Holguin left the Kremlin, and Mikhailovich summoned the next Orthodox Patriarch, the current Priest Nikon, the Grand Friar of the Novospasky Monastery, into the palace.

Although Nikon is usually summoned on Fridays and only to talk about religious issues, Mikhailovich found that Nikon's knowledge was not only on religion, but also on state affairs, so Mikhailovich planned to hear Nikon's views.

After repeating to Patriarch Nikon what he and Holguin had said, Mikhailovich said: "Now, I would like to hear your opinion. ”

Nikon's relationship with Mikhailovich was somewhat symbiotic - Mikhailovich needed to draw on Nikon's religious influence, especially after Nikon joined a clique of great nobles and clergy.

Nikon also needs to rely on Mikhailovich, after all, now the monarch of Tsarist Russia, Mikhailovich has the right to speak in the secular aspect, as for what will happen in the future, who knows?

Faced with Mikhailovich's question, Nikon fell silent.

Putting aside reason, from a purely religious point of view, the demands made by the Poles were undoubtedly the most in line with their own needs and those of Mikhailović.

Mikhailovich was a devout Orthodox Christian, and once Tsarist Russia marched into Europe, it would be extremely beneficial for the Orthodox Church to evangelize in Europe in the future.

From Mikhailovich's words, it is known that this war has swept almost all of Europe, and no country is exempt, and it is the two bastards of the Holy Roman Empire and the Holy See who started the war.

He is the next patriarch of the Orthodox Church, and if he wants to say that he does not hate the so-called pope of Catholicism, even Nikon himself does not believe it.

If from a rational point of view, Nikon himself could not say whether it was good or bad to agree to the demands of the Poles.

This is not simply a war between countries.

All the countries of Europe, plus Catholicism, if Tsarist Russia were to get involved, then there was no doubt that it would be a world war, and it would be a full-scale war involving both secular and religious aspects, but I don't know what kind of actions the Mughal and Ottoman sides would have.

The question is, does the present Tsarist Russia still have the strength to participate in such a world war?

Why did Mikhailovich add to the rules of the "Tsar's Liquor Shop" that "in order to help the monarch enrich the treasury, drunk people shall not be expelled from the liquor store"?

To put it bluntly, everything is because of the word money, and if there is money, does Mikhailovich need to enrich the treasury by selling alcohol aggressively? If you don't have any money, what else is there to talk about?

After a long silence, Nikon spoke: "Your Majesty, from my personal point of view, I hope that Tsarist Russia will intervene in this war, because this is an opportunity for Tsarist Russia and for the Orthodox Church, and opportunities often only appear for a moment, and if you miss it, you will not have it again." ”

Only Nikon himself knows that even he doesn't believe what he said—the reason why people are human is because they can't stay sane forever.

From Nikon's own point of view, the current Tsarist Russia is definitely not suitable to participate in the war in the whole of Europe, and it is more suitable to take advantage of the current chaos in Europe to recuperate, seize this rare opportunity, and wait for Europe to finish the mess before cleaning up the mess.

Mikhailovich nodded without surprise and said: "Very good, you have the same opinion as Holguin, I have to admit that although Holguin's behavior is a little annoying, his vision is very good." ”

Nikon said: "Your Majesty, although Holguin's temper is not good, but his vision is very good, you should not dislike him because of his temper." ”

Mikhailovich nodded, and after arguing with Nikon for a long time about religion, he sent Nikon out of the Kremlin.

Everything now is a discussion between himself and Nikon and Holguin, and as for the final result, it depends on the outcome of Holguin's trip to Poland.

As for Nikon the person.

Mikhailovich looked at Nikon's distant figure and took another heavy puff of his pipe - let him live first, the current chaos in Europe was also an opportunity for Tsarist Russia, and it was also a chance for Nikon.

If he really dares to pull out any issues like theocratic monarchy......

Thinking of this, Mikhailovich couldn't help but snort heavily, it seems that these people in the religious world can't change their, and always want to let the divine power press on the monarchy, and there are even some people who hope that the divine right and the monarchy are unified.

If the power after the unity is in his own hands, then Mikhailovich definitely does not mind the merger of the monarchy and the theocracy, and even let the theocracy suppress the monarchy.

If the final power cannot be in your own hands, then after the monarchy and theocracy are united, where should you go? From now on, he became a puppet under the Patriarch, just like he was a puppet under Morozov?

Taking another heavy puff on his pipe, Mikhailovich ordered: "Let the corps commander Klyuchevsky come to me." ”

After Klyuchevsky had been told again of Holguin and Nikon's opinions, Mikhailovich ordered: "Send someone to keep an eye on Nikon, his ideas are becoming more and more dangerous, and if necessary, immediately have a purge plan launched."

Also, send someone to prepare, and if Holguin's trip goes well, then we will intervene in the war situation in Europe and fight for the best interests of Tsarist Russia. ”

But God is destined not to see anything good for Holguin, or rather, neither the Governor's Mansion nor the Jinyi Guard of the Five Armies dislike the existence of Holguin, because the existence of this person is a great variable for the European war situation.

Holguin had just left Moscow with his knights when he was intercepted in a birch forest.

There were only twelve people who intercepted Holguin, and the number seemed to be pitiful compared to the hundred and ten men that Holguin had brought with him.

But no one dared to underestimate the twelve people in front of them - the strange dress made them blend in well with the environment, if it wasn't for these twelve people who took the initiative to stand up, I was afraid that Holguin and his party would not have found these twelve people at all.

Twelve people without horseback surrounded a cavalry team of more than a hundred people, how funny to look at but not to laugh at the scene happened in front of Holguin's eyes.

"Tatars!" Holguin's eyes shrunk and he couldn't help but cry out.

