Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796.

Solovyov's biggest concern was that Pierre might also impulsively join the Decembrists.

Given his wealth and current social standing in Moscow, it would be a waste for him to join the revolutionary movement.

This is true regardless of whether it was interfered with by Solovyov or not.

Although Solovyov was a womanizer, he was still responsible and considered the future.

Given Nicholas's character, he would certainly not carry out large-scale executions, and even exile would likely only be possible if the participants refused to repent, their crimes were serious, and there was no important figure to vouch for them.

Pierre is such a kind person, there are many things he can do.

For example, the two men tied their horses to a nearby tree while they were choosing a site for a factory.

It would be far better if Pierre could have made significant contributions to industry like Yakovlev or Goncharov in the past, than if a revolutionary movement developed in its immature stage resulted in the loss of valuable talent to Siberia and caused irreparable damage.

After surveying the terrain, he suddenly asked, "Pierre, besides the Freemasons, have you joined any other organizations?"

"Why do you ask that?"

“It’s nothing, Pierre. You know, in our circle, there are always some people who are self-righteous and passionate, wanting to change the world and make a name for themselves, but they’re on the wrong path.”

"Why do you say that?"

“If Andrei were still alive, we could sit down and talk about these things, about what has happened over the years. But as you know, ever since our army marched into Paris and Napoleon was exiled to an island twice, some people have seen Paris and inevitably have some thoughts.”

"What thoughts would you have if you saw Paris?"

"You and I went to Paris much earlier, Pierre, and you're different from those hot-blooded young people. They experienced more than two years of war, from the border to Moscow, then from Moscow to Leipzig, and then from Leipzig to Paris. They saw a Europe that seemed more prosperous and wealthy, and more developed than ours, but they couldn't grasp the essence of things. It's not like a constitutional monarchy like in England, or a revolution like in France, that will improve the lives of ordinary people around us. Reform requires steady steps and a suitable person to steer it, not just enthusiasm. You know, there are always some among us who are passionate and willing to pay a heavy price, even their lives, for what needs to be done. But how to do it, so that the sacrifices aren't meaningless—I've thought about that question too."

Do you have an answer?

“Not yet, but it will happen eventually. Pierre, I remember that year at the house by the Moika Canal, at the gathering of those guards, you were there too, tying the bear and the police together, and we all know about it.”

Even Solovyov and Adela saw what they were doing right there on the canal causeway.

"It's kind of you to remember this."

"I rarely participate in those kinds of parties; I don't like partying in the first place."

He preferred private settings, spending time with his wife or lover, and he despised the lifestyle of the Guards officers as much as possible.

As for Pierre, he joined the Freemasons after that and no longer participated in these things.

“Pierre, I must say it again: it’s dangerous to be with those young people who are impulsive and passionate but lack guidance. If older friends are involved, they will inevitably be implicated. If we’re going to get things done, we should address the problems at the bottom first, not from the top down. Top-down approaches are for His Majesty to consider.”

As for constitutional monarchy and those fancy new concepts, Solovyov knew them all, and even understood them more deeply.

"So, what should be done?"

“Pierre, we’ve known each other for so long, and you can see what I’ve been doing all along. To abolish serfdom, we need to look at our current situation and what we need to do. Some serfs may have acquired a skill, and after their release, they can still earn a living with that skill. But under our serfdom, what if a peasant only knows how to farm, and then loses his land when he gains his freedom? The same goes for the military settlements we have now. The ones I’m doing in Crimea, although they look like military training, are fundamentally different from Count Arakcheev’s military settlements. We need to ensure that these young people receive an education while undergoing military training.”

“I received an education, just like the school I ran on the estate. It was also like the school Countess Stroganova ran for the maids on the estate, teaching them a trade.”

"That's right. You should know about Speransky being falsely accused by Balasov. Sometimes we also have to consider that the current environment is not like the Empress's era, which seemed very lenient."

Although Paul wanted to establish an enlightened despotism and then gradually transition to solving the serfdom problem, he ultimately wanted to maintain despotism, so a police system was still established.

Alexander initially leaned towards liberalism, calling himself a "Jacobin," but ultimately he was content with autocratic rule.

Nikolai, despite being educated by Solovyov, did not correct his behavior much.

But things will always change, and things will always get better.

Police are sometimes indispensable; for change to take place, order must come first.

"As relaxed as before?"

"It seems that way. People always say how good the old days were, but they don't consider the deeper issues. The Empress's era was the period when serfs rose up in the most rebellions. Even though many landlords were punished, Pugachev was executed, and the serf uprisings were suppressed, the serfs and Kazakh herders still rose up in rebellion, which was very dangerous."

Solovyov looked far ahead, not at what was in front of him.

If Britain were to dominate the world, it would be more unpleasant for everyone than having American bombers flying overhead.

Therefore, even if there is a revolution, one must be cautious until the outcome of the struggle with Britain is decided.

Britain became the "empire on which the sun never sets," which is unfortunate for everyone. This is why, at the Congress of Vienna, Solovyov strongly advocated that the Netherlands retain its Cape colony and Belgium gain independence. The British could accept this balance; they lost a key node, but they gained benefits in other areas.

But the key to victory wasn't there. Solovyov also remembered the great deeds of Alexander the Great, the conqueror, and Trajan, the bathhouse owner, who would beat up the Persians whenever they had the chance.

The Shahs and nobles of the Persian Empire were very wealthy, while the lower classes were ignorant of religion and very poor.

