"Tsarskoye?" Fran was stunned. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

"Yes, it's Tsarskoon." The Praetorian Guard officer nodded patiently with full style. "In the near future, our royal family will be reunited there, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has specially invited you to come there as guests to add glory to the royal village."

"Yes......" Fran mused, she didn't know what to answer.

"Your Highness said that when I met you before, he wanted to entertain you with Russian hospitality, and he also wanted you to leave some paintings for him here." Seeing that the other party was still a little hesitant, the officer continued to bow with a smile on his face, "Your Highness, he wants to keep his promise, and he sincerely expects you to give him a chance to fulfill his promise." ”

Fran glanced at Mary next to her again.

Mary didn't speak, but shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, as if to say, "Why not?" ”。

She thought about it, and there really was no reason to refuse the kindness of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Alexander—she had only come here to be a messenger anyway, and everything was beginning in Count Bezukhov's hands, and she needed nothing more than to wait quietly, and no one needed her to do anything else.

At least on the surface, she had come to visit Petersburg, and had played the role so well, wandering among the palaces, churches, and places of interest in Petersburg during this time, as any tourist interested in Russia.

It is precisely because she is playing such a role that it would be too strange to refuse the invitation of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and not go to the most glorious places in Russia.

"Well, I'm glad I was so well received by His Highness...... "Finally she agreed." I never thought I would have the privilege of seeing your court, and I was thrilled and apprehensive about it. ”

"You don't have to be nervous, Your Majesty and Your Highness are very tolerant and sensible people, and they will never let a beautiful lady like you suffer any trouble, you can rest assured." The Praetorian Guard officer was in debt again, "You can continue with your booked trip today, and I can take you there tomorrow." ”

"Thank you." Fran bowed to him as well, and then, with a large number of his own salutes, hurried back with Mary to his lodgings.

Upon returning to the Bezukhov family's estate on the outskirts of the city, Fran and Marie relayed the invitation they had received to Count Bezukhov.

Being invited by the Russian court was beyond her plans and surprised the old count.

"Sorry...... I didn't expect such a thing to happen......" Fran said apologetically, "I didn't expect His Highness Alexander to come to me." ”

"It's not surprising, we Russians are always very courteous to people like you, the court just likes European celebrities, you are beautiful and educated, and you are from a famous family, it is normal for you to be favored by the court, isn't it? Besides...... His Royal Highness seems to be intent on using you to spread a message to France, and he is even more deliberately trying to curry favor with you. Count Bezukhov was not angry, but quickly accepted the result, "Besides, we promised you a pleasant trip to Russia, wouldn't it be nice to be able to visit Tsarskoye Village?" ”

"Since that's what you're saying...... Then I'll just go there, I'm really curious about it. Fran nodded.

"Just have fun and have fun, I'm trying to get the final work done here - at the current pace, it won't be a few days before you can figure out your journey home." The old man laughed softly, "You will be able to say goodbye to its terrible steps before the unpleasant depths of winter fall." ”

"That's great!" Fran was overjoyed, although she was warmly received in Russia, but with the passage of time, she naturally became homesick, and the winter was getting closer and closer, the weather in Russia was really palpitating, so she wanted to go back for a long time, but she didn't dare to tell others because of the situation, so she had to hold it in her heart, and now she was very happy to hear the earl say this.

"Did he ask me about Alexander when you met him before? Did you say anything weird? Count Bezukhov asked suddenly.

Fran was a little surprised, then thought for a moment and recalled her conversation with Crown Prince Alexander that night, because His Royal Highness had made such an impression on her that she could recall most of their conversations, even though they were dancing at the time.

Alexander was as arrogant as the world usually thinks of royalty, but on the surface it was polite. Perhaps because he has been educated by the emperor since he was a child, his words have a strong sense of self-confidence, as if they cannot be questioned by others, but because he has received enough education since he was a child and has begun to have experience in governing the country, what he said has some truth.

It's snarky, but it makes sense.

