Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796.

Solovyov saw his son off from Isfahan, and Pasha's mission this time was also quite demanding.

He wanted to cultivate good relations with the Afghan King Dost Mohammed Khan, and ideally, bring back a diplomatic agreement.

As the viceroy of Persia, Solovyov was able to agree to Russia's future support for Afghanistan's territorial claims in Peshawar, which already greatly satisfied the Afghan side.

As for Herat, the Russians are still besieging it, and they dare not have any improper thoughts. After all, Bukhara to the north is now a ally of Russia. The Chinese emperor and the Russian tsar have a close relationship, and the two sides even sent troops together to destroy the Khanate of Kokand—although the Khanate of Kokand eventually met its demise at the hands of the Qing army.

That alone is frightening enough.

So the King of Afghanistan decided to send an envoy. This time, he sent another envoy in a hurry to Kandahar to tell the Shah himself, who was there, that the matter had been resolved satisfactorily.

Muhammad Khan did not expect the matter to be resolved so smoothly. Moreover, Pavel Solovyov, the nephew-in-law of the current Russian Tsar, the eldest son of Marshal Solovyov, personally came to Kabul, and should have even brought documents confirming the Russian Empire's support for the Kingdom of Afghanistan's claim to Peshawar.

This is naturally a good thing, and he was prepared to welcome him in Kandahar, but ultimately, the business to be discussed would have to be done in Kabul.

Muhammad Khan was also observing the situation here, and during the time he waited, he heard about the final fate of the city of Herat.

After the cannons breached the city walls, the Russian army entered the city. Unlike when Solovyov personally led the army, which was known for its strict discipline, the Russian army still looted Herat because the besieging forces included Cossacks and Tatars.

Although it was not large in scale, it was still impressive.

The Russian army can only maintain discipline when it is under the command of a civilized leader.

Muhammad Khan was also glad that he had chosen to send envoys to Isfahan.

Pasha's trip also allowed him to see many sights he had never seen before, including ancient cities like Bam.

Southeastern Persia was not very stable. Relations with Afghanistan were not too bad, but due to the influence of the remnants of the Durrani dynasty near Balochistan and Herat, bandits frequently passed through the area.

Solovyov sent his son to Afghanistan, along with a guard and the guards of the Afghan envoy. This group of several hundred people was relatively safe in the region.

Even if bandits covet the potential treasure, they still need to assess the situation.

Moreover, the Russian army dispatched some Cossacks to Zahedan to guard this direction and prevent bandits from running rampant in the area.

Beyond Zahedan lies Afghan territory. Pasha, unlike his father, still maintains the dignity of a Russian officer.

Because he is the son-in-law of the emperor, he has been promoted to colonel at this age, unlike his father who was promoted based on military merit at the same age.

He still needs to be mindful of these social niceties.

However, once they reached Afghanistan, they were escorted the entire time, and the Afghan army was also demonstrating its strength.

This was a strategy by which the King of Afghanistan wanted the Russian envoy to know that they were a worthy ally.

If possible, they also hope to gain more benefits.

Pasha understood this as well, and he received a warm welcome along the way, eating plenty of pilaf and being hospitably received by local elders wherever he went.

Pasha also gave some gifts in return, namely new firearms to the tribal elders, as the local tribes and villages preferred new weapons.

Some tribal elders even fired a shot into the sky as soon as they received their new weapons.
Solovyov was lucky he didn't come here in person; otherwise, he would have laughed out loud upon seeing this version.

Why has the Middle East always been like this? It's so hard to guess!
Upon arriving in Kabul, the King himself received Pasha and his party, and he deployed three thousand cavalrymen outside the city to welcome the Russian delegation.

But this formation was much smaller than what I had seen in Russia.

When Pasha was a child, he had seen Emperor Jiaqing's military drills. Compared to the two behemoths, Afghanistan was still a much smaller country.

"Your Majesty, it is an honor for you to come to Kandahar to welcome us."

"It is an honor for us that you, as a prince and Guregan, could come to Afghanistan."

