I'm playing whack-a-mole in Siberia

Chapter 498 God’s Will
Not long after George fell asleep, he was awakened by Daniela. The Tsarskoye Selo was besieged by retired soldiers. Fortunately, a guards troop that was conducting routine exercises near the Tsarskoye Selo came to reinforce him in time, thus avoiding more serious consequences.

Although the consequences are not serious, their nature is extremely bad.

George drove to Tsarskoye Selo overnight. When he arrived at Tsarskoye Selo, the Guards had blocked all the roads leading to Tsarskoye Selo. Nicholas Jr. and Stolypin arrived earlier than George.

Nicholas was very depressed. He didn't expect the situation to have deteriorated to this extent.

During the Russo-Japanese War, although the navy rebelled many times, the army remained generally stable, which was Nicholas' greatest comfort.

Now the veterans were also beginning to rebel, which made Nicholas very worried.

Fortunately, the active military personnel are still loyal to Nicholas.

If active military personnel also begin to oppose Nicholas that day, then Nicholas should prepare to abdicate.

"The situation is not serious, less than 100 people died, the police are already investigating, it may just be an accident."

Little Nicholas did not take it seriously. Such small-scale rebellions happened almost every day in the empire. It was only special because it happened in Tsarskoye Selo.

George looked at Stolypin.

Stolypin had a serious expression on his face. He was the Minister of the Interior and all police in the empire were under his jurisdiction.

"There is no doubt that this was mutiny and all those involved must face justice."

Stolypin showed no mercy to the rebels.

Between 1825 and 1905, a full 80 years, only 625 political prisoners were sentenced to death in the Russian Empire, of whom only 191 were executed.

In the first three months of Stolypin's tenure as Interior Minister, as many as 4.5 political prisoners were exiled in the Russian Empire alone, and more than 3000 were sentenced to death.

"Who is the mastermind behind this?"

George is not taking advantage of the situation. Since he is in charge of military reform, George also has responsibilities.

"We'll have to investigate to find out—"

Stolypin was cautious and did not want to expand.

As the Interior Minister, Stolypin was aware of many things, but there was nothing he could do.

Even if there was a mastermind behind this incident, it would most likely not be found, as the opponent was very cunning and would not let Stolypin find evidence.

"Is there any doubt about that? It must be those damned Social Democratic Labour Party!"

Little Nicholas was still naive and didn't realize George's purpose at all.

The Social Democratic Labor Party had been dissolved, and even the State Duma members had been exiled to Siberia, so they had no ability to attack Tsarskoye Selo.

Even if there is, if George says it's not, then it's not.

Stolypin looked at George with a complicated look.

"George, what news do you have?"

Nicholas was exhausted.

"not yet."

George knew nothing.

Even if he knew something, George would not tell Nicholas.

Knowing that the veterans were going to attack Tsarskoye Selo, you not only didn't try to appease the veterans, but also didn't remind Nicholas. What did you want to do?
If Stolypin found out any information, he would definitely report it to Nikolai, and it would not be too late to take advantage of it then.

Stolypin was very efficient and quickly investigated the causes and consequences of the night attack on Tsarskoye Selo.

George's main concern is the kind-hearted people who provide food to veterans.

After reading Stolypin's investigation report, George realized that it was no wonder that Stolypin was cautious. This matter involved too many people. Not only kind-hearted people in St. Petersburg, but also the charitable foundation established by Catherine and Anne were involved.

George believes that Ekaterina and Anne's foundation provides assistance to veterans purely out of sympathy for them.

The problem was how to make Nicholas believe it. Now George really understood what it meant to have an open conspiracy without a solution.

Seeing the veterans suffering from hunger and cold around St. Petersburg, we couldn't just watch them starve to death or freeze to death.

But as long as we provide them with help, it may be interpreted by someone with ulterior motives as having ill intentions.

Nicholas still trusted George very much, and was not surprised at all after receiving Stolypin's report.

"See, George, this is what's going on now. Who can I trust?"

Nicholas was very sad. He thought he had worked hard for the empire, but he never expected that he would be deserted by his friends and relatives.

Just looking at the list, it is indeed shocking, almost all the archdukes are involved.

George looked at the list and his eyes stopped on the names of Grand Duke Vladimir and his wife.

This person is not dead yet?

Not only is he not dead, he is alive and well.

"I have received many reports of corruption during Valodia's tenure as Navy Minister. Some of them have irrefutable evidence, amounting to at least 500 million rubles."

George's target was not Vladimir, but he hoped to attract Nicholas' attention through Vladimir.

Although Vladimir was not dead yet, he was almost as good as dead. He was completely marginalized and had no ability to pose a threat to George.

George's real target is still Alexei.

If Nicholas wants to investigate the Navy Ministry, then Alexei, the current Navy Minister, will be in trouble.

"Uncle Valodia - what can you let me do?"

Nicholas did not really realize that his indecision had caused substantial damage to the empire.

A soldier's annual salary was only 30 rubles.

During Vladimir's tenure as Minister of the Navy, the amount of corruption that was proven to have occurred was as high as 500 million rubles, and this is definitely not the final figure.

"Niki, you are the Tsar and you are responsible for the entire empire."

George wishes Nikola could be tougher.

"But I am also the head of the Romanov family."

Nicholas refused to repent.

"Don't family leaders need to be clear about rewards and punishments? If Valodia is not held accountable, then others will follow suit. What should we do then?"

George didn't want to kill Vladimir, just destroy his reputation.

"And it's not a secret, almost everyone in St. Petersburg knows about it."

George was not exaggerating. The grand dukes of St. Petersburg have become so reckless that they don't care about the attitude of the people at all.

"Uncle Valoya is already seriously ill. I have agreed to let Uncle Valoya send a telegram to Kirill, asking Kirill to return to St. Petersburg—"

Nicholas probably felt that even if he did not punish Vladimir, God would intervene.

Kirill!
It was Kirill who, after the establishment of the Provisional Government, was the first to hang a red flag on his own palace to express his support for the revolution.

Kirill ultimately failed to become the Tsar, and the red flag was raised in vain.

Nicholas ordered Kirill to be expelled from the Russian Empire because he had an affair with a married woman.

This is all thanks to Alex's persistence, otherwise Nicholas would not have been so cruel.

When George heard that Kirill was going back to St. Petersburg, his first reaction was that Vladimir's illness couldn't be fake.

(End of this chapter)