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Peter I was sitting in the wooden house he had built in St. Petersburg looking at the map, but the large map that lay flat on the floor was no longer a map of Finland and Sweden, where the Russians had stationed.

Yes, although the final peace treaty has not yet been signed, Sweden has been unable to fight Russia since the death of King Charles XII in Norway three years earlier.

Therefore, when the Russian Baltic Fleet defeated the Swedish fleet twice at the Battle of Össel and the Battle of Krangam, and the Russian 6th Army crossed the sea to the Swedish mainland, the Swedes had to formally surrender to Russia, and the two countries immediately negotiated in the Swedish town of Nystad.

Now that Sweden was no longer able to threaten Russia, it was natural for the ambitious Peter I to choose a new enemy.

Who will be the next target of the Russian bear? Was it the old enemy Ottoman Turkey, or the Chinese Empire, which had taken away the eastern territories a few years earlier? The map in front of Peter I attracted the attention of countless Russian dignitaries.

"Your Majesty, Duke Pavel has returned from Sweden." The young handsome squire asked Peter I in a low voice. "Is His Majesty summoned immediately?"

"Nikolaevich is back?" Peter I nodded. "Invite him in."

The duke, who had the rank of lieutenant general in the 6th Army, walked and bowed on one knee to the monarch in front of him, while Peter I hugged the other man and returned the closet: "My dearest brother, have the Swedes yielded?" ”

"Your Majesty," replied the Duke. "The Swedes are willing to exchange Karelia and Ingria, and our ** team withdraws from Finland."

"Is it just Ingria and Karelia?" Although the acquisition of the Karelian Isthmus would ensure the security of the north of St. Petersburg, how could Peter I be satisfied with this, as for Ingria, that is where St. Petersburg is now, and the Swedish side is only admitting the status quo, not admitting defeat at all. "No, it's not enough, Russia must get Livonia, Estonia, and Finland with certain privileges."

"Your Majesty," Duke Pavel reminded with a frown. "Finland is a six-way barrier between Sweden and Russia, and Sweden will probably not allow our forces to enter lightly, and Livonia and Estonia involve Russia's relations with Poland and Germany, which may cause negotiations among the European powers."

"European powers? After the sunset in France, the government was powerless to interfere in European affairs; The Vienna court had to face both the Ottomans in the east and the Protestant princes in the north, how could it be willing to offend our country again, for fear that the emperor would still want Russia to appear in the Baltic Sea in order to help it contain Prussia and other countries; As for Poland. Peter I snorted. 200,000 Russian ** teams are waiting to enter Poland and take back Livland and Estland. ”

Livland and Estland were handed over to Poland by Russia in 17o4 when the Treaty of Narva was signed with Poland in exchange for an alliance with Poland, but Poland did not perform well in the war with Sweden, so that the powerful Russia was full of contempt and peeping at this neighbor.

"His Majesty said," the Duke considered for a moment, and finally agreed with Peter I's judgment. "The situation is in Russia's favor, and no one can prevent Russia from gaining Livonia and Estonia in negotiations."

"That's right," Peter I laughed. "Russia has paid too much price for this war, and since it has won, Russia has the right to share the spoils of war." Speaking of which, Peter I announced good news to his favored retainers. "The Senate has decided that after the signing of the treaty with Sweden, the title of Emperor and Emperor will be presented to me, and Russia will be renamed the Russian Empire."

Duke Pavel was overjoyed, Peter I was promoted to the emperor, so he had to add officials to the people below, although his duke could not be promoted, but the official position seemed to be able to be promoted to another level, so he immediately congratulated with some expectations: "Congratulations to Your Majesty, no, it should be, congratulations to the emperor." ”

Peter I laughed and took the wine and the glass from the table, poured two full glasses, and drank them with Pavel.

After drinking, Peter I's face suddenly sank: "Speaking of which, I am an emperor and an emperor who is a bit unworthy of the name. ”

Pavel, of course, knew what Peter I was talking about, so he echoed: "The Chinese just took advantage of Russia's inability to take the Nizhny Baikal region and Eastern Siberia, and now that Russia has gotten rid of the situation of fighting on two fronts, it is time to send troops to the east and regain the lost part of Russia, no, we also have to send troops to China proper, so that the Chinese know the strength of Russia." ”

The duke's bold words made Peter I laugh again, but Peter I shook his head with a stern expression: "Nikolayevich, have you read the reports of Ushakov and Lazerny?" The march from the mainland to Siberia was a nightmare, and with only 20,000 men it had plunged the eastern region into a state of severe starvation, and if another 50,000 or 100,000 troops were to be sent east, we were afraid that we would defeat ourselves. ”

