Reincarnated as Nikolai II

Churchill couldn't understand, nor did he want to understand.

Just.

"What did they say? That they'll resume the offensive?"

"They say military reorganization will be delayed. According to new Chief of Staff General Brusilov, conscription will be delayed too..."

"So why did they drag the offensive commander to the rear! They could have just put Kuropatkin back as Chief of Staff and sent Brusilov to the front lines!"

He desperately wished that Roman or Ivanov or anyone would touch that Berlin during this golden opportunity.

"What? They got an advance and their bellies are full so what? Hah! Anyone can see that's clearly the Tsar's venting, a great purge!"

"Let's wait and see. There must be a reason Prime Minister Kokovtsov is stirring up capitalists like this during wartime."

"Is that important? Aren't we in a position where we need to get that Eastern Front moving somehow?"

"..."

However, at this moment, it was too much to vaguely ask them to move the Eastern Front that hadn't even finished reorganizing.

"So General Kitchener. What's happening with Verdun after even replacing the BEF Commander-in-Chief?"

"...France seems to have given up recapturing it for now. They're concentrating more forces on the Somme now."

They got too beaten up at Verdun.

For now, they needed to show something at the Somme before they could even try pressuring Russia.

The Asquith cabinet had no choice but to conclude with increasing British forces at the Somme to 30 divisions before the end of August, instead of pressing Russia further.

==

Why does the State Duma agree to the purge when they've been purged themselves?

"If the Progressive Party composed mainly of bourgeoisie disappears..."

"More seats come to us?"

"Ahem, removing competitors? This is all the Tsar's righteousness in not tolerating corruption!"

It's not really parliamentary oppression since there's no reason to ruin the good atmosphere after joining the Tsar's cabinet, and even less reason to challenge the Tsar's power.

"This is all for the empire's healthy economy!"

"These ones have become too stagnant! No development!"

"The government won't touch you if you don't corrupt or monopolize, right?"

Above all, cartels and monopolistic companies had grown too large during Russia's economic growth period following the current Tsar's accession.

Except for the Progressive Party, it was natural since upstarts without foundations had been struggling to grab power. Find more to read on My Virtual Library Empire

As for the State Duma, that's that. Then why are officials so desperate to devour capitalists?

"First of all, it's because it's the Tsar's decree... but honestly, how many of them just ate up policy funds illegally?"

"We've been sharpening you for 20 years. Now that we finally have the rod of justice in our hands, how can we hold back?"

"Let's hit them first. As we hit them, suitable charges will come up, won't they?"

Which official would oppose this when the government, with wartime's iron-clad power, is hitting the capitalists they had to overlook for the empire's development?

The public just nodded like third parties at the stated cause of anti-corruption and market order.

The most peculiar group was the capitalists themselves.

"P-please investigate more thoroughly!"

"I want to report for public interest. Nine factories in the southern region produce 80% of all pig iron, please hit these bastards!"

"Can we entrust the Imperial Fleet to monopolies like Russud? If you split them well and give us just one dock, we'd like to bid too!"

When the state decides to split something, it immediately goes up for auction, making numerous entrepreneurs' eyes sparkle with drool.

Companies blocked by monopolies hoped everything would be destroyed in this opportunity.

However, as the Okhrana conducted investigations...

"Why are Grand Dukes' names showing up here?"

"...It's overflowing with royalty, at least marquis rank or higher from cadet branches."

"They openly put royal names in trust company names?"

Just as it was with the military and zemstvo.

All sorts of syndicates, trusts, and cartels had one high noble's name attached.

After the agrarian reform, many food processing companies and major food corporations were owned or majority-owned by royalty.

What does this mean?

"...This much without even starting the investigation?"

"The companies aren't corrupt internally, they're rotten from the roots."

Take the sugar industry for example. This sector, which historically could never be managed stably without including major landowners, had many cadet branch royals settle in especially after the agrarian reform.

The Sugar Industry Association, a union of landowners and sugar businesses, owned 90% of imperial sugar factories, and Grand Duke Boris was backing it.

Naturally his brother Grand Duke Kirill was involved too.

This was something even Nikolai couldn't help, as the Tsar's power grew daily, the name value of 'royalty' itself became too heavy even if he lowered the authority and position of cadet branches.

"Director, what should we do about this. Shouldn't we cover it up? We were told absolutely not to touch Grand Dukes even if high nobles were fair game. You know even the press doesn't write a single line about Grand Dukes."

"Hmm, if we embarrass them, it might lower the dignity of the imperial family..."

Bronstein, sharing his subordinate's concerns, reported this fact with a stern face to Kokovtsov, the highest level he could meet immediately.

However, Kokovtsov, hearing the report, asked as if they were worrying needlessly.

"Do you know where Grand Duke Michael is now?"

"Uh... Serving on the front lines as a junior officer, isn't he?"

"Yes. He had an illegitimate child from adultery, was driven from being Tsesarevich, fled to England, then returned during the war. He's serving as a common soldier on the condition of making his child royalty. This is a country where even the Tsar's brother, the former Tsesarevich, fights risking his life."

"Ah..."

"No need to spread it in the press, but no reason to overlook it either."

Those who had settled in industries for years or decades enjoying power as royalty.

Did they think it would be fine since it wasn't challenging the Tsar's power like in politics?

'When he even drove away his beloved brother, how could they think that.'

Those with Grand Duke, Prince, and Princess titles should have been more careful.

They should have chosen other ways, like just living off pensions or doing business properly.

"If you wield power just because you're royalty, you'll fall to greater power."

Sure enough, from days later, Grand Dukes either went into seclusion or headed to the front lines one by one.

"...We're fortunate we only did charity work."

"Excessive greed always brings death."

There was a reason the Elston family, the Tsar's in-laws, lived quietly.