Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796.

Departing from Amsterdam, there's no need to cross the Denmark Strait; you can simply disembark in Hamburg.

However, it's not without its problems. The route from the Baltic Sea to the North Sea doesn't yet have the Kiel Canal, so ships still have to go around the entire Jutland Peninsula to enter the Baltic Sea.

Therefore, Solovyov's choice was for the fleet to return directly from Amsterdam, with the accompanying troops also on board, at least until they reached the Gulf of Riga to await the mission's activities.

The Baltic Sea is about to freeze over, and he used the environment to his advantage when he defeated the Swedish army.

The same applies to organizing the fleet's return voyage this time. Upon reaching Riga, they will be able to unload some of the goods, and the spoils of this "tribute" will be displayed back in St. Petersburg.

The mission departed from Amsterdam, traversed the entirety of northern Germany, and even passed through the British territory of Hanover, before finally arriving in Berlin, the capital of Prussia.

At this time, relatives and friends of the newlyweds had gathered in Berlin, and the citizens of Berlin were also decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations to celebrate their princess's upcoming marriage to a Russian.

This would also solidify the relationship between Prussia and Russia, providing Prussia, which had suffered heavy losses in the war over the past decade, with a reliable backer.

The Prussian army was so weak that it gained little advantage in this war. The military achievements of Frederick the Great's era only won Prussia some territory, and with Russia as its neighbor on both sides, its diplomatic environment wasn't too bad.

The King of FW himself is not so useless now. If there is no war, his strengths in domestic affairs can be fully utilized.

In this respect, he is better than those monarchs who like to fight for supremacy.

He wasn't in the military field, and he was clearly aware of his own shortcomings.

The marriage to a Russian was arranged by his wife when she lived in St. Petersburg.

Nikola is only 21 years old, but he is two meters tall. If the "Soldier King" were still alive, he would probably try to lure him away to the Titan Grenadier Corps.

After all, Nicholas was a normal person who had developed to this level. When Princess Charlotte walked with him in the park, the height difference between the newlyweds was quite noticeable.

When Solovyov arrived in Berlin, there was no reception. The Chinese emperor's delegation was arranged to stay in Potsdam, and many of the relatives and friends who came to attend the engagement ceremony were also arranged there.

Upon arriving in Berlin, Zhaolian observed that the climate and local customs, except for the architecture, were already somewhat similar to those in China.

In particular, the garden where they lived even had a tower built in the style of China, but it had an even number of stories, which was somewhat different from those in China.

In addition, there are foreigners. According to Solovyov, they don't really understand Chinese culture, so they need someone to come and spread it to them.

Since foreigners have already learned about Chinese culture through many means, especially those exported to the Netherlands by neighboring Japan, Zhao Lian knows much more about it than those officials in China who prohibit foreigners from learning about it.

So he also wrote down in his notes the customs and traditions of the foreigners, especially in Prussia, where the climate was similar to that of China, and it was autumn now.
In short, I wrote a lot. If it weren't for the fact that the Grand Duke of Russia was coming here to marry the princess of his country, and that envoys from various European countries were also arriving here one after another, this trip to Prussia probably wouldn't have happened.

Solovyov himself also saw Nikolai and Charlotte in Potsdam.

The main responsibility for the stark contrast in their heights lies with Nikolai; he is simply too tall.

Solovyov seemed to smile especially much in his presence.

"Your Highness, this is quite good."

"Boss, that's a bit too formal."

"It's not that we're being distant, Your Highness. After the marriage, we'll soon have children. While this is just a wishful thought, it's always good to have a large and prosperous family."

"It's like... the Countess and you went to China, and when you came back, you had another child."

Charlotte had also come to the truth, and Solovyov could only sigh and then shrug.

"That's how it is. Katya and I both love children, and you probably already know some things about me."

But Nikolai and Charlotte were genuinely unaware that Solovyov and his mother-in-law/mother had also had a daughter. King FW thought it over and over and did not suspect anything, since the youngest princess looked more like Louise, and there was nothing to doubt about that.

Children always resemble their mothers or fathers, and the shape of King FW's skull is very similar to that of Solovyov's, so it's hard to say what can be found.

"Like that French lady, and the Duchess of Guastara, and..."

Nikolai knows a lot more about what's publicly known.

Moreover, Nicholas knew that as a Grand Duke, he always needed to be more intimate with his wife in the early stages of marriage, but he also needed to have a lover, as this was a necessary requirement for the royal family.

Even Emperor Paul had several mistresses he could talk to, and it wasn't until the Empress Dowager was in danger during childbirth that he took things further.

"Alright, good to know. Congratulations to you two for living happily together. May Russia and Prussia never go to war; lasting peace is what people should strive for. And, this..."

Solovyov gave them a pair of rings, which were clearly crafted in an oriental style.

"Consider this an engagement gift for you. This time when I returned from China, I not only brought back a return gift for the Emperor, but the Chinese Emperor also heard that you were getting married and specially prepared a congratulatory gift for you in the return gift."

"We also have to thank His Majesty the Emperor of China. He should have sent an envoy to Europe as well, and he should be in Potsdam just like you, Boss."

"Yes, in Potsdam."

Solovyov offered them his blessings, but there was a small surprise: after the engagement ceremony here, they were officially husband and wife, and...
According to normal Russian procedures, this issue should actually be resolved after they return, since they need at least some time to adapt to each other.

However, the two had known each other since they were eleven or twelve years old. Even if they couldn't become lovers, they were still very good friends.

Now they're getting married, what a happy couple!

However, Solovyov couldn't say how many hardships and obstacles awaited them during their time together.

Although Russia is currently very powerful, the country's future is still uncertain.

