Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796.

Solovyov had no time to rejoice at the unexpected surprise of capturing Sudan.

Because the Turkish army had not yet surrendered or retreated, there was only some chaos on the battlefield.

It has to be said that Marmont is quite skilled. His defeat to Wellington in Spain doesn't mean he was bad; there might even have been some bad luck involved.

Today, he has the advantage in troop strength; even if they are all mediocre soldiers, they still appear to be well-organized.

If he had French troops under his command, he probably wouldn't have been so arrogant.

The news of Sudan's capture should spread soon, and then the fighting will be over.

His Majesty the Sultan has been captured; forget about the Jihad.

Moreover, many of the Pashas were hired laborers; firing a few shots for the Sultan's pay was enough, and it wasn't worth risking their lives in a battle they were destined to lose.

After fighting for another hour, Solovyov's side received a report from the Kalmyks and raised the Sudanese flag on the Russian positions, then threw it in front of the lines. The Turkish army then realized that the battle had been a complete failure.

Some began to retreat, and when the Russian troops came out of the trenches, some laid down their weapons and surrendered, while many others ran away, leaving the hillsides covered with fleeing soldiers.

At this rate, the battle will become less interesting.

Even behind the Turkish army, the outposts of the main Russian forces have appeared.

Solovyov insisted that the advance team sent by Vorontsov must be composed of Blue Hussars, so that it would be easier to provide support.

It seems the Turkish defense isn't very good either.

The battle was nearing its end when Solovyov saw the captured Sultan, who sat exhausted and dejected on the edge of the trench.

"My lord, we have captured such an important figure, His Majesty the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire."

"Very good. When the Emperor arrives, you will be credited for your achievements."

“We only want to be Darhan, go back to be free people, and not have to serve in the military anymore.”

"Ah, this request can be fulfilled. Moreover, the Emperor will give you additional rewards."

As for the defeated Turks, it will take a long time to take in the prisoners.

Solovyov did not expect the victory to come so easily. In fact, he had not even warmed up much before the large-scale battle was about to end.

The fact that even the Sultan himself was captured was even more serious than the defeat at Sedan.

Moreover, the current course of history does not foreshadow a possible defeat for the Sedan army.

The Sultan was captured alive on the battlefield; he did not surrender after being surrounded.

The news should reach Constantinople soon, and that the Tatars have beheaded the Grand Vizier, and the Circassians have captured some of the Sultan's family, but not his son.

He would not bring his son with him when he went to war, so the 4-year-old Abdul-Majid was still in Constantinople.

If the remaining Ottoman courtiers had followed the "Prisoner's Swift" approach and either elected a sultan or there had been internal strife, the siege would have continued, or another war would have broken out. That's how things went.

Therefore, the capture of the Sultan himself seems rather hasty.

In his situation, Solovyov recalled something, something that made him happy.

That was the reply from the Zaporozhye Cossacks to the Ottoman Sultan; it's laughable no matter how you look at it.

But he tried his best to hold it in and not laugh out loud, even though he was already approaching fifty.

Moreover, he had always tried his best to remain serious in front of the Tsar for so many years, unless he couldn't hold it in.

"My lord, His Majesty has sent a letter."

Solovyov saw a newly appointed adjutant of Nikolai, who brought letters and something wrapped in silk. He had seen Marshal Suvorov often carry that thing; it must be his marshal's staff.

Nikolai had mentioned his marshal's staff long ago to encourage his master.

If someone wins a major victory, he will be promoted to marshal. After the war ends, he will be given the title of Prince of the First Rank and a successor will be designated.

Pasha was the eldest son and the prince consort, so it was natural for him to inherit the position.

Now, opening the letter, Solovyov can also see that the ink is still fresh. It was probably written when the Russian army broke through the Turkish defenses in Adrianople and learned of Solovyov's victory. The content is also very simple.

Being awarded the rank of Field Marshal is the highest honor a Russian soldier can receive. As for the Grand Marshal, Solovyov himself has stated on several occasions that he is already satisfied with the rank of Field Marshal and does not aspire to reach the same status as his mentor, Grand Marshal Suvorov.

For him, it was also a great success; once he entered Constantinople, everything would be perfect.

