While the Carlist rebels were being baptized by artillery fire, Primo had already begun sweeping through the Basque rebels in the La Rioja Region.
As one of Spain's administrative divisions, the La Rioja Region had the smallest population in all of Spain.
However, La Rioja was still quite famous throughout Spain, because the region produced wine in abundance and was one of Spain's renowned wine-producing areas.
Carlo's wine enterprise currently owned five large grape plantations, two of which were located in La Rioja, showing just how famous this region was for its wine.
Thanks to its sparse population, clearing out the Basque rebels in La Rioja was quite easy.
There were only a handful of population centers in the entire La Rioja Region, so the Basque rebels' movements in the area were fairly conspicuous.
In just a few days, the Basque rebels in La Rioja had been all but wiped out.
At that moment, Primo also received a report from the forces in Zaragoza.
Upon hearing that a detached unit had encountered Catalan rebels in Zaragoza, Primo had no intention of changing his battle plan. He ordered the army to continue north toward the Basque Region and Navarre.
The Zaragoza garrison numbered around ten thousand men. With advanced artillery providing fire support, holding back the Carlos rebels would not be a problem.
Primo's mission was to swiftly eliminate the rebels in the Basque Region and Navarre, then circle directly into Catalonia from north of Zaragoza.
Once the rebellion in Catalonia had been put down, the Carlist rebels remaining in Zaragoza would naturally pose no threat.
Several dozen kilometers northwest of Logroño, the capital of the La Rioja Region, lay Vitoria-Gasteiz, the major southern city of the Basque Region.
Not only was this the Basques' stronghold, but it was also where the main force of the Basque rebels was stationed.
Primo attached great importance to the assault on Vitoria-Gasteiz. He specifically ordered the troops to rest for a day in Logroño before marching north into the Basque Region in mighty procession.
At that time, the Basque rebels inside Vitoria-Gasteiz were already in a state of panic.
What none of the rebel leaders had expected was that the government army would march north into the Basque Region without hesitation, rather than putting down Catalonia first.
The Basques had intended to threaten the government while the Carlist rebels and government forces were locked in a bitter, tangled battle, thereby securing autonomy and greater local authority for the Basque Region.
But now, the government army was advancing openly toward the Basque Region. This was completely beyond the Basques' expectations.
"Enrique, is this what you meant when you said we could seize the chance to win autonomy for the Basque Region?" Matías Anhaator, the principal leader of the Basque rebels, wore an enraged expression as he stared fixedly at Enrique, a senator from the Basque Region.
"This isn't my fault either, Matías." Senator Enrique spread his hands and said somewhat helplessly, "Who could have imagined Primo would come straight for us?
By all reason, shouldn't he have gone after the larger Catalan army?"
Although Matías Anhaator understood that this was all because Primo refused to play by the usual rules, the Basque army's losses still made his heart bleed.
After all, there were only so many Basques.
Every Basque soldier lost was a crushing blow to the Basques, whose total population was only several hundred thousand.
"Is there any good way to end this war? Damn it, when did the government army become so powerful? When did they buy so many artillery pieces?" Matías Anhaator's head was full of question marks. He simply could not understand why the Spanish Army had become so powerful in such a short time.
"There are two ways to end this war." Senator Enrique pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "The first is to surrender directly to Primo."
"What? Surrender?" Matías Anhaator looked at Enrique in disbelief and asked, "Do you think Primo would spare us? He has long wanted to uproot us and the Catalans. He will never let this opportunity slip by. Never."
"Then what else can we do, General?" Enrique asked calmly.
"Tell me your other plan." Matías Anhaator fell silent for a moment. In the end, he could only remain silent.
The gap in strength between the Basque rebels and the Spanish government army was like heaven falling to earth. Defeating the Spanish government army alone was utterly impossible; there was not the slightest hope.
"The other way is to wait for the Catalans to go around Valencia and reach Madrid," Enrique said. "As long as they can break through Madrid, there will be nothing to fear from this Spanish Army we are facing.
But going around Valencia to Madrid is fraught with difficulties. I do not think the current Catalan army can accomplish it, unless God is willing to help them."
"Where is the Catalan army now? Are they still in Zaragoza?" Matías Anhaator did not have the slightest trust in his allies. Being held up in Zaragoza by a small detachment of government troops was the joke of the century!
"It seems so, General." Enrique shrugged helplessly.
"Damn it, these Catalans never intended to cooperate with us at all. Or rather, they simply lack the strength to threaten the government army.
God bless us—send this pack of damned Catalans to hell! They deceived the Basques. They are using us!" The seemingly reliable Catalans were not reliable at all, and Carlos VII's supposed wisdom and martial prowess looked more like self-amusement.
"General, I suggest waiting another three days. If the Catalans still cannot break through Zaragoza within three days, then we will have no choice but to surrender to Primo." Senator Enrique voiced his proposal.
"It seems this is our only option now. Senator Enrique, I will rely on you for news from Catalonia. If anything changes, inform me at once." Matías Anhaator nodded, left with no choice but to make this helpless decision.
"At your command, General." Senator Enrique nodded, looking as though he would bend himself to the task and exhaust himself for the Basques.
A little later, within the Spanish Army.
"Marshal, while the cavalry were patrolling outside, they captured this man. He claims to be a subordinate of Senator Enrique of the Basque Region and says he has something to tell you.
I have already searched him. Aside from a letter, he had no concealed weapons." Primo's Cavalry Division Commander brought over a Basque man dressed as a civilian and walked up to Primo.
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