While the Russo-Prussian negotiations were at a deadlock, another event occurred that would influence the political landscape of Europe. On May 15, 1881, Alexander II was assassinated in St. Petersburg. The time and place had changed, but the outcome remained the same. It wasn’t that Franz’s butterfly effect wasn’t strong enough, the key was that Alexander II brought this upon himself. Despite knowing he had offended so many, he continued to roam about. Years earlier, Alexander II had already earned the media’s nickname “King of Assassinations” for the triple-digit number of assassination attempts against him. After being targeted for assassination so frequently, perhaps becoming desensitized, Alexander II grew accustomed to this way of life. He remained his self-assured self, frequently appearing in public. However, after treading the dark path too long, he finally met his demise. Just as he had finally won a war and before he could enjoy the fruits of victory, Alexander II had to leave this world in regret. Though Alexander II was dead, the assassination attempts did not cease. Regarding the identity of the assassin, the Russian government has yet to offer a clear answer. The official line is that the assassin was a member of the Narodnaya Volya. Regardless of whether others believe this explanation, Franz certainly would not. Surviving hundreds of assassination attempts, Alexander II’s security work was undeniably effective. Under normal circumstances, any stranger approaching would be intercepted by the guards. Are the guards so incompetent that they would allow an assassin to get within a few dozen meters to throw a bomb? For the guards to be distracted enough to create an opportunity for an assassination clearly indicates that insiders were involved and it was perhaps someone close to the emperor. Which faction was behind it is beyond Franz’s ability to determine. Alexander II had offended too many people with his reforms since many prominent families had fallen from grace because of them. According to Franz, Alexander II was already planning another round of reforms after the war to have a fundamental transformation of the Russian Empire. Undoubtedly, this would once again encroach upon the vested interests of the powerful, so a backlash was to be expected. Even those who originally supported the reforms eventually found themselves opposing them when their own interests were affected. The victory on the battlefield, while bringing Alexander II prestige, also drove him toward disaster. The vested interests were unwilling to allow further reforms, and a highly esteemed yet reform-minded tsar became a stumbling block for them. Regardless of the reason, regicide is one of the things that rulers can never tolerate, and as one of the vested interests, Franz was no exception. “What do the Russians say? Have they identified the assassin?” Foreign Minister Wessenberg shook his head and replied, “Not yet. At the moment, all the evidence points to the Narodnaya Volya, but Crown Prince Alexandrovich refuses to accept that conclusion and is even using his refusal to ascend as leverage. Now the Russian government itself is in turmoil. Many suspect that the conservatives are behind it, and the conflict between the two sides is extremely fierce. According to intelligence gathered by the embassy, there are many irregularities in this assassination case. For example, the chief of the guard responsible for protecting Alexander II committed suicide at home on the day of the incident. The guards of Alexander II’s carriage subsequently committed suicide in prison out of guilt. Furthermore, Alexander II did not die immediately after the assassination. He was rescued but ultimately died the next day when the rescue efforts failed. Even the doctor’s arrival was delayed due to a traffic accident at the scene....” When a father is assassinated, it is only natural that his son would not let the matter rest. It was inevitable that Alexandrovich would seek to investigate the assassin. But the investigation team was something else. Despite being aware of so many irregularities, they still pinned the blame on the Narodnaya Volya. Isn’t that a slight to everyone’s intelligence? If the revolutionaries had the capability to infiltrate the Tsar’s guards, they would have already raised the banner of rebellion. Why would they resort to such a crude and unsophisticated assassination attempt? The subsequent series of guilt-induced suicides is even more absurd. While a few individuals might reasonably take their own lives out of overwhelming guilt, an entire group doing so clearly indicates that this is a deliberate cover-up to silence people. With the deaths of these individuals, the trail went cold, making it far from easy to continue the investigation. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to maintain close monitoring and refrain from issuing any statements for now. Order the police to immediately arrest any members of the Narodnaya Volya operating within Austria, and await further developments in the case.” This was a sensitive moment, and Austria had to avoid any appearance of impropriety. Although no one would suspect Austria of being involved, it was clearly inappropriate to get too close to the matter at this time. By arresting members of the Narodnaya Volya, Franz was making his stance clear to the outside world. Regardless of the reasons, regicides must be severely punished. The Narodnaya Volya cannot be considered entirely innocent. Even if they were used as pawns, Alexander II was ultimately killed by their hands. The assassin had already been captured and confessed without hesitation, directly implicating the top leaders of the Narodnaya Volya. There was no way for them to wash their hands of this. The last assassination that shocked Europe led to the downfall of the Kingdom of Sardinia and the disintegration of the once-prominent Italian Carbonari. This time, it was the Narodnaya Volya’s turn. Those who managed to hide their identities might still be safe, but those exposed in the open needed to act quickly, or they would face dire consequences. Regardless of their political stance, the monarchs of Europe would never tolerate the existence of “regicides.” This was a matter of principle. Indeed, as Franz ordered the arrest of members of Narodnaya Volya, other European monarchs also issued similar commands one after another. Whether they could actually capture anyone was not the point. Most members