Add Bookmark | Recommend this book | Back to the book page | My bookshelf | Mobile Reading

Free Web Novel,Novel online - All in oicq.net -> Historic -> Flowers and Swords and France

Chapter 278 Rebellion (1)

Previous page        Return to Catalog        Next page

    Until nightfall, the carnival of the French officers and soldiers was still not over. In order to celebrate their just-won victory, each army took out all the wine they had collected in their supplies for the frontline soldiers to enjoy.  Throughout the fortress, soldiers gathered together in twos and threes, talking and laughing loudly, and drinking and reveling. These people, who had endured too many tests in the fighting, needed a chance to vent their emotions.  Compared with the elated victors, the remaining Russian officers and soldiers were gloomy. They resisted tenaciously for several months and repelled many attacks by the French army. However, in the end they did not get the victory.  Victory, the enemies with overwhelming material and firepower advantages, after many setbacks, finally captured the fortress with an offensive at any cost.  Having put in such a huge effort only to end up with failure is a huge blow to anyone.  At this moment, they were all covered with dirty faces and expressions of numbness, walking blankly among the ruins, being driven by the victors.  Fortunately, their heroic fighting during this period had won the respect of the enemies, so they were not mistreated by the French army after they surrendered. On the contrary, these French soldiers welcomed the prisoners with a strangely friendly attitude and handed them food.  It was given to them so that these Russian soldiers, who were already somewhat malnourished, could feast on it.  Whether they are the jubilant French soldiers or the dejected Russian soldiers, they all know that the final fall of the Sevastopol Fortress is enough to become a vivid symbol of this war, and it is also enough to represent the Russian army's loss of this war.  Undoubtedly, the area of ??this fortress is just a drop in the bucket for the vast Russian Empire. However, the fact that this fortress was besieged by the British and French legions for several months and the Russian army was helpless ruthlessly revealed the reality that  The reality is that the Russian army can no longer compete with the armies of Western European powers.  The current situation is extremely unfavorable to Russia. Even the captured Russian officers who are most loyal to the empire have to admit this.  The news of the French army's final victory in Sevastopol was quickly conveyed to the entire European continent through the telecommunications system. For a time, France's major victory became the focus of the entire European diplomatic community, and capitals of every country were buzzing.  Discussing the current situation, and looking at the enigmatic Emperor in Paris with either envy or fear.  Until now, no one in the whole of Europe dared to underestimate His Majesty the Emperor of France.  Amid the turbulent diplomatic turmoil, few people noticed the fact that Marshal Treville fell ill after the fortress was captured.  This old marshal fell in a hospital bed on the day the fortress surrendered. He was sometimes unconscious, and even when he woke up, his consciousness was unclear.  Perhaps, this war has exhausted all his energy. The only thing that has kept him going is the belief in winning the war. The final capture of the Sevastopol Fortress means that the victory of this war has been determined, and  This news also seemed to make him lose the reason to support himself. Maybe he felt that he was done.  After his grandfather fell ill, Charles' original joy was wiped out. After he reported the news to the country, he canceled his travel plan and stayed in the hospital with his grandfather, even though he knew nothing about medicine.  There wasn't much he could do if he stayed in the hospital, but he was still too nervous to leave.  The fall of Sevastopol Fortress also shocked the whole of Russia like an electric shock. When the news reached St. Petersburg, the entire Russian court was shocked.  Ever since Britain and France declared war on Russia and joined the war, Russia's luck has never been good. It almost always lost consecutive battles and retreated all the way. The only consolation is that the main force of the Russian army did not suffer serious losses.  Although they lost the battle, they were able to retreat, retaining hope for the subsequent war.  However, when the Russian army was divided and some of the troops were surrounded in the fortress, the situation was completely different. Although the fortress was able to hold on, it also made it impossible for the defenders to escape and could only be surrounded by enemy groups. If the fortress was defeated  , which means that this force was completely annihilated.  Now, the empire is facing this situation. They have lost the fortress that the empire was once proud of, lost the defenders inside, and subsequently lost the empire's face and honor.  