Li Yongzhong nodded: "Of course, this is my duty, Your Highness Rong."

When it comes to the issue of arranging Li Zhaocheng's safety, Li Su was looking for the right person, and Li Yongzhong's father was extremely loyal to King Yu, and Li Yongzhong was a person who had progressive thinking and was bold and meticulous, and was also a person who could be entrusted.

On August 4, the established expeditionary force began to set off. Although the size of this army exceeded 30,000, the actual mobile force was only one Marine brigade and 4,000 cavalry provided by the far-reaching Krai region, but its equipment advanced to the war-striking countries for an era.

Most of the troops were arranged to control major ferries, lighthouses and other facilities on the Dnieper River. These activities were recognized by the Polish government. Although the government of Stanislaw I was not recognized by major neighboring countries such as Russia, Russia also acknowledged these practices. Even when the Expeditionary Force took over several Russian-controlled ports, there was no conflict between the two sides.

The reason is very simple. According to the Treaty of Four Kingdoms, all the land obtained by Russia is located on the west bank of the Dnieper River. After more than 20 years of construction, it has formed a rich agricultural area and has a very good port like Odessa. This land was named Little Ukraine by Tsar Peter. In Little Ukraine, Russia has a considerable army stationed in Little Ukraine, and it is dealing with the Ottoman Empire. Peter needs to maintain contact with this army through sea, but does not want to be taken advantage of by the Ottomans.

During the expeditionary force, the Russian and Swedish army were also in action. Both sides were led by the monarch in person. The Swedish army had 45,000 people, of which 32,000 were elite troops of Sweden, and more than 10,000 were troops affiliated with Polish nobles.

The Russian army quickly mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized, with a total of 70,000 people. However, after becoming enemies with the Cossacks, the number of cavalry decreased significantly. In addition to these three troops, the army of Mazepa and Zerenko also entered the battlefield. The coalition was about 24,000 people, but not all the troops. Although it did not join forces with the Expeditionary Force, this army called the Ukrainian Union Army, carrying the flag of the Ukrainian National United Front, constantly sent envoys to and from the two stations. Mazepa and Zerenko both expressed their willingness to advance and retreat with the Imperial Expeditionary Force.

After crossing the Dnieper River, the Swedish army handed over the city of Kiev to the military police battalion sent by the Imperial Expeditionary Force. In addition to not being able to requisition ships, but having to hire ships to transport military supplies and troops at a reasonable price, the Swedish army did not encounter any obstacles.

After communicating with the expeditionary force, Karl XII also discovered that the empire did not pose any threat to it, so he did not leave any strength. The entire army pushed forward and continued to advance eastward. On the contrary, the Russian army slowed down, allowing the Swedish army to enter the heartland of Russia. By mid-August, the troops of all parties received news that the main Russian force was stationed in the Poltawa area and had already set up camps and stopped moving forward. All parties immediately ran away.

Li Su personally led 3,000 cavalry in the army as the vanguard, and rushed to the Poltava battlefield in the name of protecting refugees. Mazepa also brought more than 10,000 Cossack cavalry. By this time, Russia and Sweden had fully understood the imperial attempt to send troops.

China does not want one of the warring parties to lose miserably because this does not conform to China's local balance strategy. Similarly, no matter who wins, the post-war cake and power division must be held by the empire.

After the Swedish army arrived in Poltava, they directly occupied the small town because the Russian army lined up on a dirt slope outside the city and had a geographical advantage. For a long time, only scouts on both sides contacted the front, while small cavalry broke out on the side and the battlefield fell into silence. Li Su knew very well that Sweden and Russia were having secret contact.

It is obvious that the empire does not want to participate in the war and wants to grasp the situation. Sweden and Russia cannot win thoroughly and cannot achieve strategic goals. Then the two sides do not have to fight to the death, so a strange scene appeared on the battlefield. The tenacious sides invited the imperial prince who was watching the show to mediate, and the location was in a small church outside the city.

