The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1389: Chapter 205: The Highest ’Etiquette’ of the Tsarist Court

The grandeur of the Winter Palace lies not only in its external decorations but also in its exquisite interior design.

Arthur’s boots struck the marble floor, polished like a mirror, with vibrant colors and gold-outlined patterns glinting like gemstones in the sunlight. Looking down, he saw the brilliance of the golden chandeliers hanging high on the dome; looking up, he saw the seemingly endless corridor of the Winter Palace, covered with luxurious velvet carpets, flanked by court guards in immaculate ceremonial uniforms.

Their meticulously ironed deep green uniforms, edged with gold thread at the collars and cuffs, bore the imperial insignia shining on their chests. From the style of their uniforms, it was clear that all the court guards hailed from Russia’s pride—the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment.

This guard unit, founded in 1683 by Peter the Great, was initially composed of Peter the Great’s childhood playmates from the village of Puleobrazhenskoye. As he embarked on his reforms, the regiment naturally evolved into a proving ground for Peter the Great’s military reforms, becoming the Tsar’s direct guard unit.

Peter the Great’s reforms quickly proved effective; the childhood companions of Peter achieved numerous feats during the Northern War between Russia and Sweden. In the Battle of Poltava, leveraging solid fortifications and tenacious fighting spirit, they successfully thwarted an attack by a Swedish main force twice their size, laying a decisive foundation for Russia’s ultimate victory.

Moreover, as the most trusted unit of Peter the Great, the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment was also tasked with eliminating dissidents and combating political enemies.

This tradition was retained after Peter the Great’s death. In 1762, the regiment’s commander, Grigory Orlov, and his soldiers swore allegiance to Catherine the Great, escorting her to Saint Petersburg, swiftly seizing key locations in the capital, and overthrowing her husband, Peter III.

Throughout the 18th century, during numerous palace coups, the presence of this unit was ubiquitous. Its unwavering stand amid the political upheavals of Russia solidified the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment’s crucial status within the Russian military.

But as the saying goes, ”He who walks by the river frequently eventually gets his shoes wet.”

In 1825, some officers of the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment got involved in the Decembrist Revolt. After the failed uprising, although Tsar Nicholas I refrained from directly disbanding the regiment due to its historical and significant status, the multifaceted roles of the Preobrazhensky Guards were separated by the Tsar in the name of reform.

The Preobrazhensky Office, responsible for monitoring and punishing dissidents for the Tsar, was integrated into the newly established Third Bureau. The previously all-powerful ”Emperor’s Own”—Russia’s ”Yenicheri”—was now left with only military and ceremonial functions.

However, Arthur felt that they had little to complain about, as their fate was undoubtedly better than that of the Yenicheri of the actual Ottoman Empire.

It must be noted that the Yenicheri, who revolted against reforms eight years ago, were entirely exterminated by Sultan Mahmud II, with even their unit designation being permanently abolished.

Of course, the Tsar was more merciful than the Sultan, perhaps also because the Preobrazhensky Guards’ record was not as ”illustrious” as that of the Yenicheri.

After all, in the history of the Ottoman Empire, the Yenicheri participated in 25 revolts, seven of which resulted in the deposition of a Sultan. Three Sultans, verifiably, died at their hands.

Although Mahmud II, through meticulous planning, orchestrated the ”Auspicious Incident,” using entrapment to lure the Yenicheri into open revolt, this approach was indeed unscrupulous.

Nevertheless, as soon as the Sultan baited them, the Yenicheri readily took the bait, which sufficiently illustrated the extent of lawlessness this imperial guard unit, once renowned for its bravery for the Ottoman Empire, had reached.

Arthur’s boots landed on the carpet, and the crisp sound of his footsteps echoed in the corridor. As the members of the mission approached, two guards quickly moved to the sides of the large doors, turning to face the visitors with precision. Their movements, like finely calculated mechanisms, were smooth and without the slightest hesitation.

The guards raised the ceremonial swords in their hands high into the air, then lowered them simultaneously, tracing a dazzling arc of metallic light.

Each pair of splendid silver and gold-inlaid double doors opened slowly like a row of dominos.

The golden decorations gleamed even brighter in the refracted sunlight, with two guards stationed behind each door.

They stood tall on either side of the door frame, eyes staring straight ahead, but when the Earl of Dalmo and Arthur stepped over the threshold, their heads rotated slightly, their chins lifted mechanically to a precise angle of 120 degrees with the red carpet, bodies leaning forward, hands raised in salute, their gaze following the mission’s steps like the hands of a clock.

Every time Arthur passed through a door, this sequence repeated, and the guards’ perfectly coordinated movements underscored the solemn and grand atmosphere.

Every few steps, a towering Corinthian marble column could be seen standing, its shaft inlaid with green malachite and precious red jasper, showcasing the wealth and power of the Russian Empire.

As if pre-arranged, the booming of ceremonial cannon fire sounded appropriately from outside the Winter Palace.