Tsarist Russia, he actually chose to counterattack? This is simply incomprehensible to people, and even more incomprehensible to Ushakov.

Going head-to-head, there is no benefit in this.

"What on earth is he thinking?"

Ushakov frowned.

He did not believe that Xiao Qian would make such a common-sense mistake, because even his own students would not make such a choice.

Could it be...

Longyan is bringing a large number of reinforcements?

His eyes lit up.

In the past few days, the troop movements of the Li Dynasty have been somewhat frequent. They even caused him to suffer quite a few losses. But after the last clash, the Li Dynasty, fearing the lewd might of Tsarist Russia, still dared not be too presumptuous. Could it be that they are about to make a comeback? Thinking of this, Ushakov could not help but gasp.

Could it be...

Is the Li Dynasty this time really planning to join the war between Longyan and Tsarist Russia?

That would be equivalent to the Li Dynasty declaring war on Tsarist Russia!

How dare they!

"General, what should we do?"

"These Longyan people are really not afraid of death!"

For a moment, Ushakov also fell into a dilemma.

How should he choose?

Continue the fierce offensive and go head-to-head with the Longyan people?

Or is Xiao Qian just bluffing?

Going head-to-head certainly has no benefits. Because it will inevitably increase the casualties on the Tsarist Russia side.

However, after all, Rumyantsev on the Northwest front has already sent an urgent report that they have launched a general offensive against the Northwest direction of Longyan. If he does not cooperate on his side, it will not do.

"Continue the fierce offensive!"

"Continue the fierce offensive! Within three days, we must land on Kuye Island!"

"Yes!"

Meanwhile, Menshikov in Tsarist Russia had been counting money until his hands cramped these past few days; he had struck it rich! This time, he

really struck it rich! Looking at the gold and silver he had brought in, this already guaranteed he was undoubtedly the richest man in Tsarist Russia; perhaps he had even become the richest man in all of Europe!

Having made a fortune, what to do?

Enjoy!

Naturally, enjoy!

Of course, it was impossible for Menshikov to take this wealth and flee abroad.

He was not that stupid; the reason he possessed this wealth, and the reason he could enjoy this wealth, was because this was Tsarist Russia, and he had a Tsar for a brother! Once he took this wealth and went elsewhere, he would become fish on someone else's chopping block!

Drunken dreams and death, singing and dancing!

Let's party!

As the old saying goes, if a person becomes bloated, they easily go mad; once they go mad, they lose sight of certain things.

For example, the Qian father and son; he only sent people to monitor them strictly, but on the surface, he still treated them as honored guests.

So what he did not know was that the Qian father and son intended to flee Tsarist Russia today.

Because they calculated that the time was about right.

On this day, the Qian father and son held a banquet of no small scale in the mansion bestowed by Menshikov. The two were already objects of flattery for many in Saint Petersburg; people would curse them as Menshikov's lackeys in their hearts while still treating them as nobles, offering all sorts of sycophancy.

After all, they were Menshikov's "pet ministers"!

The Qian father and son's continuous banquets also made Menshikov lower his guard against them; at a glance, they were clearly people of the same path.

When the night was deep and quiet, the Qian father and son were already drunk.

But the scene was still boisterous with wine and heat, the atmosphere intense.

Because the Longyan beauties brought by the two were simply too charming, making these guests unwilling to leave for a long time.

When the two were carried into the bedroom by the servants, they suddenly woke up and exchanged a glance.

"It's today!"

"Are you ready?"

"Heh, I just stole the city exit token from the garrison commander!"

As the two spoke, they looked at each other and laughed heartily.

Afterwards, they began to disguise themselves and, taking advantage of the night, slipped out through the back door. Although Saint Petersburg had a curfew, the two held the garrison commander's token in their hands! Thus, there were no obstacles at all along the way. Because they were disguised, they looked nothing like their former selves, and they had deliberately brought along one more person; the three of them traveled together, pretending to be three drunken sots. In Tsarist Russia, this combination was as normal as could be.

After successfully leaving the city, the three boarded a Horse Carriage that had been prepared outside the city walls and sped toward the west like flying.

That's right.

To the west of Saint Petersburg.

That direction was not toward Longyan; if the two had gone east to return to Longyan, they would have had to pass through many parts of Tsarist Russia along the way, and once Menshikov discovered they were missing, he would surely be furious and order the whole country to intercept them.

Therefore, the two had long since planned their route.

First, from Saint Petersburg, enter the Ottoman Empire!

Then, from the Ottoman Empire, travel by Waterway to return to Longyan!

The next day, Menshikov, upon receiving the news of their disappearance, was stunned for a long while.

He truly could not understand why the two would flee...

But he felt that something was not right.

He felt that a storm was coming.