Chapter 97 047 The Farce Performed by the Military Committee

Chapter 97 047 The Farce Performed by the Military Committee

Chapter 97 The Farce Performed by the Military Committee

After the ball, Solovyov was asked by his stepmother whether he had any feelings for the countess at 7 Million Street.

"Misha, look at her. Although she is a little short, she has a plump figure, a delicate and lovely face, golden hair, and gem-like eyes."

"Well, don't talk about this anymore. She took the initiative to invite me to dance yesterday because she needed my help. Before this matter is confirmed, I have to help her investigate the other party. You may have to keep it secret from you because this is something that should be told between friends. She is so rich and has a high family background, and she can't be with me. Just like I told you on the way home, I spent a few nights with a noble lady from the Visconti family at her home, but because it was during the expedition and Italy was far away from here, this was also impossible."

It was fine when the lady could only speak French, but after she adapted to Russia, she became noisy and wanted to marry any girl she saw to Solovyov.

Especially the appearance of "Little Goblin" is so good, but it's a bit ridiculous.

"That's right, but you are also a major in the Guards. Maybe you will become a new noble in the future. At that time."

"Okay, stop talking. I understand your thoughts. As the mistress of this family, even though Yulia and I are not related to you by blood, we still have to make arrangements for our future. You don't have to worry. Father is working for Count Bobulinski now. He is the emperor's only brother. Neither of us need to worry too much about the future."

This is indeed the case. From the time when the count was favored in the court before he was given the title until 1917, the family's glory in Russia lasted for more than a hundred years. Although this backing was not the strongest in Russia, it was still relatively long-lasting.

"I know, but someone asked me about you, but I think those families are not well-off, and they are all common people."

"Like the French Third Estate?"

At this point in time, it is too early for Solovyov to talk about this.

However, he has no plans to get married or even engaged in the short term, so he has to persuade his family not to have any contact in this regard recently.

This also made the Baroness temporarily give up this idea and shift the topic back to jewelry and salons.

"Yes, it might be more interesting to socialize with merchants and citizens, which is different from the court and the salons. Maybe it's because I come from the West Indies."

"What you are looking for is a free living environment. St. Petersburg is fine for this. If you go to the countryside, I'm afraid you will be suffocated. Russia is so big. Also, near Pavlovsky, there is a small village that the emperor has arranged for me. I have to find someone to visit it every year."

If we follow the spirit of chivalry, then Tsar Paul, who had recently become Grand Commander, was keen on instilling chivalry into the nobles, and had implemented many new regulations in Russia, some of which were newly granted to officers in these villages, just like feudal fiefdoms.

This made Solovyov wonder sometimes whether Tsar Paul had the same hobby as Wang Mang. I shouldn’t have translated this part.

After he returned from his trip to Italy and Switzerland, he began to translate the subsequent content. The manuscripts he had already prepared on the way were sent to the "Petersburg News" and then began to be serialized.

However, considering his identity as a Guards officer, it would be unlikely for the editor to urge him to submit the manuscript even if he wanted to, and it had to be delivered through the Stroganov family's official residence at 17 Nevsky Avenue.

During this period, he also had to reorganize the troops as the new battalion commander and require the 1st Battalion itself to strengthen military training.

However, his approach is not just about queuing, but also about doing some fancy moves.

Some veterans agreed with this point. After all, he wanted 24 Guards soldiers to come out for training in line with guns, which was a sure thing because there were no bayonets, so it was easier than the Cossacks wielding knives.

However, Solovyov did not give it to the Tsar immediately after doing so. Instead, it became a way for the old guards to pass the time.

It can also save some officers from thinking they have nothing to do and running out to play, causing trouble.

After all, as a young battalion commander who rose to prominence through military exploits, this ability is very suitable for him to use to shut others up.

And this year's end is not boring either. In addition to arranging the marriages of the two grand duchesses around Christmas, there is also the questioning of General Korsakov.

Many people from the Military Committee participated in this questioning. St. Petersburg, like Vienna, also had a Military Committee, but since they were usually farther away from the battlefield than their Austrian counterparts, their interference was not as great.

But if the generals on the front line made stupid moves, there was nothing they could do.

This is why the Russian Military Committee often initiated such investigations when the Russian army was defeated by armies other than the Turks and Persians.

Korsakov still had some connections in the court, and one thing that was in his favor was that the Field Marshal himself was still in Bohemia. Although Russia had withdrawn from the anti-French alliance, the main Russian corps were still wintering around Prague, and only some of the vanguard troops had returned to the Russian border.

However, his connections this time involved old Count Palen.

"Go find Madame Chevalier and ask her to put in a few good words for you, and then this matter will be easy to handle. In the meantime, you also need to find Count Kutaisov. This 'Turk' is the Emperor's Secretary of State after all, and everyone knows them."

When Korsakov heard this, he roughly understood what the count meant.

The committee’s questioning is one aspect, but relationships among close ministers are also very important.

This is a Russian specialty and you have to try it.

Before the committee's questioning began, he had at least avoided severe punishment through his activities with Madame Chevalier, but how to speak during the necessary questioning was still a problem.

He was ready to blame it on Marshal Suvorov's order in early September: "Find and defeat the enemy!"

And he also planned to say this at the Military Committee meeting.

However, Paul's attitude was very clear, that is, Grand Duke Constantine, Colonel Komarovsky and those adjutants must participate, but only as observers.

Here, Solovyov also met his old superior, Prince Dmitri Volkonsky.

"Misha, we all know you've done a good job. With my health, I guess the emperor won't let me go back to lead the troops. You and Beijia should do your part well. My nephew was recently transferred to His Highness's side, so you've done a great job."

