"Democracy? Freedom? How laughable these two words are! Golitsyn, what the Russian Empire needs is not so-called democracy and freedom, but a ruler, a father! Acting this way will only lead the entire Russian Empire into a disastrous abyss!" Nicholas I glared at Duke Golitsyn and said, "Think of Poland back then! What caused their downfall at that time!"

"Russia is not Poland!" Duke Golitsyn calmly rebutted, "Furthermore, even to this day, Poland has not stopped their pursuit of independence, so they are far from being in a hopeless situation!

And I will grant them the right to independence after the founding of the New Russia Empire!"

"You’re crazy!" Nicholas I widened his eyes and shouted at Duke Golitsyn, "Do you know what the consequences of your actions will be?"

"Consequences?" Duke Golitsyn chuckled briefly, "The consequence is that the citizens of the New Russia Empire will closely unite with the citizens of Poland!"

"No! Doing so will destroy nearly a hundred years of effort by the Russian Empire!" Unwilling to become the empire’s villain, Nicholas I pleaded slightly with Duke Golitsyn, "Golitsyn, think of your ancestors! Think of your father! It took us generations to completely annex the land of Poland, and you cannot give it up so easily!"

"Mr. Nikolai, the land we annexed at the cost of generations only brought us nothing but hatred from the Poles and high military expenditure!" Duke Golitsyn questioned Nicholas I.

"That is not a reason for us to abandon Poland!" Nicholas I retorted to Duke Golitsyn.

"Mr. Nikolai, I am the one making the decisions now, not you!" Duke Golitsyn gave a faint smile, "I must tell you, I plan not only to liberate Poland but also Finland, Crimea... liberate all the oppressed nations of the Russian Empire!"

"You..." Nicholas I cursed Duke Golitsyn with a trembling voice, "You’re an outright madman! Madman!"

"Madman?" Duke Golitsyn pondered for a moment, then nodded, "I am indeed mad!

After all, I live in the most autocratic and barbaric country in all of Europe."

"This autocratic and barbaric nation has allowed you to enjoy privileges you cannot find in any other country!" Nicholas I replied to Duke Golitsyn, "Which one of my ancestors, grandmother, brother, or I ever treated you and your family badly! We granted you privileges, allowing you to do as you please on the lands under your control.

Duke Golitsyn, tell me, which of your estates, farmlands, and factories was not established with the privileges we granted you?

Even a dog, when receiving such favor from us, would wag its tail! Your actions are worse than a dog; you are an ungrateful wolf!"

Despite Nicholas I’s attempts to provoke Duke Golitsyn with malicious words, Duke Golitsyn showed no hint of anger.

In contrast, Andrew Nikolaevich Golitsyn, beside Duke Golitsyn, displayed an indignant expression on his face. He walked up to Nicholas I, raising his hand intending to give Nicholas I a couple of slaps to wake him up.

"Don’t strike!" Duke Golitsyn grabbed Andrew’s hand and shook his head, saying to him.

He then turned his gaze back to Nicholas I, "You are correct, you and your family indeed granted many privileges and wealth to me and my family, but are these things all produced by you?

As the rulers of the Empire, have you ever genuinely labored for a day?

You shamelessly seized the fruits of labor from the citizens of the Russian Empire and then temporarily handed them over to us to manage.

This boundless plunder is itself founded on wrongdoing; I am ashamed of the wealth I possess!

Therefore, I must personally end this wrongdoing! So that the people of the Russian Empire won’t suffer from the exploitation of privilege and can live together in a new era of equality!"

"What nonsense are you spouting!" Nicholas I shouted at Duke Golitsyn, "I’ll say it again, this world has never been equal from the start, not even in the France you admire! Go ask Jerome Bonaparte if he is equal with his subjects! Ask the nobles of Paris if they are willing to be equal with those who have lived on the land for generations!

All you are doing is just to satisfy your own messiah complex!"

"You’re right, there is no absolute equality in this world!" Duke Golitsyn agreed, "Even present-day France is like that, but I believe I can establish a relatively equal world through my own efforts! That will be enough!"