However, it should be considered that Afanti is the "teacher" of Sufism. Although Nasreddin Hoja's parish is in southeastern Turkey, his legend exists from Turkey all the way to the Western Regions.

Clearly, the common people sometimes can't stand these Shahs, Sultans, Pashas, ​​Beghs, and Bai lords. But right now, they need to build up their strength and find a suitable excuse.

If Alexander were to die suddenly, the genuine teacher-student relationship between Solovyov and Nicholas, along with their amusing history of helping each other find wives, could influence Nicholas's military campaigns against Persia and the Ottoman Empire.

And by then, there should be a suitable reason.

If Alexander were alive, he would continue to lie low and accumulate strength. Alexander only allowed him to manage the south; he did not give him the authority to send troops.

Moreover, Russia already had an emperor above it, so it was impossible for a Caesar to appear.

If this were a republic, a general like Solovyov, with an army of 200,000, would be a prime target for defense, no matter how loyal he was.

Fortunately, under the imperial system, he had command of 200,000 Russian troops, the Black Sea Fleet, and administrative power over the provinces along the Black Sea coast. This power was unprecedented, and he could do far more than ever before.

However, he lacks the authority to make decisions and cannot initiate a war without authorization, and now is not the right time either.

Russia still needs time to recover, and Solovyov will not change his attitude on a whim.

However, he was still very worried about secret societies.

After receiving the last letter, he became worried that among the powerful Russian tycoons, Pierre was the easiest to win over, because he was kind, sentimental, sincere to his friends, and somewhat easily fooled.

Prince Yusupov's family did not participate in these activities, but they had already gradually freed the serfs.

The Stroganov family, with the young count barely in his early twenties and his mother and four sisters still there, naturally wouldn't make any moves.

After the death of Paul's brother, Count Alexei Bobulinsky, his sons did have some of this tendency, but they were not very active. Solovyov had a good relationship with his benefactor's family and knew that even if they had this tendency, they probably wouldn't do anything big to his dearest aunt and her children.

Pierre, oh Pierre, this is where things are most likely to go wrong.

Either send him abroad to raise their children with Natasha in a scenic spot in Italy, or find a way to keep him busy with his career so he won't have time to participate in these secret societies.

Therefore, he would always give Pierre some ideas on how to make money, and also because there were still many serfs on his estate whose situation needed to be improved; with great power comes great responsibility.

Solovyov went to great lengths to make him understand this fact.

He then mentioned his projects in Crimea and mining in the Donets Basin, saying that the local governor would certainly welcome Count Bezukhov's investment.

Pierre was especially close to many important figures in St. Petersburg, particularly Solovyov, who was not only a favorite of the Emperor, but also the future Emperor because the Emperor had no sons.

Especially after Charlotte married into Russia from Prussia, she quickly became pregnant. The Empress Dowager was somewhat disappointed that her eldest daughter-in-law could bear children but had seven daughters in a row. Naturally, she was very attentive to her third daughter-in-law as well.

If it were a boy, Nikolai would declare that when the child reached school age, Russia's best politicians and generals would be invited to tutor him.

Considering the relationship between Solovyov and Grand Prince Nicholas, even though he was in Crimea at the time, such a powerful governor would probably return to St. Petersburg in a few years.

In addition, the most politically capable civil servant in Russia was Solovyov's brother-in-law, Speransky.

With such a governor, the provincial governors below him naturally couldn't afford to offend him, even though he had the demeanor of a nice guy.

But everyone knows that when he's in a duel, he can get six kills in a single day.

If it were a war, no Russian general would be confident that he could defeat him.

The same applies to the political sphere. He came with the Emperor's appointment, and if he wanted, any official who failed to perform their duties, even a provincial governor, could be sent to Siberia to receive a "package" (a form of compensation for incompetence).

Therefore, nothing will happen if Pierre invests there.

Solovyov and Pierre returned to Feodosia, where they visited some historical sites together. This was the site of the ancient capital of the Greek kingdom of Bosphorus, a fact Solovyov had noticed during his honeymoon. As a result, some historians from Moscow State University had come here to conduct archaeological work intermittently.

The ruins they saw were all wall foundations, and their style could be traced back to when the Eastern Roman Empire built a military district here.

It's no wonder there are so many Greeks here; the Greeks have been settling here for over two thousand years, or even longer.

Solovyov then went with Pierre to Kerch, where they looked out over the strait.

Fortunately, there is no television or news coverage yet, otherwise his actions would probably have aroused great vigilance in the Ottoman Empire.

On the opposite shore was the last stronghold of the Ottoman Empire on the northern coast of the Black Sea, and also the only talent trading market currently operating there.

Besides that, there are quite a few Circassians there.

Solovyov had previously recruited a group of heavy cavalry from Ottoman prisoners.

"If the entire northern coast of the Black Sea is stable and prosperous, I think we can build several industrial cities around it in the future. Donbas has coal mines, and there are many mineral deposits along the Dnieper River. Moreover, we should also consider that there is oil in Wallachia and the Caucasus. I think oil will be a valuable strategic resource in the future. Since it can be burned, it can naturally be used as fuel like coal."

Pierre is already a railway tycoon; what if he becomes an oil tycoon in the future?

Actually, after taking a look at his physique, Solovyov realized that the clothes the Sultan of Oman had given him were actually more suitable for him; Solovyov was too thin in comparison.

This scene is sure to be interesting. (End of Chapter)