Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796.

A hot air balloon test flight is sure to trend on social media in Beijing.

The news was spreading everywhere, especially among the Manchu bannermen living in the inner city.

To be honest, it's not as good as a Tianjin local's fast-paced storytelling.

The lyrics for this fast-paced aria, along with the three-stringed plucked instrument and the yangqin, are not easy to find.

As for those Russians who can fly in the sky, they are considered familiar faces in Beijing.

Solovyov also knew that people are afraid of becoming famous, just as pigs are afraid of getting fat. Now, things are really bad. If you want to go to the theater to listen to a play, you have to be surrounded by a group of Manchu bannermen.

In that case, it would be better to stay at Prince Qing's residence.

"General, what is the reason for this?"

"It's all because a few days ago, in front of the Emperor, I sent a hot air balloon flying into the sky."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Your Highness, you don't know this, but if I want to go out and listen to a play, there's no way around it. As soon as I go in, a bunch of Manchu bannermen who are just walking their birds and not doing any real work surround me. When I was in Russia, I was one of His Majesty's personal attendants, and what I couldn't stand the most was those who didn't do their jobs properly. But the playboys there have one good thing: when it comes to fighting, they are all brave and eager to fight, like they don't care about their lives."

"If that's the case, how about we book a performance at my residence in a few days?"

"That's fine, but this traditional opera performance will take at least a whole day to complete, it'll be non-stop."

Speaking of which, Yonglin was also curious. This Russian envoy spoke very fluently, sometimes even sounding like someone from Tianjin, and he was quite witty.

Although it is said that one learns opera in Beijing, becomes famous in Tianjin, and makes money in Shanghai, that was during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China period.

However, the requirements for this area in Tianjin are still quite high.

Solovyov gave Yonglin that impression; this prince was also very approachable.

To properly entertain the Russian envoy, a theatrical troupe was also invited to perform.

The end of the year is approaching, and by the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, it might be too late.

As for the opera performance, Yonglin naturally invited his guests over.

It was impossible for only the people from the Prince's residence to come and listen, so Zhao Lian was also invited, as he has some authority on literature and art.

As for his second nephew, Mianning, who is currently still Prince Zhi and will succeed to the throne, he is also on the guest list.

Emperor Jiaqing was somewhat envious of this spectacle.

However, he is now the emperor, and his main duties are to review memorials and convene meetings.

For example, Mianning is already over thirty years old. He doesn't actually need to study in the South Study all the time. It's good for him to occasionally interact with his uncles and elders.

Moreover, Yonglin has been quite reliable lately. The Russian envoy is staying at his residence, which does require some effort in terms of daily hospitality, but that's not a problem.

After all, it seems that Emperor Jiaqing now understands what Russia wants to discuss with the Qing Dynasty.

Why did Father hate those ministers who deceived people in the past so much?

It even highlighted the character of Lord He. Although Lord He sometimes slacked off, he was genuinely proactive when it came to making money and was quite efficient in his work.

Right now, he has plenty of people like He Daren who can fool others but don't have the ability to make money like He Daren, and whose tricks are even more serious than He Daren's.

At least Russians don't wear tight pants, so their knees can easily bend down.

Solovyov's Cossack entourage, though they didn't enter the palace and remained in Haidian, still had knee problems.

The Cossacks' dancing fully demonstrates just how flexible these foreigners' knees can be.

Many of these boasts were eventually exposed.

As for Jiaqing himself, he also liked Neiyi, a straightforward and fierce general who could not speak Chinese. He summoned Neiyi several times afterward.

Solovyov, on the other hand, understood it all too well.

As for Nam Mide, since he was a member of the church, his translations to Jiaqing were also factual.

Ney, on the other hand, was also being cautious.

He felt there was nothing interesting here, unlike Solovyov, who actually liked various Chinese operas and performing arts.

How was this person able to do that?

Emperor Jiaqing was also curious, and Solovyov even seemed to know a bit about it.

Yonglin reported some information to him, and he had also heard about the historical drama.

In short, it had its advantages, and Jiaqing was somewhat tempted to try it.

Well, this might not work for a regular day, but it should be fine for the Lunar New Year, right?

Hong Liangji's criticism of his memorial back then left him with some lingering problems.

Meanwhile, Yonglin's household had also summoned everyone.

"Uncle Seventeen is in a good mood lately, he's even invited so many guests."

