Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796.

“Although the general likes it, the items used for entertaining guests in the palace are of a lower rank. I am just a Prince of the County. Although I am a prince, there are still Princes of the First Rank above me, and even more so, the Iron-Cap Princes who are not lower in rank. Among the items used, those given to the Emperor, Empress Dowager and Empress are of the highest rank, and the rest are of a lower rank.”

Speaking of which, Prince Qing lived in half of the He Mansion, and the Tenth Princess lived in the other half. This is correct in terms of rank, and the utensils they used were also quite particular.

After all, Yonglin was not a prince, and although the pearls he used looked dazzling, they were not very round.

"Moreover, there are certain rules regarding the utensils used. If they are bestowed by the Emperor, they must be treasured and enshrined, unless they are practical items."

Solovyov thought of Tong Guowei's reading glasses, which were permitted by imperial decree, but caution was still needed to avoid any mishaps.

After all, sometimes someone in the household would report them.

Yonglin had met with the chief clerk of the Tenth Sister's residence and falsely accused Fengshen Yinde of disrespect and treason, but the accusations were found to be completely unfounded.

During the reign of Emperor Jiaqing, he did cause a lot of trouble for the Eight Banners soldiers and members of the imperial clan, but with little effect.

The imperial clan refers to the descendants of the sons of Taksi, who are granted the title of "yellow sash" and are called imperial clan members.

Jue Luo refers to the descendants of Jue Chang'an and his brothers, who were given "red sashes" and called Jue Luo.

Even those who have been stripped of their royal status still have a "purple ribbon" that signifies royal blood.

Except for Dahai, who pioneered the use of Manchu at that time and was specially granted the "purple belt," everyone else who reached this level had their status stripped.

Although during the Jiaqing era, when the results of the imperial examinations were announced, members of the imperial clan and the Gioro clan could often be seen on the second and third lists, the number of those who were ambitious was still limited, and their future prospects in officialdom were unpredictable.

Another type was the special translation examination for Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations). Generally, two members of the imperial family, five to seven members of the Manchu family, and one to two members of the Mongol family were selected. The examination for these candidates was to translate between Manchu and Chinese.

For example, two members of the imperial clan who passed the imperial translation examination in the nineteenth year of the Jiaqing reign were Yi Yu, a member of the imperial clan and a descendant of that "unclear" person, and Ke Meng, a member of the imperial clan and a descendant of Ajige.

They were selected to serve temporarily at the Prince of Laiqing's residence because, in the past, diplomatic practices between Russia and the Qing Dynasty required communication in Manchu and Russian. The two of them were at least proficient in Manchu and were also members of the imperial family.

However, Solovyov genuinely did not speak Manchu, and he did not bring any foreign ministry officials or interpreters familiar with Manchu and Mongolian. He immediately began speaking in Chinese.

This made things convenient for everyone, so that when the guests and hosts sat down, they could talk comfortably.

As for the rules, there are still many things to discuss.

After Yonglin mentioned the object, he placed the bowl on the table.

“According to the rules of the royal family, I, as a prince, naturally also use this kind of utensils.”

It's perfectly fine to use it to entertain guests.

Solovyov found the bowl so appealing that he couldn't put it down, and even after drinking his tea, he still had the urge to examine the back of the bowl.

"Made in the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, it was indeed a time of great wealth and power, and the prosperity of the Qianlong Emperor's reign was known even in Europe. However, let's not dwell on Macartney. In fact, there were many poor people in Europe, and he mentioned some of them in his travelogue."

"The general knows too much, but some things can be told, while others cannot."

"Yes, there are rules for audiences, but to get things done, it's inevitable to say things that shouldn't be said."

Solovyov mentioned how Paul acted when he was following Tsar Paul.

Upon hearing this, Yonglin realized that this person was somewhat similar to his grandfather, the Emperor.

But he continued to listen to what Solovyov was saying: "This mission is a serious one, and the responsibility is great. The emperor has given me full authority to act as I see fit. No one has bothered me about anything that would 'disgrace the nation.' So, having come to the Celestial Empire, I must naturally follow the rules."

"Indeed, General, you may do so. While waiting for the Emperor's summons in my residence, you must also diligently practice etiquette."

"There's no need to practice these etiquette rules anymore. Pasha, greet the Prince just like your father taught you at home."

Then it was Pasha's turn to greet Yonglin, his movements were even more nimble than those of the Manchu children.

In addition, he has a handsome face and a pleasing appearance, so he is naturally well-liked.

"Your son is very charming; I wonder if we could arrange a marriage?"

"It's a bit too early to get engaged."

