Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796.

Solovyov sat in the recliner with his eyes closed.

He was also thinking about the consequences of this matter. The conspiracy had already happened once before, and his brother-in-law happened to be part of the court system, making it easier for the Tsar to see him than to see him.

These nobles would appear in the inner court whether they had something to do or not, making it very convenient for them to take on frivolous tasks.

“Andrei Shuvalov, I don’t want to go after the relatives of my colleagues, but now it’s these very people, and Vasya is involved too.”

He opened his eyes, rested his chin on his hand, and said, "What a hassle, what a hassle."

“You’re worried about that again, Mishka.”

"Yes, it would be bad if our eldest brother got involved."

Katya also knew that although Solovyov was ruthless, he wasn't cruel enough. When it came to family members, he would hesitate if he wasn't on the battlefield.

But the eldest brother's behavior was indeed problematic. His sister-in-law died of tuberculosis after suffering from depression and weakened immunity. Even sending her to a sanatorium did not prolong her life.

The problem lies with Prince Vasily the Younger, who broke his wife's heart for a vulgar woman.

“Sometimes, these kinds of things just happen. You have to consider that it’s not just your older brother in the family. Mother, Nikolai, and Sonia are all on our side, and so are your relatives, aren’t they?”

“You have to exclude foreign relatives like the French emperor, and my son-in-law who is the Minister of War.”

Solovyov also realized that, apart from Prince Vasily Jr., his family was on his side.

The discord between Nikolai and Vasily was also due to Count and Countess Shuvalov. It was puzzling that Prince Vasily did not stand on his brother's side but instead supported Shuvalov's side.

Ultimately, only one conclusion can be confirmed: that vulgar woman must have played a role.

Even though Zubov's property in St. Petersburg was confiscated, he still had estates and properties bestowed upon him by the Empress on the Baltic coast. Alexander's initial target was only von Palen, not other nobles. Most of them ended up either under house arrest or exiled to the south.

As a result, after her husband died, this woman remarried Count Andrei Shuvalov, increasing his wealth. Somehow, she then got involved with Prince Vasily the Younger.

Solovyov was away on campaign for a long time and could only learn about the situation through Katya's relay.

“There are always strange things happening, Katya. If this reform hadn’t involved so many serfs and urban residents, I probably would have chosen to go into seclusion. This matter is too important. It’s not just about liberating the serfs, but also about the future of Russia. Our descendants will eventually live on this land and live there for generations to come. And our relatives and friends, this reform is also related to their future.”

Solovyov thought about it for a long time before finally making up his mind.

"Matwee, are you going to the market to buy groceries again tomorrow?"

"Sir, are you referring to that matter?"

“There’s no other way. I’ve thought about it. I need that list. I’ll talk to Vasily’s steward and give it to you as soon as I get the original, but don’t send it back to this house.”

"Sir, where should we take it?"

"Take this to Princess Nastya. She is, after all, my daughter-in-law. There will be a meeting at her place tonight."

Grand Duchess Anastasia was Nicholas's niece, the youngest daughter of Alexander and Luisa, and also Solovyov's eldest daughter-in-law. Because she did not marry far away, she held a special position in the court. Nicholas also favored this niece, treating her the same as his own daughters.

Nastya often helped her aunt, the Queen, take care of her younger cousins ​​in the palace. Her home was also Pasha's home, so it was a very suitable place for her to do some things.

For Solovyov, the royal family could sometimes serve as a strange shield.

Matvey went to meet them, and Solovyov prepared a car for them to go to Pasha's house.

Pasha and Nastya's house is located below Nevsky Prospekt. Although there are many people coming and going, it is always unusually quiet at night.

Nastya was always rather quiet, much like her mother, living with her children in a quiet two-story house in the back garden.

Helping to take care of the children in the palace was her duty, and she mainly spent her evenings taking care of the children after returning home.

Solovyov's arrival also surprised her somewhat.

The couple consists of the mother-in-law and the father-in-law. The mother-in-law visits frequently, while the father-in-law has been away on military campaigns and only recently returned from Persia. The husband, on the other hand, has stayed in Isfahan.

They wanted to bring her over, but because of the long distance, the trip ultimately didn't go through.

