Chapter 120
Chapter 120
Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: Poland Crisis (2)
August 1740.
Polotsk, located on the border between Poland-Lithuania and Russia.
Tatata-tang!
The ill-fated city, which had suffered countless invasions from foreign powers, was once again reduced to rubble under the onslaught of the Russian army.
"Advance! Keep advancing!"
"For the glory of the Russian Empire!"
"Leave no traitors who defy the Tsar alive!"
It had been less than a month since they received the tip-off that Saxony intended to swallow Poland whole.
Russia wasted no time, mobilizing two legions stationed at the border and crossing over without hesitation.
"How's the battle going?"
"Saxony's plot to seize the buffer zone without knowing their place has been exposed. The glorious Tsar's army is crushing and occupying Polotsk as we speak. The city will be fully taken by tomorrow."
So this is how they dress up striking first and asking questions later.
Commander Petrovich nodded with a wry smile at his adjutant's report.
Russia had long stationed troops along the border to openly threaten Poland-Lithuania.
Their mission was to cross the border immediately and stage a show of force at any sign of suspicious activity, and the Russian army was faithfully carrying out its duty once more.
Of course, Saxony was the one plotting, not Poland, but wasn't the Elector of Saxony also the King of Poland?
Directly striking the Electorate of Saxony, a territory of the Holy Roman Empire, was impossible, but Poland was a fully independent third party.
Was there a better punching bag for Russia to swing at?
"The Elector of Saxony must know full well that Poland serves as a buffer zone between the Holy Roman Empire and Russia, yet he still pulled this stunt. This can only be seen as a firm declaration that he's willing to go to war with us. It's practically a declaration of war."
Moving troops without a word first, yet somehow claiming Saxony declared war first—a miracle of logic.
"Indeed."
"Your words ring true, General."
"So, we'll plant our flag across all of eastern Lithuania at minimum. That way, even those ignorant fools will feel the bone-deep regret of their stupidity."
"Yes sir! For the Tsar!"
He needed achievements for a promotion anyway, and beating up these puny non-entity states was the perfect way to rack them up. What could be better?
The eyes of the Russian commanders glazed over halfway, drool trickling from their mouths at this achievement farming event.
Go nuts, folks—copy-paste those merits.
- Do not approach Holy Roman Empire territory under any circumstances. Give Austria no pretext for military intervention.
That was the extent of the instructions from St. Petersburg.
The Tsar would surely be pleased to see the valiant Russian army sweep away the clueless Poles.
What could possibly go wrong?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Just as Augustus III was about to set his ambition of making Poland eternally Saxon soil into motion...
"What?! Russia has occupied Polotsk? What in the world is going on?!"
"...W-Well..."
"Why the sudden invasion of our territory?! This is a blatant act of aggression! Send a messenger to Austria at once—demand they intercept the Russians!"
"The thing is... Russia claims we violated the agreement and insists their invasion is fully justified."
Augustus III felt like he'd been clubbed over the back of the head.
He'd ordered utmost secrecy in contacting the Polish reformers—how had the information leaked?
"Count Brühl! What the hell happened?!"
"I-I'm sorry!"
"Which bastard was it?! Which traitor spilled the beans?!"
Despite the Elector's furious roar, Count Brühl and the other councilors clamped their mouths shut, their faces etched with genuine grievance.
Most of them truly were innocent.
They'd leaked to Prussia and Austria, not Russia, after all.
But that realization hit them like a ton of bricks—they were well and truly screwed.
'Who the hell leaked to Russia too? Damn it, what happens if the Prussian army joins in?'
'Austria won't sit idle either. Surely they won't actually clash with the Russians...?'
In the worst case, Austria might pin the blame for this mess on the Electorate of Saxony.
They weren't plotting outright treason like Bavaria, so they wouldn't suffer that fate, but who knew what penalties awaited?
"Are we just supposed to sit here watching those mad Russian stallions rampage?!"
"Even if Russia's lost its mind, it won't risk all-out war with the Empire."
"They can't enter Saxony, but Poland could be laid to waste. The Polish nobles are already demanding action!"
Those unreasonable Poles ignored him as king most days, but now they whined for him to fulfill his royal duties.
Yet as the nominal King of Poland, sitting on his hands would expose his lack of legitimacy to the world.
Fighting Russia offered no chance of victory, though—what to do...? Wait.
If Russia had any sense, it wouldn't want a head-on clash with the Imperial army led by Austria, right?
If things escalated further, this would stop being Saxony vs. Russia and become Holy Roman Empire vs. Russia.
With everything so tangled, fanning the flames might actually raise the odds of resolving it.