of Narodnaya Volya were within the Russian Empire, and only a very small number were abroad. Most countries had no members of the Narodnaya Volya within their borders. The arrests were more of a symbolic gesture, demonstrating their resolve to stand against such an evil organization. It seemed as though overnight, the Narodnaya Volya had become public enemy number one, forced to vanish from the world and go underground, lurking in the shadows. … The assassination of Alexander II left Wilhelm I with mixed feelings of joy and worry. The joy came from the fact that Russia’s internal turmoil meant they would no longer have the energy to entangle with Prussia. In the upcoming negotiations, the Kingdom of Prussia would need to pay a much smaller price. The worry stemmed from the fact that the assassin had yet to be definitively identified. If the blame were to be pinned on them, the fate of the Kingdom of Sardinia would serve as a grim precedent. Even an attempted assassination had led to the destruction of a nation. Now, with Alexander II dead, if Prussia were to take the fall for this, the Russians would undoubtedly seek their utter annihilation. Until the dust settled, anything was possible. In the matter of arresting members of the Narodnaya Volya, the Prussian government went to extraordinary lengths. Not only did they arrest members of the Narodnaya Volya, but they also rounded up members of other Russian revolutionary groups. To prove their sincerity, Wilhelm I went to great pains. In the Berlin Palace, Wilhelm I spoke in a somber tone, “Marshal, what is the meaning of this?” Looking at the resignation letter submitted by Moltke, Wilhelm I instantly felt a sense of foreboding. Moltke replied bitterly, “Your Majesty, given how the situation has developed, the Kingdom of Prussia no longer needs a Marshal. With the death of Alexander II, the Russian government will be preoccupied with sorting out its internal affairs, and the likelihood of another war breaking out is almost zero. If I stay, I will only become an eyesore. If I don’t leave now, I will be forced out soon. Neither the Russians nor Hanover want to see me remain in Prussia.” Sometimes, being too capable is a sin. And even Moltke had fallen victim to this taboo. The Russian government saw him as a thorn in their side, and Hanover did not want him staying to compete for military command. By retiring voluntarily at this time, Moltke was actually trying to spare the Prussian government from a difficult position. He did not want his personal presence to further exacerbate the Kingdom of Prussia’s precarious situation. Wilhelm I tried to persuade him, “But there’s no need to give up everything. After retiring, they won’t…” Moltke shook his head and replied, “Without cutting loose ends thoroughly, George I will not be reassured. Moreover, we will need to pay an even greater price to appease the Russians.” This was not Moltke being arrogant, it was the truth. As long as Moltke remained a prominent figure, Hanover would find it difficult to divide the Prussian army, and George I would naturally not relent. As for the Russians, there was no need to even mention them. Moltke’s brilliance had been highlighted by their series of defeats. Unless he was removed, the Russians would never be satisfied. If external troubles could still be resolved, internal troubles would be deadly. After the war, the military was bound to face suppression, and with suppression came retaliation. The internal strife within the Kingdom of Prussia would inevitably intensify. As the leader of the military, Moltke could not avoid this conflict as long as he remained in the country. He was already old and lacked the energy to involve himself in the coming struggles. To avoid further complications, Moltke seized the opportunity of the defeat to relinquish his title of Marshal, publicly claiming that he was disillusioned and leaving the political whirlpool of Prussia. While it seemed like he was giving up his title, this was actually a strategic retreat. Not only did it mitigate the impact of the defeat on his reputation, but it also further solidified his heroic image in the eyes of the people. After understanding all this, Wilhelm I did not continue to persuade him to stay. It wasn’t just Moltke, the Marshal, who needed to step down. He, the king, would also have to step down. He had not abdicated yet because the matter was not yet settled. For the Kingdom of Prussia, the Vienna Conference was destined to be a humiliating treaty, and Wilhelm I was unwilling to pass this political stain to his son. The attempt to secure the nation had failed, and now it was time to secure oneself. These things were actually predestined from the very beginning. Winning the bet would have established a foundation for an empire, while losing it still leaves one wealthy beyond measure. In a sense, it is only Wilhelm I who has lost now. Moltke can still be considered successful. The defeat was mainly due to the vast disparity in strength between the two sides, not because the army was incapable. A general who has always been victorious does not need to take responsibility for losing a war where the odds were overwhelmingly against him. After pondering for a while, Wilhelm I asked with concern, “Marshal, where do you plan to go after leaving Prussia?” Moltke shook his head and replied, “I don’t know. Perhaps I’ll travel the world and when I’m tired, I’ll find a quiet place to retire, and then compile the lessons I’ve learned throughout my life.” William I hesitated for a moment, as if making a decision and then said, “You might consider Austria. The end of the Russo-Prussian War is just a prelude. The European continent has never been peaceful.” Moltke was startled. William I’s suggestion carried too many implications. Having experienced great storms and waves, Moltke quickly grasped the underlying message. The European royal families are, in essence, one family and that statement is not an exaggeration at all. It is normal for Wilhelm I to have connections with the Austrian royal family. It would be strange if he didn’t. At this point, for the House of Hohenzollern to retain its throne, the support of Austria is indispensable. It is entirely normal for there to be secret dealings between the two sides. It was only then that Moltke realized how much of a hot potato the invitation he had received truly was. “I will consider it carefully!”
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