March 15th, it seems, was an extremely peaceful day, but what no one expected was that they did not know that it was the last day of the Romanov dynasty, which had ruled Russia for 304 years.

Early in the morning, after much deliberation at the Pskov station, Nicholas II decided to sign the declaration on the creation of a responsible cabinet. Rusky immediately contacted Rodenko. After receiving the news, Luo Jiangke, who was on the phone, was silent for a moment, and then, after a long sigh, he said with regret: "It's a pity that the declaration was signed late, and people have already sharply raised the issue of the dynasty...... People demanded that the tsar abdicate in favor of the crown prince, by Mikhail? Regency of Aleksandrovich".

At 10 a.m., the word "abdication" was mentioned for the first time in the tsar's carriage. Rusky's report was brief and to the point, Niko listened to it calmly, and the word "abdication" did not shock him, nor even surprise him. After listening to the report, he said that he did not object in principle to the proposals put forward, but wished to consult the commanders of the fronts.

At noon, Rusky, accompanied by his chief of staff, General Danilov, and quartermaster, General Savage, walked into Nikolai's carriage and reported to him the results of the consultation with the commanders of the various fronts: the Caucasian Front, the South-Western Front, the Northern Front, the Romanian Front, the Baltic Fleet, the Black Sea Fleet, and the Chief of Staff of the Base Camp, General Alekseev, all agreed with the abdication. He also asked the tsar to listen to the opinion of the two generals who came with him, and Danilov lobbied:

"The opinion of the commanders of the front is right...... If the Emperor agrees with us, Your Majesty will make this sacrifice for the sake of the Motherland. ”

After a moment of silence, Nikolai did not hesitate too much and agreed to abdicate. And the edict of abdication was signed. And when he made this decision, he did not consult anyone, in fact, in his opinion, there may be no one to trust. Everyone he once trusted had failed him, and in this case, he directly handed over the abdication edict to someone else, exposing his intentions to the three generals.

But even so, Nikolai needed someone he could trust to talk to. Titi spirit, but there is not even one person around him who can be trusted, and there are only two or three who can really be trusted, right in his home, but his connection with them has been cut off.

There is no other close and loyal man - Fredericks.

Thinking of him, Nikolai summoned him, and Fredericks looked tired as he entered the carriage. Even with some uncertainty on his face, he had his own sadness, and news came from Petrograd that his family's house had burned down and that his family's whereabouts were unknown.

Nikolai, knowing this, asked.

"Haven't you heard anything from your family?"

Fredericks shook his head in dismay. Looking at him, Nikolai hurriedly allowed him to sit down, and after he sat down, Nikolai explained to him, but he seemed slow to speak. There were also pauses from time to time, and what he was about to explain was new to himself, not even happening yet.

“…… That is true. …… If the army also embraces this ...... Now that everyone has backed down, what ...... There's no other way......"

Listening to His Majesty's words, Fredericks looked at the Tsar with a dull gaze, but his eyes suddenly flashed with a glimmer of light, his head shook even more, and his lips trembled. He said in a hoarse voice.

"Your Majesty, I don't believe it!"

The old earl's words made Nikolai panic.

"Alas. But it's true, Count! ”

Fredericks shook his head in denial. …,

"No, I didn't think I'd live to see such a terrible thing......"

The old earl's words only caused something in Nikolai's chest to collapse, but it was all his own making.

At this time, Fredericks still shook his head.

"Why am I still alive? Why should I live to see it all......"

Fredericks' loyal words only brought tears to Nikolai's eyes, and now not only the fate of Russia, but even the fate of the crown prince was completely unknown, and for a while, Nikolai was speechless, he was just silent.

Did God really abandon him? If so, there is nothing left to fight but to God's arrangement......

But at this moment, one of the attendants reported that General Rusky had asked to receive him again, so Nikolai quickly wiped away his tears, and then the attendants explained that a telegram came from Petrograd that Guchkov and Shuligin, deputies of the State Duma, had come to Pskov as deputies to meet the emperor.

In this way, Rusky returned from his own carriage, and before he could send the telegram, was it necessary to send it since someone was coming from Petrograd?

The sudden news only made Nikolai's heart excited, he seemed to see hope, it seemed that there was something good in Petrograd, maybe there was no need to make such a big concession!

Even because it was Guchkov who came, he was so reassured, because this man had leaked in the newspapers that the Tsar was inconvenient to make public, this man, who had told him through Polivanov, that he was a shameless person, that at the farewell reception of the Third Duma, Nikolai did not even recognize him, but now it was he who brought good news.

"You are absolutely right, Nikolai? Vladimirovich! ”

Nikolai said happily to Rusky.