"Not necessarily. When the prince consort and the tenth sister were engaged, they were both still children."

At this point, Solovyov gestured for his son to step back.

He was alone there, along with Yonglin, who was there to receive him, and two members of the imperial clan who had passed the imperial examinations.

"Your Majesty and Your Majesty are indeed considering finding a husband for the youngest princess, but Your Majesty has seven daughters who need to be married off one by one, so the matter of the youngest princess will have to be put on hold for later."

Yonglin found this somewhat interesting.

In his view, Solovyov was like Heshen, who led troops into battle but was much more modest and humble.

That makes some sense, though it's pretty far-fetched.

After all, Solovyov's money came from technological inventions, granting exclusive rights, and operating special commodities, which is somewhat similar to the business acumen of the lord, and there is no problem in this regard.

He did not commit any major acts of disrespect, and the next Tsar, whoever became Tsar, had a good relationship with him, which was enough to ensure his continued rule.

Yonglin was naturally unaware of this matter, and they went on to talk quite a bit about it.

Solovyov genuinely loved porcelain from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Even the officials who received him were surprised that he could actually offer some insights, at least some basic knowledge.

However, during the Qianlong period, there were many more objects that reflected the "rustic" aesthetic and showcased the craftsmanship of porcelain making.

What he was holding was a replica of a Song Dynasty Jun ware piece. Its vibrant colors made it irresistible, and it didn't feel like a rural tourist spot at all.

"I just wonder how much of the craftsmanship of the official kilns from the Song Dynasty still remains today?"

"Only Ru ware is hard to find. Even wealthy families rarely obtain fragments, let alone complete pieces."

Even someone of his caliber only managed to acquire three small items; he couldn't have bought such a treasure with all that money.

The techniques of the other official kilns were passed down to later generations to varying degrees. As for the large vase from the Qianlong period, which combined more than a dozen techniques on one vase, that was purely a display of skill.

Solovyov stroked the teacup and sighed, "It's a pity that the most exquisite things are the rarest to exist." This immediately elevated his aesthetic standards.

Yonglin nodded in agreement, as he had only ever seen them with his father, the Emperor.

Even the emperor himself wouldn't touch it casually if he saw it, since such a treasure is indeed very rare.

"There are many precious things in the world, General, there is no need to sigh over them all."

"Indeed, but those who possess treasures must also have the skills to guard them, for it is inevitable that some will covet the divine artifacts."

Solovyov knew, especially, that the unscrupulous British would plunder an unknown amount of things from his museum in the future.

They may have the skill, but do they know how to play it?
Even Europeans were divided into two categories: those on land would study it carefully, while those at sea would just treat it as a novelty.

Even Americans don't understand bronzes, so once tomb raiders succeed, many artifacts will be lost overseas.

The most troublesome thing is when it falls into the hands of collectors who don't know anything about collecting, especially since private collections have essentially disappeared from the public eye.

"What the general said is quite right, but it also seems to have a hidden meaning."

"I'm talking about the British. The war in Europe has just ended. Why are they coming to the Celestial Empire under the guise of paying homage, but actually intending to trade? It's all for profit. Does Your Highness know that although the British can profit from selling tea and raw silk from the Celestial Empire to Europe, they rarely manage to sell any goods to the Celestial Empire?"

"I don't know either."

"Although I am a foreign official, I am aware of the affairs of the world. Although His Majesty sits in the Forbidden City, wise and benevolent, and loves his people, he is only familiar with the affairs of the Celestial Empire. As for the outside world, he relies on us 'foreigners' to relay information. The British are foreigners, the French missionaries are foreigners, the Russian envoys are foreigners, and the merchants from various European countries are also foreigners. If foreigners are on good terms with the Celestial Empire, that's fine, but if they have ulterior motives and malicious intentions, they will inevitably provide some wrong information or inaccurate information."

Of course, although the number of missionaries around Jiaqing was limited, they were all quite reliable.

If it were during the Kangxi era, it could also bring mathematics.

However, although Emperor Kangxi praised it, the Manchus were too lazy to learn it. The Mongols were skilled in horsemanship and archery, while Han officials all entered officialdom through the imperial examination system. Starting with the unstable mathematical level in the Ming Dynasty, it was not until the mid-Qing Dynasty that the gap with Europe widened, and the best opportunity for exchange and learning had passed.

During the Qianlong era, painting techniques were still somewhat available, but things began to change during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods.

In fact, Emperor Qianlong was already on guard before the Macartney Mission arrived. In fact, in the twenty-second year of his reign, it was the British who came to Tianjin to file a complaint against the emperor, which ultimately led to the early closure of the Zhejiang Customs to European merchants.

