Ch.15The Great Khan with Golden Hair and White Skin

# The Communists’ Idols Go Mad

Lenin and Trotsky, the communist idols, have gone mad.

They say that during the imperial era, they took families hostage or threatened lives to persuade generals and officers to join them.

All the imperial officers who have defected to our side unanimously confirm this.

It’s not surprising, since that’s exactly what happened in actual history.

When those communists found themselves short on military commanders, they took the families of imperial generals hostage and forced them into the Red Army through various threats.

They even kept them under surveillance.

How is this supposed to be the communists’ paradise on earth?

Still, things have worked out well.

Unlike actual history, Anastasia survived and became our rallying point. As we recaptured Tsaritsyn, imperial soldiers who had been oppressed by the communists began defecting to our side.

In real history, things were already heading this way, but now in this civil war, the outcome is completely unpredictable, and the royal family has become the White Army’s center.

This is why these communist bastards have no principles. Tsk, tsk.

No wonder all those Eastern European communist-flavored countries eventually got swept up in democratic movements.

And then.

From the Dauria region—should I call it the Manchurian area?—Roman von Ungern-Sternberg, who is currently consolidating White Army forces there, sent a letter.

Its contents were simple.

A letter praising me as Tsarina and glorifying the fight against the Bolsheviks. Calling me the true Tsar, the true Catherine of the Russian Empire.

He’s truly a divine right monarchist to the bone.

“Is this man thinking straight?”

Sending such a letter. If this letter were to circulate, the anti-Romanov forces who joined to fight the Bolsheviks would foam at the mouth and desert us.

I should reply, of course.

But with history changing, who knows what this man might do. It’s probably best to send a response.

If I outright refuse to become Tsarina, there’s no telling what he might do. Since public sentiment toward the Tsar isn’t great, I’ll postpone the decision until the White Army achieves victory. That should suffice.

“The communist bastards probably won’t cause trouble for a while.”

We’ve recaptured Tsaritsyn and secured southern Russia.

The Bolsheviks are struggling with their Red Army reforms, and I hear that non-Bolshevik leftists are even going on strike.

Of course, the White Army is also busy suppressing armed Bolsheviks in occupied territories while trying to persuade others to join us.

For a while, both sides will focus on internal affairs.

Riding this momentum, we have our own work to do.

Though I’ve become the rallying point, there are still various factions here.

Monarchist warlord factions, the Green Army with Bolshevik leanings focused on peasant reforms, and so on.

“I formally declare our White Army, which is fighting the Red Army, as the official army of the new Russia.”

“Is this new Russia an empire? What is it? What will be its ideology?”

Representatives of the Green Army who joined our side asked.

Unlike in actual history where they helped the Bolsheviks, the Green Army joined us because we actually implemented policies for peasants while the Bolsheviks hesitated.

“We’ll know when this civil war ends, but the new Russia will likely be a modified capitalist state.”

“Modified capitalism?”

Originally a term first used in Japan, but…

Who cares if I want to use it?

“It’s an ideology that supports government intervention in the market economy and expanded social welfare to correct capitalism’s flaws. Yes, you could say it takes just the good parts of socialism and applies them to soften capitalism’s shortcomings. I believe everyone here who cares for our country won’t object to this.”

“But wouldn’t that mean we’ve learned from those communists?”

“It’s natural to swallow what’s sweet and spit out what’s bitter. Just extract the good parts. Russia spans both East and West, with abundant population and resources. To leverage these advantages, we must take such measures.”

“Your Highness, you said you would go into exile after this civil war ends. While we might trust you, what if others don’t keep their promises? Won’t we fragment?”

Hmm, that’s possible.

If ideological conflicts persist, monarchist warlords might rise up.

“Then I could occupy a seat in the Duma.”

“That wouldn’t be enough.”

“Then you must ascend as Tsarina.”

“If that’s the case, Your Highness should become Tsarina through the Duma to guarantee these promises.”

Kolchak is openly asking me to become Tsarina through the Duma.

Pyotr Wrangel also seems to want me to become Tsarina.

So it comes down to becoming Tsarina after all.

The Green Army is frowning but doesn’t seem to actively oppose it.

“Whether I become Tsarina or take a seat in the Duma to make my voice heard—that’s something to consider later. Right now, establishing a government is crucial. A country without a government is not a country. How about a Provisional Government of New Russia? It means a provisional government for a new Russia.”

“New Russia.”

“Not bad.”

“Then let’s focus on internal reorganization for now.”

This country will take decades to reform anyway.

We need to continue pushing forward with ongoing initiatives while unifying the military.

We must prepare from now.

# * * *

Sino-Russian border, Chinese Eastern Railway

The Chinese Eastern Railway was a Russian concession within China.

It was currently managed by General Dmitry Horvath, a White Army leader, but there was another White Army leader based around this railway.

Roman von Ungern-Sternberg.

Roman von Ungern-Sternberg, who had been building his power base around the Chinese Eastern Railway, received a reply from Yekaterinburg.

At first, he was devastated.

After all, he had received a reply saying that Anastasia couldn’t take the position of Tsarina now.

For Ungern, a divine right monarchist who had risen up to restore the imperial system, this was truly shocking.

Unable to accept this bitter reality, he met with his close associate, Grigory Semyonov.

“The Tsarina has refused to restore the imperial system.”

“That’s to be expected. I know she has socialist figures around her. She must be considering their reactions.”

Indeed, that makes sense.

The White Army is currently a coalition united solely to defeat the Bolsheviks.

