Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796.

In the villages of Dagestan, Solovyov also discovered the problem of alcoholism among the young people, which explains why the Sufi priests, who practiced asceticism, had their own opinions.

He himself hardly drinks alcohol, which has greatly increased his popularity with Ghazi-Mohammed and Shamir.

"In that case, next year, whether we are farming or grazing, we will need to find suitable pastures, collect the sheep manure, ferment it, and wait about two years for it to fully react before applying it to the soil."

"You're a soldier, why are you studying agriculture?"

“My brothers and nephews are all young, so I naturally have to pay more attention to them. Now that they have all come of age, I can put that aside. But in addition to managing the estate, as the provincial governor, I also need to understand agriculture.”

In addition, there were Russian military settlements, located in the border area between the North Caucasus and the South Russian steppe. These areas were under military control, but soldiers also needed to know about farming, otherwise the military settlements would not be able to be self-sufficient.

Although many of these military settlements are outside Solovyov's territory, he still controls a quarter of them, making them quite crucial.

Giving guidance to the people of Dagestan is a piece of cake.

Moreover, the climate in the Caucasus Mountains is quite good for farming. If it weren't for their religious beliefs regarding alcohol, which are against fermenting grape juice and big-eared sheep, he would have been eager to introduce vineyards here.

However, in fertile areas of the Middle East, where there are many vineyards, it can only be said that the principle of self-determination applies, and there is actually a lot of flexibility in the teachings.

Solovyov visited five villages over several days and sent a messenger to Yermolov.

When Yermolov, who was training troops near Elizabethville, heard about it, he was also taken aback.

He knew Solovyov was very bold, but he never expected that he would actually go directly into the mountains to talk to those unruly people.

Of course, his reputation was even worse, but that was for the Ottoman Sultan; the situation was much better in the Caucasus.

After opening the letter, Yermolov also learned about the situation in the mountains.

Solovyov explained the problems facing the Dagestan mountain people from two perspectives: religious law and people's livelihood. He also pointed out that many of the lords and priests whom Russia relied on to rule the Caucasus region were only concerned with protecting their own interests.

According to Solovyov, supporters of the Russian regime could be developed among these people.

For Russia, the local specialties didn't bring much benefit, and tax revenue was even less. What they needed to do was invest in road construction and procure supplies here—the section from the Georgian highway to Ingushetia was very difficult to traverse, making it impossible for the Russian army to stay there for long.

Therefore, the roads in the Caucasus region were also crucial. Solovyov had been suggesting that the Kalmyks and Tatars be added to the fighting along this route, but his suggestion had not been approved.

It wasn't for any other reason; their requirements for supplies were low. However, some older members of the Russian government had experienced the turmoil in the southern steppes during the reign of Empress Dowager Solovyov and wouldn't trust these nomadic peoples as much as Solovyov did.

Aside from his appeasement policy, Alexander also employed limited conscription in war.

Solovyov's idea was to bring these people to Chechnya, where the cavalry's high mobility and their agility on the mountain edges would pose a significant threat to the mountain people.

Unlike Yermolov, he only wanted to drive these people out of the mountains and did not intend to kill too many people.

But another option has now been approved: Solovyov wants to build a road in Astrakhan that will run directly along the edge of the Caspian Sea to the Caucasus Mountains.

However, water transport cannot rely on these places west of the Caspian Sea. The better ports are all located in the south. This can be seen from the time when the Golden Horde and the Ilkhanate were here. The cities in the Golden Horde were basically newly built by the khanate, unlike the Ilkhanate which had ready-made towns on the Iranian plateau.

Baku is important because it is bordered by traditional nomadic powers to the north and has some ports to the south.

Although what might be more important for Solovyov is the local oil, which will be of great use in the future.

Entering the Middle East is also very important. Whether it's supporting a pro-Russian regime or sending a large army directly into the Iranian plateau and then pointing its forces at Iraq and Syria, it will pose a significant threat.

For Russia, the biggest advantage after crossing the mountains is that they are closer to the land. With improved land and water transportation, they can certainly make a big splash.

The improvement of this transportation network, starting from 1822, would take five or six years. It would allow the dirt roads originally used by nomads to be repaired and perfected, enabling the army to march from here to border garrison cities such as Elizabethville in the south.

Yermolov didn't need to reply to Solovyov. He planned to come directly to him from the mountains of the Caucasus, but only for a short stay before returning to Crimea. Wintering in the Caucasus was not as good as being on the Black Sea coast.

Of course, Solovyov's return to Simferopol was also due to consideration of these routes along the northern coast of the Black Sea. He was considering two directions: the Danube and the Caucasus, not just serving as governor of one direction.

After inspecting the various villages, he originally only planned to leave with his entourage.

However, Ghazi-Muhammad stated that as a Russian general, he was unfamiliar with the roads and that it was these people who escorted him all the way to avoid any misunderstandings.

Of course, it is quite rare for a Russian general to come to Tajikistan.

If the Tsar himself were to come to the Caucasus, it would be in 1837. The Chechen mountain people might cause great trouble, but for the Tsar, this was a minor direction.

The Tsars focused their attention more on Europe and the Balkans than on the Caucasus.

However, beyond the Caucasus Mountains, there are places where the Russian problem can be solved.

However, if Russian nobles were allowed to come here and annex the land, it would certainly provoke fierce resistance. Solovyov was trying to find a solution, but he had no clue what to do.

His journey was very smooth. Ghazi-Muhammad had a wide network of connections and made arrangements along the way, allowing passage to some lords who were hostile to Russia, as well as to villages along the route that had not paid taxes.

