Life of Being a Crown Prince in France

In the northeastern city of Poland,

Vilnius.

On the high platform in the city center square, “Marlu Archbishop,” dressed in a black robe, held up the cross and passionately exclaimed to the thousands of people surrounding him,

“We shall follow the guidance of Jesus and arm ourselves with our souls and steadfast faith to purify all heretics who dare set foot here!

“The respected and great Pope has received a divine revelation from Jesus and has commanded me to share this revelation with everyone.

“People here, men and women, young and old, can become sacred Crusaders starting this very moment, if they wish!

“No matter if they hold a sword, flintlock gun, or hoe in their hands, they will bathe in the holy light of Jesus and embark on the sacred crusade to the east!”

A tidal wave of colossal cheers burst forth from the square, “Holy war! Holy war!”

“Drive out the heretics!”

Every person’s eyes were brimming with frenzy and devotion, heeding the edicts of “Marlu Archbishop” on behalf of the Pope and igniting in their hearts the fervor of holy war.

Archbishop Felix Turski and several high-ranking Polish priests also stood behind the papal legate “Marlu Archbishop,” maintaining a prayerful stance with their hands crossed over their chests.

Before this, they had already accompanied the papal legate across much of Poland, calling on people to join the “New Crusade to the East” against the Eastern Orthodox.

Under the rallying cry of “Marlu Archbishop,” the Poles eagerly donated to the army. Nearly every town had spontaneously organized so-called “Crusader Corps.”

The Warsaw Royal Armory, too, continually supplied brand-new flintlock guns to these civilian militias.

Indeed, since five months ago, this armory, built with French aid, had reached the capacity to produce 2,300 Tula M1753-style flintlock guns per month.

They had not produced the Chaleville Flintlock Gun not only to disassociate the armory from France but also because of a vital factor: they could arm the Polish Army with the captured Russian guns during battle without worrying about supply issues due to different models.

Of course, “Marlu Archbishop” was actually Mesmer in disguise.

He had undergone a month of “intensive training” in France and arrived in Poland with a complete set of forged credentials, later assisted by the high-ranking priest Sais without any slip-ups.

Ah, Sais was never much of a believer, so he had no objections to this role.

While Mesmer was stirring up the “holy war,” two carriages were speeding south towards Karakov.

As the two vehicles neared the border area between Poland and Austria, nearly twenty horsemen suddenly emerged from the woods beside the road and surrounded them, some even brandishing guns.

“What are you doing?” shouted a priest from the open window of the first carriage.

Among the horsemen, a middle-aged man in a black cloak, not tall and with a fierce gaze, ignored him and dismounted, walking straight to the door of the rear carriage and knocked, saying, “Respected Archbishop Krasinski, where might you be heading?”

The carriage door opened, revealing the man inside to be Kamianets Archbishop, Krasinski.

“If you’re here to rob us, you are free to take anything from here.”

The man in the black cloak produced a document: “I am Lieutenant Kalishdev from the Freedom and Security Committee.

“Let’s be direct, your destination is Rome, correct?”

Archbishop Krasinski took a deep breath and said, “I have always believed that the members of the Bar Confederation are the most loyal servants of Jesus.”

The Freedom and Security Committee was established based on the Bar Confederation, so he prepared to give it a try.

Lieutenant Kalishdev nodded, “Yes, we are all most devout believers.”

“You should not have stopped me, then,” Archbishop Krasinski said. “You are an intelligence officer; you should be able to tell there’s something off with that envoy.”

Kalishdev looked down at the tip of his boots and said, “My mission is to escort you back to Kamianets; other matters I cannot interfere with.”

Archbishop Krasinski raised his voice, “That blasphemer, his Italian accent was odd, and he clearly wasn’t familiar with the details of St. Peter’s Cathedral, yet he dared impersonate the Pope’s envoy.

“I must go to the Pope to verify and expose his true identity!”

Kalishdev enunciated each word clearly, “You, cannot leave Poland.”

“Why not? Has that charlatan bribed you, or are you also going to commit blasphemy against Jesus?”

Lieutenant Kalishdev sighed deeply and made the sign of the cross in front of his chest, “Jesus will forgive us.

“It is not only the Pope’s envoy who can spread Jesus’s divine revelation.”

“Are you mad? How is that possible?”

“Because, Jesus will not abandon Poland. And the oracle about the ‘Crusaders’ and the ‘Holy War’ will make Poland more united, more courageous and fearless!”

Lieutenant Kalishdev lifted his eyes and said in a heavy voice, “I have escaped from the gunpoint of the Russians. I know how powerful Russia is. Only the light of Jesus can now bring us together to resist the imminent Russian Army!”

“You’re mad! You are all mad! This is blasphemy…”

“I am crazed in following the will of Jesus,” Kalishdev cut him off. “And you will be confined to Kamianets, or else, I will kill you here.”

He signaled to his subordinates, “Drive the carriage back.”

“Yes!”

In fact, half a month after Mesmer arrived in Poland, the Freedom and Security Committee had sensed something was amiss—how could the fanatics of the Bar Confederation not tell the true from the false regarding the Pope’s envoy?

But they soon discovered that, stimulated by the call of religion, the previously high nationalism fervor among the Polish people had burst forth with unprecedented power.

Peasants and nobles laid down their disputes and joined the same army. Lithuanians and Poles no longer quarreled red-faced over petty local taxes, and instead, worked together on defensive fortifications. Merchants generously donated various materials.

The country was rapidly shedding its former corrupt and decrepit vibe.

Thus, the Freedom and Security Committee also joined the movement to proclaim the holy war.

They sealed off all the border roads leading to the Holy See.

Those within Poland who questioned the “Pope’s envoy” received warnings, and some stubborn priests were even secretly executed.

The whole of Poland was set ablaze!

…

October 15, 1792.

Mozhili, a province in eastern Poland.

In front of the Polish Army’s Dnieper River defensive line, General Kosciuszko watched the ranks of infantry marching past him and couldn’t help but frown slightly.

In that last group of soldiers, he had seen at least five men limping, and the buttons of seven men were misaligned.

He sighed and turned to the officer beside him, “General East Brovsky, these young men… perhaps one third of them will die in the first attack by the Russian Army.”

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!