Chapter 394 Opportunities in War

War is cruel, especially for civilians caught in the flames of war, and it is even more precarious.

The people of East Prussia were deeply moved. After being occupied by the Russians, their good days were over.

Fix is ​​just an inconspicuous small town, and still has not escaped the disaster. The well-informed nobles and businessmen have all run away, and now the rest are a bunch of poor ghosts.

Even so, they still did not escape the Russians. Since oil and water can't be fried, it's good to have a strong man.

The only church in the town is now full of people.

A middle-aged man asked frowningly: "The Russians just sent someone over and asked for 500 laborers from the town. What should we do, Father?"

The church was probably the only area spared, and for God's sake the Russians didn't loot the only church in the town.

Now all the rich and powerful people in the town have run away. Among the remaining people, the elder Prague priest is the most prestigious, and the people can only turn to him for help.

As a religious person, Father Prague can't run, and doesn't need to run. The influence of European religion is very large, and the Russian army will not attack the church, even if it is a Protestant church.

Father Prague said regretfully: "My son, I also know the news. I just negotiated with the Russians, and they asked for 20,000 rubles to be exempted from labor.

The Russians have warned that if they don't get the numbers within a week, they're going to kill. "

Father Prague never thought about collecting money. If those nobles and businessmen hadn't left, they might be able to collect it, but now it's impossible.

It's not that the town doesn't have 20,000 rubles, but property is not equal to cash. Nobles and businessmen have run away and the real estate is still there. Unfortunately, the Russians only need cash.

Everyone is reluctant to fight against their own country, but people have to bow their heads under the eaves.

Mao Xiong is not easy to talk, since they say they want to kill, they will definitely kill. The young man who initially tried to resist the Russians still hangs his head on the flagpole at the town gate.

One person resists—kills the whole family; if the guerrillas are found not reporting—kills; if someone attacks the Russian army, everyone within a radius of 200 meters will draw one for every five—kill; if there are more than ten resistance teams—slaughter the town...

Under such a high-pressure state, the local people directly dared to be angry but did not dare to speak. Since the war has been going on, the Russians have already made real fire, and many villages and towns in East Prussia have been slaughtered.

International opinion? It is a pity that the tsarist government is used to being scolded.

Besides, the Russians are not stupid, how can they admit it? There is no evidence, at most in the newspapers, the Russians have nothing to fear.

In this era, the cameras were too big, the results were not good, and the secret shots were useless, and the Prussians simply couldn't come up with convincing evidence.

These are all excuses. In fact, countries can't do anything about Mao Xiong. When the cover is lifted, everyone doesn't look good, and they simply pretend not to know.

"Then what should we do, or let's run!"

someone suggested. Service on the battlefield is not a good job, especially for the Russians.

The news spread, and many people knew that the Russian army liked to use laborers as cannon fodder. This is the experience they learned in the war in the Near East, capturing laborers on the spot as cannon fodder can reduce the loss of troops.

An old man asked: "There are Russians everywhere, where are they going?"

Running away is not as simple as it is said, with a family, no money in your pocket, and a search by the Russians, how far can they run away?

A young man asked: "But you can't really fight for the Russians and fight our own army?"

The old man reprimanded: "What do you know, a hairy boy, there are not enough young people in our town to add up to five hundred."

This is the crux of the problem, not whether they are willing or not, but simply impossible to complete the task.

The population of the town was originally small. After the war broke out, a large number of young men were drafted into the army. Now, there are no five hundred young men in the town.

...

Looking at the quarreling crowd, Father Bragg had a headache. These are the believers he developed. If these people are gone, his parents will also be gone.

"Children, please keep calm before the Lord. I'll go to Gnesburg now and ask my friends to see if there is any other way."

Gnesburg is the closest city to the town. If the Russians want to smoke locally, they will definitely not target only one small town.

Going to the city for help was a fantasy of Father Prague. Not all the nobles ran away, and a large part of East Prussia remained.

Some people chose to organize guerrillas to resist the Russian invasion, while others wanted to run away. Most of them are now gathered in cities.

There is no tradition of killing nobles in Europe, the premise is that you don't stand alone. If it's just one person, if he is killed, he is also killed, no one knows anyway.

If everyone gathers together, it will be different. The Russian army will not attack them. This is the rule of the game, and it also applies to the Russians.

In a hurry, Father Bragg rode to Gnesburg. What catches the eye is a depression. The bustling streets of the past are no longer full of people. The sparse pedestrians also quickly left when they encountered the Russian patrol.

As a religious figure, Father Prague was not questioned. Of course, he didn't come up to the Russian army either.

