Rebirth: Romania Rising

"These Bulgarian nobles have deep family roots, many children, vast lands, and profound backgrounds. They have shops and factories in the city, manors and fields in the countryside, and many connections in the officialdom..."

Gruul is a minority and lives close to Bulgaria, so he knows more about the social conditions in Bulgaria, so he introduced it to Victor and others.

Although there are similar families in Romania, such as Victor himself, they are all considered small families in counties and villages.However, because the Romanian government has relatively strong control, insists on conferring military merit on land, and strictly suppresses land annexation, local power is languishing. Even the children of the aristocracy can only hold their noses and risk their lives to earn military merit along with the common people.

But in Bulgaria, these powerful nobles are a local force that cannot be ignored, and they are the most stubborn forces.

"Most of these powerful nobles who live together in the same clan were there when Bulgaria became independent, such as the Zhivkov family, the Zlatar family... These families have roots and connections in many countries!"

"The best among them are the Zhivkov family. For several generations, they have been high-ranking officials in the Bulgarian government. However, the families were later divided. The ones who are now doing well are the Dobrich family. There are not many officials."

"Then why do you say that this Zhivkov is different from other ordinary families?" Hearing this, Betif began to gear up again. From what he heard, this local family was nothing special!

Gruul waved his hand quickly: "Although there were no prominent figures in this lineage in the past, now, there is a great disciple. Although I don't know his name, I heard that this Zhivkov family There is a man named Ivanlov who studied in our country and fell in love with a high-ranking domestic official. A few years ago, he went to Bucharest to work as an official, and I heard that he became a big official!"

"You actually work as an official in Bucharest!?" Everyone looked at each other, and Victor was a little confused, but he was relieved immediately.The relationship between European aristocrats is indeed very chaotic, and it is not uncommon for them to cross borders.The King of Romania was also born from the Sigmaringen branch of the German Hohenzollern family.

In World War I, after Carol I's son Ferdinand I came to the throne, instead of choosing to stand on the same side as the Allied Powers, the Hohenzollern family from which he was born, he instead joined the camp of the Allied Powers led by Britain, France and Russia. Britain, France, and Russia all fought against the German Empire, which made my family furious and called them unworthy descendants...

That explains why the Zhivkov family is so unscrupulous and does not pay attention to him, the new police officer. It turns out that there is someone above him!The capital official is one level higher than the local official. This principle is the same in Romania.

Gruul continued: "Dobrich is divided into two major families, Zhivkov and Zlatar, which occupy two districts of the East City and West City respectively. Among them, Zhivkov is more powerful, and his clan leader is named Ivan, the son who is an official in Bucharest, comes from their family; Xi Zhangzlatar is a little younger, but not too different, and the patriarch of his family, Vasil, is a big businessman and capitalist."

"Not only Dobrich, but also in the entire southern Dobroga, is quite famous. Dobrich's surrender is due to these two people. He went to the city to persuade the Bulgarian regular army to surrender, and then he was appointed as the commander-in-chief. The leader of the city council, the other the mayor..."

Victor thought: "After Dobrich surrendered, the Romanian system was adopted, with one city and three departments, including the citizens' committee, the city government, and the Ministry of Public Security. Each of the two families occupied one, so how could this Dobrich Isn’t it still his Bulgarian noble’s?”

Gruul blinked and said, "You can say that."

Betif said angrily: "Then what's the point of asking us to stay here? Aren't you trying to trick us?"

Gruul smiled and said: "It's not that General Constantine is worried about letting the Bulgarian nobles manage their own affairs. The Sheriff is here to play a surveillance role. If they really rebel, they will not be counted as disarmed regular troops. They will rely on the city alone." The original police and militia were able to surround our camp, so we..."

He suggested to Victor: "Let's go to this banquet. It's just a chance to get acquainted with people in the city, and it will also be convenient for future contacts. The days are still long, so there is no need to fight for temporary fame."

Betif was furious after hearing this: "What are you talking about? How can we Romanian soldiers be humiliated at will?"

The two were arguing there, but Victor fell into thinking.He has understood that Zhivkov is the largest local power in the city. Not only does he have someone serving as an official in the capital, he is also a hero in helping Romania persuade Dobrich to surrender.

Since they had a cooperative attitude, General Constantine did not have any difficulties. He kept Zhivkov's family and property intact, and even granted them official positions, hoping that they would continue to help manage Dobrich.

This method of governing Bulgaria by Bulgarians is very appropriate. The stability-seeking style of King Carol I is the only way to control the surrendered areas during the war.

If local governors are wiped out at every turn and a bureaucrat who has no knowledge of local conditions is sent to count household registrations, measure land, and apportion taxes, it will trigger resistance and be detrimental to Romania's digestion of the local area.

Although the overall situation was saved by "protecting and protecting", it was just a long time ago that the Sheriff Victor who was sent here suffered a lot. They suddenly felt that their hands were tied.

While it is true that in peacetime the city council and councils were slightly more important than the Sheriff, this was wartime.Victor thought of the eye-catching line on the appointment letter that the Lord had given him.

