The intelligence that Britain had successfully suppressed 80,000 Russian troops in Saki reached Jerome Bonaparte at his temporary residence on the outskirts of Bakhchisaray, finally allowing Jerome Bonaparte’s previously tense heart to settle temporarily.

Although the quality and equipment of the British Army were far superior to that of the Russian Army, the Russian Army outnumbered the British.

Therefore, there were still some difficulties for Britain in successfully suppressing the Russian Empire in Saki.

If the Russian Army really determined to retract its defense line back to Simferopol, Jerome Bonaparte’s subsequent plans might need to be adjusted.

For now, Jerome Bonaparte need not worry about the Russian Army in Saki choosing to break through.

After all, a forcible breakout would not only cause massive losses but also significantly impact their political careers.

If he were the commander in Saki, seeing that the encircling British Army lacked the capability to annihilate them, and no retreat intelligence from Simferopol was received, he would also choose to hold his ground without movement.

Of course, if he were the current Commander-in-Chief of Crimea, Gorchakov, he would spare no effort to execute the order of exchanging time for space, relinquishing the central and southern Crimea to the Allied Forces, dispersing their troops, and then concentrating superior forces to annihilate the Allied Forces in batches.

Unfortunately, the current Crimea Commander Gorchakov clearly had no resolve to abandon Saki, Bakhchisaray, or even Simferopol.

Facing a strategically timid Russian General, what was there for Jerome Bonaparte to fear?

Subsequently, Jerome Bonaparte dispatched people to Saki overnight, reminding Marshal Lagren to closely monitor Simferopol’s movements to prevent an enveloping maneuvre between Simferopol and Saki against Britain.

Marshal Lagren immediately responded to Jerome Bonaparte, saying he would keep Jerome Bonaparte’s reminder firmly in mind.

As anticipated by Jerome Bonaparte, in the following two days, Russian troops from Simferopol provided some reinforcements to both Bakhchisaray and Saki.

Perhaps because the number of reinforcements was insufficient to overturn the battle situation (both reinforcements consisted of only one army), the reinforcement fleet from the Russian troops in Simferopol was quickly repulsed by the Kingdom of Britain and the French Empire.

During the time of repelling the Simferopol forces, a brigade from the French Fifth Division managed to capture a hill north of Bakhchisaray with indomitable perseverance.

Some artillery were able to send shells through the high ground into the city of Bakhchisaray, causing the entire city to become increasingly panicked.

And the intense fighting around the third defense line of Bakhchisaray showed no signs of slackening.

In just two short days, nearly 20,000 corpses were left between the second and third defense lines.

More than half of the deceased were Russian soldiers responsible for defense (about 16,000 or so).

The Russian troops in Bakhchisaray were on the brink of collapse.

Time quickly reached the third day of the offensive; on this day, light snow began to fall on Bakhchisaray.

Walking amidst the snowflakes, Jerome Bonaparte gazed at the third defense line under artillery fire in the distance and mumbled to himself, "Presumably, it’s already started on Duke Golitsyn’s side!"

Having spoken, Jerome Bonaparte once again issued orders for attack to Major General Trox beside him.

The artillery abruptly ceased after ten minutes, and hundreds of French soldiers in white cotton coats slowly charged towards the third defense line.

...

While the Allied Forces and the Russian Army were locked in fierce battle on the Crimea Peninsula, a significant event with the potential to tear apart the Russian Empire for years was also occurring far away in St. Petersburg.

On this day, Duke Golitsyn, the Governor of St. Petersburg and Commander of the Guard Army of Tsarskoye Selo, as usual, went to Nicholas I’s bedroom to report to Nicholas I.

Standing at the bedroom door, he first knocked on the door. After hearing Nicholas I’s weak voice saying "Come in," Duke Golitsyn entered the room.

"Your Majesty!" Duke Golitsyn, upon entering the bedroom, walked quickly to Nicholas I’s side and bowed to Nicholas I, who was lying on the sofa by the fireplace.

"Cough...cough...Duke Golitsyn, how... is the situation... in St. Petersburg now?" As the temperature in St. Petersburg gradually declined, Nicholas I’s illness also worsened. Despite lying by the burning wood in the fireplace, he had to breathe heavily. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"Your Majesty, under your wise deployment, all the rebels in St. Petersburg have been completely eradicated!" Duke Golitsyn flattered Nicholas I.

Hearing that all the rebels had been apprehended, Nicholas I’s face showed a trace of a smile. He tried to reach out to pat Duke Golitsyn’s shoulder as an encouragement, but found even the strength to extend his hand had vanished.

