Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796.

At Hampton Court Palace, Princess Charlotte inevitably discussed political issues, especially the Peter Square massacre.

Solovyov was cunning enough to always steer the conversation toward Roman citizenship, and even if some people came along and could hear the underlying meaning, there was nothing they could do about it.

After all, this kind of statement is very unfriendly to the members of parliament, especially since it was said by a foreigner.

The conversation then turned to how to raise children.

And Prince George, surrounded by Solovyov's litter of pups.

Lisa, true to her principle that other people's little brothers are always more fun, wanted to try hugging him.

It has to be said that, apart from being cunning, this girl is very competent in everything she needs to learn as a girl in the future.

Solovyov was thinking about what kind of husband he should find for his daughter in the future.
Ideally, it would be one of the older generals among his colleagues.

That's what he was thinking, but arranging it would be a bit of a long way off.

"Count, what are you thinking about?"

"Your Highness, it's nothing. I just hope that Britain and Russia can live in peace in the future. There's a long road ahead. The Earth isn't just four thousand years old as the Bible says; geologically speaking, it's about 45 billion years old."

"You are more like a scholar than a general."

“I had thought about doing these things when I was in Crimea, and I expect the Royal Society will see major discoveries in Russia by the end of this year.”

Solovyov's lips curled up as he said this.

Princess Charlotte, though eager to hear this secret, didn't say much.

Solovyov stayed at Hampton Court Palace for three days and enjoyed his stay there.

However, while he sympathized with the workers' actions during the British workers' movement caused by the Corn Laws, he also saw it as a means to confront Britain.

There will still be a lot of bad legislation in the UK, and the conservative forces in Parliament are exceptionally strong.

The reason why such a country has been able to remain number one in the world for so long is because the competition among European countries is too fierce.

It will take a lot of effort to prevent the "Sun Never Sets" project from taking shape.

However, the most troubling thing for Solovyov was that even though he had opened up all the trade routes of the Mongol Empire, the land transport capacity was still limited.

This remains true even in the 21st century.

He sent his wife and children onto a fast ship back to Russia, while he himself, accompanied by a few attendants, returned from Europe to his residence in Crimea.

Along the way, we'll definitely pass through the territories of a few young ladies, so it wouldn't be right not to visit them.

He also met Talleyrand while in Paris.

"How did the Earl feel about his trip to England this time?"

"You're asking about your feelings? This is the first time I've heard such an open-ended topic. It's a bit strange to hear it from you."

"Don't be surprised. I know you are very familiar with my methods. Even an honest person like you sometimes uses my methods."

Talleyrand stirred his coffee in his cup with a spoon, his eyes fixed on it.

"It's an open topic, so there's no specific topic."

"In that case, we are also paying close attention to what is happening in the UK. If there is instability within the UK, then we will have an opportunity."

Talejand knew that when dealing with soldiers, even a convoluted guy like Solovyov, one had to be straightforward.

"This is a problem with Parliament. Their Corn Laws are indeed incomprehensible. Britain is not a poor country. Their annual budget is the sum of France and Russia, and with the national debt, it's even more. But the country is currently maintaining high grain prices, which has led to a food shortage and the common people are starving. I am different from you. In addition to being a diplomat, you were also once the Chief Justice. I am a soldier, but in Russia, soldiers also need to be familiar with local governance. The Emperor might send you to a province as a governor, and someone like me who controls several provinces might also appear."

"Indeed, Russian generals need to be familiar with local affairs to some extent, otherwise they would have to retire to their estates."

If Talleyrand's words were directed at generals of lesser ability, they would probably be considered a sarcastic and mocking remark.

"With personal freedom restricted and the Corn Laws in place, problems are bound to arise. I also know that France actually has more ways to instigate Britain in this regard."

"You always want to strike a vital point with one blow, Earl. You're like this even in front of His Majesty the Emperor of your country. I wonder, are all soldiers this direct?"

“You’ve seen bigger, and also more rude people, so don’t mind me speaking so bluntly.”

"Indeed, working with you will give us a lot of room for cooperation."

The lame bad fox and the big bad fox, their shadows cast on the door, even their shapes are somewhat abstract, almost revealing their true forms.

Talleyrand even knew that Solovyov had suggested that the French specifically assign some agents to do something within British workers' organizations.

However, he believed that what he wanted was to destabilize Britain.

What Solovyov actually wanted was for the workers to succeed in their struggle and gain the right to vote and some other rights.

If that doesn't work, there are plenty of streetlights in England, enough to hang those cunning grain speculators.

If this had happened in Crimea, Solovyov would have dismissed thousands of corrupt officials, and beheading a number of speculators, landlords, and rich peasants would have been a piece of cake.

Although Russian monarchs never advocated the death penalty, some people did things that deserved to be punished severely.

Solovyov was authorized by the Tsar, and he could do things without consulting the emperor first.

Just imagine if you put Judge Bao, Di Qing, and Grand Tutor Pang all into one person, and the right to interpret that will naturally come.

Talleyrand is now the prime minister, which is a considerable power, but because the marshals and generals left by the emperor are still around, he is merely playing power games and demonstrating his flexibility as prime minister and foreign minister.

Solovyov and what he said were not entirely without feasibility.

Given the current situation in the UK, there is indeed room for maneuver in tariff barriers and the Corn Law.

France itself also exports grain, but due to the inflated prices of grain by unscrupulous British merchants, coupled with the Corn Laws, it naturally became a system of hoarding, price gouging, and profiteering.

But it's just an intention for now, and Solovyov isn't responsible for the follow-up matters; he's just recounting what happened in England as it happened.

Because Solovyov himself was a former guard officer of the Russian imperial family, and given his special status, he was always entertained in Paris.

Catherine would certainly attend; as the Empress Dowager, she would prefer to be in the limelight at balls and receptions.

