Winter Palace, Throne Hall.
In the throne room, on the throne in front of the double-headed eagle national emblem of Tsarist Russia, there sits a handsome man wearing a blue uniform of the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment (the Tsar is the leader of the regiment). A man who looks very much like Mikhail Pavlovich and Natalie Pavlovna.
The person who can sit in this high chair, you know without asking, is of course the puzzling current Tsar Nicholas I of Tsarist Russia. The reason why he is confusing is because this guy and his second brother Konstantin Pavlovich don't know what they think. After the death of their eldest brother, Tsar Alexander I, they were there holding the throne of the Tsar. You push me and give way... It's not that I got the yellow robe just because I was polite, but because I really didn't want to do it. The two brothers were in a stalemate for twenty-five days for the throne!
This kind of thing is simply unheard of! In the history of Tsarist Russia, people have always tried to seize the throne by any means, and there was even a case where the wife launched a coup to seize the throne from her husband. Now there is actually a 25-day stalemate between the two princes over not being the tsar. Isn't the tsar's throne no longer favourable?
And the behavior of Nicholas I and Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich to give up the throne to each other made a group of progressive officers in the Tsarist Russian army who had opened their eyes in Western Europe because of the Napoleonic War feel that there was an opportunity to lead the progress of Tsarist Russia—— Since no one in the Romanov family wants to do it, why not just do it with us!
So on the same day that Nicholas I finally changed his mind and prepared to take over the mess of Tsarist Russia and try to become a good Tsar, a group of progressive officers in the Tsarist Russian Guards launched 3,000 Guardsmen to the Winter Palace Square (historically, in Privy Council Square, next to the Admiralty Building) to rebel. When Nicholas I discovered that "someone wanted to harm me," he immediately became motivated and immediately mobilized troops to suppress it. He even went to the front line to command and fought with the rebels on the Winter Palace Square, and finally successfully suppressed the rebellion.
And Nicholas I, who suppressed the rebellion, could no longer push the throne of the Tsar out. If he pushed it further, it would be a republic! Although he didn't want to be a tsar, he still wanted to be a grand duke and continue to live a happy life. But if there is a republic... Haha, so many people were killed when France tried to establish a republic, not to mention the Rakshasa who likes to kill people in the first place?
Therefore, Nicholas I had no choice but to immediately accept the oath of allegiance from state officials and Privy Council members in the throne room of the Winter Palace after suppressing the rebellion. He also asked people to inform the embassies of various countries in Petersburg that he was already a Rakshasa state. The new czar.
And now, Nicholas I is sitting on the throne of the Tsar, with a gloomy face, waiting for the state officials, nobles, senior generals and envoys from various countries in Petersburg to arrive; while he is preparing for what may happen to the Rakshasa Empire in the future. Worry about where to stand in the global confrontation.
In the opinion of Nicholas I, there are three major powers in the world today, and three of them are tied for first place!
Two of them are Daying and Daming... Just look at the 15,000-ton armored ship they got from the Rakshasa Kingdom to sell!
Ironclad ships of this level are a symbol of national strength in the industrial age. Only the Ming Dynasty and Great Britain can build them in the world. France, Prussia, Austria and the Rakshasa Kingdom can only build ironclads of less than 10,000 tons.
Although the Rakshasa Kingdom, France, Prussia, and Austria can all build ironclads of less than 10,000 tons, this does not mean that the industrial strength of the Rakshasa Kingdom can be compared with France, Prussia, or even the Austrian Empire. The standard is quite different.
However, the Rakshasa Empire relied on the residual power of its victory over Napoleon and the Prancing Horse, as well as its vast territory, large population (compared to other European countries), and huge army, to still be able to support the dignity of the European land hegemon. But facing the two industrialized powers of Great Britain and Ming Dynasty, anyone with a little foresight can feel the decline of the Rakshasa Empire, which has not even abolished serfdom.
