Heretics, Purge the Heretics!

Stanisław II was completely staking everything on a single throw.

In the worst-case scenario, he and officers such as Bilak would all become Russian prisoners, while the tens of thousands of Flintlock Guns, several thousand tents, and Military Uniforms intended for "disarmament" would also fall into enemy hands.

But he decided to take the risk.

Bilak's previous performance as a commander had not been particularly outstanding, and the Military Committee had already considered replacing him.

If Korezenikov truly detained him, another officer would immediately take over Minsk's defenses.

Poland would then spread word through the army that "Bilak was shamelessly detained while negotiating with the Russians," using it to stir the soldiers' fighting spirit.

After the King told him of the matter, Bilak immediately accepted this dangerous mission without hesitation.

As for those weapons and supplies, the Lithuanian Corps had lost more than seven thousand soldiers in the previous battles, and most of their weapons had been recovered.

Thus, handing ten thousand Flintlock Guns to the Russians would not greatly affect the Polish Army's combat ability—the Warsaw Ordnance Factory would soon make up the missing weapons.

As for things like tents and Military Uniforms, under extreme circumstances, they did not even count as military supplies.

Two days later, Stanisław II led Piatoli and other officials to Saint Petersburg in an exceptionally grand procession to offer his surrender.

At the ceremony before departure, large numbers of Polish reporters conducted interviews and records in righteous indignation, and the scene nearly spun out of control. Yet afterward, all of them dispersed and returned to the Committee of Freedom and Security.

The next day, Russian intelligence agents bought local newspapers from the Polish-controlled Minsk region. They carried extensive reports on the news that "the King had gone to Saint Petersburg to surrender."

These newspapers