Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796

Chapter 287 054 Hospitable Count Rostov

If it is placed in Moscow, it is obviously not appropriate now. Moreover, Russia has two capitals. The key dramas are still in St. Petersburg in this era, while Moscow is the stage for some old nobles.

Speaking of which, there are many nobles who did not enjoy the full family treatment even after the revolution. The main unlucky ones are the Russian royal family, excluding a few with a better reputation, who participated in the assassination of the evil monk, and those whose fathers ran away and left their children here.

And Solovyov knew long ago that Kropotkin was actually a nobleman, the kind with a very high status, and even now has a big house on Arbat Street.

But he was just passing by, and the time in Moscow was almost up, and he spent the whole August.

Count Bobulinsky was going to the manor in Tula. He could only take his entourage and hire a car from Moscow to Ryazan.

Fortunately, this section of the road is not far, and Ryazan is indeed close to Moscow, from the perspective of a country with a vast territory like Russia.

But this section of the road is also very long, especially when passing through some villages and towns directly under the jurisdiction of Moscow, you can feel that this place is not small.

"Russia is really big, boss."

"Yes, Belzoni, you can still use your strengths here, unlike in Italy, where the Franks and Alemanni fight all day long."

When many Russians see themselves as the "Third Rome", they will feel that some countries are indeed transformed from barbarians.

They don't consider their own barbarian attributes.

However, Solovyov also knows that his sister's best girlfriends in the girls' school, except for Lazareva, are the two children of the Komnenos family.

In this era, it is indeed a bit strange to be able to see the living descendants of the Eastern Roman royal family.

That was after the fall of Constantinople, the Komnenos family ran everywhere and established their own countries in Epirus and Trebizond, but they were too far away from Constantinople. Only the nearby Nicaea Empire finally recovered Rome and then began a long and weak rule.

"Boss, it seems that you have a lot of resentment towards those Alemanni people."

"It's like this. When we were marching in Italy, their supplies were always short of weight. The ones who helped us the most were the Austrian cavalry. Apart from this, there is nothing to say. I think you also hope that Italy is an independent entity, right?"

"I am not that interested in politics. I just want to make more money."

"Your point is very good. If you don't have power, but are interested in politics, it really doesn't make any sense. Look, it's in front. This is our family's manor. I haven't seen it for nearly ten years."

By the way, the last time he came back was the original Solovyov.

As for the situation in the manor, it is indeed very comfortable, but although the main building is solid, it looks a bit dilapidated on the surface.

"Boss, your father made so much money, but he didn't know how to paint the walls?"

"This house is habitable, and it looks like this from the outside. It's very solid inside. You'll know it after you go in."

The reason is actually very simple. When this manor was built, it was originally an annex to Prince Menshikov's huge manor, where his minions lived. Now most of it has been nationalized.

For the Solovyov family, it was lucky that their house in Ryazan was just outside the confiscation area.

Therefore, they were able to keep the manor, as well as the lumber mill and brewery here.

After entering the interior, Belzoni was still quite surprised.

"Sure enough, all the good things are inside. Whose portrait is this?"

"It's Queen Anna. We all call her 'the local rich man of Courland'. To be honest, her taste is really not very good."

Obviously, the Solovyov family often complained about Queen Anna. Ivan V's branch finally messed up everything and triggered a coup.

Even worse was Queen Anna's bad taste and her gossip-mongering.

In fact, among the Russian empresses, only Elizabeth Petrovna and Catherine II were okay. The former was a puppet of Menshikov, and the other was also at a low level.

In the world, perhaps only the rank of marshal of Tsarist Russia was filled with nobles, making this highest rank look like a fake.

Letting Rumyantsev and Suvorov join this rank effectively raised the average age and increased the value of the Russian Imperial Army Marshal.

"Master, you are back."

"Ah, Uncle Sergei, are you okay here?"

"After the master, the lady and the eldest lady left, this place has been left to us to take care of."

"Arrange the rooms. This Mr. Belzoni is the engineer I hired. And Adela is the maid I hired in Paris. Let them live well."

"Master, when will the master come back?"

"There are too many things in Petersburg. Hasn't our family been acting as a broker for the masters?"

"Yes, Master, the master also wrote to me, saying that the lady has added a young master and a young lady to the family."

"Well, maybe my father will come back next year. This place can't be left unattended all the time. A new factory needs to be built next to the brewery. I still need to discuss this with the local noble leaders."

"Master, are you talking about Count Ilya Rostov?"

Although he already knew, Soloviev still wanted to confirm it.

"I heard about that Count in Moscow. He is a good man who often entertains guests. How many children does he have?"

"Four, two sons and two daughters. By the way, this Count has visited before."

"Oh?"

Soloviev still needs to get intelligence and find out the situation of Count Rostov's family.

He doesn't work here by relying on a book or being familiar with history.

"This master is really a good person. He is very concerned about the masters of various families who are not at home, and he also hopes that the master or the young master can come to his house to attend the banquet. There is even a new banquet invitation."

At this point, the uncle handed a new invitation to Soloviev.

"Interesting, this count even thought of inviting us, who are often away from home."

Speaking of which, in terms of title, Count Rostov's rank is higher, and in terms of personal status, local noble leaders are also worth making friends with, especially such kind-hearted noble lords, who are relatively rare.

"It will be two days later, but the distance is not too far."

