Reincarnated as an Imperial Prince

As the Ruthenian Empire’s internal affairs were about to raise their ugly head, things were tenser on the other side of the world, specifically at the Hanese Dynasty’s capital, Beijing.

As an all-out civil war between four factions raged on across the country, vying for supreme control over the nation whose motivation is fueled by the ideology that was the foundation of their party, which now results in more than a thousand deaths, foreign nationals living inside the Beijing International Legation are scrambling to evacuate.

Beijing International Legation is a legation that was built in the 1860s after the defeat of the Han Dynasty against the Britannia Empire in the second opium war. Its primary purpose is to house diplomatic representatives of the western powers.

The Legation Quarter was rectangular in shape, approximately 1,300 meters east to west and 700 meters north to south. The southern boundary was the city wall of Beijing, which has a massive size of 13 meters high and 13 meters thick on top. The northern boundary was near the wall around the Imperial City. On the east, the Legation Quarter was bordered by the Hata gate, and on the west near the Chien gate was the Qianmen.

Legation Street divided the Legation Quarter from east to west. The Imperial Canal ran through the center of the quarter from north to south, exiting the legation quarter through a watergate beneath the City Wall of Beijing.

The quarter had its own postal system and taxes as well as the residence of the representatives of each nation. Speaking of a nation, the countries with a legation established in the Legation Quarter are the Britannia Empire, Francois Republic, Ruthenia Empire, United States, Yamato Empire, Sardegna Empire, Spanish Empire, Austrean Empire, Kingdom of Belgium, Deutschland Empire and the Kingdom of Netherlands.

In the main street of the Legation Quarter, United States Marine Corps dressed in their blue dress can be seen marching as they sing their military cadence. Its main purpose was to hearten foreign nationals who were in the middle of burning sensitive documents related to any faction that they are not supporting.

They marched through the streets where the United States and the Kingdom of Netherlands legation are located and the Ruthenian Legation before turning left to canal street.

The marines who are about to turn right to canal street can’t help but look at the Ruthenian guards who are equipped with a battle rifle instead of the mainstream bolt-action rifle.

Could it be that they are curious about it? No. The rest of the world knew how the Ruthenians won the war with the Yamato Empire one-sidedly, it was because of their weapons that are out of this world, including the one the Ruthenian guard is holding right now. So instead of being curious, they were wary about it.

A man in a hooded robe stopped in front of the Ruthenian Legation. It was noticed quickly by the guards standing on guard and approaching the suspicious person.

“What’s your business here, are you lost? If not then move along.”

“I would like to speak with Baron Mikhail Nikolayevich von Giers, the head of the Ruthenian Legation,” the man spoke in Ruthenian.

The two Ruthenian guards exchanged a meaningful look at one another briefly and turned again to the hooded man.

“Do you have an appointment with His Excellency?”

“I have none but he is expecting me,” the man replied confidently, prompting the two guards to look under the veil of his hood.

He nudged his partner in the arm. “Go and ask Sir Mikhail if he’s expecting a guest, you wait here.”

“Spasibo,” the man smiled under the hood as one of the guards entered the Ruthenian Legation to ask Mikhail.

Five minutes later, the guard returned.

“In the middle of the arctic a lone grizzly bear was on the verge of death—” the guard began speaking in riddles.

“But he found a child wandering in the woods defenseless, and so he rushed and pounced on it,” the hooded man finished his sentence.

“This man is good,” the guard confirmed. “You may now enter.”

The hooded man bowed and was escorted inside the Ruthenian Legation. They passed by halls where the staff members were running back and forth carrying piles of documents in their arms.

The hooded man arrived at Mikhail’s office who was reading a document and piling it up atop the stacks of documents. “Oh, you have arrived. I was informed that you have crucial information you wish to share with me.”

“That is precisely correct, Your Excellency,” the hooded man entered his office and Mikhail beckoned the guards who escorted him to his office to leave them alone.

They complied and closed the door.

The hooded man removed his hood, revealing a shaved head and brown eyes. He looked like he was in his 60s with a countenance aged by experience and age spots. However, he looks very much alive, almost youthful.

Mikhail offered a handshake and the man politely accepted.

“As you can see, everyone is busy packing their things, so I suggest that we go straight to the point, Sir Li Yuanhong.”

The man in front of him was Li Yuanhong, one of the trusted advisers of Sun Yat Sen and a member of the Kuomintang Party.

“I come here with a message that the Boxers are planning on besieging the Beijing Legation Quarter at sunset.”

“Well, how convenient for you to come all the way here to tell us that,” Mikhail said as he looked at his watch. “There are only four hours left, is your intel accurate?”

“Trust us, Sir Mikhail, we will never lie to our prospective ally in this war.”

Mikhail huffed. “But four hours, can’t you even deliver us a message a little bit earlier? There’s no way that we can evacuate out of here at six p.m.”

“That’s unfortunate but I still delivered the message and warned you. I will be leaving now. The longer I stay here increases the risk of me getting attention,” Yuanhong said as he rose to his feet.

“Very well, let’s see each other again.”

Yuanhong bowed before leaving his office. Upon closing the door, Mikhail grabbed the telephone installed on his desk and dialed a number.

“This is Mikhail from the Beijing International Legation, connect me to St. Petersburg.”