I'm playing whack-a-mole in Siberia

Chapter 423 Fight for the Empire!

The situation of the Russian Empire is very special. It cannot achieve real combat effectiveness unless its life is hanging by a thread at the critical moment.

During the Russo-French War, Napoleon once captured Moscow. According to European standards, the capture of the capital marked Russia's defeat.

The Russians did not admit defeat, fought hard on Russian soil and fought the French to the bitter end. When the 60 French troops withdrew from Russia, only 3 were left.

Losing the Ninth Russo-Turkish War was not the end of the Russian Empire. Nicholas I could have done so and avenged his shame, but he committed suicide, which proved the tenacity of the Russians.

The bloody spirit of Nicholas I has disappeared from Nicholas II.

For the vast majority of Russians, they would rather have a Niyi who brings disaster to the country and the people than a peace-loving Yasan.

What's more, it's Ni Er who has great ambitions and little talent.

The Russian Empire, which had been hit hard, seemed to be at the end of its rope, and even the Tsar had surrendered.

The Russians did not accept this result. Although St. Petersburg stopped its reinforcements to the Far East, all the train stations along the Siberian Railway were crowded with Russians who volunteered to fight in the Far East.

The so-called workers entering management certainly does not refer to front-line textile workers, but to members of the representative committee.

At the beginning of the strike, the textile workers' demands were only for higher wages and reduced working hours.

However, what happened next made Anton Milchuk unexpected.

As the only member of the committee who actually came from a textile factory, Anton Milchuk had great popularity among Voznesensk textile workers.

Factory managers are professional managers hired by factory owners with high salaries. Most of them have high education and profound backgrounds. It is impossible for them to receive the same salary as front-line textile workers, otherwise the social order of the entire Russian Empire will be subverted.

Equal pay for equal work is even more unacceptable to Ivanovo city officials.

The reason for increasing wages is that the income of textile workers simply cannot meet their basic living needs.

To put it simply, I hope that Nikolai will follow Niyi's example and commit suicide to apologize.

Voznesensk in Ivanovo Region is the largest textile center in the Russian Empire. In May, a general strike involving more than 5 people broke out in Voznesensk, paralyzing the entire city.

Anton Milchuk became confused.

As long as the demands are not met, the strike will continue.

Someone has to be responsible for the Empire's defeat.

The reduction in working hours is because textile workers are miserable as they work up to 12 hours a day.

During the strike in Voznesensk, the first Workers' Representative Council in Russia was established.

In early July, news of the start of negotiations between the Russian Empire and Japan reached Voznesensk, and the representatives of the Committee once again escalated their demands, demanding that the Tsar be held responsible for the defeat.

After the war broke out, St. Petersburg carried out 4 mobilizations.

The news that Japan and Russia have begun negotiations in Washington is the strongest national mobilization signal for the Russian Empire since the war began.

The attitude of the Representative Council was simple.

Higher wages and paid time off, aside.

These demands were all legitimate, so Anton Milchuk took the initiative to communicate with Ivanovo city officials and factory management on behalf of the workers, and achieved good results.

After the Ivanovo city government and factory management agreed to the workers' demands, the workers' committee did not resume work, but demanded higher wages, paid vacations, workers entering management, equal pay for equal work, etc.

All right, the Tsar commits suicide to apologize.

But what happens after the Tsar commits suicide?
Crown Prince——

The crown prince is still young, less than one year old, and it is impossible for him to work hard like Ya Er and lead the Russian Empire to avenge its past humiliation.

"Russia is a Russia for Russians, and power should be handed over to all Russians!"

The words of Murillo, the first member of the committee, were resonant and worthy of being a newspaper editor who had worked in the UK.

But as the editor-in-chief of a British newspaper, shouldn't you organize British reporters and editors to go on strike? At the worst, you should organize British textile workers to go on strike. Why do you go all the way to Voznesensk to seek benefits for textile workers?

Is the Voznesensk textile worker your father?

Murillo has become a British citizen. According to his theory, how the power of the Russian Empire is transferred is none of his business.

The strike that broke out in May had lasted for two months by July.

After the strike, the entire city was paralyzed. The reason why people in Voznesensk did not starve to death was because the Sunshine Foundation from St. Petersburg was distributing free food.

As a committee member, Anton Milchuk is not short of food, but he is also grateful to the Sunshine Foundation.

After a day's work, Anton Milchuk returned home and unexpectedly found Lekinsky, who worked for the Sunshine Foundation, visiting his home.

During this period, Anton Milchuk had a lot of contact with Lekinski due to work reasons. The two had a good relationship and truly regarded each other as friends.

