Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796

Chapter 66 016 Grand Duke Constantine’s old problems cannot be changed

Sylvia still has a lot of collections at her home. Solovyov stayed overnight and also visited some of her collections.

Even in the home of such an ordinary lord, you can see a lot of art, some of which are knock-offs of the works of famous painters. It is not surprising that there are imitations of works by Botticelli, Titian, Caracciolo, etc. , some paintings are also from an early age, and during the restoration process, those skilled painters also have some skills.

"Is this a counterfeit? I have to say, it's still very interesting. Italians really like to tell ancient pagan myths and stories in their paintings!"

"This is our history in Italy. The way you look at me is that I am different from you. You, a 'barbarian', actually love bathing so much."

"What's the matter? I live on Admiralty Island in the Admiralty District. The reason why my house is called Laundry Lane is that there are bathhouses and laundry rooms nearby. In front of it are the residences of nobles and the Russian American Company, where you can get supplies from the Americas. furs, especially precious sea otter skins.”

"Can you help me get the sea otter skin?"

"It's a small thing, it's just a little expensive, like the silk clothes you're wearing."

After Solovyov and Sylvia conducted military exercises, they were still very intimate. The silk underwear worn by this Italian girl was made of very fine materials. It should be European products produced in Como and other places in Italy. Produces high-end materials.

"It feels so good, and you're as beautiful as a Bernini statue."

"My hands and feet haven't turned into laurel trees, don't say that!"

"But I am not Apollo. Mortals will never be compared with gods. In polytheism, a person is considered a god, at least until he has made immortal achievements. Just like, the church treats some Canonization of the Martyrs.”

"If it were anyone else, he might not be so humble. I met General Bonaparte in Milan. When he spoke, he still had the accent of the Corsican island. This general was not humble at all. ”

"He has something to be proud of. After all, someone like General Bonaparte who can achieve great things is worthy of being proud. He went to Egypt probably to imitate Alexander, but sometimes he has to consider "Historical Process"

"That's right, and his wife looks taller than him, although that's because the general's head is wider."

Considering that after General Bonaparte became Emperor Napoleon, it is not difficult to understand the image of a fat Italian man with a big head, thick neck and a little belly. In fact, his portrait and beauty retouching work would not have been possible without Loeb. With Mrs. Lun's skills, the amount of work required to depict his early image was actually quite large.

"Is this what he looks like?"

"Well, he is still very handsome, but I am not very optimistic about his future image. After all, he is only 30 years old this year. I also met his brother Louis, and we unmarried girls were introduced to General Bonaparte. There are many young people among them who are arrogant and ignorant. Although Louis is a bit gloomy, I have a good impression of him.”

"Oh? What about General Bonaparte's wife?"

"She is a widow, but she is well maintained. She comes from the West Indies, but it is not the same island as the one you asked about when you caught the French soldier. Michele, didn't you say that your stepmother is from Guadeloupe? The wife of General Bonaparte is from Martinique, but only married ladies are allowed in her salon. I don’t know the details.”

"Okay, let's not talk about these things. I think we should get ready for bed."

The next day Solovyov came out of Sylvia's house and rode his white Austrian horse back to his station in Milan.

The Russian headquarters was still in Milan, but Suvorov took a small number of attachés and General Veloser to the Austrian camp ahead, followed by Bagration's column. The old marshal received information in the morning that the Austrian army The advancing Czech column encountered the French rearguard on the road. In order to eliminate this force, Suvorov decided to go to the front line in person. The distance was relatively close and he could observe the movements of the French army on the battlefield.

As for the task of meeting Archduke Constantine, he only sent General Rosenberg in Milan.

This impatient Grand Duke led the Guards to Italy and has not fought a single battle so far. However, the order given to him by Tsar Paul is very clear, which is to obey the orders of Marshal Suvorov.

He and Crown Prince Alexander respected the old marshal very much. After all, he was invincible wherever he went. No battle or fortified battle was failed. Constantine also wanted to learn from the old marshal before joining the army.