Mahmud II, a ruler with a desire for national revival, would not do something as foolish as asking the Sultan to knock on the door.

After reading the letter, Solovyov instructed his adjutant to put it away, and then unwrapped the silk covering the marshal's baton.

The silk feels wonderful to the touch; it's the same kind of silk used to make the Queen's scarf.

"My lord, congratulations on your promotion to marshal."

"Being promoted to marshal on the battlefield is certainly a great honor for a soldier, but we must also remember that the war is not over yet. Brothers, we must at least enter Constantinople; great honor awaits us!"

The guards had already begun chanting "Hurrah!" and it even affected the surrounding soldiers. The cheers continued, and only those nearby could hear what the Marshal was saying.

“I will write the reply to the Emperor myself. This victory is dedicated to the Emperor, to Mother Russia, to my brothers and the Russian people.”

Solovyov's words meant that those officers who leaned towards the liberals were somewhat aware of the Marshal's political stance.

He always included the people, which went a step further than King Paul.

Only Solovyov could write such a letter without Nikolai having any objections. He was quite satisfied when he saw it. Although his master was still the same as always, adhering to the Chinese saying "the state is more important than the emperor," mentioning the emperor while also referring to the people, he didn't care about such things after this great victory and the fact that the Russian army was very close to Constantinople.

Moreover, Nikolai was also considering something: he and his minister Solovyov had entered Constantinople, an unprecedented honor.

Once back in Russia, there would likely be no one to interfere with their work, allowing them to fully utilize their abilities.

Nikolai, along with Vorontsov and the courtiers, quickly caught up with Solovyov, who was marching towards Constantinople. They could now see the walls of Constantinople through their telescopes. "Finally here! My grandmother died shortly after my birth, and her wish, the wish of generations, is now before us."

Nikolai could not hide his excitement, but Solovyov, standing to the side, became even more serious.

"What are you thinking about?"

“Your Majesty, we have been able to enter Constantinople, but can we keep it forever? There are also Greece and the Balkan countries, which will be problems in the future. After we enter the city, we will have to appease the common people. There is a lot to do.”

“I know you’re worried about these things, but don’t worry, there are Greeks in the city, as well as the Ecumenical Patriarch and many believers.”

"What can I say about the Patriarch of Moscow and the Ecumenical Patriarch?"

Solovyov also knew that things were fine within the Orthodox Church system, but in Rome, things would likely be more complicated, as the papacy always tried to supersede the monarchy.

Of course, Nicholas sent messengers with a condition for the courtiers remaining in the city: their safety would be guaranteed as long as the city was opened. The Russian Tsar would make the same guarantees he had made when entering Paris in 1814 and 1815, and would protect every citizen of Constantinople equally.

You know, at least Nicolas's sister is in Paris, but he has no relatives in Sudan.

Solovyov's stepmother could not possibly have been the Empress Dowager of the Ottoman Empire. The Empress Dowager who raised Mahmud II was from Armenia and was only suspected of knowing French.

To be honest, it was all nonsense that came after Napoleon III.

There could never be a Louis Bonaparte son, Napoleon III; that guy was just a collateral prince of the Bonaparte royal family.

Because Abdul-Majid is young, the matter can only be entrusted to Sultana Bezmiyaram, who is only 20 years old this year, but has a wonderful background as a Russian Jew.

In this way, when Nikolai delivered the letter to her, there was no communication barrier between them, and Sultana even wrote back to Nikolai, hoping to confirm her husband's safety.

Nicholas was very patient with this, replying that His Majesty the Sultan had only been somewhat frightened and was now being treated as a guest in the Tsar's tent with the highest honors.

Of course, the coats, medals, jewelry and other spoils of war had already been divided up by the soldiers, so much so that Nicholas had to give his own clothes to the Sultan to wear.

However, Nikolai was nearly two meters tall, so the overcoat was just right for him, but he had to wear Marshal Solovyov's uniform for the rest of his clothes.

Solovyov is now a field marshal, but he still wears the uniform of an infantry general, with the marshal's baton in his hand indicating his rank.

After learning that her husband was safe, Sultana decided to surrender the city and hoped that the Tsar would guarantee the safety of her family.

