Struggle in Russia

Li Xiao didn't know what Earl Rostovtsev was planning, and he didn't know that Nesselrode was trying to make trouble because of his displeasure. His life became more and more leisurely and comfortable.

The Provisional Government of Wallachia or the Revolutionary Committee now regards him as a big benefactor, and they are trying every means to hand over the grain in their granary to him, hoping that the grain will be turned into cash soon.

Of course, our protagonist also has integrity. He doesn't collect all the grain at the station, but gives priority to buying the grain in the state-owned granary under the name of the Provisional Government of Wallachia. Because these grains are the bulk of the profits.

After all, although other private grains can be sold through the grain-for-arms agreement in name, even if they are turned into money, they can still earn the price difference and rebates, but it is not as good as the state-owned public grain pit, isn't it? what!

Therefore, Li Xiao, who is upright, just gives priority to cashing out his own people, such as the Bretianu brothers, such as Jan Gika, and the food under their family name is quickly piled up in the port of Constanta. Waiting to be shipped to Izmail.

Not more than half a month ago, Prince Mikhail Gorchakov, who was bald because of food, has now firmly put his heart back into his chest, and even issued a special commendation order to a certain grand duke. A certain Grand Duke was promoted to a first-class military rank and awarded the "Great Martyr and Invincible St. George Medal" to a certain Grand Duke.

Although the name of this medal is super long, in fact, the status of this medal is not particularly high. According to the order and rank of Russian medals, it belongs to the seventh-level medal. That is to say, it is still 1848, and there is only one grade of the Order of St. George. In 1856, this product is divided into four grades, which is becoming more and more worthless!

Of course, in fact, the Russian medal has an even more cheating design, that is, all those who receive the medal must pay a "pension" to the state treasury. What "pension"? Not a pension for medalists, but a pension for poor honorees. Of course, Li Xiao won't need to pay this money for the St. George Medal!

Not because he is the Grand Duke, but because the Order of St. George is especially free without paying. Of course, you get what you pay for, and the rarity of medals that don't require payment is naturally so rare!

However, there is a hidden benefit of the St. George Medal or other medals of the Russian Empire, that is, as long as you get the medal, you will enjoy the honor. The so-called honor is actually the status of nobility.

According to the laws of the Russian Empire, before 1826, as long as they received a medal, they would automatically become nobles of the Russian Empire and enjoy the power of hereditary nobles. It's just that when Nicholas I came to power, in order to highlight the respect of the nobility, special regulations were made separately. Even if a merchant has won a medal, he does not enjoy the privilege of nobility.

After 1845,

The aristocratic power obtained by the award is further stuck, and only those who have won the first class of the medals at all levels, or the St. George Medal of all levels, and the St. Vladimir Grand Duke Medal of all levels can enjoy hereditary aristocratic power. Orders of other ranks do not enjoy hereditary aristocratic powers, but only general aristocratic powers.

Anyway, the circles here are quite big. Of course, a mere St. George Medal is nothing to Li Xiao, and he doesn't care about the weighting effect brought by hereditary noble status. The title, and with the meritorious service he made in Wallachia, a mere St. George Medal is really not worthy of him.

This is also helpless, because according to the meaning of Prince Mikhail Gorchakov and Lazarev, Li Xiao must be given at least a first-class St. It is also no problem to award the Order of St. Andrei Pervozvany, the highest order of honor of the Russian Empire.

Because there is really nothing to say about someone’s merits, but Nicholas I has to approve and seal the award of the medal. How can he give the most hated nephew the highest honor with his narrow-mindedness, and even give him a medal according to his own wishes? The lowest grade of the Order of the Duchess of St. Olga will be dismissed.

But his idea was strongly resisted and protested by the military, because most of the soldiers are not blind, if such a big credit is so fooled, no one will be willing to work for the empire in the future. Even if you hate your nephew, you can't break the rules like this, let alone a small medal, so what? Can't you be so stingy!

So after some quarreling, Li Xiao won such a medal and a nominal rank of major. Why do you say that his rank of major is in name only? Because the rank was given, but his position has not changed, he is still the little company commander.

From this point of view, Nicholas I was really stingy, and he was really cruel to him, and he did everything possible to suppress his promotion.

Of course, when Li Xiao found out about this inside story through the letters of Duke Mikhail and Leonid, he was not very angry. Because Li Xiao already knew that Nicholas I regarded him as a thorn in his side, so how could it be possible not to suppress him?

Anyway, Li Xiao had long been mentally prepared for Nicholas I's reign, and his mentality was relatively stable.

Along with Li Xiao, Leonid, Boris and Vishniak received the award. These three also received a St. George Medal, but Leonid, who is very saintly, felt that it was a shame to receive the medal for doing nothing. He felt that Nicholas I was too unfair and should not be awarded such a random order.

Boris was the happiest, because the source of his family's hereditary aristocratic status was that his grandfather won the Order of St. George for participating in the first battle to carve up Poland. It can be said that his family's aristocratic status originated from this medal. And now he has also received this medal after his grandfather, and for their family, they can finally consolidate their embarrassing noble status.

Moreover, Boris felt that since he was able to obtain the Order of St. George so soon, it would be possible to obtain a higher-level order or even the Order of St. Andrew in the future, and he might even be awarded a real noble title directly by the emperor. Anyway, he is I was too excited to sleep.

Vishniak is not much different from Li Xiao, because he has won the St. George Medal before, so naturally there is nothing to be excited about. More importantly, his position and military rank have not changed much, so naturally he will not be too excited. Happy.

For this reason, he also wrote to Li Xiao to complain: "...Our Majesty is really stingy, such a great achievement can only be dismissed with a medal, I thought I could at least be promoted to a lieutenant colonel and raise some money! "