"Why send out the abdication edict now? Let's wait! ”

Although this was his natural and legitimate right, he spoke with a restrained, even deliberative, tone.

"Then please...... Give me back that telegram of mine ......"

Rusky fumbled in the side pocket of his military jacket with the telegram, took it out and returned it to the Tsar.

However, this was only a telegram, which the tsar opened and saw that it was for the base camp, but there was no second one for Rodencko.

"You...... Mistaken, Nikolai? Vladimirovich, what I need is the second one, please ......"

But at this time. Nikolai thought that this might not be accidental, and his voice immediately became timid, could it be that Rusky had deliberately put the telegram in two pockets in order not to confuse it when he pulled it out?

But in order to talk to the Duma deputies. What he needed now was to take back the telegram to Rodeok.

Rusky looked up and reproached with a rather forceful attitude.

"Your Majesty, I think you are...... Don't trust me! ”

His words only embarrassed Nikolai for a while, but he was mainly embarrassed by Rusky's actions.

"Nope. What about that? …… Look at you...... Totally convinced, nothing more than ......"

It was undignified for the tsar and his generals to complain to each other.

"Your Majesty, don't worry!"

Rusky said in a resolute tone.

"I won't send this telegram until the deputies arrive!"

He had no intention of returning the second telegram, and the two of them just stood, while Fredericks did not quite understand what was happening. Just sat silently in his chair, and the current situation made Nikolai unable to hold on any longer, and in this case, Rusky could only blindly emphasize his inability to doubt. Then he said.

"Your Majesty, will you allow me to receive the councillors first and prepare them for the talks?" …,

Nikolai did not understand it either, and did not object, and Ruth gave a military salute and turned back to his carriage. And Nikolai looked at his back, and then remembered, why did he go to receive the parliamentarians in the first place?

The second telegram fell into the hands of Rusky. It made him very worried, and this became a handle, but what difference did it make in whose hands it was? The important thing is that it was not sent.

As time passed, Nikolai's mood became more irritable, and when he decided to hand over power, he felt relaxed at first. But now it makes him feel sad.

However, maybe it is not necessary to abdicate!

At this time, all the attachés learned about the situation from Fredericks. Woyeikov, wearing a snow-white court chief's scarf, looked anxious and his eyes were open.

"Your Majesty, is what the Count said true?"

Nikolai nodded, and did not speak, while the court governor, as is customary, in his own name, and in the name of the entire guard.

"The tsar has no right to renounce the throne only according to the wishes of the Duma Committee and the Commander-in-Chief of the Front, so who did he come to the station by chance, abdicate in the carriage, and face? Why? ”

"But what else can I do?"

Faced with the court's questioning, Nikolai replied in a low and feeble voice, and he suspected even more that he had made a serious mistake.

“…… But when did everyone be so consistent? Since the commander-in-chief of all the fronts thinks so, that is, the army ...... Otherwise, there will be a civil war. ”

Voyeikov reported in the same firm and forceful tone as usual.

"Your Majesty, positive to negative, it is the abdication of the tsar that will cause a civil war, will destroy the war against Germany and Russia, the way of managing the country can be reformed through legal discussion, but not like now!"

The words of the court steward made Nikolai's heart tingle even more, and he closed his eyes in pain.

Yes, he was so right, I backed down and did what I shouldn't have done. Ay...... Ay...... But just in case.

"No, the deputies of the Duma will be there soon, and then they will discuss ......"

"But what kind of telegram did you leave in his possession? Is it a file? How does this work? ”

Voyeikov was on fire, his eyes blazing with rage.

"But what's this?"

Nikolai retorted.

"He won't send out ...... anyway"

His Majesty's words only made Voyekov's face darken, and he left in a rage, almost not angry.

Later, while Nikolai anxiously awaited the arrival of the councillors, Fredericks staggered over and conveyed the opinions of all the attendants in a sickly voice.

"Your Majesty, now everyone is in a hurry, please take back the telegram in Rusky's hand, because this is a conspiracy, he will send him out and achieve His Majesty's abdication by deception!"

"No, it's inconvenient to make this request now, no, he won't send it, the deputies of the NonDuma are coming soon......"

In the ensuing wait, Nikolai noticed that the attendants tried to behave as they normally would, as if to comfort his heart. After the afternoon tea, the councillors had not yet arrived, and there was a notice that they would be late, which Nikolai did not find any surprise.

It was nearly dusk. Nikolai decided to go up to the platform again for a walk, and he called the Imperial Doctor, Professor Vodorov, and during the walk he walked with a very calm step, as if nothing had happened. Occasionally, he would smile slightly, and from time to time he would nod to someone he hadn't seen today.

