Assassinating the Tsar

"General, His Majesty the Tsar has been suppressing us more and more severely of late. You should be well aware of that.

"Especially since the start of this year, the military funding we've received has fallen to less than half what it was in previous years.

"All along, I've been paying out of my own pocket to subsidize the army.

"Otherwise, the army would have collapsed long ago.

"I believe this is only the first step in His Majesty the Tsar's suppression of us.

"There will be a steady stream of further measures against us.

"We can't sit and wait for death. We must strike back hard!"

Grand Duke Mikhail was resolute.

Over the past few years, Mikhail had amassed a vast fortune.

He had three major industries under his control. One was the Baku Oil Field. Another was a pharmaceutical factory. The last was a military-industrial complex made up of steel mills, arsenals, shipyards, and a wireless communications technology company.

The Baku Oil Field produced eight million tons of crude oil a year, accounting for more than fifty percent of the world's current output. Even though a considerable amount of foreign capital had been invested, Grand Duke Mikhail still made more than twenty million rubles in annual profits from it.

That was with a large share of the profits going to foreign investors.

Otherwise, Grand Duke Mikhail's profits would have been even greater.

The pharmaceutical factory mainly produced sulfonamides, drugs used to kill bacteria and treat inflammation.

Before the advent of penicillin, sulfonamides were unquestionably the best drugs for killing bacteria and treating inflammation.

Originally, the drug would not have been invented until decades later.

But Grand Duke Mikhail had brought it into the world ahead of time. He had also patented it.

This allowed Grand Duke Mikhail to make more than fifty million rubles in annual profits from the pharmaceutical factory. That was despite the factory's limited production capacity, which left the supply of medicine unable to meet demand.

Mikhail had already begun preparations to expand the pharmaceutical factory's production capacity.

In particular, once war broke out, sales of sulfonamides were bound to soar. Grand Duke Mikhail would then be able to make even greater profits.

As for the third industry, aside from the wireless communications technology company, it mostly served Grand Duke Mikhail's own army.

The wireless communications technology company, however, made considerable profits through patent licensing and the sale of radio sets, among other things.

It was precisely because Grand Duke Mikhail had so many profitable industries in his hands that Tsar Nicholas II had grown even more wary and covetous of him.

Perhaps Nicholas II was already thinking about how to swallow up all of Grand Duke Mikhail's industries.

Naturally, Grand Duke Mikhail could not sit and wait for death, waiting for Nicholas II to suppress him.

He was more inclined to take the initiative and kill Nicholas II before the tsar could make his move.

Even if Nicholas II was his own elder brother.

At this point, however, Grand Duke Mikhail clearly could no longer afford to consider brotherly affection.

Political struggles were inherently ruthless.

That was especially true when it came to fighting for the throne.

"Since His Majesty the Tsar ascended the throne, the country's internal conflicts and problems have not been resolved. On the contrary, the conflicts have grown sharper, and the problems have multiplied.

"The bureaucracy throughout the Tsarist Russian Empire has completely rotted away.

"The common people at the bottom of society don't know if they'll survive from morning to night.

"The rebel factions have also become more active.

"If left unchecked, the Tsarist Russian Empire will surely face even graver problems.

"As for external threats, they have always existed.

"Besides our old enemy the Ottoman Empire, there are also our two traditional enemies, the German Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

"Moreover, in the distant East, the Japanese, backed by the British, have grown increasingly powerful. They already pose a tremendous threat to the empire's interests in the Far East.

"Even if we do nothing, once they are ready, they will go to war against the empire.

"If we rely on His Majesty the Tsar, there is no chance we can stand against these enemies.

"So we must find a way to bring about change.

"As long as we move quickly enough, I believe the country's internal problems will soon be resolved.

"Once the situation at home is settled, our external enemies may not dare go to war against the empire!"

Grand Duke Mikhail appeared very confident.

General Brusilov nodded repeatedly. He was deeply disappointed in the empire under Nicholas II's rule.

"Then, my chief of staff, order all troops to make ready!" Grand Duke Mikhail ordered.

"Yes, Your Highness!" General Brusilov replied.

"Yakov, have General Vasily come see me immediately!" Grand Duke Mikhail instructed.

Yakov was Grand Duke Mikhail's secretary, responsible for handling his daily affairs.

"Yes, Your Highness!" Yakov immediately went to make the arrangements.

Before long, Major General Vasily, who was responsible for intelligence work, appeared before Grand Duke Mikhail.

"Your Highness!" Major General Vasily saluted Grand Duke Mikhail, showing great respect.

"General, is our plan ready? When can it be put into action?" Grand Duke Mikhail asked directly.

"Your Highness, the entire plan was drawn up at the end of last year. All personnel are in position. As soon as the opportunity is right, we can put it into action at any time!" Major General Vasily perked up.

As the head of the Intelligence Bureau, he knew exactly which plan Grand Duke Mikhail meant.

"Very good. Then put it into action immediately!" Grand Duke Mikhail ordered.

"Yes, Your Highness!" Major General Vasily replied.

"Remember, nothing can go wrong. And it must never be traced back to us," Mikhail reminded him.

"Don't worry, Your Highness. We've made the arrangements," Major General Vasily replied confidently.

For Grand Duke Mikhail to ascend the throne without complications, he had to kill Nicholas II.

And he absolutely could not let the outside world know that he had killed Nicholas II.

At the very least, no one could be allowed to obtain conclusive proof.

Otherwise, even though he was first in line to the throne under the Law of Succession to the Throne, he would surely face fierce opposition from the people throughout the country.

His reputation would suffer greatly.

Although doing this might look like he was playing the whore while putting up a chastity arch,

What person who accomplished great things did not have such a thick skin?

"The arrangements for the cleanup afterward must also be ready. Nothing can go wrong with this operation!" Mikhail stressed again and again.

"Yes, Your Highness!" Major General Vasily understood this as well, and knew that the plan could not have the slightest flaw.

"Chief of staff, have the army ready. If they insist on stealing the throne that belongs to me, then we will have no choice but to resort to force.

"Much as I would hate to take that step,

"if they force me, there will be no other choice.

"And if we do resort to force, we must win in the shortest possible time.

"The longer it drags on, the greater the uncertainty. It could also very well provoke foreign intervention."

Mikhail gave his instructions.

"Your Highness, the army is ready to move at any time. Moreover, we have essentially established a mobilization system and can mobilize immediately!" General Brusilov replied.

"Very good! Then let us pray for God to bless us!"

In Grand Duke Mikhail's view, man proposed, but heaven disposed. He had made every preparation he could.

Whether he succeeded or not would depend on God's will!