First in Line to the Throne

"Yakov, have the chief of staff come see me immediately!" Grand Duke Mikhail ordered.

"Yes, Your Highness!" Yakov suppressed his excitement and hurried off to pass on the message.

As Mikhail's trusted aide, he knew every detail of the plan to assassinate Nicholas II. Now the plan had succeeded. That meant Grand Duke Mikhail would soon be able to inherit the throne and become tsar of the Tsarist Russian Empire. Yakov was beside himself with excitement.

Once Grand Duke Mikhail inherited the throne, it was easy to imagine what standing Yakov, as his secretary, would have in the empire.

Before long, Lieutenant General Brusilov appeared in Grand Duke Mikhail's office.

He had already learned that Nicholas II had been killed in an explosion. Though he felt somewhat guilty, things had come to this, and there was no other choice.

He was a general promoted by Grand Duke Mikhail, and he also believed that Grand Duke Mikhail could be a good tsar, one who could lead the Tsarist Russian Empire to even greater strength.

"Chief of staff, order our troops to secretly enter a state of combat readiness. Once the order is given, they must be able to deploy immediately! Also, as planned, call up the reserves and expand the force by twenty infantry divisions!" Grand Duke Mikhail ordered.

"Yes, Your Highness. But will it really come to resorting to force?" Lieutenant General Brusilov could not help frowning.

"If possible, of course he hoped that those ministers in Petersburg would abide by the Law of Succession to the Throne.

"But we cannot place all our hopes in those fellows' consciences. Not that those fellows have any conscience to speak of. Apart from lining their pockets, they do nothing at all.

"If they violate the Law of Succession to the Throne, then we will have no choice but to use force to take back the throne that belongs to me!"

Mikhail's face was set with determination.

"Yes, Your Highness!" Lieutenant General Brusilov replied.

Once mobilization was complete, the army would form another twenty infantry divisions.

Grand Duke Mikhail was confident not only that he could defeat the other forces opposed to his succession, but also that he could withstand foreign intervention.

The tsar's throne would be his for the taking.

The deaths of Tsar Nicholas II and his wife in an explosion were an earth-shattering event.

News of the incident spread throughout Petersburg in a very short time.

It was also spreading rapidly throughout the Tsarist Russian Empire and the rest of the world.

As the capital of the Tsarist Russian Empire, Petersburg was home to the embassies of the various countries accredited to the empire.

Upon learning what had happened, the envoys stationed in the Tsarist Russian Empire would naturally report to their governments at once.

At the Winter Palace, all the top officials of the Tsarist Russian Empire had gathered.

They were Konstantin Pobedonostsev, director of the Orthodox Affairs Administration; Finance Minister Sergei Witte; Interior Minister Vyacheslav Plehve; Foreign Minister Lobanov-Rostovsky; Acting Minister of War Lieutenant General Kuropatkin; Navy Minister Admiral Nikolai Chikhachyov; Chief of the General Staff General Nikolai Obruchev; and Grand Duke Nicholas, inspector general of cavalry. Grand Duke Nicholas was Tsar Nicholas II's cousin and also second in line to the throne under the Law of Succession to the Throne.

"Gentlemen, all of Petersburg, and indeed the entire empire, has been thrown into a pot of boiling chaos!

"Our great tsar has been shamelessly assassinated.

"This is undoubtedly a crushing blow to the empire, and it has also filled countless citizens with rage.

"We must bring the murderer to justice. We absolutely cannot allow the murderer to escape punishment!"

Konstantin Pobedonostsev was furious.

As director of the Orthodox Affairs Administration, he wielded enormous influence over both religious and domestic affairs in the empire.

In particular, the Tsarist Russian Empire currently had no post of prime minister, or rather, chairman of the Committee of Ministers.

All the ministers answered directly to the tsar.

"His Majesty is dead, and the entire empire has fallen into chaos. At the same time, plenty of foreign enemies are eyeing us like tigers watching their prey. We must ensure a smooth transition for the empire.

"Otherwise, the entire empire will face a tremendous threat!"

It was Foreign Minister Lobanov-Rostovsky who spoke.

"Then, gentlemen, according to the Law of Succession to the Throne, Grand Duke Mikhail, as the first in line to the throne, should inherit it!" Finance Minister Sergei Witte told the gathering.

Sergei Witte's expression, however, was extremely grim.

As a trusted aide of Nicholas II and a notoriously corrupt official of the Tsarist Russian Empire, he had used Nicholas II's trust to embezzle a considerable fortune.

Once Mikhail became the new tsar, would he still be able to keep lining his pockets?

If things went badly, the new tsar might have him killed outright.

Moreover, Sergei Witte knew full well how wary, or rather hostile, Nicholas II had been toward Grand Duke Mikhail.

"According to the Law of Succession to the Throne, Grand Duke Mikhail should indeed inherit the throne.

"Moreover, Grand Duke Mikhail has performed very well since taking up the posts of governor of the Don, commander of the Caucasus Military District and commander of the Black Sea Fleet."

Konstantin Pobedonostsev made his position known.

"Director, I believe Grand Duke Mikhail's succession to the throne should be suspended. There are grounds for suspicion linking him to His Majesty's murder that cannot be dismissed.

"As everyone knows, Grand Duke Mikhail was at odds with His Majesty. He has also always been ambitious.

"I have every reason to suspect that he killed His Majesty and now intends to take his place.

"This is absolutely unacceptable for the entire Tsarist Russian Empire.

"We absolutely cannot tolerate a murderer who killed His Majesty becoming the new tsar!"

Grand Duke Nicholas said suddenly.

The top officials of the Tsarist Russian Empire looked at Grand Duke Nicholas with a hint of something different in their eyes.

After all, as Nicholas II's uncle, Grand Duke Nicholas stood immediately behind Grand Duke Mikhail in the line of succession.

Now he had jumped out and pinned the murder on Grand Duke Mikhail. No matter how one looked at it, it seemed he was deliberately framing Mikhail so he could take his place and claim the throne himself!

"Your Highness, is there concrete evidence?

"Succession to the throne is an extremely serious matter. Otherwise, baselessly accusing the first in line to the throne is likewise something none of us can accept!"

Konstantin Pobedonostsev frowned.

Grand Duke Nicholas was struck speechless. He did indeed have no concrete evidence in hand.

"Ministers, although I have no concrete evidence, everyone should be aware of the feud between His Majesty and Grand Duke Mikhail.

"So Grand Duke Mikhail certainly had a motive to kill His Majesty.

"He was simply very cunning and left nothing that could be used against him."

Grand Duke Nicholas could only offer that answer.

"What has the Ministry of Internal Affairs' investigation into this incident found?" Konstantin Pobedonostsev asked.

"The investigation is still underway. But the preliminary finding is that the Bolshevik Party was likely responsible!" Interior Minister Vyacheslav Plehve said.