Just as the negotiations between Prussia and Russia were in a stalemate, another event that affected the political landscape of Europe happened.
On May 15, 1881, Alexander II Of Russia was assassinated in St. Peter's Castle. The time and place had changed, but the ending hadn't.
It wasn't that Franz's butterfly effect wasn't strong enough. The key was that Alexander II Of Russia was courting death. He knew that he had offended so many people, but he still wandered around.
As early as a few years ago, Alexander II Of Russia had been given the title of "King of Assassinations" by the media with a three-digit number of assassinations.
He was assassinated every other day. Perhaps it was because he had experienced a lot, but Alexander II Of Russia was used to this kind of life. He still did what he wanted and often appeared in public.
After walking at night for too long, he would eventually encounter a ghost. It wasn't easy to win the war, but before he could reap the fruits of victory, Alexander II Of Russia had to pass away with regret.
Alexander II Of Russia was dead, but the assassination case wasn't over. As for the question of the murderer, the Tsarist government didn't give a clear answer.
The identity of the assassin was a member of the Popular Will Party. It didn't matter if others believed it or not. Anyway, Franz would never believe it.
To be able to survive hundreds of assassinations, Alexander II Of Russia's security was not bad. Under normal circumstances, a stranger approaching would definitely be intercepted by the guards.
Letting the assassin rush within a few dozen meters and throw a bomb, were the guards eating sh * t?
To be able to divert the guards and create an opportunity for the assassin, there were obviously insiders involved, or even the emperor's trusted aides.
As for which force it was, it wasn't something that Franz could determine. Alexander II Of Russia's reform had offended too many people. Many powerful families had declined because of the reform.
As far as Franz knew, Alexander II Of Russia was already preparing to carry out a new round of reform after the war to change the Russian Empire from the root.
There was no doubt that this would touch the cheese of those with vested interests, so it was understandable that there would be a backlash.
Even those who originally supported the reform stood on the opposite side because it infringed on their interests.
The victory on the battlefield brought Alexander II Of Russia prestige, but it also pushed him to hell. Those with vested interests were unwilling to continue the reform. A prestigious Tsar who liked reform became a stumbling block for everyone.
Regardless of the reason, "regicide" was the most intolerable thing for rulers. As one of those with vested interests, Franz was no exception.
"What did the Russians say? Did they identify the murderer?"
"What did the Russia say? Did they identify the murderer?" Now all the evidence pointed to the Russian People's Will Party, but Crown Prince Alexandrovich refused to accept this result and threatened to refuse to inherit the throne.
Now, the Tsarist government was also in turmoil. Many people suspected that it was done by the conservatives. The two sides were fighting fiercely.
According to the intelligence collected by the embassy, there were still many suspicious points in the assassination. For example, the captain of the bodyguards responsible for the safety of Alexander II Of Russia committed suicide at home on the day of the assassination.
The guards of Alexander II Of Russia's carriage committed suicide in prison to escape punishment.
Also, after Alexander II Of Russia was assassinated, he didn't die on the spot, but died the next day. Before the doctor arrived at the scene, there was a traffic accident, which delayed the rescue.
… "
His father was assassinated, and as a son, he naturally couldn't let it go. It was inevitable that Alexandrovich would track down the murderer.
But the investigation team was interesting. Knowing so many suspicious points, they still pinned the murderer on the head of the "People's Will Party." Wasn't this doubting everyone's intelligence?
If the revolutionary party had the ability to extend their hands into the Tsar's guards, they would have already raised the flag to rebel. Why would they play with an assassination without any technical content?
The subsequent series of suicides was even more ridiculous. Some people felt that they were guilty and committed suicide, which Franz could understand. A large group of mass suicide was clearly telling everyone that it was to silence them.
If the person died, the clues would be lost. It would certainly not be so easy to continue the investigation.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will keep a close eye on it. Don't make any comments for the time being. Order the police to immediately arrest the members of the People's Will Party in Austria and wait for further development of the case. "
Now was a sensitive time, and Austria must avoid suspicion. Although no one would suspect that Austria did it, it was obviously not appropriate to get involved.
Arresting the members of the People's Will Party was Franz's position to the outside world. No matter what the reason was, the regicide must be severely punished.
The People's Will Party of Russia wasn't wronged. Even if they were used as a gun, Alexander II Of Russia also died in their hands.
The assassins had been arrested and confessed. They directly pointed the clues to the senior members of the People's Will Party. They couldn't wash their hands even if they wanted to.
The last assassination that shocked Europe directly led to the destruction of the Kingdom of Sardinia. The all-powerful Charcoal Burning Party of Italy disappeared. This time it was the People's Will Party of Russia.
Those who hid their identities were fine, but those who were exposed would be out of luck if they didn't react quickly at this time.
No matter where they stood, the monarchs of Europe would not tolerate the existence of the "regicide." This was a matter of principle.
In fact, this was also the case. At the same time that Franz ordered the arrest of the members of the People's Will Party of Russia, the monarchs of Europe also issued similar orders.
