Chapter 186: Family Negotiations

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17-August-1921

’’As you can see, the harvest did not turn out so well. A considerable portion of the wheat fields in this area withered for lack of irrigation. Although we managed to keep the damage from becoming widespread, we could hardly work miracles with so little time at our disposal’’ said Vasyl as he watched the estate workers harvesting the grain. Several machines were reaping the wheat, which the men then carried to the threshers to separate the grain before bagging it and taking it to the granaries.

’’Phew... This was hardly ideal. Food prices have begun to rise slightly because there are shortages in almost every country. Some, like Belgium and the Netherlands, have lost their entire harvests... Without rain, they had no way to water their crops. Germany and France are also having trouble, with numerous areas suffering crop failures because of the considerable decline in river levels’’ I said, crossing my arms as I watched the work.

’’We did what we could, Karl. Even with pumps drawing water from underground, as you recommended, some areas had no usable groundwater reserves, like this one. The only alternative was to bring water from far away, and we simply lacked the means to do so with all our resources spread across the region’’ said the Ukrainian king, who shared my displeasure at the losses.

’’Well, we still have a harvest. At least we will be able to honor our trade agreements with our neighbors, won’t we?’’ I asked, looking at Vasyl, whose gaze remained fixed on the horizon.

’’Yes... Apart from exceptions like this, we were prepared in many places. The harvests were good, and thanks to agricultural mechanization, we have been able to assign more workers to expanding the acreage under cultivation. We have a net increase of 12% in wheat production, 21% in barley, and 56% in potatoes. So we are still maintaining the growth in agricultural production laid out in our plans’’ said Vasyl, smiling as he clapped me on the shoulder.

’’Ah... Good, that certainly puts my mind at ease. In our case, wheat production increased by only 4%, but barley production grew by 143%. We devoted much more land to that crop, mainly because of the demand for grain to make alcoholic beverages and feed livestock. Potato production increased by 80%, although our greatest growth was in vegetables, thanks to the greenhouses. Rabbit and pork production also increased considerably with the expansion of the respective farms’’ I said, nodding.

’’Then we will have no trouble with the food supply. We can even afford to keep lowering food prices, as we have been doing. I assume you will want to export a good portion of the surplus?’’ asked Vasyl as he began walking back toward his vehicle.

’’Ideally, we should fulfill our commitments to the countries with which we already have agreements to supply grain and other foodstuffs, while also seeking new buyers. Germany has a certain shortage that we could cover by selling to them at a somewhat higher price. I believe Hungary is also having some trouble, although our agreement presents a dilemma there... So I would rather not have to send a large portion of the harvest to that country. As for Russia... I still have my doubts, because they have a serious problem with their harvest. I do not know whether we should confine ourselves to fulfilling our agreement with the tsar or sell them additional quantities to prevent a famine’’ I said, scratching my head as I kept pace with the Ukrainian monarch.

’’Let us see what they offer first. The other option would be to sell to the British and the French. France has to import food from its colonies, and with its crop losses from chemical contamination and the lack of water, it may end up buying grain from us even if it dislikes the idea. The British, for their part, regard us with suspicion, but we already have treaties to supply them with food, and we can always sell them more’’ said Vasyl as he reached his armored vehicle.

’’Yes, perhaps we can squeeze some Siberian gold out of the Russians to keep building up our reserves. So far, we have been unable to increase them through foreign trade earnings, because no one will agree to pay in gold, however much we lower the price of certain goods’’ I said, opening the door of my vehicle as I looked at Vasyl.

’’Whatever you decide, let me know. If I can lower the price of bread a little for my people, they will appreciate it. But if you would rather fill the treasury to finance essential public works, I can hardly complain about that either, because it benefits us all, considering that we have a neighbor who believes he ought to seize our lands by force’’ said Vasyl, climbing into his armored vehicle, which soon set off back toward Kiev.

’’Take me back to the train station so I can return to Riga as soon as possible’’ I told my driver as soon as I climbed in and closed the door.

