Why did Trotsky shrink his eggs? The reason is very simple, as the successor of the "internal decision", Lao Tuo has been wholeheartedly waiting for Lenin to retire, for him to spend the rest of 1934 peacefully, and then take over the supreme power next year, this is the highest pursuit. As for other things, you can endure it first, and take succession first!

In any case, in Trotsky's view, as long as Lenin recognized his succession, it would be a heavy victory, and it was Lenin who made heavy concessions, in which case he did not mind suffering a little "small loss". So, in order to avoid over-provoking Lenin, he stopped his efforts to help Ulitsky enter the Politburo.

If Trotsky had known that this time Lenin was helping him, that he thought that the strength of Xiao Si and Stalin was too great, which was not good for the future, and that it was for him to be able to sit in that position in the future, then Trotsky would probably regret it. But if you miss the opportunity, you miss it, and Lenin will not give him a second chance anyway.

And there is no second chance to give, why? After the previous mention of yì was gone, and Lenin made a second mention of yì, then everyone understood that there was a problem in this, and smart people like Sverdlov and Stalin would immediately understand what Lenin wanted to do, and at that time the Leninists would not be upside down.

If Sverdlov and Stalin were not able to turn against Lenin on the spot, then the fun would have been great. As the supreme leader, Lenin could not be so slippery. So the matter dragged on, and unless Trotsky could find a more suitable partner than Ulitsky, there would be no talk of it.

Can Trotsky be found? As mentioned earlier, Lao Tuo doesn't have many options. There weren't many of his friends who could get that position. After ruling them out one by one. Basically, there was no one. I have to say that Trotsky has been really strange in these years.

"Will Rykov have a chance?" Sverdlov asked suddenly.

Rykov was familiar with all the guys, and Bukharin's little friends had a pretty good relationship with Trotsky at one time. Now he is in charge of the People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs. So does he have a chance? Unfortunately, no!

The reason is very simple, it is still the problem of the collective farm, and this time Rykov was again taken to the pit by Bukharin, and together he resolutely opposed the resolution of the Central Committee. Although the central government temporarily adjusted only Bukharin. didn't move him, but Li Xiaofeng knew very well that this position was actually in jeopardy, and it could be replaced by someone else at any time. It's just that Lenin didn't want to make a big deal about it, so he let him go for the time being.

Actually, Sverdlov also knew this, so why did he mention Rykov? The reason is very simple: "Comrade Rykov had in-depth communication with me before, and had frank exchanges on some issues, and it is undeniable that although his views were not entirely correct, they still had a certain positive significance. ”

Li Xiaofeng was stunned and looked at Sverdlov suspiciously. Could it be that Rykov was ready to defect from the Bukharin clique and run to Xiao Si's side to eat?

Sverdlov saw what Li Xiaofeng was thinking. He said: "Comrade Rykov very much hopes for a breakthrough on the issue of collective farms and the realization of the goal of collectivizing agriculture on the basis of protecting the interests of the peasant class, and he does not approve of Comrade Stalin's hard-line methods......

Li Xiaofeng pursed his lips, very disdainful in his heart. Rykov has not yet woken up, and if he is smart enough, he should quickly follow Stalin's example and draw a clear line with Bukharin, which can still save his political life. And now, he obviously didn't do this, he ran to see Xiao Si, not to lose sincerity and take refuge, but to do Xiao Si's work, and let Xiao Si help him and Bukharin in the Politburo to say good things, Nima, isn't this looking for death!

"I think this idea is wrong, the collectivization of agriculture is inevitable, and since the Politburo and the Central Committee have reached a broad consensus on this, Comrade Rykov should immediately and resolutely implement the decisions of the Central Committee, and not continue to talk like a on this issue."

Sverdlov looked at Li Xiaofeng with wide eyes, because Li Xiaofeng's attitude was obvious, that is, to refuse Rykov's request. To be honest, Xiao Si was hesitant about this. Because in his opinion, Rykov must have the ability and ability, and the theoretical level must also have a theoretical level, and if such a capable person can take refuge in him, then his strength will be greatly enhanced. Xiao Si really wants to pull Likov into the gang!