It didn't matter whether they were arrested or not. The members of the People's Will Party of Russia were naturally in the Russian Empire. Only a small number of them ran outside.
Most countries didn't have the members of the People's Will Party of Russia. The arrest was just a gesture to show everyone's determination to fight against this evil organization.
It seemed that overnight, the People's Will Party of Russia became a street rat. They had to disappear from the world and hide in the dark.
…
The assassination of Alexander II Of Russia killed William I with mixed feelings.
He was happy that the internal situation in Russia was turbulent. They didn't have the energy to entangle with them. In the following negotiations, the price that the Kingdom of Prussia had to pay would be greatly reduced.
He was worried that the murderer hadn't been determined yet. If they were to be blamed, the Kingdom of Sardinia would be a good example.
Their country was destroyed after the assassination attempt. Now that Alexander II Of Russia was dead, if they took the blame, it would be hard for the people of Russia not to kill them.
Before the dust settles, nothing is impossible. The Government of Berlin worked very hard on the issue of arresting the People's Will Party.
Not only did they arrest the People's Will Party, but they also arrested the members of other revolutionary groups in Russia. The Government of Berlin also arrested them. In order to show his sincerity, William I also took great pains.
In the Berlin Palace, William I said in a low voice, "Marshal, what do you mean by this?"
Looking at Mao Qi's resignation, William I had a bad feeling in an instant.
Mao Qi replied bitterly, "Your Majesty, the situation has developed to this point. The Kingdom of Prussia no longer needs a marshal.
Alexander II Of Russia passed away. The Tsarist government is busy sorting out internal affairs. The possibility of another war breaking out is almost zero.
I will be an eyesore if I continue to stay. If I don't leave, I will be driven out. Whether it is the people of Russia or Hanover, they don't want to see me stay in Prussia. "
Sometimes it was a sin to be too good at fighting. Mao Qi gave in to this taboo. The Tsarist government saw him as a thorn in their side. Hanover also didn't want to see him stay and seize the command of the army.
Taking the initiative to retire at this time was actually not to make things difficult for the Government of Berlin. Lest it lead to an even more dangerous situation for the Kingdom of Prussia because of personal reasons.
William I advised, "But there is no need to give up everything. After retiring, they won't …"
Mao Qi shook his head. "George I won't be at ease if we don't do a thorough cut. Besides, we also need to pay a greater price for the people of Russia. "
This wasn't Mao Qi being arrogant. It was the truth. With Mao Qi as a flag, it would be difficult for Hanover to divide the Prussian army. George I naturally wouldn't give up.
Not to mention the people of Russia. Mao Qi's glory was set off by their series of defeats. If they didn't get rid of him, how could the people of Russia be satisfied?
If the external problems could be solved, then the internal problems would be fatal. After the war, the military was bound to be suppressed. If there was suppression, there would be counterattacks. Then, the internal strife in the Kingdom of Prussia would definitely intensify.
As the leader of the military, as long as Mao Qi stayed in the country, he couldn't avoid this dispute. He was already old and didn't have the energy to participate in the following disputes.
In order to avoid future troubles, Mao Qi simply used the defeat as an opportunity to give up his title of marshal. He claimed to be disheartened and left the political whirlpool of Prussia.
It seemed that he gave up the title of marshal, but in fact, he was advancing by retreating. Not only did he eliminate the impact of the defeat on him, but he also further established his glorious image in the eyes of the people.
After thinking about all this, William I didn't continue to urge him to stay. Not only did Mao Qi, the marshal, need to step down, but he, the king, also had to step down.
He didn't step down now because the matter hadn't been settled yet. The Peace Conference in Vienna was bound to be a humiliating treaty for the Kingdom of Prussia. William I didn't want to throw this political stain on his son.
His plan for the country had failed, and now he had to plan for himself.
These things, in fact, were destined from the beginning. If he won the gamble, he would establish the foundation of the empire. If he lost, he would still be rich.
In a sense, the one who lost now was only William I. Mao Qi could still be considered to have succeeded.
The defeat was mainly because the difference in strength between the two sides was too great, not because the army couldn't fight. A general who had always won battles didn't need to be responsible for a war that was lost because of the difference in strength.
After thinking for a while, William I asked with concern, "Marshal, after leaving Prussia, where do you plan to go?"
Mao Qi shook his head. "I don't know. I might travel the world. When I'm tired, I'll find a place to live in seclusion and then summarize my life's experience. "
William I hesitated, as if he had made a decision. "You might consider Austria. The end of the Prussian War was just a prelude. The European continent has never been peaceful."
Mao Qi was shocked. There was too much hidden meaning in William I's proposal. After all, Mao Qi had been through a lot, so he quickly reacted.
The European royal family was one. This was not an exaggeration at all. It was normal for William I to have contact with the Austrian royal family. It would be a problem if they didn't.
At this time, if the Hohenzollern family wanted to keep the throne, they couldn't do without Austria's support. It was normal for the two sides to have secret deals.
At this time, Mao Qi realized how hot the invitation he had received was.
"I will consider it carefully!"
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