I'm playing whack-a-mole in Siberia

Chapter 205 Only the Tsar is easy to bully
  The empire nationalized the railway companies not for free, but paid according to the actual value of the railways.

There are indeed some unreasonable factors here, because most of Russia's railways were built many years ago, and the cost at that time was definitely different from the current value.

Something miraculous happened.

Most Russian private railway companies do not make money or even lose money.

But when the empire wanted to acquire their railways, the railway companies refused to sell them, or demanded a price that was simply unacceptable to the imperial treasury, which was close to blackmail.

Since the railway company does not make money.

The bosses of railway companies would rather go into debt to run their business. Aren't they all philanthropists?
  George's plan was more reasonable than the Imperial Treasury's plan.

It was indeed inappropriate to acquire the railway at the price back then.

Then buy it with the profits of the railway company and give you 20 years of profits. That will be fine!

In the words of Levi Bernstein, the annual profit of Southwestern Railway Company is only 1 rubles.

So George's request was that Levi Bernstein had better sell the Southwestern Railway Company and the railways owned by the Southwestern Railway Company to the empire for 20 rubles.

"It's impossible, it's absolutely impossible!"

Levi Bernstein yelled that he couldn't accept this plan.

"Then let's talk about South Western Railway's freight rates."

George didn't just ransack his house as soon as he came in. He wanted to settle the railway matter first and then talk about anything else.

It's cool to buy and sell by force, but it doesn't sound good when spoken out.

The Russian Empire still attaches great importance to foreign investment. If the reputation of forced buying and selling spreads, who will dare to invest in Russia?
  So Levi Bernstein had to be willing to sell the Southwestern Railway Company to the Empire.

Levi Bernstein stopped talking and refused to communicate with George.

Fighting censorship with silence, right?

Okay, since you don’t want to talk, George won’t let you.

Levi Bernstein, now a suspect, was housed with his family in a barracks at Camp Oak.

The house is now in turmoil.

Levi Bernstein and his wife had six children.

With his two lovers and two children respectively
  Levi Bernstein's wife and lover, and children were now in the same house.

You can imagine how lively this house is.

When Levi Bernstein was brought back to the house, the three women got into a fight. Levi Bernstein's two lovers were very clever and joined forces to deal with Levi Bernstein's wife.

So Levi Bernstein's three sons also joined the battlefield, and the situation was completely reversed.

The lover's children were all too small, and one of them was still a baby, and could only cry as loudly as the girls.

Levi Bernstein felt like his head was going to explode, so he yelled with all his strength: "Stop it!"

The women indeed stopped fighting and rushed towards Levi Bernstein in unison.

Levi Bernstein's expression was numb, his eyes closed and he let the women scream and yell around him without saying a word.

George and Yankov were not idle, and were taking stock of the harvest that Yankov brought back from Levi Bernstein's home in France.

"This guy is really rich. He has more than 10 rubles in cash alone, as well as bonds and gold worth 500 million rubles. The value of the jewelry is immeasurable, and there is enough to open a jewelry store."

When Yankov arrested Levi Bernstein, he ransacked Levi Bernstein's house.

What Yankov brought back were all movable properties. Levi Bernstein still had a lot of real estate in France, and there was no time to deal with it in a short time.

In the vineyards alone, Levi Bernstein has four across France.

In addition to vineyards, Levi Bernstein also owns properties in Paris and Marseille.

Levi Bernstein’s wife confessed that Levi Bernstein still had savings in Switzerland and even investments in the United States.

"You divide the cash, and the rest will be turned over to the treasury."

George is generous.

Yangkov was overjoyed. He and all the team members on the mission became rich overnight.

While Yankov was dividing the loot with the members of the mission, Vishnegradsky and Grand Priest Paul Alexandrovich were in the Gatchina Palace.

"Super Duke Yurievsky is too reckless. He will make us completely passive. We should have a plan to gradually nationalize the railways in the empire, instead of being like Super Duke Yurievsky. Send someone to France to kidnap a Frenchman and bring him back to the empire for interrogation.”

Vishnegradsky had no objection to nationalizing the railways.

But there is an objection to doing it this way.

Levi Bernstein was not only a railway tycoon, but also a financier. He had French nationality and had great influence in the French financial community.

Yankov secretly brought Levi Bernstein back to St. Petersburg without being exposed. Currently, the French government only knows that Levi Bernstein and his family are missing, but does not know that Levi Bernstein is in Russia.