The prince's health was really poor, and he didn't want Solovyov to help him sit down. "Today's meeting was about the Battle of Zurich. You were in Switzerland at the Field Marshal's headquarters. Do you know what orders were issued at the time?"

"I know this. I was the adjutant on duty at the time. The Grand Marshal asked the troops in Zurich to assemble and prepare to fight the enemy."

Before he could finish, Tsar Paul and old Prince Saltykov came to the conference room. This venue was in the Military Academy. It was originally the palace of Prince Menshikov. After the fall of that prince, it was idle for a long time and was later converted into a military academy.

What he said is no longer important. What matters now is the attitude of the Tsar himself in presiding over this committee.

At this time, Solovyov had to stand behind Grand Duke Konstantin again. Those sitting in front of him were all generals and above. Although Prince Saltykov had retired for more than 20 years, he had the rank of field marshal because of his seniority and status in the court.

It is so funny in Russia that a marshal is not necessarily the best fighter. The rank of field marshal is poisonous, especially the field marshal during the Russian Empire period.

Prince Menshikov had been exiled, Anton Ulrich had been released from prison, and his entire family was imprisoned in Arkhangelsk, but Suvorov was fine now. He was the only person in Russia who had been awarded this honorary military rank purely because of his military achievements, but there was no guarantee that there was no conspiracy in the court.

For example, when old Count von Paaren was planning with the Zubov brothers, he did not like to involve Nikolai Zubov. No matter how far they severed their relationship, he was still Suvorov's son-in-law.

Moreover, this person is outspoken and will easily start talking nonsense after just taking a few sips.

Therefore, he did not involve Nikolai Zubov too much. The plan against Marshal Suvorov this time was also part of a chain conspiracy. He wanted to use the questioning of the Military Committee to sow discord with the previous local rebellious groups under the banner of the Marshal.

This conspiracy was very useful in sowing discord between Paul and the officers of the local and Baltic systems brought by Suvorov.

And what he said has really worked now. Paul frowned. Now when talking about this issue, Korsakov did say the same thing.

Even Prince Vladimir, who was in Zurich at the time, could not cover up this fact, as the written order of the Field Marshal was indeed true.

"If that's the case, then the question is, is it still under the order of the Grand Marshal?"

At this point, there was no way to avoid it. Solovyov saw this situation. Although he had the lowest rank among the officers present at the scene today, he could also speak.

"Your Majesty, I was the officer on duty in the legion from Italy to Switzerland when this order was issued. The Field Marshal did issue this order, but his orders were always very concise and required the liaison officer who delivered the order to dictate the details."

Count von Paalen wanted to stop him from speaking, but Paul thought it was okay to speak.

"Count, although this major has the lowest seniority, he can speak, and the person concerned can still be trusted."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Let me continue. The liaison officer sent at that time was the Cossack officer Maximov. When he delivered the order, he also clearly requested that the troops be concentrated to avoid being defeated one by one by the French."

When he said this, Solovyov could clearly feel that Korsakov's face was a little panicked.

He didn't expect that the soldiers Paul sent to work today were all from the Guards Regiment, and that the battalion commander had come back with Grand Duke Constantine and was the officer on duty at the time.

"Constantine, is there such a thing?"

"Father, when the Grand Marshal issues an order, he does ask the officer on duty to record it and also to give the liaison officer the details."

Regardless of whether this matter is true or not, this brings us back to the deployment at that time.

As a general who participated in the war in Zurich, Prince Vladimir can explain this matter clearly. If Prince Gorchakov also came back, he would definitely testify to this matter.

Korsakov only spoke part of his words, but the actual content also included communications from Archduke Karl to him, which put forward requirements for the deployment of the troops, as well as orders for the Austrian army to cover the mountainous area behind.

The problem finally lies with Korsakov. Tsar Paul did not punish him. He asked him to serve as the commander of the cavalry regiment in the rear, but it is unlikely that he will return to the front-line troops in the future.

In this way, the buried mine was removed, and Marshal Suvorov escaped the disaster, but von Paalen did not stop the estrangement between Paul and his two sons.

Moreover, at present, as both daughters-in-law have just given birth and are recuperating, it is just the right time to intervene.

Although Solovyov was on duty in the palace, he did not pay attention to the possibility of these conspiracies. It was unlikely that he would be able to crack a conspiracy group in the last period of time of the year, as the whereabouts of these people were very secretive.

He was on duty in the Winter Palace all day. He was not at the Guards Headquarters or the regimental barracks, but was strolling around the palace all day.

This kind of life will continue for some time, and he is actually far away from those in the conspiracy group.

Apart from hearing the two earls' plans at the palace at the beginning, there was no further progress.

As the battalion commander of the Guards, his main task was not to fight, but to protect the safety of the Winter Palace and the entire royal family including the Tsar.

He also made new security arrangements. In addition to the obvious sentry posts at the door of the Tsar's bedroom, he also prepared a secret sentry of the Guards.

On a daily basis, a cavalryman from the Pavlograd Hussar Regiment or the Cuirassier Regiment would guard the gate, and outside the gate there would be a Guards soldier to guard the gate and be responsible for security.

This secret sentry was only deployed by the 1st Battalion of the Guards Regiment. They squatted at the door of the Tsar and the door of the Crown Prince to ensure the safety of the palace.

If the visible sentry is killed, the hidden sentry can also launch a counterattack against the attacker and sound the alarm.

If the alarm was received, the Tsar himself could move to other rooms through the porch of the Winter Palace.

There are hundreds of numbered rooms in the Winter Palace. It is not possible to search them one by one. At this moment, the guards loyal to the Tsar and the grenadiers outside the palace have come to protect the emperor.

(End of this chapter)