In terms of numbers alone, the Russian army was naturally no match for the Ottomans. As for willpower, driven by the so-called holy war and thirst for revenge, the Ottoman side was even stronger.
Of course, abstract things like holy war and revenge alone could not keep driving people forward forever. Murad V understood this as well.
So he declared that he would set aside one hundred million Kurush to compensate the families of those killed in battle. This was the true source of the Ottomans' fearlessness in the face of death.
One hundred million Kurush was equivalent to one million Pound Sterling. Yet at this time, the Ottoman Empire's annual fiscal revenue was only two hundred million Kurush—poorer than it had been in the same period of history.
Precisely because the Ottomans were so poor, neither the nations of Europe nor private bankers were willing to lend the Ottoman government any more money.
In short, one hundred million Kurush was a tremendously shocking figure in the eyes of most Ottomans.
As the saying went, generous rewards produced brave men, while crushing pressure produced cowards. This time, it was the Russians' turn to flee in disarray. Those overextended units swiftly collapsed.
If they were left alone, these men would carry the Ottomans behind them straight into the Russian strongpoints.
It had to be said that Khrulyov's orders had been remarkably farsighted, and Russian soldiers had always possessed a certain ruthless streak when it came to their own people.
The Russian troops stationed in the temporary strongpoint did not hesitate to fire upon the rout. As thick white smoke and scorching flames spewed from the cannon muzzles—
Those men who had just been shouting, "We're on your side! Don't fire!" were instantly blasted to pieces.
Wherever the solid shot passed, blood