"Do you know how many nobles France killed and drove away back then!" Nicholas I widened his eyes, saying to Duke Golitsyn, "Do you also want to follow them and execute all the nobles of Russia?"

"I don’t wish to cause excessive slaughter!" Duke Golitsyn first responded calmly, and then his tone turned cold, "If those nobles refuse to relinquish their privileges, I will not hesitate to eliminate them entirely, just like Robespierre back then!"

"Doing this will only make all the aristocrats oppose you!" Nicholas I stared intently at Duke Golitsyn, speaking to him word by word.

"Perhaps!" Duke Golitsyn shrugged and said to Nicholas I, "I never had the delusion from the start that I could persuade them with words. Only by making them personally feel death will they learn to compromise with the citizens of the Russian Empire!"

"Once they choose to compromise, that will spell your doom!" Nicholas I continued.

"Since they have already chosen to yield, it means they are moving forward with the reforms I desire!" Duke Golitsyn revealed a gratified smile on his face, "Even if I eventually get killed by them, I will have no regrets!"

"You..." Nicholas I found himself at a loss for words, realizing he could not use reason to persuade or anger a Puritan.

"Enough! Citizen Nicholas I, our conversation should come to an end!" Duke Golitsyn replied to Nicholas I, then turned to Andrei and said, "The Tsar of the Russian Empire will die tonight!"

"Yes!" A sinister expression appeared on Andrei’s face.

"Duke Golitsyn, I curse you! I curse every one of you to forever bear the sin of regicide, to walk through Purgatory and endure endless suffering..." Nicholas I’s face twisted slightly with anger as he hurled a venomous curse at Duke Golitsyn.

"Your Majesty! If there truly is a Purgatory in this world, then you would enter it before I do!" Duke Golitsyn calmly replied, "After all, my family and I stand on the shoulders of the Romanov Clan!"

After he finished speaking, Duke Golitsyn left the room.

Inside the room, only Nicholas I and Andrei Nikolaev Golitsyn remained.

"Your Majesty, it’s time for you to move on!" Andrei Nikolaev Golitsyn approached Nicholas I and said to him.

"Andrei, I don’t know what Duke Golitsyn promised you! If you choose to align with me, I can guarantee that you and your family will endure as the Romanov family has!" Nicholas I tried to win over Nikolayev Golitsyn with promises.

Andrei Nikolaev Golitsyn stopped in his tracks, a hesitant expression appearing on his face, "But I am also a Golitsyn!"

Seeing a glimmer of success in his attempt to persuade, Nicholas I quickly responded, "It doesn’t matter! As long as you are willing to arrest that traitor Golitsyn, I will personally confer upon you the title of Prince of South Russia! In addition, you will become the Governor of Odessa, and the entire territory of Odessa will become your dominion!"

"That sounds appealing!" Andrei Nikolaev Golitsyn stroked his chin, showing a pensive look.

"Indeed! If you are unwilling to become the Governor of Odessa, you can still be the Governor of Finland!" Nicholas I quickly upped the ante, sensing he might persuade Andrei Nikolaev to switch sides.

"Alas!" Andrei Nikolaev Golitsyn sighed, slowly walking up to Nicholas I. In the hopeful eyes of Nicholas I, he mercilessly clutched Nicholas I’s throat, coldly stating, "Unfortunately! There is a profound hatred between us!"

"What... hatred... do we... have?" Nicholas I, being strangled by Nikolayev, stuttered to ask.

"My biological parents were ruthlessly exiled to Siberia by you back then! If it weren’t for Uncle Golitsyn’s help, I would have likely died on the way to Siberia!" Nikolayev Golitsyn gritted his teeth, roaring at Nicholas I.

"So... that’s... it!" Nicholas I’s voice grew weaker.

In his final moments, it seemed he returned to the winter of twenty-nine years ago.

Back then, he had just ascended to the throne, only to be met with the rebellion of the Decembrists.

At that time, he couldn’t understand why those Decembrists would abandon a superior life to partake in an action that brought them no benefit.

And now, he still couldn’t comprehend Duke Golitsyn’s actions.

Could such matters truly hold this much importance to them?

... 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Tsar Nicholas Baplovich of the Russian Empire died of a stroke in November 1854, at the age of 58.