Chapter 734

Nicholas I didn't care about money. From the moment he agreed to send troops to help Austria suppress the revolution, he was mentally prepared to lose money. Originally, according to his thinking, if the situation in Austria is really bad, the military expenditure on his side will be completely lost.

But what he knows now is that Schwarzenberg, under the guidance of Nesselrode, visited the docks and bribed his confidants with a lot of money, hoping that these confidants would help him persuade him to give up asking for military expenses from Austria. .

This made Nicholas I very angry, feeling that you Austria spend a lot of money and have bribes, but you are stingy at paying a dime to pay my military expenses. Is it because you are too stingy, or you treat me as an idiot, or you just don't want to give me face!

Nicholas I was so angry, he felt that Austria was doing things too unethically, and he couldn't believe every word Schwarzenberg said from the bottom of his heart.

Schwarzenberg cried poorly and miserably in front of him before, saying that Austria was like a family who couldn't get rid of the pot. But if you can't get rid of the pot, you have the money to bribe people wantonly, you are fooling ghosts!

Schwarzenberg also told him how unprofessional and anti-Austrian Duke Alexander was. At first Nicholas I believed it, but after seeing Schwarzenberg's praise, Nicholas I I feel that it is because Duke Alexander is too professional that I can't understand his behavior of Schwarzenberg, so I have tried to fight for Russia's interests again and again, otherwise I will replace the so-called "more professional" ambassador, such as Nechero Those so-called German elites recommended by Die, I am afraid that Nicholas I will be sold and help count the money!

If Schwarzenberg and Nesselrode knew that the reason why they failed to open the breakthrough was that their small actions aroused the disgust of Nicholas I, I am afraid that these two guys would not be able to cry.

But no one will tell them this, who made Count Rostovtsev and Duke Ordorf against their side.

"Their activities have been rampant recently?" Nicholas I asked sullenly.

"Yes, yesterday they visited the princes of Ordorf and Menshikov, and the prince of Ordorf refused their bribe..."

When Nicholas I heard it, he was also filled with emotion: "Aleksei is still the same Alexei I know. He can always stick to his integrity, which is very good! Why did Alexander soften his hands and take money again?"

Count Rostovtsev replied solemnly: "Prince Menshikov initially received 100,000 rubles, but returned the check the next day after he met with the Crown Prince!"

Nicholas I was delighted when he heard it: "When does that old thing take the initiative to refund the money? It seems that Sasha taught him a good lesson! Hmph,

This old guy is getting more and more confused, he doesn't know what money can be collected and what money can't be collected! "

Count Rostovtsev originally planned to hide the fact that Menshikov returned the check, but he knew better about Nicholas I's temper. Let him find out that he deliberately concealed certain things, but it was self-defeating.

It's better to speak clearly and clearly to further strengthen his trust. Anyway, Menshikov lost points even if he bounced the check, so there is no need to rush.

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The mood of Nicholas I was inexplicably better, probably because he felt that no one in Crown Prince Alexander let him down, but he still asked worriedly: "Austrians didn't want to go to Sasha?"

Count Rostovtsev replied: "Of course, but the crown prince rejected their bribe!"

Nicholas I finally smiled. His greatest expectation was that the crown prince of Alexander would look like a prince. If the prince of a country can be bought by petty profits, how can he inherit the great cause?

As the crown prince, he should be clear about which matter is big and small, and he should not be a little confused on such big and small issues. On this point, Nicholas I felt that the crown prince Alexander was still reliable, and this was the most gratifying thing for him.

It's just that if Nicholas I knew that Count Rostovtsev had hidden the real reason why Crown Prince Alexander rejected Schwarzenberg, he might vomit blood. If he knew that Crown Prince Alexander was only going to blackmail the Austrians , Squeeze out more oily words, I don't know if he will vomit blood.

But this really can't be blamed on Crown Prince Alexander's short-sightedness or being too small. If you want to blame it, you can only blame Nicholas I himself. Who made him trust Nesselrode so stubbornly? What about the Habsburgs?

In the eyes of Crown Prince Alexander and most of Nicholas I's courtiers, since the emperor was bound to Austria for life and death, what's the point of opposing it? Since Nicholas I has decided to always trust Austria in the end, why should they obstruct and make His Majesty the Emperor unhappy?

It's better to symbolically block the Austrians to take the opportunity to gain a vote. Anyway, their opposition is useless, and it can't change anything!

This is the true thinking of most of Russia's courtiers, including Crown Prince Alexander. Everything is decided by Nicholas I. He has already expressed his attitude to protect Austria to the death, so we can only follow the emperor's will. What's the problem with getting some benefits along the way?

This is the disadvantage of the monarch's dictatorship that one person has the final say. The people below have no chance to participate in decision-making. Naturally, they don't have the heart to share the monarch's worries and problems, but focus on making money and gaining benefits.

Nicholas I couldn't do it if he didn't recite it, but he certainly wouldn't think so. He would only blame the people below for not being loyal enough. For example, he vomited about Menshikov very sharply, as if Menshikov is really so wicked.

"For those who can stick to their integrity and insist on safeguarding Russia's interests, we should put them in good use! And for those who are in high positions but eat vegetarian meals all day long, we should also encourage them. The state supports them and gives them such high treatment, isn't it? Let them come and eat the inside and outside!"

Count Rostovtsev withdrew from Nicholas I's study contentedly, because he had basically achieved all his goals this trip, basically solved the problems that old Igor was concerned about, and took Menshikov and others with him. Old stuff together.

Especially the latter, he has successfully left Nicholas I with the impression that Menshikov and others are getting older and more cunning, which is of great significance for disintegrating their power!