Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796

Chapter 170 027 How to solve the financial difficulties? (Part 1)

Russia's tight money supply has been a problem since ancient times, especially during the Paul period.

Alexander is now sitting in the office of the Little Winter Palace, looking at the piles of official documents, and he really feels a headache.

In fact, it is not a problem of backlog of official documents. During this period, there was a coup and then a state funeral, and many etiquette issues had to be solved. Alexander suddenly felt a lot of pressure.

"No wonder my grandmother always wants to find a lover, and my father wants to use military training and talking to young women to comfort himself. The job of the emperor is uncomfortable for anyone."

The inner monologue cannot be heard by the outside world unless someone can read minds.

But at this time, the servant of the inner court handed a letter to him.

"What's going on?"

"Your Majesty, this is also your Majesty's family affair. It was arranged by Count Kutaisov before."

In Alexander's impression, although his father had a bad temper and was a little narrow-minded, he had very few known illegitimate children. He knew that he had an illegitimate brother, Semyon, who served in the navy, but disappeared in the Caribbean a few years ago and then there was no news.

As for how this cheap brother came about, Alexander didn't need to say it. With his habit of being quick-witted but lazy to think, he could see through it at a glance.

After having a mother, Paul was still very dedicated in this regard. Although he liked Nelidova more emotionally, if he really had any ideas, the lady would not always be so slim.

"This matter, um. I know. If the child is really born, it must be done according to the wishes of the emperor."

Alexander felt that it didn't matter if his father gave him two more brothers or sisters. Compared with other European monarchs, Paul knew that there were risks in having children with his wife, so he turned to find two maids. This was enough.

Compared with his grandmother and grandfather, Alexander looked at the separate order left by his father and the official document left by the Kurakin brothers, and signed it.

If the child survives after birth, he will be given the surname Musin-Yuriev, each with a village of 1,000 serfs and annuity. Alexander didn't even notice that he and Constantine had signed in February and had to reconfirm it after Paul's death.

"It's a headache. I need a capable civil servant to be the Secretary of State."

Alexander thought of Prince Saltykov, who was very easy for Paul to use.

But the young tsar himself hated this person. After all, he had a set of words and didn't have a good relationship with his confidants.

This confidant was Peter Volkonsky, the beloved nephew and heir of the old commander Solovyov. However, when he needed someone, Alexander decided to keep this person, but he still had to consider whether to make him the Secretary of State.

If Solovyov was here, he would use all kinds of knowledge to make jokes and make up for it. This would be a Petersburg crosstalk group.

"Don't think too much. Let's go to the Tavrid Palace. I want to see how Lisa is doing."

After all, he still has to rely on his wife to give birth to his children. And his wife is really beautiful, but her body is too thin.

"Your Highness is pregnant. Do you want to call Mrs. Naryshkina as well?"

"Of course, we are going to play mahjong too. It just so happens that Solovyov was sent by me to entertain the queen. I want him to come too. Play mahjong in the evening."

Soloviev is massaging Louisa's feet at this moment, but it feels like he is massaging a kitten's paw. Louisa's lazy look and blurred eyes are really charming. She really has a painful human flesh on her body. I just don't know why Alexander is with a Polish woman. You know, there are many people in the Guards who are crazy about the young queen. He himself looks more restrained and normal.

It's not surprising. He has cheated on her and is always by Louisa's side.

"Your Highness is almost asleep."

He loosened his hands and covered Louisa with a blanket, but found that little Natalia was sleeping again. The girl curled up at Louisa's feet, like a kitten kept at home.

There are too many cat-like little ladies and noble ladies in Russia.

The more reliable big Natalia was not feeling well today, so she asked for leave to rest in the maid's room. Solovyov could only bring Sofia Volkonskaya, who came from the Queen Mother.

"Sonia, Your Highness is asleep, you stay here for a while."

"Okay, go ahead."

Sophia knew that her cousin Peter was coming today, and she would be able to see her brother if she stayed here, and the major probably wanted to avoid suspicion, after all, he was sent by the emperor himself, and he couldn't stay in the palace all the time.

These girls were a little dazed when they were on duty, and Louisa was afraid of the cold, so the house was still heated with steam at this time.

It was a bit hot. The girls were weak, so it was not surprising that Natalia and Sonya, who were growing up, took a nap.

After all, it was cooler inside the yard. Solovyov went to the steamer to check the ship. If Alexander came, he would have to ensure that the steam engine was running if he wanted to observe the ship.

Alexander was a very kind person. There were no donkeys in the Tauride Palace, so he wanted to get two.

Solovyov still thought too much. When he went to check the steam engine, Alexander's driver had already arrived.

The young tsar actually brought his mistress to see his pregnant wife. The effect of this scene can be said to be very explosive. Of course, he still asked Marya Naryshkina to go to the palace assigned to him, and he went to Louisa first.

"Lisa, are you feeling better?"

"Your Majesty, why are you here at this time? I don't look good with my hair disheveled."

"The sleeping angel is also very beautiful. If you take off your clothes, it will look like Giorgione's painting."

Alexander's hand followed the curve of Louisa's body and touched her belly. At least the surface work was done well.

The current Naryshkina is not what will be mentioned in the future. Her relationship with Alexander is getting closer and closer, and she is very favored, surpassing Alexander's other known mistresses.

As for Solovyov, there was no need to burn the boiler. Peter Volkonsky came to the edge of the pond.

"Misha, His Majesty has asked you to come over."

