The Shadow of Great Britain

Capítulo 1484: Chapter 241: The Emperor’s Ministers Are Unshadowed, Their Simplicity Is in the Emperor’s Heart

I am the Emperor, but, oh God! At what cost have I attained this emperorship? It is at the expense of my people’s blood.

—December 14, 1826, Tsar Nicholas I wrote in his diary that night.

When viewed from a human perspective, Tsar Nicholas I, who was despised by the European Liberals, is actually a saint-like figure.

His religious faith is firm; he is a devout Eastern Orthodox believer, strictly adhering to Orthodox rituals, highly self-disciplined, and never misses a religious event.

He never smokes and dislikes those around him who do. He never drinks hard liquor, insists on walking and exercising daily. His routine is regular, and he abhors procrastination; his schedule can even be precise to the minute.

Besides, this Tsar is also a person of extraordinary memory and diligence; even a renowned figure like Sir Arthur Hastings of Scotland Yard wouldn’t dare boast of his industriousness before the Tsar.

After all, even in Arthur’s hardest times, he could not, like the Tsar, work 16 to 18 hours every day for 365 days a year.

Furthermore, this ruler of the Russian Empire prevails in strict discipline, repeatedly emphasizing law and order, frequently inspecting the military, educational institutions, and state offices, making comments on local work, pointing out shortcomings, and providing suggestions for improvement during each inspection.

Even in the selection and appointment of talents, Tsar Nicholas I could be said to have an excellent eye for talent.

Whether it was appointing Bendendorf as the head of the Third Bureau, or recalling the famous jurist reformer Speransky from Siberian exile to serve as chairman of the Imperial Office to compile the Russian Empire Legal Code, or transferring Second Army Group Chief of Staff Kiselyov to the position of Minister of State Lands, resolutely pushing the theorist of ‘official nationality’ Uvarov to the position of Minister of National Education against much opposition…

If one does not pre-assume a position, every one of these courtiers favored by the Tsar is worthy of the reputation of being ‘competently steadfast’.

Even Pushkin, whom the Tsar privately commented as “a leader of liberal elements,” was properly arranged in the position of a court attendant by him.

To be fair, from the perspective of personal qualities, Tsar Nicholas I as a monarch is nearly perfect.

Decisive, singular in goal, with an iron will, a strong sense of responsibility and mission, he is capable of fulfilling his duties.

In terms of both character and his handsome yet dignified appearance, Nicholas I, Russia’s patriarch, is a near-perfect absolute monarch.

However, this perfect ruler also possesses many unbearable shortcomings.

Perhaps saying it this way is inaccurate because, in fact, these shortcomings can only be regarded as weaknesses within political circles.

Straightforward in speech, meticulous in planning, and precise in wording meant he was not favored by diplomats.

Being too straightforward, too thorough in planning, and overly precise in language makes poor diplomacy, as entering the international stage with such an approach equals going all-in with one’s hand, and if changes arise, it leaves little room for retreat.

A dislike of deliberation, consultation, or procedural delays dramatically weakened the role of the Ministerial Council, National Council, and Council of State and favored bypassing conquered institutions to instead efficiently realize his intentions through Special Committees, Political Groups, and the directly and absolutely controlled Imperial Office under his command.

While these actions maximized policy implementation efficiency and allowed him to grasp all powers at his hand, power that prior Tsars never enjoyed, it also provoked the resistance and frustration among Russia’s upper nobility and bureaucracy.

As for middle and lower bureaucrats, seeing their lack of opportunity to seize power, they contented themselves by lining their pockets, leading to even more extreme corruption and chaos than before.

Such sentiments were notably pronounced in Moscow, Russia’s former capital.

In Moscow, the nobility indulged in debauchery and lacked willpower. This group, having lived through the eras of Catherine and Alexander, was indignant at the Tsar’s minimal concern for them, so when they discovered the Emperor was pursuing the young Duchess Dolgoruky, they couldn’t help but complain — pursuing Sashenka Bulgakov’s daughter! What a wench!

Arthur did not empathize with the feelings of the Muscovite nobility, but he clearly understood why Baron Dantes advised him to stay away from the young Duchess.

He had no interest in competing with the Tsar for a woman, though the Duchess was indeed lovely and charming, but, instead of engaging with a noble lady, he preferred visiting the Caucasus or Georgia to see if the country girls there were as enchanting as Pushkin described.

When he stepped into the St. George Hall of the Kremlin, twelve crystal chandeliers flickered.

The draft, carrying ice chips across the enameled tiles, caused the exquisite ceramic tableware on the thirty-meter-long oak table to shimmer in the shadows.

Tsar Nicholas I’s silhouette appeared behind the Malachite columns, and the silver emblems on the bear-fur caps of the Imperial Guard gleamed like a pack of wolves’ eyes.

In such circumstances, dining with the Tsar was surely not a comfortable experience, and Arthur’s mouth twitched slightly.

“Is Sir Arthur sensitive to the light?” the Tsar’s voice sounded from beneath the ceiling fresco ‘The Last Judgement’: “Remove all the ice mirrors brought from Siberia.”