Churchill smiled affirmatively at the King of Prussia. At least the attitude expressed by the King of Prussia is very firm, that is, the Europeans must decide the fate of France, rather than, like the Great Alliance War, when everyone exhausted the national treasury and injured hundreds of thousands of people, the Chinese prince would cut the cake, and he also cut off the sweetest piece.

This is the current attitude of the Grand Alliance towards the Empire. Each country has its own interest demands. It also believes that the basis for victory is to receive support from the Empire and not be opposed. However, no one wants the Empire to interfere in European affairs. However, this does not mean that countries are united and cooperated. In fact, the demands of each country for France are completely different.

But one thing was agreed, that is, to completely defeat France.

"There are only two ways to end the war, either Louis XIV promised all the conditions proposed by the Grand Alliance, or the Grand Alliance army invaded Paris."

This is the consensus of the Grand Alliance.

On both sides of the Rhine, the troops of both sides broke out for a long time. Low-intensity war filled this land with complex terrain. On August 12, Louis XIV ordered the entire army to cross the Rhine. The Allies, which had already moved the main force of the legion forward, immediately launched an attack on the ferry crossing, intending to attack the enemy at the half-cross.

The French army was well prepared and built more than a dozen pontoon bridges in advance and prepared more than 200 small boats. The largest pontoon bridge allowed the heaviest field artillery to pass directly. The ferry was also chosen in a place with terrain support. The first batch of crossing the river was French infantry, which quickly occupied the townships and surrounding highlands.

Unlike the main force, militia and newly recruited troops, the first French army crossing the river was the most elite troops, lined up in thick arrays, and welcomed the Allied forces with bayonets and lead bullets, and remained unmoved.

By the time the main force of the Allied forces arrived, the French army had already lined up with their backs and put on a defensive posture.

The battle started on August 12th and lasted until August 25th. After nearly half a month, more than 30,000 casualties on both sides were killed and killed, especially a high ground at the ferry crossing, which changed hands continuously, and thousands of people died here in battle, but they were eventually recaptured by the French army. At the most critical moment, Louis XIV appeared in the highlands regardless of his age and wearing gorgeous military uniforms to boost morale for the French army.

After the battle began, Louis XIV learned that the great alliance army was powerful. He did not expect that the four countries of Britain, the Netherlands, the Polish and the Austrians gathered together, and the famous generals had not yet clashed, so Louis XIV took the initiative to adjust the combat goals.

Originally, he was going to defeat the Rhine Legion in one fell swoop, but now he knows that he can't do it.

Louis XIV ordered the army to persevere and cause casualties to the enemy as much as possible. On the other hand, Louis XIV kept writing letters to the leaders and generals of the four countries' army, putting forward different conditions in an attempt to separate and disintegrate the enemy. But what Louis XIV didn't know was that after the four countries' army arrived, Churchill, William the old, the crown prince of Austria, and the Dutch President Heinsius who came specially, had already swore together and not unilaterally made peace with France.

Therefore, every time the envoy sent by France to the Allied barracks, they faced scenes where all representatives of the four countries were on the spot. All French documents, whether they were diplomatic letters or private letters from Louis XIV, were read publicly in front of representatives of the four countries.

At this point, all Louis XIV's tricks were useless and could only fight one round after another.

In this way, the war lasted for another half month, and it was until mid-September. Even the Grand Alliance could not accept it. After all, the casualties were too great. And bad news followed one after another. On the battlefield of Iberia, the French and Spanish troops led by Marshal Veral and the Spanish troops were sang and defeated the Portuguese and British troops in succession, and arrived at the city of Lisbon. The Duke of Vendome recaptured the French border city of Lille through a surprise attack, and the British-Dutch coalition retreated into the Spanish Netherlands.

The Dutch were the first to shake the situation, worried that the Netherlands would be threatened and the British army would be weak because the British army participated in both failures. Only Prussia and Austria demanded unswervingly to fight.

