Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796.

Napoleon then inquired of Solovyov, who had been to the site, about the condition of the coastline.

Then he could only shake his head. China's coastline was simply too long. Just defending a few key areas, rebuilding all the forts, and having a moderately sized army there was already the limit.

This country is too big. Although in terms of fiscal revenue, relying solely on agricultural tax, likin (a type of tax), and port revenue, it can already reach more than 4000 million taels.

However, there is also the factor of the British. Napoleon was even aware of the British plot, but his version of events was mostly from before 1814.

For Napoleon, opium was indeed less effective than his nephew's hemorrhoid cream for treating hemorrhoids; that stuff was not a panacea and was also very dangerous.

Therefore, strengthening several key locations can be considered a remedial measure.

At this point, Napoleon keenly noticed the communication problem.

If possible, building signal towers in Guangzhou, Ningbo, Nanjing, and other places to establish a communication line running south from Beijing is something that could be considered.

This type of signal tower exists in France.

Solovyov even added that the Northwest was also very important to the Qing Dynasty. Previously, Kokand, which was sandwiched between Russia and the Qing Dynasty, was a small country that was ignorant of its own limitations and had wolfish ambitions.

Moreover, news from the Northwest could be transmitted to the capital without going through official channels, which would greatly improve efficiency.

However, the cost was indeed too high.

Who can blame us when China is so big?

Solovyov also knew that Russia had the same problem.

Therefore, micro-management is not possible in some areas, especially in the deep forests of Siberia.

But if some people are given arbitrary power, then things get really interesting.

Solovyov hoped that Muravyov would be shot against the wall, thus avoiding trouble for himself, but he didn't know if he would get his wish, because there were too many people with the surname Muravyov.

From now on, he will try his best to keep the governor of Siberia under his control.

In particular, the choice of the next Tsar was an open secret to him.

As for what Napoleon said, it did indeed clear up the fog for Zhao Lian and others, making them suddenly understand.

However, the emperor himself was in self-exile and would not leave the island; at most, he could only find some advisors.

We'll have to talk about the consultants when we get to Paris.

Next up is a French feast with a tropical flair.

Wherever he was, Napoleon liked to eat a chicken with his main meal, and he would wolf it down.

Meanwhile, Solovyov was very elegantly cutting his steak.

It's hard to imagine that the French emperor was the strongest military strategist in Europe, belonging to the top tier. Solovyov, on the other hand, is now in the first tier and is the only Allied commander who achieved a minor victory over Napoleon on the battlefield, rather than defeating him strategically.

What's even more interesting is that they are related by marriage.

Moreover, Zhao Lian also recorded Solovyov's romantic escapades, and when Napoleon noticed that his nephew's wife was not present, he began telling her anecdotes.

Solovyov didn't care; it was just that his little affair had already reached the Qing Dynasty.

Pan Youdu, the head of the Thirteen Factories, knew about the foreigners' affairs, including having mistresses/lovers outside the home. He also knew about their habit of smashing glasses at banquets.

As for other things, all I can say is that Solovyov was the most powerful gigolo in Europe. He was perfectly justified in living off women because he was good-looking, had a sweet tongue, and was a good fighter.

Moreover, he ensured that each of his lovers had at least one child, which made their relationship very stable.

However, there were some highly confidential matters that even Napoleon was unaware of.

As for matters concerning men, the customs differ between Europe and China.

When Zhao Lian made her evaluation, she also brought up Xia Ji.
This could probably be considered as Xia Ji's eight acts.
Even according to the assessments of many Qing Dynasty officials, European morality was probably still stuck in the Spring and Autumn Period.

When Europeans look at the Qing Dynasty, they tend to align their understanding with the level of 150 years ago.

The banquet went very smoothly.

In a few days, Solovyov will lead the delegation back to Europe.

But during this time, he planned to arrange for his second brother, Anton, to go to Martinique on behalf of the family.

After all, his maternal grandfather, uncle, and aunt all lived on the island, which was quite different from his own situation.

After the banquet, Napoleon invited Solovyov to take a walk on the beach.

"This place is quite nice."

“Your Majesty, there’s no need for you to say this since it’s just the two of us here. I won’t go back and tell the Emperor, because you are far away in the Caribbean and it’s already difficult for you to exert influence on European affairs.”

"He is indeed a cunning fox, but France doesn't need me to do anything more. I just hope that Catherine and the children will not encounter any trouble in the next twenty years."

"I don't think so, because the current struggle revolves around Britain and Russia. The two sides are currently cooperating, but it is inevitable that one day they will go to war again."

"What are the British going to rely on this time? I know about your little tricks. I also know that Crown Prince Pedro of Portugal is about to marry a Russian princess."

Well, in that case, Alexander's children would have to call him uncle, and Crown Prince Pedro would probably do the same.

The Dutch Crown Prince, who is also his uncle, almost died at Mont Saint-Jean.

"This new round of marriage alliances is also about finding potential allies, which is nothing unusual. Moreover, His Majesty in Paris will also be marrying a Spanish princess in the future, which will be beneficial to the stability of Spain, France and Austria, and will instead isolate Britain."

"Sometimes, you really are like Talleyrand."

"But my legs are fine. If I were crippled by a bullet in Novi, I would probably look more like Mr. Talleyrand."

Napoleon ignored these details and continued walking on the beach.

"What are you going to do next?"

"I want to go to the East Coast of the United States first, and then return to Europe from Philadelphia or Boston, following the current trend."

"We should make the most of this season."

"Yes, it's not easy to get home before the Baltic Sea freezes over."

"Your trip to China this time has yielded unexpected results."