But in Li Xiaofeng's opinion, Xiao Si was dizzy, Li Kefu had no intention of joining the gang at all, this guy was just going to drag Xiao Si to jump into the fire pit and say good things for this thing, which was equivalent to death.

Li Xiaofeng naturally couldn't allow Xiao Si to die, let alone allow Li Kefu to cheat people, so he resolutely refused: "Li Kefu still adheres to the wrong viewpoint, this is against the Central Committee, against Comrade Lenin, and all the comrades of the Central Committee cannot agree to this kind of law!" ”

Li Xiaofeng's words were like a basin of cold water to wake up Xiao Si, and Xiao Si, who had been a little confused before, reacted that doing this would offend two people fiercely, one was Lenin and the other was Trotsky. Just imagine what the consequences of offending both the current supreme leader and the future supreme leader are? Just for one Rykov, is this worth it?

As long as you have a little brain, you know that it is more than worth the loss to engage in such a desperate situation. Soon Sverdlov said: "You are right, it is really not appropriate to do this. ”

Li Xiaofeng breathed a sigh of relief, he was really worried that Xiao Si was hot and doing stupid things just now, but what he didn't expect was that Xiao Si asked another question that made him speechless: "Who do you think Comrade Lenin likes?" ”

Li Xiaofeng has no way to answer this question, and he is not a roundworm in Lenin's stomach, how can he know Lenin's thoughts? And he felt that the biggest reason for the very painful situation in front of him was probably that Lenin did not know who to like.

The mentor himself has no bottom in his heart, how can this Nima make people guess? Anyway, Li Xiaofeng knows very well that he doesn't have the ability.

So he said to Sverdlov: "I think that the current speculation about who will be elected to the Politburo is a question that will not have the right answer, and it is completely unnecessary. ”

This answer made Xiao Si strange, and he asked, "Why do you say that?" ”

"Because this question can only be decided by Comrade Lenin. None of us can answer for him! ”

Isn't that the reason? It's hard to say. Now the question of who will succeed Lenin in the vacant seat is overstepping. This question could and had to be decided by Lenin, and no one else had the right to make the choice for him.

In this case, isn't it true that the emperor is not in a hurry and the eunuch is not in a hurry to consider this issue now? In Li Xiaofeng's view, there are more issues worth considering: "Instead of thinking unrealistically about the Politburo, it is better to think about how to expand in other areas." ”

Xiao Si thought for a while and asked, "You mean the Organization Bureau and the Military Commission?" ”

"Yes, it seems to me that Comrade Lenin will not allow Comrade Ruzutak to continue to serve as the first secretary of the Organization Bureau next year, so who will succeed Comrade Ruzutak and the arrangement of Comrade Ruzutak's work will be a very important question."

Ruzutak was at the helm of the Organizing Bureau for more than a decade, except for one term when Molotov succeeded him. But soon he was "restored" again. And this time Lenin is going to retire, and if Ruzutak continues to be placed in the position of first secretary of the Organizational Bureau, then the personnel power in the party is almost the final word of the Xiao Si family, which is intolerable in any case. Inevitably, Ruzutak is going to move his nest.

So where to move is a big problem, and the possibility of Ruzutak's promotion to the Great Elder is too small as mentioned earlier, but keeping the alternate bureau member is not a big problem. So it is very important to find a position for Ruzutak, and he must not be made to be the People's Commissar for National Affairs like Stalin in the past, right? At least Xiao Si is definitely not willing to let the good brother do this position.

"Judging from Comrade Ruzutak's work history, the Military Commission basically has no role for him." Li Xiaofeng said.

This is true, Ruzutak has never done military work, and he is best at political work and union work. But could it be that Ruzutak was sent to the National Federation of Trade Unions for the elderly? That's certainly not possible.

