Tsar of the Sphinx

Chapter 6 Prelude to Reform

Chapter 6 Prelude to Reform
Ekaterina II didn't think about persuading Alexander again, because after Alexander took the throne, his style would always change.

After Alexander finished speaking, Ekaterina said: Then the whole reform plan will be like this for the time being. Tomorrow I will summon Potemkin in the work hall. You father and son should also come over. The four of us will discuss the reform plan proposed by you, Alexander. Perfect it again.

Let's eat.

After Ekaterina finished speaking, the whole restaurant fell silent, and the three of them unanimously speeded up their eating.

The next day, in the working hall of the Winter Palace, four of the most powerful people in the country stood in Ekaterina's private working room.

The four people sat around the work table. Ekaterina sat on the chair she had been sitting on, while Alexander and Potemkin sat on both sides of Ekaterina, and Paul sat on Yekaterina's seat. Opposite Katerina.

Potemkin, what do you think about the reforms proposed by Alexander.Ekaterina sniffed it and took a sip. The tea her grandson made for herself was said to be the best tea in the Far East, but she still couldn't get used to it.Ekaterina shook her head and asked.

Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin, after listening to Alexander's plan for the whole reform, said: Madame.

As soon as he opened his mouth, Paul coughed.

Ekaterina raised her eyes and glared at Paul.

Although the relationship between Paul and his mother has eased in the past few years, and he has been taken care of by Potemkin in Crimea, he still cannot face the relationship between his mother and Potemkin.

Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin changed his words embarrassingly: Your Majesty, I personally do not oppose reforms, but the current reforms.From the perspective of the country, once the reform is implemented, even if there is a legitimate excuse, the nobles will still oppose it, the domestic situation is unstable, and Turkey has the problem of going to war with us, so I think Grand Duke Vladimir's reform should be postponed. To be more clear, when the whole of Europe is in chaos and our external situation is in chaos, we will have a suitable opportunity for reform.But if you want the whole of Europe to be in chaos, you just don't know when you will have to wait.

However, the military reform mentioned in His Excellency's reform still needs to be carried out, especially the reduction of cavalry and the increase of infantry and artillery establishments proposed by His Excellency the Grand Duke.Your Majesty, should you still remember the artillery plan proposed to you after His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and I returned to St. Petersburg from the Crimea?
Ekaterina blushed. After Potemkin returned from Crimea, she and him spent the past few days like glue. How could she have time to read the proposal he submitted.

Paul slapped the table: Duke Tavria, please explain directly how Alexander's military reforms will be carried out.

When Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin saw the blush on the face of his Majesty the Empress, he also thought of those few days, and was in embarrassment.

Paul's words pulled him out of his memory.

Ah, yes, yes, the military reform plan of His Excellency the Grand Duke is very good. I suggest changing the legions of the Crown Prince and His Excellency the father and son first.If after the changes, all aspects of the army have improved compared to before, then it will be directly implemented to the entire army, and at the same time, the Guards will be formed, and a military school will be established in St. Petersburg.In this way, it will not cause the morale of the various armies to slacken, and it can also further verify whether the new establishment can be used or not, and whether it can be fought.

After listening to Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin's suggestion, Ekaterina saw her grandson's eyes expressing to herself that he would also speak, and said: "Alexander, this is your reform plan. Then you also talk about it.

As soon as Alexander heard what his grandmother said, he immediately said to Potemkin: Your Excellency Duke Tavria, I think the reform is just right at this time. If the external situation is not good, do we have to wait?As long as the establishment reform plan in the military reform and the liberation of the royal serfs are successfully implemented, even if there are nobles who are dissatisfied or even rebelled, if we are rich, famous, and powerful, will the rebellion of the nobles still be a big problem?If they dare to rebel, they should just take off their heads and let them understand that only the emperor is the master of this empire.