Although the defenders of the fortress thwarted the French attacks several times with their heroic and fearless spirit; although the peripheral troops launched several offensives to relieve the fortress, all efforts proved to be in vain and the fortress eventually fell.  When he received the news, His Majesty Tsar Nicholas I was speechless for a long time, and then he stayed up almost all night, feeling haggard and depressed.?A few points.  He understands that the empire has suffered a huge shame, and this shame may stay with him for the rest of his life, and he will not be able to get rid of it even when he sleeps underground.  Over the past two hundred years, the Romanov family has overcome obstacles and expanded its territory from the small Principality of Moscow to the huge empire it is today. Have they ever suffered such humiliation?  After suffering such humiliation, no matter how many achievements he made before and how many efforts he made for the well-being of the people of the empire, they will all be written off, and he will go down in history as a humiliated emperor.  Because of this awareness, the Tsar's physical condition became worse and worse. His face turned blue, his eyes wandered, and even his steps were a little weak. Seeing him like this, the foreign ministers were all frightened and deeply moved.  I'm afraid something unexpected might happen to His Majesty at this critical moment.  In line with the emperor's appearance, the Winter Palace is now in a state of gloom and mist. The black clouds are so thick that they have almost reached the top of the palace. The cold wind is howling in the square in front of the Winter Palace, as if a mother who has lost her child is wailing.  The falling snow intermittently from the sky made the place even more desolate.  It is obviously the time of early spring, but the climate is so cold that it makes people feel palpitating, which indicates that this year will be another worrying year.  On this windy afternoon, His Majesty the Tsar called the ministers headed by Neserroddie to the throne. These ministers seemed to share His Majesty the Tsar's gloomy mood. Everyone had a gloomy face, and no one dared to  Talk more.  Although he was distracted, His Majesty the Tsar still managed to hold the meeting with great energy as his duties were his duty.  "What about the report from the front?" He looked at the Minister of War coldly.  "The morale of the officers and soldiers was not affected by the news of the fall of the fortress?" "Your Majesty, the fall of the Sevastopol Fortress was indeed a major blow to us, but it did not weaken the will of our officers and soldiers." He was fat.  The Minister of War quickly replied to His Majesty the Tsar, "On the contrary, the actions of the French aroused their common hatred. They all expressed their intention to continue fighting bravely and avenge the shame of the fortress." After hearing the words of the Minister of War, His Majesty the Tsar narrowed his eyes slightly.  Lower your eyes.  Having been a tsar for such a long time, he certainly knew that such words were just flattering remarks by the other party. The fall of the fortress must be a major blow to the morale of the army. However, at this moment, confidence is extremely important, so he has no interest in refuting it.  What the other party says.  ??Besides, since there is no worse news to report, it means that at least the front line can be maintained for now and will not suffer a catastrophic defeat.  If the front line can still be maintained, then the situation has not reached its worst situation. At least the empire still has the capital to continue dealing with Britain and France. Even in peace talks, there are still some chips that can reduce the other party's asking price.  What is even more worrying is that domestically, the fact that the empire has suffered such an unprecedented defeat is enough to reduce the reputation of His Majesty the Tsar and the imperial government to an extremely dangerous level. Even though His Majesty the Tsar is convinced that most of his people are loyal to him, he  I am not sure that anyone would want to take advantage of this condition to incite actions or riots against the imperial government.  It is precisely because of this concern that he has recently been instructing the Minister of the Interior to strengthen domestic security, and has also formulated plans to implement strict military control in the capital, Moscow, Smolensk and other cities under a state of emergency.  Despite such a plan, His Majesty the Tsar was still uneasy. He knew that his empire itself was built on military conquest and military prestige, and was not loved by many people. However, the empire has now suffered an unprecedented failure.  Under the situation, the empire's military prestige is also crumbling, so the government itself has to face the crisis head-on.  Crisis, crisis His Majesty the Tsar's breathing became rapid and disordered, and his heart began to beat faster. He could almost hear the sound of his own heartbeat.  ¡°Dong dong, dong dong, dong dong, the sound is dull and monotonous, but it makes people very nervous.  His Majesty the Tsar felt a wave of boredom in his heart and a lingering feeling of nausea, even though he had basically not eaten anything today.  