I am a literary giant in Russia

Chapter 226 Obedience to Crisis and All That Is Still Unknown

I had always thought that the truth was as essential to people as air and sunshine. My trip to Russia, however, made me realize that this was not the case. Here, lying meant preserving the throne, while telling the truth meant undermining the very foundations.

—Russia in 1839

I can bring not only French books, but also French gallows; all I need to know is how much it will cost.

—A joke about bribery from the time of Nicholas I
Strictly speaking, the information about Mikhail in France that was presented to Nicholas I and Crown Prince Alexander was relatively outdated.

After all, neither of them paid much attention to the Russian literary field, but for the cultural circles of St. Petersburg, Mikhail's personal trip to Paris was an event no less significant than Alexander I's resistance against Napoleon.

Before Mikhail, almost every Russian writer who went to Paris did so for pilgrimage, to pay homage, and to exchange ideas and learn from others. They often did not cause much of a stir in Paris and were more often seen as ordinary visitors.

No one is an exception!

Even for highly respected figures in Russia like Zhukovsky and Karamzin, this was true, not to mention other writers. Even if they enjoyed a high status in Russia, what did they amount to in Paris?

Will Mikhail, the rising star of Russian literature, face the same situation?
The magazine "Modern Man" and the writers who organize activities around "Modern Man" are concerned with this issue, simply because Mikhail's glory is their glory, and it is well known that Mr. Mikhail never enjoys his glory alone, but generously spreads it out.

The magazine "The Contemporary" and its rivals, as well as the literary figures who were at odds with Mikhail and his faction, were concerned about this issue simply because Mikhail had already achieved some success in Paris. His trip to Paris was clearly not just a casual visit, but a genuine desire to make a name for himself and truly integrate into the glittering yet highly exclusive literary world of Paris.

Since he dares to have such delusions, he is bound to run into a wall. Wouldn't it be a waste of an opportunity not to take this chance to damage his reputation?
Even though they have failed many times in their attacks, if a commoner writer like Mikhail, who has no connections, fails even once, they can completely crush this annoying commoner writer into the abyss.

More neutral newspapers also paid attention to this news. As regulars in St. Petersburg newspapers, news about Mikhail always boosted their sales.

Many nobles and citizens in St. Petersburg were also interested in this matter, simply because in the stagnant Russian society, entertainment options were extremely limited and strictly restricted, and sensational news was even rarer. The story of the Russian writer's journey to Paris to make his mark was itself a legendary tale, as captivating as a superb novel.

In addition, university students in St. Petersburg are paying attention, as are some underground groups in St. Petersburg, the cultural circles in Moscow, Western-minded intellectuals, and Slavophiles are also paying attention.
In the beginning, the attention was not strong, and everything was quiet. Neither side dared to make a move or draw any conclusions easily. At most, they would just mention it casually, pretending not to care.

When the first wave of news from France arrived, St. Petersburg was in an uproar!

Especially after this initial wave of news was woven into stories like these by some astute newspapers and writers:
When the Russian Mikhail first arrived in Paris, no one paid any attention to his presence. Even the Parisian beggars arrogantly declared, "We don't want the stinking money of Russians!"

But they were sorely mistaken. The Russian Mikhail simply smiled and then revealed a little about his arrival in Paris. As a result, the great writer Alexandre Dumas, who was known to everyone in France, rushed over immediately and bowed down to the Russian Mikhail upon seeing him!
Amidst the astonished gazes of the Parisians, the Russian, Mikhail, continued walking forward.
After news like this was published, their newspaper sales skyrocketed!

It is worth mentioning that such stories, though seemingly abstract, are actually nothing compared to the Slavic studies unique to Russia during this period.

After all, besides creating the secret police, Nicholas I did something even more important in establishing a totalitarian state after ascending the throne. During his reign, he put forward a formula: "Absolutism, Orthodox Christianity, and national character are the three pillars upon which Russia stands."

The greatness of this invention lies in giving the accustomedly compliant Russian people a necessary belief—a great sense of pride.

In serfdom, serfs could be bought and sold at will, and even used as gambling stakes. But now, serfdom is hailed as the pinnacle of civilization. Countless works describe a decaying and outdated Europe on the verge of collapse, with only Russia capable of saving it with fresh blood.

Like the Russian liberal magazine *Telescope* during this period, its editor, Nadezhdin, touted "the power of our Russian fist," comparing it to the weak fist of Europe. The millions of serfs subjected to daily whippings were precisely what proved its power.
So where does the superiority of Mikhail's story in Paris lie?
That means, in a way, Mikhail really did win! And there's even confirmation from the Parisian newspapers!
So when the first wave of news arrived and caused a sensation in St. Petersburg, for a long time afterward, countless people waited for news from abroad. As wave after wave of news came in, even though Mikhail was no longer in St. Petersburg, these reports had a profound impact on Mikhail's businesses and friends in Russia.

On this ordinary day, as Nekrasov walked into the editorial office of "The Contemporary" as usual, he soon received the following news:
"Mr. Nekrasov, we received another large pile of letters today, most of them still addressed to Mr. Mikhail, some seemingly from very far away. The rest are mostly requests for us to release a new serialized novel as soon as possible."

"The usual, put it in Mikhail's office."

"But it seems there's not much space left in Mr. Mikhail's office."

Nekrasov: "."

Just as Nekrasov was beginning to consider how to handle the situation, he soon received another message:
“Mr. Nekrasov, our magazine’s subscriber count has increased again. You should contact the printing press and ask them to print more.”

