Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796

Chapter 157 014 A seemingly ordinary day

Czar Paul gets up on time at 5 o'clock every morning, and then listens to reports from ministers, sometimes on internal affairs, sometimes on foreign affairs.

The report on the morning of March 11 was Count von Palen's report on the latest situation abroad.

Paul actually still thinks von Paalen's statement is suspicious, but apart from the Attorney General's report, there is no clear evidence or other circumstantial reports. He is too particular about details and the law, so there is no punishment, and von Paalen follows him. It takes a long time. Even a dog that has been raised for such a long time and has developed feelings will not come out and bite its owner when it is fed.

"Your Majesty, this is the latest news from France."

"Regardless of what the First Consul is going to do, when the peace treaty is officially signed, the foreign ministers of both parties must be present. At that time, I am afraid that the new dean of the Foreign Affairs University will have to go there. You have a lot of errands to do now. , I can’t let you travel far away and go to Paris.”

"Your Majesty, it doesn't matter. If it is a matter of responsibility, you will have to go there at that time. In addition, your Majesty also needs to take a look at the marriage target chosen for His Highness Maria. There is a prince of Saxony and Weimar. The Prince of Denmark, among other things"

"Why, isn't it bad to be the only son of an in-law? Although my wife here failed to give birth to an heir, she is still young, only 22 years old. At least Alexander comes to take care of her, and there are always good signs. The only thing is Trouble is, I'm too young Some. In this way, let’s put aside Maria’s matters first. The prince in Weimar is not bad. When I choose a son-in-law, I always have to look at his character and whether he can make my daughter live a good life. William and Frederick Ludwig is fine. Don’t be so anxious about the marriage.”

Paul had listened to four hours of reports on the latest domestic and international situations in the morning, which was not very nutritious. Such complicated news was just a matter of listening to it. Compared with it, it was really better to respond to these reports by the governors himself.

I don't know if it will interfere with Paul's thinking. When so much news was crammed in, he didn't think about what might happen.

The second item of the morning was to review the troops accompanied by the Crown Prince.

Before Alexander came out of the Winter Palace in the morning, he went out of his way to please Louisa and promised to order new books published in London in a few days, change the furnishings in the palace, arrange a nanny for little Maria, etc.

"Your Highness, shall we go there by horse or by car?"

"Solovyov, prepare your horse and go over."

"Your Highness, how about a batch of Andalusian horses?"

"You have only been here a few days, but you know what I like. Go to the stables and fetch the horse, and you will accompany me to the Mikhailovsky Palace."

Solovyov himself had the Orlov trot horse gifted by Paul, which followed Alexander.

This section of the road is not far. Turn directly from Million Street to the Champ de Mars. You can see the Mikhailovsky Palace below the square.

Solovyov has always noticed that the color of this palace is not pleasing to his eye. It is a bit strange to think that the dress Mrs. Chevalier wore yesterday was still the same color.

He had heard the most rumors. When this lady came from France, her origin was very unclear. Even the Attorney General suspected that she might be a spy for the First Consul.

However, this rumor is also a bit funny. After all, this lady was Kutaisov's mistress for three or four years. As for being a French spy, it is not so reliable. Madame Chevalier was in Hamburg in 1794. The performance was not in France. It happened to be the period from the Jacobin dictatorship to the early days of the Directory. Even if General Bonaparte had this ability, he didn't even fire cannons on the streets of Paris at that time. This statement is also very unfair. Responsible behavior.

Alexander accompanied Paul on the military parade. Those reviewing in the palace were the 1st Battalion of the General Regiment and the Guards Hussars. They were also the troops on duty today. The 1st Battalion will be on duty tomorrow. On March 13, they will rest as usual and the 2nd Battalion will take over the defense.

The duties of the Guards Hussars will later be replaced by Guards Cossacks.

These soldiers were also extremely loyal to Paul, and the queues during the review were well organized, which made the tsar himself very satisfied.

Then there was horseback riding with Kutaisov. Paul was in a good mood and even changed horses to ride on the racecourse, showing his true dressage skills to his favorite.

At the same time, Count von Palen had made up his mind to start the operation on the night of March 11, and began to distribute invitations to the conspirators participating in the operation.

But unfortunately, Solovyov was accompanying Alexander on the Champ de Mars and saw the servant of Count von Palen hurried out to General Talyzin's villa.

"Your Highness, isn't that person Count von Palen's personal servant? What is the name of that Lithuanian?"

"He is going out to Talyzin's mansion now. Solovyov, what do you think he can do?"

"Your Highness, according to today's schedule, there will be no captains of the Guards at the evening banquet. The ones invited are old Count Stroganov and Count Kutuzov, as well as Prince Yusupov. "

"That's weird."

Alexander cannot express his position publicly, and his statement to Count von Palen yesterday cannot be made public, and it is very troublesome to say it.

Soloviev actually knew that this was a poor version of the Golden Knife Scheme. Even if Count von Palen was defeated, there would still be people trying to instigate the relationship between Paul and Alexander, the father and son. It was unavoidable.

Even if the servant was caught, it would only make the count take a risk in another way. Moreover, the servants did not know what the conspirator was going to do with the contents of the invitation. They were also unclear about many of the specific details, and they might be deceived again.

In fact, the simplest way was to catch Count von Palen on the day Paul questioned him, and the problem could be solved quickly. But Paul had developed feelings for the dog and could not bear to do it.

The Romanov royal family in Russia had a bit of this "womanly kindness" problem, except for Nicholas II who took the blame for the suppression of the Guards.

Count Zubov, who was not working in the palace, received the invitation and was going to go to Lieutenant General Tarejin's residence in the afternoon.

