March 1908
Days and weeks passed. During this time, Alexei attended two meetings of the Council of Ministers, where he mostly sat in silence, listening as the ministers and his father discussed the state of the Empire and the various reforms currently underway. Among the most prominent topics was the Prime Minister's program to dismantle the mir system of communal landholding and redistribute land to individual peasant families. There were also ongoing discussions about efforts to encourage settlement in the Empire's far eastern regions.
Although these initiatives were being implemented steadily, their reception among the populace, particularly the peasantry remained lukewarm at best. Many were hesitant to abandon familiar systems, while others lacked the resources to take full advantage of the reforms being offered. At the same time, the Prime Minister faced strong political resistance from conservative members of the nobility, who feared losing their ancestral lands if the reform program gained momentum, especially with the support of the Land Bank, which allowed peasants to purchase land through loans. The debates that unfolded during each council meeting were, from Alexei's perspective, a spectacle in themselves.
For his part, Alexei had his own thoughts on the matter. He believed that a more efficient approach would be to allow corporations or large landholders to lease vast tracts of land and employ farmers on a wage basis. In his view, individual subsistence farming was inherently inefficient compared to organized, large-scale agricultural operations. However, he knew better than to voice such ideas prematurely. Moreover, he recognized that the Prime Minister's reforms had their own merits, particularly in fostering a class of small landowners whose loyalty would be tied directly to the stability of the Empire.
For now, he still had his sports organization to oversee, and more importantly, he was aware of the delicate balance he had to maintain. If he began proposing too many of his own reforms too quickly, his father and the ministers might interpret it as overreach, an heir stepping beyond his proper role when he should still be focused on his education and training.
Patience, he reminded himself. Timing would be everything.
Perhaps later this year, Alexei thought quietly.
He followed a step behind his father as the Tsar moved down the line of assembled soldiers, inspecting each man, exchanging brief words, and returning their salutes. It was the 2nd Cossack Regiment undergoing inspection that day, their ranks standing firm despite the cold. Alexei would have preferred to avoid attending, but refusing his father's invitation was not an option, especially when he still had much to gain from maintaining his father's goodwill. And so, he had come.
When it was his turn, Alexei mirrored his father's actions, offering a polite smile as he returned each soldier's salute. It cost him little to appear approachable, and he knew the value of such gestures. From time to time, he even paused to exchange a few words, asking simple questions or offering encouragement. More than once, he took the opportunity to mention the upcoming shooting competition later this year organized by his sports organization, inviting them to participate. Several soldiers responded with visible enthusiasm, promising to attend and compete when the time came.
After nearly two hours of walking the length of the formation and inspecting every man in line, the proceedings finally came to an end. With the formalities concluded, Alexei and his father made their way toward the banquet hall of the nearby military building, where lunch awaited them.
As usual, Alexei mirrored his father, returning the salutes of the generals who greeted them at the entrance. Each time he made eye contact with a general or a high-ranking officer, he offered a polite smile, an effort that, in his mind, steadily drained what little social energy he had left for the day. At times, he couldn't help but wonder whether he would even survive this level of constant social engagement once he ascended to the throne. At this rate, he might very well collapse and die from sheer exhaustion and social level depletion before anything else, leaving the Empire to its fate and his sisters.
Setting those thoughts aside, they soon arrived at the banquet hall and took their seats for lunch. Alexei sat beside his father, but as expected, the Tsar was quickly drawn into conversation with the gathered generals, who eagerly took the opportunity to speak with him. Left largely to himself, Alexei turned his full attention to the food before him. He ate heartily, finishing portions that could have easily fed three men before finally feeling satisfied.
Several officers and generals took notice of his appetite and offered approving remarks, praising his healthy constitution and calling it a sign of good fortune. Alexei responded with little more than a courteous smile and a nod. At the moment, he had neither the energy nor the inclination to engage them in conversation beyond the bare minimum.
When the attention eventually shifted away from him and returned to his father, Alexei leaned slightly toward General Voeykov, who was seated beside him, and spoke in a low voice.
