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"Your Majesty, we are in the West Siberian Plain, and we don't have many troops left. If troops were to be redeployed, they would have to be drawn from the Transcaucasian and Balkan regions. However, if we draw troops from these two places, it will undoubtedly give the Ottoman Turkish Empire a chance! "Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, Peter. Duke Volkonsky said with some concern. After all, the Ottoman Turkish Empire was also an old enemy of Russia, and their wars had been fought for nearly two hundred years. The vast majority of the eight Russo-Turkish wars that broke out before ended in Russian victories. Although, the current Ottoman Turkish Empire Sultan Abdul. Mejid I was obsessed with reform, but that didn't mean he would pass it up.

Alexander II frowned, and then said: "What about our recruits? Aren't there millions of recruits? It's been half a year, haven't you finished training yet? "When the expeditionary force was formed in Russia, Tsar Nicholas I ordered the conscription of new soldiers, a total of a million.

"Your Majesty, although the training of the recruits has ended, however, they lack combat experience, and the weapons are not yet fully equipped, if they are sent to the battlefield, this will undoubtedly send them to death." Peter. Duke Volkonsky said. He obviously didn't believe much in the combat effectiveness of the Russian recruits. Even the elite army of Russia is no match for the Chinese * army, let alone these recruits.

"In any case, we must hold off the Chinese in the West Siberian Plain and prevent them from advancing further west." Alexander II said. Although it is a pity to lose millions of square kilometers of land in Eastern Siberia and Central Siberia, those lands are originally plateaus and mountains. There's no value in using it. But the West Siberian Plain is different. Since the beginning of the last century, Russia has been vigorously developing these regions. The value is much greater than that of the Central Siberian Plateau and Eastern Siberia.

"Yes, Your Majesty. The General Headquarters drew 50,000 men from the Balkans and Transcaucasia, then 100,000 from the west, and 300,000 troops from the recruits to the Western Siberian Plain. to build a defensive line to block the invasion of the Chinese* army. "Peter. Duke Volkonsky said.

Alexander II nodded, in terms of military affairs. He didn't know much, Peter. Duke Volkonsky is the professional.

"Duke Gorchakov, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has to find a way to get in touch with the Chinese side. Get ready to negotiate with them! If the Chinese's asking price is not too excessive, you can consider signing a contract with them. End this damn war! Alexander II said. He hated this war, which plunged the entire Russian Empire into a crisis.

"Yes. 陛xià! Duke Gorchakov nodded. But. Now it is Russia that is suing for peace with the Chinese Empire, and God knows what harsh conditions the Chinese Empire will propose! The greed of the Chinese Empire is famous all over the world. Even, even more greedy than the Russian Empire.

The reason why Alexander II was in a hurry to end the foreign war was also a matter of no choice. In his opinion, the constraints of serfdom in Russia were more harmful to the Russian Empire than external wars. After the end of the war with the Chinese Empire, Russia was about to begin to reform serfdom in full force. That's the only way. Only then can Russia's economy and industry be promoted, and Russia will be able to become stronger. Only in the future will it be able to defeat the Chinese Empire and take revenge.

Next, Alexander II discussed with you the question of the reform of serfdom in the Russian Empire. Although, this reform would touch the interests of the aristocracy and make it possible for Russia to fall into turmoil. However, Alexander II had already recognized the dangers of serfdom, and therefore this reform was imperative.

Soon, Tsar Alexander II finally issued an edict for reform. There are two core points of reform: one is to announce the abolition of serfdom, and all serfs will be granted personal freedom, including migration, marriage, change of occupation, ownership of property, and signing contracts; Second, it is stipulated that all the land is owned by the landlord, and the peasants redeem a small piece of land in accordance with the regulations, and the ransom amount is two or three times the actual price of the land, and the peasants pay a part of it, and the government pays the rest in the form of repaid bonds, and the peasants must repay the principal and interest within 49 years. There were other aspects of the reform, such as the organization of the freed peasants into communes, whose officials were elected by the peasants but had to be governed by the local administration.

Alexander II's good intentions can be seen in the reform texts. The key to the emancipation of the serfs was the land question. The emancipation of the serfs with the land, and the free access of the serfs to the land they had been operating, was impossible in a reform (not a revolution). Because the property rights to the land were originally owned by the serf owners, the management rights of the serfs were combined with their serf obligations. Alexander II wanted to maximize the satisfaction of both the feudal nobility and the serfs, and to maintain stability in the country while the great changes were taking place, and it was probably the best choice for the serfs to obtain land by way of redemption.

