Old Adlerberg couldn't help but look at the crown princess again. This woman made Crown Prince Alexander understand how to take advantage of the opportunity to win people's hearts in a very short period of time. This woman was very clever.
Looking at Crown Prince Alexander, whose face was full of sincerity, he thought that this Crown Prince was really so humane, so sincere, and so dependent on them. But old Adlerberg knew that these were all illusions and all acting skills.
, don’t take it seriously, otherwise you’d be a fool.
Old Adlerberg is certainly not an idiot. Having served Nicholas I's family for more than ten years, he knows very well what kind of character this family has. When you are useful, you are a treasure, and when you are not, you are nothing more than grass.
.
Especially Nicholas I and that Grand Duke Constantine were really mean and unkind, so Crown Prince Alexander was fine.
But on the surface, Adlerberg looked grateful and frightened. After all, it was all about acting. Let’s see who is better.
After some polite greetings, facing the longing eyes of Crown Prince Alexander, old Adlerberg began to explain:
"The situation is far from being extremely bad. Although His Majesty reprimanded Menshikov and suspended him, he did not remove him from office on the spot, which left room for action. This shows that His Excellency the Prince still has a high status in His Majesty's heart!
"
Alexander thought for a while, and although he felt it made sense, he still didn't think it would be of much help to him: "But the Admiralty is still in the hands of Kostya!"
"No!" Old Adlerberg said flatly: "The Admiralty did not fall into the hands of Grand Duke Constantine!"
Alexander immediately disagreed: "But he is the assistant to the Minister of the Navy. Without the control of Prince Menshikov, he can't do whatever he wants!"
Old Adlerberg shook his head and said: "He can't do whatever he wants! Without the Admiralty and the Second Admiralty, the Assistant to the Admiralty is far from qualified!"
The Second Lord of the Navy is the Deputy Lord of the Navy. This position is a bit embarrassing, especially under the attack of Menshikov and Grand Duke Constantine. This position has almost become a bonsai and decoration.
"Little Rumyantsev?"
Alexander frowned, because the Second Lord of the Navy had so little sense of existence, it was as if he had been forgotten from the day he took office. The only person who could be remembered was his uncle, Old Rumyantsev.
He was the heroic general and Imperial Field Marshal during the Seven Years' War.
It's just that old Rumyantsev has long since passed away, having been dead for more than half a century. His great achievements have no more effect than providing an official position for his mediocre descendants.
Young Rumyantsev became the Second Navy Minister by relying on his uncle's former connections. In fact, like Menshikov, he was a dabbler in the army and knew nothing about the navy.
In the past few years as Second Lord of the Admiralty, his only role seems to have been to collect salary. Apart from that, his romantic reputation in the Opera House seems to be even greater.
"The philanderer?"
Even Zhukovsky had heard of this man's glorious achievements and had no favorable impression of this libertine. He did not like dandies like young Rumyantsev.
"Yes, it's that little Rumyantsev!" Old Adlerberg replied firmly, "Yes, Your Highness, that one has a very bad reputation. But what we need is not his reputation, but
His position. As long as he is willing to stand by your Highness, Grand Duke Constantine will not be able to get involved in the Admiralty. We can restore the decline!"
Alexander's eyes lit up. Indeed, what he needed most at the moment was someone who could compete with Archduke Constantine. It didn't matter whether this person was a pig head three or two hundred and five, what was important was the position under his butt.
Suddenly he said firmly: "Then I will invite him to the Winter Palace for an interview immediately!"
Old Adlerberg smiled and replied: "Yes, Your Highness, you must invite him as soon as possible. I believe he will be on your side, Your Highness!"
Alexander immediately became happy and said excitedly: "That's great, Kostya would never have imagined it!"
Old Adlerberg warned: "Your Highness, you cannot relax yet. This can only treat the symptoms but not the root cause. It is far from enough to repel Grand Duke Constantine's provocation. In the long run, ending Messadov
case, it is more important to return Prince Menshikov to his position!"
Alexander humbly asked for advice: "What should we do? The evidence is very unfavorable to His Excellency the Prince!"
Old Adlerberg smiled and said: "This must be done slowly. It would be best if you could send a message to Duke Ordorff to ask him to handle the case more carefully."
"Even if Duke Ordorf agrees, this won't absolve His Excellency the Prince, right?"
Old Adlerberg replied confidently: "There is no need to absolve oneself of guilt. As long as this period is delayed and Grand Duke Constantine's fierce offensive subsides, the little incident of His Excellency Prince Menshikov will naturally disappear. I believe that Your Majesty
I will also forgive His Excellency the Prince when I am angry!"
Alexander said in frustration: "That won't make Kostya proud for a while!"
"Then it depends on our next counterattack!" Old Adlerberg guided him: "So we are going to use little Rumyantsev to cause trouble for Grand Duke Constantine and make everything go wrong for him.
Your clumsiness is revealed!"
Alexander asked enthusiastically: "How to do it?"
"It's very simple," old Adlerberg replied enigmatically: "On the one hand, let young Rumyantsev create trouble for Grand Duke Constantine in various affairs of the Admiralty. And mobilize Prince Menshikov
Your Majesty’s men are deliberately causing trouble and must make the navy a mess. Let Your Majesty see that Grand Duke Constantine does not have the ability to manage the navy well!”
"On the other hand, I remember that His Majesty is very concerned about the affairs of Grand Duke Andrei Konstantinovich, right? Now that Mesadov is imprisoned for committing a crime and His Excellency Prince Menshikov is suspended, this matter falls on
On the shoulders of Grand Duke Constantine?"
Alexander was very supportive of the first one and wanted to do it right away. But he didn’t pay special attention to the second one. He felt that compared with his position as the crown prince, Li Xiao was nothing. Now that he was burning his ass, where could he have it?
Just mind that bastard's business.
"No!" Old Adlerberg said flatly, "This matter is very important. Judging from today's imperial meeting, Your Majesty attaches great importance to it. And the only thing Grand Duke Constantine satisfied Your Majesty is that he got the Grand Duke's letter of repentance.
For comparison, you have spent a lot of time but failed to produce any results. This is a direct comparison between you and Grand Duke Constantine, the gap is too obvious!"
"So, we are going to make trouble for Grand Duke Constantine on this matter. Let His Majesty see that Grand Duke Constantine cannot really satisfy him..."
Speaking of this, old Adlerberg suddenly asked: "Your Highness, I heard that your military attache, Lieutenant Colonel Leonid Gorchakov, volunteered to serve in the 748th Regiment and is now acting as the commander of the regiment.