Struggle in Russia

After thinking about it for a long time, Li Xiao still didn't know what to do. Intelligence work not only requires analytical skills, but also requires massive intelligence to support it. After all, if you sit at home and daydream, you can guess other people's thoughts. Apart from novels, there are such weirdos. Generally does not exist in reality.

Now that the situation was unclear and continuing to think blindly would not solve any problem, Li Xiao simply gave up and ordered his spies to step up surveillance before going out to look for Alexei.

Alexei was much more relaxed than a busy man like him. After returning to St. Petersburg, he spent most of his time socializing with friends, either attending salons or attending dances. That was called having fun.

Of course, he is not just playing around, and he is not a person who likes to play. He attends these salons and dances mainly to connect with each other.

Not to mention, although Alexei is not a good dancer, the friends he has made are all pretty good. Most of them are supporters or sympathizers of the reformists, and a few are decent people like Leonid.

"Kanditantin Pobedonostsev?" A tall, strong man with sideburns and beard who looked like he had more than four faces interjected in a loud voice, "I saw him going to Crown Prince Nikolai today. Over there, it seems that the crown prince summoned him!"

Li Xiao looked at this strong man. He really didn't know this man. Alexey quickly introduced: "This is Vasily Konstantinovich Repnin, who is currently the Crown Prince Nicholas." Attendant to the military attaché.”

Li Xiao thought to himself, thinking that this was another princeling. It's just that today's Prince Nicholas is only a teenager. Is this four-year-old military attache too old?

Alexei saw the doubts in Li Xiao's heart and laughed loudly: "Vasily is just twenty years old, and he just looks older!"...

Vasily Konstantinovich touched his chin and laughed self-deprecatingly: "Many people don't believe that I am only twenty years old. Last time the Crown Prince asked His Majesty why he sent an uncle to him as a military attache..."

Li Xiao followed and smiled. This person's personality is quite likable. After all, people who can laugh at themselves are not too difficult to deal with. However, based on his understanding of Alexander II, it is unlikely that he will treat a reformist's sympathies. He placed his supporters or supporters next to the crown prince, and historically his education to Crown Prince Nicholas was considered very strict, which shows that he had great expectations for his son, which made it even less likely that he would be exposed to free thought.

He looked at Alexei and winked, and the latter also blinked and told him to calm down. This issue will be explained later. Li Xiao then continued: "You just said that the crown prince summoned Kanditantin. Pobedonostsev? As far as I know the crown prince is still too young, who would he summon suddenly?"

Vasily Konstantinovich shrugged and said: "Who says it's not the case? When the Crown Prince sent me to invite Kanditantin Pobedonostsev, I was still wondering, even though that person was from the Crown Prince's family. He is a teacher, but his relationship with the crown prince is not close. Most of the time, he is just busy with his own work, that is, he occasionally takes time to teach the crown prince. "

Hearing this, Li Xiao was even more puzzled. Obviously, it was extremely abnormal for the Crown Prince to suddenly summon Kanditantin Pobedonostsev. It was very possible that this was not Crown Prince Nikolai's own behavior, but someone else's. Some people asked the crown prince to invite Kanditantin Pobedonostsev into the Winter Palace to discuss some secret matters!

Thinking of this, Li Xiao asked: "Really? Then this is really strange...Dear Vasily Konstantinovich, has the Crown Prince behaved strangely recently?"

Vasily Konstantinovich touched his forehead, and after recalling for a while, he replied: "Not really. The Crown Prince is very self-disciplined in his daily life, and His Majesty is also very strict in his discipline. He is a good young man... Oh, By the way, yesterday the Minister of Palace Affairs seemed to have specially met with him. After they finished talking, the Crown Prince told me to invite Kanditantin Pobedonostsev the next day..."

I see! After working on it for a long time, it turned out that it was the father and son who were making a fool of themselves!

Li Xiao immediately understood everything. Based on the information he had obtained, the Adlerbergs had been pursuing Duke Dolgoruky's idea and had negotiated the terms twice. Although it was unclear whether they had reached an agreement, Old Adlerberg would never ask the crown prince to help invite Kanditantin Pobedonostsev for no reason. He must have taken the opportunity to help negotiate peace.

Thinking of this, he quickly asked: "Is the minister of palace affairs at the crown prince's place today?"

"Yes, it seems that the Queen Mother took him to see the Crown Prince..."

Li Xiao chuckled in his heart, the relationship between the empress dowager and old Adlerberg was still so close! Speaking of which, old Adlerberg's move was really beautiful. If Alexei hadn't had a friend like Vasily Konstantinovich, who would have known the old fox's little moves?

And even if the old fox did not reach an agreement with Kanditantin Pobedonostsev, the problem would not be big. At least the news would not leak out, and at least Count Uvarov would not suspect that the old fox was up to something.

As for whether Pobedonostsev would give old Adlerberg this face, Li Xiao was inclined to give it. After all, the man was under a lot of pressure right now and he shouldn't be that ignorant. Moreover, the Empress Dowager must be given some face.

So Duke Dolgoruky should be able to pass the test smoothly soon, but I don’t know what benefits the old fox and his son extorted from that person. Based on Li Xiao’s understanding of them, I’m afraid the blackmail this time will not be too serious. light.

Because from various signs, Count Uvarov's group has already shown signs of being scattered, and backbones like Chernyshev and old Adlerberg are making preparations in advance.

When Li Xiao was thinking about how to deal with this latest information, Vasily Konstantinovich suddenly asked: "You are so concerned about Kanditantin Pobedonostsev's movements. What's wrong with this guy?" OK, will it threaten reform?"

Li Xiao was stunned because this person's question was too direct. People who don't have a certain level of concern about such an important and serious matter would generally not talk about it, let alone talk about it face to face in public.

This made him very hesitant. When he was considering whether to find an excuse to deal with it, Alexey said: "Andrei, Vasily is a good friend of mine and a staunch supporter of reform. There is no need to hide from him. You can speak openly!"

Li Xiao nodded, secretly wondering while explaining the ins and outs of the matter to Vasily Konstantinovich. Because Alexei rarely guarantees people so directly, is this Vasily Konstantinovich so important?