I am a literary giant in Russia

Chapter 271 Their respective journeys and Friedrich Engels
"Evening" - Written by Friedrich Engels around 1839

Inscription: Tomorrow must come! —Shelley

Will darkness continue to shroud Pingchuan?

The mournful moonlight gazed upon the plains.

A pale, heavy fog lay on the hillside;
The weary earth slept soundly in the mist.
We are awake—but we wander aimlessly like blind men.
The dawn of freedom is just around the corner.

Flowers covered the entire earth.
All the plants changed their habitats.

Peaceful palm trees beautify the northern land.

Roses bloomed all over the frozen fields.

Before leaving England, Mikhail, as before, planned to take the opportunity to observe the sales of Sherlock Holmes and the reactions it generated. At the same time, Mikhail once again changed into the same outfit he had worn when he first arrived in England: a cloak, coat, and deerstalker hat.

If Mikhail had to endure many strange looks when he first arrived in England, now, this outfit is perfectly normal in the eyes of many Londoners, especially on the day the Sherlock Holmes book was published, when even more people would wear it.

Nevertheless, as Mikhail deliberately kept his head down and hurried past, many passersby couldn't help but turn around and look again.

Although they had seen this outfit many times, why did they still feel that the gentleman who had just walked by was different?
As for Mikhail, he was actually starting to regret wearing this outfit on such a day, because he had already encountered at least three or four gentlemen dressed in similar styles along the way.

These gentlemen were initially enjoying the attention and surprise of some passersby, and even pretending to be Sherlock Holmes, answering a few curious questions in a perfunctory manner. But the moment they encountered Mikhail on the other side of the road, their gazes froze, and their smiles quickly vanished. Finally, they silently put away their smiles and hurried away with their heads down.

Mikhail: “.”

I really didn't mean it!
In fact, we should release several more versions based on this.
After silently noting this incident, Mikhail tried his best to avoid these distinguished guests during the rest of the journey.

In addition, Mikhail also saw many readers looking frustrated while reading the magazine:
"It was so simple! I should have thought of that sooner! I was just a little short! What a pity, a whole thousand pounds!"

"If only I could go back three days."

"This story is indeed exciting, but why is it only two short episodes? Why didn't he write it longer?"

"It's alright, it seems there will be a new story to read soon! There's a preview for the next issue and an accompanying picture on the last page. Listen to this, the preview is about how you would choose to rob a bank? Could it be that the next story is about fighting criminals?"

"I guess it's because, when robbing a bank, the only option is to use a weapon and brute force it, right? What other methods are there?"

"We have to wait another two weeks!"

Thus, Mikhail witnessed many lively scenes and heard many discussions and lamentations. In fact, because of Mikhail's previous appearance at the literary reading, as he was walking, a gentleman suddenly pointed at Mikhail and shouted somewhat inappropriately, "Mr. Mikhail?! What are you doing here?"

When Mikhail's name was mentioned, many people nearby were initially stunned, then all turned to look in a certain direction. Some even jumped up from their seats, as if they were about to do something.

Unfortunately, the moment the man who had seen Mikhail shouted out, Mikhail had already used the trick he learned from London detective Jonathan to plunge into the crowd and disappeared into it shortly afterward.

I always said it's good to have more skills.
After emerging from the crowd again, Mikhail wiped his sweat and didn't linger any longer, quickly boarding a ship bound for France.

Unlike last time, this time, when Mikhail stood on the deck of the ship again, he felt that the sky was so clear, the sea was so turbulent and vast, and the waves surged with the melody of music, while the seabirds circling above formed lively musical notes.

This beautiful seascape appeared in Mikhail's dark eyes, swaying slightly with the rocking deck. As it swayed, it finally settled into an even more beautiful and pleasant scene in the eyes of a girl with beautiful blue eyes.

As the year draws to a close, the cold wind has begun to blow across the sea again. The girl standing on the deck, gazing at the seascape, has skin that is almost translucent under the clear sunlight. Her expression as she looks at the sea is a mixture of seriousness, curiosity, and bewilderment. The white velvet shawl on her body is like a feather from the sky.

It was clear that this was her first time going abroad. Although many people on the ship were secretly watching her, the tall, dark-uniformed, expressionless middle-aged man standing next to her stopped many people from taking a step forward.

After all, it was clear at a glance that the girl's father was not someone to be trifled with; he unconsciously exuded a coldness that came from someone who had been in a high position for a long time.

Just as those on deck, feeling the inexplicable pressure, gradually withdrew their gaze, General Danilevsky, who was also looking at the sea, suddenly couldn't help but stroke his chin, and then said with a touch of emotion:

"Do you think Mikhail is already thinking about me? He's probably overjoyed and waiting for me to come to Paris!"

Nadya: "."

Mrs. Danilevskaya: "?"

"maybe!"

Madame Danilevskaya retorted to her husband irritably, then looked at the distant coastline with a scrutinizing gaze and said, "The news coming back from the outside world is more and more exaggerated than the last, as if everyone in Paris knows him! I'm going on this trip to see if that's really the case. That's Paris, after all."

As a true Russian noblewoman, Madame Danilevskaya's upbringing had instilled in her an extremely high image of Paris, which led her to unconsciously maintain a skeptical attitude towards many of the reports that came her way.

"So what if it's Paris?"

The general shook his head somewhat displeased: "This is nothing to Mikhail."

