Bulgarian Empire

Chapter 23: Prologue

Chapter 23: Prologue

On August 2, 1888, he opened the first admissions exams to the University of Bulgaria in grand style. Since then, the history of Bulgarian higher education exams has been started.

The exam lasted three days, and the content was varied, with knowledge covering all aspects of the field.

However, the major score is the main factor in the admissions process, accounting for 80% of the total score. If a student's major score is in the top three, he or she will be admitted even if he or she fails in other subjects.

Of course, now the candidates are still unaware of the three-day test. Each one is like a beaten eggplant, lost all confidence.

Sofia seems to have become noisy, with people everywhere complaining that the exam questions are too difficult. Many people are secretly regretting that they have gained too little knowledge normally.

On August 15, the entrance of the University of Bulgaria was already crowded with people. They are waiting anxiously for the final results.

On the other hand, they are all happy and don't have to worry about applying for a major or choosing the wrong major that will affect their future career. The university will choose the most suitable majors for them, and they can be assigned.

As for the hobby, can you eat it? Sorry, this is the 19th century. There is no such creature known.

Ferdinand is delighted with the admissions results, although there are many flaws, but the first time and the overall smooth, at least no one made a fraud.

To commemorate that one's career in learning, the opening date of school, was chosen by Ferdinand on September 1, a familiar date.

The opening is Ferdinand's speech recalling the history of Bulgaria... (skip 100,000 words, and you can attend your own opening ceremony)

Four hundred and thirty-six students, with a cheer, thus entered the hall of the university.

Looking at the bright and youthful students, Ferdinand felt a lot of emotion. They are his future generation.

Thinking of the hectic class schedule, Ferdinand mused gloatingly, "Rejoice! Now enjoy the freedom! Tomorrow you will find out what a horror it is to go to university!"

It is worth knowing that the University of Bulgaria now uses a closed military system, with up to twelve classes a day, plus study time.

From the time they wake up at 5:30 am to the time they leave school at 10:30 pm. Except for mealtime and a short break in the middle of the day, they have to be spent studying.

Ferdinand's study plan references the work and rest schedule of his former senior year. Since it was the first time he ran a university, everyone was inexperienced and did as he told them.

The management staff, hired by the Ministry of Education from the Berlin Military Academy at a high salary, directly copied that management style.

In this year, the news passed unchanged, and the spring breeze of democratic freedom had not yet blown. Bulgaria was still relatively conservative, endowed with the tradition of strict teachers who then were adopted by highly respected educators.

Ferdinand, who had just returned to the palace, received the bad news - the peasant movement had begun.

After the last tax increase, Stambolov's cabinet made another stupid move and passed the proposal in the National Assembly - to restore the tithes to be paid in goods.

If they raised the agricultural tax last time only to damage the interests of the rich and poor farmers, the landlord class could still make up for the loss through land annexation.

Then the return to the tithes of the Ottoman period was a serious obstacle to the development of agricultural capitalism.

To a large extent, it harmed the interests of the landlord class. But it was the middle and small landlords who opposed it most fiercely, which meant that government officials could plunder them in a new way.

They set off a peasant protest movement that began to spread rapidly throughout Bulgaria.

To Ferdinand's relief, they were now mainly rallies and demonstrations and had not yet turned into a revolution.

It also reinforces his resolve to topple the cabinet. However, after all, the Stambolov cabinet has made a great effort to support his throne. To remove the cabinet, Ferdinand must have a strong reason.

Historically, it lasted until 1894, when Stambolov's cabinet was already furious when the original host personally stepped in and removed the cabinet.

Stambolov, until then, had always held power. Although Ferdinand took political means, to a certain extent, divided Stambolov's power and reinforced the ministries. However, he was unable to change the status quo of Stambolov's control of the cabinet.

Ferdinand thought that he would have to wait for the next parliamentary elections to seize power successfully. Unexpectedly, due to his butterfly effect, the Bulgarian government's financial crisis has intensified.

The cabinet is going off the deep end to complete the Five-Year Plan successfully. In order to raise funds, draconian taxes and levies are coming out all over the place.

Ferdinand knew that the police terror regime was about to take shape. In just one year, the Bulgarian police establishment had been increased by fifty percent.

Stam Borov also took the liberty of forming secret police. The intelligence agency in the hands of Ferdinand found out that there were more than three hundred people. Of course, there was no shortage of people sent to infiltrate it.

If they don't make a move, they will definitely know how to breakthrough. Ferdinand took the chance to stuff political goods, such as anarchists, the future head of the revolutionary party, radicals, etc.

Preparing to use the knife to kill and settle future enemies once and for all is a final use of the Stambolov's cabinet.

...

"Your Highness, we have set up, and the fish are in the net!" said Hoover (Head of Intelligence Agency).

Ferdinand nodded with satisfaction and said, "Then prepare to close the net!"

...

Mihail knocked impatiently on the Prime Minister's office and said, "Your Excellency, something big is wrong!"

"Don't rush, take your time. God is still watching, the sky is not falling!" Stambolov said slowly and calmly as he sipped his tea.

"Oh, hell! You know, my Prime Minister, the sky is about to fall. After hearing this news, I don't think you'll ever be in the mood for tea again!" Mihail said anxiously.

"Oh, what is it that could cause my Minister to be so alarmed! Let me guess, is it that the Ottomans are calling, or is it that the Serbian scumbags are up to something again?" Stambolov joked quickly.

"Oh, God! Mr. Prime Minister, don't you read the newspapers? Our secret contracts with Britain and Austria-Hungary have all been exposed. Public opinion is now crying foul against the government!" Mihail retorted.

"Bang", the hands of Stambolov shake, and the teacup fell to the ground.

He exclaimed, "What? How is this possible? Isn't this matter known only to a few of our higher-ups?"

"Yes, there are no more than five of us who know the contents of the secret treaty! But now the secret treaty has been published in the newspapers. It's exactly the same, not a single change in punctuation!" Mihail said worriedly.

"Could it be that there is a problem on the British and Austro-Hungarian side? It shouldn't be, there can't be leaks from both sides at the same time! On our side, no more than ten people know about the secret treaty, and only a few of us in the cabinet know the contents. Even His Highness is not sure about the exact terms of the treaty, so who would leak it?" Stambolov said in confusion.