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Volume 1: Fierce Battle in Changsha Chapter 390: Change of Power

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    In September 1855 AD, the majestic Winter Palace stood in the Palace Square of St. Petersburg, the capital of Tsarist Russia. September in the golden autumn was originally the harvest season, but Tsar Nicholas I had no joy at all.  As he paced restlessly in his bedroom, his chamberlain recited tremblingly: "I recognize you by the awe-inspiring edge of your sword, I recognize you by the face of your earthly strength.  , the holy bones of the Greeks will rise and be as brave as ever, long live, long live, free!¡±

    This "Ode to Freedom" is a masterpiece by the late famous Russian writer Pushkin. Chamberlain Seyakov did not understand why Nicholas I asked him to recite this poem at this time.

    After reading the last word, Seyakov gently closed the book, bowed respectfully and said: "Your Majesty, I have finished reading."

    Nicholas I hummed, suddenly stopped, stretched out his hand to pinch his temples, and said slowly: "Has Nikolayevich arrived?"

    Seyakov bowed and said: "Your Highness went to pick up Prince Gorchakov and should be back soon."

    Nicholas hummed again with a strong nasal voice and touched his bald hair. Unexpectedly, a strand of gray hair fell casually. He looked at the white hair in his hand blankly and frowned, looking even more  He looked older, "Seyakov, do you think I'm old?"

    Seyakov shook his head and said: "Your Majesty will always be young and as strong as a lion."

    Nikolay smiled bitterly and said: "Your words are really nice, but they are much nicer than Pushkin's poem. Please read that poem again."

    Seyakov read it again. Nikolai walked to the white sofa and sat down, closed his eyes and listened, halfway through the recitation.  The door of the bedroom rang. Seyakov turned around and walked over to open the door. The guard outside the door said: "His Royal Highness and Prince Gorchakov have arrived."

    Nikolay straightened up and said loudly: "Let them in quickly!"

    After a while, Nikolayevich, the eldest son of Nicholas I, walked in with Prince Gorchakov. Nikolayevich was only twenty-six years old, with a high nose and deep eyes.  He has a restrained mane, a thick beard, and looks very heroic in a Russian general's uniform.  Prince Gorchakov next to him was also in military uniform, but his arms were wrapped in gauze.  It fell on the neck, and it seemed that the arm was injured.

    The two walked up to Nicholas, took off their hats, and bowed respectfully. Nicholas looked at Prince Gorchakov's arm and asked, "Are you injured?"

    Prince Gorchakov¡¯s gray beard trembled.  He lowered his head and said, "Yes, Your Majesty."

    Nicholas frowned and asked: "How is the battle going?"

    Prince Gorchakov looked at Nikolayevich and did not dare to speak.  Nikolayevich said in a deep voice: "Father. Uncle, the reinforcements led by him were blocked by the superior forces of the French army and the King of Sardinia's army on the banks of the Tchenania River. Although our heroic soldiers fought desperately,  But it still failed and failed to complete the mission of rescuing the Sevastopol Fortress. We just received news that the British, French, and Ottoman coalition forces have captured the Sevastopol Fortress."

    Nicholas could not help but tremble.  He leaned back weakly, stretched out his hand to rub his temples, and asked: "How is the situation in the Far East? After the fall of Petropavlovsk, did the enemy continue to attack?"

    Nikolayevich said: "No. Muravyov's judgment was very accurate. The British and French coalition forces in the Far East and their mercenary groups were restricted by their logistical supplies, so they have been standing still. Muravyov also organized several counterattacks  , but the effect is very unsatisfactory. Our forces in the Far East are weak, and it is almost impossible to regain several captured ports and fortresses. Unless the cold winter comes and the enemy's supply problems arise, it may be possible to regain the lost ground."

    Nicholas raised his head suddenly, opened his mouth and was speechless. After a long while, he asked dejectedly: "What should we do now?"

    Nikolayevich and Prince Gorchakov looked at each other. The former took a step forward, knelt on one knee in front of Nikolay, and said: "Father, we have been defeated. Let's negotiate peace with other countries. Russia  We have reached the brink of danger, the domestic economic situation has deteriorated, the dissatisfaction between the government and the opposition against the war has reached its peak, and many junior officers are even planning to launch a mutiny to force you to abdicate. Now we can no longer continue the fight."

    Nicholas looked at his son with sincere eyes in front of him with some hesitation, and said slowly: "Russia's glory cannot wither. We are the overlord of Europe. We have faced the fierce French Imperial Army, and we have no chance."  I have surrendered, am I going to abdicate in such a failed situation?¡±

    Nikolayevich shook his head and said: "Father, our defeat is not actually because our soldiers are not brave enough, nor is there a problem with the generals' strategy, but becauseIt's because we have fallen behind the Western European countries, and even the Qing rebels hired by Britain and France in the Far East have surpassed us. The weapons they used to attack us this time are similar to the weapons newly equipped by Britain and France.  Our industrial level lags far behind other countries, and we can only find a way out through change. For this change, we need to liberate the serfs. This change will never be possible if it is during a war.  So we can only make peace with other countries first.  "

    Nikolai¡¯s eyes became even darker and he asked slowly: ¡°My son, tell me what you think.¡±

    Nikolayevich stood up and said: "Russia's interests are always in Europe. The Far East is too far and borders a country with a large population. It is extremely uneconomical to defend or prepare for war for a long time. Moreover, the Far East is not rich and has inconvenient transportation. We  I feel that we should shrink the expansion of the Far East, ensure the stable development of the country, and then reaffirm our dominance on the European continent, and then consider the interests of the Far East. We are temporarily abandoning the Far East now in order to better control the Far East in the future. This kind of  Giving up is only temporary. Britain and France just want to ensure their interests in the Balkans and the Mediterranean, and we can give up temporarily. The Ottomans just want to ensure peace on the border. It should not be difficult to satisfy them."

