Battlefield Priest's Diary

Chapter 46 General Emperor
East Prussia, Marienburg, Provisional Headquarters of the Eighth Army.

Chief of Staff Ludendorff was in front of a huge sand table, reporting the current situation to Hindenburg.

"Your Excellency, the heavy rains earlier caused considerable trouble for my troops, slowing their advance more than expected. Leningkamp has withdrawn most of his troops from the Masurian Lake area and joined forces with the newly formed 10th Army. Currently, only about three divisions of the rearguard remain in contact with us."

"Sir, we have lost our chance to encircle the First Army," Ludendorff said, bowing his head.

"There's nothing we can do about this kind of weather." Hindenburg waved his hand, showing no sign of frustration, as if it were all within his expectations.

The general took off his monocle, rubbed it slowly with a handkerchief, and then looked at the other side of the sand table. "Well, since the main course has been removed, eating the dessert pudding is not bad either."

"What about the rearguard of the First Army? Has it been wiped out?"

“This…” Ludendorff hesitated for a moment before speaking carefully.

"not yet."

"No?" Hindenburg frowned.

“Yes, Your Excellency! Our men are making good progress on the western flank, breaking through the Russian lines and capturing approximately twelve thousand men. But… however, they have not made any effective progress along the Drevents River,” Ludendorff explained in a low voice.

"The banks of the Drevens? That's where Max went?" The general then remembered that his adjutant had been gone for a while.

“Yes, Your Excellency, the situation there is quite special…” Ludendorff was about to explain in detail when there was a rapid knocking at the door.

After receiving permission, a major who temporarily replaced the adjutant entered the room. "Sir," he said, "we have just intercepted a telegram from the Russian troops on the front line of the Drevants River."

"Hmm?" Ludendorff raised an eyebrow. In his memory, the Russian troops at that location were not large enough to be equipped with radios.

He walked over, took the telegram from the adjutant, read it quickly, and then handed it to Hindenburg beside him with both hands.

The general took the telegram, read it once, and a look of surprise appeared on his face. Then he put on his glasses and read it again.

"Do the Russians know that we intercepted their telegrams?" Hindenburg asked.

"No, Your Excellency, based on previous information, the other party is completely unaware of this."

“In that case, I have some respect for them. Although they are Slavic barbarians, they still have such backbone.” Hindenburg’s words revealed a hint of admiration. He then asked, “Who is the commander on the other side? I would like to know his specific information.”

"This...it hasn't been fully confirmed yet, but according to Lieutenant Colonel Hoffman's previous report, the other party should be a man named Rasputin, who seems to have a high reputation among the garrison. As for his military rank and position, it is currently unknown."

"Hmm, check the files and see which military academy this person attended. If it's not in the files, create a separate one. If he's still alive after this battle."

"Yes, Your Excellency, is there anything else you require?"

"Hmm~ I heard the French made some moves yesterday, and sent me a battle report..."
-
At the same time, in Mogilev's headquarters in Russia, the Tsar's residence. (Later Belarus)

Court lady-in-waiting Anna Verubova was directing her maids to cushion all the sharp corners with soft padding. Crown Prince Alexei, just turned ten, would be arriving soon for a series of morale-boosting ceremonies. Given his physical condition, the potential risks had to be minimized.

While the maids were busy, Verubova noticed that Army Chief of the General Staff Yanushkevich was loitering outside the courtyard.

As per His Majesty's request, this chief of staff had to personally report the battle situation at the front every day to the palace. Judging from his expression, he did not seem to be having a pleasant time.

This was troublesome. The head maid made the immediate judgment and picked up her skirt to leave.

But the next second, their eyes met, and the Chief of the General Staff's eyes lit up.

"Looks like I can't leave," the head maid thought to herself, rolling her eyes inwardly. She picked up a bouquet of flowers and went over. Although she was a confidante of Queen Alexandra and wielded considerable influence within the court, she still had to show a certain respect to these important officials in public.

"Good morning, Your Excellency!" The head maid, with her slender figure, used the flowers she was holding as a cover to perform only a half-bow.

“Anna, it’s so nice to see you now. What are your plans for today, Your Highness? How are you feeling?” Ignoring the head maid’s rudeness, Yanushkevich approached her and asked somewhat urgently.

“Your Excellency, this is not a matter for me to disclose.” Anna took a half step back and bowed slightly, seemingly distancing herself from the other party as well.

But then the Chief of the General Staff leaned in again, and with a flick of his wrist, a beautiful bunch of beaded earrings fell into Anna's palm.

“Beautiful Anna, please help me. I just want His Majesty to be in a good mood,” Yanushkevich said in an almost ingratiating tone.

Glancing at the earrings, the head maid pondered for a moment and said softly, "His Majesty went to bed very late last night and probably won't see anyone before noon. If he receives some good news in the afternoon, he might be in a better mood."

"Thank you so much, Anna, you are so gentle and beautiful!" The Chief of the General Staff immediately turned back. He still had half a day left, and he needed to find something in the battle reports that would inspire His Majesty.

Watching the other person's hurried departure, the head maid smiled slightly and casually tossed the earrings aside. Compared to these small favors, her reliance was always on the Empress's trust.

Yanushkevich only knew this information because Her Majesty the Queen had given him permission to know.

The Chief of Staff hurriedly returned to his office, and his first order was, "Bring up all the latest battle reports!"

The thick stack of documents was carried to the table by the attendants, and Yanushkevich searched through them one by one. Since the Second Army was annihilated and Samsonov committed suicide, every day they had received bad news.

His Majesty's patience with him had reached its limit due to the boasts he had made before.

There must be a battle report that boosts morale and satisfies His Majesty to some extent, even if it's just one.

But after searching for a long time, I found nothing.

Retreat, rout, escape, annihilation—the battle reports were filled with such words.

Thinking of His Majesty's wrath, Yanushkevich began to feel fear. He knew that the Tsar had already severely reprimanded even his own uncle because of the setbacks in the war; what would become of him…?

In my panic, there was a knock on the door.

"Sir, we just received a telegram from the East Prussian Front. Perhaps you should take a look," the assistant said at the door.

He snatched the telegram, and a smile slowly spread across Yanushkevich's face.

In the face of defeat, fighting desperately to hold off the enemy, refusing to retreat, and ultimately perishing together with the enemy—this is the perfect heroic story.

What's interesting is that the protagonist is actually a clergyman, which should please Her Majesty the Queen, who is obsessed with mysticism.

His Majesty will surely be pleased to see this!
However, the number of enemy casualties in the battle report was a little low and not very impressive. After thinking for a moment, the Chief of the General Staff picked up a pen and added a zero after some of the numbers.

The results were too exaggerated to verify? It doesn't matter. Anyway, according to the telegram, these guys are probably doomed. At worst, we can ask the church to canonize them or something. It won't cost us a penny more.

It's nothing special, is it?

That afternoon, almost identical news reached the Nikolai couple.

He became famous within the court without anyone's knowledge.

(End of this chapter)