The chaos at the Red Star printing house not only caught Lenin's attention, Kerensky received the news at the first time, and like Lenin, the Chancellor took it very seriously.

"Whose troops?"

Kerensky knew very well that he had not given the order to seize the Workers' Road, not that he did not want to, but that he was not prepared, and he was inexplicably surprised to hear the news that the gendarmes and non-commissioned officers had occupied the printing house.

"I don't know what to do!" The Minister of Internal Affairs Ni Foundation was the first to shake his head, "The Ministry of Internal Affairs has not given this order!" ”

Kerensky turned to his chief of the General Staff, Alekseevich, and the old man slowly shook his head: "Our army, including non-commissioned officers, shows no signs of mobilization!" ”

"Really!" Kerensky asked with unusual seriousness.

Once again, Niki and Alekseevich nodded solemnly, assuring that neither their troops nor the gendarmes had done anything like that. There is no way, this responsibility is too great, and now they and the Bolsheviks are already full of gunsmoke, and the only thing that is almost is that they are still maintaining the most restrained restraint, and everyone is not fully prepared and not ready to act hastily.

"Check! Check it out now! Kerensky roared furiously, "Find out who is doing it for me!" I'm going to shoot them! ”

There was a dead silence in the conference room, and none of the ministers in the cabinet dared to speak, and no one wanted to touch the brow. Minutes and seconds passed, and after two hours, the preliminary results were finally on Kerensky's desk - the investigation showed that no gendarmerie cadets were involved in the operation.

Kerensky was so shocked that his eyes were about to fall out, and the moment he got the result, he thought of a very terrible possibility - this should not be Lenin's own bitter ploy! Are you deliberately trying to cause trouble?

Kerensky was not alone in this thought, and Nikki immediately said: "Prime Minister citizen, the matter is already obvious. This was a precursor to the Bolsheviks preparing to launch a rebellion! ”

Kerensky was silent, but his slightly trembling hands told the people around him that he was very nervous and very scared at the moment!

Kerensky is not the only one who feels the same way, but the ministers of the cabinet are as quiet as cicadas. Looking directly at their prime minister. The big guys are looking forward to the scumbag prime minister to find a way to hurry up.

Where is there a way for Kerensky, at this time, he is already a master of the six gods, his mind is like boiling water in a pot, except for fear, the rest is still afraid. Fortunately, it was not all wreckage who were present, and soldiers like Alekseevich were much more courageous than them.

The old man stood up without hesitation. He said categorically: "Your Excellency, Prime Minister, we must immediately suppress the rebellion, and only by thunderous means can we deter this group of Xiaoxiao!" ”

Kerensky asked tremblingly, "What are you going to do?" ”

Alekseevich slammed his fist on the table and said, "Immediately raid the Central Committee of the Bolsheviks and destroy all the leaders of this group of chaotic parties!" ”

"Is this ......?"

Kerensky was hesitant, because he knew he would do. That would mean a full-scale outbreak of the conflict, and if, as he had guessed, the events were directed by the Bolsheviks, their Central Committee would not have been left unprepared, and it is hard to say whether the raid would have been successful.

Just as Kerensky was in a state of great confusion, the door to the conference room was slammed open, and a panting Aksherryrod shouted, "Gentlemen, I just got the news. Our army seized the Workers' Road. Is this true? ”

The ministers present glared at Aksherry Rod, and the last thing was that the Mensheviks explained the current situation to him. Aksherry, who learned the "truth", suddenly gasped. "This is definitely a conspiracy of the Bolsheviks, I have just received the news that Lenin is going to convene an enlarged meeting of the Central Committee at the Smolny Palace!" They had planned it for a long time! ”

The news brought by Aksherrhod became the last straw that broke the camel's back, and Kerensky and his ministers had in their minds a picture of the insidious Lenin directing the whole affair, and at the moment the next conspiracy was underway, and soon the "enraged" Petrograd workers and soldiers would rush to the Winter Palace and crush them to powder!

