Chapter 289: Chapter 38, Bismarck

Franz had long entertained the idea of acting against Bismarck, but with so many people in Europe sharing the same name, how could one tell them apart before they rose to prominence?

With identities uncertain, naturally nothing could be done.

By the time Bismarck’s identity was confirmed, he had just transitioned from being the representative of the Kingdom of Prussia in Frankfurt to serving as the envoy to the New Holy Roman Empire.

Murdering an envoy on one’s own territory would have dire consequences. The political risk was too significant; Franz was not one to take such risks.

Now that Bismarck had been reassigned as the envoy to Russia, the situation was different. As long as it was done carefully, even if he were killed, any trouble would be a headache for the Tsarist Government.

If possible, he would not mind eliminating all three of the Prussian Heroes. Unfortunately, the other two were in the military, making it difficult to track their movements. Surely, storming into a military camp to kill them was out of the question?

Franz did not believe his assassination squad was that formidable, daring to journey into the Kingdom of Prussia to assassinate their military officers. If by any chance they were captured, it would be tragic.

The greatest threat was still Bismarck; no matter how capable a general was, in the Age of Hot Weapons, they could not escape the constraints of national power. In this regard, Franz stood firm.

In contrast, politicians and diplomats are the ones who truly dictate the fate of a nation. With Metternich present and Bismarck not holding a high position, Franz was not worried about him causing trouble.

However, the “European Chancellor” was already old, and his departure was inevitable. With the young Bismarck beginning to rise rapidly after Wilhelm’s regency, the scenario changed.

To make matters worse, the current candidates for the foreign ministry of New Holy Roman Empire were only average in ability, and Franz himself was no diplomatic genius. If he was not careful, and Bismarck managed to form an Anti-Austrian alliance, that would be a big problem.

Currently, the New Holy Roman Empire’s strength did not pose a threat to The Four Countries of England, Russia, France, and Austria, whose combined national strengths were relatively balanced, with no large discrepancies between them.

However, within the coming decades, France would fall behind due to demographic reasons, and the situation in the Russian Empire was still unclear, but Franz did not think a Russia delaying reforms would grow stronger.

Against this backdrop, it was only a matter of time before the nations would recognize the threat posed by the New Holy Roman Empire, and once the balance of power shifted, the international order would change again.

Under normal circumstances, as long as France and Russia did not align, Austria had nothing to fear. But if the Kingdom of Prussia were to interfere, the circumstances would be different.

Now, by sending Bismarck as the envoy to the Russian Empire, it signaled a shift in the Prussian Kingdom’s foreign policy, as they sought to mend relations with Russia.

Before this, Bismarck had already repaired the diplomatic relations between Prussia and Austria. Even though Wilhelm Frederick Ludwig detested Bismarck, he still continued to rely on him, and not without reason.

In Franz’s view, this was a dangerous sign. The stalemate in Prusso-Russian relations was a result of his meddling, which had incited confrontation between the two nations; fundamentally, Prusso-Russian conflicts were not irreconcilable.

In St. Petersburg, Bismarck, who had just become the Russian Empire’s envoy, was still troubled over how to realign with Russia.

If it were not for the prospect of fostering an alliance with the Nordic Three Courts once again, Bismarck would not have accepted the role as the envoy to Russia. After all, this appointment was a lateral move, not a promotion.

Bismarck gave the order, “Prepare the carriage, I am going to visit Crown Prince Alexander.”

The officials of the Tsarist Government generally did not regard the Kingdom of Prussia favorably, but the relationship between the two royal families had always been good.

For some reason, there had always been a considerable number of pro-Prussian Tsars, even including the crazed admirer, Peter III. Now Crown Prince Alexander, the future Alexander II, was also part of the pro-Prussian faction.

Yet this alone was clearly not enough. When it came to interests, mere affinity was insufficient to change the stance of the Tsarist Government.

History had taken a turn, and since Russia had not forfeited its dominance in Europe, the Tsarist Government would not abandon the Kingdom of Denmark. As a hegemon, the loss of vassals would be a matter of dignity.

As long as the Kingdom of Prussia had ambitions for the two German sub-states occupied by Denmark, the relations between the two could not be eased.

