Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796.

The envoys all arrived at the foot of the imperial steps, awaiting the emperor's summons.

Looking up at the magnificent Hall of Supreme Harmony, one is indeed awestruck.

At the height of Versailles' glory, Ney was still the son of a cooper, and he never met him.

When they went there with Napoleon, many of the treasures were moved to the Louvre, and some were even stolen.

A large amount of jewelry belonging to the French royal family was stolen, and as for who stole it, that's a matter of who came up with the most outrageous methods.

Even so, Versailles Palace remains a masterpiece among European palaces. However, compared to the imperial palaces of China, and considering that the Ming and Qing dynasties used the same palace without building a new one (it was rebuilt after a fire in between), it still stands out with its magnificent grandeur.

"There are indeed no palaces like this in Europe."

What are you thinking about?

"After that, we will meet the emperor of this country."

"Just wait for the imperial decree to be issued."

When the eunuchs in the hall relayed the message, officials from the Ministry of Rites came over and led them up the steps, thus entering the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Solovyov had excellent eyesight and could see the emperor sitting there, but when he got close, he had to bow his head and, once in position, perform the grand ceremony of three kneelings and nine kowtows under the guidance of the master of ceremonies.

As for phrases like "Long live the Emperor!", they are rarely used.

The Japanese like to use short phrases like "banzai," while the shogunate preferred to use "senjuwanzai." Such long phrases seem a bit tedious.

It can even be used to pad the word count.

Emperor Jiaqing noticed that the envoy in green was very well-mannered, although he was always accompanied by his son; this was the Russian envoy.

Meanwhile, the French envoy standing to the side was dressed in full military uniform and carrying a marshal's baton, clearly in accordance with their etiquette.

According to further reports from Tojin and Zhang Xu, these two were also famous generals in Europe. However, Solovyov was young, resourceful, and very cultured, and had the demeanor of a scholar-general, but he was a foreigner; while the "Inner Marshal" was a typical fierce general. Although such people also existed in China, the French emperor himself called him "the bravest of brave men," which meant he was extremely powerful.

The fact that the envoys sent by these two countries were both veteran generals aroused Jiaqing's curiosity.

"Flat body."

After the grand ceremony, he allowed the envoys from various countries to rise.

Then, Solovyov was also able to look up and see the face of the Jiaqing Emperor.

A kind-looking, chubby man, though over fifty years old, looked very energetic.

But even sitting there properly, his characteristics are still evident.

Emperor Jiaqing's governing style was always steady and unremarkable, mainly characterized by strict rules. However, his own upright conduct did not inspire his officials to follow the emperor's standards.

Although he was somewhat mediocre compared to the previous emperors, he was surprisingly a good person.

When he was assassinated, he was still thinking about not implicating others. If it weren't for the advice of his ministers to eliminate the threat completely, Chen De's two sons would probably have been exiled instead of sentenced to death.

There were no literary inquisitions, and he was relatively tolerant of his subjects. Under normal circumstances, he would have been a decent emperor.

However, he unfortunately inherited Qianlong's mess, which wasn't too bad, except that the rebellious White Lotus sect came along again, and this time it didn't end until the ninth year of Jiaqing's reign.

The chubby, white emperor who frequently issued edicts of self-reproach and was often brought to tears by his ministers, lacked the sharp tongue and scathing remarks typical of Qing emperors.

Starting with Nurhaci, every emperor of the Qing Dynasty was quite sharp-tongued.

When Solovyov saw the emperor, he also noticed that Jiaqing was looking him over and said something to the eunuch next to him.

"The Russian envoy and his son are far too handsome. Issue a decree that the envoys of Russia and France may present their credentials and proceed to the imperial steps."

Solovyov, leading his son and Ney, went to the steps of the palace and presented the letter of state.

Jiaqing first looked at the letter from the Russian envoy. Without being prompted, he probably wouldn't have noticed that it was written by a foreign envoy. The handwriting was rather thick and forceful, and it was written with a hard pen, which also showed that the writer was a military general.

But Solovyov, despite his fierce and somewhat naive appearance, was an infantry general who fought Napoleon several times without being at a disadvantage and ultimately emerged victorious.

The contrast was indeed too great. As for the child he was leading, he was holding a wooden box containing a "precious seal".

"Summon the Russian envoy to come forward; I have something to ask him."

