Chapter 382 Bulgarian Fennec Guerrillas

Istanbul, Golden Horn, New Palace.

The New Palace, also known as the Dolmabahçe Palace, was built along the Bosphorus Strait and was named after the old palace, Topkapi Palace, on the top of the mountain.

The new palace was just put into use 18 years ago. It is modern and magnificent. The Ottoman Empire wanted to use great architecture to reflect the majesty of the empire. However, it could not prevent the decline of the huge empire, just as the more glorious Old Summer Palace could not prevent the decline of the Qing Dynasty.

There are currently four old empires with a long history in this world: the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Russian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and our Qing Dynasty.

The old empires were all facing challenges from new powers such as Britain, France, Germany and the United States, and they were struggling. However, none of them were willing to be left out, and almost all of them were carrying out reforms.

The Ottoman Empire, like our Qing Dynasty, established a new army, hired European instructors, purchased foreign guns, established universities, built new-style civil schools and military academies, formulated a code of law, and promoted constitutional monarchy.

But the Ottoman Empire had a disadvantage compared to the Qing Dynasty: it was too close to European powers - and therefore too far away from heaven, and was destined to fail to evolve smoothly into a modern country.

Prime Minister Mahmed Nadim walked into the audience hall carefully. The rooms in the new palace were like a maze, and there were many such halls. It all depended on the Sultan's mood which hall he would meet his subjects in.

The roar of His Majesty Abdul Aziz could be heard from afar.

The Prime Minister walked into the hall. Under the huge crystal chandelier, His Majesty was getting angry. "Eighty thousand troops are attacking Bulgaria, and you bastards don't even know who is attacking us? Aren't the British our allies? Where did those Irish come from?!"

Mahmed glanced at the cowering ministers and bowed. "Your Majesty, the Irish were not sent by the British. They came from the United States. They were sent to France to support Alfonso I to ascend the throne, and then took the Spanish warship to the Grand Duchy of Crimea."

"But I think the Irish are not a concern. There are only about 20,000 of them, and they are equipped with outdated Schneider rifles from the American Civil War. So far, they have not fought any real battles."

The chancellor pulled out two documents from his pocket. "This is the response from Lucia and the Grand Duchy of Crimea after receiving our protest."

Gorchakov's response: "The Ottomans' accusation that Russia sent troops to Bulgaria is completely false. We know nothing about what happened in Bulgaria. Of course, if the Turks want to invite us to a fight, we don't mind sending a powerful Russian army to intervene in the war."

Xu Bangdao, the acting defense minister of the Grand Duchy of Crimea, responded: "All of our new troops are stationed in Sevastopol, and not a single soldier has invaded Bulgaria."

The Sultan was amused, "Did the 80,000-man army fall from the sky?"

"Prince Alexander I of Battenberg claimed responsibility for the attack, and in a telegram he declared that he had hired Irish and Russian volunteers to attack us in order to save the suffering Bulgarian people."

"That fifteen-year-old kid?"

"Your Majesty, this is a good thing. No matter who is behind him, as long as he doesn't take action himself, then we only need to defeat these 80,000 new soldiers who have no war experience."

"We can avoid direct conflict with the great powers by pretending to believe the fifteen-year-old boy's telegram."

This war, which currently has no hostile country, was ultimately defined as a "rebellion" instigated by a fifteen-year-old German boy.

…………

In the small town of Harmanli, Bulgaria, 180,000 Ottoman "rebel troops" left Thrace and entered Bulgaria.

Well, including the 100,000 able-bodied men and security soldiers defending the city of Sofia, the number of troops suppressing the rebellion this time is said to be 280,000.

However, the empire sent 180,000 new troops to attack 80,000 mercenaries who had no combat record, which showed that they thought highly of the enemy.

The commander-in-chief of the punitive army, Muzafer Pasha, was stationed in Harmanli, and the scouts returned from Liushuijie and kept reporting on the situation of the enemy.

"Report, the enemy mercenary commander is the Italian Garibaldi. However, after the enemy easily captured the undefended border city of Ruse, Garibaldi and the Irish disappeared."

