The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1293: Chapter 169: Both Policemen, Yet Worlds Apart (2)

Arthur didn’t speak; instead, he raised his hand slightly, mysteriously pointing at the ceiling: “The premiere of ‘Turandot’ attracted many distinguished guests, including many who could twist my head off. Sergei, there is no exile place like Siberia in Britain, you know, when we make a mistake, we usually go to Australia. Do you want our next drink to be on a ship?”

Though Shubinsky knew this was an excuse, he really had no way to refute the reason given by the other party.

He thought it over and finally sighed, deciding to confess the truth honestly.

Although the two were from different countries, the worries of secret police were similar. Arthur didn’t want to be exiled to Australia, just as he didn’t want to go to Siberia.

Shubinsky mocked himself: “Being exiled to Australia isn’t so bad, at least you have a ship to sit on. In Russia, being exiled to Siberia not only offers no transport but also requires you to wear shackles and chains along with your entire family. What’s even worse, in most cases, all your possessions, except the clothes on your back, would be confiscated.”

Shubinsky took a swig from the bottle, leaning against the bar while rubbing his hair: “Alright, since we’re friends, I won’t hide it from you. I’m here in Leipzig not for a vacation, but to play a cat-and-mouse game, tracking some students on a surveillance list. We suspect their departure is to make contact with Polish restorationists.”

Seeing Shubinsky like this, Arthur comforted him: “Is it really necessary? As you said before, what waves can a few students stir? If they’re determined to do something foolish, they’ll only bury themselves in the end.”

“Artie, you don’t understand! You Brits have a constitutional government, but in Russia, it’s all determined by His Majesty the Tsar!”

Perhaps due to immense work pressure or the fear of being exiled to Siberia, the tower-like Shubinsky couldn’t help but cover his face and weep deeply: “If there’s no progress on my side, but some rivals discover something first… If this reaches Count Benkendorf and His Majesty the Tsar, do you know what could happen?”

Shubinsky grabbed Arthur’s shoulders and shook him violently: “I might end up being branded as an accomplice of the students! This sort of thing isn’t unprecedented in the Third Bureau!”

Bismarck was startled by Shubinsky’s sudden outburst, and the young Prussian stammered: “Is it… Is it really that serious?”

Shubinsky turned his head to Bismarck, admonishing word by word: “Young man, you’re still young, so I forgive you. You don’t have enough experience to understand what’s involved here. If you ever get the chance to go to Russia and become an official serving the Tsar like me, be careful! Every step forward you take will have a hundred people! A thousand people! They’re all eyeing the place under your butt. They’re like maggots in the sewer, waiting for you to make a mistake to stomp you down and take your place! Also, in Russia, making a single mistake implicates not just you but your entire family. If your luck is bad, several generations might not recover! The road leaving Moscow and St. Petersburg has always been smooth, but to come back, you have to cross the Ural Mountains, paddle through the Don River and Volga River, and walk a long, long way in the snowfield wearing only thin clothes!”

At this point, Shubinsky seemed to remember something sad; he sighed and continued: “I have a friend whose father was arrested for political betrayal during the time of Paul I. Their family was first imprisoned in Schlusselburg, then exiled to Siberia for permanent residence. Fortunately, the new Emperor showed mercy upon ascension, with the Holy King pardoning thousands of those exiled by his father.

The family lived a hard life in Siberia, lacking clothes and food. The three sisters shared only one pair of shoes, so they only wore them when going out to avoid showing their poverty. Fortunately, the family’s spirit was resilient, and they eventually got through that difficult time. When they received the pardon, it was winter, and the whole family, without coats or money, had to set out from Tobolsk Province, which was no easy task!

On the other hand, they were eager to fly back instantly, because staying there after the exile period was even more unbearable. A local peasant woman fed their baby during the mother’s illness. When she learned they were going back to Moscow, she offered the few coins she had saved for their travel expenses, only asking to go along.

Luckily, the local post official treated them well, allowing them to ride for free to the border. The family rode partly and walked partly, with young people taking turns walking. In this way, they crossed the icy lands and the Ural Mountains, arriving in Moscow. Moscow was their desired place, their hope, but what awaited them there was hunger.

Do you know why this happened? Because although the government pardoned them, they didn’t return their property. What was worse, the years of hard living and long journey had brought down the family’s mainstay with illness, and in Moscow, they lived from hand to mouth. Just then, Emperor Nicholas I’s enthronement ceremony was taking place, so the family’s two daughters secretly wrote a petition, intending to blend into the parade and hand it to the Emperor when he descended the red steps of the Kremlin.”