Nikolai was naturally happy to do so, and he decided to enter the city under the protection of the Guards.

The Turks were not Persians after all. They indicated that after surrendering the city, only the Janissary military band remained armed, meaning their instruments and ceremonial guards were still intact.

The remaining Turkish troops inside the city all left the city and laid down their weapons. However, Nikolai allowed them to retain their military flags, honors, and property. These surrendered troops were gathered in a temporary camp, where they were fed by the Russian army.

General von Thor, the quartermaster general, personally arranged and purchased a batch of cattle and sheep, and had the Turkish soldiers slaughter the sheep according to their rituals.

Solovyov was much smarter than the British in this respect; respecting these people would at least keep them quiet for a while.

There's a good chance we'll have to continue the war with the Persians. Paskovich has recently reached the vicinity of Tabriz, and the Shah has no choice but to sue for peace.

Solovyov's concern was that Shah Sulaiman was unpredictable, unlike the Sudanese side, which could calm down for a while after being attacked.

As for the Russian army, they were also in neat formation. Although they were covered in the dust of battle, Constantinople was just ahead. With their military discipline intact, they could rest their tired bodies here.

Even when the Russian troops entered the city, they were welcomed by the Greeks.

Regardless of who rules Constantinople in the future, the Sultan will likely leave Europe, ending the more than three hundred years of Ottoman rule there.

After the Russian troops entered the city, they set up their own tents and did not enter civilian houses. This was at the Tsar's request. In addition, the climate in the Mediterranean region was relatively good, and soldiers would not get cold while camping outdoors in the autumn. Soldiers would not have such a warm autumn back home.

The enthusiastic locals treated them to delicious food, and some Russian veterans felt that the place was even more welcoming than their hometown.

"Your Majesty, this is a great victory."

“But the matter is not over yet, Vorontsov. I intend to appoint a governor of Constantinople, whose position here will be determined before he comes to govern the city.”

"Then, Your Majesty, who will manage this place?"

"Let Mikhail Sergeyevich come. Although his reputation frightens the Turks, he is a tolerant man, only appearing fierce on the battlefield."

"That's truly an excellent choice!"

Vorontsov and Volkonsky said in unison that Solovyov's reputation was enough to deter anyone who dared to resist, in addition to his good character and kindness.

But it would be difficult for him to bring his family over as well.

Because Alexander's widow, Queen Elizabeth, was seriously ill, the Princess Consort had to stay in St. Petersburg to take care of her, so she had to send her housekeeper, Mihrima, to Constantinople. Her father was a Turkish official who was killed in Belgrade by the leader of the Serbian insurgents and later became Solovyov's maid.

Her status as a temporary mistress of the house meant that the Turks wouldn't have too many objections.

Meanwhile, Solovyov was cleaning the Girls' Tower, where he had settled his quarters.

At this time, he was unaware that Nicholas had assigned him a new position, or that this place was merely being used as a headquarters and temporary residence, with the Tsar, his entourage, and the Grand General Staff all residing in the Sultan's palace.

The Sultan himself was released back to his palace to reunite with his wife and children, but the guards were replaced by Russian Guards. As a defeated man, he was free to move around in the palace, but it could only be considered that he was under house arrest.

Nicholas's leniency surprised some Greeks.

They had thought that capturing the Sultan might lead to a different story.

Because the Sultan frequently beheaded the monarchs of defeated vassal states and some nobles, and he also exercised brutal rule over his subjects in many parts of Europe and Asia.

The Tsar's actions were so unexpected that even the Turks themselves couldn't adapt to them for a while.

There's nothing else to it. In Russia, the most brutal rulers were Alexander III and Nicholas II. Nicholas I was just bad-tempered and strict. The Tsars generally disliked the death penalty. Even when digging potatoes in Siberia, they wouldn't easily execute criminals. Those who were hanged were always deserters and people who committed serious crimes of treason.

This can be considered a difference in national circumstances. After learning this, the Greek representatives also praised the Tsar's benevolence.

Furthermore, if Grand Duke Alexander has an eldest son, with proper medical care, he probably won't die out there. And an heir raised according to monarchical standards shouldn't be too incompetent, right? (End of Chapter)