Kerensky could not hold back any longer, and immediately ordered: "Gather all the troops, gendarmes, Cossacks and non-commissioned officers and strengthen the defenses of the Winter Palace!" Contact the ambassadors of Britain, France, the United States and Italy, and telegraph to the troops on the front line and ask them to return to the capital immediately to quell the rebellion! ”

To be honest, Alekseevich was very dissatisfied with the decision made by Kerensky, what is the point of strengthening the defense of the Winter Palace now? Compared to the hundreds of thousands of troops stationed around Petrograd, that number of men was a drop in the bucket. The only way to salvage the situation is to take it by surprise, as long as the Bolshevik Central Committee can be resolved, then all crises will end.

Kerensky, who was timid and afraid of death, could not listen to this "correct" proposal at all, so he was not so stupid, just such a life-saving man, took out a desperate bet, and if he lost the bet, there was nothing left, and at that time, he would definitely be crushed by the Bolsheviks. Rather than taking risks, it is better to stick to the waiting for help, as long as you can hold the Winter Palace, maybe as the situation changes, it can be as big as the July incident.

"What we need to do now is not to exacerbate the contradictions!" Kerensky swore that "whether this is a Bolshevik conspiracy or not, we must be calm." If we rush to attack, then just give them the truth, those bastards absolutely put all the blame on us. We must not give them that opportunity...... We need to show the inhabitants of Petrograd who is intensifying the contradictions, and who is afraid that the world will not be chaotic...... Just let them see the Bolsheviks for what they really are, and they will return to our side! At that time, with the support of foreign allies and the support of front-line troops, we could easily put down the rebellion! ”

Kerensky's nonsense is a lot of nonsense, and to put it bluntly, there is only one meaning - to take the initiative to attack Lao Tzu is not dry.

"This is a missed opportunity! It's suicide! ”

Even when he returned to his office at the War Department, Alekseevich lost his temper and was disappointed in Kerensky's weakness.

"General, we can't sit still!" Several of Alekseevich's confidants begged with sad faces, "The Bolsheviks are already sharpening their knives, and if we don't take the initiative, then soon we will be finished!" ”

"I know the way!" Alekseevich said bitterly, "But the prime minister does not agree!" What can I do! ”

"Your Excellency. Leave that idiot alone. He wanted to die. We can't be buried together! ”

"That's right! If we do nothing, the hundreds of thousands of troops instigated by the Bolsheviks will soon sweep us away, and then Russia will be finished! ”

Alekseevich hesitated and asked, "Then what do you say?" ”

Several confidants said in unison: "Take the initiative, we can only have hope if we take the initiative!" ”

Alekseevich's face was cloudy, and although he had always advocated taking the initiative, he was now made up of his mind. He would also hesitate, especially after Kerensky rejected his proposal. If he takes the initiative, the risk will be quite high.

"Don't hesitate any longer, Your Excellency! You have seen what virtues the cabinet and those politicians are. Giving Russia to them will be a dead end! ”

"That's right. Excellency! General Kornilov's last defeat is experience and lessons. You have to be courageous! Now, only you can save Russia! ”

Alekseevich was moved, and when his confidant mentioned the name Kornilov, a thought popped up in his mind - if I can put down this rebellion, then the allies of Britain, France, the United States and Italy will be very satisfied with my actions. At that time, my political position will be greatly improved, and it is not impossible to replace Kerensky and even become the new tsar of Russia!

Thinking of this, Alekseevich no longer had any concerns. With a big wave of his hand. Said categorically: "Gather the troops!" Block bridges and junctions in the city and raid Smolny Palace. Occupy the telephone office and seize all the newspapers! ”

Kerensky did not know that his old friend Alekseevich had already given birth to two hearts, and he did not know that his plan to strengthen the defense of the Winter Palace had come to naught, of course, he did not put all his hopes on defense, and after the meeting was dismissed, he immediately dialed the phone number of the US ambassador to Russia, and could not wait to ask for political asylum.