Li Xiaofeng continued to analyze: "And staying in the party committee is not interesting for Comrade Ruzutak. He is probably not interested in propaganda or supervision, and he is not very good at it. So it is quite possible that he will go to the People's Commissar, and with the background of Comrade Ruzutak's workers' movement, it is very likely that he will be the People's Commissar of Work. ”

Sverdlov also nodded, this possibility is indeed very large, but the Working People's Commissar is not a particularly ideal position, to put it bluntly, this department is the Ministry of Civil Affairs, there are many trivial things, but the actual power is like that.

According to Xiao Si's expectations for Ruzutak, he naturally hoped that he would be assigned to departments with greater real power, such as the People's Commissariat of Finance, the NKVD, and the Supreme People's Commissariat of National Economy.

"And which committee do you think we should target?" Xiao Si asked.

Li Xiaofeng smiled and said: "I think that in addition to serving as a member of the Working People's Committee with Comrade Ruzutak's ability and qualifications, it is completely possible to serve in the Supreme People's Committee of the National Economy, even if he cannot hold the main position, he can also serve as a deputy position!" ”

Xiao Ston's eyes lit up, this plan is really good, the Supreme Council of the National Economy is still Kuibyshev without accident, but letting Ruzutak go to the deputy position does not affect it at all, but the Supreme National Economic Council is not so easy to enter, Xiao Si knows that Stalin has always wanted to stuff Ordzhonikidze into it, not to mention that if Trotsky wants to really control the Council of People's Commissars, he will definitely not relax his control over the Supreme Council of National Economy, and it will be a dragon battle to put it bluntly!

"It's very difficult!" Xiao Si sighed.

However, Li Xiaofeng did not see it that way, he said: "There is room for manipulation in this matter, as far as I know, Molotov is very eager for the first secretary of the Organizational Bureau, and we can fully support him to serve as this first secretary, and let Stalin support Comrade Ruzutak to go to the Supreme Council of National Economy!" ”

"Huh?"

Sverdlov was stunned, because he felt that Li Xiaofeng was probably also salivating for the first secretary of the Organization Bureau, and the Organization Bureau had always belonged to his faction, if he fully supported Li Xiaofeng to grab this position, Molotov might not be able to win. And now someone has voluntarily given up on this fat gap and turned to open the way for Ruzutak. It was so unexpected and so touching.

So is Li Xiaofeng really so high-spirited? Definitely not. For the sake of the balance of power. Lenin will definitely not allow Xiao Si's people to be in charge of the Organization Bureau, not only Ruzutak must move his nest, but Li Xiaofeng will not be able to take over the Organization Bureau, which means that the boss of the Organization Bureau will not be able to worry about a certain immortal at all, and it would be good for someone to keep the position of the fifth secretary of the Organization Bureau, and in this case it is the best choice to make a deal with Stalin.

After some consideration, Xiao Si agreed with Li Xiaofeng's opinion that if the deal could be made. That would be a win-win for Stalin and for him. And with this deal, the two sides can deepen their cooperation and continue to reach agreement in other areas - such as the Military Commission.

"It seems to me that the next chairman of the Military Commission is necessarily not likely to be Trotsky, taking over the Council of People's Commissars means that he must let go of the Military Commission, and the next chairman of the Military Commission is likely to be Stalin!" Sverdlov swore by it.

Li Xiaofeng also basically agreed with this viewpoint, from the starting point of Lenin's desire to balance power, this is a necessary adjustment, and the steel to take over the Military Commission is probably also a price, and the general secretary of the party will certainly not be able to continue to work, and this general secretary is very likely to fall into the hands of the Trotskyists. And judging from the current situation, it is very likely that this position will fall into the hands of Kamenev, whom Li Xiaofeng dislikes (if he can become a member of the Politburo).

And Xiao Si, the chairman of the Supreme Presidium of the Soviets, probably had to give way. This is the price to pay for taking over as deputy chairman of the Council of People's Commissars. And the successor is likely to be the good old man Kalinin. In this way, there is a balance of power.