With the reestablishment of the Vienna System, the Kingdom of Prussia lacked the power to break the rules. The regent, Wilhelm Frederick Ludwig, believed that the best opportunity had been lost and advocated for domestic development, temporarily abandoning foreign expansion.

Developing the domestic economy necessitated mending diplomatic relations with other countries. Against this backdrop, Bismarck’s journey to St. Petersburg took place.

Stepping out of the embassy, Bismarck felt an unease, as if something was about to happen. However, diplomatic meetings were set, and he could not simply bail out.

As the minutes ticked by, Bismarck made his way into the Imperial Palace without incident, as if nothing had happened.

A kind-faced old man spoke gravely, “Aleksey, we’ve just received insider information—our target has left. You can start preparations.

We only have one chance to strike, regardless of success or failure, we must leave St. Petersburg tonight. If the Tsarist Government catches on, you know the consequences.”

Aleksey replied nonchalantly, “I understand, Andrey. You’re as verbose as ever. We handle our business; you need not worry. To ensure nothing goes wrong, we’ll block him at the main gate; if he’s in the carriage, he won’t escape his fate.”

The elder Andrey glared and retorted, “If you want to survive longer in this line of work, put away your arrogance, Aleksey.

It’s not just the man in the carriage; the coachman and guards are also fair game—you should know the nobility’s quirks.

This target is no ordinary one; I’ve prepared a scapegoat. As long as none of you are caught at the scene, there will be no problems.”

Seeing the old man’s serious tone, Aleksey’s relaxed demeanor vanished. They were no strangers to assassination, but such a grave look from the elder was a first.

Confused, Aleksey asked, “I don’t understand; he’s just a Prussian diplomat. Who has he offended to warrant such a high price on his head?”

The old man cautioned solemnly, “I warn you once more, in our profession, the greater the curiosity, the swifter the death.

It has not been easy training you all, and I don’t wish to see you dying young. After this big job, we’ll be square, and you will be free.”

Clearly, they were using aliases, and though the old man looked quite elderly, it was all makeup; his actual age was not that great.

Being a member of Franz’s Intelligence organization and specializing in murder, Andrey naturally could not reveal his true identity.

Aleksey and his companions were killers trained by Andrey, previously taking on jobs involving hired murders. The importance of this mission meant these developing agents had to be sacrificed.

Bismarck was an envoy of his country; should he be assassinated in St. Petersburg, the Tsarist Government surely wouldn’t let it pass and would have to present the killers internationally.

This matter could not be linked to Austria, hence the operation by these outsiders not yet integrated into the Intelligence organization; even if they failed, these assassins knew nothing.

Murder for hire led everyone to think of Bismarck’s enemies, but who would suspect that Franz, who ostensibly had no connection, was planning an unrelated murder?

Even if there were cause for an assassination, at least someone of higher status should be targeted—not Bismarck, who even if troublesome, was clearly not of enough import for Franz to take a personal interest.

Inside the palace, Bismarck found warm company in Crown Prince Alexander. Since the Prussian Government was willing to yield, the rift between the two nations seemed mendable.

The Tsarist Government also sought to change its isolated position on the European Continent. A mere Russian-Austrian Alliance was inadequate; if the Kingdom of Prussia could be drawn in, that would be sufficient.

Once a triple alliance was established, the Tsarist Government’s hegemony in Europe would be secured, not just barely maintaining a dominant reputation, with actual influence confined to Northeastern Europe.

Having secured the support of Crown Prince Alexander, Bismarck returned satisfied, the first step towards improving relations between the two countries taken.

The carriage made “creaking” sounds as it moved slowly over the snowy ground. Bismarck’s good mood was gone; the Russian Empire’s weather was too harsh. It was already April, yet snow still covered the ground, making him quite uncomfortable.

Time passed, second by second, as the carriage traversed street after street, finally arriving home. Bismarck had just alighted from the carriage.

“Bang, bang, bang…”

Gunshots rang out, and bullets flew toward him. Before he could react, Bismarck was hit.

Upon hearing the gunshots, the embassy guards hurriedly ran out, but by that time, the assassins had vanished.