Soon, because the terms of peace talks were involved, Mazepa was also involved.

However, although both parties to the negotiations are willing to achieve peace, the conditions are too different.

Karl XII asked Russia to withdraw from the occupied Inglia region and demolish the under-construction St. Petersburg itself, and no longer interfere in the internal affairs of Sweden and Poland in the future. He also recognized the government of Stanislaw I supported by Karl XII, and promised not to participate in any alliance against Sweden in the future, and at the same time recognized Mazepa's territorial independence and established a Cossack emirate.

These terms have been given up. At the beginning, Karl XII even asked Russia to ced Ukraine to Sweden.

Tsar Peter also showed enough toughness. His demand was to ceasefire in the actual controlled areas, that is, to make Sweden recognize that Russia had obtained the Baltic estuary. He also asked the Polish Conference to re-election the king, and the new elections must be held under the supervision of major powers.

Of course, the Tsar also showed his desire for land. He made concessions on the newly elected king, but demanded compensation, that is, the land on the east coast of Ukraine obtained by Poland in the Treaty of Four was handed over to Russia, and the Tsar was willing to pardon Mazepa's rebellion and recognized the autonomy of the Cossacks, but the Cossacks were not allowed to be independent. Mazepa and Zerenko could exist as vassal forces in Russia.

The quarrel was inevitable, and even Li Su was shocked by the arrogance and ambition of both sides. Although he, the mediator, had not wanted to mediate properly, the reality still shocked him.

"I feel that they didn't ask you to mediate, Brother Rong." After the last mediation failed, the Empire chose to leave early because the attitude of both sides had already made the witnesses know that it was impossible to succeed.

Li Su smiled: "Then what do they want to do?"

"Demonstrate, or express your wishes." Li Zhaocheng said.

Li Su also felt this way, and he was helpless. Li Zhaocheng asked: "I don't understand why this war developed into this way. I feel that our current status is very embarrassing. We won't really be here to maintain peace."

"Do you think this is not good?" Li Suwen.

Li Zhaocheng shook his head. At first, he did feel a little dissatisfied. The empire mobilized the army and entered a foreign territory. Is it just to maintain order and tranquility? Ukrainians, Poles and Russians, what kind of bullshit relationship do they have with the empire? Is the empire worth so much for them?

But after going deep into the Dnieper River, when Li Zhaocheng saw those who had fled with his family and his family because of the war, he felt that what he was doing now was just, but he also understood that this was definitely not the main task of the Imperial Expeditionary Force.

"King Yu is a man who cannot afford to get up early."

Li Zhaocheng still remembers such an evaluation. This is the evaluation of jealous and opponents of his father. Although it is very bad, Li Zhaocheng came here this time and lived with his father for a long time. He understood his style of doing things and observed his philosophy of doing things. He found how appropriate this evaluation was.

"What exactly are we here to do?" Li Zhaocheng asked.

Li Su said: "This is a decisive battle. We appear here and join forces with Mazepa and Zelenko to ensure that the losing side must not lose too badly."

Li Zhaocheng thought about it, but still didn't understand it. He asked again: "Brother Rong, I want to know, do you want Russia to win or Sweden to win? Or, which of these two countries will win is more beneficial to the empire."

In fact, Li Su was a little confused about this question because he didn't have a very perfect answer in his heart.

If Russia wins, Russia's strength will expand. This is a scene that the empire does not want to see. It can be said that Russia is the empire's biggest competitor on the mainland, no doubt about it.

Although the Ottoman Empire, Persian Empire and Hindustan Empire were also major powers bordering the empire on land, these major powers were separated from the empire by natural barriers, including the Caucasus Mountains, the Hindu Kush Mountains, the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea, while Russia had no such thing as the Don River, especially today, where science and technology are changing with each passing day.

But if Russia fails, it is not so appropriate, because according to the strategy formulated by King Yu Li Junwei and Li Su himself, no matter if they win or lose, the cake must be cut by the empire, and the local order after the war must also be dominated by the empire. Obviously, the losers are willing to see this. After all, the empire has always pursued balance in the continent, and balance means that the losers will not lose too much interests, especially the core interests.