Of course, the handover will never be smooth. There will definitely be a vigorous battle, and these giants have been adjusted, and there are still quite a few deputy positions to compete for below. For example, the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, such as the secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee, etc., these positions are also fat!

Especially the vice chairman of the Military Commission, although Frunze has held this position for a long time, to be honest, Frunze has basically been on sick leave for more than ten years, and this condition has not improved significantly until 1934, and the next term may really have to retire with Lenin.

And if he really retires, the deputy chairman of the Military Commission will be worth fighting, especially for the Trotskyists, if they want to gain a firm foothold, they must have a gun, and they have no right to speak in the Military Commission, so it is really like talking is equivalent to farting, and with the qualifications of Tukhachevsky's chief of the General Staff, he can completely compete for this position, and Trotsky will inevitably fully support him in the fight!

So does Li Xiaofeng have any thoughts about the position of vice chairman of the Military Commission? It would be a lie to say that there was none, but he also knew that he would never be able to fight for his catties, and even Ubolevich was bigger than he hoped.

"If nothing else, the next deputy chairman of the Military Commission should be Tukhachevsky," Li Xiaofeng said, "so our goal should be on the Chief of the General Staff, and it is also a good choice to support Ubolevich to take the Chief of the General Staff!" ”

Sverdlov didn't nod, and after pondering for a while, he asked: "How about supporting Yegorov as the chief of the General Staff, leaving Ubolevich where he is, and letting you become the head of the General Political Department?" ”

Li Xiaofeng was stunned by these words, but he was also immediately moved, since Blyukhel was transferred, the Minister of the General Political Department has been vacant, and both Lenin and Trotsky seem to have forgotten about this vacancy, and there has always been a deputy Minister of General Affairs presiding over the daily work. If Li Xiaofeng can straighten things right, then he and Ubolevich will control half of the four headquarters, which is a big deal.

But after thinking about it for a while, Li Xiaofeng sobered up, it is very difficult to do this, first of all, Yegorov is not exactly Stalin's person, Yegorov and Li Xiaofeng have a good relationship, and steel will not necessarily have the power to support Yegorov to take the throne, and it is about the same as Budyonny and Voroshilov. The problem is that Xiao Si and Li Xiaofeng don't like those two goods, and it is not a good thing that they occupy the General Staff, which is really unacceptable.

So the deal is not necessarily negotiable, and what would Lenin think, the mentor is inclined to the balance of power, and as soon as Xiao Si and Stalin make such a deal, the Military Commission will become the two of them, and what can Trotsky do with only a lame deputy chairman of the Military Commission?

Lenin was afraid that he would be furious about this, and if he was not satisfied, the deal would be quite dangerous!

"There are a lot of risks and variables, and you have to be careful! It's better to be on the safe side when necessary! Li Xiaofeng finally built yì road.

Xiao Si naturally knew how risky this was, and prudence was inevitable, but he was still very inclined to do so, "Find an opportunity for me to communicate with Comrade Stalin and touch his bottom!" ”

Having said that, the goals of both parties have basically been achieved, Xiao Si can rest assured of Li Xiaofeng, and Li Xiaofeng is also satisfied with the interests that Xiao Si has fought for, if nothing else, this cooperative relationship can last for ten years, or even longer.

On the other hand, Stalin, with the help of the two great think-tanks Zhdanov and Mikoyan, basically came to the same conclusion as that of Stalin-Sverdlov, that is, the formation of the Stalin-Sverdlov clique was inevitable, and it could not be changed unless Lenin abruptly reversed the established policy of allowing Trotsky to succeed him.

Lenin did not know about this, because at this time the Mentor was busy meeting with a very important person, Deputy Member of the People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs Litvinov, because Litvinov brought great news to the Mentor...... (To be continued......)

PS: Bow and thank you Comrade Juventus!