"Tell me, General," he said quietly. "You mentioned earlier that the Cossack regiments excel in scouting and are formidable in cavalry charges. Is there anything else they particularly excel at?"
After all, there was a strong possibility that he would one day command such men himself once he succeeded his father. It would be wise to understand their capabilities as early as possible.
General Voeykov wiped his mouth with a napkin before replying in a similarly low voice. "They are also highly effective in guerrilla warfare, Your Highness. For example, they excel at hit-and-run tactics against moving enemies, as well as ambushes and night raids on encamped forces." He paused for a moment, considering his words, before continuing. "They are also well known for their ability to fire rifles while galloping at full speed and for using their horses as cover when necessary."
The general gave a faint nod. "We will be covering the composition and specialties of the Empire's military units in more detail once we complete your lessons on military logistics this year. You will have the opportunity to learn more about them then."
"I see," Alexei replied, nodding thoughtfully. However, with little else to occupy him now that he had finished eating, his curiosity pushed him to ask another question.
"But do you think cavalry charges will remain relevant in the future," he asked, "once automobiles are introduced into the military and new tactics are developed to counter them?"
General Voeykov frowned slightly at the question, taking a moment to consider it before responding. "At present, the high command has not seriously considered the large-scale use of automobiles in the military," he said. "The costs are still too high, and their practicality in actual combat remains questionable. I imagine the German Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire are facing the same considerations. For now, I believe cavalry charges will remain useful for at least several more decades. In fact, I can't really think of them being irrelevant in the coming wars, if there is any."
"Hmm." Alexei neither agreed nor disagreed, merely nodding thoughtfully in response. He understood the general's reasoning. Cavalry charges had proven their effectiveness time and again across countless battlefields, and traditions rooted in success were never easily abandoned. From their perspective, there was little reason to believe such tactics would become obsolete anytime soon.
Yet Alexei could not ignore what he knew. The coming age of trench warfare, the widespread use of machine guns, and the eventual introduction of armored vehicles would usher in an entirely new kind of warfare, one that would render traditional cavalry tactics increasingly ineffective, if not outright obsolete.
Still, cavalry would not lose its usefulness immediately. In the early years of the coming war, it could remain effective, particularly in reconnaissance and the kind of guerrilla warfare General Voeykov had described. The real question, however, was just how effective they truly were, as Alexei had yet to witness their capabilities firsthand.
Pushing the thought aside, he continued conversing with the general, while occasionally smiling and greeting those who approached him. He was just about to ask if it might be possible to arrange a demonstration of the Cossacks' horsemanship when his father interrupted them.
"What are you two discussing so intently and quietly at that?" Nicholas II asked, glancing between them with curiosity.
Alexei gave the general a small gesture, indicating he would answer, before turning to his father. Since the opportunity had already presented itself, he decided to voice his request directly.
"Nothing important, Father. I was simply asking about the great history of the Cossacks and their wonderful capabilities," Alexei replied calmly. "In fact, I was about to ask if they might be able to demonstrate their good horsemanship to us. I'm particularly curious to see how they fire their rifles while riding at full gallop."
Nicholas II studied his son for a moment before breaking into a hearty laugh. Turning toward the commander of the 2nd Regiment, Yakov Baklanov, he said, "What do you think of my son's suggestion, Commander? Can we arrange a demonstration today?"
Truthfully, the Tsar himself had grown somewhat bored with the ongoing formalities, and his son's request offered a welcome change of pace.
Commander Baklanov immediately straightened in his seat, pride evident in his expression. "Of course, Your Majesty. The 2nd Cossack Regiment stands ready at all times. Please give me a moment to prepare the men."
With that, he rose, saluted the Tsar, briefly glanced at the Tsarevich, and then departed to issue his orders.
Before long, the afternoon transformed into a lively display of skill and discipline. Alexei watched intently as the 2nd Regiment demonstrated their horsemanship, riding with remarkable precision and performing shooting drills while at full gallop. The sight left a strong impression on him and sparked ideas of organizing a sport tailored to such abilities, perhaps even incorporating horse racing into his future plans as well.
After the demonstration concluded, Alexei eagerly persuaded his father to allow him to try it himself. After some consideration, Nicholas II agreed.
