Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796.

Chapter 316 018 Solovyov confessed to Louisa what he had done

In other words, in the Russian Guards, jokes were not as unscrupulous as in the lower ranks, otherwise when Solovyov returned and became a colonel, someone would have told him about it.

After all, at the level of colonel, in the army of that era, one is truly within the realm of a master. If one moves up one step, one becomes a general.

However, the step from colonel to general is still somewhat difficult.

Of course, he couldn't take a joke anymore. Solovyov had recently discovered that the Tsar himself seemed to be very arrogant.

It's really weird to open champagne before the game even starts.

But he wouldn't listen to advice now, even from Louisa.

That’s right, although Alexander spent most of his time with his mistress, when he encountered major events, he would come back to discuss them with Louisa.

Solovyov knew the Tsar's current attitude from the look Louisa gave him.

As for what the emperor himself is doing, he is still rushing to carry out production activities and inputting data at his workstation, but the results do not seem to be ideal recently.

While working the night shift, Louisa tried to make Alexander understand that their opponent was difficult to deal with.

But Alexander was too confident.
It seems that it is still difficult. If a war really breaks out this year, the defeat of the Russian army is basically laid the foundation in this atmosphere.

After all, there is the word "甸", which means that the pit for your own grave has been dug.

Of course, among the Russian tsars, except for Nicholas II, no one would be buried in a pit. Instead, the coffin would be placed in the royal cemetery of the church.

For the officers below, more training is needed.

"Because of this, you refused to return to serve as aide-de-camp."

"Peter, I don't want to be an aide-de-camp and hang around in the palace all day. I'd rather be a colonel in the Guards."

"Yes, you still want to make achievements. With your background, you have to rely on military merit to exchange for your future."

"What about you?"

"Now I am still an attendant general, who knows about the future?"

Prince Peter has always been a senior attendant to the Tsar. There are many people with his qualifications in the Russian army. It is a common practice for aristocratic lords to lead a division or an army directly when they come out.

Nobles of lower class background like Solovyov either had to change their status through military merit, or go back to business or become country squires. The highest military rank in their family now was probably his own, a colonel.

My grandfather, who was almost beheaded by Peter the Great, followed the path of an official and businessman. He started joining the army from the previous generation. After four generations, there were only two generals in the Solovyov family (historical fact).

In the Dolgorukov family, there are basically several people in every generation in every branch who become generals and senior civil servants. There is a big difference here.

There is no comparison here. Everyone in their family became generals at a young age, except during the time of Queen Anna. Because of the internal strife in the royal family between Peter's and Ivan's lines, only Prince Krimsky, little Katya's grandfather, was not delayed in promotion because of his outstanding military achievements. The rest of the people were thankful that they were not directly sent back to the manor.

“It’s far behind in comparison.”

"You have talent, Misha. Compared to my brother Mishka, you have a very active brain. Being a general requires a lot of brainpower."

It was impossible to comment on Solovyov. After all, he would be fooled by Napoleon in the future because of his lack of experience.

As for these young fools in the Russian army, they always fantasized that they were invincible when they fought. They were very brave when they really went to the battlefield, but the effect was just so-so.

If the foundation is not laid well in peacetime, the Russian soldiers will be braver, otherwise they will be the same as the Austrians.

"That's right. You are in the palace. I'm afraid there will be maids around all the time."

"Ah, don't mention it. Someone did write me a love letter. I'm just curious, why didn't anyone write me a love letter?"

"They admire you, and people like me can be considered very good friends."

Some things really cannot be said. Louisa will go to see him at the Tauride Palace today.

It was a bit strange that Alexander and Louisa always lived in two separate palaces, some distance away from each other, but the parties involved still enjoyed it.

This kind of tacit understanding probably means that when it is time to come back for the "night shift" and when we are in the Winter Palace, everything is very clear about what to do.

What we know is that they live their own lives.

It's just that this situation is rather strange. Louisa and Alexander do have children, and she usually spends time with them, while Alexander often spends time with his Polish mistress and another litter of children. This strange relationship is more like the Polish peregrine falcon.
Solovyov had a reason for coming to Louisa.

It would be more reassuring to have him giving the children a lesson about horses than those reckless hussars.

"Your Highness, Solovyov has been ordered to come."

"Congratulations on your promotion to colonel, Mr. Guards' youngest commander."

But the way they two talked seemed to be deliberately setting up a barrier. Keeping distance is sometimes a rule in the court, although it is often not followed in the court of St. Petersburg.

"Although it was just a casual remark by His Majesty, it still counts as..."

"Well, I asked you to come over here, and also on this day off, to take the kids horseback riding."

"For horse riding lessons, we should get a cavalry officer here."

"Those reckless bearded men are not as careful as you are, and I know you are a good rider too."

When Paul was still alive, people knew that as a guards infantry officer, he was not inferior to the cavalry officers when riding horses. This was also due to his lighter body. Horses don't like to have their backs bent by a giant.

That is the typical "heavy body" trait, and Solovyov has also tested this tactic on the battlefield. He had several encounters with French cavalry. Although he did not fight with swords, he used carbines on horseback to knock the enemy off their horses. This also requires excellent riding skills.

Of course, she helps Louisa take care of the children here, and she also has one of her own among the five children.

The queen has always been very smart, and she also created opportunities for parent-child interaction for Solovyov.

It’s just strange to say that the scheming Polina gets along better with Solovyov. I don’t know how such a small thing can have so many schemes.