“I know what ‘Gulegani’ means, just like Timur. Even now, Padisha of the Mughals still calls himself ‘Gulegani,’ isn’t that right?”

"Your Highness, it seems you are very familiar with our situation here."

“He learned it all from his father. He liked to study the situation of the countries surrounding Russia. After Bukhara and Khiva became partners of Russia, he began to study Persia and Afghanistan.”

“Prince Solovyov was a remarkable conqueror. None of the great figures in history defeated the Shah of Persia in such a short time and ruled this land as he did.”

"That's because those Turkmen were too weak. Even when such an army fought against the Ottoman Sultan, they were never able to win."

"That's true. When I left Kabul to fight in various places, I inevitably encountered some enemies. In fact, the Persian border troops were not strong. Their stronger armies were defeated by His Majesty the Tsar's army."

The two sides first flattered each other, and then entered Kandahar.

However, there are no particularly luxurious palaces in Kandahar, and it is not as grand as Kabul or Herat. After Ahmed Shah's son left, it ceased to be the capital of any Afghan regime. Even if a group of bearded religious students rose up here, they would not control the area for long.

In a way, Afghanistan, being located in a mountainous region, still retains some elements of barbarity and backwardness.

Pasha was also paying attention to a city like Kandahar, and he was curious when he saw people going to the bazaar.

Just like his father and grandfather, the family's shrewd businessman spirit was burning brightly, only he was more sensitive to it.

"Your Majesty, do the herders in Kandahar sell their wool when they come to the market?"

"Yes, young and intelligent Gulegan, you can tell what they're doing at a glance."

"I think if I buy up the wool here, build a textile factory, and sell the finished products to Persia and India, and even to Russia and China, I could probably make a profit."

"What do you want? To build a factory?"

"It's about factories that use machines. My father has recently been discussing with the Shia Grand Ayatollahs whether building factories is in accordance with the doctrine."

"A factory is nothing more than a workshop with machines inside. It's something that can be solved by finding a learned mullah. Your Highness is being too cautious." "Because my father respects the opinions of the elders, these elders who are well-versed in Islamic law allow the use of religious law for family relationships in the Persian constitution, while secular law is used in other situations."

“Your father was a great man, it’s a pity he wasn’t a sultan or a Shah, otherwise he would have been a world conqueror.”

“Our family made our fortune thanks to Prince Menshikov. We were originally merchants, but we changed our profession because my grandfather and father both joined the army.”

"So that's how it is. But whether he's a soldier or a businessman, my friend, you should know that he's traveled a really long way, he's even been to China."

"You also want to go to China?"

“We also want to offer tribute to the Emperor in exchange for his rewards, and also have a border crossing on the Chinese border so that our merchants can go to the Grand Bazaar in Kashgar.”

"If that's the case, my uncle is currently in the country of the Great Emperor of China, serving as the Russian ambassador. He might be able to help with diplomacy."

“Oh, this is wonderful, wonderful. Young and intelligent Gulegan, your father is a great man, and your future is bright. We will definitely become friends in the future. If you weren’t a Christian, I would even want to give my daughter to you in marriage.”

"But you know that won't work."

"Yes, but do you have any brothers? I've heard that His Highness the Prince has many children, some with his wife and some with his friends. If we could have such brothers, we would be willing to form a marriage alliance."

"But this requires my father's consent, and His Majesty takes good care of my younger brothers, raising them together with the princes. In addition, there are other children from noble families who have been selected to be raised in the palace."

When Muhammad Khan heard about it, he could only express his regret, and it was clear that Muhammad Khan had acted somewhat impulsively.

To be honest, these veiled princesses from Afghanistan are quite beautiful and have good figures, as do the maids accompanying them.

However, Mohammed Khan had only just stabilized the situation in Afghanistan, and he still had a lot to do.

After leaving Kandahar, the Afghan king and his entourage headed towards Kabul in a grand procession. However, they chose to travel through central Afghanistan, even passing through Bamiyan along the way.

