War Palace and Knee Pillow, Austria’s Destiny

The French infantry was driven back again, but their battle line was gradually shrinking.

"See! We are about to win! The French are retreating! The brothers in Turin are about to join us!"

"Go back! Kill these bastards!"

Cavaignac was furious on the hillside, but the staff officers around him were already pale with fear.

"Marshal, the enemy has surrounded us, let's retreat first."

"Impossible! Never! You quickly organize a counterattack! Do you hear me! Counterattack!"

Cavaignac's eyes were already bleeding as he watched the battle line move back. However, the staff officers wanted to take him away from the battlefield. After all, the French army was already at a disadvantage at this time, and if they continued to fight like this, they might all be defeated here.

On the other hand, Garibaldi wanted to seize the opportunity to defeat the French army in one fell swoop, because he knew very well what his mission was, and the real decisive battle still depended on the Austrian Empire and the French.

God was very kind to Garibaldi for being able to find this glimmer of victory in a situation where he was almost doomed to fail and seize him.

However, the absolute gap in strength is not so easy to make up. Suddenly, another army appeared not far away.

Garibaldi picked up the telescope, his eyes full of despair.

The French reinforcements arrived. It was a bit sad to say that Garibaldi and the Turin defenders had to use all their strength to barely force the French army in front of them into a desperate situation.

However, this was only the vanguard of the French army.

More French troops appeared on the distant horizon like locusts. Seeing this scene, Garibaldi and the commander of the Kingdom of Sardinia issued the same order at the same time.

"Retreat!"

The army of the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Po River Guard fled the battlefield in a panic. They didn't even have time to take away their weapons and equipment and the bodies of their comrades.

The soldiers of the French vanguard were enjoying the joy of surviving the disaster, but Cavaignac couldn't be happy looking at the mess on the ground.

At this time, a staff officer ran over.

"Marshal, the Kingdom of Sardinia has surrendered!"

"Let Emanuele II come to see me! I want to ask him what happened just now!"

This victory was not a victory for Cavaignac. His vanguard was stopped by the Italians. This was a great shame and humiliation. He had to get back at the right place.

After all, everything was caused by the surrender and rebellion of the Kingdom of Sardinia's army. He had to let the other side give him an explanation.

The staff officer and the diplomat beside him said awkwardly.

"Emanuele II has escaped."

"Escaped? What are you doing?!"

The two were also innocent.

"The battle just now was too intense"

"Nonsense!"

Cavaignac was almost furious, but it was useless to be angry.

Cavaignac changed his mind and asked again.

"Without Emanuele II, who can represent the Kingdom of Sardinia?"

"It's the republicans in the Kingdom of Sardinia"

The staff officer was interrupted by Cavaignac before he finished speaking.

"Still want to deceive me? They must pay the price!"

Several generals who retreated from the front line also echoed.

"It's time to teach the Sardinians a lesson! Otherwise, they will think that we French are easy to fool!"

A big fire broke out in Turin the next day. Cavaignac did not plan to stay here. The reason for resting for a day was that the vanguard suffered too much loss.

But speed is of the essence. He must launch an attack before the Austrians gather their forces.

Garibaldi finally escaped the pursuit of the French. There were nearly 10,000 troops in the entire Po River Guard, but less than 50 people were still with him at this time.

Most of the others died in the battle, a few surrendered, and some disappeared.

Seeing the black smoke floating in the distance, Garibaldi sat down on the grass and said dejectedly.

"Turin is over."

The soldiers on the side didn't know what to say, and some couldn't help crying.

"Why is fate so unfair! Why is it always us!"

"Damn the French! Is there no limit to their ambitions!"

The soldiers were very depressed, and even Garibaldi himself was about to give up. Over the years, he felt more and more powerless, and the successive failures made him begin to doubt himself.

If it weren't for his decision, these more than 10,000 passionate young people would have married, had children, and lived to a ripe old age, but now they have all become victims of the war.

And their sacrifice did not get any reward, and the city of Turin still fell. Seeing the rising black smoke, Garibaldi was really not optimistic.

"We have tried our best."

Sylvia said calmly.

Although women had a low status in this era, everyone present knew that Sylvia was a ruthless person, and those soldiers who were usually domineering were as docile as sheep in front of her.

In such a bloody battle just now, even veterans who had fought hundreds of battles would not dare to say that they could retreat unscathed, but Sylvia was not only still alive, but also in a good mood to comfort others.

Suddenly someone shouted.

"Another army is coming towards us!"

Everyone immediately got up from the ground and looked around to see countless soldiers and horses advancing in an orderly manner.

At this time, the Italian Corps of the Austrian Empire had crossed the Ticino River. According to Franz, "it is better for the war to take place on the territory of another country than on the territory of Austria."

Marshal Radetzky certainly understood what Franz meant. Due to the existence of the railway, the Italian Corps assembled at an amazing speed.

In fact, the Austrian Empire had received the news before the French arrived, but it did not make it public. It only prepared supplies in advance and transferred some elite troops back.

At this time, the Italian Corps was also supplemented by elite troops from other regions, with a total strength of more than 200,000.

The light cavalry in front also found Garibaldi and his team and immediately surrounded them. The cavalry captain looked at the people who looked like blood gourds and asked with his nose pinched.

"Who are you? Put down your weapons, otherwise you will be killed without mercy."

The cavalry captain spoke in German, and everyone was relieved. It turned out that they were their own people.

"We are the Po River Guard, and this is our commander, the Lame Joseph. We tried to defend Turin before, but the French reinforcements arrived."

Then they told their experiences in their unique Italian German.

The cavalry captain looked at the legs of the Lame Joseph, and Garibaldi understood and rolled up his trouser legs to reveal the hideous scar.

The cavalry captain nodded and saluted everyone.

"Your duty is over. It's our turn now. Give them a horse."

Immediately, a cavalryman led a horse to Lame Joseph.

Afterwards, several cavalrymen threw them water bottles and dry food.

"Eat! Death didn't kill you, so don't die of thirst or hunger."

Garibaldi and his soldiers supported each other and walked to the back, and a huge army gradually appeared in front of them.

They received the attention of the officers and soldiers, and even Marshal Radetzky rode to their side.

"What a great group of guys! If I were 50 or 60 years younger, I would definitely go crazy with you!"