’’At your command, mein Herzog’’ replied the driver before starting the engine and heading toward the nearest railroad station.

I had little desire to keep poring over account books and inspecting farmland, as I had done for most of the month. I had been worried about how the harvests would turn out with so little rainfall, but in the end, everything had gone rather well under the circumstances. We had managed to increase our production while the rest of Europe searched for ways to replenish its food reserves.

Upon arriving in Riga, I went straight to my mansion to rest. I had spent far too long away, personally inspecting the fields to make sure everything went well.

’’Well... We have visitors’’ I said as I stretched and noticed my wife’s relatives in the sitting room.

’’Oh... Karl, I took the liberty of receiving my family while you were away. Since you were traveling, I did not want to distract you from your work with news of their visit, so I preferred to wait until you returned’’ said Tatiana, setting her teacup on a table before rising and coming over to greet me.

’’No, there is no problem, Tatiana. They will always be welcome here’’ I said, interlacing the fingers of one hand with hers as the rest of her family watched. Then I released her hand to sit in one of the armchairs and turned my gaze toward the Romanovs.

’’A great deal of work?’’ asked Aleksei, the first of the others to speak to me.

’’Too much... With the drought sweeping across the region, I had to make sure all the measures I proposed were being carried out properly. It would have been a disaster if we had lost a considerable portion of our harvests. And, as the saying goes, the master’s eye fattens the cattle, so I had to travel through every territory under my control to make sure things were being done properly... All to ensure that no one goes without bread on the table’’ I said, running my hands over my face before looking at Aleksei, who was wearing a uniform.

’’Would you like anything? We have cake, cookies, and some cream pastries’’ said Tatiana, sitting beside me and leaning toward me.

’’I’m not particularly fond of sweets, Tatiana. I find them cloying. But thank you’’ I said, resting my head on her shoulder.

’’Would you like me to prepare something special for you, then? Although I made many of the things here myself... I can ask the servants to prepare something else for you’’ said Tatiana, running a hand through my hair as I closed my eyes and relaxed.

’’Do you remember what I told you about the fried dough with filling?’’ I asked, lifting my head to look at her.

’’Yes, of course I remember’’ replied Tatiana with a smile.

’’Please. While I’m working, I eat the same food as my men, but spending my days chewing dried meat and barley bread has left my jaw stiff’’ I said, touching my chin as I smiled.

’’Of course, I’ll tell the cooks’’ said Tatiana, kissing me on the cheek before heading toward the kitchens, followed by some of her maids.

’’What brings you here, Nicholas?’’ I asked, fixing my gaze on him as soon as Tatiana left, after noticing Olga’s frown as she watched her sister and me.

’’How direct... I merely wanted to make sure you were not mistreating my daughter’’ said the deposed tsar, looking at me sternly.

’’I don’t know why you would think I would do such a thing, but I know seeing Tatiana is not the only reason for this visit... And, Aleksei, have my doctors examined you yet? After accompanying your father on his journey through Romania and the other countries, it might be wise to have them examine you again. Besides, I believe they need some blood samples to continue researching a cure for your illness’’ I said, looking at Nicholas before turning toward the Romanovs’ only son.

’’Yes, as soon as I arrived, Herzog Karl’’ replied Aleksei, bringing his legs together and nodding with a smile.

’’No titles, lad. We’re family’’ I said with a faint smile.

’’Yes, Karl. Tatiana sent for a group of doctors who examined me and took a blood sample, although I had to spend quite some time in bed before the wound stopped bleeding’’ said Aleksei, nodding.

’’Good... Now then, Nicholas, why are you here?’’ I asked, looking at him as I tilted my head.

’’My brother asked me to intervene in the purchase of grain for Russia’’ said Nicholas after moistening his lips and letting out a deep sigh.

’’Ah, I suspected as much... And how did your tour of the other countries go? Were you unable to persuade any of them to sell food to Russia through marriage arrangements for your daughters?’’ I asked, bringing my hands together.