    Nicholas sighed and asked: "The Qing Dynasty has always been a country even more backward than us, and their country is still in civil strife. After we lose Crimea, wouldn't it be better to choose to expand to the Far East?"

    Nikolayevich's eyes shone with eagerness: "Father, this time Britain and France hired the mercenary group of the Qing rebels and the Taiping Army to fight in the Far East. It is not difficult to see that Britain and France have built a mercenary group in the Far East to contain us.  Puppet. Our choice to expand eastward at this time will only make the cooperative relationship between them stronger. I think that at this time, we will temporarily maintain the status quo in the Far East and make peace with Britain and France, so that Britain, France and that damn mercenary group will lose their ability to continue to control the Far East.  As an excuse for using troops, Britain and France should not be interested in those ports in the Far East, and it will cost a lot to maintain effective occupation of those ports. I think they will definitely use it in exchange for our other interests. After losing the support of the British and French fleets,  That mercenary army has only one way to retreat. Then we just need to wait for the decisive battle between the Taiping Army and the Qing Army to break out. When the Qing Dynasty cannot support it, we can go south and get back what we need."

    Nikolai looked at his son's gleaming eyes and whispered: "I understand, just do what you want. I'm tired, let me rest alone for a while. You all go down."

    Nikolayevich and Prince Gorchakov bowed respectfully and exited Nikolai¡¯s bedroom.  Prince Gorchakov walked side by side with Nikolayevich in the long corridor and whispered: "Will he understand what you mean?"

    Nikolayevich frowned and said: "My father is old, but he is not confused. The failure of the war is indeed a stain on his reign. Russia has not suffered the pain of a war failure for many years. But the more  At times like this, the more capable people are needed to bravely stand up and take responsibility. My father obviously no longer has the courage to stand up, so he will understand that abdicating is his only decent way out. The war failed  I will clean up the mess, but I need rights, and the rights of the entire country to be loyal to me!"

    After hearing this, Prince Gorchakov's face trembled slightly, his body paused slightly, and he was half a step behind him. He did not dare to walk side by side with him anymore. He said respectfully: "Your Highness, your Majesty will understand your painstaking efforts. I represent  All senior generals will stand under your banner and follow you."

    Nikolayevich clenched his fists and gritted his teeth and said: "The country is on the verge of collapse. I need not only the support of the upper class, I need the support of the middle and lower classes, especially the support of the serfs who make up the majority of the population, so  It is imperative to emancipate the serfs.¡±

    Prince Gorchakov said hesitantly: "But the serf owners will not be willing to do this, Your Highness."

    Nikolayevich smiled slightly and said: "I know what you are worried about. I will not mess around. I plan to implement some reforms on the Baltic Sea coast first, then St. Petersburg, and finally the whole country. But before that, I hope for war."  To be able to finish.¡±

    Prince Gorchakov frowned and said: "Britain and France are greedy local tycoons. I'm worried that their armistice conditions are unacceptable to us."

    Nikolayevich shook his head and said: "No, on the contrary, we are familiar with Britain and France, and they are also familiar with us, so I am not worried about how harsh their armistice conditions will be. They also paid their dues in the war.  The price is huge, knowing that it will do no good to anyone if we continue to fight." He paused and said solemnly: "What I am worried about is the Qing rebels. This mysterious beast has only shown its ferocity for the first time.  , maybe they got a lot of things from this war, and theyIn the war in the Far East, they suffered almost no losses. If they overthrew the Qing Dynasty, they would be more terrifying than Britain and France in the future.  "

    Prince Gorchakov frowned and said: "In this case, it is indeed impossible to achieve an armistice that maximizes our interests. Should we mobilize a Cossack cavalry regiment to the Far East to help Muravyov?"

    Nikolayevich looked up at the withering trees in the Winter Palace Garden and said slowly: "It's no longer necessary now. Muravyov can handle it on his own. I need the Cossack Cavalry Regiment to stay in the country to stabilize the situation.  .¡±

    Prince Gorchakov nodded and said: "You really need an army to ensure the smooth succession of your throne."

    Nikolayevich smiled bitterly and said: "What we need can only be taken by ourselves, and what others give us is always just charity."

    A few days later, everyone knew that the defeat of the Russian Empire was determined. Nicholas I, who was not willing to be humiliated, summoned his eldest son Alexander, and said to his heir with infinite emotion: "Serve Russia. I wanted to bear the most difficult and heaviest burden.  Pick it up and hand over to you a peaceful, well-arranged, and happy kingdom, but God has made another arrangement." At midnight that day, Nicholas I ordered a report to be sent to Moscow, Kiev, and Warsaw at the same time: "  The emperor is dying and bidding farewell to all humanity." Finally, the emperor committed suicide by taking poison while reciting Pushkin's poems.  (To be continued, please search Piaotian Literature. The novels will be better and updated faster!
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