Struggle in Russia

Count Rostovtsev smiled, and said casually: "Of course it will not involve Grand Duke Nicholas. How could His Royal Highness collude with a scum like Count Shuvalov? Naturally, His Royal Highness is with This case has nothing to do with it. It can only be that the despicable Count Shuvalov and his evil lackeys took advantage of the loophole and got in touch secretly! Therefore, we still need to review with His Majesty so that we can better complete the tasks assigned by him in the future... ..."

Sergey was stunned as he listened to what Count Rostovtsev had said. He felt that his brains seemed a little insufficient. The count seemed to be covering up for Grand Duke Nicholas, even at the expense of admitting part of the responsibility.

But he felt awkward about these words, the Earl's real meaning seemed to be mocking something. But Sergey didn't dare to say what he was mocking, because the object he mocked really scared him.

Anyway, Sergey looked at Count Rostovtsev and hesitated to speak. He wanted to say something to the count, such as admonishing or reminding him, but as soon as he met the count's eyes, he unconsciously said what he wanted to say. All swallowed back.

"You're so timid!" Count Rostovtsev sighed as he looked at Sergey's leaving back, "This is probably a common problem with the flowers in the greenhouse! Never have the courage to sink the boat..."

Count Rostovtsev did not tell Sergey that he lacked courage, because the count knew that he had been stereotyped, and his character was like this, unless he suddenly encountered a huge setback or turning point in his life that could change his worldview, such as in 1825 Like him in that cold December, he witnessed the death of his companions, otherwise it would be impossible for him to wake up.

Count Rostovtsev felt that Sergey's upper limit was clearly placed there. He could be a conscientious reformer, but he was by no means a gravedigger of the old system. He lacks the courage and belief to resist authority. When facing the oppression of authority, his first thought is not to fight, but to submit to it.

Therefore, such a person will never be able to open up the world, at best, he will be a patchwork mason.

To be honest, Count Rostovtsev is still a little disappointed. After all, Sergei was raised by him alone. In a sense, he is his child and the successor of his political legacy.

Obviously, this successor, as he expected, has no way to take over his mantle and bring a bright future to Russia.

What? You ask Count Rostovtsev, since he already knew this, why didn't he make preparations early, such as training another successor who is stronger than Sergey?

It's not that he can't, or that he doesn't want to, but that he really can't do it.

First of all, there is not enough time left for Count Rostovtsev,

Just one Sergey took him ten years of his life. How many decades can there be in a person's life? How many decades does he have to train his successors when he has reached the age of knowing his destiny?

For him, the next ten years may be the last ten years of his life. What he wants to do in this ten years is not to cultivate successors, but to realize the long-cherished wish of the first half of his life, break down the conservative barriers of Russia, Cut a hole in this thick wall and let the light shine for the first time into this dark land.

So he doesn't have so much time to train his successors, and he has more important tasks for the rest of his life.

Secondly, even if he has time, he will not train another Sergey No. 2. Yes, he thought that even if he had the time and energy to cultivate talents, at most he would gain a second Sergey. Because the land he owns can only grow seedlings like Sergey, these little Sergeys are at best continuing Sergey's path and becoming exactly like Sergey step by step.

That being the case, why do such useless work? Count Rostovtsev has already realized that the old Russian nobles may not be able to give Russia a bright future, and those who can lead Russia to a new era should be in other classes.

Finally, although Count Rostovtsev is worried about the future and whether the Sergeys will be able to hold on, he has seen new signs in recent years. A new force, pragmatic and smarter, has begun to emerge.

Even if the Sergeys fail to succeed, he believes that these people will continue to walk along the path he pioneered, and there is no need to worry about having no successors.

So he didn't give Sergey too much advice, because he felt that he had given that little guy too much advice before, some of which he listened to, and some of which he didn't listen to but was forcibly corrected.

Although this makes Sergey look good, his heart is actually very fragile, and his brain does not have enough wisdom to solve the problems he faces. Even because of his forced intervention, Sergey has gained some so-called praise , On the contrary, it made him lost his way and couldn't see himself clearly.

The only way to correct this is to let Sergey see himself clearly, so just don’t interfere with everything and let him do things by himself. Only by experiencing failures and setbacks with his own hands can he see himself clearly, maybe On the contrary, it can be surpassed.

Therefore, Count Rostovtsev's final teaching to Sergey was to say nothing, let him do it himself, whether he succeeded or failed, it would become the most valuable experience in Sergey's life.

Sergey didn't know that Count Rostovtsev had begun his final education, and he didn't know that soon he would leave the count and go to work as the most ordinary mayor.

He thought that his future was in St. Petersburg, and he would be recommended to serve in the most powerful departments in Russia, just like thousands of private secretaries of dignitaries. Maybe at the age of forty, you can enter the State Council or the Imperial Council, take over the mantle of the previous boss and become the small group of people at the top of the country's pyramid.

So regarding Count Rostovtsev's decision this time, he has a strange mentality. He thinks it is too risky, but also thinks it is really awesome to do so. He even looks forward to the future that he will turn his hand like the count. Covering the clouds and covering the hands as the rain, one thought determines the country's major policies and the fate of certain dignitaries.

This feeling made him very intoxicated, made him excited, made him involuntarily want to hold these in his hands, and sometimes even wanted to replace Count Rostovtsev as the one who controlled everything...