Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796.

It was quite unexpected that Solovyov took the young French milliner to the Peter and Paul Fortress.

It is well known that Solovyov preferred French and Italian women, or rather, he preferred the softer facial features of Southern European women.

This can also be seen from his marriage and his mistresses.

But there's another point: apart from Mihrima, these women are all of high status.

Therefore, this rumor did not attract much attention, and Miss Polina Gebler's father was just a deceased French officer, and Solovyov was notoriously picky about food.

Indeed, Solovyov, that big bad fox, seems to have lost all desire to hunt.

The main reason is that he now has more things to focus on. Unlike others at this level who can delegate tasks to their subordinates, he has to arrange many things personally.

Sometimes, he envied Miloradovich, who, after being shot, had his debts forgiven by Nikolai, who also rewarded him with cash and a summer villa, allowing him to officially retire and enjoy honors.

He couldn't do it himself, because Nikolai still needed him. Solovyov was only 44 years old at the time, and at his level, he was not only in his prime but also had a close relationship with Nikolai.

He wants to retire, but he might have to check how much of the mission is progressing.

"This is it, sir."

Solovyov sat there watching the French girl go to visit her fiancé; she was going to become the prisoner's wife, and Solovyov admired her courage.

Annankov's mother was very wealthy, and after inheriting his maternal grandfather's property, her only designated heir was this son.

Like many wealthy Russians, he owned estates in many places.

He was a wealthy young man with good taste. This French woman had a great figure, strong and healthy, and beautiful eyes.

They seem to be easy to raise; my own Katya only had many babies after she had fully grown up.

"As for the matter of guarding."

"My lord, they still need supervision; this is the Emperor's order."

“I understand. Many people in the square are actually on our side, they are our own people. Several cavalry officers have joined our side with their troops. They can be considered to have repented. They might be demoted to soldiers and sent to the Caucasus. What I need most is good officers.”

"But, sir..."

Solovyov looked at the guard and gave him a bag of money.

“I don’t usually do this. Let me see my son-in-law.”

"Yes, sir. But I can't very well accept your money."

“It’s not just for you, it’s for the brothers to buy wine.”

Solovyov always loved his soldiers. Although he couldn't call them his own sons, he truly treated his brothers like family.

He rarely gave monetary rewards to junior officers and soldiers, usually relying on material rewards, but this time he did give them money.

Moreover, the guards nearby also saw it. They knew that this man was a favorite of three emperors in a row. He was good-tempered, a good soldier, and treated his servants differently than other masters.

To be fair, Solovyov was very popular, and even the army he commanded was known for its rigorous military training.

The guard was sensible; the money Solovyov gave him was all in silver rubles, and if he distributed it among the brothers, he, as an officer, could keep quite a lot for himself.

While Anenkov and his French fiancée were talking, Solovyov slipped into his cell.

"I must thank that gentleman; he was very generous in bringing me to see you. My original plan was to get the guards drunk and run away."

"No, Polina. I want to stay with my comrades, and do you know who that person is?"

This girl is clearly better at the luxury goods business. Although her father and uncle are both soldiers, she is not very politically astute.

"who is he?"

"He is Count Solovyov, the nephew of Emperor Napoleon. You should know him."

“Your mother’s steward said that Princess Katherine Dolgorukova’s husband was the emperor’s confidant, which is why I went to ask that lady for help.”

“It’s really my mother’s strange hobby. Alright, you still need to think about yourself, Polina. I might be sentenced to exile in Siberia, even if that lord is willing to help you, he can speak to the emperor, but such things are unavoidable.”

Why would you do this, Ivan? Since you know important people...

"Although this duke values ​​talent, he is very particular about legal procedures. Even with his daughter's fiancé here, he did not ask the emperor for a pardon."

Polina was clever; she realized that Solovyov wanted to get people out of trouble. The Tsar's trial was inevitable at first, but there would be plenty of opportunities later.

It could be said that this star-crossed couple was quite lucky. Although Anenkov's mother sometimes disapproved of her son's unconventional ways and his desire to marry a French woman, she even wanted to introduce Polina to a nobleman or general, after all, she was quite beautiful.
Reluctant to part with her son, and thinking of Prince Dolgorukov's daughter, she sent Polina to plead with Katya.

Katya was always a kind-hearted person, and Anenkov was actually there to protect her. When Pasha returned home, he told his family what had happened.

Solovyov also came to see his son-in-law and to find out the mindset of those who had been arrested.

Without investigation, one has no right to speak.

Nikolai knew that the "leader" had gone to the Peter and Paul Fortress, and he knew the true thoughts of these people, which he could not rely on by interrogating them one by one.

"Sir, this is it."

"Let me in. I need to speak with Captain Konovnitsyn alone."

"Yes, my lord."

Solovyov looked at his son-in-law's face, which was somewhat haggard, a result of being imprisoned in this cell.

“That’s not proper. Even during the most difficult times of the march, your father always kept himself properly dressed.”

"Yes, you're right." "Your trials aren't even over yet, so I won't ask for a pardon. After all, I'm not Wittgenstein, dragging my own heir and adjutant into this mess, yet I still have the nerve to ask for a pardon for my son. If he had put in even a little effort, things wouldn't have turned out this way. I even advised you not to act impulsively, but your dear friends have made things far worse. What is Ryliev trying to do? The Emperor has always opposed serfdom, and constitutional monarchy isn't suitable for present-day Russia. I've been trying to find ways to solve the structural problems of this society in the south, and now you're resorting to puns over a 'constitution'?"