And so, she lived here with her four children. When Pasha came back last time, she had another daughter.

"Mikhail Sergeyevich, what brings you here at this hour?"

"Your Highness, are the children asleep?"

“They’re very noisy when they’re awake, and you’re their grandfather.”

"Yes."

"By the way, your servant Matvey sent me an envelope, saying he would give it to you when he saw you."

"This is my arrangement, Your Highness."

Solovyov took the envelope from Nastya, opened it, and glanced at it.

His expression was not good, but he was unwilling to involve his daughter-in-law too much.

“These people, some of them are actually relatives of those old comrades who fought alongside them.”

"You still need me to do something; there's a lot I can do to help you."

"I came here simply because it is safe for me, Your Highness."

If Pasha were at home, it would be the same. The secret society wouldn't dare to easily spy on the residence of the prince consort and the grand duchess, for who knows what might happen.

“But I already know what you want to say to Uncle Nicholas. I can go with you. In fact, when I’m in the palace, I can find out about those people. There are many things I can do.”

"What a good daughter-in-law," Solovyov thought.

"You don't need to do so much, I will go to see the Emperor myself."

Even when Solovyov speaks in a very low voice, he can still be heard in the corridor.

Grandpa, you've come!

"Oh dear, my sweet babies, have you been listening to Mommy at home?"

"Ok!"

"Your Highness, please take good care of the children."

Solovyov was not strict as a father, so he spoiled his grandchildren.

Although this is a situation where victory is assured, handing the list over to Nikolai will solve the problem.

However, one thing must also be considered: how to deal with these people. Many of them were noble families, but unlike the Decembrists of 1825 and the Georgian nobles' independence conspiracy of 1832, they were a relatively conservative faction.

Radical liberals and extreme conservatives have both jumped out, which should give Nikolai a headache for a while.

It was roughly a 180-degree turn. In the last decade, although ministers active during Alexander's time, such as Solovyov, Speransky, Kochubey, and Novolisitsev, were still around, Nicholas's oppression of liberals was not so severe.

However, he remained vigilant, wary of any potential revolution. This time, he implemented reform measures, and it was only after Solovyov himself returned that Nikolai made up his mind.

Then the artillery shells sent by the conservatives were indeed very timely.

Solovyov still wanted to go to the Winter Palace. He had stayed overnight at his son's house before, and this time he spent the night in his son's study.

He has so much to do.

The next morning, Nicholas was to inspect the guards at the entrance of the Winter Palace, and then summon his ministers.

On this day's schedule, General Benkendorf was on duty in the inner court, which was a good opportunity.

"It's quite unusual that you've come to the Winter Palace at this time without being summoned by the Emperor."

"I have some matters to discuss with the Emperor privately, and I cannot do so in the office of the Winter Palace."

Benkendorf was also quite surprised to hear this.

When Solovyov was in St. Petersburg, he would wait to be summoned to see the Tsar, or he would be summoned through the court. So his arrival was quite unexpected.

As the head of the secret police, he had a lot of people to keep an eye on.

For example, Nicholas once flew into a rage, declaring that all the nobles in the country were parasites and that an anti-corruption campaign should be launched.

Benkendorf added directly, "Your Majesty, if you wish to spare anyone, you can first make a list."

Furthermore, regarding the reform of serfdom, although Benkendorf, as the head of the secret police, always sided with the Tsar, he repeatedly pointed out the dangers of serfdom.

Therefore, when Madame Soloveo was in St. Petersburg, she and the less conservative among the conservatives and the less radical among the reformers still had a lot in common.

"You wish to see the Emperor. As a prince of the highest rank and a field marshal, the Emperor will certainly summon you whenever he is available. Here's what I'll do: I'll go see the Emperor now, and you just need to wait in the reception room of the former attendant general."

Solovyov knew the place all too well; he used to be on duty there all the time.

When Nikolai heard that his teacher had arrived at this time, and that Benkendorf had come in to report, he put down what he was doing.

There's nothing important happening right now. Nikolai's problem is that he likes to manage small things himself. For example, in a recent report by Benkendorf, he mentioned the household affairs of the poet Pushkin.

