I am a literary giant in Russia

Chapter 98 Mikhail on Solving Problems and Facing Problems
To be honest, Mikhail hadn't seen Dmitry for a while. On the one hand, he had been quite busy these days, and on the other hand, Dmitry seemed to be keen on attending some kind of gathering recently. It seemed that he had come across some new ideas that greatly moved him, and he was wholeheartedly studying them and constantly having heated discussions with others.

This was nothing new in Russian intellectual circles, and as various new ideas emerged, this kind of "debate" atmosphere would intensify further. Whoever had better eloquence or a deeper understanding of a particular idea would gain a higher position within their group.

If one has even greater ambitions, then after establishing a firm foothold, one can continue to attract like-minded individuals, expand and strengthen the business, and create new glories.

Years later, a brown-eyed young man named Vladimir, who had gone bald early and thus appeared wise, did just that. Shortly after arriving in St. Petersburg, he joined the Bearded Group at the St. Petersburg Polytechnic Institute. Although nominally so, most of the group members were only "half-baked" and clearly lacked a deep understanding of this ideology.

This young man, who started losing his hair rapidly in his early twenties, has indeed become stronger, even though he's bald. It's through his brilliant debates and speeches that his reputation has grown increasingly prominent within the "circle."

Soon after, the followers of the "bearded man" movement in St. Petersburg learned that a young man from the Volga River had arrived; though balding, he was truly learned. It was at one of these gatherings that he met a like-minded girl and found love.

Although he had achieved success in both his career and love life, this young man did not stop there. At that time, the Tsarist government and the police regarded the radical People's Will party members who were prone to "assassination" as the main danger. As for the peaceful propaganda of social democracy, they thought it was nothing more than: "This small group of people, if you want to say when they can be effective, it will be 50 years later!"

So he seized this gap in time and the slightly more relaxed environment, and then...
That's another epic story.

In short, prestige is something that is either earned through debate or through action, and often both are indispensable.

Returning to the current trend of "debating scriptures" that has become popular in St. Petersburg, it's not surprising for a rebellious college student like Dmitry to attend such gatherings.

Given that both were busy, it's not surprising that Mikhail and Dmitry saw each other less often.

As for the good news Dmitry mentioned, Mikhail was quite curious. If it was Dmitry, could it be that he had found some opportunity to make money and wanted to help his brother out?
I really wanted to ask on the spot, "Where's Mr. Demi making his fortune lately? Take me with you!"

However, due to the large number of people at the gathering, Mikhail had no choice but to start by serving the guests.

As all of Mikhail's guests arrived one after another, the banquet, which was not very formal, soon began.

Although St. Petersburg outside the window was so dark and gloomy, the room was already filled with bright candlelight. The flowers and ornaments used for decoration seemed even heavier in the candlelight, while the long table next to it, full of guests, was covered with all sorts of things.

It features delicacies that commoners would eat on important holidays, such as roast goose, suckling pig, gingerbread, and honey cakes, as well as exquisite-looking dishes that seem to be only seen at aristocratic banquets, such as imported ham and macarons.

It features someone with a little money, no manners, and a chaotic and disorganized lifestyle.

Mikhail didn't seem embarrassed about it at all; that's just how a typical commoner from out of town is.

Mikhail's friends didn't seem to notice anything amiss, but before the formal meal, they couldn't help but glance at Mikhail.

Without a doubt, this is a momentous day!

So what views and insights would Mikhail Romanovich Raskolnikov, a genius poet and writer, offer?
Is it highly possible that he could have written a poem or a passage from a great novel on the spot, one that would have stood the test of time?

Thinking of this, Belinsky couldn't help but swallow hard, and subconsciously began to feel his pockets, wondering if he had brought paper and pen with him this time.

Not only him, but Mikhail's other cultural friends, such as Old Tu and Old Tuo, also perked up, ready to hear what Mikhail would have to say.

To be honest, Mikhail felt a little awkward under those gazes, but since everyone was looking at him, it wouldn't be right not to say anything. So, Mikhail picked up his glass, which he had already poured a little wine into, and raised it to his lips with a smile:
"Eat and drink well, everyone. I'll finish mine, you can do as you please."

