Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796.

When Adela arrived at Speransky's office, she could feel that there were documents everywhere and it was a bit messy.

Although the partitions are still very neat, you have to know that when she saw her brother working at home, he would definitely arrange the files neatly.

The reason is simple, because when around the two Tsars Paul and Alexander, one must behave very well, especially since Solovyov is a soldier.

As for the problem here, Adela probably knew that Solovyov had described Alexander's desk in the Little Winter Palace.

Documents must be stacked neatly and folded in highly consistent shapes.

Although Alexander allowed his close ministers to adjust their sitting positions, the table never changed.

Seeing Speransky like this, she couldn't help but start helping with cleaning while greeting him.

"Mikhail Mikhailovich, my brother asked me to bring all the translated documents to you for your reference. But yours is in such a mess. Do you need someone to help you organize it?"

Adela was a guest, and she was very young, only a few years older than her daughter. Although she looked gentle and beautiful, and was prettier than many young girls without elaborate dressing up, her eyes were very sharp.

This girl made Speransky somewhat moved, but considering that Adela was still a girl waiting to be married and he was a widower who had been widowed for many years, this was not very appropriate.

He thinks so himself, and it is also related to the fact that he has been very busy with work.

I have already owed my wife one time, and I don't want this to happen again.

But he did not resist. After Adela came over, it was obvious that she had helped Solovyov organize documents and files at home. Her technique was quite skilled, and he could roughly know the answer just by looking at the title.

"You should be able to remember all the documents, right?"

"Yes, Adela, what you hold in your hand is a report on the construction of a local Duma, which can be used to replace the local nobles' meeting."

"Including Count Stroganov, I mean the noble council of old Count Alexander?"

"I have this idea, but it depends on the emperor's opinion. Why, Adela, are you interested in these things? Few girls are interested in politics. You are Count Sergei's adopted daughter, that is, Misha's sister. He is a soldier. Although he is interested in politics, he deliberately stays away from it. This is very interesting. Have you heard him talk about some things at home?"

"Brother Mishka has done some research on the British parliament, and he sometimes writes political jokes. But after Pasha and Lisa were born, he did less of that."

"Since you know his opinion, you must have tried to understand it?"

"Sometimes in the salon, you will hear things you don't want to hear. Mikhail Mikhailovich, but I think the parliamentary system must always be regulated. Some people, using their noble status, do a lot of lawless things. Not only against civilians and serfs, but also..."

Adela thought about it and decided not to tell anyone about it, even though the affairs of Lady Praskovya Musina-Pushkina were well known in the aristocratic circles of the two capitals. It was surprising that she had gone to such lengths to destroy the entire family.

"Adela, there are only you and me here. It doesn't matter if what you said is something that everyone knows. After all, there are always some people like this here. Misha is very smart. He knows but doesn't want to say it."

At this moment, Adela was still arranging the documents for Speranski. After hearing this, he also said: "Some people of noble status are always encroaching on property. Even with a will and your Majesty's edict, it is difficult to stop them."

"That's true, so there should be legislation. The trust that Misha set up is a good one. This time I plan to focus on the financial industry, convene a group of economic experts, and ask the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice to jointly discuss legislation."

It didn't matter that she didn't say it explicitly. Speransky felt that the girl was very clever. She and Solovyov were master and servant as well as brother and sister. Moreover, she was young and beautiful. Even the ladies in the upper class of St. Petersburg and the celebrities in the social circle could not compare to her.

He still remembered that once when he came down from a secret committee meeting, his old boss Kochubey joked with him, saying that although Solovyov was not like Prince Alexander Kurakin, he paid great attention to quality.

Looking at Adela again, Solovyov really treats this kind of girl as his sister. He teaches her on a daily basis and spends a lot of time with her while he also learns from her.

If she had not been a housekeeper at home, but had gone to the salon with her family, there might have been many playboys pursuing her, and then they would have been slapped in the face.

After all, there's really not much in these thugs' heads.

"That's great. What if there is a civil code like my brother's and uncle's?"

"I have been thinking about this, but some of my ideas may be shocking to Russia. Adela, you are a French girl. You have seen Paris when you were old enough, but now you are in Russia."

These two people are strange. Adela never stops working, while Speransky is reading a new document.

"Here we are. If it comes to protecting property, I think it will be of some benefit to the nobles. Your brother likes to cut sausages and infiltrate bit by bit. Prince Alexander Saltykov will probably use a bunch of fancy words to distract his opponent's sight. Forget about Count Nesherrodi. Your brother is friends with him. Have you paid attention to his situation?"

"According to my brother, everything is tolerable except his blind worship of Metternich."

"That's probably the problem. In our European diplomacy, we naturally have to be close to Berlin and Vienna. However, their attitude depends not only on the monarch, but also on the ministers. Although I have always been in the Ministry of Justice, I also know their situation. This Metternich is a difficult guy to deal with, and he will attack any political views he disagrees with."

Speransky was considered an open liberal, Solovyov was a hidden liberal, and as for Stroganov and the Tsar himself, that was even more exciting.

On the contrary, Russia, which seems to be the most autocratic, has now become the stronghold of liberalism.

Speransky continued chatting with Adela, and after reading the three documents in his hand, it was Solovyov's turn to translate the manuscript.

"Adela, what is this all about?"