As for the Turks, huh, although they were very tough yesterday, they couldn't cover up their internal turmoil. Before their new sultan had completely straightened out the country, they would not launch an attack on us.And in Europe, the English had just paid large sums of gold in the New World.Then there is still room to go to war with Russia. As for Austria and Prussia, they have not recovered from the Seven Years War 20 years ago, and the Franks are too busy to take care of themselves, let alone declare war on us. As long as the military reform in the reform plan, Part of the economic reform has been implemented, and we can calmly face various challenges at home and abroad.

For a moment, Ekaterina, Paul and Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin looked at each other.

The voices of the four of them disappeared in the workshop.

Ekaterina was wondering how many nobles in the country would support and not support if reforms were implemented. If part of the reforms were abandoned, only the early reforms would be implemented.How many domestic nobles support it?

It's not that Ekaterina doesn't know how much reform will benefit her own rule, but she must grasp a certain degree, a degree that anyone can tolerate.

She believes that if only the reforms in the early stage are implemented first, the nobles in the country will not turn their faces directly, but just oppose it. After all, the reforms in the early stage will not harm the interests of the nobles.

Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin was emptied of his thoughts, thinking about his relationship with Ekaterina
Because the relationship between him and Ekaterina is not what it used to be in the past two years, and the issue of power has always made Potemkin sleepless. He has always been full of desire for power, and for him, power is always at his fingertips .The problem was that no matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he got, his position was always entirely dependent on Ekaterina.He knew this very well, and he also understood that if the quarrel continued, perhaps one day the queen's nature would overwhelm Ekaterina as a woman, and then she would start to deal with him until she completely beat him away.By then he would be no better off than the stumbling Orlov and the pathetic Vasilichkov.He didn't want to take the risk.Now, the time has come for him to choose between love and power.In the end Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin chose power, which meant that he had to say goodbye to love and to Ekaterina.However, his farewell was not complete. What surprised all bystanders was that the relationship between the two remained the same as before, so that Potemkin's position in the political arena was not weakened in the slightest.On the contrary, the power in his hands seems to be growing.

But Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin himself understood that the relationship between the two, although the same as before, was not as good as before.

Therefore, Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin only gave suggestions for the reform plan, and did not directly approve or deny it.

But Paul was the most relaxed of the four, because he only thought about having a new legion.And it is much larger than the previous legion organization.

Ekaterina thought about it, and after thinking about it, she said: So let's do it.

Potemkin and Paul looked back at Catherine II, and after Alexander finished speaking, he looked at Catherine.

Only carry out your reform plan in the early stage of Alexander, that is, only carry out your three major reform plans of military, politics, and economy in the royal territory.Ekaterina said lightly.

All three of them were startled.

Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin was taken aback because Catherine chose to introduce reforms now.

Alexander was because his reform plan was clearly beneficial to the emperor by strengthening his rule and stabilizing the imperial power, but his grandmother only chose to implement the previous reforms, and only in the royal territory.

Paul was shocked because his son and Potemkin were both surprised, so he was a bit out of place if he wasn't surprised.

Well, Potemkin, you go back first.Ekaterina smiled faintly at Potemkin.

Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin knew immediately that Catherine was going to explain to Alexander why only the early reforms had been carried out.

Then he stood up and said: "Then I will continue to deal with political affairs."

Then he walked out of the workshop.

Well, the next thing is between our grandparents and grandchildren.

Ekaterina touched her grandson's blond hair and said, "Alexander, I totally agree with your reform plan, but I can only carry out the previous reform plan.Do you know why?

Alexander shook his head.

Ekaterina went on to say: What reform can bring, what it can destroy.I know all too well that Peter the Great’s path of reform was exactly the same as yours. He first reformed the military. What can the reform of the military bring?The military power in the hands of the emperor has been strengthened. Politically, the strengthening of military power can allow the emperor to safely and comprehensively attribute the power of the whole country to himself, thus strengthening the centralization and consolidating the imperial power.Economically, military reform needs to be based on strong economic strength. The large demand for military supplies prompted Peter the Great to carry out economic reforms while carrying out military reforms. Where does the country's fiscal revenue come from?From tax The faster the economy develops, the tax will increase accordingly.Is it exactly the same as your reform steps?