"According to reconnaissance, they are dispersed in battalions across the vast countryside. They must be going there to steal food and rob."

Muzafer was stunned, then he said with a look of sarcasm, "It's just a mob."

"The ones attacking Sofia are 52,000 Russian volunteers. The leader is Potocki, a retired Cossack." "They don't have heavy artillery, so they can't do anything to Sofia at the moment, so they're stationed at the fortified city."

Muzafer laughed loudly, "How can a group of Irish thugs who went to the countryside to rob and a group of retired Cossack bandits be a match for our regular new army? Come on, march quickly, defeat the Cossacks in one battle and end the battle."

"Wait a minute!"

Muzafer looked back and saw that the person who spoke was the military supervisor Mohammed Murad.

"Pasha, the enemy is from the Grand Duchy of Crimea, which is the territory of Prince Shao of the East."

"When I was on a diplomatic mission to the Qing Empire and dealt with the joint bombardment of our Mediterranean coastal cities by the Qing and Greek navies, I saw the might of the Huai Army in Yili Province. It should not be underestimated."

"We support Prince Murad's opinion."

Two officers stepped forward, Major General Ali Kamzi and Colonel Mohammed Yusup.

"We have commanded the combined forces of Berkhuli and Bai Yanhu in Ili Province of the Qing Dynasty to fight against the Huai Army. They have a kind of gunpowder with extremely strong explosive power, which is simply unmatched. We suggest that we proceed step by step and be cautious."

Muzafer curled his lips and said, "What kind of fighting power can the remnants of Yakub Beg have? Can they compare with our new Turkish army? I think you are scared by the Qing people."

"After the main force of the Huai Army retreated from the French battlefield, it is far away in the Qing Dynasty. The ones facing us are just a group of Cossack mercenaries. They are old rivals. I don't know their combat effectiveness."

However, the face of the military supervisor prince had to be given. Muzafer thought for a moment and said, "Prince Murad, you lead 50,000 people here to ensure logistics. It is extremely safe."

"Ali Kamzi, you two who are scared of being beaten don't need to go to Sofia. Lead 30,000 cavalry infantry to attack the Pleven Fortress, occupy it, and cut off the Russians' retreat."

"I will personally lead an army of 100,000 to lift the siege of Sofia and defeat the Cossack rebellion in one fell swoop. Let's go!"

The new Turkish army divided its forces in the small town of Harmanli. Thirty thousand of them attacked the rear of the Russian Volunteer Army, while the 100,000-strong army headed straight for Sofia to meet the main force for a decisive battle.

...........
On the outskirts of Sofia, the Lucia Volunteer Army Camp Command.

Potocki, who was known as the leader of Russia's 52,000-man army, sat at the bottom with a humble look on his face.

Sitting at the top was the so-called "disappeared" commander-in-chief Garibaldi, and the chief of staff sitting next to him was even more unexpected, he was the Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Crimea Shao Quanxiao.

Garibaldi spoke to Shao Quanxiao in German, "In this operation, the 52,000 Russian regular troops are just a cover. The purpose is to lead the Turks by the nose and attract their main force. But when necessary, we can eat up their vanguards who are too close. The battle of the large army will be left to you, Chief of Staff."

"Our true strength will surprise the Turks, hahahaha!"

After giving his orders, Garibaldi disappeared with a few of his Irish subordinates.

In a nearby town, thick smoke billowed as a battalion of Irish soldiers easily captured the house of the Ottoman lord in the town.

Several Cossack warriors who were responsible for contacting the locals were beating gongs and shouting all over the town, "The Fenian army is here to destroy the Ottoman landlords and distribute food, money and land. Everyone go and get the land deeds."

The same thing happened in every village and town.

The 100,000 new Turkish troops coming to attack were still on the way, but the people in Sofia were unaware of it.

In just two months, under the leadership of 28,000 red-haired Irishmen, the Ottoman lords and nobles in the vast Bulgarian countryside had their properties and lands divided up.

In order to defend the money, grain and land they had just received, three million Bulgarians had formed a 700,000-strong Fenian guerrilla force.

(End of this chapter)

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