The turning point finally happened on September 17th. The British and Dutch navies launched a landing battle in the Caen area, which directly disrupted Louis XIV's deployment.

In fact, this landing operation was just a harassment operation, because Britain and the Netherlands could not draw out elite land combat forces. It was the British Navy's privateer disguised as a victorious privateer, took down the dock, and followed closely behind the armed sailors on the warships of Britain and the Netherlands, looting the city of Caen.

But the navies of the two countries did not expect that the French resistance was so weak that they did not receive a counterattack of a hundred people in the entire Caen. The robbery also collapsed the military discipline. A large number of British and Dutch armed forces rushed to the inland, hoping to loot more wealth. This was considered by the French top leaders as the British and Dutch army landed and attacked Paris by surprise.

With the shock in the rear, Louis XIV could only retreat. The French retreat was very organized. First, it launched a large-scale counterattack, and then evacuated in the shortest time. A torch, the camp, and the pontoon bridge burned all over.

But the Allies' speed of chasing was also quite fast, because they happened to make arrangements and set up a pontoon bridge in the upstream area. Originally, Prince Eugen was planning to cross the river here and lead an elite raid on Strasbourg and cut off the French supply. The French retreat this time was just enough to use.

Prince Eugen led his army to cross the river and marched rapidly. Although he did not occupy Strasbourg, the momentum caused the French army was forced to launch again on the west bank of the Rhine, delaying the retreat speed. Following that Churchill led his cavalry to cross the river. On September 21, the main forces of the Allied forces crossed the river. The two sides fought in the plains, and suffered casualties. Louis XIV was forced to retreat into Strasbourg, a fort designed by Marshal Vaubon.

The Datong Army successfully besieged the French army in Strasbourg and completely gained strategic advantages.

In the last few days of September, bloody battles broke out in Strasbourg. At the beginning, the French army wanted to take advantage of the fact that the Allies had not yet established a firm foothold and had not yet formed a tight encirclement to break out, but was firmly resisted by Prince Eugen. Whether from Prussia or Austria, the Germans showed enough resilience to repeatedly compete with the French army.

After failing to break through, Louis XIV had to choose to defend, and the Grand Confederate launched a continuous attack for several days. Except for the 7,000 soldiers who were buried under the bastion, there was no progress, and the news brought by the captured French army was even more desperate.

Before the war, Strasbourg was designated as the logistics base for the Rhine War by Louis XIV. It stored a large amount of materials and ammunition, and the storage of food could allow the French army to support it for four months.

Allied camp.

"Everyone, you have shown our king your extraordinary courage and perseverance, but so what? Strasbourg has precipitated the engineering of France for a hundred years and is the crystallization of Marshal Vaubon's wisdom. It is a diamond fortress, a fortress that will not fall." The French Foreign Minister, as an envoy of Louis XIV, talked to the leaders of the Great Alliance. Although everyone was resentful, they were very helpless.

When the old William saw that the others did not speak, he asked loudly as the commander-in-chief: "Please stop your arrogance, Lord Tussi. We are only willing to negotiate frankly with you. Now tell us the will of King Louis."

"Didn't you know our conditions long ago? Last time, His Excellency Heinsius was only willing to give us two months of peace on behalf of the Grand Alliance. Now with the same conditions, what about you?" Tuxi said calmly.

"It's ridiculous. Last time Louis was in Versailles' Palace of Lights, but now he can only lie in the pigpen in Strasbourg." Churchill shouted sternly.

Tuxi did not comment, and old William said, "If you have this attitude, there is no need to continue talking. Please go back. Please tell King Louis that the sun will rise and set."

Tuxi nodded slightly and said, "Dear King and nobles, we are actually well aware of the laws of politics. It is difficult for us to reach a consensus in the negotiations we are in now. You will put forward conditions that the king cannot accept, and our opinions will be regarded as arrogant by you.

In that case, why don’t we choose a more reasonable path?”

"What's that road?"

"When people argue, a noble and fair gentleman needs to mediate, and so is our nations. His Majesty the Sun King believes that there is no role that is more suitable for the mediator than the Prince of China. And this is the only reason why the king sent me to you.

