Baykov still has a good understanding of the difficulties of the young tsar.

Historically, the second tsar of the Romanov dynasty actually made a lot of achievements. After the end of the Thirty Years' War in Europe in 1648, Alexei, who had just succeeded to the throne, began to devote himself to developing Russia's military power, and after some preparations, he finally waited for his opportunity this year (1655)! In this year, King Carl X of Sweden, also known as Gustav, declared war on Poland, hoping to take advantage of last year's "Russo-Polish War" to expand its territory in the Baltic Sea.

The young Tsar Alexei quickly adapted to the changes in the new situation, and yesterday he personally supervised the war with Poland at the front [the First Russo-Polish War], and instead reached a temporary agreement with Poland, decisively declared war on Sweden, and personally commanded the Russian army to fight against Gustav. There is no end in sight to this war, and it seems that it will become a protracted tug-of-war again. [Historically, this war was called the First "Great Northern War", which lasted until five years later in 1660, and its results had both advantages and disadvantages for Tsarist Russia, so it led to the "Second Great Northern War" during the reign of Peter I, so that Tsarist Russia became a European power in one fell swoop and truly stepped into the center of the world historical stage! 】

However, during Alexei's expedition, he had to entrust the affairs of the state to Patriarch Father Nikon.

Father Nikon was no simple priest! At the beginning of Alexei's accession to the throne, the abbot from the "Kozheozelsky Monastery" near Arkhangelsk came to Moscow. According to the custom of the time, the abbots of the monasteries who had just been inaugurated in various places had to first go to Beijing to meet the Tsar. It was for this reason that Father Nikon came to Moscow. During the audience with the Tsar, Father Nikon made a good impression on the young Tsar Alexei, who offered that Father Nikon could stay in Moscow. Thereafter, Patriarch Joseph appointed Father Nikon as a priest of the Grand Friar of the Novospasky Monastery at the will of the Tsar. In Moscow, Father Nikon joined a clique of great nobles and clergy, who advocated the unification of the statutes of religious law in the local churches, the strengthening of religious education among the population, the strict religious life, and the translation of a large number of religious books.

Tsar Alexei was a devout Orthodox Christian, who strictly followed the canons of the Orthodox Church in arranging his diet, daily life and daily affairs. Father Nikon gained the trust of the Tsar. By order of the tsar. He went to the Kremlin every Friday to discuss issues with the Tsar, at first only on religious issues, and then gradually Father Nikon began to discuss state affairs with the Tsar. In April 1652, Joseph, the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Moscow and All Russia, died of illness. The leaders of the Church and the nobles of the court speculated on the Tsar's mind. Father Nikon was unanimously elected Patriarch.

After Father Nikon was inaugurated as Patriarch of the Orthodox Church. Ecclesiastical reform in Tsarist Russia began. The main direction of reform was to reform the canonical system of the Orthodox Church in Moscow in accordance with the Byzantine way. Unify the religious activities of the Church in various places.

But Patriarch Nikon's reforms caused panic among the nobility and the church, as it had previously been agreed that Moscow was the third Rome, the heir to the Byzantine Empire. But it is unacceptable to reform the religious rites of the Holy See in Moscow in the same way that Byzantium once did, above Byzantium.

Moreover, Nikon even proposed that the Russian Tsar should be the ruler of the entire Orthodox world, that the capital of Russia should be located in Constantinople, and that the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia should accordingly become the spiritual leader of the entire Orthodox world. Nikon's idea was indeed supported by the young tsar at the time.

After the outbreak of the war between Russia and Poland last year, Alexei led his troops into the army, during which Patriarch Nikon became the de facto head of government. However, Nikon's reforms eventually aroused the discontent of the Moscow aristocracy and the church, and threatened to cause a split in the Orthodox Church. As a result, the young tsar began to resentful of the impatient and ambitious Father Nikon, and also had a grudge against the nobles and teachings who could not be defeated.