"We're all family. Apart from General Suo's family of six, we've only invited my nephew and Master Jixiu today."

This was Zhao Lian's self-chosen name. He was, to some extent, a scholar, unlike other princes.

Moreover, he is no longer a prince, and the Prince Li's mansion currently only has servants; the master's quarters are still vacant.

At this time, Emperor Jiaqing was also considering whether Zhaolian's crime could be serious or minor.

But considering that his hospitality to the Russian envoys was always useful, it would probably involve the dignity of the court in the future.

For future envoys to "pacify" Europe, someone like Zhaolian, who is currently "idle" but still has some talent, would be very suitable.

"I just don't know what kind of play we'll be performing?"

"Which play does Your Highness prefer?"

"In this respect, I can't compare to Father Emperor. He likes Kunqu Opera, but he also thinks Qinqiang Opera is... how should I put it? I've also heard of General Suo's saying."

"Ah, Your Highness is referring to the 'three vulgarities', isn't he? If it's just about love between men and women, then there's nothing wrong with it. I usually enjoy the folk songs of the Southern Dynasties, and I especially love the 'Four Seasons Songs of Midnight,' which I've even translated into French and Russian."

"Although General Suo is a famous general, he also has the demeanor of a scholar-general."

"Your Highness, have you ever seen such a 'scholar-general'? I am a foreigner."

"Although the general is a foreigner, he is also knowledgeable, which is rare."

“Master Jixiu is joking. My knowledge is nothing compared to that of the imperial court; it is merely a hobby I have learned on my own.”

"If the general is interested, we can discuss this further another day."

Although Zhao Lian was stripped of his title for his crimes, he was still highly sought after by scholars in the capital. When he made friends with students from all walks of life, they said that Emperor Qianlong had met him from the Kangxi Emperor to the Daoguang Emperor, and that he himself was one of the five emperors.

Zhao Lian has met many literati and scholars, from Yuan Mei and Ji Xiaolan to Gong Zizhen and Wei Yuan.

These are all cross-disciplinary projects, and now I've even met a foreign general who is also a scholar. This kind of thing must be recorded.

His "Xiaoting Miscellany" was not intended for public publication; it was mostly for his own entertainment and record-keeping.

Solovyov is unaware of this, and if it's recorded for him, he'll probably find it quite amusing.

"I'm no good at literary matters. If this were in the Russian capital, I'm afraid someone would want to organize a poetry society."

"Do Russia also have poetry societies?"

"Where we write poetry, it's all in French, but some young people write poetry in Russian."

The only time Solovyov voluntarily copied was Simonov's "Wait for Me," which completely won over Louisa at the time.

The first heavyweight to write poetry in Russian was Pushkin, who dared to peep at the Empress and Princess's sister-in-law bathing.

Of course, although Solovyov was a gossip, he wouldn't talk about such things.

"If literature and literature flourish, it will surely be a prosperous scene." "After the great battle, everything is in ruins and needs to be rebuilt. The few estates I left behind in Mount Tai were severely damaged in the war, but two old estates are still as they were before."

"It has a rather melancholic feel, and it could certainly be used as a poem."

"Perhaps so. I wonder what advice Your Highness may have?"

"General Suo, do you have any quick-draw rifles with you?"

"There really is one."

He then had Anton bring out a pair of wooden boxes containing two brand-new revolvers.

"Your Highness, please take a look. This is a revolver that can hold six rounds and is easy to maintain, requiring only regular cleaning. However, it must use standard ammunition. This was custom-made for my own use and is not among the tribute items."

"So exquisite, even if it's a blind fire, it can still be struck."

Although Zhao Lian usually dabbles in literature, he can actually see the knack for handling guns.

"It's a pity it wasn't loaded with ammunition. General, it's still a valuable item."

Mian Ning did praise the gun, but the sight of him holding two guns looked somewhat strange.

Solovyov always found it rather comical that this prince was wielding two guns.

"If Your Highness likes it, please take it; it is my token of appreciation."

"That's not good?"

"If the two countries are on good terms, that would naturally be a good thing."

In fact, during the Daoguang era, relations with Russia were quite good.

Russia once traded 357 books of various kinds with Emperor Daoguang for 800 Buddhist scriptures.

As a result, none of the Qing Dynasty officials understood Russian, and these books were shelved, their whereabouts uncertain.

