On the fourth day of everyone''s arrival in Xie Qi, in the conference hall of Xie Qi, a total of 36 team leaders and representatives of company leaders held a closed meeting.


    At the beginning of the meeting, the meeting hall was full of gunpowder. Everyone patted the table and said dirty words in Xie Qi''s conference hall, as if anyone with a loud voice would make sense.


    Of course, no one came to reason.


    The host of the meeting, Pavlo gomon, watched all this. When he finished smoking a bag of tobacco, Pavlo gomont pulled out the musket at his waist and shot at the ceiling.


    Years of accumulated dust fell like snowflakes, forming a yellow fog in the Council hall.


    The hall suddenly quieted down.


    "That''s enough!" Pavlo gomon said, "if you have something to say, you''ll eat melon seeds one by one."


    Pavlo gomon, as the most respected elder Cossack, spoke effectively. Just now, the team leaders who were still pulling clothes and hammering tables returned to their seats one by one.


    The first one to stand up and speak was Vasili zolotalenko, who had attacked Smolensk with Bao Hong.


    He stood on one leg on the chair and saluted Pavlo gomon and the team leaders around him - telling everyone that he was going to speak.


    "Brothers of the league," Vasili zolotalenko said in his duck like voice, "I just want to say who saved us after the defeat of berestecko and the abduction of the great chief Bogdan hemelinitsky by the Tatars, and who did not take credit and pride, and took the initiative to hand over the scepter after the great chief came back."


    There was a burst of cheers in the Council hall, and then someone shouted, "Bao Hong, Bao Hong. The eagle of the Cossacks."


    Colonel Peter doroshenko, a supporter of vikovski, saw this and stood up.


    After saluting the four weeks like Vasili zolotalenko, Colonel Peter doroshenko said: "Of course, Bao Hong''s achievements and combat achievements are outstanding. But please don''t forget that our clerk vigovsky performed equally well in the battle of betselkovi. If he hadn''t worked hard to collect the lost soldiers and materials, how could we have a stalemate with the poles after the defeat and finally force the poles to negotiate with us."


    There was another noise, and someone said, "it''s true, it''s true."


    Peter doroshenko''s battle of baiczerkovi took place after the battle of berestecko. At that time, the Polish army pursued the victory, and yanush raziweu''s army from Lithuania recovered and looted Kiev, while Stanislaw pototsky led 12000 troops to the depths of Ukraine to try to make the leak in berestecko''s battle The fish of the net were caught in one net. Bogdan hemelinitsky gathered 50000 troops to intercept in baitzerkovi. The battle lasted a day and both sides were exhausted.


    Because the Polish army went deep alone and the supply line was too long, their supply was very difficult, and the epidemic of plague also caused a large number of personnel reduction. Finally, Stanislaw pototsky gave up his delusion of annihilating the Cossacks and chose to negotiate peace with Bogdan hemelinitsky.


    At that time, less than 20000 of the 50000 troops led by Bogdan hemelinitsky were withdrawn from the battle of berestecko, and the rest were recruited by vikovski.


    Moreover, Peter doroshenko mentioned the outstanding performance of vikovsky in turning the tide in the battle of baerzerkovi, which made everyone present think of Bao Hong''s fatal mistake in the battle of berestechko.


    Similarly, Bao Hong''s performance is far from that of vikovski.


    On the early morning of July 7, 1651, after Bogdan hemelinitsky was taken away, Bao Hong, who was elected chief, led a team of cavalry to the pontoon first, and they galloped forward under the fire of poles. Bao Hong''s intention was to test the firmness of the pontoon. After all, the bridge had to carry 50000 people, horses and goods. But when Bao Hong reached the other side, there were many people in the Cossack camp I don''t know who shouted in the group: "everybody, run for your life!" then more than a dozen voices shouted: "team leaders, run away!"


    Soon, this deadly sentence spread like a wildfire in the withered grass, and the Cossack soldiers who thought they had been betrayed rushed to the pontoon like a roaring tide. People trampled out the campfire, pushed onto the cart, kicked over the tent and destroyed the fence; the soldiers pushed and crowded with each other, and many people slipped and fell into the swamp and never stood up again.


