Just as Duke Golitsyn was intensively planning his coup, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nesselrode and Gorchakov were approaching the Crian Peninsula under the escort of tens of thousands of Russian troops, braving the severe cold.
Both Nesselrode and Gorchakov understood that if the peace talks failed this ti, the troops accompanying them would be imdiately engaged in the battle sequence.
Moreover, the finances of the Imperial Governnt would gradually deteriorate in war. The 10 million USD obtained by selling Alaska seed a lot personally, but in terms of this war, it was rely a drop in the bucket.
Once the war restarted, the Imperial Governnt would have to find every possible way to endure the severe winter.
Otherwise, the Russian Empire might witness a Pugachev-like uprising flourishing across Russia by the spring of next year.
However, compared to the worried Gorchakov and Nesselrode, the Russian Army stationed in the Crian Peninsula did not feel the approaching storm of crisis at all,
Those in Bakhchisaray and Simferopol had already enjoyed nearly a month of peaceful life, with their weary bodies and collapsing wills slowly recovering in the long-lost peace.
However, the issue of shortages of supplies in the Russian Army still had not been properly resolved; instead, it beca even more difficult due to the sudden blizzard so ti ago.
This forced the Russian soldiers to endure hunger and severe cold, with several soldiers of the Russian Imperial Army dying on the streets every day due to various issues.
However, compared to the nearly 180,000 Russian troops, these soldiers were obviously insignificant.
And positioned opposite the Russian Empire, neither the British nor the French Army suffered severe combat attrition as in history due to Jero Bonaparte’s preparations of cotton clothing in advance.
Instead, they seized this opportunity to continuously reinforce their troops in Cria.
In mid-October, nearly 20,000 French soldiers and over 10,000 British soldiers landed in Sevastopol.
The number of French troops in Sevastopol exceeded 100,000, equivalent to about one-fifth and a half of the entire standing force of France.
Alongside the large number of soldiers arriving in Sevastopol, there were many engineers coming from afar. They followed Jero Bonaparte’s orders to reach Rimia with the aim to construct a small railway from the north shore of Sevastopol to Alma Heights.
If the peace talks faced failure (which was actually predestined to fail), Jero Bonaparte would use this short-distance railway to transport large quantities of supplies and siege cannons, hoping to conquer Bakhchisaray and Simferopol as quickly as possible.
To complete this railway construction, the southern residents of the Crian Peninsula (whether they were Tatars, Greeks, or Slavs, all were workers in Jero Bonaparte’s eyes) were forcibly mobilized by Jero Bonaparte. Tempted by the French currency with Napoleon’s portrait (referring to the new Bank of France notes), the southern residents gradually accepted this employnt relationship despite their initial reluctance.
At the very least, working for the Anglo-French army allowed them to earn so money. Previously, when they worked for the Russian army, not only did they not receive any paynt, but their money was also taken away by the Russian army.
As for the Russian Imperial Army, whether they were Tatars, Greeks, or their Slav compatriots, as long as they didn’t have power behind them, the Russian army would treat them all the sa by plundering.
The Anglo-French forces also plundered, but compared to Russia, their thods were much more civilized.
From mid-October to late October, a nearly 10-kiloter railway began construction with the joint effort of almost 50,000 residents of the Crian Peninsula, at a pace of 800 ters per day.
During the railway construction period, the Cossack cavalry stationed in Bakhchisaray often rode horses to observe the bustling construction site from afar.
The Cossack cavalry, who had never seen a railway, were very curious about why the Anglo-French army was laying wood (specifically sleepers) and steel on the ground.
So, the nimble Cossack cavalry disguised themselves as ordinary people and sneaked into the crowd constructing the railway to inquire.
After gaining so information about the railway, the Cossacks quickly left and reported this news to Alexander II.
Upon receiving the news, both Commander Gorchakov and Alexander II showed an unpleasant expression when they heard that Jero Bonaparte was constructing the railway intensively.
They knew Jero Bonaparte’s aim in building this railway was to deal with them more swiftly in case negotiations broke down.
Yet, they could do nothing because if they chose to attack the railway, it ant the Russian army completely tearing faces to fight against England and France.
Attacking England and France in such brutally cold weather was akin to seeking death.
