Hersmann's three thousand gold marks were spent in a few days, and became forty-five swords (which were scarcely unsellable, inconvenient to take out of the country, and of no use for keeping them in his possession except to prove that he was a reactionary aristocratic officer), a set of French antique furniture, three pianos, and a portrait of a young girl painted by Kramskoy - all treasures! Of course, it was not worth much in the chaos of Russia, but as long as it was shipped to Switzerland, according to Chloe's estimate, ten times the profit would be immediately available.

It seems that this business of selling Russian antiques and art is really good!

On this side, Hersmann was busy doing business, and on the other side, the great mentor, Comrade Lenin, was not idle these days. On his side, he sent a member of the Military Revolutionary Committee named Adolf. Abramovich. The Jews led their troops to Kazan, northwest of Moscow, in search of gold.

Lenin, on the other hand, was busy appealing for peace—appealing to the Entente and the Central Powers, inviting the belligerents to enter into peace negotiations and conclude a general peace treaty. A note was also sent to all the belligerents on September 9 of the Gregorian calendar, proposing that "the belligerents immediately cease hostilities and immediately commence peace negotiations" and that "a democratic peace treaty without annexation and without reparations based on the self-determination of peoples should be concluded." ”

At the same time, Lenin also ordered the new commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Warrant Officer Krylenko, to send military envoys to the opposing enemy units to negotiate an armistice agreement and provide for the cessation of military operations and all military activities.

It took some time to find gold, but the threatening answer from the Entente ambassador was not long in coming. They told the Soviet government that if Russia went to peace talks alone, it would bear "the most serious consequences." ”

"What are the most serious consequences?" In the conference room of the Smolny Palace, the Great Mentor was talking, and he waved his hand. "It's not a threat from Britain, France or the United States. They were very good at deceiving people, but they were far from Petersburg, and there were still Germans in between, and not a single soldier could get through.

But the Germans are now very close to Petersburg! Their army is already approaching Pskov, and we don't have the forces that can stop them, really not! Kerensky had already buried all the old Russian military forces, and the new revolutionary army had not yet been established.

If Wilhelm II wished, he would be able to sleep in the Winter Palace in two weeks, as the master of Petrograd! And I promise that a lot of people will welcome him then...... The aristocracy, the capitalists, the clergy, and some intellectuals who supported the old system will crowd the Nevsky Prospekt and cheer 'Long live the Emperor', and in order to oppose us, they will even support him as Tsar! And we, every one of you here, will be caught by the enemy, first tortured, and then tragically hanged on the Hermitage Square! Then the socialist revolution will also fail miserably, and the Russian people will be enslaved again. This is the most serious consequence! Therefore, we have only one choice, that is, to make separate peace with Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and other Central Powers. ”

Lenin's words are not an exaggeration at all, and this is the dilemma faced by the Bolsheviks after the success of the revolution - many in later generations accused Lenin of betraying the country, as if he had a choice.

Those who accuse him must not know how close the Germans are to Petersburg, nor how empty Petrograd's defenses are, nor do they know that Lenin's regime really controls only one Petrograd...... The coming to power of the Bolsheviks was the choice of the workers, peasants and soldiers of Petrograd.

They chose the Bolsheviks in order to keep Petrograd rather than let Wilhelm II's army occupy it.

After Lenin said this, he picked up the teacup placed on the conference table, took a large sip of water, and by the way, took in the expressions of everyone in the conference room. The overwhelming majority of the members of the Central Committee, including Trotsky, were reluctant.

Hersmann's condition was for Russia to abandon "Poland, Lithuania, Livonia, Estonia, Courland, Livland, Finland, and Ukraine." Among them, Ukraine and Finland should be able to fight for it, the Germans did not occupy them, and the interests involved are limited.

But Russian Poland was certainly not protected - the territory was like a spearhead into the bodies of Germany and Austria-Hungary, and the Germans said that they would drive Russia out of there, and they had done it.

Livland, Courland, Livonia and Estonia will not be able to keep it, and these territories along the Baltic coast have historically been colonized by Germanic peoples, and the upper strata of society there still speak German. When the Germans fought past, it was very popular!

As for Lithuania...... Poland, Livland, Courland, Livonia and Estonia are gone, how can Lithuania be preserved? And Lithuania is now also under the control of the Germans.

Lenin sighed: "In order to achieve peace, it is inevitable to lose some places, and those places are not originally Russian, they have been fought over by successive tsars through imperialist wars. The inhabitants were not Russians, but Poles, Lithuanians, or whatever. Most Poles don't want to be with us, that's for sure...... Which of you can trust Jozev. Clemens. Pilsudski and his followers were willing to be Russians? ”

Lenin's reference to Pilsudski as the leader of the Polish Socialist-Revolutionary Party and the military minister of the newly formed Polish Provisional Council of State, which was established under the circumstances of Germany's agreement to the restoration of Poland at the end of 1916 (the territory included only Russian Poland). And this Council of State also has a Polish regiment with quite strong combat effectiveness! The Bolsheviks now have the force to defeat them...... In such a situation, it is pure wishful thinking to still want to hold Russian Poland in his hands.

"As for the provinces of Livland, Courland, Livonia and Estonia, it must also be paid." Lenin's tone was unusually heavy, "according to the principle of national self-determination, there will inevitably be secession from Russia." ”

National self-determination was still very popular in the West at this time, and most socialist parties would pay lip service to this idea, and the Bolsheviks were no exception.

When Lenin said this, he looked at Trotsky, "Lev. Davidović, do you think that national self-determination can be used in Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Livonia, Livland, Courland? ”

Trotsky listened to Lenin with a serious face. His eyes kept looking at Lenin, and the expression on his face was extremely gloomy. "Vladimir. Ilyich, the loss of Poland, Lithuania, Livland, Courland, Livonia and Estonia seemed inevitable and would provoke widespread opposition, even in the name of national self-determination. Moreover, the principle of national self-determination probably applies only to Russian dependencies, right? ”

Lenin shrugged, "Of course it won't be announced like that...... We should put forward the three points of 'guaranteeing the right to self-determination of peoples who did not attain political independence before the war', 'legislating the cultural independence and administrative autonomy of all minorities' and 'granting colonial autonomy and political independence'. to reflect our consistent position. ”

"I can explain it...... Trotsky said uncertainly, "I am afraid that the Central Rada of Ukraine will also use the right of national self-determination to seek independence!" ”

"That's for sure!" The wrinkles on Lenin's lips turned slightly upward, turning into a gloomy sneer, "But as long as the Germans do not occupy Ukraine, we have a way to persuade the Ukrainians to unite with Russia." ”

"Will the Germans not occupy Ukraine?" "What do we do to stop it?" Trotsky said. The South-Western Front no longer exists, and there are still quite a few people in Ukraine who are looking forward to the Germans! ”

Lenin glanced at the door of the conference room: "Then it depends on whether Comrade Yue Fei finds those things, if he really finds them, we will have bargaining chips......"

As he was saying this, he saw the door of the conference room suddenly opened, and standing outside was Lenin's secretary Aardman. She held a copy of the telegram in her hand, and her face was full of joy.

"Feradimir. Ilyich, Comrade Yue Fei called: I found gold! ”

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