The king suggested that we both sides temporarily stop the killing and invite the Chinese prince to mediate, how about it?”

Churchill immediately said, "Yes, but Louis must surrender first."

Tuxi looked at Churchill with contempt. He knew that in the alliance, the one who least wanted China to intervene was Britain, followed by Austria. Relatively speaking, the Netherlands, Prussia and Portugal were not so firm. He asked William directly: "His Majesty the King of Prussia, what about your opinion?"

"King, he is splitting us." Churchill said directly without waiting for Old William to answer.

Old William said: "Duke Churchill is right. King Louis must surrender. If he doesn't even want to lower his head, then there is no need for negotiation. Lord Tusi, this is our common will. Please reply to your king truthfully."

After Tuxi bowed, he stepped down directly. Old William smiled and looked at Churchill and Eugen: "Two, are you satisfied with my attitude?"

"Yes, your loyalty to your allies is admirable."

"Salute to you, the noble King of Prussia."

Old William smiled softly. He liked this feeling of respect. He said, "Everyone, I don't think Louis XIV will surrender. What do you think?"

No one gave an opposing answer, in fact everyone thought so, Eugen even said: "I know the Sun King very well. He may commit suicide, but will not surrender."

Old William nodded: "So, we must make plans and on the basis of Louis' failure to surrender. I do not recommend continuing the attack. Although I do not think Strasbourg is a fortress that does not fall, I believe everyone knows that we have too many casualties to let the soldiers die on the eve of victory. Do you agree with this?"

"There should be necessary military operations," Churchill said.

Old William responded with a smile: "That's natural, we have to put pressure on the enemy, I just don't recommend a large-scale active attack."

In this way, no one raised objections, and William Older said: "I also think we cannot wait until four months later, when the French army's supplies are exhausted before taking action. In four months, there are too many variables, especially when the Chinese prince has arrived in Europe.

You all know that the Prince of China is my friend, and His Highness Eugen also has deep friendship with the Prince of China, but what I want to say is that he is the most unpredictable person in the world. If I hear the Prince of China declare war on the Grand Alliance on behalf of their country, I will not be surprised at all. You said, Prince Eugen."

"You are undoubtedly right." Eugen agreed helplessly.

Old William laughed again: "Seeing that there is no, we have reached an agreement again. The two are unanimous, and there is no large-scale attack and cannot be delayed for a long time. On the basis of these two unanimous, I have a suggestion that we might as well surround Strasbourg and send envoys to Versailles.

Although Louis claimed that I was the country all day long, that was based on the Palace of Versailles. Now he was besieged. Even if he agreed to us, the Palace of Versailles might not cooperate. So it is better to negotiate directly with the Palace of Versailles, so that the Sun King and the French troops of Strasbourg are just a bargaining chip. How about it?"

"I agree." Churchill immediately expressed his agreement.

Eugen said: "Based on my understanding of the French court, Louis and Versailles were shirking each other and delaying together, striving to get the Prince of China in trouble."

"Yes, the French are good at this kind of game, King, if France treats us like this, how should we deal with it?" Churchill asked.

Old William did not expect such a problem. He lowered his head and thought. After a long time, he shook his head helplessly and said that he had not come up with a good idea. Prince William, who had been beside him, said: "Everyone, I have an immature suggestion."

Everyone had a good impression of the young William. Although the prince was only sixteen years old, he was very suitable for military life and was even hard-working than some soldiers. Especially Prince Eugen, who was always generous with praise for him.

Seeing that no one opposed him, William said, "I suggest that we can build fortifications while negotiating. After several bloody battles, the French army had less than 110,000 soldiers, and we still had 160,000 reinforcements.

If the French delay, we will prepare an elite force, just 30,000 to 40,000 people. This army can march directly into Paris, marching towards Versailles, and turn Paris and Versailles into bargaining chips."

"Very good, so the French dare not delay."
Chapter completed!