Of course, Lieutenant General Pavel had read the reports of Ushakov and Lazerny, and knew that the east was unable to guarantee the supply of military supplies for the army, but he pretended to be confused and said: "The Chinese Empire is the largest empire in the East, and if it cannot dispatch more than 50,000 troops, I am afraid that Russia will have no hope of victory." ”

"Yes, if you don't mobilize 100,000 troops to go east, I'm afraid that the war will fail, but if you mobilize 100,000 Russian troops to go east, on the one hand, the food supply cannot be guaranteed, and on the other hand, the enemies of Russia will not let go of this opportunity." Peter I sighed. "Speaking of which, Russia is not strong enough." Peter I therefore decided. "I will arrange for an embassy to go to the Chinese Empire."

Pavel was stunned: "Your Majesty, is it useful for the mission to go to Huaxia?" ”

Peter I was also stunned, and only after a long time did he point at the lieutenant general and said with a smile: "My dearest brother, you don't think that you sent an embassy to the Chinese Empire to claim back the Nizhny Baikal region and Eastern Siberia, how can you get what you can't get on the battlefield?" No, no, not at all as you might think, the purpose of this mission is simply to enhance the friendship between the two countries and maintain permanent peace between the two countries. ”

Pavel added knowingly: "If possible, observe the armament of the Chinese along the way." ”

"That's right, that's right, come, for the sake of that, another drink." Peter I filled two glasses of wine again, and after drinking them all, he added. "Russia also needs Chinese goods of great interest, such as silk, tea, and porcelain, so the resumption of trade between the two countries is also the goal of the mission."

"The emperor said that the Chinese are continuing to trade with the Danes and the Swedes." Pavel reminded. "The mission must cut off this maritime trade route in order to contain the resurgence of the Swedes."

"I'm afraid, it's very difficult." Peter I had more sources of intelligence. "The Chinese, who are said to have the most powerful fleet in the world and the largest merchant fleet, will trade with the Ottomans and Persians at the same time, and will never accept Russia's request to cut off trade with Sweden and Denmark, so Russia can only demand as much trade with Russia as possible, so that Russia can share in the great wealth of the East. As for the rest, one can only hope that the Russian army will be able to deter the enemy. ”

Only then did Pavel notice the map on the floor: "Where is this map?" It's not like a map of Poland. ”

In this era, it is not a strange thing that the lieutenant general of the 6th Army does not know the map, not to mention the fact that Russia has a vast territory and many neighboring countries, and it is naturally impossible for Pavel to be familiar with the shape of each neighbor.

"This is a map of Persia." Peter I did not mince words. "A map of the Baku region, where Russia will march into Persia next."

Pavel gasped: "Isn't the march into Persia to climb the Caucasus Mountains?" ”

In the twenties of the eighteenth century, Russia's power had just arrived at the northern foot of the Caucasus Mountains, the Ottoman Turkish Empire controlled Western Georgia, and its vassal Circassians, Abkhazians, Kabardians, and Dagestans were active in the Caucasus, while Persia controlled the vast territory of Eastern Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, which became the biggest obstacle for Russia to go south to the Indian Ocean.

"Yes, the Caucasus Mountains need to be climbed." Seeing that his favored retainers were trying to say something, Peter I stopped. "But don't worry, the Safavid Empire of Persia is already collapsing, and Persia is now in the same situation as the shattered Holy Roman Empire, or even worse, Persia does not have an Austria."

Pavel understood what Peter I meant, and because the Persian Safavid Empire did not have the strongest state in the region like Austria after the partition, it was impossible to repeat the story of Austria blocking the Ottoman Turkish Empire and resisting the Russian invasion.

But Duke Pavel still cautiously dissuaded: "Persia is in civil strife, I'm afraid that there are many countries staring at this piece of fat." ”

Peter I hesitated for a moment, then admitted: "It is a real possibility, so Russia must be prepared to deal with it." ”

Peter I was determined to appease the Ottomans so that the Turks would not cause trouble in the Russian march into Persia, but Vice Admiral Pavel seemed to think more long-term: "Emperor, you just said that the Chinese navy is the most powerful in the East, and it is possible to maintain trade with the Ottomans and Persians?"

Peter I interrupted: "My dearest brother, you are absolutely right, there is such a possibility, yes, we must demand the necessary silence from the Chinese on the Persian question, yes, the mission must be done to the best of its ability"