To the surprise of many, it did not take long for Alexei to grasp the skill. Within an hour, he was able to fire a rifle accurately while riding at full speed, leaving his father momentarily speechless. Had he not known better, Nicholas might have suspected his son of secretly training beforehand.
The soldiers of the 2nd Cossack Regiment were equally astonished and generous with their praise, impressed by how quickly the young Tsarevich adapted after only a few demonstrations.
Seizing the moment, Alexei announced his intention to include this form of mounted shooting in the upcoming shooting competition later that year and personally invited the regiment to participate. His words were met with enthusiasm, further earning him the goodwill of the troops.
In the span of a single afternoon, Alexei had accomplished what many leaders spent months and years cultivating, earning the respect and admiration of the soldiers. Nicholas II watched this unfold with a mixture of amazement and quiet pride. He himself had long made efforts to build rapport with the troops through regular inspections, yet his son had managed to achieve remarkable results in such a short time.
He could not help but sigh softly, though a faint smile lingered on his face. At the very least, he thought, the boy must have inherited that charm from him.
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That same evening, after dismissing his attendants and assuring them that he would not go out alone, Alexei quietly slipped through his window and left the palace unnoticed. Although he still ventured into the city from time to time with Sednev and Nagorny, mostly to sightsee and observe whatever caught his interest, he always made sure to leave them behind whenever he visited his organization's headquarters.
He had no intention of letting them discover his activities there, at least not yet. The entire situation was far too complicated to explain. After all, how could he possibly justify sneaking out at night and building an underground organization since the age of five? The very idea sounded absurd, even to himself.
At times, he even wondered whether he should reveal his true identity to Anna and the others. That thought alone was enough to give him a headache. Yet, unlike Sednev and Nagorny, both older men who might question his reasoning, Anna and the rest had always trusted him without hesitation. He was confident they would accept whatever explanation he chose to give, which eased his concerns somewhat. Still, for now, he decided to let things unfold naturally and deal with the matter when the time came.
By the time he arrived at their headquarters, Ivan was already waiting together with Anna. Without delay, he stepped forward and began reporting everything he had uncovered about the Street Knuckles syndicate following the sudden death of Mr. Kirelinko.
"It seems the sudden death of their figurehead caused the true leaders of the Street Knuckles to slip up. We've already identified two names since then," Ivan began. "We started following the individuals who took control of their operations after Mr. Kirelinko's death. One of them is Count Ivanov. His butler and right-hand man appeared at the Street Knuckles' headquarters to personally oversee the gang. It seems there was an important shipment at the time, and due to the large amount of money involved, they had to secure it personally and failed to properly conceal their movements."
He continued, "I personally followed the butler for several days, which eventually led me to Count Ivanov. That's when I confirmed the butler's identity and his connection to the count. I still need more time to gather further information about him, but at least we've identified one of the backers. The other is Baron Yusupov. One of his men led us directly to his estate in the capital after appearing at the Street Knuckles' headquarters alongside the count's butler."
Ivan paused briefly before adding, "The others remained careful even after showing themselves. We lost track of several of them after tailing them for some time, which is why we've only identified these two so far. My apologies, Master."
Alexei rubbed his jaw thoughtfully before waving his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. At least we forced them to react and reveal themselves. We finally have a lead on who the true leaders of this gang are. To think that even the nobility is involved… It seems the money this gang generates is too significant for them to ignore."
He had not expected a count, let alone multiple nobles to be involved in the operations of a criminal syndicate within the capital. Given Ivan's report that many others had appeared but escaped detection, Alexei suspected there were far more influential figures behind the scenes. The realization made the situation far more delicate than he had initially anticipated.
He shook the thought aside and returned his attention to Ivan.
"We've already secured several individuals within their ranks who can provide us with information during this period of chaos," Ivan added. "We should be receiving more intelligence soon." He hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Actually… Master, I don't think we can defeat the Street Knuckles outright right now. They have too many powerful backers. Just these two nobles alone could bring us down if they decided to act, and we still haven't identified the others. Perhaps we should keep a low profile for now, gather more information, and wait for the right moment before making a move."