"Anton, my friend, I have come to say goodbye to you."

Lezinski was depressed.

"Where are you going?"

Milchuk was surprised and did not realize the seriousness of the problem.

"I'm going back to Amur to join the war - no, I should say, I'm going back to Amur to join the war!"

"Return? Aren't you from St. Petersburg?" Only then did Milchuk realize that he didn't know his friend at all.

"I was born in St. Petersburg, but Amur is my home and my destination!"

Lekinsky's eyes lit up when he mentioned Amur.

"Negotiations have begun and the war is over——"

Milchuk frowned. Lekinsky was a top student who graduated from St. Petersburg University. War was too far away for people like Lekinsky.

"No! Grand Duke Yuriev has not given up yet! Amur has not given up! The war is still going on! Victory will eventually belong to the empire!"

Although Lekinski was smiling, Milchuk felt that Lekinski's whole body was burning.

Milchuk had only seen this kind of firm and fanatical belief in the most devout ascetics.

"St. Petersburg has already begun negotiations——"

Milchuk never expected that there would still be people persisting.

And it’s not just one person, it’s thousands, dozens or millions of people.

"Amur soldiers are still fighting on the front line, and workers and farmers are working hard to support the front line-"

Lekinski's words were not intended to sting Milchuk.

Amur workers are working hard——

What are the workers in Voznesensk doing?
"——Duchess Yurievskaya and Grand Duchess Yuriev are raising funds for frontline soldiers. Even students who have not graduated have left school early to join the army. All Amur people working outside, at this most critical moment, Everyone must take the initiative to return to Amur and fight alongside Grand Duke Yuriev!”

"Must—Grand Duke Yuriev force you?"

Milchuk wants Lezinski to have an attitude of his own.

"No, no one forced me to—"

Lezinski's whole being was glowing.

"——I am a Russian. When Russia is invaded by foreign enemies, I should contribute everything I have to Russia!"

Milchuk frowned. Since when did Kanto belong to the Russian Empire?
After the Siberian Fleet forcibly leased Port Arthur, St. Petersburg unilaterally declared the establishment of the Kanto State. Except for the Russian Empire, all countries did not recognize the legitimacy of the Kanto State.

But as a Russian, from the standpoint of the Russian Empire, Milchuk could not speak out if he objected.

"This battle is no longer limited to the Far East. It is about the honor of the empire and the interests of every Russian. I'm sorry, my friend, but I can't sit back and watch."

Lekinski had made up his mind.

"But if you leave, what will happen to the work of the Sunshine Foundation?"

Milchuk finally realized the problem. Lekinsky was the head of the Sunshine Foundation in Voznesensk.

"You may not know that the Sunshine Foundation was originally established by Grand Duke Yuriev——"

"How can it be?!"

Milchuk was completely shocked.

There are different opinions in Voznesensk about the legend of the Sunshine Foundation.

Some people say that the Sunshine Foundation was founded by the young father, the Tsar, some say that it was founded by the Queen Mother Maria, and some even say that it was founded by a British philanthropist.

Milchuk never thought that Grand Duke Yuriev, who was far away in Amur, would actually care about the textile workers in Voznesensk.

this--

It's not difficult to explain.

The editor-in-chief of a British newspaper can care about the textile workers in Voznesensk, why can't Grand Duke Yuriev.

Milchuk suddenly felt that there was a huge vortex above Voznesensk, sucking everyone into it.

"How is this impossible? The headquarters of the Sunshine Foundation is originally in Vladivostok -"

Lezinski opened his hands to Milchuk.

"My friend, I'm here to say goodbye to you. If you die on the battlefield, please don't be sad for me. As a Russian, this is my choice and my fate!"

Before Milchuk could open his hands, his 12-year-old son Antonovich suddenly shouted.

"Uncle Lakin, please take me with you, I also want to fight for the empire!"

Milchuk turned around and saw his wife Snilova and their four children standing at the top of the stairs.

"Nonsense! You are not an adult yet, you should be studying in school-"

Milchuk remembered mid-sentence that the school in Voznesensk had been closed.

Moreover, school closures were not carried out spontaneously, but by order of workers' councils.

"It's not nonsense at all, you are the ones who are fooling around. Now you have made Voznesensk a mess. Workers are not working, students are not going to class, farmers are not farming, and without the food sent by Lakin, we would have starved to death long ago. "Although I am a woman, I also know that without the empire, there would be no life for us. If Grand Duke Yuriev wants a woman, I will also fight for the empire!"

In Snilova's blood, the traditional strength and toughness of Russian women are awakening.

(End of this chapter)