Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796

Chapter 171 028 How to solve the financial difficulties? (Part 2)

Compared to Alexander's unpredictable temper, Paul's temper, which is like the wind in March, is easier to get along with. At least when he is happy, he can still make people around him feel comfortable.

Who knows if the Tsar himself will do something after losing the game today. In fact, his temper is still going with the flow.

Then it is Alexander's own time to make a mistake.

Especially Solovyov is lucky. When he touched the cards, he also encountered a big three.

"Your Majesty, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it, Solovyov, you won the card by order, and I have already said it in advance."

"Sasha, this handsome young major is an expert, you have to be careful."

Maria Naryshkina did not forget to remind Alexander that she was also careful just now. If she played the wrong card, it would be her turn to make a mistake.

Alexander's brain is very smart. He now recalled the rules that Solovyov talked about, and he is also paying attention to his playing rules.

It's not easy to win the game this way. Just now, it happened that I was lucky enough to get a big guy with a white bull eagle. I may not have such good luck in the future.

The unlucky person at the card table changed to the old lieutenant general, but it didn't matter if he was here to make a fuss. Alexander would compensate the loser some money later and forgive the gambling debt.

However, the one who was most happy to forgive the gambling debt was Prince Bagration. That night, he arrested the three officers who participated in the conspiracy, and he didn't have to worry about the money he lost. Although Alexander released these people because they were more or less his confidants, no one dared to mention the money.

Alexander still had to be happy when playing cards. He was naturally happy to win by his own ability, but he still admitted that he lost in a real fight.

"Sorry, Martha, I just need the card you played."

"Your Majesty. Oops"

He didn't delay when he should win the game. Before, Alexander directly played a lot of cards to feed the Polish girl, and won a lot back at once.

"It's okay, I will make it up to you. What do you like?"

"Your Majesty, I will tell you when the time comes."

"Well, let's continue playing."

At this time, it was time for Solovyov to show his true skills. He wanted to play a straight suit, but Alexander still found his routine.

You know, the young tsar who had not yet been crowned was very smart. He had been observing Solovyov's card strategy, especially after he won several times in a row.

It turned out that he liked to play a straight suit and a mixed suit. After being targeted, Solovyov also found that if he couldn't make a hand quickly, there would always be a break.

In the end, he gritted his teeth and wanted a big one. After he had the cards together, he played a gang on a flower.

"Playing mahjong is really fun, Solovyov, you really won the cards from the three of us."

"I'm sorry to make a fool of myself, Your Majesty, I'm just lucky, it's always like this when playing cards, but it's not the same on the battlefield."

"Yes, you've been to Italy, with Alexander Vasilyevich. Well, count how much you've won, I'll have a reward today, and the losers will be counted to me."

Soloviev calculated that he won more than 8,000 rubles tonight, which was not a big amount, and he had seen people lose more playing cards.

And Alexander forgave the old lieutenant general for losing, and he still owed Maria Naryshkina a little. As for how the two of them would make up tonight, it must be a night full of passion.

Considering that the palace where Louisa slept was far away, at least nothing would happen at night, and Louisa also knew that Alexander always needed to find comfort from young women in various places, and she herself had someone to accompany her at some time, although Alexander himself did not notice it.

Solovyov was going back to the cabin at night, but Alexander stopped him.

"Soloviev, if you win, isn't this a confiscation of property? I know you have some research on art. I think... when I need you in a few days, come to my office and I will assign you a task."

He was going to spend time with his lover and didn't want others to disturb him at night.

Solovyov went back to the cabin by himself, but he also leaned against the window to see Louisa sleeping.

In comparison, if it weren't for Alexander's own actions, this royal couple would not have the embarrassing situation in the court. It is obvious which party is responsible, but he is the Tsar after all, and he always has the final right of interpretation.

Confiscation of property is a solution to the current problem. Alexander himself has determined that the conspiracy group's behavior is regicide, but he has forgiven General Bennigsen, who is a foreign citizen, and Count Panin, who did not enter the final stage.

Even more unexpectedly, Count Panin had recently come to St. Petersburg and served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the responsible cabinet organized by Alexander himself.

However, Count von Palen, the Zubov brothers and some generals who directly planned this matter were severely punished in the end.

Before Alexander finally tried the members of the conspiracy, he also ordered the Guards to seal off these mansions and not allow anyone to take their property out.

When he arrived at the Tafrid Palace, he remembered that after the death of Prince Potemkin, his manager had committed theft. In the end, Paul was imprisoned for the crime, and the value of the property directly confiscated was already very high.

"Now that the country's finances are tight, what we have to do is to do two things. Melt some of the silver tableware and decorations from the palace and use them to mint silver coins. This is the first. We must ensure the market circulation of currency. This is the second. The third is to confiscate the properties of some nobles and businessmen who have committed serious crimes, but it cannot cut off their livelihood. After all, many people have many families. To ensure the livelihood of their families, some manors in the countryside are It can be kept.”

Although this house confiscation sounds like a temporary solution rather than a permanent solution, it is still very feasible, and if it is carried out in sections, it can always be added to the national treasury.

Solovyov was summoned to the Winter Palace by Alexander at this time to discuss this issue.

"Your Majesty, Solovyov has been ordered to come."

"Sit down, Major. I know you are quite knowledgeable about art, so I asked you to come over."

"I think at this time, it might be more appropriate to ask Madame Le Brun's son-in-law Pierre to come."

"The young painter with the beard? He married Julie and two girls. The lady herself might be more suitable. She has a strong appreciation of art and is a master of the Petersburg Academy of Art, but let famous painters participate It’s not appropriate for a foreigner to be involved in something like this. What’s more, she’s still in Moscow and hasn’t come back.”

