The first meeting between Jerome Bonaparte and Alexander II ended in a most unpleasant manner.

Escorted by the dutiful Jerome Patterson to the vicinity of Bakhchisaray (a region occupied by the Russian Empire), Alexander II bid farewell to Jerome Patterson and praised him, saying, "Mr. Patterson, you are an excellent soldier!"

In response to Alexander II’s praise, Jerome Patterson replied courteously, "Your Highness, you overrate me!"

After saying this, Jerome Patterson bowed once again to Alexander II, then turned with his Dragoons behind him and left.

Watching Jerome Patterson’s departing figure, Alexander II sighed regretfully, muttering to himself, "What a pity! That someone as upright as he would be born into a family known for its scheming and sly ways."

Subsequently, Alexander II and his entourage arrived at the gates of the ancient city of Bakhchisaray.

Mounted on his horse, he gazed upon the city, standing at the foot of the mountain, full of ruins and broken walls, and couldn’t help but sigh.

Once, this place was the capital of the Crimean Khanate. After the Russian Empire annexed the Crimean Khanate, the administrative center of Crimea moved from Bakhchisaray to Simferopol.

This ancient city that recorded the glory of the Crimean Khanate was forgotten and even abandoned.

When Alexander II and his entourage entered the ancient city, he immediately sensed a pervasive atmosphere of laxness. Despite the fact that the Russian Empire was already at war with the Allies, there were no defensive fortifications here, and Tatars were still wandering the streets.

The scene before him left Alexander II with a feeling of "the great goose pill."

Under the guidance of the Cossack soldiers stationed there, Alexander II soon found the brigade headquarters in the ancient city and revealed his identity to the brigade commander inside.

"Your Highness!" The brigade commander stationed in Bakhchisaray quickly saluted Alexander II.

"What on earth is happening here? Why are Tatars still visible on the streets? Where are your defensive fortifications? What will you do if the Anglo-French forces in Sevastopol advance?" Upon meeting, Alexander II immediately adopted an aggressive stance and questioned repeatedly.

"This is... because... because..." The brigade commander stammered, unable to speak. He certainly couldn’t tell Alexander II that he had never really considered resisting.

After all, with the soldiers under his command whom he couldn’t even fully pay, how could they be a match for England and France?

He had already decided that if England and France attacked Bakhchisaray, he would lead his soldiers to flee before the Anglo-French forces arrived.

After all, with Prince Menshikov as a living example before him, he wasn’t afraid of defeat.

At worst, he’d roll back home like Prince Menshikov. The supplies he had secretly smuggled in Bakhchisaray over the years were enough to ensure a wealthy retirement.

...

The brigade commander’s hesitant state made the anger in Alexander II’s heart—frustrated and unvented in Sevastopol—burn even more fiercely. He pointed directly at the brigade commander and lambasted him, "Because of what? Because of your dereliction of duty? Or because you wish to commit treason! How could the Russian Imperial Army be filled with fools like you!"

"Yes... yes... I am foolish..." The brigade commander bowed and admitted his fault to Alexander II.

At this moment, an aide pushed the door open and entered.

"Commander, there’s bad news!"

About to report the internal situation in Bakhchisaray to the commander, the aide stopped in his tracks upon seeing the commander and Alexander II, and did not say another word.

"What’s the matter?" Alexander II inquired, frowning at the aide.

"Yes, what happened?" The commander quickly added, anxious to know.

The aide glanced nervously at Alexander II, then at the commander, as if seeking the commander’s permission on whether or not to report.

"When you’re told to speak, you speak!" Alexander II said with a hint of anger in his voice, "Remember, you are a soldier of the Russian Empire, not a private guard of someone!"

"Yes, indeed!" The commander quickly echoed, then introduced Alexander II’s identity to the aide, "This is Crown Prince Alexander, you can directly report to him now!"

Hearing the Crown Prince, the aide instinctively swallowed a mouthful of saliva, then bowed to Alexander II and said, "Crown Prince, a large number of cholera patients have appeared in the East District of Bakhchisaray!"

"What? Cholera!" A look of terror appeared on Alexander II’s face, and he quickly asked, "Is our army stationed here also infected with cholera?"

"As of now, not yet!" The aide shook his head and responded to Alexander II, then added, "If left unchecked, I’m afraid it could..."