If Sweden is the winner, the empire will inevitably have a conflict with Sweden, which means that the good relationship between the two sides will be broken for more than 20 years, and the empire will also lose a partner in Northern Europe. You should know that Sweden is the same as Prussia, and is also the object of support from the empire, which is used to balance Russia.

After thinking about it, Li Su said: "It's better to let Russia win, but we can't win too much."

Li Zhaocheng shook his head: "This is really a very difficult issue."

"Why do you say that?" Li Su asked with a smile.

Li Zhaocheng rode on the horse and organized a little language and said, "Actually, it's very simple. If we organize an army, such as gathering more than 30,000 expeditionary troops, and relying on our advantage in equipment, joining any side, we will gain an absolute advantage. After the war, we will definitely gain a dominant position. But the problem is that it will be difficult for us to avoid participating in the war as much as possible. Isn't it very difficult to not participate in the war and control the development of the situation?"

Li Su looked at Li Zhaocheng with relief and quipped, "Zhaocheng, what you said is right, it makes sense. As the commander, I have been bothered by this matter."

"What are you going to do, Brother Rong?" Li Zhaocheng asked.

Li Su drove the war horse and approached Li Zhaocheng, and said mysteriously: "It's better for Zhaocheng, you turn a blind eye. Don't tell Uncle Wang, I'll arrange it here to cause a sneak attack, the disappearance of soldiers, forget about the opportunity to join the war. As long as the fight starts, everything will be impossible. At that time, we brothers have the final say. You and I can make contributions, isn't it good?"

After hearing this, Li Zhaocheng widened his eyes and waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, absolutely not. This kind of private action is a serious crime. Brother Rong should not do it nonsense."

"If you don't say it, I won't say it, who can know. Besides, I don't think your father may care, and he also knows that this matter is not easy to operate." Li Su continued to lure him.

Li Zhaocheng still shook his head: "No, no, this is not only the father's meaning, but also the domestic meaning, the imperial edict of the emperor and uncle."

"Why do I think you don't want the Empire to join the war?" Li Suwen.

Li Zhaocheng sighed: "It was an unjust battle and there was no strategic interest. What's the point of participating in the war?"

After the Battle of Paris, Li Zhaocheng's view of the war also changed. Outside the city of Paris, he saw with his own eyes that those French who were not soldiers fought with Austrian cavalry for their own beliefs, nation and country. In fact, the person who was touched was not only Li Zhaocheng, but also the expeditionary force stationed outside the city of Paris at that time.

At that time, the expeditionary army did not want to join the battle, and after Li Junwei made the decision not to participate in the war, he also received support from all over the country. Now the same is true, this Great Northern War is a battle for hegemony, and it would be better not to participate.

"Brother Rong, don't do anything stupid." Li Zhaocheng thought for a while and reminded him.

Li Su laughed: "Zhaocheng, I'm just teasing you. I really want to join the war. Sweden and Russia are fighting for hegemony. What does it have to do with us? Although the domestic economic crisis has passed and there are no restrictions on military spending, the war now cannot win a living space for our nation, nor is it to uphold justice and cleanse the world. Why should we get involved?"

Li Zhaocheng felt relieved. When he returned to the camp, Li Yongzhong immediately entered the tent and sent a lot of information, saying: "Prince, the second son, this is obtained from the Russian customs, and the materials imported from the empire and overseas in recent months."

The Russian customs was assisted by Shanshang Bank, so the Security Bureau has a lot of cloth inside, so it is very easy to get these information.

Li Zhaocheng and Li Su looked at each other separately. Li Zhaocheng looked at a list of imported weapons. Britain imported 14,000 flintlock guns from the Netherlands alone. This is still counted by the customs, and the rest are even hard to say. Li Zhaocheng said: "The Tsar is such a big deal, no wonder he is so angry."
Chapter completed!