Tsar Nicholas I, who was far away in St. Petersburg's Tsarskoye Village, could not have imagined that the grain he had ordered to be stored in the Odessa granary would become an accomplice in the murder of the soldiers of the Russian Empire.

And the courage of the Odessa officials who he worked so hard to promote would be so great that selling his country's grain to the enemy country at a low price during the war was a big case of killing his head no matter how he thought about it, and no one in the entire Odessa capital, from top to bottom, was willing to report it.

This is enough to justify the entire capital of Odessa...... No, it should be said that the entire Russian Empire is rotten to the bone.

However, all this was not yet known to Nicholas I of St. Petersburg.

Nicholas I, who had just received information about the landing of Anglo-French troops on the Crimean Peninsula (Menshikov had been walking for a week to arrive at Tsarskoye Village in St. Petersburg), quickly became anxious about the Minister of War of the Russian Empire, Dolgorukov, the head of the "Third Hall", Gorchakov, the commander of the Danube coalition forces (since Gorchakov had withdrawn to the Bessarabian region, Nicholas I simply asked General Gorchakov to return to St. Petersburg Tsarskoye Village), and Crown Prince Alexander.

Nicholas I, who was standing in the war room, first handed the letter from Prince Menshikov to Dolgorukov for inspection, and when Dolgorukov had finished reading it, he handed it to the next person.

When Menshikov's letter returned to Nicholas I again, Nicholas I said with a solemn expression: "According to the information from Menshikov, a large force of the Anglo-French army has arrived on the Crimean peninsula. What do you think, my ministers, on this? ”

After saying that, Nicholas I looked around and signaled with his eyes that everyone present could speak.

After everyone pondered for a moment, the Minister of War Dolgorukov was the first to speak: "Your Majesty, I think that this move of the Anglo-French forces is nothing more than a blow to the west!" ”

"Oh?" Nicholas I asked with a puzzled expression.

"As we all know, the Crimean peninsula is just one of the outposts of our offensive against the Ottoman Empire! Even without Crimea, we would have been able to attack from the Caucasus to the Ottoman Empire proper. Dolgorukov said: "I believe that the Anglo-French forces will not be unaware that the Crimean peninsula was not a strategic point for the Ottoman Empire that could not be abandoned (Commander Raglan, St. Lauderdale). Marshal Arnault, Jérôme. Bonaparte: ??? So why do they insist on attacking there? ”

"Don't sell it! Say it! Nicholas I frowned.

"Your Majesty, I guess it's a trick by the British and French forces!" Dolgorukov is like a star possessed by Zhiduo. Analyze with wrong thinking.

"So what is their real purpose?" Nicholas I then asked Dolgorukov.

"Your Majesty, I think the Anglo-French forces are trying to launch a landing near St. Petersburg! (Palmerston: Meow meow!) That way, they'll be able to finish the fight as quickly as they can! Dolgorukov replied to Nicholas I in a firm tone.

"Attack St. Petersburg?" Nicholas I's face was slightly nervous, and it could be seen that Nicholas I himself was also a man who cherished his life, and all his decisions were based on the premise of ensuring his own safety.

After a while, Nicholas I shook his head and retorted: "Impossible! There are many forts in St. Petersburg, and two guards are stationed on the outskirts of St. Petersburg. Even if the British and French forces wanted to attack St. Petersburg, they would have to pay a heavy price. Bonaparte would never send their pampered soldiers here! ”

In Nicholas I's subconscious, the British and French armies were just money piled up, and the endurance and will of their armies could never compete with the hard-working Slavic peoples, so naturally they would not put their armies in St. Petersburg to die.

"Your Majesty, in fact, they can also launch an attack on us through the Kingdom of Sweden!" Dolgorukov reminded.

"It's even more impossible! The Kingdom of Sweden did not dare to disobey the Russian Empire, and they ...... "the confidence of Nicholas I was slightly lacking."

The Russian Empire is now like a giant in a quagmire, and there is no guarantee that the Kingdom of Sweden will take advantage of this time to beat the water dogs.

You must know that the current Grand Duchy of Finland was torn off a piece of meat from the depths of the Kingdom of Sweden, although the Kingdom of Sweden also got Norway, but the value of Norway is far less than that of the Kingdom of Sweden.

If the Kingdom of Sweden had acted together with Britain and France, the situation of the Russian Empire would have been even worse.

"Your Majesty, when Napoleon was still strong, the king of the Kingdom of Sweden was still Marshal Napoleon, but after Napoleon's defeat, the Kingdom of Sweden still decisively stood on our side!" Prince Dolgorukov "tactfully" reminded Emperor Nicholas I.

"You mean I'm in the same situation as Napoleon?" Nicholas I said to Dolgorukov in an unkind tone.