"I understand." Nekrasov was initially excited when he received this news, but now he's really used to it.

After all, some things were obvious. The biggest beneficiary of Mikhail's success in France was the magazine *The Contemporary*, and since the news reached Russia, Nekrasov hadn't had a proper rest for a long time, so much so that he didn't even have the energy to fawn over Panaev's wife, Panaeva.
Mikhail, you've really put me in a terrible situation!
Just as Nekrasov was sighing and preparing to start his work, he received another message:
"By the way, Mr. Krajevsky has invited you to visit him again. What do you think we should say in response?"

Nekrasov: "."

As a long-time rival of "The Contemporary," the owner of "The Chronicle of the Fatherland," Krajevsky, has been dedicated to making things difficult for "The Contemporary" ever since it appeared, and he has remained steadfast in his efforts even after losing to Mikhail several times.

But recently, some of Krajewsky's actions have undoubtedly shown that he has wavered.
This is the power of foreigners!
While Nekrasov was secretly lamenting Kraevsky's wavering, another member of the "Modern Man" group, the censor Alexander Nikichenko, was at that very moment reviewing manuscripts for the next issue of the magazine.

As he watched, a few beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
Frankly speaking, as a Russian censor, Nikichenko was actually the kind of person who was willing to "secretly help literature out," that is, to be a little more lenient in the censorship process. For this, he had been locked in solitary confinement more than once before.

However, recently, even though Nikichiko secretly relaxed his censorship of "The Modern Man" a little, nothing happened, and his superiors adopted a strange silence.

Meanwhile, regarding Nikichiko's recent approach to reviewing articles, it seems that whenever he feels he should back down due to the level of censorship, the thought of Mikhail, who is currently making waves in France, makes him straighten up and approve some slightly controversial articles.
Today was no exception. Although his forehead was slightly sweaty, Nikki Kenko did not reject the entire article. Instead, he made annotations on some particularly sensitive topics, while ignoring the rest of the minor issues.

After finishing his work for the day, Nikichenko couldn't help but think about the recent trends in the cultural scene in St. Petersburg. To some extent, the censorship system seemed to have been relaxed a little, but how long could this situation last?
Could that incredible young man single-handedly liberate Russian literature in some way?
If it were truly possible, what would be the cost?

Although Nikichenko remained pessimistic after careful consideration and was quite clear about the current state of official Russian thought, he eventually took out his diary with great interest after thinking about some recent changes in the cultural circles of St. Petersburg.

As for why the literary censorship system seems to have relaxed slightly recently, the reason is not hard to guess. First, Tsar Nicholas I has maintained a strange silence, and this attitude has undoubtedly made many officials below him start to speculate.

Secondly, there's the formula I just mentioned: "despotism, Orthodox Christianity, and national character are the three pillars upon which Russia stands." In order to make the Russian people even more proud and honored, is it possible that His Majesty the Tsar wanted to include that young writer in this formula?

Even if being included in this formula means losing autonomy and independence, it's a good thing for most Russian officials! It undoubtedly means higher positions and more money. As long as the writer is loyal to His Majesty the Tsar, even if he is a commoner, he may still be able to rise to the top in one step.

Presumably, once he returns, even if His Majesty the Tsar does not issue any decree, he will certainly go to His Majesty the Tsar to express his loyalty and obedience as soon as possible.

It's fair to say that almost no one in the Third Bureau's censorship department imagined that this young writer wouldn't go to meet His Majesty the Tsar.
How could ordinary people have such courage?
While the officials of the Third Department were secretly pondering some things, Pletnyov, the rector of St. Petersburg University, had been having trouble sleeping lately.

As for the reason, simply put, Pletnyov, as a good friend of Pushkin, also had a high level of literary cultivation, and it was precisely because of this that he was able to perceive what was hidden in Mikhail's works.

So on the day Mikhail graduated from St. Petersburg University, he breathed a sigh of relief. He had thought that even though Mikhail had left a certain mark on St. Petersburg University, everything would be fine once he left.

Unfortunately, due to the recent turmoil, some student groups at St. Petersburg University have begun to resurface.
Pletnyov: "."

Please don't do anything reckless. I might be fine, but you guys are in serious trouble.
While Pletnyov was troubled by these matters, he undoubtedly noticed the current success of "The Contemporary," and for a moment, he was moved by the sight, thinking of his deceased close friend Pushkin, and thought to himself, "Alexander, rest assured, 'The Contemporary' will be even better in that young man's hands."

As these rumors continued to circulate, finally, on an ordinary morning, General Danilevsky, having learned an important piece of news from someone else, could no longer contain his excitement. He slapped his thigh, stood up, and laughed heartily, his face beaming:

"See! I told you this young man could do it! Guess who came to me because of him? Crown Prince Alexander! But it's a pity, Mikhail is still too young. Otherwise, the Crown Prince's eldest son, who is almost two years old, would really need a genius teacher, but it's not impossible."

As the general paced back and forth excitedly and muttered to himself, Nadya's mother was standing nearby and clearly heard what the general was saying.

While she was shocked and incredulous, she suddenly seemed to hear something and instinctively looked in a certain direction, and then, unsurprisingly, saw a young girl who had appeared there at some unknown time.

This time, however, the young woman did not flinch when faced with her gaze. Instead, she twirled gracefully in place as if dancing, then lifted her skirt and left excitedly.

Nadya's mother: "."

What can I say now that things have come to this?

But are things really going to go so smoothly?
(End of this chapter)