Struggle in Russia

No one is suitable.

This is actually what everyone in the imperial study is thinking.

It is true that everyone whom Nicholas I trusted was too old and useless.

But now those who are good at fighting are "too" young and are not trusted by Nicholas I.

What's more, these young generals who are good at fighting, such as Baryatinsky, may not be sure that they can withstand the heavy pressure of the British, French and Turkish coalition forces.

Naturally, no one is suitable for such a pull!

But, what Nicholas I said cannot but be answered. With the Tsar's temper, he would never give up.

Rather than having him keep it in mind, it's better to comply with his wishes!

This time Count Rostovtsev got ahead and said: "Your Majesty, I think Prince Menshikov is the most suitable candidate."

"He is experienced, loyal, brave and reliable. He is also the Minister of the Navy and is familiar with the navy. There is no one more suitable than him!"

Everyone was dumbfounded when this statement came out, because no one expected that Count Rostovtsev would recommend Menshikov. It’s not that Menshikov is particularly unsuitable, but that Count Rostovtsev recommended him a little bit. strangeness.

how to say?

Count Rostovtsev never recommends people casually. Especially when it comes to important matters such as coordinating the overall situation and commanding operations, he will not interfere indiscriminately.

Normally Xu Shu would enter Cao's camp without saying a word, but today he took the initiative to recommend Menshikov, which was strange enough.

Moreover, many people in the imperial study knew that Count Rostovtsev did not think highly of Menshikov. Moreover, the two of them have absolutely no friendship at all. Suddenly you recommend that old eunuch. What's going on?

Others found it strange, but Nicholas I was not surprised. He thought it was normal for Count Rostovtsev to recommend Menshikov, and it would be abnormal if he did not take the initiative to recommend him.

Because he has repeatedly emphasized that candidates must be mature and reliable, this excludes Baryatinsky and other young people. In other words, you can only choose from veterans.

And who among the veterans is the only one who can wield a sword and a gun? Who among them is truly reliable?

Although he didn't say it explicitly just now, the hint was already obvious. Apparently it’s only Menshikov!

Nicholas I spent a long time trying to figure it out. In fact, he just wanted someone to come forward and recommend Menshikov. Now he only trusted the old eunuch.

As expected, Count Rostovtsev stood up first. Can you tell me how unhappy he can be?

Sure enough, he is the minister he likes, he is very smart!

Nicholas I was very satisfied with Count Rostovtsev's performance. What was even more satisfactory was that the reasons he came up with were very sufficient. As the Minister of the Navy, the old eunuch was not the superior of Kornilov and others, so he was sent to coordinate the work. As for the overall situation, Kornilov probably wouldn't dare to have an opinion.

Moreover, the navy would not have any objection. On the contrary, it would be inappropriate to send an army general to Crimea, and the navy would be very unhappy.

Although Menshikov, an old guy, has stretched his crotch a bit in the war, he is the best candidate to balance the forces in all aspects, not to mention that there are Kornilov and Nakhimov in Crimea. Nicholas I is still trustworthy, and there will be no problem with his ability.

According to his idea, let Menshikov take the lead, and then let Kornilov and Nakhimov assist. Crimea should be considered safe.

Is it safe?

Count Rostovtsev did not think it would be safe, because although Menshikov was the Navy Minister, his level as a Navy Minister was in a mess, and he was not recognized by knowledgeable people in the navy.

People like Kornilov and Nakhimov actually didn't like him, so sending Menshikov there could only be said to sound good in name, but in fact it might have the opposite effect.

Moreover, Count Rostovtsev knew the old eunuch very well. He looked like a pet dog raised by Nicholas I, even if you looked at him normally. But this old guy is very obsessed with fighting for power. He failed to get things done when he went to Istanbul before, and then the war broke out. Although he, the Minister of the Navy, had a high status, he could only sit aside and idle.

You want to say that he has no anger in his heart, do you believe it?

With his character, he must try every means to prove himself, probably holding his breath to win a battle, so that Paskovich, Duke Mikhail and the like can see that Menshikov is not a loser!

Just imagine, what would such a Menshikov do after gaining command? I'm afraid he will hold back his energy and want to fight to the death with the British, French and Turkish coalition forces, right?

In this case, the question arises, is it really okay for Menshikov to do this?

Can he really defeat the coalition forces with his level and strength?

If something goes wrong, wouldn't it be dangerous?

Hey, Count Rostovtsev is just looking forward to danger, or rather looking forward to Menshikov's defeat.

Just imagine, if Menshikov had not failed, how would he have greatly weakened the strength of the conservatives, and how would he have damaged the prestige and confidence of Nicholas I?

Count Rostovtsev calculated very clearly that holding the Danube defense line at Duke Mikhail's level should not be a big problem. With the level of heavy military confrontation there, it will not be easy for Britain and France to open up the situation.

Moreover, after listening to Duke Mikhail's battle report, he was preparing to build fortifications on a large scale, almost turning Wallachia into a fortress group.

This makes it even more impossible for the coalition forces to break through the defense line and severely injure the Russian army.

On the contrary, there are many variables in Sevastopol. First of all, Kornilov has insufficient troops. Thanks to Paskovich, the Black Sea Fleet's naval infantry has suffered relatively large losses, and the coalition's strength advantage is relatively large. Mistakes can cause problems.

If Menshikov, the troublemaker, were to take command of the overall situation at this time, think about how he would mess with it. It would probably be a disastrous defeat. As long as Stopol outside the Great Wall fell, Nicholas I would be desperate to save face. The character must have been severely damaged.

At that time, Britain and France must have become increasingly unwilling to give up. Even if Nicholas I wanted to negotiate an end to the war with dignity, it would be impossible.

Nicholas I could either hold on to the end, or he could only break his unbeaten streak since he ascended the throne with a humiliating defeat.

As long as he loses, Russia's conservative forces will inevitably be severely damaged. As long as he tries to sow discord, it is not a dream to reverse the balance of power between Russia's conservatives and reformists in one fell swoop.

Everyone in the royal study, including Nicholas I, probably did not expect that Count Rostovtsev had such a plan. Even the always shrewd Count Uvarov did not expect that he would have endless regrets at this moment!

He regretted that he was half a beat too late and allowed Count Rostovtsev to get ahead of him. If he could recommend Menshikov first, it would surely change Nicholas I's bad impression of him...