Struggle in Russia

After Nicholas I left, the atmosphere at the scene finally recovered a little. Although the faces of Crown Prince Alexander and Grand Duke Constantine were still not good-looking, they had to "forced smiles" in order to appease the nobles watching the ceremony.

As for Li Xiao, the mastermind behind the scenes doesn't care whether the brothers are happy or not. Anyway, the disaster has already happened, and it's too late to worry about it. Instead of worrying about it, it's better to eat, drink, and have a good time. Make enough money.

"You are the most daring man I have ever seen!" Boris exclaimed sincerely. "Aren't you afraid at all?"

"Scared!" Li Xiao replied while sweeping away the delicacies at the banquet, "But it has already happened, and I'm afraid that people will open the net and show mercy?"

Boris nodded blankly, looked at him strangely and asked again: "Is what you said just now true? Your Majesty really...really treated you very badly?"

Li Xiao glanced at him, pointed to his bean sprout-like body and asked, "If you think he treats me well, can I grow into this kind of virtue?"

"Tsk tsk!" Boris looked at him again, and sighed: "Unexpectedly, unexpectedly, His Majesty is so cold, you can't tell it at all! Isn't it said that His Majesty is a gentleman?"

"A gentleman." Li Xiao burst out laughing, and said sarcastically, "A hypocrite is almost the same! My uncle is a typical uncle who looks dignified on the surface but is actually inferior to a beast. He is best at doing some hypocritical tricks to pretend to be A moral role model, in fact, he is the kind of hypocritical villain who talks about morality and ambition."

Boris still didn't quite believe it, so Li Xiao had no choice but to put down the delicious food and whispered an explanation in his ear.

"Really?" Boris' eyes widened. "Those maids are His Majesty's mistresses? Didn't he always boast that he only loves the queen, is a loving father and the most perfect husband?"

"I've said it all, it's a disguise!" Li Xiao said contemptuously, "In fact, everyone in the court knows about his affairs, and there are a lot of illegitimate children, but he still pretends to be a husband and father like a saint. ridiculous!"

Boris felt that what he saw and heard that night made his three views collapse. For the first time, he discovered that everything he knew before was actually false. The great Nicholas I was a cold embryo, and the palace compound It's full of filth and filth. His visions of St. Petersburg, the royal family, and the Knights of St. Andrew were all illusory shadows. He felt like a fool who didn't know anything, being ruthlessly played by a group of cunning old foxes.

Boris couldn't help but think of his old father's last explanation when he left. No wonder the old man asked him to be less impulsive and less loyal when he arrived in St. Petersburg. Help count the money. Before, he thought that the old man was too old and slippery, but now it seems that the circle of high-ranking nobles is really colorful and chaotic, and if he is not careful, he will fall into the pit.

Li Xiao shrugged his shoulders. He really didn't expect the big man in front of him to be so naive, to have expectations for the integrity of the royal family. The ugliest and ugliest people in the world are all gathered within the palace walls. Father and son fight each other, Things like husband and wife turning against each other, brother Ni Qiang, etc., happened less in the Romanov family?

The most recent one happened more than forty years ago. The so-called great Alexander I mentioned above at least sat and watched and ignored his father Paul I was killed in order to ascend to the throne of emperor. Even though his grandfather Peter III knelt down and begged for his life, he was still ordered to be removed by his grandmother Catherine II.

This is the royal family, this is the imperial power, if you are not shameless enough, not iron-blooded enough, and your wrist is not strong enough, you are doomed not to sit in that position. Let's put it this way, among the tsars of all dynasties, Nicholas I was neither the most despicable nor the most shameless one.

Li Xiao had no intention of despising Boris, anyway, he had been in this circle for a long time,

Naturally, you can see through everything. If you want to stick to justice, you'd better leave early. This circle is really not suitable for too naive people.

For a while, both Li Xiao and Boris were a little speechless, one was eating and drinking to make ends meet, and the other was in a daze and didn't know what was on his mind. As the protagonists of this banquet and grand ball, they are undoubtedly very unqualified. According to the convention, they should stand in the center of the ball to deal with all kinds of sycophants. But today is a bit different, because of Li Xiao's previous testimonials, all the elites and nobles who were afraid of offending Nicholas I chose to stay away from Li Xiao without exception, and instead surrounded the sinking Crown Prince Alexander and Constantine. The Grand Duke is spinning around, trying to please and trying to express himself.

But no doubt the sycophants will be disappointed, because the two princes are not in that mood, the scene at the swearing-in ceremony is still vivid in my memory, and the instigator is actually innocent. As sons of man, they are filled with righteous indignation.

"That bastard still has the face to eat and drink!" Grand Duke Constantine gritted his teeth and scolded, "Don't he have any sense of shame!"

Crown Prince Alexander also said with a stern face: "You heard what he said before. What can't be done by those who can tell those shameless lies?"

Grand Duke Constantine snorted heavily and complained: "I said a long time ago that I shouldn't agree to accept him into the regiment. This bastard is here to make trouble on purpose!"

Crown Prince Alexander agreed with his brother's words very much, but looking at Leonid beside him, he could only suppress the idea of ​​complaining, and said instead: "What's the use of talking about this now. The nobles in St. Petersburg are watching this In this trial, we can’t open our eyes and tell nonsense that he is unqualified, right? In that case, with that bastard’s personality, he will definitely use this to attack us and our father, and the scene will be even uglier, and we will be more passive.”

Grand Duke Constantine snorted again, but he also admitted that what his brother said made sense, but he was still very upset: "Then what should we do now? It depends on whether he is happy or not!"

Crown Prince Alexander sighed, and said: "Don't act rashly, you still don't know what your father means, I think he will make arrangements."

Grand Duke Constantine thought for a while and said: "That's the only way, let that bastard be proud for a while." He glanced at someone's direction again, frowned immediately, and said bitterly: "That big fool What's going on? Why are you still messing with that bastard? Are they in the same group?"

Crown Prince Alexander also felt uncomfortable for a long time. Before that, he liked the tall, mighty, powerful Boris. He believed that this big man was a rare warrior, and he could be cultivated as his confidant. With him by his side, his safety performance would be greatly improved. cut. But now, seeing this guy hang out with someone, he thinks it's better to let Boris go as far as he can.

"Leave them alone," Alexander turned his head bitterly, out of sight and out of mind, and told Leonid by the way: "Lionia, we must learn from our lessons in the future, strengthen the review of applicants, and don't let similar bastards Something has sneaked into our team!"

Leonid's lips moved, as if he wanted to argue, but in the end he gave up, just nodded and said: "Yes, Your Highness. I will strengthen the review."