On the outskirts of St. Petersburg, there is a peculiar place. In the cobweb-like alleyway, there is an open field that does not fit in with the chimney-lined residential courtyard, and here rises a three-story building with a strong wall, surrounded by a high fence, the walls are covered with dense crooked subway wire mesh, and there are heavily guarded watchtowers in the four corners, and there are heavily armed guards patrolling around the perimeter of the net.

Residents of the neighborhood have guessed from the appearance that this is not an ordinary place, and many people think that this is the prison of the third hall, so they are far away.

In fact, this mysterious place was the highest army war room of the former Tsarist government, and the orders for many major military operations in Tsarist Russia were issued from this. The third floor of the building is a fully enclosed bulletproof room, and there is a basement at the bottom of the building, which is usually inhabited by the staff of the war room; During the war, the assault was turned into a secret secret room.

In December 1854, many countries around the world were already in a cold winter, but compared to the ice and snow of Moscow, many countries were considered a warm paradise. This icy piercing bone once allowed Napoleon to collapse after burying hundreds of thousands of troops. In winter, a bitterly cold wind blows up layers of snow on the ground, and St. Petersburg becomes the land of the Ice Queen. The white sand is generally blocked by snowflakes flying in the cold wind, and people can't breathe, can't open their eyes, and the thick sheepskin jacket is always covered with a thin layer of snow stains.

Early in the morning of December 7, 1854, the residents of the vicinity suddenly appeared in this mysterious place, and several layers of heavily armed Russian native soldiers appeared on the perimeter of the barbed wire, all of them standing majestically and majestically, as if facing a great enemy.

The residents exchanged glances with each other, conveying information that no one could tell, and the bold ones were whispering, talking to each other, asking each other, "What's going on?" ”

At this time, in the bulletproof room on the third floor of the highest army war room, a large table more than ten meters long occupied most of the room, and on the chairs on both sides of the table, the senior officers carrying the marshal's epaulettes on their shoulders pressed their knees with their hands on their knees, and their chests were raised and they were listening to the lectures and orders of Nicholas I.

Nicholas I's face was very bad, and it is no wonder that his face was ugly. On September 20, the 40,000 Russian troops led by Prince Menshikov of Russia were defeated by the Anglo-French-Turkish forces at the Battle of the Arma River, and then Prince Menshikov led the defeated army into Sevastopol, which was soon surrounded by the British and French forces.

Nicholas I got up from his seat, pointed to the map of Europe, which occupied the entire wall, and shouted: "They have entered the territory of Russia, and we are going to fight back." ”

"And here." Nicholas I's finger quickly pointed to the east of the map and shouted angrily: "They are blackmailing, the Chinese are taking advantage of the fire, and the great Russian Empire cannot accept the threat of inferior yellow people." ”

Foreign Minister Gorchakov secretly wiped the spit that Nicholas I sprayed on his face, and in the interval between the tsar's gasps he said: "Your Majesty, honorable Tsar. I think we should avoid fighting on two fronts. The Chinese have stationed more than 500,000 troops on the border, and if they enter our territory, it will be unimaginable, so it is better to give them a little sweetness and let them retreat. ”

It was clear that Gorchakov was not confident enough, and as soon as his words fell in this room full of soldiers, there were people shouting around him. It was Benckendorf, the head of the Third Hall's secret service, who spoke. Facing Benckendorf, whose mouth was constantly opening and closing, Gorchakov felt a light rain in the air. He simply regretted sitting next door to Benckendorf. Hey, whoever let the room be the only one who doesn't belong to the army system with Benckendorf.

Gorchakov, who considered himself unlucky, touched his wet cheeks and thought: brainless guy, China's strength on the border is not at all comparable to ours, and 500,000 is still a small amount. But Gorchakov didn't say much, because several Army hawks were spitting at him again.

But there is also someone in the army who understands, Fyodor. Fedorovich. Marshal Berg stood up and said, "Please be quiet for a moment. Listen to me. ”

Marshal Fyodor took part in the Great Patriotic War of 1812 and the expedition of the Russian army abroad in 1813. In 1843, he was the chief of operations of the Second Army, and in 1843 he was the chief of military affairs of the General Headquarters, and led the drawing of the topographical map of Russia. He is a veteran of the army, and his words are particularly weighty. The room was suddenly quiet, and only Marshal Fyodor said: "In my opinion, our army must not fight on two fronts. Mr. Clausewitz once mentioned in his famous book "On War" that numerical superiority is the most common factor in strategy and tactics. If our army fights on two fronts, it will inevitably divide its troops, so how can our army win more with less when it does not have an advantage in weapons and personnel. ”

Marshal Fyodor's words calmed the somewhat heated atmosphere in the room, and at this time a bearded general in the room stood up. Everyone looked at this man, and it turned out to be Illarionovich. General Kutuzov.

General Kutuzov is a battle-hardened veteran. He was known as the One-Eyed General, and his other eye was lost in a battle.

After the taciturn general stood up, he did not say much, he just said coldly to Nicholas I: "Your Majesty, allow me to go to the Far East, I will defend the honor of the tsar with my life, fight for the great God, and sweep the infidels into hell forever." ”

Nicholas I stood up majestically. All the marshals, generals and ministers in the room looked intently at His Majesty the Tsar from their seats, quietly waiting for His Majesty's will.

Nicholas I looked around with his gloomy gaze, and the air in the room froze. Two rows of neat and mighty men held their chests as strong as roosters in the gaze of Nicholas I. Suddenly Nicholas I said: "Below, I order!" ”

The voice did not fall. All the officers, including Foreign Minister Gorchakov, stood up in unison.

Immediately afterward, the eerily quiet war room sounded the shrill but rather ferocious voice of Nicholas I: "General Kutuzov is the commander-in-chief of the Far Eastern theater of operations, and all the garrisons along the Chinese border. Immediately enter the first level of alert and wait for orders! There must be no mistakes, and offenders will be severely punished! ”――

General Kutuzov pondered with the information provided by the military intelligence in his hand, and sat in the carriage with a charcoal stove on the stove, General Kutuzov still felt cold, but the cold of his body could not compare to the cold in his heart, and General Kutuzov knew very well the strength of the squadron. In today's world, the country that can challenge the UK is definitely not a slap in the face. Of course, among the five slaps, it must also include the Tsarist Empire. It's just that now Russia is at war with Britain and France, and China is suddenly inserting a lever in the East, which really makes Russia uncomfortable. Ventuzov from the embassy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing has already seen that the Chinese are taking advantage of the fire to rob and want to seize the Far East of Great Russia.

General Kutuzov looked at the information about the Far East in his hand, and the Russians in the entire Far East were only 100,000, so how could such strength resist China.

General Kutuzov raised his gaze and looked at the chief of staff opposite and asked, "What do you think?" ”

"We have one of our best comrades-in-arms, Your Excellency General."

Kutuzov seemed to think of something, and said in deep thought: "You mean, winter ....... ”

"To be precise, it's a cold snap, and the boundless cold of Siberia is enough to make everyone retreat."

Kutuzov sorted out a clue from his chaotic mind, and said slowly while thinking: "We should adopt harassment and blocking tactics, put the main battlefield west of the Yenisei River, paralyze the main forces of the Chinese, let them enter the icy Siberia, and then attack their logistical supplies, and at the same time let our friends among the Mongols rise up and drive away our common enemy." ”