On a bridge in Milan, Archduke Constantine, who was galloping on his horse, saw General Rosenberg lined up and the grenadiers here.

"Your Highness, welcome to Milan. Your Excellency Marshal and Bagration's column have gone to the Austrian army. General Melas has encountered the French army and is currently fighting."

"It looks pretty good, General Rosenberg. If this continues, the French will be defeated soon."

"Yes, Your Highness, but now our troops, after half a month of marching and fighting, the brothers are very tired, especially the Guards troops led by you, who have been on the road all the time and are very tired."

"I know, but we didn't come to Milan to rest, but to fight!"

Grand Duke Constantine's problem is probably that he is impatient. Although he was a little impatient when he heard Suvorov's order, his father's order required him to obey orders. He had to coil up if he was a dragon and lie down if he was a tiger.

But his coming to the front line will make his wife feel more relaxed. After all, what this guy does sometimes is too wild. The princess of Saxony married here and was worried all day long. During this period of time, she can have a good reunion with her sister-in-law and several sisters-in-law.

Speaking of which, Solovyov's impression of this prince is not very good now. He is brave and resolute. As a soldier, he is a good soldier, but as a man, this performance is indeed far from mature.

Look at Alexander's performance. They are brothers, but the gap is still very large.

"Ah, Solovyov, why aren't you with Alexander Vasilyevich? The Jager Company is the guard assigned by my father to His Excellency the Marshal, but you are in Milan now!"

"Your Highness, you should know that soldiers must obey orders. His Excellency the Marshal wants me to follow the Moscow Grenadiers, not just to serve as his guard. Alexander Vasilyevich understands the performance of new weapons, and he thinks it is a waste for the Jager Company to stay as a guard!"

After listening, Constantine didn't say anything, but asked Solovyov's old partner Major von Bystrom to come over. According to the order of His Excellency the Marshal himself, the Guards Jager Battalion and Solovyov's company, as well as two scattered Jager Companies, formed a joint regiment.

The combat effectiveness of this small regiment is also considerable. On the way, the Tula Arsenal had already sparked when screwing in the screws, and then the Guards Jager Battalion was fully equipped.

However, Solovyov, as the designer of this weapon, had no idea about the performance of the weapon.

Russia's military industry was still a bit rough in this era.

Of course, Grand Duke Constantine also brought the unicorn cannon that was urgently needed in the battle. Tsar Paul had high hopes for the artillery, hoping that these terrible monsters could exert greater power on the battlefield.

However, considering the misfire rate of this era, the grenades they used were more likely to become solid bullets.

"Your Highness, there is another point. His Excellency the Marshal asked us to pay attention to the movements of nearby Austrian friendly forces while stationed in Milan."

What Rosenberg said was also true. The subsequent Austrian columns fell behind a lot during the march, while the Russian army's march from Verona to Milan was not so serious.

Constantine still wanted to fight, but he had to obey orders when he first arrived.

At this time, the Bagration column had assisted the Austrian army in blocking the Serurier Division. After a little resistance, the French laid down their weapons after negotiations, and more than 4,000 French soldiers were disarmed.

But Moreau ran away again. He had assembled 30,000 people this time, and it was not so easy to eliminate him this time. On the contrary, the Russian army sent Austrian General Bellegarde to the Alps to observe Massena's movements. The troops led by Kray advanced towards the Mantua Fortress, which was surrounded by water on three sides. It was impossible to hide inside and run away, but a part of the troops had to be sent to block the gate.

The battle continued, and Suvorov's choice was to continue to move westward to try to expel Moreau's troops, so that he could move farther and farther away from MacDonald who might return from southern Italy in the strategic maneuver.

"Your Excellency, Marshal, Moreau's army is now like a fox in the hunting ground. We only need to send out the hounds to catch his legion. Why do you choose to drive him away?"