The general said this partly because of the goodwill he had previously built up, and partly because he did have many channels to obtain information from France. The more information he obtained, the more confident he became.

but.
Lady Danilevskaya: "???" I really have nothing to say to you.
Ignoring the general's words, Madame Danilevskaya, draped in a thick, heavy fur coat, turned to her daughter and instructed her:

"In Paris, don't let anyone know it's your first time abroad. Entering Parisian high society is difficult, especially for aristocrats like us from Russia; they tend to view us with even more scrutiny. The more critical they are, the less room we are for error."

It sounds a bit tense and scary, but why is Paris portrayed as an absurd place full of jokes and still quite interesting in his writing?

The girl almost burst out laughing at the thought of Mikhail's Paris, but seeing her mother giving her instructions with a serious expression, Nadya could only put on a fighting face and nod solemnly.

After receiving a satisfactory reply from her daughter, Mrs. Danilevskaya finally nodded in satisfaction.

However, upon hearing her husband muttering something again: "I heard that Mikhail's performance in Paris caused a great sensation. I wonder if we can still see it if we go now," she thought.

Danilevskaya couldn't help but sigh heavily again.

Regardless of what the two of them were thinking, Nadya, who turned her gaze back to the sea, seemed a little lost in thought.

From the day she learned she would have the opportunity to go to France, she was filled with anticipation for every day. However, because there were still many things to arrange and handle at home, her family finally set off two days ago.

Now, the initial fervent anticipation seems to be gradually turning into a vague sense of unease. What kind of people has he met during his time in Paris? Whom has he connected with? After experiencing such brilliant success, will he undergo some changes?

While experiencing this inexplicable anxiety, Nadya, who had been fascinated by the vast sea these past few days, was also experiencing another complex feeling, a feeling called freedom, which was mixed with many other complicated emotions.

Where will her life go from here on out?
Will she experience similar sights and feelings many more times?

And at this very moment, what would the scene look like in his eyes?
As the girl's azure eyes swayed with the waves, on the other side of the distant sea, another person was thinking of the same question at roughly the same time.

Their fantasies were so rich and varied, and perhaps at some point, they both imagined each other standing on the deck looking at the sea. In this wonderful interaction, the sun seemed to set much faster.

As night fell and the sun rose again, in faraway Paris, a young man named Turgenev waited with a sorrowful and grief-stricken expression for the return of his friend.

Of course, this melancholy and grief were entirely for himself.

Why should I feel sad and grieving for Mikhail, who is so successful?
The main reason Turgenev did this was that he had stayed abroad for far too long, so long that his mother had begun to doubt his motives and was urging him to return.

At first, Turgenev could find various excuses to stall, but as time went on, his mother's suspicions grew stronger and stronger, to the point that she would cut off his allowance if he didn't go back.

At first, Turgenev didn't care much, but when his allowance stopped arriving, and he continued living in Paris on his previous expenses, he eventually realized he was almost homeless in Paris.
Of course, given his current credit in Paris, he could still borrow money to tide him over, but this was not a long-term solution. So, Turgenev, who was having a very pleasant time in Paris, had to start planning his trip back home.

That's it!

After welcoming Mikhail, I'll prepare to return to Russia!
Farewell, dear Mikhail!

Just as Turgenev was feeling melancholy and sorrowful, another man sitting next to him looked tense, his eyes darting around restlessly, as if searching for something or being wary of the surrounding movements.

This man was a good friend of Turgenev, but his financial situation was also worrying. The reason he was sitting with Turgenev was that he wanted to meet Mikhail.

This wasn't surprising, after all, there were far too many people who wanted to see Mikhail, so one more person didn't seem to make much of a difference. However, from Turgenev's perspective, his friend was certainly somewhat dangerous in certain aspects.
As Turgenev was lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice that his companion had unknowingly fixed his gaze on someone. By the time Turgenev finally realized this, someone he knew all too well had already sat down beside them and, with a light laugh, asked:
"Turgenev, what's wrong? It's been so long, why do you look so worried?"

Mikhail! You've finally arrived!

Upon seeing his friend, who seemed largely unchanged, Turgenev initially embraced Mikhail with some excitement. However, when he heard Mikhail's question, Turgenev ultimately sighed and said:
"I've run into a little trouble."

After Turgenev truthfully explained his predicament, Mikhail waved his hand dismissively and said, "You mean you're in debt? And facing some troubles in life? Perhaps you should try to control yourself a little. But this amount of money is nothing; I can lend you some if you need it."

Turgenev: "!"

Is this the kind of boldness Mikhail possesses?!

"Mikhail."

Turgenev grabbed Mikhail's arm and said emotionally, "I will never forget your help. When I receive my share of the inheritance, you will be there for me every meal."

Mikhail: “.”

You know what, your mom really doesn't have many years left.
While Turgenev was still speaking with deep emotion, the somewhat impatient man sitting next to him couldn't wait any longer. As soon as Turgenev finished speaking, he eagerly gave his name:

"I am Mikhail Alexandrovich Bakunin, it's an honor to meet you! I've heard your name many times before."

Bakunin. It's finally here, hasn't it?
Just as Mikhail was pondering, Bakunin eagerly continued:

"Recently, a German named Friedrich Engels has been lobbying various workers' organizations in Paris. Have you heard of him? He seems to have some new activities going on recently. Would you be interested in listening to them?"

Mikhail: “?”

I just arrived in Paris and they want to give me a big one?
(End of this chapter)