Austria was taking action, and the British were not sitting idle either. To win over the Russians, British Foreign Secretary George personally traveled to Saint Petersburg.
The most striking hallmark of the industrial age was speed. In the Middle Ages, traveling from London to Saint Petersburg usually took more than half a month; now, it required only four or five days.
Rapid advances in maritime technology had tied the human world closer together. Everything had two sides: as connections deepened, international disputes increased alongside them.
Stepping off the deck and seeing the sparse welcoming crowd ahead, George felt his anger rise.
This was far too perfunctory. As Britain's Foreign Secretary, he was the most honored guest wherever he went. He had never expected the Russians to show him so little respect.
Forget members of the royal family—none of the Tsarist Government's senior officials had come either. They had merely sent a few low-ranking officials. The two sides' statuses were completely unequal; it was an outrageous breach of etiquette.
Naturally, that was the British view. To the Russians, this treatment was already giving Britain plenty of face.
The Anglo-Russian War had only just ended, and the hatred between the two countries was at its height. If the government showed goodwill toward the British at a time like this, what would the people at home think?
Politicians were all clever people. They knew how to choose what benefited them most. A thankless task like receiving the British was naturally passed down level by level, until it could no longer be pushed any further.
Since the big figures were not coming, there would certainly be no welcoming crowds either. The fighting nation had not earned its name for nothing. If a few hot-blooded youths slipped into the crowd and rushed forward to challenge