Anwar's report greatly satisfied Rostislav, indicating that his years of construction and development in Northeast Rus' had yielded significant results. The Persian steward concluded by reporting on Moscow's material reserves.
Over the past five years, with regular hunting and grain purchases, Moscow's warehouses had accumulated enough provisions to support an army of tens of thousands on an expedition to Bulgar for a period of time.
After Anwar's report, the meeting moved on to everyday matters in Northeast Rus', such as negotiations with wealthy merchants and nobles, and the construction of local infrastructure, including road and bridge maintenance.
Rostislav handled these tasks with ease, having done them for so many years.
After efficiently completing all of this, Rostislav, following the established procedure, planned to visit the Blacksmiths' Guild, inspecting this guild into which he had poured so much effort.
This guild was a crucial component of Moscow's war machine, and he had invested a considerable amount of money in it.
With the Prince's departure, today's meeting concluded, and everyone dispersed; some followed the Prince, while others attended to their own affairs.
As Moscow's administrators, the civil officials did not follow Rostislav, as they still had work to do, and the Blacksmiths' Guild was a matter for a different system.
However, the two leaders of Moscow's civil official system quietly walked onto the red brick city wall and ordered the guards stationed there to withdraw. These two powerful figures in Moscow then began to chat.
On their way over, they saw the Mayor of Suzdal, Yan, talking to Domnal, the Captain of the Guard's son-in-law.
Yan, the young noble, looked displeased, while Domnal simply kept his head down.
The two officials paid no mind to these two, nor were they curious; they had their own matters to attend to.
"Anwar, when do you think our Prince will launch the campaign against Bulgar, or rather, what do you think of the prospects of this expedition?"
Leo looked at Moscow below the city wall, observing the bustling scene with carriages and horses, and spoke with considerable emotion. He remembered Moscow's most desolate state, which contrasted sharply with its current appearance.
"Next year or the year after, perhaps. This year is highly unlikely. The Prince experienced many battles during his trip to Hungary, and he needs some time to recuperate. By then, we'll have to get busy."
Anwar pondered for a moment, then cautiously replied.
He had to be cautious. Although he had come at Leo's suggestion, this did not mean that Anwar was subordinate to Leo, and he could not give off such a signal.
Currently, while Moscow's civil official system numbered at most a few hundred, factions had already emerged among them: the Greek and Ross Factions.
The Greek Faction, naturally, consisted of the civil officials Leo had brought from the imperial capital, while the Ross Faction, as expected, was composed of local Ross intellectuals. Both formed naturally as regional factions and then became opposed.
The Greeks, led by Leo, now occupied the middle and high-level positions in the Moscow government. They were mostly key officials, while the Ross people occupied the vast majority of lower-level positions.
Naturally, the Ross people were quite dissatisfied with this, but the Greeks' abilities were evident, so they did not cause trouble. Furthermore, the Greek Faction could sometimes motivate members of the Ross Faction through promotions, as the Ross Faction was merely a product of simple local identity.
The formation of the Ross Faction was a recent development, occurring over the past few years as the Moscow government continuously expanded. However, there were only so many Greeks, so a large number of Ross people had to be absorbed into the system.
The requirements for these individuals were not high; they simply needed to be literate, as literacy allowed them to proclaim decrees, which was sufficient.
As the number of Ross people grew, they naturally formed an opposition and hostility towards the outsiders, creating a loose yet unified faction.
Although this faction was large and would inevitably become the mainstream in the future, that future was still decades away and easily influenced.
For Anwar, it was different. He was in a very unique position. He was neither Greek nor Ross, yet held a high office, almost overseeing the entire Northeast Rus'. He was the only one in such a situation.
Due to his unique status, neither side considered him one of their own, and both regarded him with extreme caution.
Anwar, for his part, simply maintained neutrality. All he wanted was to do his job well and repay Rostislav's trust in granting him authority.
As a Persian Orthodox Christian, Anwar cherished his current position. He knew that no one else would have given him these opportunities; only Rostislav had provided everything.
It was also because of his work ethic and neutral stance that no one overly troubled him. Anwar did not want this situation to be disrupted.
So now, when the leader of the Greek Faction met him, his heart was full of vigilance. If this old bureaucrat managed to get something on him this time, his future would be difficult.
Upon hearing Anwar's reply, Leo did not immediately respond. Instead, he remained silent for a moment, pondering whether this old bureaucrat from Constantinople was trying to trick him. After confirming there were no linguistic traps, he then spoke,
"Anwar, I want to hear the truth. What do you think of the campaign against Bulgar?"
Leo's words instantly made Anwar tense. He quickly scanned his surroundings, seeing only an empty city wall, confirming there were no eavesdroppers.
Then he looked into Leo's eyes, where he saw only sincerity—the same sincerity Leo had shown when working before these factions emerged in Moscow. This made Anwar realize that Leo truly wanted to discuss something with him.
"Lord Leo, I don't think I need to say much. We both know the score, as we have both experienced many battles and worked in military logistics. Although our Prince has already performed miracles, I find it hard to believe it will continue to be so."
Anwar hesitated for a while, then finally subtly expressed his thoughts. He was not as optimistic as Rostislav about the expedition to Bulgar.
"It seems our thoughts are consistent, but no one is willing to pour cold water on Lord Rostislav. From Moscow to Bulgar, even at a fast pace, the journey will take several weeks, not to mention the loss of supplies along the way and the subsequent supply chain… The prospects are truly not good. Although we have accumulated a lot of supplies for this over the years, whether it can sustain such long-term consumption is unknown. Once the war starts, supplies are always insufficient."
"Unless our Prince can quickly end the war and enter the city of Bulgar, but that…"
"Unlikely. Based on the intelligence we've received so far, if Akad cannot win in open battle, he will hold the city walls. And a famous city like Bulgar, on par with Kiev, is not that easy to conquer. It will be a prolonged struggle, and if we fall into that situation, it will drag on indefinitely."
Seeing that Leo had laid his cards on the table, Anwar also spoke frankly.
And at this moment, he also understood why Leo had called him over: purely because this head of Moscow's civil officials wanted to vent.
Regarding the campaign against Bulgar, experienced senior civil officials like Leo and Anwar were not optimistic, nor did they believe the Prince's forces and supplies were sufficient.
They had stood the test of time and were very clear about certain matters. Although Rostislav was skilled in warfare, this would be his first time fighting abroad on an expedition to Bulgar. Could he truly handle the complex affairs?
In such an expedition, managing relations with the local populace was more important than the war itself. But honestly, if it were easy, they wouldn't have seen so many failures.
But what could they do? They couldn't just advise the Prince not to do it because of difficulties. Their Prince had overcome many hardships to achieve Moscow's current state and would surely believe he could resolve everything.
The two talked back and forth, eventually sighing silently. Regardless, they would take it one step at a time. The future might not necessarily lead to such a predicament… Hopefully.