It's very convenient to be able to communicate directly with foreign envoys, and it also allows you to learn more about foreign situations.

This left the head eunuch standing nearby somewhat bewildered. The emperor was always very strict about the rules, and he didn't know what was going on today.

At this moment, the missionary Nam Mide, who was standing nearby, took a step.

“The envoy understands Mandarin. Nam Mide, you will be my interpreter later.”

"Whoo."

Well, it does sound a bit awkward coming from a missionary, but it's also quite interesting.

Among the foreigners, only Ferdinand Verbiest participated in revising the calendar and made great contributions, thus earning the privilege of being exempt from kneeling before the emperor.

Nanmide was not at that level; he was merely an advisor to the Jiaqing Emperor.

"Come here. This is the first time in my twenty-one years on the throne that I have seen such a Western envoy with such beautiful handwriting. He is quite well-mannered."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

“Bring your son along too.”

Sometimes, good looks really are a form of justice.

Among wealthy women, young male admirers are very popular, and those with education are even more sought after.

In ancient China, facial features were also very important.

Solovyov then led his son up to the palace, carrying a cane, and removed his bicorn hat, which he tucked into his waistband.

When Pasha came in, he wasn't wearing a hat at all, and he was carrying a wooden box in his hands.

As for Emperor Jiaqing himself, he remained seated on his throne, waiting for Solovyov to arrive.

"You are Solovyov?"

"Your Majesty, I am indeed an envoy from Russia."

"You look good. If you were a civil official, you would be one of the best-looking men."

"Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty."

What year were you born?

"If we calculate according to the reign titles of the Celestial Empire, the foreign minister was born in the 46th year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign and joined the army and was granted an official position in the 60th year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign."

"He joined the army at fifteen?"

"Your Majesty, in Russia, foreign officials are registered from birth. In a family of several brothers, one of them is left to serve their parents and manage the land, while the others are required to join the army or serve in the public service."

"That's interesting. And where are you from?"

"The Foreign Minister was born in Ryazan, southeast of our old capital, Moscow."

"You've been in the military for about twenty years now, and you're now a first-class general. You're quite accomplished for your age."

"Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty."

"This isn't really a compliment. I know what you said to Prince Qing. I would say you understand strategy, are good at military tactics, and can adapt to changing circumstances. That would be a real compliment." Because they could converse without any barriers, it was quite easy for Jiaqing.

"But you are not the only one presenting the letter of state today, so we can discuss it another day."

"Please accept the imperial seal of our sovereign, Your Majesty."

"Yes, and there's the precious seal. Your son is well-behaved; at such a young age, he already knows etiquette. Among my brothers, nephews, and members of the imperial clan, there are many unruly children of this age, and I imagine there are many such children throughout the world. You've taught him very well; present the precious seal to me."

At this moment, Pasha respectfully and dutifully became a tool, kneeling down and offering it with both hands.

When Emperor Qianlong met Staunton, he rewarded him with a purse because of his intelligence and wit.

However, as he grew up, things were clearly not like that. This time, Jiaqing was convinced that it was Little Staunton who was behind it all.

Pasha was a little younger, but he was still able to hold the wooden box above his head properly.

The eunuch beside him opened the wooden box and presented it to Emperor Jiaqing for his "inspection".

"That is indeed good, and it is a token of goodwill. Russia is, after all, a great power, and its ruler is a man of good manners."

In addition to the treasure box, there is also a gift list, which will be made public at the banquet later, as well as Emperor Jiaqing's return gifts.

Pasha is indeed a very likable child.

Emperor Jiaqing then ordered a eunuch to fetch a jade pendant as a reward for the child.

Pasha was so moved that he knelt down on one knee and thanked her in French.

"How is this going?"

This is when Nanmide's role becomes apparent.

"Your Majesty, the son of the Russian envoy was also moved in a moment of excitement, and he is expressing his gratitude for the Emperor's grace in French."

"Sorkin, the Russian court also uses French, right?"

"Your Majesty, that is indeed the case."

"That's understandable. You and your son are both well-versed in etiquette, which is very good and comforts me. You may leave now."

Solovyov and his son thanked him and stepped down, and then it was Ney's turn to present the letter of credence and the Legion of Honor, Commander-in-Chief.

Although Nanmide disliked the soldiers who overthrew the king, it was only because of his status.

He was even required to act as a translator before the Chinese emperor.

