Chapter 8: Playing Backgammon
"This... This kid is really... You really want to be angry with me!! β
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, you should dissipate your anger first..."
Razumovsky hurriedly pressed the Empress up and down on the back with his palm, because there had been a time when the Empress had fainted due to excessive anger and had caused a stone displacement, and this kind of thing could not happen again.
"Tell me, is he going too far? HeβHow dare he mention me... I can't give birth..."
The Empress sobbed in her lover's arms.
"Yes, yes, it's him, it's all the damn French, okay, don't be angry"
"What an infuriating bastard! Alas..."
This time, Peter stabbed several shocking scandals in a row, including when Empress Elizabeth was still a minor, her mother Catherine I was ready to marry King Louis XV of France, but Louis XV looked down on her and decisively rejected the marriage. As a result, Elizabeth, who was originally the most beautiful, tallest, and most decent and intelligent of the three sisters, had been in the boudoir for many years, but now she has not been officially married, so she has to put her sister's son Peter in the position of heir. And the former French imperial physician not only assassinated Catherine and wanted to push Louis XV's daughter to Peter's crown princess, but also secretly drugged Empress Elizabeth in the name of healing, causing her to be unable to have children from then on. The Empress was hated for what the French were doing, and at that time France was allied with Russia's old enemy, the Ottoman Empire, which almost led to the complete severance of diplomatic relations between the Empress and France.
As a result, as a result of this terrible conversation, Peter and his wife were almost bombed back to St. Petersburg, but thanks to the persuasion of Razumovsky, they were allowed to continue their inspection, but they left Moscow a whole day late, because the Empress said: 'I can't help but get angry at the thought of going with him!' βγ
Without the empress interfering again, Peter scattered the flowers, and along the way he either ran out of the car and led the dog around, or went to the back of the convoy to play with the big black bear in the cage, and his wife Catherine had to read a book in the car alone to relieve her boredom.
After leaving Moscow, passing through Tula, Lipetsk, Voronezh, the convoy is about to reach Kursk, which is the hometown of Razumovsky.
Doremi! Mi Lai Do! Domi, Domi!
That afternoon, Peter was bored and began to play the violin in the car.
In fact, after discovering Peter's musical talent, Guo Zijing has begun to practice the piano, which has been invented less than 100 years ago. At this time, the piano was only popular in the courts of its native Italian countries, few musicians played in France, Austria and Germany, and the world-famous piano composers and performers Mozart and Beethoven had to wait until 30 years later to be born. However, because the piano was too bulky to carry, Peter had to play the violin to relieve his boredom.
"Your Highness, with your musical talent, you can make the court musicians of Austria and France ashamed!"
Catherine put down the book in her hand and said approvingly to her husband.
"Hah, yes, I think so."
Peter pursed his lips and said noncommittally.
"It's a pity, this is Russia, it's the Russian Empire under the autocratic Empress Elizabeth, which round will I use my talent?"
"Your Highness, don't say that, if heard... But I still admire you from the bottom of my heart, if only this innate musical talent could be given to me."
"Haha, hahahaha, your joke is funny."
"I mean really, Your Highness!"
Catherine glared at him.
"I'm not talented, I'm stupid, I do everything wrong, so I can relax when I play the violin, and music can make me forget my troubles..."
"I'm really sorry Your Highness, but it was my words that upset you..."
Ekaterina said apologetically.
"No, no, it's none of your business, it's just fate... In the Emperor's House, what can you do as you wish? Okay, I'll keep playing."
"Okay, I won't bother you anymore, Your Highness..."
"Hey, what kind of book are you reading? I find that the books you read are very thick kinds, and it gives me a headache just thinking about it."
"It's Voltaire's... I'm also learning from Your Highness, you just pass the time."
Ekaterina struggled to make a sweet smile emoji.
"Well, sure enough, we're all bored... Otherwise, let's play chess, shall we? β
"Playing chess? But I don't know how to play chess, Your Highness."
"Oh, peace of mind, it's not chess"
Peter said with the corners of his mouth upturned.
"Hey, get a pen and paper"
He opened the window and said to the attendant.
"What kind of chess is that?"
Faced with his bewildered wife, Peter took the thick rectangular letter paper and used a pen dipped in ink to draw a dozen horizontal and vertical lines on it, drawing a chessboard pattern similar to that of Go.
"This is..."
"Let's explain the rules first, it's very simple, there are only two kinds of chess pieces in total, the black solid is the black piece, the black is drawn in a circle and the black is the white word, only one piece can be drawn in each grid, and if the five chess pieces of the same color can be connected into a straight line, it will be a win."
"Oh..."
It seems that just listening to Peter, Catherine is still confused.
"Oh, let's play a few games first to understand what it means, I'll come first in this game"
As he spoke, Peter drew a sunspot on the grid in the middle of the board.
"Then I'm using white?"
"Yes, yes, you just draw a circle."
"Oh, that's good... Then I'm going to paint here."
"Wow, it's so far away? Forget it, this game should be practiced."
Soon, the first game ended with Peter in a row of five sons.
"Huh? That's what it means? You said it earlier! β
Catherine cried out.
"Look, isn't it easy, one more game? This game will let you come first"
"Okay, I already know how to play, you have to be careful this time!"
"No problem, you can let the horses come"
Because the two of them had played many battles on horseback before, they were already very relaxed and casual when they talked.