Alexei looked at Ivan, a faint smile hidden behind his mask. He could not blame the boy for his caution. After all, they had grown up in a world where the nobility stood far above them, untouchable and absolute. Fear of such figures was only natural. In time, however, that perception would change, especially when they gained enough power of their own.
After a moment of consideration, Alexei nodded. "You're right. We can't move against them yet. For now, we focus on gathering more information and planning our next steps. If we intend to take over their operations, we need to understand them first. Smuggling and drugs are still new territory for us."
He continued, his tone firm, "We avoid provoking them and only defend ourselves if necessary. At the same time, we should identify any government officials working with them. There's no way operations like smuggling and drug trafficking can function openly without some level of official support."
Ivan let out a quiet sigh of relief. The idea of confronting a group backed by nobles had weighed heavily on him. Even if they managed to defeat the Street Knuckles, those same nobles could simply turn the authorities against them, undoing everything they had built. The thought alone had been enough to unsettle him.
Composing himself, he continued reporting everything they had uncovered over the past few weeks. Once he finished, he fell silent and waited for his master's next instructions.
Alexei reminded him of his earlier directive and to proceed cautiously with their operations before adding a new instruction unrelated to the Street Knuckles Syndicate.
"Since we can't make a move against the Street Knuckles for now, we should shift our focus to the gangs surrounding us," Alexei said calmly. "We'll begin implementing our plan to install leaders within nearby gangs, men who are amicable and willing to operate under our influence. Ideally, I would prefer to absorb them outright and expand our territory, but doing so too quickly might provoke the others into uniting against us. For now, this approach will suffice."
He leaned forward slightly, his tone measured. "This strategy will also ease the surveillance placed on us by both the Okhrana and the Street Knuckles. If they conclude that we are content with the current balance of power, they'll lower their guard. Meanwhile, we will continue expanding quietly, without drawing attention."
After a brief pause, he added, "Inform Nikolai to begin training his men for this task and to carefully select individuals who can be installed as leaders of these smaller gangs, both nearby and farther out. Choose only those who are loyal and have families within our territory. That will make them easier to control."
"Understood, Master," Ivan replied, nodding as he noted the instructions in his small notebook. He then looked up and asked, "Is there anything else?"
"That will be all," Alexei said, waving his hand dismissively. "You may go. I have something important to discuss with your sister."
"Yes, Master." Ivan stood, gave Anna a brief nod in farewell, and left the room.
Alexei leaned back in his chair and turned his attention to Anna, who had remained silent throughout the entire discussion.
"Why so quiet?" he asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "You haven't shared your thoughts at all."
Anna didn't even look up as she lazily scribbled something in her notes. "What's there to share about?" she replied. "It's not like I'm particularly interested in the two of you planning violence and other people's demise. As long as no money is involved, I won't bother myself with your discussions. Ivan can handle himself now, I'm really proud of him. I just hope my other brother, Sergey, will also get the chance to prove himself and achieve what his twin has."
Alexei stared at her for a moment, momentarily speechless. He hadn't expected her to become a miser. Still, he didn't view it negatively. In fact, he welcomed it. With Anna managing their finances so diligently, he no longer had to concern himself with such matters. He trusted her completely in that regard.
As for Sergey, Alexei chose not to comment. He already knew the boy preferred action, fighting and working in the field, rather than handling administrative duties like Anna and Ivan. There was little point in forcing comparisons between the two.
"All right," Alexei said at last. "Don't worry too much about Sergey. He'll find his own path."
He leaned forward slightly, shifting the topic. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about expanding our business. Leaving our money sitting idle in the vault is wasteful, in my opinion. What do you think about starting a lending business within our territory?"
Anna finally paused her writing and looked up, interest flickering in her eyes.
From there, the two of them continued their discussion late into the night, carefully weighing the feasibility of establishing a lending business limited to the people within their territory, a controlled approach that would allow them to expand their wealth while minimizing risk.
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A/N: Please don't forget to rate and review the story after reading. And if you want to read ahead. You know where to look.