Struggle in Russia

Duke Alexander, who is far away in Vienna, is in a much more complicated mood than Duke Ordorf. Duke Ordorf only has to worry about domestic affairs, while he has to worry about domestic affairs as well as international relations, trying every means to gain a more relaxed position in Russia. International Environment.

To be honest, this is not easy, and it can even be said to be the most difficult challenge Duke Alexander has faced since he entered politics.

The situation in Vienna was too complicated. He had had contact with the British and French ministers in Vienna, and it was difficult to talk to them. They were tough both in and out of their words, as if they were determined to defeat Russia.

Of course, he knows that this so-called toughness does not really mean that Britain and France want to bring down Russia. It may be a pretense to force Russia to make concessions, or it may be a political show.

Duke Alexander is aware of the situation in London and Paris, although the upper echelons of the two countries have a firm stance and must teach Russia a lesson. However, the attitude of the middle and lower class people has changed from one-sided support at the beginning of the war to ongoing opposition.

After all, it is the husbands, sons or brothers of these middle- and lower-class people who actually go to the battlefield. Their tragic situation in Crimea has attracted widespread attention, especially when batches of wounded soldiers with missing arms and legs returned to the country by boat. , this call has become stronger and stronger.

Many newspapers carried the slogan "Let the children go home." Although the simple wishes of the lower class people could not really influence the decisions of the upper class elites, as the war dragged on longer and longer, especially in Sevastopol, it became After getting a pure meat grinder, they had to think a little more.

Anyway, hard-core anti-Russians like Lord Palmerston, who clamor for the dismemberment of Russia, are increasingly losing their market. The upper-class elites began to realize that it was unrealistic to expect one or two victories to defeat Russia, and that they had to make long-term plans.

But even so, Duke Alexander's job is still very difficult, because giving up completely dismembering or solving Russia does not mean that the British and French elites will loosen the noose they have tied around Russia's neck.

They still tried every possible means to weaken Russia, and Duke Alexander was filled with indignation at the various harsh conditions. If the situation wasn't stronger than the person, he would really want to walk away.

It is a pity that weak countries have no diplomacy since ancient times. Although Russia cannot be considered weak, Russia's enemies are too strong, so the space left for him to move is too small. What makes him most annoyed is that there is still a troublemaker. Stick Austria is stirring things up inside, making things more complicated.

Duke Alexander naturally knew what the Austrians had planned, and they just wanted to take advantage of Russia's deep passive situation to seize the interests of the Balkans!

It's not that Duke Alexander thinks it's wrong for Austria to do this. As a member of the great powers, it is natural for the weak to prey on the strong. The only thing he couldn't accept was that Austria's ambitions were too great. These grandsons actually want to replace Russia's position in Wallachia. Tell me how this is possible!

You must know that even the million-strong coalition army could not do anything to Duke Mikhail. He did not take any advantage in Wallachia. You are neither a member of the coalition nor have you contributed anything, so why should you take this piece of cake? Big cake.

The most important thing is that the Austrians are still very proud and indifferent. Thinking that a few years ago these grandsons were crying and shouting for Russia to help them, Duke Alexander, they became very angry.

In a private letter to Alexander II, he expressed angrily: Austria is a bunch of white-eyed wolves. These ungrateful bastards are not Russia's allies at all. We should cut off relations with Austria as soon as possible and even settle accounts with them if necessary. That's the wisest thing to do.

Of course, these angry words can be said in private, or even done secretly, but on the surface, you still have to compromise with the Austrians.

As an old diplomat, Duke Alexander naturally understands this trick. Isn't it just pretending to be a grandson when he is down and out? Who wouldn’t?

Think about the time when the Austrians were beaten so hard by Napoleon that they even lost the title of Holy Roman Emperor.

Is it miserable enough to have to send the princess to get married?

But in the blink of an eye, after defeating Napoleon, he was still showing off again. Duke Alexander believes that there is no reason why the Russians cannot do what the Austrians can do, not to mention that Russia is far from the predicament of the Austrians back then. He bows his head temporarily and secretly accumulates the strength to make a comeback. Let you see Thirty Years of Hedong Thirty Years Nian Hexi is awesome!