"General Melas, our troops are now beginning to disperse. In the Italian war in 1796, and the French army we faced before, we also encountered this problem. You should also see that once the troops are divided, there is a danger of being defeated one by one. Therefore, I sent the recently arrived fresh troops, the Guards led by Grand Duke Constantine and the newly arrived cavalry troops, Put it in Milan, so that we can guarantee our core area. "

"What about the subsequent transfer?"

"If Moreau is unwilling to come back and bite, we can teach him a lesson. If he retreats like he is now, it is the situation we are happy to see. A fox forced into a corner will not always use its brain to save its life, but will turn around and bite back!"

Instead, he used the metaphor of Melas. The two veterans, who were 140 years old in total, were very old, but still quite patient and prepared to have a good talk with Moreau.

As for Grand Duke Constantine, he was eager to make meritorious deeds. He was definitely not satisfied with being left in the city after coming to Milan.

In this case, hunting activities should be arranged for him.

Soloviev has always been considered to have good marksmanship, so he followed Constantine to hunt.

And the target of hunting is the deer in the nearby mountains.

This time, Soloviev did not dare to neglect it, so he prepared horses and set off with the Grand Duke.

His impatience could not be changed in a short time, and he might have caused some trouble before he could curb his bad temper.

Anyway, although Solovyov heard from the tea parties of the grand duchesses that his second brother was very good to them, but not to his sister-in-law, and that he had no lover outside so far, but he went out to exercise every day, sounding like a character in the Water Margin.

Sometimes, Solovyov felt that his translation was a little off.

He also brought a set of manuscripts with him. In his spare time from fighting, he also had to start some translation work.

This was always more valuable than hunting deer all day long, and he had always been helpless about the hunting quirks of European lords.

Sylvia also saw this group of people coming, and also saw that the young captain was still here.

"Michele, why are you here?"

"His Royal Highness Constantine is here. Our noble Grand Duke of Russia, the commander of the Guards, is also a warrior. But because he has no battle to fight, he is leading his people to hunt deer on the hillside."

"This is not a good thing. My ancestors almost lost the Principality of Milan because they only knew how to hunt. But this happened more than four hundred years ago. You should use this example to dissuade His Highness."

"You don't know, Sylvia, he has such a bad temper that he won't turn back without some setbacks."

"The Grand Duke who 'follows Russian tradition' you told me about is this one, right?"

It was true that she couldn't hide it. This girl was a weirdo. "Russian tradition" was Solovyov's joking term. Now that Konstantin was so grumpy, she guessed it.

Solovyov just nodded. After all, it was not okay to say something publicly.

Constantine was actually granted the title and authority of heir by Paul, but the order was still strictly behind Alexander and his male legal heirs - but because Louisa gave birth to a girl, it had no impact.

Moreover, he himself had no idea about the throne and was only loyal to his brother and the chosen heir.

What Grand Duke Constantine needs to get rid of is his bad temper, and the unfortunate princess of Saxony who beats his wife at home every day. After being treated roughly by him, he always wants to run back to her natal family in Saxony. This kind of weird relationship between husband and wife , if word spread, it would be a kind of scandal for the royal family.

"It seems that there are noble people in Russia who are just as capable of causing trouble as the French!"

Sylvia's good impression of Russian aristocrats is probably that these officers at the Milan ball were generally polite.

But Constantine's appearance is just a fact stated, and it can be said that the impression has been half ruined.

"Yes, you will understand in the future that Russia is a magical place. However, I won't be here for too long, Silvia. I want to follow the Guards to chase the French. If I can see you again If so, I give this cross to you, and wish you good luck and find your happiness in the future.”

"Michele, you are really good."

The girl wiped her tears on the horse like this. She also knew that Solovyov would probably not come back to Italy.

"This snuff bottle is for you. I hope it will remind you of me when you use it."

"Ah, this is your family's logo. Of course I will not forget you. If there is a chance to travel to Italy, we may still meet."