The twelve people in front of him are typical Tatar appearances, completely different from the people of Tsarist Russia, and their ancestors have Tatar blood, and it is impossible for them to admit their mistakes.

However, none of the twelve people paid any attention to Holguin, and they all took out some round bumps from their arms, pulled open the bracelets, and threw them into the ranks of Holguin and his party.

The weather in Moscow is very cold, and it is even colder in Moscow, which has long been snowing, but cooling does not mean wet, and the grenades thrown by these twelve people are completely useful.

The effect of a large number of grenades exploding together in the crowd was obvious, at least most of the horses ridden by Holguin and his party were frightened.

What's even more obvious is that among the twelve people, there are also a few unlucky people who were injured by the grenade fragments they thrown, and the most seriously injured one hung up without even having a chance to confess his last words.

Holguin's side was not full of rubbish, except for some of the scattered followers, there were twenty or thirty people who firmly protected Holguin.

Now the situation has become very fair, the horses on Holguin's side have long been frightened and scattered, and the group has changed from cavalry to infantry, and these twelve people except one hanged, two marchers, and nine people surrounded twenty or thirty people, and the whole situation looks extremely funny.

Holguin couldn't laugh, and even shuddered.

Dare to intercept and kill yourself on the outskirts of Moscow in broad daylight, these twelve people are undoubtedly the legendary dead soldiers, and in Moscow, who has such great energy to find twelve Tatar dead soldiers?

After forcing himself to calm down, Holguin wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and asked, "Who sent you?" ”

The nine killers seemed to have a tacit understanding, and no one paid any attention to Holguin's question, but invariably took out a strange-looking machete from the box on his back and rushed towards Holguin together.

The final result was a bit tragic, except for the corpses, blood, blood-stained snow, and the silent birch forest on this small battlefield, only Holguin and a killer were still standing, and the rest were all dead.

Holguin, who had long been paralyzed on the ground, no longer had any hope in his heart, and after squeezing out a smile that was more ugly than crying, he spoke: "Now it's just you and me, you can tell me now, who sent you to kill me, right?" ”

Without waiting for the killer on the other side to answer, Holguin said to himself: "Tatars, such ruthless characters who are not afraid of life and death, those landlords and gentry do not have the strength to cultivate you." Tsar? The Tsar still needs to send me to Poland, it shouldn't be him.

Morozov? If it were him, he wouldn't have been exiled. Who the hell is it? Can you spend such a big amount of money, just for my life? ”

While Holguin was talking to himself, the killer on the opposite side came to Holguin with a long knife and spit out a sentence coldly: "Go and ask King Yama!" ”

Until the moment Holguin's head flew into the sky, Holguin didn't understand what these Tatars were trying to kill themselves for.

For money? He was a poor ghost at all, not like Morozov's greedy vampire, who had a lot of wealth in his hands.

Holguin didn't have time to think about it, in the darkness, all thoughts were in a state of stagnation, what else to think?

Rubbing the blood from the knife on the headless corpse, the only remaining killer turned and went into the woods, where he found a small cage containing several cooing pigeons.

"The mission is complete, it is confirmed that Afanasiravlyevich Holgin-Nashokin is dead, and no one on our side is alive."

After several copies of the identical secret letter were written in succession, and after being taken in different directions by several carrier pigeons, the only remaining killer put the horizontal knife on his neck, and then wiped it hard, taking away all the parties who knew the truth of the matter at the end.

News of Holguin's interception and murder soon reached Moscow, and when the reinforcements sent by Mikhailovich reached the birch forest, no useful information was obtained except that the corpses were strewn all over the ground and that the killers were Tatars.

Unlike Holguin, who led his own thinking astray at the beginning, Mikhailovich, who was able to play his brother-in-law Morozov to death, thought of the Ming Empire as soon as he learned that the killer was a Tatar.

Mikhailovich then launched a purge in the Kremlin, arresting all the guards and attendants who were present while he was talking to Holguin, and then severely tortured them.

Mikhailovich knew that his palace was no longer safe, and he discussed with Holguin on the front foot about the mission to Poland, and on the back foot Holguin was intercepted and killed by people in the birch forest outside the city.

Does this mean that if someone wants to, their head can be taken off at any time? Like while you are sleeping?

Mikhailovich absolutely could not accept the emergence of such a situation.

It is enough to be troubled by the complexity and thorniness of domestic and foreign affairs, and to fight against the Church in order to ensure the newly established centralized monarchy;

In order to ensure the interests of the serf-owning aristocracy, it was necessary to fight against the surging peasant rebels, and at the same time, in order to promote the strength of Tsarist Russia, it was necessary to face the current situation in Europe, which was completely chaotic;

If these things are still within the acceptable range, then the betrayal is unforgivable for Mikhailovich.

Holguin's death also reached the ears of Emperor Chongzhen, who was enjoying the snow in England.

Before the implementation of the purge plan against Holguin, the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies and the Jinyiwei had already reported the news to Emperor Chongzhen, and they had also obtained the approval of Emperor Chongzhen, otherwise the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies would not be able to mobilize Jinyiwei, and Wang Guoxing, the big leader of Jinyiwei, would not be able to mobilize this kind of twelve dead soldiers.

The rule of one ring and one ring determines that only after Emperor Chongzhen nods can the Governor's Office of the Five Armies issue an order to mobilize this kind of dead soldier squad, and Wang Guoxing can take Emperor Chongzhen's instructions and the order issued by the Governor's Office of the Five Armies to mobilize this kind of squad.

After patting the snowflakes on his hands, Emperor Chongzhen spoke: "There are regulations on their posthumous affairs, so I won't ask too much." What I want to know is the plan for Tsarist Russia's intervention in the war in Europe? ”

。 m.