The troublemakers in Bonaparte's family were helpless against this younger sister-in-law, after all, her family was too powerful, and they always sent people over, even uniting the older sister-in-law's relatives.

Solovyov was unaware of this problem, and of course, he and the Bonaparte family couldn't distinguish between insiders and outsiders.

Polina hasn't been feeling well lately and has gone to Italy for treatment. In Paris, Solovyov's greatest wish is to see his beloved daughters.

They were quite happy that their father had come again.

It's still warmer to raise a little girl outside, but they all grow up very quickly. Solovyov used to be able to carry one girl on each side, with one or two more on his back and one hanging in front, but he can't do that anymore.

He's not a motorcycle. The older girls develop very quickly and have grown taller.

That's not how you sell tickets!
As for Octavia bringing her grandson, Solovyov looked at the child, who had the signature green eyes of his own children.

The child was quite eloquent: "Grandpa looks more energetic than Dad."

Well, that's not wrong. Demid was born with poor health, unlike Solovyov who fought for over a decade, braving wind and rain, and was quite resilient. He even had many fond memories with various women.
Moreover, their age difference is not as obvious as that of other fathers-in-law and sons-in-law.

"How about we go to Russia to visit Grandpa? It's a vast country, but it's a bit cold."

"You don't have to say that. We all know that Crimea is a nice place. If we ever go to Russia someday, we hope to go there to escape the summer heat."

“Dermid, good idea. I really hope you can come over. I’ve been away on campaigns for so many years, and I rarely have guests at home.”

Solovyov himself found it strange that he had many opportunities to freeload at other people's homes, but rarely did he host such events at home. Perhaps his father had held receptions when he was in St. Petersburg, but those were at their home by the Moika Canal, where they couldn't invite too many guests.

The small courtyard in Laundry Alley was even less suitable for entertaining guests.

Solovyov extended an invitation, but when would they be able to go?
This is also a problem. If Solovyov were to entertain guests, his official residences in Crimea and Lake Ladoga could accommodate his lovers and children.

He hoped it would be like that; it's always good to have a lively atmosphere.

Moreover, when he returned to St. Petersburg, he knew that his term in Crimea was still long.

With that, there are naturally more things you can do.

The Five-Year Plan is definitely not going to work out; it doesn't have that kind of strong mobilization power.

However, a decade is enough time to significantly strengthen the northern coast of the Black Sea, including military bases, mines, and farmland.

More importantly, Russia needs cotton to supply its own raw materials and develop industrial production.

Where in the world is the best place to grow cotton?

Solovyov also considered this issue, believing that if it were Africa, it would be more appropriate for the French to colonize it.

If we were to explore potential within Russia, it seems the only option would be to cause trouble for the warlord khanates in Central Asia.

After all, cotton is well-suited for cultivation in Central Asia, so he couldn't care less about the Aral Sea.

As he was thinking this, he sat there, unaware that Ekaterina was approaching him.

"Misha, what are you thinking about?"

"Your Highness, I was just thinking about the cotton problem. This plant produces cotton, has many uses, and has a long history of cultivation. However, it is quite susceptible to bollworms. What methods can be used to solve this problem?"

Solovyov said it offhand, but he was indeed trying to find a solution.

“Misha, go back to Crimea, you'll have plenty of time to think about this.”

"Yes, there's plenty of time to think about this problem, and maybe one day we'll find a solution."

There are no pesticides now, but pesticides are extremely toxic.

Solovyov's efforts to develop agriculture in Southern Russia, New Russia, Little Russia, and Ukraine inevitably involve encountering pests and diseases.

However, today Catherine was wearing a green outfit, the kind of green that looks like a cabbage worm.
I have no idea how the fashion designer recommended this outfit to her.

"But Your Highness, your clothes are really..."

It looks like a green bed sheet, but it doesn't quite.

"How about it?"

"I think it's best not to comment."

What Catherine heard from others was probably still flattery about the Empress Dowager's outfit.

As expected, it's the guy I've known since childhood who can tell me the truth.

“You’re the same as always, Misha. There’s no flattery in your way of speaking.”

"Yes, Your Highness."

“I would like to talk to you about some other things, such as how to assign homework to children. I know you are very good at education.”

"But His Majesty probably doesn't need those exercises now. Even if you give exercises to elementary school students, you should collect the answers to cultivate their ability to solve problems independently."

"Why doesn't Nikolai use it?"

"Because Kolya was born that stubborn, just like the late emperor. There's no need to hide the answer, although I always do."

When Solovyov wasn't around, Nikolai never asked those sycophantic court attendants for the reference answers.

However, according to Demetrius's previous words, the Bonaparte lads were indeed not so well-behaved and were more quick-witted.

Could Napoleon's son be like that?
Therefore, Solovyov said the same thing to Ekaterina, and she naturally understood.

After all, what her brother went through, her two sons might also have to go through.

Why doesn't the little princess use it?
In aristocratic families, girls' education is generally different from that of boys. The content taught in girls' schools is more focused on social skills and etiquette, with culture being more of an embellishment.

The same thing happens in France.

You can't expect ladies to be like Madame Roland and Madame Staël, with sharp pens, or like Madame Récamier, who holds literary salons, listens to the guests' conversations, and keeps improving—those are relatively rare breeds.

Once we get to Russia, the curriculum at the girls' school might be revised, and there might be some changes.

Because of the emergence of such an extraordinary Grand Duchess as Svetlana, even if Queen Mother Maria was biased, she had to take her seriously.

In France, the presence of such a style is more subtle, with salons primarily serving as decorative elements of fashion.

In addition, Solovyov always felt that Ekaterina looked at him differently today than before.

This time there were no excuses, although he could easily escape Paris like a running man. (End of Chapter)