"At this time, we have to do it in the evening."

Paul didn't know what happened outside the palace at this time. He had lunch with his entourage at noon.

"Your Majesty, what are you going to do in the afternoon?"

"There are no performances today. I want to read the newspaper now. Please ask the attendant to read with me."

He didn't want to use the maid who read the newspaper, or his mistress. Princess Gagarina was very young, but in terms of knowledge, she was shallow and frivolous.

That afternoon, Alexander had to go back to the Winter Palace first, and then return to the Mikhailovsky Palace at 8 o'clock in the evening. The father and son had to have dinner together.

In the Winter Palace, the commander of the Semenovsky Regiment, Depreladovich, the commander of the Guards Battalion, Count Tolstoy, and the adjutant of the Guards, Prince Alexander Volkonsky, were all left behind.

Prince Bagration insisted on holding them and playing mahjong.

"Prince, don't you usually play cards?"

"Playing cards is so boring, and you lose money all the time. Come and see, this is the dominoes to be presented to His Royal Highness, called mahjong. I made two sets, one for daily play, and the other is made of ivory, ready to be presented to His Royal Highness. You guys, just come and play with me. This card is also simple, a kind of "Khitan" game. The method of counting is engraved on the box, can you see it?"

"You want to play cards at this time, we all have to be on duty!"

In fact, these three people are insiders and participants of the conspiracy group, but the Semenovsky Regiment is stationed in the Winter Palace, so they are separated outside. It doesn't matter if the junior officers below are missed, but these main officers must always be stabilized.

However, Bagration can only catch three people at a mahjong table. Usually, others are shocked by his bravery, so these three unlucky guys are left.

Unfortunately, the adjutant of the Semenovsky Regiment on duty was in the palace, not in the Winter Palace, but that was almost the same, as the core members of the regiment were detained.

In the Crown Prince's bedroom, Louisa was pulling the "little fairy" and telling her some precautions after pregnancy.

"You are in better health than us. You are already six months old and you are still so lively. But don't move too much. Hey? What's going on next door?"

"Peter wants a few guards to play mahjong with him. He is addicted to playing cards recently. These Chinese dominoes are specially made and there is no way to cheat."

"Your husband is brave in battle and honest. I heard that he holds you around the house to make you happy when he is not on duty."

"In the first few months, he even held me up high! Now that I am like this, he is afraid of hurting me by holding me up, so he changed to holding me. Although he looks a little ugly, he is still a good man. I just don't want him to be like this after the baby is born."

"Little Fairy"'s myopia is getting worse and worse, and her eyes are hazy. That's why everyone likes her.

"Katishi, you just like to look at faces too much. But, I am different this time. Just like what my mother wrote to me, my two sisters are twins, a bit like that."

It is true. The "little fairy" unbuttoned Louisa's clothes and saw the shape of her belly. She was so thin, and her belly was obvious.

"That's it. Let's go and watch the card game, Lisa. You always lock yourself up in the palace. This is not good. You should always see something new."

Indeed, it is rare to see mahjong in Petersburg.

But in order not to make so much noise, they were very disciplined when playing cards and lined up neatly.

As for Alexander himself, he came back to the hall of the Winter Palace without saying a word.

"What is your Highness worried about?"

"Soloviev, you were sent by my father, but not to monitor me. This is strange."

"Your Highness, you are the crown prince. I came to you as an aide-de-camp, not to plant an informant. Otherwise, I would have reported it."

"That's right. I am worried that a coup will really happen. What will happen at that time is unpredictable."

"I also find it strange that your Majesty doesn't arrest the count. He can do so."

"My father is too particular about evidence. He only dismissed the people in the conspiracy group in Smolensk before, and didn't even put them in jail."

Sometimes, what happens in Russia cannot be guessed by common sense. Alexander himself is still very worried. Count von Palen will also attend the banquet in the evening.

"Don't think too much. There is a banquet in Mikhailovsky Palace tonight. I have to go to the palace now. You stay in the Winter Palace at night. If anything happens, you have to help Prince Bagration gather the troops, pass orders and staff work. I heard that you are very good at it."

"Your Highness, it's just that you and His Highness Constantine are both in the palace at the dinner. Will anything happen?"

"No, my father has such a deep affection for a dog he raised. Constantine and I are his sons and we are not rebelling. What am I afraid of?"

Alexander rarely shows it. When he showed his cards today, he was actually a little vague. He knew that Solovyov was promoted by Paul, so he said this.

"Besides, the Guards are outside, and these soldiers can't arrest us all. If the officers dare to let the soldiers join the coup, the soldiers will probably not agree."

"That's right, but Your Highness, have you ever considered that the soldiers are loyal to the emperor and the two princes, but these officials are up to no good?"

When Alexander heard this, he knew that Solovyov, the pretty boy, did have some ideas. He was indeed a young man with a promising future that his father and Marshal Suvorov were optimistic about.

"You mean, someone wants to forge the imperial edict?"

"Not only forge the imperial edict, but also use a divisive strategy. Such people have extremely malicious intentions. Your Highness, this is what I am most worried about. Even if there is no coup, there will be no peace in the palace in the future!"

But Alexander's idea of ​​picking peaches is very clear. He is not very familiar with Solovyov and will not tell him too much about his true thoughts.

On the way to the banquet, he also thought about this problem. Before leaving, he told Louisa not to sleep too deeply tonight, so that if something happened, it would be better to take precautions.

If it was really a forged edict, the situation would be different. If they could launch a coup against Paul, they could also do it against him.

However, Alexander was an excellent actor. He would only give orders when decisions should be made. On weekdays, he was really confusing and confusing.