Entering the Summer Palace courtyard, the remains of shattered walls and broken bricks came into view.
It seemed these were the traces left by that famous cannonade.
From the ruins, the caliber of the canons appeared to be about 15CM, not the 17 or 21CM heavy artillery. Wang Zhong did not find either of these two types of heavy artillery within the Karanskaya encirclement either.
Upon reflection, it would have been quite impossible to transport such heavy artillery to Karanskaya at that time.
Ludmila asked curiously, “Why not clean up these remnants of destruction?”
Wang Zhong, “They have been cleaned up. Haven’t you noticed that many of the smaller stones have been removed? These ruins have been deliberately preserved. Whenever I see them, I think that Prosen must be destroyed. One day I will bombard their centers of power with heavy artillery on the main streets of the Prosen capital.”
Ludmila glanced at the debris again and said, “Well, that’s what I anticipate too.”
At this moment, the car arrived at the front entrance of the palace.
His Majesty the Tsar stood at the top of the steps, smiling warmly at the incoming guests.
As soon as Wang Zhong got out of the car, Olga ran down the steps, lifting her skirt, and cried out, “Alyosha!”
Wang Zhong immediately knelt on one knee, “Your Majesty.”
Never underestimate the empire’s bulwarks!
Ludmila, seeing Wang Zhong, offered a salute—she was also in military attire, and strictly speaking, saluting was the most appropriate protocol.
Olga stopped, her smile fading, as she adopted a stately demeanor and extended her hand to Wang Zhong.
Wang Zhong kissed the back of her hand and then stood up.
Olga, “You have a weak spot!”
“Your Majesty!” General Tugenev’s voice came from behind.
Olga abruptly halted the body that had been poised for a stealth attack, and with a stern face, announced, “Congratulations on your triumphant return. In recognition of your merits, I grant you the right to carry weapons into the palace and also to ride horses within it.”
The moment had come to ride Bucephalus into the reception hall.
Wang Zhong, “Thank you, my respected Ekaterina the Third.”
Olga’s expression dimmed, “They won’t let me take the name Ekaterina the Third, won’t let me change it. So I can only be called Olga the First now.”
Wang Zhong, “The First isn’t so bad, Your Majesty.”
Olga smiled and said, “Come in, General. Everyone is waiting for you.
“I had to push hard to get them to agree to let me greet you alone.
“They said there’s no precedent for His Majesty to greet a Major General alone. I told them you’re like my brother. No, you are the one who looked after me in my brother’s place. If a brother returns victorious, could he stop his sister from greeting him?”
Wang Zhong was in no position to argue, for he did indeed intend to become a good brother and take up that role.
He could only respond, “Your Majesty, you must be mindful of the influence of your actions in the future.”
“I know. This way, please. Don’t keep the generals waiting.”
————
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The General Staff’s map room had moved to another location, and from the intelligence Wang Zhong gathered from an overhead perspective, the room where Major General Skorobo had been killed was sealed off.
Wang Zhong asked Olga curiously, “Why move the room?”
Olga, “Because in that room, my father—the traitor from Ante—met his end. Plus, you killed Major General Skorobo there. Two high-ranking traitors have died there.”
Wang Zhong responded with an “Oh.”
Olga, “Also, the windows were shattered by the blast wave during the bombardment. So it was moved to a new room, since with this weather, it’s unbearable without windows.”
As they spoke, the servants opened the doors to the new meeting room and loudly announced, “Her Majesty Tsar Olga the First, the hero of Ante, General Rokossovsky has arrived!”
Just the title of Ante’s hero? Isn’t that title a bit brief—although I didn’t fight for a lengthy title.
All the generals in the room stood up.
Wang Zhong swept his gaze across the room, feeling as if all the high-ranking generals of the capital were present—along with General Tugenev, who was always following behind him. If a bomb went off here and then, the Ante Army would possibly crumble.
Belinsky was also sitting in the observers’ area.
As Tsar, Olga sat in the seat of honor, and Wang Zhong also took a seat at the conference table on the right side, ranking just behind the Chief of General Staff Tukhachev and Field Marshal Boris.
Ludmila sat in the area designated for adjuncts, in the corner.
Once everyone was seated, Tukhachev stood up, took a long stick, and stood in front of the large map.
Seeing a huge map that covered an entire wall now triggered in Wang Zhong an involuntary association with “Xuzhou, a place historically known for battles…”
Tukhachev began, “Gentlemen, in December, our forces will launch a comprehensive counterattack against the Prosen army within Ante territory, with the aim of completely eliminating the Prosen threat.
“Many years ago, a Conqueror suffered defeat below the walls of Ye Fort, and at that time we were also ruled by a female monarch. That time we launched a staunch counterstrike and quickly defeated the Conqueror.
“Now we believe that history will repeat itself.”
Wang Zhong, “How could it! Is now and a hundred years ago the same thing?”
Tukhachev, “Of course we know the differences between now and a hundred years ago, but the counterattack is imperative. I propose that General Rokossovsky, who has just returned from a great victory, take command, and I presume no one will object. In fact, in the recently concluded Karanskaya-Suhayaveli campaign, the general already commanded forces far beyond his rank.
“I hear that even Major Generals Kiriyenko and Kashuk followed your orders. Now, being granted the rank of full general and commanding this glorious offensive, no one will object.”
Wang Zhong stared at Tukhachev’s face, thinking that evidently, many would have objections to this arrangement.
He looked toward Belinsky.
Now with the Tsar deceased and the new Tsar not yet established in prestige, the old nobility and the Secular faction’s church were already at odds, and the army was riddled with noble officers—