"Your Majesty, this is also due to the British defeats we have seen before. I could even foresee their failure when I arrived in Batavia. Their arrogance will eventually lead to diplomatic conflict. It's probably lucky that we didn't meet the Chinese emperor. Moreover, according to the Eastern tributary system, the Chinese emperor must maintain certain etiquette. If it were a Persian or Central Asian monarch, they might have lost their heads."

“That is indeed a possibility. What’s even more surprising is that you’ve brought the Chinese envoy back.” “It would be a return visit, but it would be the first time in four hundred years. My hope is that in the future we can contain Britain and weaken its power.”

When Napoleon heard this, his eyes lit up, but the sharp look vanished in an instant, so much so that even Solovyov didn't notice it.

"What are you going to do?"

"This is a secret agreement, a kind of local joint defense agreement in Asia. You should understand what it means, Your Majesty."

"I think that's the case. If Britain takes any action one day, this defense treaty will also come into effect."

"But it cannot be made public, as an obvious treaty would remind us of our common enemy."

You mean the British?

"Yes, their current actions will certainly cause a lot of trouble. The arrogant British may further worsen relations with China within twenty years. Chinese finance officials have already noticed the outflow of silver and will further restrict opium. From the perspective of those involved, this is understandable and is also to protect their national security. But the British will see this as a challenge to their trade freedom, and then a war will break out."

"That would be the time to build an alliance against Britain."

"Yes, Your Majesty. However, at that time, the core of Europe should be France, Russia, and Prussia. As for Austria, their interests are similar to those of Britain. As long as they don't cause trouble, it will be to our advantage."

“But this process will be very long, and I may not live to see that day. But Michel, you still have a chance. Your father looks like a long-lived man, and he even sent me local specialties from Florence.”

“That’s my father’s habit as a manager. You even wanted to appoint him as the governor of Elba, but he felt he should enjoy his retirement and watch my younger siblings grow up and get married.”

"A person should be considered very fortunate to have such a life in their later years."

"But you can't see your home from here."

"I think Josephine is right."

What did Auntie say?

"What she said to me before I left for Russia, she probably said to you as well."

“But you still went, and the disaster and losses caused are incalculable. Your ambition should not be used for such things.”

Solovyov criticized his uncle, and Napoleon wouldn't have any objections.

After all, they are both on this island, and with the marriage alliance between France and Russia, they share common concerns and can exchange opinions in depth.

However, Solovyov could also sense that although Napoleon was trapped on the island, his ambitions had not been shaken much.

However, what he did on the Caribbean island was quite different from what he had done before.

He also learned of Solovyov's idea, which was indeed a way to defeat Britain.

Just like the gunshots at Lexington more than forty years ago, when American militias and British soldiers clashed, marking the beginning of the American Revolutionary War.

That time, Britain was besieged by European countries after it had eaten its fill during the Seven Years' War.

In Vienna, Britain was also the biggest winner. Although Russia occupied a lot of land, it still had to wait for the wounds to heal. Russia had also paid a huge price for so many years of war.

Moreover, Russia still owes the British a considerable amount of money. It was Speransky's reforms that improved Russia's fiscal revenue, and Solovyov's mission that should help Russia's national strength recover in the future, but this will take time.

"If I were still in Europe now, the British wouldn't be at ease; they would try to do something."

"Perhaps there will be another anti-French coalition, but there's no need for it now. In times like these, it's always about who can win over more allies first, but given the British's ugly behavior, I think they'll offend a lot of people. Although Russia seems more formidable, at least under Alexander, he always played the role of the messiah. As his close advisor, you should understand this better."

“That’s true. He’s unwilling to do anything, and I’m worried that something might happen in Russia again.”

"What would you do if it were a revolution?"

"A revolution at this time is ill-timed, and the only ones who will benefit in the end are the British. Russia's social contradictions are not as acute as those in France, and the Tsar can still control the situation if he so chooses."

Even the Tsar's prestige was completely undermined by the foolish Nicholas II, and in the end, even the royal family could not tolerate his rule.

At least this validity period, starting from the time Solovyov returns, is still a hundred years away.

Using deception and sneak attacks will ultimately lead to a loss of public support.

Even the relatively ignorant and compliant Russians couldn't stand having a foolish monarch, so the only outcome was a family living in a basement.

Even the White Army only needs a symbol, and may not even need this symbol at all.

Although Solovyov himself was more supportive of revolutionary ideas, they were not suitable for Russia.

At least for now, the conditions for revolution are not yet ripe. The first thing to do is to stabilize Russia.

It wasn't a group of spoiled young masters who, in their self-righteous indignation, launched a revolution without even a unified program, and then created chaos.

Solovyov has this idea, and he will put it into action.

Napoleon, too, was able to foresee the situation in some places.

But there's not much he can do on this island.

However, Solovyov believed that he was able to influence the Americas because Bolivar had been his adjutant and had always maintained a respectful attitude towards him.

Although the emperor was on an island, he had not completely let go of his worries.

Especially when he stands alone on the cliff, waiting for the sunset.

“Michelle, I envy your freedom.”

"But this freedom also comes with a lot of burdens."

"If we're going to defeat the British, I think only you can do it. You have a clear head and rarely act impulsively."

"This is probably because I come from a cold place and don't have that passion of the Mediterranean coast."

"Yes, for you, the biggest bond is probably your family."

Solovyov nodded in agreement, and the two of them returned together from the seaside to the emperor's palace in the governor's mansion.

“Michelle, this is probably the last time we’ll see each other.”

"If you live long enough, you'll probably have a chance."

"Forget it, in our family, only the carefree Jerome and my cowardly older brother will live long lives."

It seems that's really the case. (End of Chapter)