Chapter 498 God’s Will
Not long after George fell asleep, he was woken up by Daniela. Tsarskoye Selo was besieged by retired soldiers. Fortunately, a Guards force that was conducting routine exercises near Tsarskoye Selo received timely reinforcements. It didn't cause more serious consequences.
Although the consequences are not serious, they are extremely bad in nature.
George drove to Tsarskoye Selo overnight. When he arrived at Tsarskoye Selo, the Guards had blocked all roads into Tsarskoye Selo. Little Nicholas and Stolypin arrived earlier than George.
Nicholas was very frustrated, he did not expect that the situation had deteriorated to this extent.
During the Russo-Japanese War, although the navy rebelled many times, the army remained generally stable. This was Nikolai's greatest comfort.
Now the veterans are also starting to rebel, which worries Nicholas.
Fortunately, active duty soldiers are still loyal to Nicholas.
If the active-duty soldiers also start to oppose Nicholas that day, then Nicholas will be ready to abdicate.
“The situation is not serious. Less than 100 people died. The police are already investigating. It may be just an accident.”
Little Nicholas didn't take it seriously. Small-scale rebellions like this happened almost every day in the empire. It was only because this happened in Tsarskoe Selo that it was particularly special.
George looks at Stolypin.
Stolypin has a serious expression. He is the Minister of the Interior, and all police in the empire are under Stolypin's jurisdiction.
“There is no doubt that this is a mutiny and all participants must face trial.”
Stolypin showed no mercy to the rebels.
Between 1825 and 1905, a full 80 years, there were only 625 political prisoners sentenced to death in the Russian Empire, of which only 191 were executed.
In the first three months of Stolypin's tenure as Minister of the Interior, as many as 45,000 political prisoners were exiled in the Russian Empire alone, and more than 3,000 people were sentenced to death.
"Who is the mastermind behind the scenes?"
George is not using the topic as an excuse. Since he is responsible for military reform, George is also responsible.
"This will only be known after investigation——"
Stolypin was cautious and did not want to expand.
As the Minister of the Interior, Stolypin was aware of many things, but he had no choice.
Even if there is a mastermind behind this incident, most likely it will not be found. The opponent is very cunning and will not let Stolypin find the evidence.
"No need to ask, it must be those damn Social Democratic Labor Party!"
Little Nicholas was still naive and did not realize George's purpose at all.
The Social Democratic Labor Party has been disbanded, and even the members of the State Duma have been sent to Siberia, without the ability to attack Tsarskoye Selo.
Even if there is, if George says no, then it’s not.
Stolypin looked at George with extremely complicated eyes.
"George, what news do you have?"
Nicholas was exhausted both mentally and physically.
"Not yet."
George knew nothing.
Even if he knew something, George would not tell Nicholas.
Knowing that the veterans were going to attack Tsarskoye Selo, not only did you not find a way to appease the veterans, but you also didn’t remind Nicholas, what do you want to do?
If Stolypin comes up with any news from his investigation, he will definitely report it to Nikolai, and it will not be too late to use the topic at that time.
Stolypin's efficiency was still very high, and he quickly investigated the causes and consequences of the night attack on Tsarskoe Selo.
What George cares most about are the kindhearted people who provide food to veterans.
After reading Stolypin’s investigative report, George knew that it was no wonder Stolypin was cautious. This matter involved too much, not only the kind-hearted people in St. Petersburg, but also Ekaterina and Anne Charitable foundations established are also involved.
George believed that Catherine and Anne's foundation provided help to them out of pure sympathy for the veterans.
The problem is how to make Nicholas believe it too. Only now did George truly understand what it means to have an unsolvable conspiracy.
Seeing that veterans are suffering from hunger and cold around St. Petersburg, we cannot just watch them starve and freeze to death.
But as long as you provide help to them, it will turn into evil intentions after being interpreted by someone with a caring heart.
Nicholas still trusted George very much, and was not surprised at all after receiving Stolypin's report.
"See George, now that this is the case, who can I trust?"
Nicholas was very sad. He thought that the empire was working hard, but he never expected that it would reach the point of betrayal and separation.
Just looking at the list, it is indeed shocking. Almost all the archduke are involved.
George looked at the list, his eyes resting on the names of Grand Duke Vladimir and his wife.
Is this person not dead yet?
Not only is he not dead, he is still alive and well.
"I have received many reports of corruption during this period about Volodya when he was the Minister of the Navy. The evidence is conclusive, at least 5 million rubles."
George's target is not Vladimir. Instead, he hopes to attract Nikolai's attention through Vladimir.
Although Vladimir is not dead yet, he is almost dead. He is completely marginalized and has no ability to pose a threat to George.
George’s real target is Alexei.
If Nicholas wants to investigate the Admiralty, then Alexei, the current Minister of the Admiralty, will be in trouble.
"Uncle Volodya - what can you let me do?"
Nicholas did not really realize that his indecision had caused substantial harm to the empire.
A soldier's annual salary is only 30 rubles.
When Vladimir was the Minister of the Navy, the amount of confirmed corruption alone was as high as 5 million rubles. This is certainly not the final figure.
“Nikki, you are the Tsar and you should be responsible for the entire empire.”
George wishes Nikolai could be tougher.
“But I am also the patriarch of the Romanov family.”
Nicholas is stubborn.
"Don't the family patriarchs need to distinguish rewards and punishments? If Varodya is not held accountable, then others will follow suit. What should we do then?"
George is not trying to do anything. That would be enough to kill Vladimir and ruin his reputation.
"And this is not a secret. Almost everyone in St. Petersburg knows it."
George really wasn't sensational. The Grand Dukes of St. Petersburg have reached the point where they have no scruples and don't care about the public's attitude at all.
"Uncle Volodya is terminally ill. I have agreed to let Uncle Volodya send a telegram to Kirill and ask Kirill to return to St. Petersburg——"
Nikolai probably thinks , even if he does not punish Vladimir, God will take action.
Kiril!
It was Kirill who was the first to hang a red flag on his palace after the provisional government was established to express his support for the revolution.
In the end, Kirill failed to become czar, and the red flag was raised in vain.
Kirill was expelled from the Russian Empire by Nicholas' order because of his affair with a married woman.
Thanks to Alex’s persistence, otherwise Nicholas wouldn’t be so cruel.
When George heard that Kirill was going back to St. Petersburg, his first reaction was that Vladimir's illness could not be fake.
(End of this chapter)