    The boiling crowd crowded on the narrow bridge, competing with each other and pushing each other. The people who boarded the bridge did not hesitate to draw their knives to kill in order to compete for a place to stand, and the pleshuva river was full of corpses. Bao Hong saw the chaos on the camp and the floating bridge, and he rushed back to the opposite side to maintain order and try to save all this, but how could he do it on his own.


    Just then, the Polish Army surrounding the camp saw their opponents in disorder and quickly launched an attack. A large number of people who had not been trampled, squeezed or drowned fell under the guns of Polish soldiers. The river was dyed red, and the fleeing people knew that there was a pursuit behind them, causing further confusion. They were desperate for their lives, and more people were pushed into the river and swamp and got lucky The people on the land were also intercepted and killed by the Polish dragon cavalry. Some of the people forced to a dead end were defended by Lin and fought desperately, while others dropped their weapons and surrendered.


    Although Bao Hong led a 300 person counter charge to repel the poles temporarily, the big mistake was made. Finally, 30000 Cossacks died and only 20000 people broke out.


    To be fair, Bao Hong has done his best. But most people only value the results, not the process.


    The sentence "after the defeat" opened the scar, and Bao Hong''s heart was dripping blood.


    That mistake was also a lifelong pain in Bao Hong''s heart.


    Vasili zolotalenko glared at Peter doroshenko. He almost pulled out his knife. Peter doroshenko, an ungrateful guy, forgot that he was among the 20000 people rescued by Bao Hong!


    Peter doroshenko certainly didn''t forget. He has no personal feud with Bao Hong, but only respects him. But politics is like this. It is not transferred by people''s private feelings.


    Peter doroshenko looked apologetically at Bao Hong and sat down.


    At this time, vikovski''s voice gradually overshadowed Bao Hong.


    Ivan hilko saw this and winked at his supporter, company commander lavlin sinonos.


    Ivan hilko knew that although he had escaped the crime, he had no hope of running for chief because of the sharp decline in Popovich''s reputation. But he was unwilling to give up, so even if he knew there was no hope, he had to fight.


    Commander Laughlin sinonos stood up. Because he was only a company commander, he saluted the people around him three times.


    Lavlin sinonos said, "all regiment leaders and League brothers. Please let me say a few words, too."


    "Say it, say it!" someone shouted.


    When someone agitated, lavlin sinonos continued, "you all know that I can''t read or count, but my eyes are clear. The captain of Baohong regiment and the Secretary of wigovsky are outstanding talents of the Republic. Their abilities are not comparable. We shouldn''t belittle another person just because we want to praise someone."


    "You''re right!"


    "Laughlin sinonos is an honest man."


    Laughingly, Ralph sinonos bowed again. He continued, "but if you want me to say, there is a man who is more suitable to be the chief of Cossacks than the captain of Baohong regiment and the clerk of wigovsky. He is highly respected and popular."


    Some people made a "hush" sound, and a small number of people asked the man''s name.


    Just as lavlin Sinos was about to say Ivan hilko''s name, Pavlo gomon suddenly joked: "I say lavlin, if you want me to be the chief of Cossacks, I don''t dare."


    Ralph sinonos smiled awkwardly. He smiled at Pavlo gomon and said, "if you want to take the position of chief, I certainly agree with you with both hands and feet. But everyone knows you don''t have this mind, and I know it. So I won''t be boring. I want to recommend the captain of Ivan hilko regiment."


    Several voices of support came from the corner, but they were far less enthusiastic than the first two.


    Seeing this, Laughlin sinonos hurriedly urged: "Ladies and gentlemen, you should remember the letter from Ivan hilko regiment leader to the pagan Sultan? Who among our Cossacks can despise the power from Ottoman Turkey so much, and who dares to abuse the grass goat so heartily. With this alone, I, Ralph sinonos, am willing to support hilko regiment leader and follow him to fight pagan puppies 。”


    Lavlin sinonos''s words are illogical and some are just emotional. But these words make some company commanders present excited. Most of these company commanders have no culture, only one cavity of blood, worship heroes and admire those who dare to break through and do something. Ivan hilko, who insults and is tough on the Turkish Sudan, is naturally the object of their admiration.