On this day when the snow melts, water is pouring down from the roofs of all the buildings at the station.

Now everything is behind the shoulders of Prince Alexei,...,

Thinking of this, Nikolai worries about more things,

"How can a child cope with all this?" It was precisely because of this question that he asked the imperial doctor Vodorov to call.

"Doctor. I wouldn't have asked these kinds of questions if I had asked them any other time, but now that the most serious point comes, I ask you to answer bluntly, can my son live like everyone else? Can he be a tsar? ”

Vodorov did not hide anything.

"Your Majesty. I should be honest with you, according to science, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will not even live to be 16 years old! ”

His words were like a cold pair of pincers that slammed Nikolai's heart, and the verdict was merciless. ：

"However, medicine, can also go wrong......"

"Of course it is. Your Majesty, this is God forbid, and he can live longer. But that is a very rare phenomenon, but I hope that such a miracle can cure the prince's illness, and the only way to prolong the prince's life is to take extraordinary precautions. ”

But since this child can only live for so long, why should he transfer the distress of the throne to him? And the words of the Imperial Physician Vodorov confirmed his decision. Even if this child inherits the throne, he still has to stay with his parents.

But when Nikolai told this decision to Vodorov. But he shook his head in surprise and said.

"Your Majesty, do you really think that after the abdication, people will keep the crown prince by your side?"

"But why not? He is still a child, and he is not yet an adult...... It was my brother who was regent......"

"No, Your Majesty, this is not possible at any time, I hope you will never do this!"

"But he's in such a condition, how can I let him go? In that case, then I have the right to keep him by my side! He's my son! ”

The doctor had no choice but to explain it to the king in detail.

"It is precisely for the sake of the monarchy that this is not allowed, and in order to have no effect on the will of the crown prince, they prefer to put him in the house of the fifth regent......"

In that family? With Lisa that guy? Alex would never allow it.

"But nowhere is it forbidden for parents to care for their children!"

"Your Majesty, but you don't think you'll live there without yourself!"

"Probably in the Crimea!"

"I ...... Can't believe it will allow you to stay and live in Russia! ”

"What? Can't you even stay as an ordinary citizen? Am I going to have some kind of conspiracy? I want Alexei to stay with me, I have to raise him! ”

Nikolai has never been nostalgic for power, and even he never thought of being a tsar, and he didn't want to be a tsar, but for his family, he had an almost paranoid love, a husband's, a father's love.

"If I am not allowed to stay in the country, then how can we be separated from our son? If he is of no use to the Motherland, we have all the more reason to keep him around. ”

Separating from a son is more painful than giving up power, separating from a son, which he can't do, no one can ask a father to do this, how can he let his son be a puppet in the hands of those immoral politicians? What distorted notions will they instill in him? Can you give him up, and give him his soul too?

Isn't it already written in that telegram? Let him stay with us until he reaches adulthood, otherwise the edict of retirement will not take effect!

When he returned, Nikolai was dejected, he had never imagined that such a thing would happen, and now, he did not know what to do.

Damn it! Just don't hand over the throne!

Looks like that's the only way to go!

At this moment, Voyeikov came again, and his attitude seemed very resolute. …,

"The attendants insist that the telegram must be retrieved from Rusky!"

Also, it has lost its meaning now, it shouldn't be allowed to become a reality, it really should be brought back, thinking, Nikolai nodded and said.

"Go ahead!"

But Voyeikov could not go, he had already quarreled with Rusky, and if he went, he would have to quarrel, so that only Count Naryshkin went.

After they left, Nikolai was thinking about another problem, how to deal with the question of the throne?

If it is not passed on to Alexei, then it will be passed on to his brother Mikhail......

Needless to say, Misha was completely unprepared for this, but if he became a regent, wouldn't it be the same thing?

Three days earlier, he had sent a telegram to try to offer advice to the country, and ......

At this time Naryshkin went on a trip and returned empty-handed, and the telegram Rusky did not even give him, the general of the guard, and replied that he would explain it to the tsar himself.

The tsar's power was so suddenly stripped away, and he could no longer get close to his neighbors who had to do what they had to do.

"Okay!"

Nodding, Nikolai didn't react much.

"Anyway, that telegram is meaningless now, and I will change it in front of the Duma deputies!"

But the deputies had not yet arrived, and at this time, news came from the station that a train of passenger cars had come from Petrograd, but it was not the deputies who were sitting, and from the mouth of the attendants, Nikolai unexpectedly learned that even the officers and non-commissioned officers were wearing saffrons, and they all had weapons, and in Petrograd, the officers were being slaughtered, and the weapons were taken away,

The news brought by the attendants made Nikolai slightly stunned, and then he nodded softly.

"Oh......"