But speaking of this, Duke Alexander was secretly anxious. From Duke Ordolph's letter, it was not difficult for him to see what the situation in Russia was like. Faced with this disastrous defeat that has not been implemented, the country has begun to reflect. The reformists who had been suppressed for a long time are now thriving like mushrooms after a rain.

The conservatives who had previously been in control of the situation suffered a heavy blow due to their great loss of strength, especially the sudden death of Nicholas I, who had strongly supported them. There will definitely be no relief for a while.

Reform is almost a certainty. The tragic defeat in Crimea shows that a large number of gray animals that are like cannon fodder have no fighting capacity at all. It is no longer possible for Russia to expect to kill powerful enemies like it did in 1814.

Today's powerful enemies can completely drain Russia's last drop of blood by relying on the power of science and technology. Russia must catch up no matter what, otherwise the fate of the country will be unpredictable.

But at this time, Alexander II did not express his attitude and kept doing Tai Chi vaguely. Anyone who is not stupid can see that he is ready to mess things up and is not very willing to reform.

This is terrible. If we can’t unify the will of the higher-ups, what’s the point of reform?

As a relatively well-known liberal, Duke Alexander supports reform and believes that the only way for Russia to stand up again and to avenge its disgrace is through reform.

But now the tsar's ambiguous attitude really made him feel uneasy. What if Alexander II was confused and refused to reform or pretended to be confused and maintained the status quo?

Although the Decembrists failed the last time, in a sense they were proud of their defeat, which allowed them to win widespread recognition and in a sense spread revolutionary ideas.

This time there will be another group of violent Decembrist sympathizers. If they learn their lesson and do it again, I am afraid it will not end as well as last time.

Even one bad move will cause Russia to fall into civil strife. If there are strong enemies outside and unrest within, the country will be destroyed!

Thinking of this, Duke Alexander was so anxious that he wanted to rush back to St. Petersburg immediately to give advice to Alexander II. He even wrote a long letter, discussing in detail the correctness and necessity of the reform. However, just when he was about to seal it, he directly wrote The letter was burned...

"Brother Shen!"

"Um!"

When Shen Changqing walks on the road, whenever he meets someone he knows, he will say hello or nod to each other.

But no matter who it is.

There was no unnecessary expression on everyone's face, as if they were indifferent to everything.

To this.

Shen Changqing has become accustomed to it.

Because this is the Demon Suppression Division, an organization that maintains the stability of the Qin Dynasty. Its main responsibility is to kill monsters and monsters, but of course there are also some other side jobs.

It can be said.

Everyone in the Demon Suppression Division has a lot of blood on their hands.

When a person is used to seeing life and death, he will become indifferent to many things.

When he first came to this world, Shen Changqing was a little uncomfortable, but he got used to it over time.

The Demon-Suppressing Division is huge.

Those who can stay in the Demon Suppressing Division are all powerful masters, or those who have the potential to become masters.

Shen Changqing belongs to the latter.

Among them, the Demon Suppressor Division is divided into two professions, one is the Guardian Envoy and the other is the Demon Slayer.

Anyone who enters the Demon Suppression Department starts from the lowest level as a demon slayer.

Then he will be promoted step by step, and he is expected to eventually become a guardian envoy.

Shen Changqing's predecessor was a trainee demon slayer in the Demon Suppression Department, and he was also the lowest level among the demon slayers.

Possessing the memory of a previous life.

He is also very familiar with the environment of the Demon Suppression Division.

It didn't take long for Shen Changqing to stop in front of a loft.

Unlike other places in the Demon Suppressing Division that were full of chills, the attic here seemed to stand out from the crowd, showing a different kind of tranquility in the bloody Demon Suppressing Division.

At this time, the attic door was open, and occasionally people came in and out.

Shen Changqing only hesitated for a moment before stepping in.

Enter the attic.

The environment changes in vain.

The fragrance of ink mixed with the faint smell of blood hit his face, making him frown instinctively, but then relaxed it quickly.

There is almost no way to cleanse away the smell of blood on everyone in the Demon-Suppressing Division.