As for the other ministers of the cabinet, they still don't know what to say at this time, the two bosses who are their backbones already have their own plans, one is dreaming of becoming an emperor, and the other is preparing to run away early. They were stupidly left in the offices of the Winter Palace. Nervous concern about the change of the situation.

To the east of the Winter Palace, where the Smolny Palace is located, an enlarged meeting of the Central Committee of the Bolsheviks was held intensely. Just as Kerensky misjudged the situation, so did the Mentor, none of them expected that the non-commissioned officers and gendarmes who raided the "Workers' Road" were all Xibei goods.

"The situation is quite serious! Comrades, just now, the non-commissioned officers and gendarmes of the Provisional Government have seized our printing house, and this is absolutely not an accident! This is a long-awaited conspiracy of the enemy! Lenin delivered an impassioned speech, his every action full of force, "We cannot wait any longer, we cannot sit still!" We must start an armed uprising now! Have to! ”

Trotsky was puzzled by the rumors he had received, neither the Provisional Government nor the Mensheviks and the Socialist-Revolutionaries had such fiery plans. Moreover, the seizure of the printing plant of the Workers' Road newspaper was of no particular significance. Everyone knows what else can be in it besides newspapers? Kerensky must not have been naïve enough to think that the Bolsheviks could not find a second printing house, right?

Trotsky, therefore, was suspicious of this misunderstanding, and he carefully constructed his words, asking: "Is there any other reason for this?" If the enemy wants to attack us, they should attack our Central Committee, and the attack on the printing house of the Workers' Road is not very significant! ”

"How could it be pointless!" Stalin finally spoke before Sverdlov, and every time he was taken the lead by Sverdlov, he was very depressed, and finally felt that he had become a voice worm for the mentor and the little Si, and he had to show his ability, "The enemy's conspiracy is obvious, they just want to take away our public opinion position." The seizure of the printing house is only the first step, and the second step will be that they will come at us! ”

"This is your guess, Comrade Stalin!" Trotsky knocked on the table, "At such a sensitive moment, one cannot act blindly on the basis of speculation. Preparations for an armed uprising have not yet been completed, and what losses will be caused if it is launched in advance. Do you know the truth? ”

Stalin was also a bachelor. He said very politely: "Launching an armed uprising in advance may cause certain losses." However, it is better than the enemy has reached the doorstep, and we are not prepared! At that time, our losses will be even greater! ”

Trotsky immediately retorted: "I said, that's just your guess!" For the time being, the seizure of the printing plant is an isolated incident......"

He didn't finish speaking. Molotov hurried up to Lenin's side and whispered a few words to his mentor, and Lenin's face changed instantly.

Lenin took a deep breath, glanced at Trotsky strangely, and said slowly but forcefully: "I have just received the news that the cadets and gendarmes have occupied the telephone office. All telephone lines were cut off, the Cossacks took control of the power plant and the tram company, and in addition our Soldier newspaper was attacked by the enemy......"

Before Lenin's words were finished, Trotsky's face changed completely, and if the attack on the Workers' Road printing house could be described as an isolated incident, then the latter could not be explained at all. This can only show that the Provisional Government is deliberately trying to stifle the revolution.

Suddenly, Trotsky changed his tune: "I retract what I have just said, the enemy ......"