"Your Majesty, there should be no problem if I go to check the accounts, and you know my origins."

"Yes, I know the origin of your family, which also has some effect. When my father was alive, he trusted you very much, so you went and confiscated the home of Peter von Paalen, a poisonous snake, for me!"

"But, Your Majesty, you must also consider that it was his son who arrested him."

"I know this very well, but I can't let him transfer his property. This regicide should be punished as he deserves! Also, Talyzin, the traitor, you must also confiscate his home!"

It was what happened in the Guards that ultimately led to Paul's assassination. Even under current review, there are too many people involved in such a major case as Paul's assassination.

Among those who participated in the conspiracy, many were wealthy nobles. Admiral de Ribas was found to have participated in the conspiracy, but he was already dead, so No. 1 Million Street was not included in the scope of the raid. among the list.

Count von Palen's official residence in Petersburg is indeed very large. In addition to this, there is also his manor in the countryside. Since his three adult sons have successively married single wives, they have not been implicated. Mainly It was also the result of Count Pavel himself catching the old father.

But they have also been suspended, so when the property is searched, some part needs to be left for them.

In terms of property, this is all trivial. More importantly, after sealing these official residences, what kind of explosive communications can be found from inside.

In particular, he conspired to bring Count Zubov back to Petersburg, and the letters he came into contact with the British played no role in the conspiracy. They were more valuable than the 800,000 rubles found in his home.

"These letters must be collected, without any damage, and classified into categories!"

But there is also the issue of artworks and how much of von Paalen's property will be confiscated to the treasury when the property is searched.

There was no other way, so he still invited Mr. Pierre Guerin and his old father.

Baron Sergey came here on crutches. He also admired the count's official residence and couldn't help but sigh.

"Emperor Paul has given him so many rewards, so he should keep to himself and not have such unreasonable thoughts. Misha, you must be loyal to the emperor and don't have unreasonable thoughts."

"Dad, don't worry. What Russia needs now is stability. If something big happens, everyone from top to bottom, nobles, commoners, and serfs will be involved in the disaster. Only stability and order can make things worse." Only when the people are peaceful will foolish rulers lead to war.”

"Yes, but where are the account books? If you ask me to come, I will definitely help you, and the master in charge will come to check the accounts."

"Dad, this is our housekeeping skill. You are here to see where the current accounts are related. To be honest, although the incident happened suddenly, it took two days to seal up the place. It is inevitable that some evidence will be destroyed.”

"I understand, son, it's a pity that you don't learn this craft. Now that I have a younger brother, I don't even have time to teach you. But no matter, old dad, I will write down all these experiences so that you don't need them in the future. If you have If you have a son, or your possible younger brother will grow up in the future, you can let him learn.”

"Dad, don't talk so much. What if there is another sister?"

"Then when Yulia gets married in the future, how about letting my uncle learn this skill?"

Baron Sergei thought so, and Solovyov, his son, was helpless.

But after he came to check the accounts, he saw that many of the inputs in the current accounts were related to some local businessmen, so he began to interrogate Count von Palen's butler.

The housekeeper regretted it very much. These two men were really powerful. The son dug three feet into the ground and wouldn't let go of a copper plate in the mansion. The father was even more fierce, even transferring accounts and outstanding debts. All were questioned clearly.

Prince Alexei Kurakin looked at the grandfather and grandfather and said that if Baron Sergei had not been lame, he should have come to the Minister of Internal Affairs as an assistant, or to the Attorney General, and there would be no mistakes in the audit.

Of course, some small tricks were left over from when their family was managing the property of Prince Menshikov's family in the past. Just relying on Arkhangelsk, Solovyov's grandfather was able to embezzle hundreds of thousands of dollars, and this was still discovered by Peter the Great.

Baron Sergei also remembered this lesson, and many of the methods used by the great tsar were also incorporated into it. It can be said that it was a one-stop operation without any loopholes.

Of course, the countess was more trusted by the queen, and her personal property was collected and not confiscated.

If all were seized, the gold coins of this family would have been millions of rubles.

And some nobles, merchants, and nobles who had colluded with the British, it is still unknown how much will be confiscated.

Count Nikolai Zubov was lucky because he was the son-in-law of the Grand Marshal, so only the property in his official residence was confiscated, and nothing in the manor was touched.

Count von Paalen's family came from Courland, and there were still a lot of property in his hometown manor. This required special notification to the governors of Lithuania and Courland to go to the countryside and dig up everything, but a lot was left accordingly.

Prince Alexei looked at the account book and called his cousin Prince Vasily, and their eyes were full of greed.

"There are so many regicides. Should we suggest to the emperor to confiscate a few more families?"

"Vassya, you are a born bastard. You are always thinking about calculating other people's property! The emperor will make his own judgment when the time comes."

Alexei knew that he was already very greedy, but he should be more restrained when doing work for the emperor. This cousin dared to touch anything, including robbing relatives' property by trickery. Greed is a fault, and greedy people are indeed disgusting. The eldest brother has never married and has illegitimate children. At the same time, we must also consider that the bulk of his family's property should be given to his younger brothers. Isn't this enough?

Even among the bad guys, people like Prince Vasily are indeed among the more despised bastards.

It took Prince Alexei Kurakin half a month to complete the confiscation of his property after he was finally registered. If you count it, this is also a considerable income.

If there were such a harvest every year, not only would the country's finances be improved, but even if they did a good job, Alexander could give them some rewards, which would be a considerable income.