The two "number one in the world", Great Britain and Ming Dynasty, seemed to have unanimously placed the Rakshasa Empire in the third position in the world, and then at the same time they regarded Rakshasa as the target of wooing.
At first glance, this situation seemed to be very beneficial to Rakshasa, but Nicholas I didn't want to take sides between Ming and Great Britain... He just wanted to reap benefits and didn't want to take on obligations, and he couldn't afford it.
Ming and Great Britain are so far away, and their national strength is solid, and their calculations are very shrewd. Even if they confront each other, they cannot roll up their sleeves and fight immediately. They will only support cannon fodder to consume the other side. In their view, the Rakshasa Kingdom is probably just a huge cannon fodder!
So once a Rakshasa stands in line, he will immediately become a cannon fodder and be beaten... There is a high probability that the British will provoke a conflict between Russia, Prussia, and Austria. Ming Dynasty will use the Jin Empire, which has a complicated relationship with them, to cause trouble. The goal of the Rakshasa Kingdom was actually to capture Constantine and rebuild Eastern Rome, so they did not want to take sides between the Ming and the British.
But Great Britain and Great Ming were not stupid either. While they offered good things to seduce Nicholas I (those two types of 15,000-ton ironclads), they also made demands on Grand Duchess Natalie Pavlovna. .....
When Nicholas I was having a headache about his girl, the attendants in the throne room suddenly shouted: "Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich and Grand Duchess Natalie Pavlovna are here to see you!"
Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich and Grand Duchess Natalie Pavlovna, the brother and sister, have now put on their costumes and appeared in the Tsar's throne room. They came to swear allegiance to the new tsar and express their blessings.
"Mikhail Pavlovich, Natalie Pavlovna, come here and get closer." Nicholas I waved to his brother and sister, asking them to come to him, and then I looked around. At this time, many state officials, nobles, and attendants of the Tsar were standing in the throne room. Several of them were quite close to Nicholas I. When they saw the Tsar giving them a look, they stepped back a few steps to leave room for the Tsar and his brothers and sisters to whisper.
"Weidao was injured? Is it important?" The first person the Tsar asked was Zhuge Weidao. It seemed that they had a good relationship.
"His head was grazed by a bullet," said Natalie Pavlovna, who knew some medical skills. "It caused a five-centimeter-long wound, and the skull and brain suffered some damage."
"What?" The Tsar's frown deepened, "Is it going to be life-threatening?"
Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich took over the Tsar's question: "Doctor Setonov has checked it out and there is no danger to his life. But... Wedao may have lost his life due to brain damage. Got some memories.”
"Lost memory?" The Tsar immediately looked at Natalie, "Natalie Pavlovna, does he still remember you?"
"Remember, of course I remember." Natalie lowered her voice, her delicate face full of worry, "But, but he seems to have forgotten his father! He hung Marshal Zhuge Youde's portrait in the General Staff Building The portrait is regarded as that of Zhuge Liang."
"What? So serious?" The Tsar was shocked. "Then is it possible for him to become a strategist?"
"I don't know," Grand Duke Mikhail shook his head. "It is difficult to become a military advisor. Even if your brain is not injured, you may not be able to do what you want. Now..."
Having said this, he glanced at his sister Natalie.
Natalie said: "He can also understand Rakshasa and speak Rakshasa, and he can remember some things. I guess... he may be using it as a trick."
"A trick?" The tsar didn't quite understand.
"Use tricks to deceive the competitors in the family," Natalie said. "Only a few people in each generation can become strategists, and the competition is quite fierce."
The Tsar frowned and thought for a while, and then said to Natalie: "Natalie Pavlovna, the current international situation is becoming increasingly complex. The empire is facing pressure and traction from both the east and the west, and there may be confrontations in the future. In China, the great powers of both the East and the West hope that the Rakshasa Kingdom can become their ally. And our empire also has its own ambitions... In this case, we need to have the power centers of the two great powers in the East and West. Have reliable friends. You know what I mean?”