Pasha spent very little time with his father when he was young, as his father was always away fighting. When they spent more time together, his father would impart knowledge to him, including the local customs and traditions of various places, and he even mentioned the Bamiyan Buddhas.

“That is a pagan statue, only the face has been flattened. As you know, Your Highness Guregan, idol worship is forbidden here.”

"In Christianity, there was once a faction that destroyed icons, probably drawing on some of the experiences of Islam. However, this only lasted for a period of time in the Eastern Empire, and later it reverted to the traditional beliefs of Eastern Orthodoxy."

"Then why not change it back?"

“This is very difficult, Your Majesty. As you know, there are some things in Russia that are difficult to change even if the Emperor intervenes personally. My father is also trying to find ways to solve some problems, including abolishing serfdom, just as he swept away the remnants of slavery in Persia.”

“Your Highness Guregan, your father was a kind man. Although he was a pagan, God will bless such a benevolent ruler.”

“If you also do good deeds, God will also bless you. However, according to my father, God and Allah are probably the same person. It’s just that different sects need different doctrines, which eventually led to the development of different names.”

"Is that a common saying?"

"Perhaps you encounter very few Christians here. There are Armenians in northern Persia, Assyrian Christians in Mosul, and Christians in Syria, not to mention the Greeks under the Ottoman Sultan. If you look closely, there are indeed some commonalities."

"But even if there are some things, you can't explain them too thoroughly."

"Yes, we should respect each other's beliefs."

Upon arriving in Kabul, he was warmly welcomed by the locals, and Muhammad Khan was ready to demonstrate his power.

However, compared to the height of the Durrani dynasty, when it could even plunder vast amounts of wealth from Delhi, this Afghan kingdom, which now possesses only half the power of the Durrani dynasty, is much weaker.

Pasha knew his mission here: his father had always demanded control of Herat and acknowledged Muhammad Khan's territorial claims to Peshawar, all in preparation for future control of the Indus River Valley.

This region was not yet under British control at this time. If the alliance between Russia and Afghanistan could defeat the Sikh Empire and enter the Indus River Valley, it would be able to curb British expansion in northwestern India in the future.

Another key point is that Russia and its Central Asian allies can move south through the Khyber Pass at any time, and having Peshawar as a forward base would make them even more invincible.

When the time comes, it will be relatively easy to ban smoking in India.

Solovyov had always had this idea and had mentioned it to his eldest son, who was by his side, on several occasions.

The King of Afghanistan also knew some of the details.

Even in his own letter, Solovyov mentioned that Europeans always liked to provide all kinds of support except for aid, but he, Solovyov, was different. As long as he was in Isfahan, he could help the Afghan people.

Another issue is that Afghanistan is too far from Russia. Supporting a powerful ally there, allowing them regular access to the Indus River Valley, would be a very advantageous option, given that the entire West and Central Asia have become a major strategic chessboard.

What will happen to the Afghan monarch in the future?

Solovyov felt that he could probably only consider things for the next twenty years.

The rest is up to my son.

He also intended to groom Pasha as his successor. As a prince consort, he was well-connected both in the court and in diplomatic settings.

As for military ability, it sometimes depends on talent and hard work. He worked hard for twenty years before he was qualified to fight Napoleon. He didn't expect that.

However, his son's diplomatic skills may have delighted him greatly. Muhammad Khan agreed to the Russian request to hire Russian advisors in the Afghan army and to purchase Russian weapons.

The money needed to buy weapons, hire Russian advisors, and set up factories all required local products from Afghanistan.

Establishing a wool textile factory and exporting textiles in the future would be a promising venture.

Solovyov really had no interest in colonization. If he hadn't smashed the Persian aristocratic rule with a brick, and if the priests and commoners hadn't been unwilling to let him leave, such low taxes would have been hard to find elsewhere, and he probably would have gone back to St. Petersburg.

In short, with the situation in the south now in this state, the outlook is much better. (End of Chapter)