Under normal circumstances, the Russians do not move religious figures, which does not mean that they are afraid to move. In this age of turmoil,

It doesn't matter how many people die.

Without hanging around, the Prague priest went straight into the church in the city. No matter how high or low, Europeans in this era can have a relationship with the church.

There is a saying that goes well: if you want someone to wait at the door of the church, it will do.

"Father, what are you doing in such a hurry?"

A middle-aged man in luxurious clothes who spoke, had met Father Prague a few times, and the two were nodding acquaintances.

When he met an acquaintance, Father Prague, who was about to inquire about the news, showed a bit of surprise on his face. He asked suspiciously, "Mr. James, didn't you leave?"

The current situation is not good, and the rich are fleeing the war. Under normal circumstances, it is impossible for a well-informed businessman like James to not know the news in advance.

James replied: "I just came back from a business, and the Russians came. But I got the citizenship of the Empire not long ago, and the Russians will not embarrass me."

"Empire" is naturally the Shinra Empire. Even if a new word is added, it is also the only recognized empire in the German region.

The Russians are not lunatics, and naturally they will not ask for trouble for foreigners, especially businessmen from allied countries.

Father Bragg said in surprise: "God bless you, Mr. James, you are so lucky to have escaped this disaster.

Now the Russians are looting everywhere, in the small town of Fix, I was threatened by the Russians to send 500 laborers because I couldn't get the money. "

Naturally, these news could not be hidden from James. As a successful businessman, the most important thing is to be well informed.

At this point, he returned to Gnesburg to make money. The Austrian colonies were short of labor, and sending immigrants to the colonies was also a business.

James just saw the opportunity of war. He has signed labor export contracts with many companies in the Austrian colonies, and now he is coming back to recruit people.

To organize immigration to other places, the Russians might intervene. If you go to the Austrian colonies, there is no problem at all, and Vienna's loans are not free.

When he came back this time, James also communicated with the colonial government. As long as he can fool the people into going to the colony, the Austrian Foreign Ministry will be responsible for the aftermath if something goes wrong.

James pretended to be surprised and sighed: "God! Five hundred laborers, isn't the town of Fix going to be bad luck?"

Father Bragg nodded bitterly, and said helplessly, "It's true, I have no way to come here to ask for help."

At this moment, Bishop Bernard came over, and there were seven or eight priests with him. From their faces, you could tell that something bad happened.

Father Bragg repeated what he just said, and Bishop Bernard said helplessly: "Sorry, I can't do anything about this problem, everyone has encountered this problem.

I have already visited Russian officers on behalf of the church, and unfortunately I was kicked out without even going through the gate. "

No way, who made them Protestant and the Russians Orthodox?

When encountering heretics without shouting and killing, it is considered to be a face, and can you expect to give them a good face?

Looking at the ashen faces, James knew that the opportunity was coming.

"His Excellency, if you want to escape the servitude of the Russians, I suggest to organize the people to leave Gnesburg first, and then come back after the war is over."

Bishop Bernard shook his head and said, "Mr. James, your method won't work. The Russians have set up road cards at the main road, and they won't let everyone leave at all."

James smiled and said: "Under normal circumstances, of course, it is impossible to pass. But we can detour in other ways. As early as two years ago, Russia and Austria signed the "Labor and Employment Treaty".

We could have signed a short-term employment contract with an Austrian company, and then sailed to the Austrian colonies to take refuge, and then return to Gnesburg when the war was over. "

This is purely a lie. It is easy to enter the Austrian colonies, but difficult to leave.

The cost of immigration alone cannot be borne by ordinary people. When they make enough money, will they still have a foothold when they come back?

Bishop Bernard was still thinking, but Father Bragg couldn't help it: "Mr. James, can this work?"

James replied affirmatively: "Of course! Since the treaty has been signed, the Russian military officers will definitely implement it, otherwise it will lead to a diplomatic conflict between Russia and Austria, which is not something they, the middle and lower-level officers, can bear."

Father Bragg said without hesitation: "Okay, I'll go back and tell the people and let them decide whether to leave or not."

Bishop Bernard stopped: "Father, this issue is too big, and we must consider it carefully."

He knew very well that if the people left and Gnesburg became a dead city, would the church still have value?

return? This fooling the children, once they go to the Austrian colony, it is God's blessing that one-third of the people will come back in the end.

Father Bragg said indifferently: "Your Excellency, it can't be worse than now, I can't watch children kill each other.

The Russians recruit young men to be cannon fodder to fight against our army. Can you tolerate this happening? "