Again. Monotov, who had just left, broke into the venue again. This time he did not whisper in Lenin's ear again, but nervously said loudly: "The enemy's cadets are rushing towards the Smolny Palace!" The workers' Red Guards are fighting with them! ”

Lenin immediately stood up. "Comrades, there can be no more hesitation and luck, the armed uprising must be launched immediately!" ”

Faced with the pressure of the Provisional Government, the Central Committee soon made a unanimous decision: first, to open the spare printing house; Second, the editorial offices and typesetting workers of the two newspapers were ordered to continue publishing the newspapers; 3. To appoint the Lithuanian Regiment and the 6th Reserve Engineer Battalion to immediately recapture the seized printing plant and to defend the normal operation of the printing plant; Fourth, Sverdlov was assigned to the Peter and Paul Fortress to be responsible for the formation of the insurrectionary headquarters and to monitor the movements of the Provisional Government, to appoint Dzerzhinsky to contact the post and telecommunications workers, to wait for an opportunity to recapture the post and telecommunications offices and telephone offices, to appoint Bubonov to contact the railway workers, and to appoint Molotov to find a way to get in touch with Moscow.

While the orders were being carried out in an intense and orderly manner, Lenin also fell into deep thought, the situation was too sudden, but he was a little excited and impatient, and his heart was full of passion at the thought that the great proletarian revolution would become a reality in his hands. Late the next night (October 24), the passionate Mentor wrote a letter to the Central Committee, in which he pointed out that an armed uprising was imminent and could not wait!

On the morning of the 24th, under the fierce attack of the Lithuanian regiments, the non-commissioned officers and students who occupied the newspaper "Workers' Road" and "Soldier" were repulsed, and the newspaper of the day was published on time. In his editorial, Stalin bluntly shouted the slogan that the Provisional Government should be overthrown and all power should be transferred to the Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies.

Later, the Insurrectionary Command and the Revolutionary Military Council demanded that the General Headquarters of the Red Guards immediately mobilize all forces and mobilize all means of transport to cooperate with the revolutionary soldiers, defend the factories, and occupy the government offices and military points in the capital. The chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the Baltic Fleet, Debinko, was asked to immediately send a cruiser (Aurora), four torpedo boats and five thousand soldiers to Petrograd to participate in the battle.

The uprising was already imminent, and at that time, the insurrectionary command solemnly issued a solemn warning to the political commissars and soldiers' committees at all levels: "Any delay and hesitation will be punished as betrayal of the revolution!" ”

On the 24th, the whole of Petrograd was completely boiling, and Alekseevich, who had taken the lead, was attacked head-on, and the post and telecommunications offices and telephone offices he occupied were lost in an instant, and the traffic intersections and bridges that had been controlled by the Provisional Government were recaptured one after another.

The battle inside the city was smooth sailing, and outside Petrograd, the vast majority of the troops completely refused Kerensky's orders, and the 5th Kuban Cossack Division, which was greatly appreciated by Kerensky, tried to return to Petrograd, but was also repulsed by the Workers' Red Guards and the revolutionary army.

By the end of the night, the area controlled by the Provisional Government had been severely reduced to the vicinity of the Winter Palace, and the Provisional Government was almost exhausted except for the non-commissioned officers and students who were still stubbornly resisting.

In the early morning of the 25th, when the general offensive of the uprising was basically ready, Lenin stood in front of the windowsill of the Smolny Palace, looking at the brightly lit Hermitage Square in the distance, and a different feeling surged in his heart.

Once upon a time, he went into exile for more than ten years like a lost dog.

At one time, he was openly supported by no one in the party.

Once upon a time, his revolutionary line was questioned.

And today, perhaps in just a few hours, he will open a new chapter in Russian history with his own hands. Maybe the road won't be smooth, maybe hardships and dangers are inevitable, but he knows that nothing can stop him from moving forward!

"It's time!" Lenin glanced at the Hermitage Square in the distance and ordered without hesitation: "Send a signal to the Aurora!" Start the general offensive! (To be continued.) )

PS: First of all, thank you to Comrade wdg3553 and Comrade LMX1982 for their support of this dish> and then, this dish can be regarded as able to sigh a sigh, and finally finished the first volume, which was originally only 500,000 words at most, but it turned out that the car could not be stopped, and the yard was nearly 1.8 million words, which is really embarrassing. Without further ado, the second volume will begin tomorrow. We hope you will continue to support us! Thank you!