Svetlana, who is usually in charge of acting cute, is not close to Solovyov. It's just that the kid is not shy, otherwise he would have to keep his distance. "Like this, when riding sideways, you should pay attention to using the strength of your waist. If you take a dance class, Your Highness Maria, it's like this, very good."

The two older children are now able to ride on ponies by themselves, but the horses prepared for them today are all docile and top-quality horses.

But you have to be careful, even women riding horses have had hunting accidents.

Therefore, when Solovyov came to take care of the second princess Maria, he was always very careful and asked her to hold the reins herself while he also held her back.

Louisa watched from the side. She knew that Solovyov had always been responsible like this, even before he developed feelings for her.

To be honest, the Queen's choice of marriage was indeed not suitable for her and Alexander, but fortunately, there were always a few people pursuing her here, and the one she finally chose was the one who was willing to protect her silently behind her back.

Speaking of which, Czartoryski was too ostentatious, and recently a Guards Cavalry officer had been writing love letters to her.

But in terms of literary literacy, he is far behind this green-eyed colonel.

After all, when Solovyov wrote to her, he would hand her the letters personally, and the letters would always contain poems and beautiful short sentences.

Although this was taking advantage of the fact that he was often in charge of guarding the palace, he was more attentive and would not be so rash. The guards officers who pursued her were always rash.

It probably started like this during the time of the Empress. Everything that happened in the St. Petersburg Palace is very clear.

Solovyov was here to play with the kids today. He was a family heirloom toy for the Romanov princesses.
So, it was the young ladies from the previous generation whom he often accompanied to participate in various activities when he was on duty in the palace.

Now he is considered "Uncle Misha" to these children, but he still has to play with them. If we don't take into account that he will have to fight abroad, there will be many battles to fight in the next ten years. I am afraid that he will have to play such an embarrassing role in the Guards in St. Petersburg forever.

There was no way around it, because he was the best at coaxing children among the officers of the Guards. When these princesses were crying when they were little, he happened to be on duty in the palace, and he was more helpful than a nanny.

It was this additional skill that gave him the opportunity to interact frequently with members of the Russian royal family in the palace.

It’s just that this kind of dad attribute only allows for the most opportunities for interaction with Louisa.

When the children are tired of playing, Solovyov will come back to drink tea with Louisa.

"Your Highness, you have been acting like an Englishman lately, always drinking black tea."

"No way, this is sent by the British Ambassador. It's all black tea from Ceylon."

"But Ceylon should be considered a colony of the Netherlands. The British really like to occupy other people's territories."

"It is precisely because of this that I do not like them very much. I always feel that Your Majesty will suffer a loss if he goes out on this expedition."

"We can't tell you."

"By the way, there's no one else here, Misha, you can relax a little."

Speaking of which, Louisa, who likes to be alone, always arranges a secluded place for herself. Sitting in this corner of the garden, it is difficult for outsiders to find her unless they come over.

"I know, Louisa, you asked me to come here because you must have something in mind or you are worried about something."

"Misha, I shouldn't interfere, but I was always worried, so I asked you to come here. It's always dangerous on the battlefield."

"But I am no longer like I was in the past, when I was the battalion commander of the Pu Regiment, where I could always protect His Majesty. Now I am the commander of the Royal Guards Chasseur Regiment."

"That's the same. I'm worried about you. Of course, you can come to my place recently to take the kids riding horses, and we can see each other more often."

"That's good. I'm also worried about going out this time. But Sveta, the child should be mine, right?"

"I think it's yours too. Although your majesty said it looks like mine, the emerald-like pupils are slightly different from your eyes, but there's no doubt about it."

While drinking tea, Louisa also heard Solovyov confess his experiences in Paris.

"But, Louisa, I have nothing to do with you."

"This kind of thing must happen frequently among reckless people like you. It's just that you did it in a more covert way, and there's no need to be frank with me, because our relationship can only be this kind, and you'll have to get married one day. Perhaps I can choose a maid for you, who is from a higher family background than you, but is also good at managing the household, doing things properly, and is a good helper in social occasions."

"But if I go to the battlefield, bullets and shells are blind and will not turn just because you are good-looking."

"I know what your father thinks. That's it. I know if you are planning to get married."

"At least after this expedition, I can come back and think about this matter again. I always feel that this war will be very dangerous. If..."

"If it's your family, I can talk to His Majesty in the future and let your sisters come to the palace to serve as maids."

Louisa, always thoughtful, pulled out a silver pocket watch.

"Open it and take a look, Misha."

The miniature portrait inside the pocket watch shows Louisa holding the twins.

"You have been here for the past few days. Sveta is your child, and as a father, you should take better care of her. After you come back, you must be more skilled than when you were on duty in the palace. I think you and that Italian girl must have achieved some results."

At this point, Solovyov was so shameless that he blushed in front of Louisa.

"It seems that I was right."

"I can confess to you that there is such a thing, and that I have been with Madame Récamier quite a lot lately."

"Ah, you are really a sentimental person, but there is one good thing, that is, compared with His Majesty, you are really emotional."

"But this also has its benefits. For example, I can get some intelligence and learn about the relationships among the upper classes in Paris. Even if this lady has recently been exiled to Petersburg, I can learn about some of the situations there through her."

"I've also found a reason for myself to spend more time with the children. If I take good care of them, I'll be very happy."

She was quite open-minded about it, and she also knew that the guards officers who pursued her would not tell her their secrets so honestly. For example, the officers who pursued the queen might even be writing passionate love letters to the noble ladies who worked as maids.

(End of this chapter)