Natalie thought for a while, but still didn't understand: "Then... Nikolai Pavlovich, where should I go? Britain or Ming Dynasty?"
The Tsar frowned, and when he was troubled by the question raised by his sister, the attendant shouted again: "The British Ambassador Thomas Staunton has an audience with the Baronet!"
The tsar looked at his little sister, smiled bitterly, and whispered: "Baron Staunton is a difficult guy. When he was twelve years old, he followed his father, who was the deputy ambassador, to the Ming Dynasty. He went to the aristocratic public school in the Ming Dynasty. He completed an education equivalent to middle school in my country. Later he served as a diplomat in Ming Dynasty and our country for a long time, and he knew the situation of Ming Dynasty and our country well... You are standing next to me now, trying to control your emotions, no matter what he said Don't be angry about anything. Of course, I won't promise him anything in today's meeting."
At this time, Thomas Staunton was wearing a tall hat, a blue double-breasted tuxedo, the collar of the tuxedo opened revealing a white silk shirt and bow tie, and a pair of white tights. The Baron walked in very gentlemanly, carrying a cane. When he arrived in front of the Tsar's throne, he took off his hat and bowed.
The tsar looked at the dignified-looking middle-aged gentleman in front of him, nodded slightly and said: "As the tsar, I have the honor to welcome the ambassador to the Winter Palace."
Baron Thomas Staunton replied in Russian: "When I heard the Rakshasa people cheering for you, I rushed over as soon as possible to express my blessings from Britain and wish you good health."
"Thank you, and I wish you good health." Nicholas I, who took office as the new emperor, had a serious expression, even a little cold, without any excitement about his first ascension to the throne. Of course, there wasn't much enthusiasm shown for the British ambassador either.
Baron Thomas Staunton nodded to the Grand Duchess Natalie Pavlovna, who was standing next to the Tsar in palace attire, and then said to the Tsar: "Your Majesty, the Dukes of York and Albany hope to have peace with each other. Your sister, the beautiful Grand Duchess Natalie Petrovna, can meet in London or in Petersburg. I am sure that the Duke and the Grand Duchess will fall in love with each other."
Nicholas I looked back at his sister, "Natalie, what do you think?"
Natalie said calmly: "Your Majesty, if I remember correctly, the British Crown Prince is 62 years old this year... and His Majesty the Ming Emperor is much younger than him."
Thomas Staunton smiled and said: "Your Highness the Grand Duchess, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty is still a child! Moreover, the Ming Dynasty implemented an elective monarchy system. They would choose successors from the branches of the three royal families. And in the past hundred years, , no son of the emperor was elected.
The Hanoverian dynasty has few successors. Currently there are only Princess Victoria and Prince August, and neither of them are the children of the crown prince. If you can give birth to an offspring for the British Crown Prince, whether it is a boy or a girl, you will become the heir to the throne of the British Empire... and the British Parliament is looking forward to you giving birth to a healthy heir to the Hanover dynasty!
In addition, the Ming Empire was a conservative Eastern country. Once you enter the Ming court, you will be tightly guarded and will lose your freedom forever. And if you become the wife of the British Crown Prince, you will have 100% freedom as long as you can give birth to an heir. No one will interfere with whoever you want to be with. And you can also get a generous annuity provided by the British royal family. "
Nicholas I had an expressionless face and said to Stanton noncommittally: "Your Excellency Ambassador, I will not discuss Natalie Pavlovna's marriage until the mourning period of the late Tsar Alexander I is over.
In addition, I hope that the construction of the super ironclad Alexander I can be announced at the funeral of Alexander I. "
"Build?" Thomas Staunton was stunned. "Isn't it buying?"
"No, it's construction!" the Tsar said, "It's built in Rakshasa country, with technology provided by Rakshasa country's friends!"
"Okay!" Thomas Staunton nodded, "As long as the Grand Duchess can become the future Queen of England, the British Empire is willing to transfer the relevant manufacturing technology of the Sovereign-class armored battleships to the Rakshasa Empire!"
