Hermitage, Hall of the Throne.

In the throne hall, on the throne in front of the coat of arms of the double-headed eagle of Tsarist Russia, sat a man wearing the uniform of the blue Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment (the Tsar was the head of the regiment), quite handsome. Pavrovich and Natalie. Pavrovna also resembles a man very much.

If you can sit on this chair, you don't need to ask to know, of course, it is the current Tsar Nicholas I of Tsarist Russia, who is puzzling. The reason why he is confusing is because this thing is similar to his second brother Konstantin. Pavrovich didn't know what to think, the two took the tsar's throne there after the death of their eldest brother, Tsar Alexander I...... It's not that the yellow robe is added to the body with a fake politeness, but I really don't want to do it, the two brothers have been in a stalemate for twenty-five days in order to make the throne!

This kind of thing is simply unheard of! In the history of Tsarist Russia, there has always been unscrupulous efforts to seize the throne, and there have even been cases where the wife staged a coup d'état and robbed her husband of the throne. Now that the two Grand Dukes have been in a stalemate for twenty-five days in order not to be the Tsar, is the Tsar's throne no longer fragrant?

And Nicholas I and Konstantin. Grand Duke Pavrovich's behavior of pushing each other to the throne made a group of progressive officers in the Tsarist Russian army who had opened their eyes in Western Europe because of the Napoleonic Wars feel that the opportunity to lead the progress of Tsarist Russia has come - since the Romanovs don't want to do it, then let's do it!

So on the same day that Nicholas I finally changed his mind and was ready to take over the mess of Tsarist Russia and try to be a good tsar, a group of progressive officers in the Tsarist Guards mobilized 3,000 Guards to the Hermitage Square (historically the Privy Council Square next to the Admiralty building) to rebel. And Nicholas I, who found that "someone wants to kill me", immediately came to the momentum, immediately mobilized troops to suppress it, and also went to the front line to command, fought the rebels on the Hermitage Square, and finally successfully suppressed the rebellion.

And Nicholas I, who suppressed the rebellion, could no longer push the throne of the tsar outward, and if he pushed it again, he would have a republic! Although he didn't want to be a tsar, he still wanted to be a grand duke and continue to live a free life. But once the republic is reconciled...... Hehe, France has killed so many people in its republicanship, not to mention the Rakshasa who likes to kill people in the first place?

Therefore, after suppressing the rebellion, Nicholas I immediately accepted the oath of allegiance from the state officials and members of the Privy Council in the throne hall of the Winter Palace, and had people inform the embassies of various countries in Petersburg that he was already the new tsar of the Rakshasa country.

And now, Nicholas I, sitting on the Tsar's throne with a gloomy face, waited for the arrival of state officials, nobles, high-ranking generals and envoys of various countries in Petersburg; On the one hand, he is worried about the issue of standing in the world confrontation that may occur in the future of the Rakshasa Empire.

In the opinion of Nicholas I, there are three great powers in the world today, three tied for the first place!

Two of them are the Great Britain and the Great Ming...... Just look at the fifteen-ton ironclad ship they got to sell to the Rakshasa Kingdom!

This level of ironclad is a symbol of national strength in the industrial age, and only the Ming and Great Britain can build it in the world, while France, Prussia, Austria and Rakshasa can only build ironclad ships of less than 10,000 tons.

Although the Rakshasa country, France, Prussia, and Austria can build ironclad ships of less than 10,000 tons, this does not mean that the industrial strength of the Rakshasa country can be compared with France and Prussia, and even compared with the Austrian Empire, the industrial level of the Rakshasa country is a cut worse.

However, the Rakshasa Empire, with its victories over Napoleon and the Prancing Horse in Paris, as well as its vast territory and large population (relative to the rest of Europe), as well as a large army, could still support the dignity of the European land hegemon. But in the face of the two industrialized powers of Great Britain and the Ming Dynasty, as long as there is a little visionary figure, you can feel the decline of the Rakshasa Empire, which has not even abolished serfdom.