Belinsky, who was starting to feel frustrated because he couldn't find paper and pen, was speechless. Upon hearing this, everyone looked at each other for a moment, and then they couldn't help but laugh. In this cheerful atmosphere, the banquet officially began.

Banquets are usually a place where people eat and chat, and since it was his own banquet, Mikhail naturally couldn't act like he was eating at someone else's house. Instead, he ate and talked to others at the same time.

However, because there were so many people, it was not convenient to discuss many topics in depth. But it seemed that quite a few people wanted to have a deep conversation with Mikhail. In just a short while, Mikhail saw Demi, Old Tu, Old Tuo, and other friends looking at him.

I know that Demi might want to make me rich, but what about Old Tu and Old Tu?
However, on the other hand, Dostoevsky's latest novella, "The Double," published during this period, was indeed met with a cold reception from readers and critics, which was quite a blow to Dostoevsky, who had been making headlines recently.

Just as Mikhail was pondering this matter, Turgenev approached him first. Besides what Mikhail had just learned, Turgenev also mentioned his recent travel plans:

"Mikhail, I should be going to Europe in a while, provided that I can deliver the manuscript to Belinsky on time."

At this point, Turgenev couldn't help but reveal a pained expression. He sighed and continued, "The most important thing about going to Europe is naturally to consult with that talented actress, Ms. Viardo, whom I told you about before!"
You see, recently, through my persistent efforts, this lady has clearly developed an interest in me; she's been captivated by my talent and personality! There's no doubt about that. However, she and her troupe went back home a few days ago, and I have to go with them to see them!
"It's been so long since we last saw each other. If I suddenly appeared in front of her, she would definitely be very happy, wouldn't she?"

Mikhail: “.”

Old Tu, it's been so long, you finally got diarrhea.
Seeing Turgenev's excitement mixed with a hint of confidence, Mikhail felt there was no need to say anything more, so he could only nod reluctantly and say, "I guess so. Good luck."

"Of course, at the same time, I would like to translate your novel Mikhail. I think your novels should be introduced to Europe! Your short stories are in no way inferior to the works of the gentlemen in European cultural circles!"

When this topic came up, Turgenev became unusually excited: "You know, the gentlemen of Europe have always been prejudiced against any art other than their own culture. In some places it may be reasonable, but in others it really is not! I have already discovered this fact in your short stories."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Mikhail glanced at Turgenev with some surprise, but not entirely.

In fact, although Turgenev was later considered by many Russians to be a complete fake foreigner and a traitor, he actually worked hard to promote Russian literature to the European world.

While he became a top European writer with his "A Hunter's Sketches," he also spared no effort in promoting the works of other Russian writers.

Just as Turgenev and Tolstoy later broke off completely due to a fierce argument in 1861, even to the point of severing ties with their friends who were trying to persuade each other, when he read Tolstoy's "War and Peace" in 1869, he couldn't help but say: "No one in all of Europe except Tolstoy could have written such a work."

So he immediately organized the translation of this masterpiece, so that it could enter the French-speaking world.

Regarding war and peace, thanks to Turgenev's efforts, Flaubert, who was renowned in the French literary world at the time, not only read about it but also gave his evaluation:

"Thank you for urging me to read Tolstoy's novel. It is a first-rate masterpiece; how skilled he is at description, what a superb psychological expert he is. The first two volumes are exquisite, but the third volume is a complete letdown. He repeats himself, there is too much philosophical discussion, and finally this gentleman—the author and the Russian—reveals his true colors."

The extensive philosophical discussions in Russian literature are a major characteristic of the genre, and this is largely why Russian literature can be both unreadable and captivating.

Western European novelists and critics, however, were reluctant to accept this form for a long time. It was only after people gradually realized the greatness of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky's works that this writing style gradually became more common.

So, back to the present, seeing that even though Old Tu's mind is full of women, he can still think about translating Mikhail's published works into English and French languages, Mikhail can only say that Old Tu is not crazy.
(End of this chapter)