"It's what the merchant group saw and heard during their visit to China, as well as some collected information, including the Chinese emperor's appointments and dismissals of his officials, two essays by students taking the civil service exam, and some notices. One of the most important ones is the imperial edict from the Chinese emperor that allowed our merchants to operate in Guangzhou after offering 'tribute'. The note below said that it should be quickly delivered to Guangzhou via the postal system."

"Is this true? I'd like to take a look. It seems to be Golovkin's problem, otherwise there wouldn't be so much trouble."

Speransky had received a letter from a French missionary of the Society of Jesus in Beijing to be delivered to Alexander I. Although he was only the acting Minister of Justice, his actual position was still the Deputy Minister of Justice. In fact, in the administrative system, he was already second only to the emperor.

In the upcoming committee reform, Alexander has already nominated Speransky to be the Secretary of State, but the parties involved don't know about it yet.

Now he is still looking at these translated manuscripts. There is nothing wrong with Solovyov's translation. He even compared the names of official titles to make it easier for Russian officials to read.

"Misha does have talent in this area, but I don't know what these Chinese characters mean?"

Speransky didn't understand Chinese and was also confused by the strange string of words.

"It's my brother's signature. He calls himself by this. It should be his current position translated into Chinese. I just don't know why it's so long."

"Maybe he has a sense of humor. He's always been like this."

After all, not everyone can write this kind of title. It is simply an advance version of the Qing Dynasty translator's position in the British Army during the Opium War.

Second rank, Minister of the Order of the Sanzhi, Assistant to the Imperial Guard, Second-class General, Second-class Brave and Courageous Baturu.
This string of words was so long that Speransky felt a little dizzy, but he couldn't understand it anyway.

"Misha is going to give me this document. Should I present it to the Emperor?"

"That's what I mean. However, it's fine for you to work at home. If you work in front of His Majesty, he will pay attention to details. My brother has his sister-in-law to take care of him, and he is usually very careful. But you are like this, which really makes people worry."

"Yes, it seems so. When His Majesty is working, the documents are always very neat."

In fact, Speransky also knew it.

"How about this? I'm helping with the housekeeping, and Moscow is sending relatives to help. These days I have to help my sister-in-law deliver gifts to the relatives to Moscow. When the relatives are familiar with the family affairs, I should go to my brother. Really, brother Mishka is good in everything except flirting. Well, that's about it. I told him at that time that he should come and help you clean the room. You actually need a private secretary, just like Mr. William Pitt the Younger."

"Good girl, you still know Little Pete."

"My brother showed me his profile card and said that this guy's constituency is actually Appleby. I don't know what he meant, but that's it. Also, you should eat on time."

Adela took out the pocket watch from her arms. It was a birthday gift Solovyov gave her this year. It was very exquisite and inlaid with turquoise.

It is indeed rare for a girl to pay so much attention to time.

As for the fact that she likes the housekeeper so much and has not yet married, it is also a strange thing.

However, Speransky did not ask any further questions, but felt that he had fallen into the rhythm of this girl.

Adela checked the time and then showed it to Speranski.

"It's time to eat. Adela, if you have nothing to do, you can eat here."

"Well, I see you are like this. If you go back and tell your brother, he will be worried. You know what? He looks tough and ruthless when he is fighting outside, but he is actually a thoughtful person at home."

"This is not surprising. I am a civil servant and I work eighteen hours a day. Working is one thing, but there are also some things that I have to say."

"You sometimes overlook some details, Mikhail Mikhailovich, such as cuffs and the position of medals. You may forget some things because you are too talented, which is inevitable. After all, many of my brother's friends have already done the same."

Speransky just smiled and did nothing further.

As for the rest, it’s simple, just eating.

Solovyov was also puzzled at home. Normally, if Adela went to deliver a document, she should be back in the afternoon even if she started from the manor and returned.

If she was in a hurry, she would ask the driver to speed up, and she would not come back until the evening of the day.

"Adela, what did you do today?"

"I completed the task you assigned me, brother. Mr. Speransky is indeed very capable, but sometimes he tends to neglect some problems. I helped him clean his room, sort out the documents in his office, and had lunch. In the afternoon, I helped him organize the library. I came back only after I finished all the work."

"Ah, that's interesting. No wonder it took so long. But, Adela, what do you think of him?"

"You mean"

"It's Mikhail Mikhailovich. He's a well-known figure, and he's also the de facto Minister of Justice. He's a favorite of the Emperor, and he's so talented."

"I'm not thinking about that right now. Brother, don't always think about me getting married. There are still many things at home that I'm worried about. You asked me to go to General Yermolov before. The fat general is a good man, but he is always worried that he doesn't have much property and will mistreat the girls who might marry him. As for other people, it's the same. Brother, if you really want me to choose a husband, let's wait and see."

"You really don't think about it?"

The step-siblings both liked to observe details. Solovyov could see that Adela had some interest in Speransky, or at least admired his talent. In this regard, Adela probably only had similar expressions towards himself and Count Pavel.

But both she and Count Stroganov were married, and besides, he was Adela's brother. If Adela looked at Count Pavel, she might still be infatuated with him - there was no more handsome middle-aged man in St. Petersburg than that count.

The only problem is that Speransky looks too old. At the age of 37, he looks like a ginger stick. He also doesn't know how to command a chariot.

As for this matter, let's wait and see. (End of this chapter)