I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 1173 Russia's Historical Cycle

Zubov quickly bowed to Count Ostermann:
What exactly made you so angry?

The latter waved his hands vigorously, but his voice became quieter:
"His Majesty the Emperor has just decided to negotiate with the Persians on the distribution of the Transcaucasus in exchange for their continued support of the expedition to India."

Zubov's face darkened, and he hurriedly asked again:

"Have you persuaded His Majesty?"

"Of course! Count Kutaisov and General Arakcheev both tried to persuade His Majesty, but to no avail, and some were even whipped as a result."

Zubov and Balek exchanged glances, hesitated for a few seconds, and then turned and walked out of the palace.

Kutaisov was a confidant of the Tsar—if even his words were ineffective, then there was no point in even trying, given that they were disliked by the Tsar.

1797 10 Month 26 Day.

A Russian envoy arrived in Ganja and began negotiations with Abbas Mirza, the Persian crown prince. At this time, nearly four months had passed since the siege of Tbilisi, and the city was running low on supplies and could fall at any moment.

……

In a hunting ground on the southern outskirts of St. Petersburg, servants and hunting dogs chased after a herd of deer. The shouts and barking soon faded into the distance.

Count Palen, Governor-General of St. Petersburg and head of the secret police, looked at the slightly overweight, thinning-haired young man beside him and said in a low voice:

"Your Highness, you have probably already heard that His Highness the Prince of Württemberg will arrive in St. Petersburg next week."

Crown Prince Alexander Pavlovich stared at him and nodded nervously:
"Yes, I've heard. Is there anything special you want to tell me?"

"Your Highness, I have received reliable information that His Majesty the Emperor attaches great importance to Prince Eugene."

"That's not surprising. He is indeed very talented."

Prince Eugene of Württemberg is the 10-year-old nephew of Empress Maria Fedorovna.

Count Palen looked around and said solemnly:
"Your Highness, I must tell you the truth. His Majesty the Emperor has decided to marry Princess Catherine to him."

He paused for a moment, then emphasized:

"After that... Prince Eugene will be appointed as the new crown prince!"

Alexander's eyes widened instantly, and he exclaimed:
"This is impossible! Why would Father..."

“Because you grew up with Her Majesty Catherine II,” Count Palen said. “As you know, Her Majesty was very hostile to everything about your grandmother. You were implicated as well.”

"Especially since Her Majesty Catherine II decided to pass the throne directly to you, this has made His Majesty the Emperor even more resentful."

"How could Father do such a thing?!"

“He can, Your Highness,” Count Palen said in a deep voice, “because he is the Tsar and possesses supreme power.”

"You're lying to me, this isn't true!"

"You must trust my intelligence network, Your Highness. I am absolutely certain."

Alexander stared in horror at the stag being driven into a corner by the hunting dogs in the distance, and it took him a long time before he turned his head away, trembling.

"I...I don't want to be deposed...What should I do?"

“In fact, everyone knows that you are the Tsar chosen by Her Majesty Catherine II,” Count Palen said earnestly. “You are brave and wise, and you are God’s hope for Russia.”

"From marshals to soldiers, from landlords to serfs, everyone is looking forward to the day you are crowned."

"But His Majesty the Emperor made a wrong decision."

"The only way to correct this mistake is to force him to step down early!"

Alexander seemed startled and waved his hands repeatedly:
“No, how can that be?” said Count Palen.
"Please believe me, Your Highness, all of Russia wants this."

"In fact, I have already discussed this with Count Zubov, General Bennigsen, Duke Yashvili, General Algamakov, and others."

"We will help you complete this operation, just as General Orlov supported Her Majesty Catherine II back then!"

Alexander's pupils contracted slightly, and he immediately turned his horse around and galloped away, leaving behind only the words:
"You decide what to do. I didn't hear anything."

That afternoon.

Count Palen's secret villa in the southern suburbs of St. Petersburg housed more than a dozen high-ranking ministers and military officers.

“Our emperor is throwing the last bit of money from the national treasury into Afghanistan. It’s destined to yield nothing,” a general complained.

Zubov immediately chimed in, "Not just the national treasury, but also our own coffers. I've already donated 1 rubles at His Majesty's request, and yesterday the court sent someone to say they need another 6..."

"I was also forced to donate 15,000..."

"I donated 3!"

The Duke of Ashvili said, "I have heard that His Majesty is preparing to hand over all the land south of Tbilisi to the Persians."

“Oh God!” Valerian Zubov roared, slamming his fist on the table. “That was bought with the lives of our soldiers!”

"He has no right to do that!"

"Yes, this is treason!"

After a period of heart-wrenching grief, the burly Nikolai Zubov, Zubov's elder brother, downed a large glass of wine, then suddenly lifted his shirt, revealing a hideous scar on his back:
"That damned man! I only had a few drinks because of the humiliation I suffered in the Caucasus, and he had me whipped 10 times!"

The room fell silent instantly. After all, calling the Tsar "damn it" was a serious crime.

Prince Ashvili, however, stood up and unbuttoned his coat as well:
"Look, that guy almost broke my ribs!"

Almost everyone present had been physically punished by Paul I, and they all showed off their wounds. The way they addressed the Tsar changed from "damned" to "bastard."

After drinking his third shot of vodka, Nikolai Zubov wiped his mouth and exclaimed:

"I really want to give that idiot a good beating!"

"Yes, I do too!"

"And I!"

Count Palen suddenly shouted:
"Then do it!"

More than a dozen people immediately looked at him.

“His Highness has agreed.” Count Palen’s lips curled into a cold smile. “We will make that damned fellow sign the abdication edict, and then we will enthrone the crown prince.”

The Duke of Ashvili exclaimed:
"Are you... serious?"

"Of course. Are you scared?"

“I’m not afraid! This is a right granted to us by Peter the Great!” Prince Yashvili said, his neck stiff. “I’m just worried about whether it will succeed.”

In Russia's history of nearly a century, Peter I, Elizabeth I, and Catherine II all came to power through coups. Now, it was their turn to help Alexander the Great ascend to the throne.

Count Palen smiled and said:
"General Argamakov and General Sablukov will help us."

Argamakov was Paul I's chief of staff, while Sablukov was the commander of the royal guard.

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(End of this chapter)