Prince Volkonsky had a very high status and was an attendant general of the Imperial General Staff. He was always with Alexander. He came directly and saw Solovyov debugging the machine there.

"Pyotr Mikhailovich, you don't have to come in person, just send someone."

Solovyov was still very polite to the Prince Major General. After all, he was the nephew of his old boss, and his status was much higher than his own. He came in person, which indeed exceeded the specifications.

"If it is official business, I will send someone to call you over. This is the emperor's own business."

"Your Majesty's business?"

"Yes, if we want to play mahjong, we need someone to be our card partner."

"Then there's no need for me to go?"

"When we play with the emperor, we just fight randomly. You are an expert, so you can tell the emperor about this stuff."

Who knows how it became popular in the palace after Prince Bagration played mahjong that night.

Solovyov himself doesn't like to play mahjong. After all, he doesn't like gambling. Even though he is a good card player, he doesn't like to play poker or mahjong.

But Alexander asked him to play cards, and he had to go.

To be honest, Alexander really likes to enjoy himself. He is like a family with the two queens. His lack of pomp and beautiful words are all said in social situations.

As for meeting Alexander in person, Solovyov did not expect that he could bring his favorite mistress here openly.

This lady was indeed a physically strong beauty, like a living Greek statue, who seemed to be able to make the intimate companion of any admiring male if she thought of it.

The key point is that Louisa is still quite big, and with the blessing of her physical condition during pregnancy, there is a big gap between her and this pair.

"Solovyov, we are here to play mahjong. I know you know this, but we are not proficient in playing cards. You can introduce me."

In the mahjong set used by Bagration, the 400-digit tiles were changed into gemstones, but Alexander insisted on adding extraneous details and playing mahjong with the original style, so there was this set of ivory jewelry from the Peterhof Palace. The factory is also very hard-working. During processing, people who can write Chinese characters are specially asked to make molds.

After talking about the rules of mahjong, it’s time to start playing cards.

This kind of unlucky job also requires timely gags when the tsar and his mistress are flirting. To be honest, it is quite difficult and not a job that ordinary people can take on.

It's no wonder that Count Stroganov, who values ​​family life and is always inseparable from the Tsar, did not come today, nor did his cousin, who had always been by Alexander's side.

In order to facilitate hand-holding and intimacy, Alexander and Maria Naryshkina still sat next to each other, especially at this time when the Tsar himself was at home. Was he going to directly play a bullet against his lover?

Peter Volkonsky is not here either. He went for a walk with his cousin. There were some clues about the free love between the two of them starting from the end of 1800. The happiest people today are these current ones. .

If he fell asleep like Louisa, it would be okay if Alexander sang like this. It was really lively here now.

Solovyov sat opposite Alexander, and opposite Maria Naryshkina was Lieutenant General Count Tatishev. He was 62 years old. With such a high military rank, he was only the commander of the general regiment.

Such an old man is here, and he is always in good spirits when he plays whist.

Solovyov didn't even understand Alexander's employment strategy. When he saw him like this, only two words came to his mind - "faint king". Only after some setbacks could he change his temper. .

Of course, now at the poker table, the cards must be played well.

It’s just that the old man Tatishev is playing cards completely randomly. It can be said that they are just playing randomly. There is nothing they can do about it. After all, these are all novices. What they are playing now is more like "Hot Blooded Mahjong". It's just a blast.

What's more terrible is that there are bets when playing mahjong. Maria Naryshkina can win the cards no matter what, but the old lieutenant general and the young major cannot, especially the old man who plays randomly.

"I won again!" This lady used to be a maid in the palace, and was brought up by the Empress (because her pro-Russian father was hanged by the citizens of Warsaw), but she was so bold when she spoke.

"Okay, Madam Naryshkina, you won again. When playing cards, no matter whether it is paper cards or dominoes, sometimes you have to rely on luck."

"Really?"

"Your Majesty, you must believe me. There is a certain amount of luck in the back and forth. I always wanted to win, but the cards were all broken into pieces. This can't go on."

Of course, he only lost 3,000 rubles, but Alexander's bet was too high - among the four people at the table, only Solovyov insisted on walking around the streets, and the Tsar himself might not know as much about the prices outside as his sisters.

"You have to show your true ability, Solovyov. I am winning now, but you are an expert. You can't just have this ability."

"Your Majesty, that also depends on the cards."

"If you don't show your true ability, I won't have a good time today."

Speaking of which, the most similar thing between Alexander and Paul is that they like others to show their true ability. They are more serious when entertaining, and they were the same when playing cards before.

As for Mrs. Naryshkina, she deliberately fell on the mahjong table and used her chest to make a hand. Solovyov felt embarrassed when he saw it. Alexander's taste cannot be said to be bad, because this lady is very beautiful, but what she did was too arrogant.

"Your Majesty, then I have to 'confiscate the house'."

"What is 'confiscation of the house'?"

"Your Majesty, it means to take the house clean. I accidentally said a Chinese word. This is when the Chinese emperor punishes the guilty ministers, he will seal their official residences and then liquidate their property."

But in order to let Alexander experience it, he needs to perform more explosively when playing cards.

In this deck, the middle and white cards are represented by a double-headed eagle, a bull and a white board. Only the white board remains the same. As for the bull, the reason is very simple. The patron saint of Taurus represents wealth. There are many elite Romans and Greeks in Russia, the Third Rome. When carving the cards, Solovyov also took local factors into consideration. The wind cards are also represented.

"Well, you have to play a good game. If you win, I will reward you handsomely. If you lose, I will give you a hard job!"