Flowers, Swords and France

Twenty-five kilometers south of St. Petersburg, there is a residence that was opened up as the largest palace for the tsarist majesties of the Russian Empire. .

Although it is called Tsarskoye Selo, it is not shabby at all. Under the management of successive Russian monarchs over the years, the pomp of the Russian Empire has been vividly reflected in these palaces.

Around the huge palace complex, carefully designed by designers of all ages, the gardens and trees have lush foliage. Clusters of trees and lush and open grassland hide everything in this green. The previous white snow has also been due to the early spring. It gradually turned into a trickle with the arrival of visitors. This beautiful scenery can almost make all visitors unable to help but immerse themselves in it.

However, no matter how beautiful it is, it will always receive some visitors who have no intention of admiring it. These visitors, together with the palace guards who kept patrolling everywhere, made it clear to everyone that this was, after all, the residence of His Majesty the Tsar, and one of the nerve centers of the largest empire in human history.

Under the leadership of the palace attendants, several middle-aged people in formal dresses walked forward with a respectful attitude along the garden paths built during the reign of Catherine II. And in the corner of their sight, the five onion-shaped spiers of the Royal Palace Church were shining goldenly under the blue sky, as if they were giving them a silent oppression.

After walking for a while, the courtier leading the way suddenly turned his head and said something in a very low voice to the followers behind him.

"Mr. Neserrode, Your Majesty is in a good mood now. However, according to his schedule, he has to go hunting this afternoon, so you'd better end your visit as long as it doesn't affect his mood."

After hearing the courtier's reminder, the Foreign Minister nodded slightly.

"Thank you for the reminder. I understand."

The palace minister did not speak any more, but put his head back again, with a flash of joy in his eyes.

In this era. There is no prime minister in Russia, so the foreign minister is actually the chief minister of His Majesty the Tsar. It is not surprising that the courtiers want to please someone with this status.

soon. They arrived outside the famous room.

After the guard outside the door opened the door carefully. The Foreign Secretary walked in unhurriedly, and then couldn't help but be immersed in the splendor.

Reflected by more than 6 tons of amber and precious jewels inlaid on the wall, the entire room shines with light from lemon yellow to golden red, so brilliant that it is almost suffocating - and this is what His Majesty the Tsar The effect you like to show to people. The old King William I of Prussia, who was very happy with his achievements but extremely extravagant, in order to form an alliance with the powerful Russia, humbly paid tribute to Peter the Great, this treasure he had spent countless efforts to build, and he won the favor of the Russians. It also set the precedent for the Kingdom of Prussia to desperately befriend Russia.

In the center of this glorious land lies the current master of the Russian Empire. His Majesty Tsar Nicholas I was sitting in his seat, looking at everyone who came in indifferently.

He had a mustache and an expressionless face. When he saw his ministers coming in, he didn't even turn his eyes to the side, as if he wanted to deliberately let people feel the majesty of the emperor.

After seeing his monarch, the minister quickly bowed respectfully.

After the ministers finished saluting, His Majesty the Tsar nodded slightly, and then asked.

"Dear Mr. Neserrode, what brings you to see me in such a hurry?"

His Majesty's tone was cold yet deliberately majestic, leaving no doubt that he was the master of this boundless territory.

"It's a cold wind, Your Majesty." The minister replied respectfully, "It's a storm sweeping across Europe!"

"Oh! It sounds very unpleasant." His Majesty the Tsar frowned slightly, "But I don't think it's serious enough?"

"I'm afraid the situation is more serious than what I said, Your Majesty." The minister emphasized his tone slightly, as if he was worried about his carelessness. "As we speak, the situation is getting worse."

Then, without waiting for His Majesty's inquiry, he began his long explanation.

"The French have played their ever-favorable game of riot again. They've kicked out poor King Louis-Philippe and turned themselves into a republic. Well, that's what the French are used to playing anyway. The game is a habit of this nation, we don’t need to worry about it , they will destroy their country in this civil strife. But..." The minister's tone became more solemn, "Now their nervous spasm has unfortunately spread to other countries on the European continent. It is unfortunate that our neighboring countries are also infected with this terrible disease..."

"In Austria a mob rose up in riot and forced the Emperor to dismiss poor Mr. Metternich; in Prussia a mad mob built barricades in Berlin and forced the king to commit a fatal act. Give in... Your Majesty, the whole of Europe is in chaos!"

"Oh, Europe is in chaos." His Majesty repeated his words with a hint of irony, "But so what? Everything is safe in our country. Shouldn't we thank God for his blessing?"

"In addition to thanking God for his blessing, we also have obligations..." the minister replied somewhat gloomily. "To uphold the order established by God, shouldn't Russia be the last and most powerful defender of the Holy Alliance?"

"Oh? But that's not what you told me in 1830." There was some sarcasm in the Tsar's tone. "Didn't you advise me to watch the French... um... according to you, have a nervous convulsion?"

"Your Majesty, times have changed. The current situation is completely different from what it was then." Ignoring His Majesty's ridicule, the minister continued, "At that time, it was just the French who were killing each other. But now... now the whole of Europe is in turmoil. ! If we continue to ignore it, the French virus will eventually spread throughout Europe, making the whole world unrest, and eventually getting us into endless trouble!"

His warning. Finally, His Majesty was moved.