"Your Majesty, now we are far inferior to Napoleon!" Prince Dolgorukov said without fear: "Most of Napoleon's allies betrayed him when he was in the face of decline, but what about our allies?" Dolgorukov paused, and a sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth: "Our allies have betrayed us long before the start of the war!" What qualifications do we have to compare with Napoleon! ”

Prince Dolgorukov's criticism made Nicholas I feel an unprecedented outrage.

Crown Prince Alexander, who was standing on the side, saw the eyes of Nicholas I who was almost about to eat people, and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, now is not the time to be angry!" The most important thing is to find out the strategic intentions of the Anglo-French forces! That's how we can work out the right response! ”

After listening to Crown Prince Alexander's words, Nicholas I's expression gradually calmed down, and he turned to ask Crown Prince Alexander: "What does your teacher think about this war?" ”

Crown Prince Alexander's teacher was Jomini, the author of The Art of War, who had retired to Belgium until the beginning of the Crimean War, when Nicholas I once again conquered the Russian Empire.

"My teacher said he couldn't understand what the Napoleon was trying to do!" Crown Prince Alexander said to Nicholas I: "If the first Napoleon, then the soldiers of the Near East are probably the pawns that attract our attention.

And although this Napoleon's style of action has the shadow of the first Napoleon, he is not as good at turning war into an art as the first Napoleon, he is more good at steady progress. ”

"So, your teacher thinks that the goal of the Anglo-French forces is only the Crimean peninsula?" Nicholas I asked Alexander Dao.

"Can't say that! For the opening of a second battlefield, the British had a certain experience. And Palmerston is an ambitious guy, so this possibility cannot be ruled out! Crown Prince Alexander responded to Nicholas I: "What's more, it is quite possible that the two countries of Britain and France will fight simultaneously on the Crimean peninsula with the Baltic!" ”

"So where should the empire focus on defending now!" Nicholas I said in a dull tone: "We must not move our army back and forth!" ”

Although the Russian Empire was outwardly close to 2 million troops, the number of troops that the Empire could mobilize was only in Poland, Finland, the Caucasus, the Danube, and St. Petersburg.

Finland needed to guard against the Kingdom of Sweden, St. Petersburg against a possible raid, the Danube and Poland against the Austrian Empire, and the Caucasus against the Ottoman Empire.

If you do a careful calculation, the Russian Empire simply did not have a field corps that could be mobilized.

If you want to mobilize an army, you have to take a certain risk.

"Your Majesty, I think our army should send troops to the Crimean peninsula! Even if it's really a trap designed for us, we don't hesitate to jump into it! Gorchakov spoke resolutely.

"Tell me your reasoning!" Nicholas I asked Gorchakov?

"Your Majesty, we have chosen to retreat in the Danube Principality, and there is no room left for the Empire to retreat! If we do not put on a posture of fighting to the death with the Anglo-French forces, then more and more countries will think that the Russian Empire is weakened. At that point, they'll be pointing their fangs at us. I'm afraid it will be difficult for the Russian Empire to tide over it......" Gorchakov tactfully admonished Nicholas I.

Gorchakov's words reminded Nicholas I of the Kingdom of Prussia, which, like the Kingdom of Sweden, was a state that had been usurped by the Russian Empire, and it was highly likely that they would attack the Russian Empire.

Thinking of this, Nicholas I felt a desolation in his heart.

"You say, where should we transfer our troops!" Nicholas I asked Gorchakov.

"I suggest that it is better to send troops from Poland and the Danube region to the Crimea, and the Caucasus can also send some soldiers there!" General Gorchakov replied to Nicholas I.

"Poland?" Nicholas I shook his head and said: "No! As soon as the Polish regiment is transferred, there will inevitably be an unrest there! I know the Poles too well, and they can always give us a visit at the most critical time! Let's draw some troops from the Danube Army and the Caucasian Army to support! What do you think? ”

Nicholas I turned his attention to Dolgorukov and Crown Prince Alexander.

"Your Majesty, I didn't think about it just now!" Dolgorukov immediately changed his mind and turned to support General Gorchakov: "I support General Gorchakov's opinion that the Russian Empire must win on the Crimean peninsula at any cost!" Of course, the Guards in St. Petersburg must also be on guard at all times to prevent a possible surprise attack by the British and French! ”

"I also agree with Minister Dolgorukov! Neither St. Petersburg nor the Crimean Peninsula can give up! Crown Prince Alexander II also supported Gorchakov.

On the orders of Nicholas I, half of the Danube Corps, or 80,000 men, was sent to support the Crimea.

The Caucasus also sent 100,000 troops to support.

At the same time, Nicholas I ordered Orlov to send separate warnings to the Kingdom of Sweden and the Kingdom of Prussia to refrain from any wrongdoing.

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