He tried his best to behave normally and did not lose the dignity that an emperor should have.  He turned his head, looked at the Minister of the Interior, and opened his mouth, but in the end he didn't ask anything.  The Home Secretary would definitely not tell him too bad news, so it would be in vain to ask. Besides, how could those plans to strengthen public security and suppress possible rebellions be discussed on such an occasion?  The Empire cannot let anyone know that it is weak, especially when it is so weak.  It must be calm, must convince everyone that it is as solid as before.    At the same time, His Majesty the Tsar also knows that the current problem is no longer something that the Minister of the Interior can solve. What needs help is the Minister of Foreign Affairs.  Yes, peace talks are necessary, and peace talks must be held as soon as possible. Only in this way can the empire be brought back from the brink of danger.  His Majesty the Tsar, who was hesitant a month ago, has finally made up his mind. He understands that there is no chance to restore his reputation. The only thing that can be restored now is the empire, and it must be done quickly. It must be done quickly.  The front line is not completely broken yet.  And, this is also for his crown prince.  It is better to bow down to Britain and France in his hands than to ask for peace in the hands of the crown prince.  Let him bear this shame, so that the crown prince can lead Russia with a new attitude, carry out necessary reforms, and wash away the shame suffered by the empire and his father.  At the moment, His Majesty the Tsar has decided to end his rule as soon as possible. He cannot tolerate himself continuing to be on the throne with such humiliation.  With a determined attitude, he turned to look at the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the elderly Minister Neserrodie.  "Go and inform Gorchakov, allow him to make concessions as soon as possible, and let him negotiate peace with the French as soon as possible." He said calmly, as if he was talking about a trivial matter, "At the moment, it is difficult to divide Britain and France.  The country is extremely important to us, and it is also extremely important to the armistice. We will discuss other issues later." The old foreign minister looked at His Majesty. He wanted to say something, but he stopped in front of His Majesty's dull look.  mouth.  He understood that His Majesty¡¯s words were tantamount to admitting that the achievements of Your Majesty and himself over the past decades had been wiped out.  He is not willing to give in, but this is His Majesty¡¯s will, so what is the meaning of what he says?  I am just a person who will leave my job at any time.  "Understood, Your Majesty." He nodded.  His Majesty the Tsar's statement made the atmosphere in the whole room suddenly relax.  The ministers all understood that His Majesty the Tsar planned to make concessions and win peace as soon as possible. This was what these ministers wanted to say but did not dare to say it.  At this point, Russia must make a painful decision to end this costly war. This is the consensus of almost every minister.  "Mr. Gorchakov is a wise and far-sighted man. He has been engaged in diplomatic work for many years and has rich experience. It is perfect for him to preside over the negotiations with the French." His Majesty the Tsar looked at the ministers calmly and spoke calmly.  To the point of being almost indifferent, "I think that when the Crown Prince is in charge of state affairs, he will become a good enough assistant minister." His Majesty's sudden words made the ministers look at each other indifferently, not because of who he praised, but because of whom he praised.  Because the ministers heard the implicit meaning, His Majesty's words seemed to be his last words.  The meaning is horrifying.  "Your Majesty! Please don't lose heart!" After being astonished, several ministers quickly advised the emperor, "The empire still needs you to lead, you can't" ¡­¡­  During the meeting, in the narrow streets of Petersburg, a group of soldiers in military uniforms were advancing towards the Winter Palace.  Since the outbreak of the war, this situation has been very normal, so the surrounding passers-by are not surprised. Moreover, because of the cold weather, there are very few pedestrians on the streets, so their progress is not hindered in any way.  This army has an orderly formation and strong steps. It looks like an ordinary regular army. However, for some reason, an unusual sense of tension can be felt from it.  The cold wind howled in the streets, blowing across everyone's face, as if it was seeing them off, and also seemed to be shouting something.  "Then, let everything be settled!" In the streets a few miles away from the Winter Palace, a fat old man in casual clothes took out a handkerchief from his pocket and threw it hard on the  on the ground.
Didn't finish reading? Add this book to your favoritesI'm a member and bookmarked this chapterCopy the address of this book and recommend it to your friends for pointsChapter error? Click here to report