Seeing this, Duke Golitsyn immediately placed his shoulder in front of Nicholas I’s hand, and Nicholas I’s face showed a comforting smile: "Golitsyn...you’ve worked...hard!"

"For the Russian Empire! No matter how hard it is, it’s worth it!" Duke Golitsyn struck a loyal servant’s pose and responded to Nicholas I, then deliberately showed a hesitant expression: "It’s just that..."

"Just what?" Nicholas I asked Duke Golitsyn.

"Nothing!!" Duke Golitsyn responded, stopping short of speaking further.

"You’re definitely hiding something from me! Speak up, what on earth is going on?" Nicholas I inquired of Duke Golitsyn, furrowing his brows.

"Your Majesty, I don’t know if I should say it!" Duke Golitsyn responded once more to Nicholas I.

"What can’t you say?" Nicholas I replied to Duke Golitsyn.

Then Duke Golitsyn informed him that Viscount Nikolai Orlov from the Third Hall had, during the recent "Thunder Operation," discovered that an imperial minister had contacts with the rebels.

"Who is this person?" Nicholas I asked in a hoarse voice.

"Your Majesty, it’s Prince Dorogorukov!" Duke Golitsyn replied to Nicholas I through gritted teeth.

"How could it be him!" Nicholas I muttered, stunned, his face even paler than before.

He never expected the one who would "betray" him was Dorogorukov.

Although Dorogorukov and he had had some conflicts in recent years due to policy issues, he never expected that Dorogorukov—the minister he had single-handedly promoted—would conspire with the rebels to overthrow him.

Could it be that he so wants to see me step down?

As the saying goes, the deeper the love, the deeper the hate. Once Nicholas I’s heart was filled with hatred toward someone, everything they had done before could serve as proof of their disloyalty.

"Your Majesty, perhaps Prince Dorogorukov doesn’t know their identities! Maybe he was deceived!" Duke Golitsyn "considerately" exonerated Dorogorukov.

"Deceived?" Nicholas I’s lips curled into a cold smile: "How could he so coincidentally be deceived! I think he’s already eager for me to depart from this world so that my son could inherit the throne! Yes, that’s what he must be thinking..."

Duke Golitsyn remained silent, letting Nicholas I freely express himself. (imagination)

"Cough... cough... Golitsyn!" Nicholas I, whose emotions were too agitated, called out to Duke Golitsyn once more.

"Your Majesty!" Duke Golitsyn promptly replied.

"Can you help me deal with that damned traitor!" Nicholas I asked Duke Golitsyn.

"Your Majesty, I believe we should think this through carefully!" Duke Golitsyn once again persuaded Nicholas I, "Right now, the evidence held by the Third Hall does not directly prove Dorogorukov’s direct connection with the rebels! Those rebels were just guests at Prince Dorogorukov’s literary salon..."

Before Duke Golitsyn could finish, Nicholas I rudely interrupted him: "This is enough to prove that Dorogorukov is in cahoots with them! What you need to do now is arrest Dorogorukov immediately!"

"But..." Duke Golitsyn once again showed a hesitant expression on his face, seemingly unwilling to offend Dorogorukov.

"Golitsyn, are you also going to betray me?" Nicholas I said loudly to Duke Golitsyn.

"Of course not!" Duke Golitsyn replied loudly: "The kindness Your Majesty has shown me, I could never repay in my lifetime, how could I betray you!"

"Good! I order you as Emperor of the Russian Empire to send someone to arrest Dorogorukov immediately! I don’t want to see this fellow in the position of Minister of War any longer!" Nicholas I’s pale face showed a particularly stern expression as he ordered Duke Golitsyn.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Duke Golitsyn responded to Nicholas I.

"Go now! I await your good news!" Nicholas I’s stern face, showing a forced smile.

With Nicholas I’s expectations, Duke Golitsyn left his bedroom and reiterated "discipline" to the soldiers at the bedroom door and inside the palace, giving a stern warning with a sharp look to the maids and butlers in the palace, instructing them not to speak recklessly.

After explaining everything, Duke Golitsyn left the palace. That night, Minister Dorogorukov was arrested and imprisoned in a surprise operation led by members of the Third Hall under Nikolai Orlov’s command.

[PS: Due to the aggressive nature of the arrest operation, retired soldiers inside Dorogorukov’s residence opened fire on the Third Hall, leading to a brief exchange of gunfire, which ended with Dorogorukov ordering his soldiers to stand down.]

The entire St. Petersburg had fallen into a state of panic, and after removing the last obstacle in his path, Duke Golitsyn was now at the final step of the coup.