[If the Bulgarians have different intentions and show signs of rebellion, the sheriff can use lethal force to directly suppress them! 】

At least there is a military force behind Victor.Therefore, Victor does not want to be too weak and become a puppet and rubber stamp that can be summoned by local forces and then go away.

"Gruer, go out and tell that person this." He said calmly: "Although my official position is not high, I am also the peace officer appointed by General Constantine personally, representing the authority of the Romanian government, and It is unbecoming of a military official to speak like a lowly servant! If the Zhivkov clan leader really sincerely invites you, he will send his son to invite him personally!"

……

"Is that what the little sheriff really said?" Ivan, a fat man in Dobridg East City, was slightly stunned after hearing the servant's reply.

"That's what I said. I didn't even enter the camp gate before I was driven away..." The servant was frightened by the tall soldiers with live ammunition.

"This is really unreasonable!" Ivan was in his fifties, and his gray beard was trembling when he got angry.

"Father, calm down, calm down..." Ivan's son Wanka is much gentler than his father, and has the image of a generous and honest good man.

He said: "In my opinion, it is too rude to send just one servant to deliver the notice. No wonder the Sheriff didn't come. Fortunately, he didn't refuse, but gave us a step down. That’s good, it’s better to follow what he said and let me deliver the post in person!”

"Doesn't that mean I'm acting on his orders?" The clan leader was unwilling and insisted: "Logically speaking, the chairman of the committee is half a rank higher than him as a police officer. I didn't call him here as a superior, so it's good!"

Wanka warned: "Having said that, our country and Romania are still at war at this time, and it is no better than usual. Those who have soldiers are better than those who have no soldiers. For the general, soldiers from Romania are better than those who have no soldiers. The nobles we appoint on the spot must be more trustworthy, and father can’t speculate based on ordinary thoughts..."

"So what, we are the heroes who persuaded the Bulgarian army to surrender! We are different from ordinary nobles!" Ivan raised his eyebrows, showing no intention of giving in: "Besides, the family has Ivanlov as an official in Bucharest. What can a little police officer do to me?"

Wanka said: "The invitations to the Zlatar family and the landowners have been sent out. If it turns out to be an empty banquet by then, it will not be good for my family."

Ivan thought about it, but he still waved his hand impatiently and said: "Then let a junior invite me. Anyway, the etiquette is enough, it doesn't matter if he loves me or not!"

Seeing this, Wanka became a little angry and stamped his foot: "Father! You are so arrogant and arrogant. In order to compete for a moment, you insist on breaking up with the people in the army. Just wait and make trouble in front of General Constantine. , and even went to Bucharest, it would not be of any benefit to the family or Ivanlov!"

……

"Victor, will the Zhivkov family still send someone here?" Outside the city of Dobrich, at the Romanian army garrison camp, Gruul paced with some anxiety.He felt that Victor was still a bit too much. If the Zhivkov family became angry and stopped sending people to invite him, then the relationship between the two parties would be completely deadlocked. How would they communicate in the next few months?

If the superiors ask them to search for grain in the city and collect taxes, it will never be possible without the cooperation of the two major families...

Victor closed his eyes to rest and remained silent.It was impossible for him to tell Gruul clearly. This was a game of local power in the occupied territories.If he bows his head, let alone cooperating with the Zhivkov family in the future, he will even have to rely on local forces to act.

Whether it is the officers who were ordered to guard this place, or the original local nobles and old bureaucrats who are more powerful, this point can be clearly determined!Whoever bows his head first loses!At this time, Anton came to report again.

"Sir, Zhivkov has sent someone again!" Gruul looked happy, but Victor just opened his eyes and asked, "Who is here?"

"He is a junior young man, well-dressed, and he came by car."

Victor stood up and said: "When I am not in the camp, Betif will be fully responsible for the affairs of the camp. If I haven't returned after dark, or if there is any abnormal movement in the city, immediately close the door and guard, and then let Anton hurry up." Inform the county next door!" After arranging the affairs in the camp, Victor straightened the hat on his head, hung a clean pistol, and walked out of the military camp.

As soon as the camp door opened, the young man saw several solemn-looking soldiers running out with guns and lining up on both sides.Immediately, another police officer wearing a military uniform, an armed belt on his back, leather boots, and a brimmed hat strode forward...

He knew that the rightful owner had arrived, so he quickly got out of the car and said to Victor: "I was sent by the Zhivkov patriarch. The patriarch is not feeling well, so he asked me to come and invite him to his house for a dinner, so that the people in the city can Gentlemen come to pay their respects..."

Victor took a few steps forward, looked at the visitor and smiled, regardless of whether he understood or not, he said in French: "I'm a newbie here. I, the police officer, should have visited first. How dare I let my superiors do it in person?" Coming?"

The other party was speechless. Victor knew that in the game with the original local forces in Bulgaria, he actually had a slight advantage!

……

Yes, French was widely used as an international diplomatic language in modern times.This is mainly because France was a powerful colonial empire in the 18th and 19th centuries. Its political, cultural and economic influence expanded around the world, and French is still one of the important international languages.

The aristocracy of many countries use French for diplomatic communications.But obviously, the gap between a family like Zhivkov and the big nobles is still too big.