Moreover, Alexander II himself had high hopes for the peace talks with the French Empire.
He would absolutely not allow anyone to undermine the grounds for peace talks, so from the ti news from Alexander II arrived until construction was completed, the Russian Empire was in a state of marginal tension.
When the railway from Sevastopol to Alma was completed, nearly 20,000 soldiers of the French Army were stationed in the Alma region to guard against a surprise attack by the Russian Empire.
After the railway was completed, the Third and Second Divisions, located in the Inkman Mountain and Fedorovskaya Ridge areas, received orders from Jero Bonaparte to move and station near the Alma River and Kach River to prevent the Russian Empire from taking risks to sabotage the railway along the line.
So of the supplies originally stored in the Sevastopol warehouse were transferred via railway to Alma Heights.
After everything was prepared, Jero Bonaparte wrote an invitation letter to Alexander II, who resided in Bakhchisaray, hoping that Alexander II could arrive at Alma Heights and accompany him to the railway’s completion ceremony.
Receiving the letter, Alexander II felt an indescribable sense of humiliation. The words of Jero Bonaparte in the letter exuded an air of superiority, as if the entire Cria Peninsula was already subdued under his hand.
Nevertheless, humiliation aside, Alexander II still wanted to see how much transport capacity the railway built by the French could bear.
After all, knowing oneself and the opponent is crucial to achieving victory in every battle.
Thus, Alexander II, Gorchakov, Count Orlov, and Ivanov Gorchakov left Bakhchisaray.
When Alexander II arrived near Alma Heights, it was the commander of the First Division, Conrobel, who greeted him.
"Your Highness!" Conrobel said respectfully to Alexander II.
"Where is His Majesty Emperor Jero now?" Alexander II imdiately asked Conrobel.
"Your Highness, please follow !"
Under Conrobel’s guidance, Alexander II t Jero Bonaparte.
At this ti, Jero Bonaparte was standing at the railway terminus, directing the workers responsible for loading and unloading work. Beside him stood Richard tternich, the Austrian ambassador to France, and several officers dressed in Austrian Imperial uniforms.
Why are they here?
Alexander II looked at Richard tternich with a hint of puzzlent and tension in his heart.
In Alexander’s eyes, the French Empire and the Austrian Empire were as close as could be, leading him to suspect that if peace talks failed, the Austrian Empire might follow the French Empire’s lead and attack the Russian Empire from the Danube Duchy.
Thinking of this, Alexander II’s heart grew even more tense. Standing next to him, Gorchakov and Orlov, upon seeing Richard tternich, also turned exceptionally solemn.
anwhile, Richard tternich and the Austrian Imperial officers beside Jero Bonaparte also realized the unfavorable situation when they saw Alexander II.
Richard tternich quickly turned his gaze to Jero Bonaparte, who still looked at Richard tternich with a relaxed smile and asked calmly, "Mr. Richard, why are you looking at that way?"
"Your Majesty, why is Crown Prince Alexander present here?" Richard tternich inquired with an exceptionally serious expression.
"Alexander being here is nothing out of the ordinary!" Jero Bonaparte shrugged in response to Richard tternich.
"The French Empire and the Russian Empire are at war. Aren’t you afraid..." Richard tternich couldn’t help but say.
"Afraid?" Jero Bonaparte displayed a slight sneer, "Why should I be afraid? Could the Russian Empire actually defeat us? Even if they manage to defeat us once by chance, won’t they inevitably be brought down by us afterward? This war is not rely a conflict between armies but a contest of comprehensive national strength!"
Hearing Jero Bonaparte’s words, Richard tternich was left speechless.
Indeed, as Jero Bonaparte said, even if Russia manages to defeat France and seize the terminus montarily, they could never drive the Anglo-French out effectively. England and France, with their mobilization capabilities exceeding the Russian Empire’s several tis over, would inevitably revitalize and defeat the Russian Army.
"Your Majesty, would standing with us provoke a misunderstanding from Crown Prince Alexander?"
Once more, Richard tternich worried, fearing that his presence might lead to a conflict between the Austrian Empire and the Russian Empire.
"Misunderstanding what? Do you expect the Russian Empire to shake hands with you after the war?" Jero Bonaparte furrowed his brows and asked Richard tternich.
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