"According to your plan, when will the empire nationalize all railways controlled by private railway companies?"

Nicholas took the initiative to defend George.

When the Russian imperial ministers asked them to do something, they refused.

But when others do things, their attitude towards finding faults is very positive.

George's approach was indeed reckless.

But only in this way can private railways be nationalized as quickly as possible.

If Vishnegradsky's plan is followed, it will take at least ten years to see results.

"This is not a matter of time. The impact of George's actions is too bad!"

Grand Duke Paul was very angry. His annual income from the South-West Railway Company was more than 20 rubles, which was higher than his salary.

That's why Bernstein had the confidence to say nothing. “Alfred, go find George.”

Ya San refused to listen to one side of the story and called George over to ask, and everything became clear.

Alfred is George's old friend. On the way to Gatchina, he reminded George to be careful.

"How effective is the medicinal wine?"

George knew how to deal with his bad friends.

"The effect is great. If you can get me a few more buckets, it will be even better."

Alfred was greedy and not afraid of drinking himself to death.

"Be careful, don't drink too much of that stuff."

Friendly reminder from George.

The two chatted all the way to Gatchina Palace. When George entered, Grand Duke Alexey Alexandrovich was also present.

"George, do you know what you're doing?"

Ya San's tone was not harsh, but even hopeful.

"Of course I know, everything I do is for the empire."

George first puts an amulet on himself.

"But your actions have hurt the empire. You must stop your actions immediately and release Levi Bernstein."

Archduke Paul has a sharp voice. He is the second youngest brother of Ya San. He is 27 years old this year.

"I'm arresting Levi Bernstein, why are you anxious?"

George had already expected the pressure from within the royal family, but he did not expect that the pressure would actually come from core members of the royal family.

"If you act recklessly, it will seriously affect the confidence of foreign investors and the image and honor of the empire. What do you think I am worried about?"

Archduke Paul did not like George.

After the cosmetics business started to make money, Archduke Paul also wanted to invest, but Nicholas rejected it.

The business in George's hands is indeed hateful.

Profits of millions or even tens of millions of rubles a year can be seen but not obtained. For some people, this makes them more angry than losing money in business.

"If they are legal foreign investors, of course the empire will welcome them, but this will definitely not include Levi Bernstein."

Although Levi Bernstein did not speak, the evidence in George's hands could already send many people to the gallows.

"What did he do?"

It was too late for Archduke Paul to retreat at this time, and he could only go to the dark side.

"Is this enough of tax evasion, bribery, and attempts to assassinate the Tsar?"

George still saved face for Archduke Paul and did not tell more things.

"The person is in your hands, of course you can do whatever you want."

Archduke Paul was dismissive. Putting aside everything else, Levi Bernstein had absolutely no motive for assassinating the Tsar.

"This is not what I want to say. He did do it. I have complete evidence here. Therefore, the Empire can nationalize the South Western Railway Company."

George hoped that Archduke Paul would be smarter, otherwise George would not mind revealing more things in front of the Tsar and the imperial ministers.

George must have reported these matters to the Tsar.

But it must be reported privately, and how to deal with it is the Tsar's business.

If the events of Archduke Paul and Levi Bernstein were revealed here, the Tsar would be in a very difficult position.

What Paul did had violated the laws of the Russian Empire.

If the Tsar does not deal with it, he is bending the law for personal gain.

But if the Tsar dealt with it impartially, Paul was the Tsar's biological brother.

George also hoped that the fate of Levi Bernstein would serve as a wake-up call to the railway tycoons in the Russian Empire and let them know the consequences of confronting the empire.

Since no one’s butt is clean, it cannot withstand investigation.

Then cooperate honestly, sell the railway to the empire, take the money and leave.

It doesn’t matter even if you make a loss——

No, there is no loss at all. In recent years, the cost of investing in railways has been doubled many times. How can it be possible to lose money?

"No, we must not do that!"

Archduke Paul was not as smart as George thought.

This is very Romanov.

After the fall of the Romanov dynasty, some people advised Nicholas to go into exile, but Nicholas refused.

Nikolai believes that even if he stays in Russia, he will not be harmed.

So Nikolai, his wife and children stayed in the hotel basement in Yekaterinburg forever.

"Why not?"

Ya San's expression showed no emotion or anger, and his voice was gloomy.

Another bomb was hidden in a school bag, and another special train derailed.

Why, you think the Tsar is easy to bully, right?

(End of this chapter)