Chapter 737: The Death of the Great Emperor
Chapter 720 – The Death of the Great Emperor
While the Prussian-Russian negotiations were in a state of anxiety, another thing that affected the political landscape of Europe happened.
On May 15, 1881, Alexander II was assassinated in St. Petersburg. The time and place had changed, but not the ending.
It wasn’t that Franz’s butterfly effect wasn’t powerful enough, the point was that Alexander II made a fool of himself, hanging around knowing that he had offended so many people.
A few years earlier, Alexander II had been honored by the media as the “King of Assassinations” with a triple-digit number of assassinations.
Alexander II was assassinated every three days, perhaps because of the experience, Alexander II has become accustomed to this kind of life, still I do what I want to do, often appear in public.
Walking at night too much, eventually encountered ghosts. It was not easy to win the war, but before he had the chance to pick the fruits of victory, Alexander II had to regretfully leave this world.
Alexander II died, but the assassination case was not yet over. The Tsarist government was slow to give a clear answer to the question of the murderer.
The assassin’s apparent identity was a member of the Pope’s Party, a claim which, regardless of whether others believed it or not, Franz would never believe.
Being able to survive hundreds of assassinations unscathed, Alexander II’s security was decidedly not bad. Under normal circumstances, a stranger approaching would definitely be intercepted by the guards.
Letting an assassin rush to within a few dozen meters to drop a bomb, are the guards all shit-eaters?
To be able to tune out the guards and create an opportunity for an assassination, there was clearly someone from the inside involved, even the Emperor’s close confidants.
Which side was involved was beyond Franz’s ability to determine. Alexander II’s reforms offended too many people, and many high families were lost because of them.
As far as Franz knew, Alexander II was already preparing for a new round of reforms after the war to change the Russian Empire from its roots.
Undoubtedly, this was going to touch the cheese of vested interests again, and it was understandable that it would be met with a backlash.
Even those who were originally in favor of the reforms stood on the opposite side at this time because it infringed on their own interests.
The victory on the battlefield, while bringing prestige to Alexander II, also pushed him to hell. Vested interests were reluctant to continue the reforms, and a tsar with high prestige and a penchant for reform became a stumbling block for everyone.
Regardless of the reason, “regicide” was the last thing rulers would tolerate, and Franz, as a member of the vested interests, was no exception.
“What did the Russians say? Have they identified the murderer?”
Foreign Minister Weissenberg shook his head, “Not yet. All evidence now points to the Russian People’s Will Party, though Crown Prince Alexandrovich refuses to accept the result and is holding it hostage by refusing to succeed the throne.
Now the Tsar’s government is also in turmoil internally, and many suspect the conservatives of doing it, with both sides fighting very hard.
According to the information gathered by the embassy, there are still a lot of doubts about the assassination, for example: the chief of guards, who was responsible for the security of Alexander II, committed suicide at home on the day of the murder.
The guards of Alexander II’s carriage committed suicide in prison.
There was also the assassination of Alexander II, who did not die on the spot, but died the following day after resuscitation. There was also a traffic accident that delayed the resuscitation until doctors arrived on the scene.
……”
The father was assassinated and died, do the son’s natural can not rest in peace, Alexandrovich to track down the murderer is inevitable.
Just the investigation team is interesting, know so much suspicion, but also the murderer’s hat on the “People’s Will Party” head, this is not to doubt everyone’s IQ?
If the revolutionaries had the ability to reach out to the Tsar’s guards, they would have pulled out the flag and rebelled long ago, but still need to play with the assassination of the unskilled?
After a series of suicide is even more bullshit, there are individuals who feel guilty suicide, Franz can still understand. A large group of collective suicide, clearly is to tell everyone, this is to silence.
People dead clues will be broken, want to continue to investigate, certainly not so easy.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is keeping a close eye on the situation and will refrain from commenting for the time being. Order the police to immediately arrest the POP members operating in Austria and wait for further developments in the case.”
This is a sensitive time, and Austria must avoid suspicion. Even though no one would suspect that Austria did it, this coming together is clearly inappropriate.
The arrest of the members of the POP was Franz’s position to the outside world. Regardless of the reason, the regicide must be severely punished.
The Russian People’s Will Party was not unjustly accused; even if they had been used as a gun, Alexander II had died at their hands.
The assassin had already been arrested and confessed, directly pointing the finger at the top of the People’s Will Party, and there was no way they could wash their hands of it even if they wanted to.
The last assassination case that shocked Europe directly led to the destruction of the Kingdom of Sardinia, and the reigning Italian Charcoal Burning Party went up in smoke, and this time it is the turn of the Russian POP.
Hidden identity of the okay, exposed in the open, this time not react quickly, will be bad luck.
No matter what position, European monarchs will not tolerate the existence of “regicide”, which is a matter of principle.
This is a matter of principle. As a matter of fact, at the same time that Franz ordered the arrest of the members of the Russian Public Opinion Party, the European monarchs also issued similar orders one after another.