    "Captain Ivan hilko is good!" said a Cossack company commander who didn''t even have a beard.


    Pavlo gomon knocked on the table with a cigarette stick again. This time, there was a silence in the Council hall. He said, "is there anyone else to recommend?"


    There was no sound for a while.


    According to the regulations, if no one puts forward another candidate, Bao Hong, hilko and vigovsky will be included in the competitors of the great chief and enter the next round of election.


    Just as Pavlo gomon was about to announce Bao Hong and other three candidates, Yuri hemelinitz, who had been sitting in the corner without talking, got up.


    All the people''s eyes focused on the young man.


    Yuri hemelinitsky came to shecci alone. The boy who lost his father and guardian finally realized what human feelings are. The company captains and Cossacks who tried to please themselves are now afraid to avoid themselves. Even the Swedish envoy Magnus de la gardiye did not appear again after the death of Bogdan Popovich.


    Cowardly people will be knocked down by setbacks, while strong people can grow up in setbacks.


    Yuri hemelinitsky is a strong man.


    "I," he shouted.


    Pavlo gomont smiled kindly.


    "Yuri, who are you going to recommend?" Pavlo gomon asked knowingly.


    "I want to elect myself, Yuri hemelinitsky, the son of Bogdan hemelinitsky," he shouted.


    "OK!" Pavlo gomont shouted, "then let''s start voting."


    Now, all Cossack colonels, company commanders and other people with voting rights have voted for the four candidates. They include Colonel Anton zhidanovich, Colonel Pavlo gormon, Colonel Ivan Fedorenko, Colonel Peter doroshenko, Colonel lukiyan mezhera, Colonel Vasily zolotalenko, Colonel Maxim Nesterenko, Colonel Prokop shumeco, Colonel Fedo Loboda, Colonel timofi nosacci, Colonel Matvey gradki Colonel Martin pushkalenko, Colonel philon yalari, Colonel Yuri hemelinitsky, company commander lavlin sinoos, company commander lesh grezenko, etc.


    A Cossack attendant put four empty black cans and a white jar full of soybeans on the table.


    Pavlo gomon said, "although everyone knows the rules, I want to reiterate that each person can only take one soybean and throw it to one person. From left to right, the first pot is Baohong, the second is hilko, the third Yuri and the fourth vigovsky."


    At this point, Pavlo gomont paused. He looked around and then accentuated his tone.


    "Brothers of the league, no matter who you vote for or not, it is the expression of gossa''s free will. If anyone later harbors resentment or retaliates, I Pavlo gomon will not spare him first."


    "Of course," Bao Hong said.


    "Absolutely not," hilko promised.


    Vikovski and Yuri also answered.


    Then everyone picked up a soybean. Colonel Vasili zolotalenko was the first to step forward. Without hesitation, he put the soybean in his hand into the first jar.


    Then company commander Laughlin sinonos threw soybeans to hilko.


    ……


    Yuri went to his black can. There was only one bean in his jar, and he voted for himself.


    Thirty three people have voted, and three people have not voted. They are Pavlo gomon, Ivan Fedorenko and lesh grizenko.


    "I abstain," Pavlo gomont said suddenly.


    The crowd looked at Pavlo gomon in disbelief. Although abstention is allowed in elections, few people will choose to abstain.


    Ivan Fedorenko looked at Pavlo gomon. The colonel who had not yet voted made the same choice as Pavlo gomon.


    Another abstention!


    Everyone turned their eyes to lesh grizenko to see how he would choose.


    Peter doroshenko, in particular, was particularly nervous because he calculated that vikovski and Bao Hong were only one vote away.


    Leish grezenko was sweating nervously. He stepped forward and threw the vote into the second black can under the eyes of the public.