"I'm sorry, Mikhail Sergeyevich, I did tell Prince Sergei at the time, and he agreed, but..."

“It’s just out of control, how pitiful. Petya, if you hadn’t taken action, the Persian invasion would have given us an opportunity. Earning merit would be easier as an officer than as a soldier. Although I’ve always had a reputation for impartial law enforcement, I promised your father I would take care of you brothers. And you…”

“I told my mother to protect my younger brothers.”

“You’re a good older brother, but have you considered Lisa? Although I think you did the right thing—as the older brother, you should protect your younger brother—the mistake has been made. I will speak to General Paskovich about having you join the battle as a hussar or jerk.”

“If I’m in danger in the South, it won’t be good for Lisa; she can just forget about me.”

"But she loves you. Of course I know my daughter's temperament. Even dressed as a village girl, a little girl accompanying you in the Caucasus mountains, she can still do a great job. By the way, Griboyedov has been declared innocent and released. He's been busy with official duties and hasn't had time to participate in your activities."

"Thank God, he really didn't know the details of our activities."

"That foolish Reliev, he should have just stayed in his rich, privileged position. Instead, he insisted on doing things this way, and he only made things worse."

"And what do you intend to do next?"

“Petya, even if you go to a military court, your problem is relatively minor, and the Emperor knows about my public speeches and what I said to Trubetskoy through you.”

Nikolai knew very well that these people who were arrested all had connections with higher-ups; they were all either rich or powerful. There were dozens of princes and counts who would be brought before the military court. Their families and those who had made related comments could not be implicated.

As for getting him out of trouble, Nikolai was very considerate of Solovyov's family, and since they were all hopelessly stupid, he didn't have any plans to bail them out. He simply told his son-in-law about the possible punishment he might receive.

"That's all."

"The climate in the south might be better than in St. Petersburg. The Caucasus Corps is short of men. When Yermolov was the commander-in-chief there, I felt that the brothers' morale was high, but there was a lack of supplies and officers. Demotion to a soldier until good performance—I have had many friends who have been punished like this before."

Solovyov was an exception; he was almost never punished.

It's not surprising, since the only time he got into trouble before Paul brought him to his side was when he got into a duel, which was saved from trouble thanks to Mrs. Yusupova's intervention.

Seeing his son-in-law sitting there without saying a word, he continued to joke.

“If you don’t cause some trouble, you’re not a Royal Guard officer. But the trouble you’ve caused is far too serious. As for those people from the ‘South,’ it’s fortunate that I caught them relatively early, so they weren’t all executed.”

"I know this too."

"You found out here?"

"Yes, and Lisa also wrote to me and mailed it."

“I know that at least you are here and your families can send you things. Prison is a very uncomfortable place. At least when you are on a march you can change places, but here you are confined and lose your freedom.”

Solovyov saw the coat; it was an old coat he had worn before, with even a faint patch on it—a patch that had been grazed by a bullet during the fighting in Sweden.

"Try to be more optimistic; there's still a long road ahead."

He left his son-in-law's cell and went to take another look.

Solovyov had intended to visit Sergei Trubetskoy, but his cell was a single cell located at the far end, so it was quite a walk to get there.

As for these people, when he looked at them, none of them dared to look directly into the eyes of the former commander-in-chief who had led them to defeat Napoleon.

Of course, when he got to the middle, he inevitably heard people cursing.

"If you're going to call me a tyrant's lackey, I think you've been cursed with some kind of evil curse, haven't you?"

Solovyov turned around and saw Kakhovsky, whom he hated with a passion because of his attempt to assassinate Nikolai and the shooting of Miloradovich in the square.

"It seems you lack the manners expected of a nobleman. Unfortunately, we have few opportunities left for someone like you. If someone is willing to repent and reform, they will have another chance. As for you, how many times did you violate discipline while in the army?"

He didn't want to say anything more.

Solovyov continued walking, and when he reached Trubetskoy's cell, he found the man to be quite calm.

"It's really unexpected that you came here to visit us."

"If I were young, standing in the corridor, I would probably be exchanging insults with that madman gunman. Of course, I don't believe his gun could be as fast as mine."

"Please don't say that. I also bear responsibility this time. If I could..."

"If you join those people in the square, I don't think the outcome will be good either. At least the Emperor is willing to pardon your death sentence. Besides, this action was really reckless and irresponsible. If a constitutional monarchy could be established now, I think the Emperor would have agreed to the 1819 constitution back then."

“I remember you have always opposed British constitutionalism.”

"It might be suitable for a small country, but Russia is so big, with a vast territory and, most importantly, a sparse population. It takes a long time for us to pass on administrative orders. British overseas colonies can appoint a governor to carry out orders from the mainland. Our provincial governors are not so good at this. You can speak freely about what path we should take, but it can't be like this."

"If it had been you back then..."

“I will strongly oppose any action that will only hasten things’s progress. Reliev is not necessarily acting for your cause; he joined later.”

Solovyov wanted to test the waters and see what he could get out of Trubetskoy, hoping to sow discord among these people and thus obtain more information.

However, Trubetskoy himself did not buy Solovyov's story. He admitted to playing a leadership role, as did Ryliev in his confession.

However, there are some minor differences, and many people say that Trubetskoy acts cautiously.

In fact, Ryliev's faction took the lead in the later stages of the operation.

These actions all point to Russian and American companies.

In fact, Solovyov advocated for the development of the Americas and the abolition of serfdom, but he simply disliked the radical circles formed by these young people.

Perhaps we need to ask more people. (End of Chapter)