"Assemble the army. As King of Poland, I will save Poland-Lithuania."
He had no idea how it had come to this, but he could rationalize it all as the fault of traitors and Russia.
That was all Augustus III could do.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ They say most historical events occur because the conditions are ripe for them.
The chaos, compromises, and conflicts swirling around Poland were no different.
Russia, lacking natural borders, wanted a buffer zone to avoid clashes with the Holy Roman Empire.
Poland, vast yet utterly disunited—like grains of sand scattered about—was perfect for Russia's needs.
The Holy Roman Empire had no reason to fight Russia either, so it was content with the buffer.
But for the buffer to work, it couldn't tilt fully toward either side.
Russia wanted pro-Empire and pro-Russian factions tearing each other apart internally, scattered like sand—that was their ideal Poland.
And to achieve it, Russia steadily poured money into Poland.
The calculus was simple: the gains from the buffer outweighed administrative costs.
But when one nation bared its teeth to devour Poland, the equation changed.
Having received all the reports, Charles VI grinned from ear to ear and clapped his hands.
"Kukuku, I put some pressure on Genoa, and boom—trouble flares up elsewhere. Even you must have a headache this time, eh?"
"Your Majesty, you seem awfully pleased that your son-in-law is suffering."
"What nonsense. I'm looking forward to it. What brilliant stroke will our talented son-in-law pull off now? He'll deliver something astonishing, no doubt. How can you not sense my pounding heart?"
This isn't some foreign tale, Your Majesty—it's your empire.
Are you already thinking you've abdicated to me and retired to the back room?
Despite my silent screams, our great Emperor Charles VI fully shifted into spectator mode, even fetching wine and uncorking it.
"Poland has given countless emperors headaches since ancient times. It was bound to erupt eventually; we've just reached the point of no delay."
I knew that, but it blew up way faster than in my knowledge.
Of course, this was partly my fault for not accounting for the butterfly effect of dooming Bavaria and the Palatinate electors.
No, come on—even so, how was I supposed to predict the bored Elector of Saxony would hit the self-destruct button?
"With the Russian army joyriding through Lithuania, your options are limited. Even your friend Friedrich has mobilized, hasn't he?"
"If there's a brawl, he'll poke his nose in—no question. He's probably thrilled."
"But does Prussia have a pretext for intervening?"
"Did the Netherlands have one when he hit them? Friedrich doesn't care about that."
Border security or protecting Protestant interests in Poland would suffice as justification for him.
And if it was the latter, things could spiral bigger.
Prussia and Russia might even clash in Poland.
"Even Friedrich wouldn't pick a fight with Russia, would he? He'll just pretend."
"Friedrich's the type who'd happily take on France and Russia at once if the mood struck. Fighting Russia? No big deal."
"...Still, he's your friend. Aren't you being too harsh?"
I'm not downplaying—it's just facts. Frustrating.
I carefully set down the wine glass Charles VI offered.
Alcohol might make my arguments too heated.
"To be frank, Your Majesty, clashing with Russia right now isn't a huge issue."
"Right? Russia can't be stronger than France."
As long as we didn't invade their turf vowing to end them, we wouldn't lose.
But fighting France, annexing Genoa, then pivoting to Poland to thrash Russia... anyone could smell the risk.
So why not sit back, munch popcorn, and watch Prussia and Russia duke it out?
Better than Austria fighting Russia directly, but honestly, Friedrich's mustache might grow another 3cm, and that scares me.
"Do you have a desired outcome in mind, Your Majesty?"
"Would you heed it if I shared?"
"You are the Emperor of this Empire before my father-in-law. If you command, it is my duty to obey."
"A desired picture... As I've said before, Franz, I've always had to heed the electors' wishes in politics."
Childless, Charles VI desperately needed the electors' cooperation for the Habsburg future, even swallowing bitter concessions and pride.
Gazing at the dew on his wine glass, he continued.
"So I want to see it once: the Holy Roman Emperor handling affairs as he pleases, without a care for the electors' positions."
"......"
Got it. Ignore the Elector of Saxony and resolve this for our benefit.
"But he's still the King of Poland. How do we sideline him?"
"It'd take... some prior groundwork, but it's not impossible."
"Oh? Is that so?"
The way to resolve the Poland crisis without Saxony: make Poland-Lithuania cease to exist.
Polish partitions—the threefold slicing of Poland.
With Prussia and Russia around, it was inevitable, just accelerated. The current mess risked a massive war otherwise.
But doing it ourselves felt off, so no choice.
Someone else wants to take the dump—why should I push for them?
So, Augustus III, you started this—you handle it.