If the Grand Duchess suddenly declared herself Tsarina, the socialists would foam at the mouth, defect, and join the Bolsheviks.

‘Filthy communist bastards.’

Someday he would have to smash all their heads.

“Hmm. What should we do?”

“Then we must make the effort ourselves.”

“What do you mean?”

In response to Ungern’s question, Semyonov smiled wickedly, as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“Rebuild the empire of Genghis Khan. Offer the throne of the Great Khan to Grand Duchess Anastasia.”

Semyonov clenched both fists.

As in actual history, Semyonov was half-mad.

This crazy man, who had tried to rebuild Genghis Khan’s empire with Japanese military support, was now unable to receive Japanese help due to Anastasia’s presence in this timeline, but he still dreamed of Genghis Khan’s empire.

The position of Great Khan spanning East and West.

Wouldn’t it be fitting for Grand Duchess Anastasia, who was defeating the communists, eradicating the red plague, and recovering European Russia?

“What do you mean?”

Not the position of Tsar, but Great Khan?

“Aren’t the socialists opposing the Tsarist system? What if the Tsar is simply the Great Khan? The Bolshevik rebels may control the Moscow area, but Russia’s territory is no less than the former Mongol Empire, isn’t it?”

“Hmm.”

Yes. What matters is restoring the monarchy. What difference does it make if the monarch is called Tsar, Kaiser, or Great Khan?

Suddenly, such a theory was taking shape.

Honestly, Ungern couldn’t fully endorse Semyonov’s absurd ideas.

“Greater Russia is both the successor to Rome and, territorially, the successor to the Mongol Empire. During the Mongol Empire, Russia was its vassal state. Now we can place the Grand Duchess on the throne of the Great Khan and revive the Mongol Empire.”

Theoretically, it’s not entirely wrong, but…

The Mongol Empire of Genghis Khan? Does that make any sense now?

However.

Ungern found this madman’s words somewhat logical.

If those damned socialists oppose the Tsarist system, the imperial family ceases to be imperial.

Then why not place her on the throne of the Great Khan instead of Tsar?

“You want the Grand Duchess to also serve as the Great Khan of the Mongol Empire?”

“Yes. Going back to our roots, it’s the beginning of the Russo-Scythian Empire!”

This seems fundamentally wrong, but…

Well, beggars can’t be choosers.

“Just as Russia claims rights to Constantinople as the heir to the Third Rome, we should invade Mongolia with the Asian Cavalry Division to secure the Mongolian steppes for legitimacy.”

At this time, Outer Mongolia had declared independence from the Republic of China and was a monarchy ruled by the Bogd Khan.

Semyonov was now suggesting overthrowing the Bogd Khan’s state and offering the position of Great Khan to Anastasia.

They didn’t lack supplies.

They had naturally taken their share of the supplies meant for the White Army.

So it seemed worth a try.

In spring 1919, Ungern and Semyonov’s Asian Cavalry Division occupied Khüree (Ulaanbaatar), the capital of the Bogd Khan’s state.

“How can the Russian army do this!”

“Bogd Khan! You are merely a petty figure satisfied with Mongolia’s independence! But our Grand Duchess Anastasia is the true ruler of Russia, which has inherited the lands of the Mongol Empire, so the position of Mongolian Great Khan rightfully belongs to our Grand Duchess!”

“What nonsense! You’re not even of the Golden Lineage!”

“Tell me! Can you protect Mongolia from Chinese and Japanese threats? You cannot! But our Grand Duchess’s loyal army will not only protect Mongolia but also dominate Manchuria and exert influence throughout China!”

The Bogd Khan was dumbfounded by Semyonov’s words—a Russian, not even a Mongol—but the die had been cast.

As Semyonov said, the Bogd Khan was the weak ruler of Mongolia, which would be helplessly devoured by China without Russian support, and he was not Genghis Khan.

Other Mongolian royals had already supported the current Bogd Khan, who was from Tibet, so they had no grounds to oppose if Russia claimed to be the successor to the Mongol Empire.

Everyone knew Mongolia couldn’t stand alone.

In that case, it wasn’t so bad for Russia to become obsessed with the dream of the Mongol Empire.

“I will abdicate the position of Great Khan to your country’s Grand Duchess.”

Thus, the Bogd Khan’s seal was sent to Yekaterinburg.

In actual history, the Bogd Khan’s state, which had gained independence from the Beiyang government through Ungern, was ironically occupied by Ungern himself.

# * * *

Just as I was getting used to this Grand Duchess’s body.

Just as I was barely establishing the foundations of the White government.

I received news that hit me like a slap to the back of the head.

The Bolsheviks are advancing on Yekaterinburg?

That would be welcome. We could crush the communists and turn Russian public opinion against the Soviet regime.

Tsaritsyn and southern Russia weren’t under attack.

We had dealt with internal Bolsheviks through the reconstructed Okhrana.

So what was this blindsiding news?

“They forced the Bogd Khan’s state to surrender?”

The Asian Cavalry Division—a mixed force of various ethnicities led by Ungern and Semyonov—had occupied Mongolia and forced the Bogd Khan to surrender.

While our house is on fire, they’re planting flags in someone else’s land. That’s what this means.

“Yes. This is the seal of the Bogd Khan’s state. Your Highness is now the Great Khan of the Great Mongol Empire.”

Ungern’s subordinate, who had come all the way to the Yekaterinburg government office to deliver this “good news” personally, reported with a proud face.

What the hell.

What kind of nonsense is this, like saying the Qing Emperor should also be the King of Korea?