And the two "world firsts" of Great Britain and Ming Dynasty seem to have placed the Rakshasa Empire in the third place in the world, and then at the same time regarded the Rakshasa as the object of wooing.

At first glance, such a situation seemed to be very favorable to the Rakshasas, but Nicholas I did not want to take sides between the Ming and the British...... He just wants to reap the benefits, he doesn't want to take on obligations, and he can't afford it.

Daming and Daying are so far away, and their national strength is very solid, and they are also very shrewd in calculation, even if they confront each other, it is impossible to roll up their sleeves and fight immediately, they will only support cannon fodder to consume each other. And in their eyes, the Rakshasa Kingdom is probably a huge cannon fodder!

Therefore, once the rakshasa stands in line, it will immediately become a big cannon fodder to be beaten...... The British are likely to provoke a conflict between Russia, Prussia, and Austria. The Ming will use the Jin Empire, which has a complicated relationship with them, to find trouble. And the goal of the Rakshasa Kingdom is actually to take Constantine and rebuild Eastern Rome, so it does not want to take sides between Ming and Britain.

But Da Ying and Da Ming are not stupid, and while taking out good things to lure Nicholas I (that is, the two types of 15,000-ton ironclad ships), they are both to Natalie. Grand Duchess Pavrovna made a request......

Just when Nicholas I was having a headache for his sister, the attendants in the throne hall suddenly shouted: "Mikhail. Grand Duke Pavrovich, Natalie. Archduchess Pavrovna to meet you! ”

Mikhail. Grand Duke Pavrovich and Natalie. The siblings, Grand Duchess Pavrovna, have now changed into costumes and appeared in the Tsar's throne hall. They had come to swear allegiance to the new tsar and to express their blessings.

"Mikhail. Pavrovich, Natalie. Pavrovna, come here, come closer. Nicholas I beckoned to his brother and sister, asked them to come to him, and then looked to the right and left. At this time, in the throne hall stood many state officials, nobles and the tsar's attendants. Some of them, who were quite close to Nicholas I, saw the Tsar winking at him, and took a few steps back in good spirits, so as to leave room for the Tsar and his younger siblings to whisper.

"Wounded for the Tao? Does it matter? The first thing the tsar asked was Zhuge Weidao, and it seems that they have a good relationship.

"He's grazed in the head by a bullet," said Natalie, who knows a bit about medicine. "There was a five-centimeter-long wound with some damage to the skull and brain," Pavrovna said. ”

"What?" The Tsar's brow furrowed even deeper, "Will there be a danger to his life?" ”

Mikhail. Grand Duke Pavlovich took over the tsar's question: "Dr. Sechenov has already examined it, and there is no danger to life." But...... For the Tao may have lost some of his memory due to brain damage. ”

"Lost your memory?" The Tsar immediately looked at Natalie, "Natalie. Pavrovna, does he still remember you? ”

"Yes, of course I do." Natalie lowered her voice, her delicate face filled with worry, "But, but he seems to have forgotten his father!" He took the portrait of Marshal Zhuge Youde hanging in the General Staff Building as Zhuge Liang's. ”

"What? So serious? The Tsar was taken aback, "Then is it possible for him to become a military advisor?" ”

"I don't know," Grand Duke Mikhail shook his head, "it's very difficult to become a military advisor, and even if the brain of the Tao is not injured, it may not be able to do so." Now ......"

With that, he glanced at his sister-in-law, Natalie.

Natalie said, "He can still understand the Rakshasa language, he can speak the Rakshasa language, and he still remembers some things. I guess...... He may be using a trick. ”

"Meter?" The tsar did not quite understand.