Nicholas and Pushkin had a good relationship, but Pushkin's habits caused a lot of problems, and Benkendorf would remind the Tsar behind his back.

But the foolish things Pushkin did also proved that he posed no real threat. Considering his friendships with his friends, and even with the monarch, he would restrain himself somewhat, and that was all.

The report he saw was also a series of recent reports from Benkendorf. Of all the past officials of the Third Bureau, Benkendorf was the one who truly realized the harm of serfdom.

Therefore, he shifted from a conservative to a neutral party, and compared to Arakcheyev, he was concerned with the elements that hindered Tsarist rule and the development of Russia.

So, Nikolai and Benkendorf came together to the reception room.

Solovyov stood there looking at a painting, a family portrait of Tsar Paul, which was hanging there, even with a bust of Grand Duchess Olga, who had died young, in the painting.

"Your sudden arrival at this time must mean you have something to discuss."

“Your Majesty, I have indeed brought a list, and I think Earl Benkendorf would be interested in it if he were to take notice of this matter.”

What do you want to say?

“Your Majesty, when the Prince came before, I knew this matter was likely of great importance, so I did not come to see it in advance.”

Benkendorf's handling of the situation was very clever. Solovyov enjoyed far more trust from Nikolai than others, so there was no need for a middleman to handle their affairs.

Since he was the head of the secret police, there was no problem with him being an observer.

"That would be very interesting."

"But Your Majesty, you probably won't be very happy after you see it. It's a guest list from Prince Vasily Dolgorukov-Klimsky, my brother-in-law, who hosted a banquet at his home. Among them are Count Andrei Shuvalov and several others. It's a tradition in Prince Vasily's family to keep a list of guests. This was given to my servant by his steward."

I understand what you mean.

Nicholas was furious. His teacher was actually better suited for intelligence work. When he was young, he almost prevented the assassination of Tsar Paul, but he failed because of his father's eccentric personality.

"What should we do with these people? Their status is no less than that of the rebels of the past, who talked about making changes for Russia, first establishing a constitutional monarchy, then abolishing serfdom, and then convening the State Duma. I am doing these things now, and there are some nobles around us who oppose doing these things."

“Your Majesty, there is just one thing. Many of the rebels in Senate Square have fathers who opposed the late Emperor’s reforms, and this group of people’s fathers have very close ties with His Majesty Alexander Pavlovich.”

Benkendorf's words made Nikolai laugh in exasperation.

So all these people are going against the flow?

Looking at the other ministers, Neserrodi has always been a conservative, and he ranks first among the civil servants. However, many other important ministers are reformists. Some ministers that Nicholas himself recently promoted are, like Benkendorf, actually "Imperialists".

However, although the teacher, Solovyov, and Nikolai were of the same mind, their approaches were different.

After consolidating his rule, Nicholas could only think about what should have been done during his and his son's reign.

Solovyov's thoughts went even further than those of the Tsar.

Even as the Tsar's teacher, he thought of things that others dared not think of.

If the emperor is unwilling to continue reforms and lead the people, then let the people lead the way on their own.

At the same time, Solovyov also stated that the potential emergence of bombers in Russia in the future would render such terror utterly pointless.

Nicholas, at this moment, had to make a decision to punish these nobles.

However, their plot was exposed by Solovyov's network of servants as soon as it began, while Benkendorf's spies also received intelligence from some informants.

As a result, Count Andrei Shuvalov, who had instigated Prince Vasily the Younger, was sentenced to exile in Odessa and placed under the care of Count Langeron.

Prince Vasily the Younger lost his position as the leader of the St. Petersburg nobility, but he remained a respected first-class civil servant.

However, the relationship with my sister's family will only worsen in the future.

Many of the nobles who participated were eventually sentenced to house arrest, a punishment that ranged from six months to three years.

When the Qing Dynasty ambassador heard about it, he almost mistook Benkendorf, who was in charge of the matter, for the head of the Imperial Household Department and the Imperial Clan Court. He even submitted a memorial to the Daoguang Emperor, mentioning the changes in the Russian New Policies.

However, the impact on the Qing Dynasty is another story. (End of Chapter)