"Where are the doctors in the city?" Alexander II inquired again.

"The doctors originally remaining in the city have fled to Simferopol because of the war! Those still in the city are few and far between. Relying on those doctors alone, I’m afraid it would be very difficult to curb the spread of cholera!" The aide replied to Alexander II.

"Then drive all the Tatars out of the East District! Let them fend for themselves!" Alexander II displayed the decisiveness of a Tsar and immediately issued the order to his adjutant.

Although this order was indeed somewhat cruel to the Tatars living here, it was also an effective solution.

Evacuating all the patients from Bakhchisaray can effectively ensure the safety of the French Army stationed here.

"But..." The adjutant hesitated slightly after hearing Alexander II’s order.

The Tatar population in the Bakhchisaray area was not just a couple thousand, but tens of thousands of people.

Driving them all out to fend for themselves was indeed quite cruel.

"But what!" Alexander II coldly questioned, "Do you want to see your comrades, your allies, all infected with that damn cholera?"

Alexander II’s question made the adjutant resolute. After saluting Alexander II, he turned and left.

"Hold on a moment!" Alexander II called out to the adjutant and then said cruelly, "Take a regiment of soldiers over to drive them out! Anyone unwilling to leave, immediately treat them as traitors to the Russian Empire and execute them on the spot!"

A look of pain appeared on the adjutant’s face, and he nodded to Alexander II, replying, "As you command, Your Highness!"

After the adjutant left, Alexander II issued an order to the brigade commander to immediately send someone to construct defensive fortifications and a field hospital after the adjutant had driven the Tatars from the East District.

"This will become our forward base for the attack on Sevastopol!" Alexander II said, stomping lightly on the floor tiles.

"Yes, Your Highness!"

...

Under the guidance of the adjutant leading a regiment of troops, the Tatars in the East District were quickly driven out.

Though small-scale conflicts occurred during this process (nearly a hundred Tatars were killed, and the Russian Army also sustained dozens of injuries), on the whole, these were insignificant matters.

Handling the East District, Alexander II personally directed the Russians and Greeks in Bakhchisaray to construct defensive fortifications within the city. (Alexander II, subconsciously, already considered the Tatars as traitors)

In the following days, Alexander II remained in Bakhchisaray.

Under Alexander II’s supervision, a relatively complete set of defensive fortifications was quickly constructed in Bakhchisaray.

Far away in Perekop, upon learning that Alexander II was staying in Bakhchisaray, Gorchakov immediately led his Cossack cavalry, riding with torches. After a long-distance overnight rush, they arrived in Bakhchisaray the next morning.

"Your Highness!" Commander Gorchakov bowed to Alexander II, entering Bakhchisaray with a weary body.

"Commander Gorchakov, why are you here! I was already preparing to return to Perekop!" Alexander II replied to Gorchakov.

"Your Highness, I’m afraid we’ll have to spend a long time here in the future!" Commander Gorchakov said with a wry smile to Alexander II.

"Has news come again from St. Petersburg?" Alexander II frowned and asked Gorchakov.

"Yes!" Commander Gorchakov nodded to Alexander II, then took out a letter and handed it to him.

It was a letter written to him by Nicholas I. Alexander II hurriedly opened the letter.

The content of the letter was roughly that Nicholas I was already aware of the situation you are facing (Alexander II had already described their difficulties in a letter to Nicholas I), and the doctors and supplies you need will soon be delivered.

However, their request to postpone the attack, Nicholas I firmly opposed.

Of course, Nicholas I also explained the reasons for his opposition.

Aside from the fact that the Russian Empire needed to use thunderous means to defeat the Allied Forces, thereby achieving the purpose of deterring other restless nations,

there’s also the point that the empire’s finances could no longer afford them continuing to stalemate with the Allied Forces on the Crimean Peninsula. Feeding, clothing, and accommodating an army of 200,000 was no small expense, let alone the costs of artillery, horses, wages, and various sundries, all requiring a substantial expenditure of money.

In short, the Russian Empire simply didn’t have the money to wait for them to slowly reorganize the army.

If they can’t launch a large-scale attack while Russian finances can still support it, once the empire’s finances are completely exhausted, they will no longer have the strength to launch a large-scale assault.

At that point, the Russian Empire will no longer have any chance for reversal.