’’We had no luck. Many of the opportunities to arrange a marriage in Romania, Greece, or Bulgaria were lost because the candidates had already married or were engaged. For a long time, they believed us dead, so they proceeded with other engagements instead of continuing to consider a marriage to one of my daughters’’ replied Nicholas.

’’A real shame. Let us hope you can eventually find good husbands for your daughters and a good wife for Aleksei... Well, how much grain are we talking about? How much does your brother need to turn to you without even attempting to negotiate through official channels? Because he apparently hopes to obtain it as a family favor or something of the sort’’ I said, looking at all the members of the Romanov family.

’’Could we discuss this in another room?’’ asked Nicholas, looking me directly in the eyes.

’’Of course’’ I said, rising and heading toward another room.

We walked to one of the mansion’s smaller sitting rooms, and I waited for Nicholas to close the door.

’’Well, what is your brother offering? I assume he must have a serious problem if he had to send you to negotiate. He must need you to invoke our family ties to obtain what he wants’’ I said as I leaned against the wall and checked my pocket watch.

’’The situation in Russia is tense. I assume you know that?’’ asked Nicholas after swallowing.

’’Yes, I know. I imagine the Volga region must be suffering from the lack of snow and rainfall, right in one of Russia’s principal agricultural regions. The flow of the Don has declined considerably along the stretch we control, so I estimate we are talking about losses of between 30 and 50% of that region’s harvest’’ I said, looking him in the eyes.

’’How many spies do you have in Russia?’’ asked Nicholas, his eyes widening.

’’I know a fair amount about agriculture, and I am very meticulous when it comes to gathering facts and information. Simply comparing records of precipitation and river flow is enough to draw a general conclusion. I don’t need someone to tell me there is a problem when I can deduce it from those figures’’ I said with a broad smile as I slipped the watch back into my pocket.

’’Well, according to what he told me, he needs three times the amount agreed upon with Ukraine’’ said Nicholas, looking at me seriously.

’’Three times as much? Wheat? No, impossible. That is enough food to feed fifty million people for an entire year. At most, we can sell him a good portion of what we have managed to produce above the previous harvest, but we cannot triple the deliveries...’’ I said, shaking my head.

’’Yes... Well... I understand, but he said it could be barley, potatoes, vegetables, fish... Anything at all. He needs to relieve the hunger, or he will have a very serious famine on his hands’’ said Nicholas, whose breathing was growing more rapid.

’’That is more feasible. I can draw on the reserves of the duchy and Ruthenia. With the increase in our barley, potato, and vegetable production, perhaps we can make up the additional tonnage he is requesting by substituting those foods for some of the wheat... But how does he intend to pay? I know he is rushing to settle the debts, so they cannot have much left in foreign currency or gold reserves. And I will not accept mere pieces of prettily colored paper’’ I said, narrowing one eye.

’’Platinum from the Urals, copper, manganese, furs, and timber. That is what we can give you in exchange for supplying the food Russia needs’’ said Nicholas, handing me a letter that appeared to have come from his brother.

’’Copper... That interests me the most, to be honest... And what about precious stones? There are numerous gemstone mines in the Urals’’ I said, placing a finger beneath my lower lip as several ideas occurred to me for extracting the greatest possible financial benefit from all this.

’’I thought they would not interest you, but if you want them, of course we can supply them.’’ said Nicholas.

’’Good... We will handle it through official channels. I assume he will want me to be the one to visit him so he does not have to humiliate himself?’’ I asked, looking at Nicholas, who nodded.

’’How predictable... Very well, I’ll prepare everything for tomorrow. Right now, I’m terribly hungry’’ I said, opening the door and returning to the sitting room, where I found Tatiana beside a maid holding a tray of freshly made empanadas.

’’Oh, Tatiana, have I told you how much I love you?’’ I asked, taking her hand and kissing it before sitting beside her. I picked up one of the empanadas, which were still hot, as I noticed the looks from the rest of the Romanovs.

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