"My Emperor, you have a great responsibility, and the welfare of the people of all Rus' has been entrusted to you by God Almighty, and it is not easy for you! Please take care! Baykov understood the pain and expressed his sympathy with emotion.

"Thank you, my friend! Would you like to help me from the bottom of your heart? The Tsar finally let go of his grip on Baykov's shoulders and stared at him eagerly and affectionately.

"I am your servant, but I am different from the corrupt nobles who control the government! I am willing to give everything for you! Baykov swore by it.

"Good! Dear Lord Baykov, please accept my share - I now officially canonize you as a count! Alesek stretched out his right hand and gently placed it on the shoulder of the person opposite.

"Ahh Let me say something, my emperor! Thank you for your grace! Baykov, who had instantly become a high-ranking nobleman, was overjoyed and knelt down on one knee to accept the sudden canonization.

"Arise, my knight, and may your loyalty, wisdom and courage bring you glory, as well as glory and achievements to Russia!" Alexei replaced his sword with his hand, and in extremely simple language, he hastily canonized the new earl. Despite this, due to the fact that there were only two people present in the Secret Temple, Baykov was not disappointed in the slightest.

"Then now, dear Count Baykov, I give you a top-secret order! And only you know what I know, and God knows! Alexei straightened up with a grim face, and went from an amiable brother to a supreme monarch!

"Your Majesty, please!" Flattered, Baykov hurriedly nodded.

"I want you to do enough superficial work when the negotiations are about to break down. And then...... And then you put aside the bullshit orders of those bureaucrats and secretly negotiate with the Emperor Bogda! Matching his words, the Tsar nodded mysteriously at Baykov.

"Negotiations?"

"Yes, my friend! As long as the Chinese emperor agrees to do business with us, we can guarantee that we will not advance in the Amur River basin again, and even withdraw from the Amur River! But in exchange, they had to supply us with rhubarb and silk on a large scale! As for the price, my Baykov, you are also a shrewd businessman, and naturally know what is the most suitable! I trust you completely, my friend, in this regard! ”

The tsar generously entrusted the details of the negotiations to his envoys.

"Your Majesty, thank you for your trust!" Baykov had to think about it - the price was set by himself, and the profits behind it could be at his own mercy, and there were so many benefits!

"Hmmm! If this condition is met, you can even respect the Emperor Bogda as much as you respect me, and kneeling and kissing the feet will no longer be a problem, do you understand? ”

"This?"

"It's okay, my friend. The most important thing is to achieve the purpose of trade. Besides, when we have the monopoly of rhubarb, our army will be able to run rampant across Europe. In a few years, isn't it true that we will go anywhere on the Amur River if we want to? Haha, it's too late for Emperor Bogda to regret it...... Have you forgotten the glorious image of the Paladin slaying the dragon on my coat of arms? Don't the Chinese claim that they are the land of dragons? Haha, the best thing we Rus saints are at slaying dragons! Haha-" Alexei was immersed in his own great wishful thinking, and got a little carried away.

"Yes, I see."

Although Baykov did not know whether the Chinese dragon was the same thing as the dragon in the Bible, and also thought that it would not be as easy to do as it sounded, he was wise to be resigned to it once again.

"No, my dear friend, you have not fully understood. Do you know that my resolve is tougher than the Kremlin's? Do you know what day of the month is on the Gregorian calendar? "The person with whom Alexei does not allow himself to talk really fully understands, because his "wisdom" has not yet been fully demonstrated!

"Uh-"

Baykov was suddenly asked, and this time it was really not a bent welcome and a twisted gesture. He was very clear about the Julian calendar that was currently in use in Tsarist Russia, but he could only know only a little about the Gregorian calendar that was in use in Catholic dioceses.

Is there anything special about today?

(Chapter to be continued)

"A limerick poem? Hidden Head

Reading literature and reading history is only a long breath

I was saying that there was an opportunity back then

The layout is a long-cherished wish

It's hard to come and go

Get up and spend a hundred years

Point out the suffering and diseases of the world

The edge of the town was razed to the sea

Wen'an Wuding happy teardrops (to be continued......)