Emperor Jiaqing also inquired about Neiyi's past military service, and Nanmide provided accurate translations.

There was no way around it; Solovyov was addressed as "Minister Solovyov" from the very beginning, and this guy also referred to himself as "foreign minister," which meant that, given the groundwork laid beforehand, he was highly valued by the emperor.

As for Nei mentioning his military experience, Jiaqing had previously seen Yonglin's memorial, which mentioned that he was a brave general.

"Truly a French Baturu."

Moreover, he was a Baturu who came from a notary background. To the Jiaqing Emperor, he and Solovyov were a stark contrast.

Rewarding someone in person is a privilege reserved for children.

Adults in such situations usually exchange pleasantries and compliments.

Ney also noted that although the emperor had many rules and regulations, he was a particularly humble person.

After accepting the medal, he had a eunuch come over and help him put it on.

They were all treated with courtesy, but Solovyov received the advantage of being addressed more politely due to his language skills.

The only honor bestowed upon France is to present the medal properly.

"How about this?"

Ney and Nan Mide, both Frenchmen, could only smile silently and then bow.

The emperor was clearly in a good mood today, as he was about to receive letters of credence from various countries.

The Dutch and Portuguese envoys received special treatment because they had frequently sent people to the Netherlands in the past.

The lions of Shanglin Garden, which Emperor Kangxi particularly liked, were originally a state gift presented by the King of Portugal.

Emperor Yongzheng's reply to the King of Portugal was also positive and enthusiastic, and he even praised the Portuguese envoy to his face.

As for the money-grubbing Dutch, they are always the most law-abiding.

When he arrived at the Dutch envoy's place, Jiaqing specifically inquired about the whereabouts of the Dutch envoy and translator who had come to participate in the abdication ceremony.

Upon learning that the Dutch envoy had passed away, but the deputy envoy was still alive, and that the French interpreter was now a sinologist in France, the Jiaqing Emperor felt somewhat sentimental.

Time really flies. He has now been on the throne for twenty-one years and has ruled the country alone for seventeen years.

Nanmide had a very tiring day. Jiaqing was in a great mood, and the envoys he received were treated like they were being given freeloads.

"I am aware of what they have said in their letter. The matter of opening ports for trade can be discussed again. Considering that they have traveled thousands of miles by sea and are sincere in their intentions, they should each be rewarded."

As for what to reward, Jiaqing couldn't be too lazy to do it later. He had to prepare letters of credence for each country and send them back to them.

At this point in the ceremony, Emperor Jiaqing issued another decree, ordering that a banquet be held in the Hall of Preserving Harmony in three days to bestow favors upon the envoys and their families from various countries.

As for today, Prince Zhi Mianning, along with the Third Prince Miankai and Prince Mianzhi, hosted a banquet at the Ziguang Pavilion on their behalf.

The fact that Emperor Jiaqing sent two princes and one nephew shows that he was quite satisfied.

As for the banquet held in the Hall of Preserving Harmony, it was because the Dutch had been there before, and it was in accordance with the custom of receiving envoys from foreign vassal states.

It was due to old customs that they benefited from the Dutch influence.

This was unexpected, but the envoys from various countries, led by Solovyov, thanked them and left.

After all, there are many people coming, and a lot of tributes, so the envoys will probably have to introduce each one to the guests.

Of course, the emperor did not attend the final banquet.

However, the fact that the banquet was hosted by two older princes meant there were some hidden mechanisms involved.

It was clear that Emperor Jiaqing wanted to test the abilities of the two older princes, and Prince Zhi was naturally the more favored candidate.

If nothing unexpected happens, he will be the future Daoguang Emperor.

In this light, it's actually a good thing, because Jiaqing's lifespan is always limited, and he will still have to deal with Daoguang and his former officials in the future. It wouldn't hurt to know about them in advance.

As for Prince Zhi, he was more interested in Russian muskets.

During the battle at Longzong Gate, he used a rapid-fire spear to kill several traitors, which earned him the attention of the Jiaqing Emperor.

However, Emperor Jiaqing also gave an imperial edict to the Mianning brothers, instructing them to treat them well and not to neglect them.

At the same time, he also instructed Grand Councilors Tuojin and Zhangxu to assist Prince Zhi in carrying out his duties.

At this moment, both sides were looking at each other with curious eyes.

Even after the ceremony, although there were no set routines, there were still many tests being conducted. (End of Chapter)