Alexander thought carefully about the steps of Peter the Great's reforms, and it was indeed exactly the same as himself. He carried out military reforms first, and carried out economic reforms at the same time as military reforms. After the completion of military reforms and economic reforms, he began political reforms.

Ekaterina continued: Many times, blindly seeking quickness will lead to many troubles.So we can't be quick, and when it comes to the country, we can't be in a hurry. We have to think about it carefully, think about it, and implement it slowly.So I choose to take your time and implement your reforms like boiling frogs in warm water. When you ascend the throne, you will discover the rest of the reforms, oh?Why don't these nobles object, huh?How can these people be so supportive of reform.In this way, the country will not fall into a situation of mutual attack, and it will not let the national power be exhausted.

After finishing speaking, he didn't care about Alexander, let Alexander think for himself, and started to deal with political affairs here.

After a long time, Alexander raised his head and said, "Grandmother, I understand what you mean. Whether it's being a human being or managing a country, being fast is meaningless, and it may even lead to chaos in the country."Therefore, reform cannot be pursued quickly, and reform is a long-term process of achieving results, so reform should be carried out step by step on the ground, and even in the process of implementing reform, we cannot seek speed.

Ekaterina put down the political affairs in her hands when Alexander made her voice, and listened to her grandson's words after thinking about it.

After Alexander finished speaking, Ekaterina said: To be honest, you were too smart when you were young, and I was worried about your death.

You also understand that after you were born, I deliberately bypassed your father and let you directly inherit the throne, not because of your father's actions, but because of your father's character, your father's character is similar to your grandfather's Exactly the same, such a character is too unfavorable for a country, and I have to be responsible for the entire country, so I have always wanted to bypass your father and let you inherit the throne directly.

Then Paul opened his mouth and said: After I came back from a trip in Europe a few years ago, your grandmother consulted with me and asked me very straightforwardly if I was ready to be a ruler or an emperor.I was silent at the time, and right here, your grandmother confessed to me the reason why she wanted you to go directly to the throne, and then asked again if she was ready, and I also said to your grandmother, "I don't want to be an emperor , I would like to be a general."Your grandmother said it would be okay to be a general.But before becoming a general, you must do one last thing for little Alexander, to become the crown prince, before Alexander grows up, to be a crown prince.I don't understand, I don't understand that since your grandmother wants you to be on the throne, but made me the crown prince, isn't it afraid that I will refuse to make Alexander the emperor in the future?Your grandmother said, before you became a general, you were a father first.I believe you will make Alexander emperor.Then let me go out, and the next day your grandmother made me crown prince, expanded my sergeant into a regiment, and sent me to Crimea, and you know what happened afterwards.

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Paul I, also known as Paul I Petrovich (Old Calendar: September 1754, 9-March 20, 1801) In Russian history, Paul I was a tragic figure who repeated the fate of his father Peter III , and finally died of a court conspiracy.There are very few relevant materials about Paul I, and the evaluation of him by later generations is unfair.Judging from historical records, Paul I was not the crazy, eccentric behavior described by his contemporaries, but an honest, strict, and orderly monarch.But the limitations of his time, his own decision-making mistakes and lack of personal political wisdom led to the ultimate tragedy.

Paul's life was overshadowed by his mother.His reign lasted five years, and he died after being assassinated.His most important achievement was the adoption of the law of succession to the Russian throne - a law that remained in place until the end of the Romanov dynasty in the Russian Empire.What Paul I did after he came to the throne was aimed at maintaining the absolute power in an all-round way.He is considered mentally ill, considers himself the incarnation of the savior, and hopes to reunite the Catholic and Orthodox churches, and for this purpose built the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg, which is similar to St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome.

(End of this chapter)

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