What rankled was that the enemy's honor and dreams lay right before them, yet everything was blocked by a tiny river ditch.
What unsettled him was this: if Austria and Greece kept charging forward in triumphant song while Russia remained stuck in place, what if his allies and enemies made peace before him?
Thus, Nicholas I summoned all the generals under his command.
"The chance to revive the Third Roman Empire stands before us! The Russian Empire must not leave this to others—we must act and clutch victory firmly in our hands!"
After a rousing speech, Nicholas I got to the point.
"What do you gentlemen think of the Ottomans across the river?"
For the Russian commanders, this was a question that could get them killed. If they said the Ottomans on the opposite bank were easy prey, they would likely be sent into battle.
But if they dared say the Ottomans held the advantage, or that attacking them now would cost more than it gained, they would likely be exiled to Siberia. Spoiling His Majesty the Tsar's mood at a time like this was practically asking to die.
Thus, an eerie silence fell over the Russian command headquarters. Without question, no one wanted to be the first bird to stick its head out.
This greatly displeased Nicholas I. He knew that the Ottomans held the advantage by defending along the river, but he was truly in a hurry now. He needed someone to step forward and shoulder this difficult task.
Yet none of Russia's elites understood the Tsar's painstaking intentions. But Nicholas I would not give up so easily.
"Cowards! Fools! You lot have no sense of military honor! By sunset tomorrow, give me a plan that can take Dobruja!"
With that, Nicholas I stormed off in a huff,