When Solovyov arrived in Elizabethville, he startled the Russian troops stationed there.

If it weren't for their own highest-ranking officer being there, they would have been very wary of such a group of bearded men arriving. Elizabethville, whose current name is Janja, is also his birth name, and he serves as the gateway to Baku.

Solovyov made a detour to reach this place, which was also where Yermolov decided to spend part of the army wintering and to monitor the movements of the Persians.

He also needed to understand the situation and discuss with Yermolov how to change the policy towards the Caucasian mountain people.

After all, using a butcher's knife can only intimidate the opponent; to truly win their respect, some other methods are needed.

If necessary, Solovyov would not hesitate to use the mark-and-recapture method, repeatedly releasing enemy leaders after capturing them on the battlefield.

Meng Huo may have been thick-skinned, but for the Muslim leaders here, being a "Ghazi" (a high-ranking official) as a jihadist was an honor. Being captured once or twice was nothing, but if they failed many times, they would lose face.

Solovyov's idea was not to rely solely on force or the appeasement tactics of Tolmasov; his idea was to win hearts and minds.

However, Yermolov was used to using the stick, so it was still somewhat difficult to change his behavior.

But Solovyov himself had the means to do so. During his time wandering in the Caucasus Mountains, he had pleasant conversations with the mountain people of Dagestan and even managed to earn some gold coins from them.

Moreover, these people also sent twenty men as guards to this place.

"Misha, how was the journey?"

"When I was inspecting Georgia, I didn't expect to spend so much time wandering around in the mountains."

“After you cross the mountain pass to Tbilisi, you won’t have to travel too far to get to me.”

"I met these hospitable Dagestan people on the road and went to their village."

Upon seeing Solovyov, the Chechens were somewhat grateful for his help to the village. Moreover, Solovyov indicated that in the future, when the Russian army came to purchase military supplies, they would settle accounts in silver coins.

Yermolov was a lieutenant general, while Solovyov was a general. Although the former was older, Solovyov was promoted faster and had a better chance of becoming a field marshal in the future.

Because of his high rank and kind manner, he was naturally more popular, and Solovyov was also very trustworthy.

Yermolov didn't have the same effect, but his deterrent power was undeniable.

Here, Yermolov also treated the guards to pilaf and fruit.

But Solovyov insisted on using chopsticks, a habit he maintained after returning from the Qing Dynasty, which obviously made eating more convenient.

Those who have been to China are respected in the Middle East, at least as travelers, because they have followed a Hadith.

Solovyov did it purely out of convenience. The tableware he uses at home, especially the European-style tableware, is all custom-made. However, the chopsticks and such must have been gifts from the Jiaqing Emperor, which was also a way for him to maintain his status during the war.

After the reception, Solovyov asked the men to stay and witness the power of the Russian army's 1-pt Unicorn Cannon.

"My purpose in coming to the mountains this time is to understand the people's situation. If you have any difficulties, you can mention them to General Yermolov. After all, I am usually in Crimea and not here. If it is a problem for you, we can help you. General Yermolov will send a cart to deliver it to you."

Solovyov tried to persuade them with kind words, but also threatened to show force. The Russian army had tens of thousands of troops stationed in their camps, far more than the forces that Dagestan could muster.

After seeing this, they realized the true fighting strength of the Russians. In addition, Solovyov had prepared two large carts of food and various living supplies for them. After bowing and expressing their gratitude, they returned home.

Even Yermolov hadn't expected his old buddy to have so many tricks up his sleeve.

"The mountain people are fickle, but because of their faith, they value promises. You previously used threats to make promises to them, so you need to use both kindness and force in the future. Those who are willing to submit can be given better land after they come down from the mountains. First come, first served. Many places are still undeveloped, and there are many places that need people. Perhaps we will need them when we go south to fight the Persians in the future."

Are you really sure you can do this?

"That depends on how the Persian Shah tries to persuade the mountain people of Dagestan. I believe they will not rashly descend the mountain to fight against us for a hollow title of 'Gazi', which the religious leaders have not even given them imams to."

Solovyov's appeasement tactics were indeed more sophisticated. The forces resisting Russia were still there, but recently there was a ceasefire with the mountain people, and trading caravans and independent peddlers were still allowed to come here.

Especially in the mountains, there are too many places lacking supplies. They need wool to exchange for supplies. Since most towns are under Russian control, the wool-buying workshops are also located here.

In reality, by controlling their economic lifeline, supplemented by military suppression, and with a strategy that prioritizes winning hearts and minds, if the mountain people of Dagestan were to resist again, cutting off their hands would be a sign of their lack of common sense.

Solovyov's backup plan was to bring both Tatars and Kalmyks over when the time came.

However, despite the terrifying nature of this tactic, Solovyov did not actually allow them to engage in large-scale looting during their campaigns in Sweden and across Europe; it was merely a form of propaganda intended to deter others.

Solovyov could even think of Afghanistan, and why religious figures were credible, or whether their daily management methods were simple and unpretentious, and these methods were effective in the early days.

For example, they prohibited usury, and when managing money, they didn't keep separate accounts. They just locked it in a box and placed it under the bed in a room. It contained precious metal currency, so it wouldn't break. Naturally, it was simple and effective.

When Solovyov learned of this, he found it both laughable and absurd, as it had remained unchanged for over a thousand years, and might even have been the case during the time of Arab polytheism.

While both are merchants, Muslim merchants, though selling higher-priced goods, are trustworthy, abide by trade rules, and do not engage in usury. Moreover, they only come once a year, or even once every few years for those from distant areas.

Some people, however, would become local scum, specializing in unethical and shady businesses—that's something to think about. (End of Chapter)