It did not matter whether they could be captured or not, the members of the Russian Popular Party were naturally in the Russian Empire, and only a very small number of them had gone outside.
Most of the countries did not have any Russian PPP members, and the arrests were just a gesture to show our determination to fight against this evil organization.
It was as if overnight the Russian People’s Will Party had become a street rat and had to disappear from the world, turning to lurk in the shadows.
……
The assassination and death of Alexander II was a mixed blessing for Wilhelm I.
The happy part was that Russia was in internal turmoil and did not have the energy to tangle with them, and the price the Kingdom of Prussia would have to pay in the ensuing negotiations would be greatly reduced.
Worried about the murderer is not finalized, in case of a black pot on their head, the Kingdom of Sardinia is a lesson from the past.
People assassination attempts have destroyed the country, and now Alexander II are dead, if the top of this thunder, the Russians want not to get them killed are difficult.
Nothing is impossible until the dust settles. The Berlin government was extraordinarily diligent in capturing the POP.
Not only arresting the POP, but other members of the revolutionary groups in Russia, the Berlin government also arrested them together. To show his heart, Wilhelm I also went to great lengths.
In the Berlin Palace, Wilhelm I said in a low tone, “Field Marshal, what do you mean by this?”
Looking at the resignation submitted by Mauch gave Wilhelm I an instant bad feeling.
Mauch replied bitterly, “Your Majesty, the situation has developed to this point, the Kingdom of Prussia no longer needs a marshal.
With the death of Alexander II, the Tsarist government has to be busy smoothing out its internal affairs, and the likelihood of another war breaking out is almost nil.
I’ll be in the way if I continue to stay. If I don’t leave, I’ll be thrown out. Neither the Russians, nor Hanover, want to see me stay in Prussia.”
Sometimes being too able to fight is a sin. Mauch modeled this taboo; the Tsarist government saw him as a thorn in its side, and Hanover didn’t want to see him stay and seize command of the army.
This time to take the initiative to retire, in fact, also do not want to make the Berlin government difficult. Lest because of personal reasons, leading to the situation of the Kingdom of Prussia more crisis.
William I persuaded, “But this is no need to give up everything ah, after retiring they are not going to ……”
Mauch shook his head, “George I will not be comfortable without making a complete cut. Besides, on the Russian side, we need to pay a bigger price.”
This was not Mauch being arrogant, but it was the truth. With Mauch’s flag in place, it would be difficult for Hanover to divide the Prussian army, and George I would naturally not rest.
On the Russian side, not to mention, Mauch’s splendor was all set off by their series of defeats. How would the Russians be willing not to screw him down.
If the external troubles could be solved, the internal ones were killing people. The military was bound to be suppressed after the war, and where there is suppression, there is counterattack, and the infighting in the Kingdom of Prussia was sure to intensify next.
As the leader of the military, Mauch could not avoid this strife as long as he stayed in the country. He was already old and did not have the energy to participate in the ensuing strife.
In order to avoid the ensuing trouble, Mauch simply used the defeat as an opportunity to relinquish his title of marshal, claiming to the outside world that he was disillusioned and leaving Prussia as a political whirlpool.
It seems to give up the title of marshal, but in fact it is a retreat for progress, not only eliminated the impact of the defeat to him, but also further establish his own in the eyes of the public in the bright image.
Having thought it all through, Wilhelm I didn’t keep him. It was not only Mauch the marshal who had to retire, but also he the king.
He did not abdicate now, because the dust had not yet settled. The Peace of Vienna was destined to be a humiliating treaty for the Kingdom of Prussia, and Wilhelm I was not willing to leave this political stain on his son.
Having failed to seek the kingdom, he now began to seek the body.
These things were, in fact, doomed from the beginning. The gamble was won to achieve the foundation of the empire, and the gamble was lost to remain rich.
In a sense, the only one who lost now was William I. Mauch was still considered a success.
Defeat is mainly because the strength gap between the two sides is too large, rather than the army can not fight, a general who has been winning battles, do not need to be responsible for the strength of the gap between the lost war.
After contemplating the effort for a while, William I asked with concern: “Marshal, after leaving Prussia, where are you going to go?”
Mauch shook his head, “I don’t know. I may go to travel the world, and when I am tired of walking, I will find a place to hide and then summarize my life’s experience.”
William I hesitated for a moment, as if he had made some decision, “You might consider Austria, the end of the Russo-Prussian War was just a prelude, the European continent is never peaceful.”
Mauch’s heart was shocked, William I’s proposal implied too much. Inverted is experienced a big storm, Mauch quickly reacted.
The saying that the royal family of Europe was one family was not an exaggeration at all. William I and the Austrian royal family have contact, that is normal operation, if there is no contact is a problem.
At this time, the Hohenzollern family wants to keep the throne, Austria’s support is indispensable, the two sides secretly have transactions is normal.
At this time, Mao Qi realized how hot the invitation letter he received was.
“I will consider it carefully!”
(End of chapter)