"He did mention you and said something that didn't quite agree with you." Fran gathered her thoughts, and then relayed to the count the words of Crown Prince Alexander that night.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince believed that in order to be as rich as Britain and France, given Russia's geographical endowment and climatic conditions, it was necessary to seize warm areas and access to the sea, participate in world trade, and extract wealth from it, and believed that he and the Romanov royal family were the only options that could lead Russia on this path, and that any other liberal rhetoric was just a demagogic lie.

"Is that what this guy thinks of us? Stupid and ridiculous! Count Bezukhov sneered, "He says we're demagoguery? He's demagoguery! He has forgotten the greatest injustice, but wants to whet our appetite with an illusory future! ”

As if his anger had not subsided, the Count stood up suddenly, and paced the room with a grunt, creaking on the floor.

"Yes, he is using the illusory future to deceive everyone, and in reality, the people want bread and freedom and they ignore it! They've been doing this for 50 years and will continue to do so! I've seen them all! ”

Then he looked up coldly at Fran, "Mademoiselle de Treville, I beg you not to be deceived by his words, for this is only a Machiavellian-de-Machiavellian--how can a royal family have mercy on his people in the future if it does not sympathize with its subjects even now?" All its promises are only to make everyone close their eyes and dedicate their loyalty and wealth to it, and everything that Alexander and you and others have depicted, the Near East and the Far East, all the outlets to the sea, are only to satisfy his personal desire to expand his territory, and yet he deliberately dresses up as the needs of the people! Even if the Russians used their lives to help him and his descendants expand to the entire sea of stars, would he give up the oppression of the entire nation? No! He will only let the people shed blood and sacrifice for him, help him get those things he dreams of, and then continue to deceive, persecute and oppress our pathetic nation! ”

After venting like this, he slowly calmed down and sat down again.

"I'm sorry, miss, but I'm just very angry at his words. The insatiable greed of the Romanov family will only lead this nation into a never-ending struggle with other peoples, and we will not be able to get wealth in a pool of blood, let alone the well-being of the people, so you should not believe a word of his words. ”

"Don't worry...... I'm not going to change my mind because of his words. "I don't know much about your country's conditions and political system, so I won't use my own opinion to influence anything...... For me, it's good to do my duty. ”

"That's fine! At least you're loyal. The Count smiled bitterly, "It's not like Natasha, who is really bewitched by this set of ghosts. I'd rather she be as loyal as you are than she betray me for her little thing! ”

"He also told me about Natasha...... He asked me how Natasha was doing. Fran whispered.

"What? So how do you answer him? The Count was a little surprised.

"I just told him I hadn't seen Natasha and that she seemed to be recuperating at home because she was sick." Fran replied with a smile.

"Great, that's it!" The Earl clapped his palms, pleased with Fran's proper answer, "I wish you a pleasant journey in the Tsarskoye Village, and I think that with your wisdom, you will definitely be able to make sure that you are a fish in water there, and even His Majesty the Tsar will probably be amazed by your beauty and talent." ”

"It's really embarrassing for you to compliment people like this." Fran was still smiling.

Thus, the next morning, Fran and Mary were re-seated in the carriage of Count Bezukhov's family to the railway station in Petersburg, where they were greeted by the Janissary officers, who had been waiting there, and put them on the train to Tsarskoye Village.

Located on the southern outskirts of St. Petersburg, Tsarskoye has been the favorite residence of the Tsars since Catherine the Great, and it is also a frequent meeting place for the court and nobles, and the entire upper class of St. Petersburg will use it as the center of activity in summer and autumn until winter.

Because of this, in 1837 a railway was built between Tsarskoye and St. Petersburg, the first railway facility in the entire Russian Empire.

At the invitation of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Alexander, Fran and Mary took the train that day to the small railway station outside the Tsarskoye Village.

Since only the nobles had the right to come here as visitors, the carriages of the train were very spacious and comfortable, which made them feel the warmth of the Russians from the beginning.

And this place, which is full of unique Russian customs and Western European court culture, has also welcomed its new guests in silence. (To be continued.) )