Soloviev saw the place written above, between Mikhailovsky and Ryazan, and their family is in the southernmost part of Ryazan Province.

On the way back, they passed there.

"Uncle, prepare the carriage, we still have to go. I just don't know what their family's requirements for guests are?"

Obviously, Soloviev has a small problem, that is, when he goes out to eat, he always likes to bring his entourage with him, even servants.

"Well, it doesn't matter, even if servants and serfs go, their family will also warmly entertain them. They are really a family of good people."

Of course, such a family is also prone to doing things based on their own enthusiasm, and sometimes they can't tell good from bad.

But you have to go to Count Rostov's house to see the real situation.

Count Rostov's reception is also very famous in Ryazan Province, and even high-ranking officials often visit.

Shishkov had been serving in the army during Paul's time. He became a general in 1800. Later, he was dismissed from his post and returned to his hometown in Ryazan because of "untidy clothes", but he also encountered problems.

For a nobleman, he sent a petition to Alexander, hoping that he could take up a public office because of his poor economic situation and the hope to take up a public office to serve.

So, he became a high-ranking official.

Solovyov did not expect that a retired general could serve as a high-ranking official by writing a petition. The reason for being approved by Alexander was probably related to the punishment he received during Paul's time.

Sometimes you really can't guess Russia with common sense. When Solovyov came to Count Rostov's manor, he also saw the carriage of the high-ranking official himself.

"Hello, I am Baron Mikhail Soloviev, the eldest son of Baron Sergei, the current head of the Selenge Regiment and the staff of the Governor of Smolensk."

"Ah, it's the son of the baron of Lannenberg, young master, welcome here. If you want to see our master, he is in the living room."

As for the characteristics of Count Rostov, he has white hair, a fat body, and looks old but kind.

"Hello, Ilya Andreevich."

Soloviev's clothes are easy to recognize, and it is rare for a young officer in Ryazan Province to wear three medals.

He also has a medal issued by the Kingdom of Sardinia, which makes it easy to identify.

"You must be Misha, the son of Sergei Osipovich. Although I have never met you, I know you are a wonderful person when I see you."

"Am I famous in the province?"

"You are still very promising. You have become the head of a regiment at a young age. I think you will have a bright future. But when we come here, we just live happily and enjoy the banquet."

"Thank you, but I think..."

"You are Mikhail Solovyov, who served as a servant to the emperor?"

As for the high-ranking official here, in terms of status, among the nobles around him, only Count Rostov, as the leader of the nobles, does not need to salute him.

This high-ranking official was dismissed. Solovyov heard about it when he was with Tsar Paul. When he was the head of the 19th Jager Regiment, he was inexplicably punished by the Tsar himself.

His tone didn't seem to be friendly to him. The reason he didn't have any hostility was probably because he was Alexander's aide-de-camp before. If he wrote a petition with this identity, he could still make the senior officials drink a pot.

After all, the "poor" nobles who served in local positions would more or less aim to make money, and they have been performing traditional Russian dramas.

"Yes, senior officials."

As long as you see his epaulettes, you can know that the Russian rank table is still more convenient to recognize others, including those unlucky little civil servants.

However, Solovyov is calculated according to the civil service level. He is not a ninth-class civil servant or a small civil servant for ten thousand years, so he will not be scared. Instead, senior officials will be more afraid of this young officer who came from the side of the Tsar himself.

"Your family is in Lannenberg, but you often live in Petersburg."

"Yes, because of my position and my father's business in Petersburg."

"Well, we have all heard that the Solovyov family is very reliable as a housekeeper, but very cunning as a businessman."

"It seems that everyone knows that our family is a 'profiteer', which is not very funny, sir."

"Yes, you must have something to do when you return to Ryazan."

"We need to build a pen factory and a canning factory. The former is Count Bobulinsky's business, and my father is the manager. The canning factory is completely military supplies, which is very good here in Ryazan. We don't need to speak French like in St. Petersburg and Moscow."

"So, what are the main products of this military supply factory?"

"We make food that can be stored for a long time, put it in glass or iron cans, and supply it to the front-line troops. In this way, we don't need the Austrians to provide us with supplies, and we can carry a lot on our carts."

Speaking of which, the Russian army is still very impressed by Austria's usual pig teammate behavior.

"That's a good thing, but where should it be built?"

"I think it's more suitable in Lanenberg. It's more convenient to recruit people there, and it's close to the county town."

"Well, that's indeed convenient for management. You can find your own relatives and housekeepers to supervise."

"It's indeed a good thing, Dmitri Semyonovich, so you don't have to worry about the army's supplies. You know my son is going to the Hussars now. It's always not easy for soldiers to go out. No wonder there are always people who envy the artillery."

The reason is that homemade food can be carried on the artillery carriage.

"Go to the Hussars, your son?"

"Yes, my son Nikolai is going to the army. He is 19 years old this year, which should be younger than you."

Speaking of it, they can all match up, and it is indeed Count Rostov's family.

But his children are not in the living room at the moment, and the protagonists of this banquet should not be them.

Moreover, as a hospitality for nobles, local nobles all came to Count Rostov's manor for socializing.

It's just that entertaining guests like this often will always face financial problems, but the count is hospitable by nature and doesn't care much about this, so we can only let him do it.

This family is all good people, but they always like to do things according to their own interests, which is indeed more troublesome.