"Tricks to blind the family's competitors," Natalie said, "There are only a few people in each generation of Zhuge who can become military advisors, and the competition is quite fierce. ”

The Tsar frowned and thought for a moment, then said to Natalie, "Natalie. Pavrovna, the current international situation is becoming more and more complicated, the empire is facing pressure and traction from both the east and the west, and in the possible confrontation in the future, the powers of both the east and the west hope that the Rakshasa country can become their ally. And our empire has its own ambitions...... In this case, we need to have reliable friends at the power centers of both the East and the West. Do you understand what I mean? ”

Natalie thought about it, but still didn't understand: "That...... Nikolai. Pavrovich, where the hell am I going? Britain or Ming? ”

The Tsar frowned, and was embarrassed by his sister's question, when the attendant shouted again: "British Ambassador Thomas. Staunton is seen from the Baron! ”

The Tsar looked at his little sister, smiled bitterly, and whispered: "Staunton is a difficult fellow from the baron, he followed his father, who was a deputy ambassador, to Daming at the age of twelve, and completed the equivalent of secondary education in Daming's aristocratic public school. Later, he served as a diplomat in Daming and China for a long time, and he knew the situation of Daming and my country well...... You stand by my side now, try to control your emotions, and don't get angry no matter what he says. Of course, I won't promise him anything in today's meeting. ”

At this time, wearing a high-barreled courtesy, wearing a blue double-row buttoned tuxedo, the flipped neckline of the tuxedo revealed a white silk shirt and bow tie, and a pair of white leggings. Staunton walked in gentlemanly with a cane from the baron. When he arrived at the Tsar's throne, he took off his top hat and bowed.

The Tsar looked at the dignified-looking middle-aged gentleman in front of him, nodded lightly, and said, "I have the honor to welcome the ambassador to the Winter Palace as the Tsar. ”

Thomas. Baron Staunton replied in Russian: "When I heard the Rakshasa people cheering for you, I hastened to express my blessings from Britain and wish you good health." ”

"Thank you, and I wish you good health." Nicholas I, the new emperor, had a serious expression and even a little indifference, without the slightest excitement about his first ascension. Of course, not much enthusiasm was shown to the British ambassador either.

Thomas. Staunton went from baron to Natalie standing beside the Tsar in court attire. Archduchess Pavrovna nodded, and then said to the Tsar: "Your Majesty, the Duke of York and Albany is looking forward to meeting your sister, the beautiful Natalie. Archduchess Petrovna met in London or in St. Petersburg. I am sure that the duke and the grand duchess will definitely fall in love with each other. ”

Nicholas I looked back at his sister, "Natalie, what do you think?" ”

Natalie said calmly: "Your Majesty the Emperor, if I remember correctly, the British crown prince is 62 years old this year...... And His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty is much younger than him. ”

Thomas. Staunton smiled and said: "Your Royal Highness, Emperor Ming is still a child!" Moreover, the Ming Dynasty practiced an elective imperial system, and they would choose heirs from the branches of the three royal families. And in the last hundred years, not a single son of an emperor has been elected.

The Hanoverian dynasty has no successors, and there are only two of them, Princess Victoria and Prince Auguste, and neither of them is the children of the crown prince. If you can produce offspring for the British Crown Prince, whether male or female, you will be the heir to the throne of the British Empire...... And the British Parliament is looking forward to you giving birth to a healthy heir to the House of Hanover!

In addition, the Ming Empire was a conservative eastern country. Once you enter the Ming court, you will be firmly guarded and lose your freedom forever. And if you become the wife of the British crown prince, as long as you can give birth to an heir, you have 100% freedom. Whoever you want to be with, no one will interfere. And you can also get a generous annuity provided by the British royal family. ”

Nicholas I was expressionless and said noncommittally to Staunt: "Your Excellency, Ambassador, I will not discuss Natalie until the end of the mourning of the late Tsar Alexander I. Pavrovna's marriage.

In addition, I hope that the news of the construction of the super-ironclad ship Alexander I can be announced at the funeral of Alexander I. ”

"Build?" Thomas. Staunton was stunned, "Didn't you buy it?" ”

"No, it's building!" The Tsar said, "Build in the Rakshasa country, and the technology will be provided by the friends of the Rakshasa country!" ”

"Okay!" Thomas. Staunton nodded and said, "As long as the Archduchess can become the future Queen of England, the British Empire is willing to transfer the relevant manufacturing technology of the Monarch-class ironclad battleship to the Rakshasa Empire!" ”