The reform of serfdom was first tried in the more politically liberal Baltic coastal areas. On the territory of Lithuania, the serf owners announced the emancipation of the serfs, allowing them to become independent free peasants, after which the relationship between the serf owners and the original serfs changed to that of the landlord and the hired peasant. Since then, reform measures have gradually begun to be implemented in Petersburg and other provinces.

The reform of serfdom introduced by Alexander II touched the interests of the vast landowning aristocracy of Russia and met with fierce opposition. They argue against the reforms on the grounds that they would cause political instability in Russia and exacerbate post-war economic hardship.

In the face of many obstacles, Alexander II continued to carry out the reforms to the end. The government of the Russian Empire announced a new peasant decree. Alexander II officially emancipated all serfs in Russia, and from then on the serfs became free peasants. Although the free peasants had nothing, no land of their own, and had to rely on the original landlord in economic relations to survive, the political significance was not trivial - the peasants gained equal political rights, became free people, and could move freely, which meant that they could get rich through the newly cultivated land, and thus gain complete economic independence.

In addition, militarily, Alexander II did not forget to carry out reforms. The strength of the Chinese* army during the war greatly shocked the army of the Russian Empire. In their opinion, the Russian* army lost the war solely for this part. Russia began to import a large amount of weapons and equipment from Britain, and with the help of Britain, it built an arsenal capable of manufacturing new weapons, heavy machine guns, mortars and other weapons, and gradually equipped the Russian army, which greatly improved the combat effectiveness of the Russian army. This was the main reason why Russia was trying to launch a war of revenge against China a few years later.

After the death of Tsar Nicholas I, the situation in the whole world became even more chaotic. In order to support Russia in continuing the war, the British jumped up and down, not hesitating to guarantee greater support to the Russian Empire. In a word, as long as the Russians are willing to continue the war, Britain will contribute money and weapons to help Russia. It's just that Tsar Alexander II at this time has already realized the sinister intentions of the British. They rejected the demands of the British and insisted on making peace with the Chinese Empire in order to preserve the strength of the Russian Empire.

Of course, Alexander II's decision was undoubtedly correct. In the face of internal and external troubles, if Russia wants to continue the war, it will inevitably cause Russia to suffer heavy losses or even collapse. The British did this in order to solve the two enemies of the Chinese Empire and Russia at the same time, but they did not succeed.

Less than half a month after the death of Tsar Nicholas I, on July 13, 1847, the Kingdom of Prussia declared war on the Austrian Empire. The Kingdom of Prussia mobilized more than half a million troops and quickly transported them to the south via the Guò railway line to fight against the Austrian Empire. Coupled with the radio technology obtained from the Chinese Empire, the Prussian Kingdom was able to command its armies much faster than the Austrian Empire.

Most of the German states supported Austria and saw Prussia as an aggressor. They include: Saxony, Bavaria, Baden, Württemberg, Hanover, Hesse-Kassel, Hesse-Darmstadt and Nassau. Thus, Prussia and its allies were enemies of the German Confederation.

A number of northern states supported Prussia, including Oldenburg, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and Brown Schweig. In addition, Italy formed an alliance with Prussia in the hope of retaking Venice occupied by Austria and unifying Italy.

Russia, the main ally of the Austrian Empire, was unable to help the Austrian Empire because of the crushing defeat of the expeditionary force and the fact that a large number of troops had been sent to the Western Siberian Plain to defend against the attack of the Chinese Empire. And France also remained neutral in this war. President Bonaparte had mobilized the French army and was ready to attack the United States, together with the Chinese Empire and the Kingdom of Spain, and had no spare strength to intervene in the war.

As for Britain, they would like the European continent to be a pot of porridge, which will be more conducive to Britain's maintenance of its hegemony.

The Kingdom of Prussia and its allies committed a total of 800,000 troops to this war, 500,000 troops of the Kingdom of Prussia plus 300,000 Italian troops. The Austrian Empire and its allies, on the other hand, committed a full 600,000 troops. Throughout the middle of Europe, rivers of blood were spilled. (To be continued......)