Yes, in the past, the Qing Dynasty did not have a single port for trade; it often had three to five ports. It was the British who were more efficient at causing trouble and disrupting the supply of cheap tea.

Although Emperor Qianlong also had this idea of ​​closing the Zhejiang Customs to protect the revenue of the Guangdong Customs, the British would not have caused trouble and would not have done so so quickly.

"This is only the overseas regions, but the Celestial Empire also has vassal states. I wonder if Your Highness is aware of all of this?"

"I still don't know. Yi Yu, do you know?"

"Your Highness, I do not know either."

As for Kemeng, Yonglin didn't intend to ask him, as he probably didn't know either.

"Does Your Highness know of the Ryukyu Kingdom?"

"It is known that Ryukyu has always been a respectful country. When a new king ascends the throne, he always comes to the capital to request a title, and the imperial envoys also go to Ryukyu to read out the imperial edict and bestow titles."

"But what Your Highness doesn't know is that although Ryukyu is submissive, the three officials in its country are actually the offices of the Satsuma Domain under the Shogun of the Japanese Shogunate, used to control the Ryukyu government. Although they cannot control it completely, they can remotely control its government and exploit it for profit by setting up offices in Shuri Castle. Although Ryukyu has benefited from trade, most of the money is still taken by the Satsuma Domain."

Moreover, the Satsuma Domain is notorious for its lack of morality.

Ryukyu was invaded by the Satsuma Domain in 1609, during the Wanli era. The Ryukyu Kingdom was ultimately defeated and lost the Amami Islands. Local family genealogies and documents were destroyed by the Satsuma Domain, and the islands were forcibly separated from the Ryukyu Kingdom.

However, Ryukyu's greatest advantage was its good relationship with the Ming and Qing dynasties. As a result, much of Ryukyu's trade profits were swallowed up by the Satsuma Domain.

Later, when the Ming and Zheng dynasties clashed with the Qing dynasty, Ryukyu was forced to adopt a wait-and-see attitude because it was bullied on three sides. As a result, Zheng Jing got sulfur and goods for free, and the Satsuma Domain turned a blind eye to this.

At that time, it was still during the reign of Emperor Kangxi. The coastal areas of Fujian and Zhejiang were still under a maritime ban. Emperor Kangxi had no way to deal with the Zheng family's maritime merchant and pirate group until the recapture of Taiwan.

The Tokugawa shogunate couldn't stand it any longer, so they seized the Zheng family's ships in Hirado and collected 300 taels of silver from Ryukyu to make up for some of the payment.

The situation in the Ryukyu Kingdom was now even worse than before.

Due to population growth and environmental degradation, plagues and famines frequently broke out on the island at this time.

The profits from maritime trade did not even reach the five major kingdoms, including the Ryukyu royal family; most of them went into the pockets of the Satsuma Domain.

Meanwhile, the Satsuma Domain profited from brown sugar cultivation, leading to a prolonged food shortage around Kagoshima, causing immense suffering for the people who couldn't even afford to grow rice.

Solovyov was unaware of the situation in the Satsuma Domain; his main focus was on the situation of the various vassal states of the Qing Dynasty at that time.

For example, the Nguyen Dynasty, which was bestowed the name "Vietnam" by Emperor Jiaqing, had a prince named Duanhui who traveled across the ocean to Versailles Palace to meet with Louis XVI and his family. This information was only obtained by Solovyov, who went to Paris many times.

However, Vietnam was relatively honest. If the French hadn't colonized it, it and Korea would probably have been the last two loyal followers of the Qing Dynasty. At least when they were outmatched, they knew to call for reinforcements from the Celestial Empire.

Some vassal states and tributary states didn't even know how they died; the most wronged was Ryukyu.

After Solovyov said all this, even the good-natured Prince Yonglin couldn't hold back anymore.

"This is really unreasonable!"

Of course, Solovyov said that he and two other members of the imperial family who were also translators would submit their reports to the Jiaqing Emperor, which was also an important source of intelligence.

"Your Majesty, please calm down."

"It was just a moment of anger. How dare someone exploit a loyal vassal state of the Celestial Empire like this?"

The brothers Jiaqing and Yonglin both had relatively sound values. The former was even brought to tears by the corrupt officials under his command. We'll talk about his appearance later.

Yonglin's defining characteristic is his lack of airs.

That's why he acted that way, which is normal; it's a normal person showing a rather intense attitude.

As for what happens next, we'll have to see how things unfold. (End of Chapter)