But things will be different from now on.

Solovyov's intention to befriend this prince was seen as a sign of good judgment, as Prince Zhi's rank and achievements were the highest among the princes.

However, how to arrange things in the future is a long-term plan and not something to be decided immediately.

However, some gifts are quite necessary to build goodwill.

"The opera troupe is all ready, why aren't you off?"

Yonglin interrupted their conversation, and it was time for them to start acting.

The princely mansions naturally had places where stages could be set up, and the princes and nobles of the Qing Dynasty all had this kind of hobby to some extent.

"The general is certainly in high spirits, starting today with the Imperial Stele Pavilion."

After hearing the story, Solovyov was somewhat bewildered.

Goodness, is this a case of Guan Yu versus Qin Qiong today?

First comes the reunion scene, then the adventure of overcoming numerous obstacles and defeating six generals—a story that combines both literary and martial elements.

Moreover, the actor playing Guan Yu must not speak today, except on the stage, and must also burn incense and pray.

As for the next play, it's The Romance of the Western Chamber.

Watching the action scenes was certainly entertaining.

Listening to opera in Qing Dynasty China was much more relaxing than in Europe.

Because in some situations only the King and Queen are allowed to sit, King George III was considerate of his subjects and thus ended the performance; otherwise, many people would not have been able to endure it.

In the Qing Dynasty, except when it was time to perform ceremonies, senior officials and female relatives could sit down.

It was quite lively here too. After watching the reunion scene, Katya was wiping away tears with a handkerchief while there was a translator nearby.

It's always somewhat touching; because she has such a husband, she naturally understands some of the meaning.

Moreover, there are commonalities in the forms of expression in drama.

When Charlie Chaplin first saw Ma Lianliang's Peking Opera performance, he was able to understand some of the content, after all, Ma was a comedy master, and it was during the silent film era.

He's even been able to distinguish between different trades.

Solovyov, who was in the audience, had a break in between watching the fight scene.

"How about we go visit the set?"

Yonglin and Mianning naturally wouldn't go, but Zhaolian was just a member of the imperial clan. He hadn't been restored to his princely status, nor did he hold any official position. He was just an idle scholar, so he wasn't afraid of these things.

Since the two princes didn't go, Solovyov went backstage and saw a teacher instructing a female lead on the play.

While listening, he couldn't help but mention a few things.

"If it were Zhang Sheng, and he came into the courtyard, wouldn't he still have to obey Hong Niang's orders?"

"I never imagined that General Suo was a foreigner who could lead troops, compose poetry, and even understand opera. He is truly a rare find."

"How about you guys let me try it on?"

Fortunately, he wasn't like those Russian Guards officers, who were much taller and bigger than him.

When he was young, Paul didn't feel short when he had him by his side, but Alexander felt taller when he had him by his side.

As it turned out, Nikolai was actually taller.

"But with your height, General, if you were to play a leading female role, you might have to save space on your legs."

The costume was indeed a little too small for him.

Fortunately, Solovyov took off his coat, revealing that he was healthy and lean; otherwise, it would have been possible to try on the clothes.

As for dressing up, that's also necessary.

"Mr. Zhang, you'd better be obedient and listen to my orders!"

To be honest, his recitation was quite interesting.

But that big nose and those green eyes just can't compensate for it.

But once he put it on, he still looked quite handsome.

If Gao Langting, the head of the Sanqing Troupe, saw Solovyov's physique, he would probably be moved to tears.

As for holding the chessboard, the posture is also quite good.

Moreover, he was clever and quickly learned how to use the water sleeves.

"What do you think of it if it's like this?"

"That is quite interesting. It's a pity that the general's time in the Celestial Empire is limited. This mission will only last for one winter."

"Perhaps there will be other opportunities in the future, so there is no need to worry."

Before the play began, he and the actor playing Zhang Sheng came on stage and performed for everyone.

To be honest, even though this was a quick training course, and the water sleeves were a mess, the singing was still acceptable.

After all, he was a general who had been on the march and fighting for many years, so he had plenty of physical strength and was able to put in his best effort.

Even in the military, issuing commands requires a loud voice.

Unexpectedly, a Russian general actually had a certain charm when cross-dressing as a female opera singer.

It's just that the singing style has a slightly unorthodox feel to it. (End of Chapter)