This was also determined by Alexander's attitude after the war ended; he did not actively promote reforms, and during Solovyov's mission, Arakcheyev's policy of military settlements had already begun to be implemented in many parts of Russia.

This country is developing in the direction of a police state, which is very different from Alexander's self-proclaimed status at the beginning of his reign.

As for the abdication, since Constantine had no legitimate male heirs, the throne would certainly pass to Nicholas in due order.

Solovyov is very worried about the heavy burden he will bear in the future.

I'll probably have to help him break the deadlock then. He's a well-known military commander in Europe and also has a huge influence on politics.

No military commander in Russian history has ever achieved this. The prestige of defeating Napoleon was not only due to the Tsar's skillful use of personnel, but also to the generals who ultimately defeated him.

We should also consider the circumstances surrounding the propaganda from Alexander's time.

Nikolai was raised by Solovyov, and the teacher and student had a very good relationship. In fact, Nikolai had worked in Solovyov's staff in the army at the beginning of his career, and after the war, he went to General Paskovich's troops for training, so he finally laid a solid foundation in military affairs. But the road ahead was still one he had to walk on his own.

Solovyov also left the garden and returned to his residence.

He also wants some peace and quiet now; Potsdam is a great place to recuperate.

Before returning to Russia, there shouldn't be anything for him to worry about; everything has already been arranged.

But things don't always go as planned, and things rarely go his way.

For example, he had just sat down, wanting to relax in the recliner for a while, when someone knocked on the door.

"Mirima, go and see who it is."

"Yes, Master."

Mihrima went to open the door and found Prince Sergei Volkonsky standing there.

"Is the Earl resting now?"

"My lord, the master is..."

"Never mind, let him in."

Prince Volkonsky's sister was the wife of Prince Pyotr Volkonsky and Katya's senior lady-in-waiting at court.

Along with his brother-in-law and Solovyov, who were once Alexander's chief and deputy chiefs of staff, the two families had a very close relationship.

Solovyov knew he had come and had no reason to refuse to see him.

However, I also vaguely know about the association activities of that group of young people.

If left unchecked, it would likely have resulted in the Decembrists, a group incapable of accomplishing anything significant.

However, Solovyov was also in a difficult position to intervene in their affairs, as they were all relatives of royalty and high-ranking officials, and all of them were very young.

After their trip to France, their thinking underwent a significant change upon their return.

Solovyov supported reform and had already begun reforms on his own estate. He was also the brother-in-law of Speransky, the former leader of the reform faction (although he had only married his adopted sister). Therefore, these young people believed that he was worth fighting for.

In particular, he had a very close relationship with the emperor and was one of the few military personnel who expressed an enlightened stance.

But at times like these, Solovyov just wants to get away from such troublesome places.

He did not want to participate in an operation that was bound to fail, and these people's demands had no unified purpose.

Looking at it this way, relying solely on passion seems incredibly absurd.

"Seryozha, come and sit down. It seems that many things have changed since I was sent to China."

"Yes, I came here this time also to see you."

"See me? This is His Highness Nicholas's engagement day. You should be congratulating His Highness on his marriage, not coming here to find me."

"But this concerns Russia's future."

Prince Sergei spoke too directly, leaving Solovyov with no way to maneuver.

"Is it related to Russia's future?"

Solovyov sat back in his recliner; he was really going to play dumb.

However, he was too young to be as abstract as Suvorov or to feign ignorance like Kutuzov.

Everyone knows he's very shrewd.

This is a characteristic he's had since his teenage years; it's impossible for him to pretend to be stupid.

"Yes, it concerns the future of Russia."

Sergei spoke very firmly, and Solovyov immediately realized the problem.

"Russia's future? We have already defeated Napoleon. Now, what we need to do is let the wounds inflicted by the French invasion of 1812 slowly heal, build our country, and develop the colonies we have acquired. There is much to be done. I wonder which one you are referring to?"

Solovyov could only beat around the bush, and Sergei was completely dumbfounded when he heard it.

Because his friends all had different needs.

Solovyov asked Mihrima to bring him some wine, sliced ​​meat with sauce, and a salad.

"You must be tired from coming here at this hour, haven't you eaten yet?"

After Sergei sat down, he listened to what Solovyov had to say.

"Since it concerns the fate of Russia, our financial difficulties over the years have all been caused by large-scale wars. Although these wars were fought to defend our allies and protect our homeland, we did not reap the benefits. His Majesty should have been well aware of this situation when he was in St. Petersburg. Many of the benefits were taken by the British. On my way back from China, I also witnessed the British dominating the seas and extracting the world's wealth."

"Are the British absorbing the world's wealth?"

"And then there's the assassination of Emperor Paul. The most direct person responsible, and the one who plotted it, though the Emperor didn't say it aloud, was closely connected to the British in the conspiracy surrounding his death. They seized the world's wealth, leaving many people in the world impoverished. They took the center of the gold trade from the wealthy Dutch and controlled the world's finances. Napoleon's victory at Mont Sainte-Jean caused their stocks to plummet, and many went bankrupt. And the Parisian bankers, because of France's defeat, even though the Emperor didn't demand as much as he did out of consideration for Catherine's sibling relationship, still faced a heavy burden."

What do you want to say?

"Seryozha, what you are doing is indeed a great undertaking, a mission to change the fate of Russia. But in doing it, you must always be grounded in reality, carefully assess the current situation, and consider what we should do."

However, Prince Sergei was more courageous than wise, so he probably wouldn't have thought that far ahead.

In fact, the Tsar himself had already discovered his affair and even mentioned to him that when he was young, he also loved freedom and sympathized with the people.

Although their starting point was different from Solovyov's, they also hoped that Sergei would think things through carefully and not act rashly, and that things would perhaps get better in a few years.

However, this is just their opinion. (End of Chapter)