This beloved minister has been Foreign Secretary for twenty-six years. What else in Europe could surprise him so much?

"It seems you have some worse news to tell me?" he asked in a low voice.

"Yes, right in front of us, Austria has fallen into a great crisis, and there is an abyss in front of it." The minister emphasized his tone again, "Bohemians and Hungarians who were infected with the germ stood up one after another. We must resist the rule of this empire, and if we continue to ignore it, it may collapse!”

collapse!

After hearing this word, the Tsar's frown deepened.

"Is it that serious?"

"Yes. Your Majesty, I am not exaggerating." The minister nodded, "If we continue to sit idly by, I'm afraid we will find out together one morning that this empire that has spanned Europe for centuries has Fall apart and disappear.”

After hearing the minister's words, the Tsar fell silent. He had already felt the weight of what the other party said.

"So, you want us to intervene? Save this empire?" After a long time, he asked again.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

His Majesty pondered for a while longer.

After a long time, he suddenly cast his gaze on the magnificent amber paneling on the wall. Under the blurred golden light, he asked in a low voice.

"But, maybe this is a good thing for us? If the Austrian Empire collapses, we won't have a big country in front of us to stop us from advancing westward... right?"

After hearing these words, the minister's heart tightened secretly. This was the answer he feared most.

Fortunately, he had some plans for how to deal with this in advance.

"Your Majesty, with all due respect, we cannot burn down the system and prestige we have established over a long period of time just because of temporary short-term interests! Your Majesty, it is the Holy Alliance that has brought our country's prestige to its highest peak. Shouldn't we make every effort to maintain it?" Is this alliance, and the monarchs it represents, our long-standing ally and our important helper in maintaining the divine order given by God in Europe? Can we just sit back and watch them collapse?”

After hearing his words, the Tsar remained impassive.

Read the original text in Liu#9@书/吧!

His Majesty knew that his Foreign Minister had always been an admirer of Metternich and was particularly pro-Austrian, so it was completely expected that he would say this. However, if his arguments were just that, he still wouldn't be able to convince himself.

After pondering for a moment, the minister said the words he had conceived on the way here.

"Your Majesty, I believe you have also seen that this French germ is coming with ferocity and causing great disasters wherever it passes. Therefore, we must do everything we can to keep the germ out of the country, so as not to bring it to us too. Disaster." Then he He lowered his voice and said, "According to reliable intelligence, a group of rioters have sneaked into Poland, ready to imitate their accomplices. Obviously, they were inexplicably inspired to stand up against the rule of the empire just like they were in 1830..."

As he expected, after hearing his words, the Tsar could no longer maintain his apparent calmness.

"Poles? Are they these poor bastards again? Are they these monkeys who always seek death again?!" His Majesty the Tsar's tone contained an almost unconcealable irritation, which was a kind of disgust from the heart. "Okay, if they dare to stand up, I will beat them until they kneel down again! I will do what I say!"

"Your Majesty, I have no doubt about your determination, and of course your ministers will sweep away any Polish rats that dare to jump up for you." The minister still calmly faced the emperor's anger, all of which he had expected. "But if you do allow them to be inspired to kill themselves, you're damaging your own property anyway, so... I think we should do it outside the borders if possible." Kill this germ.”

His words finally had some impact on the Tsar.

"Is there any other reason?" he asked again.

"If we come to the aid of Austria in distress, we can expect their complete gratitude." The minister continued.

"Grateful?" the Tsar asked, with an almost sneer on his face.

How much is gratitude worth to national politics?

Before he could continue to sneer, the minister quickly continued to explain.

"This appreciation, I think, will be very beneficial for our next expansion - expansion in the Balkans."

The Tsar slowly lost his smile.

"Your Majesty, as we have discussed many times, sooner or later, we have to settle the accounts with the Turks and then take back Constantinople." The minister's voice suddenly became serious, "Is it possible that we will settle the accounts with the Turks and take back Constantinople?" Don’t you hope that this great achievement of the Russian Empire will become a reality in the hands of the great Nicholas I?”

The Tsar made no answer, but everyone wanted an answer.

"If you want to achieve this great thing, then now is the time - now the whole of Europe is busy taking care of itself, and we have to take advantage of this time to prepare early. And at this moment, we must first maintain our stability of the country and our neighbors before we can go. Give the Turks a fatal blow..." The minister continued to elaborate on his thoughts, "And Austria, which has had a feud with the Turks for hundreds of years, their gratitude will be very useful to our ultimate goal. I think your wisdom can. Let you clear away the fog in front of you and see the final throne!"

There was another moment of silence, but the minister knew that his goal was achieved.

"Okay." His Majesty finally spoke, "I will do as you say, and I will have the troops at the border on standby to send troops at any time to eliminate all germs!"

After finishing speaking, he made a gesture as if he wanted to crush everything in front of him.

"As you command, Your Majesty." The minister bowed again.

"So, do you have anything else to report?" His Majesty hinted at the expulsion order.

"There's only one thing left, a small thing." The minister said casually. "According to the embassy report, Louis Bonaparte, the leader of the Bonaparte family, has returned to France."

"He?" After hearing this surname, His Majesty frowned reflexively, and then laughed disdainfully. "Just a homeless man, not worth mentioning!". )

ps: It seems a bit deserted recently...

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