Chapter 642 004 Sophia's Literary Salon

In the city of Sofia, probably the monastery is relatively quiet.

There were two grenadier regiments stationed around, but the atmosphere was quite relaxed.

Madame Recamier has been trying to organize a literary salon here since she arrived. However, considering the environment in Sofia, where even the nobles are almost being squeezed into poverty, she probably still needs to provide money, which is a kind of help. Solovyov's method of stabilizing relations with local nobles.

Solovyov also knew that this French woman was always a little clever.

She wanted to take advantage of her presence at Solovyov's side during both of his expeditions to stabilize her own position as the most important mistress.

"It seems that you are putting Louis XV's tactics on a count like me. Julie, this doesn't seem appropriate."

Because she always took Clara with her, Solovyov actually liked this "family of three" situation, and the two of them started chatting while sitting in the reception room.

He didn't expect Mrs. Recamier's thoughts, which was a bit strange in itself.

"I can't go back to Paris for a while, so I might as well stay here with you. Catherine is young, lively, docile, and very loyal to you, but you are not like that. You have always been affectionate. Having us is not enough, you More."

As she said this, she had already leaned over and placed her body, which had grown slightly in size after giving birth, into Solovyov's arms.

"Although Clara is still young, such a young child is actually already conscious and very smart. What if you act too much in front of her and become like you?"

"It's nothing. Jacques left me a lot. I can prepare a generous dowry for Clara. You have to find a good husband for her and treat her wholeheartedly. With your skills, it's best to be as beautiful as you. I can’t be as sentimental as you.”

"If you say that, then I probably have to follow the standards of Count Pavel Stroganov, the best man in Petersburg who only loves his wife."

"Yes, that's it."

"But it's really hard to find someone like Count Pavel. These men in Petersburg, huh, they are not only passionate, but also... there will always be someone who will take care of this matter in the future."

"Why, that's how much Petersburg resembles Paris."

"Okay, let's not talk about this. You also brought the maid next to me. What is Mihelima doing now?"

"I asked her to prepare the bath water, and I just wanted to check the child's body."

"You."

Solovyov was also a little speechless by his wife. She is a young widow in her thirties, and she still likes to mess around like this.

"I can see that Adela, you do come here as a sister, but for this child, I feel that you are interested in her."

"So you want to check your competitors in advance?"

"It's not just about this. You need to teach her social skills. It might be of some help to you."

"Kokajia is the hostess, and having her in social situations is enough."

"You always dote on her and let her raise your children at an age when she should be most happy. That's quite a bit."

Well, after she came from Odessa this time, she was a little more willful than before.

Although she is older, she looks more like a younger sister when getting along with him.

On the contrary, when dealing with Louisa, and recently Queen Louise, they are not only older, but they also always play the role of older sisters.

Mrs. Rekamir chose a somewhat contrasting route. She always relied on her beauty and was more proactive to eat Solovyov to death.

"Oh, that's what you said. But it's unavoidable for us to have such a public event."

"When the French emperor was still the commander of the legions, he took his mistress out to show off. Did your aunt have any objections at the time?"

"Ah, that was in Egypt, and Paris is more chaotic than Petersburg. Julie, I would like to ask you to hold a literary salon and invite the local nobles. A banquet is usually held at this time. The purpose is, We still need to get acquainted with the local nobles and stabilize the local order before leaving Sofia."

"Okay, I can do whatever you want, but you want it."

If the wife hadn't been so close to him, she would probably have only maintained a distant relationship. As for stretching one leg over and putting her foot in his hand, it was obviously an overly intimate and even teasing move.

"Paint nail polish on my toenails, which color do you think is better?"

"You want this pink color, which is closer to the original color and looks very natural. Do you want me to apply it for you?"

"Katherine isn't here. We can live alone without you."

"Don't want me?"

"You, the lion, and we both have a child. We can raise the child together as you said. That's what a lioness is like."

Talking to him like this, with a little fist-pumping on the chest, and a pretty face, it was impossible not to like her.

But recently, because his wife was recuperating her body and brought her daughter with her, he could only hold it in.

As for the salon, it is more suitable to hold it in a monastery. The place itself is not small, and the previous abbots of the monastery have always been opposed to the Turks. The Russian army is here, so naturally they are willing to provide a place.

Moreover, Solovyov also made it very clear that the fees paid to the abbot would be considered as offerings to the monastery.

It is impossible to always let Mrs. Recamier pay for it, she can still pay for it herself.

It's just that in the territory of the Ottoman Empire, cash metal currency was always more useful than banknotes and checks.

Even if possible, the Sultan could give a tribe 100 gold coins to make them work hard.

The labor cost is too cheap. If Russia is willing to double the cost, I believe some tribes who want to call the Russians pagans can join in.

For no other reason than if you give too much, someone will always work for you.

As for the people entertained, in addition to locals, there were also Russian officers, which was regarded as a kind of life adjustment.

By the time Yulia arrived, Mrs. Recamier would always have a companion. Mihelima was only "trained" by her. Although she could speak French, her "literary quality" was still a little behind.

Solovyov felt embarrassed by this statement, but Mrs. Rekamir didn't care. She leaned on the chaise longue named after her and crossed her feet with some pride.

However, she is still reluctant to show the soles of her feet in public. This is always a hint, and Solovyov also knows that he needs her.

If he hadn't been a general in charge of the army, he would probably be a pretty boy who wanted to eat soft food.

"It's about to start. I think you should put on your slippers. Julie, you can be more relaxed in the Turkish bath, but when entertaining guests on weekdays, you still have to be more 'conservative' here, unlike in the Turkish bath." Paris."

"Ah, Paris. How about you go to Paris?"

"You know, I."

"If you want to go to the hammam, you want to go with me."

At this point, she didn't know whether she was really blushing or pretending to blush.

But at this time, someone had already started to make announcements, and guests began to arrive one after another.

Because the number of local nobles is really limited, there may even be more businessmen to entertain guests, and there are even businessmen from Italy, but the business here is not very good.

"Hello, Your Excellency the Count. Hello, Madam Recamier. I am Antonio Favalli, a businessman doing business locally, but you can also see that I am not a local."

"If you are a local, nodding means no, and you look like this, are you from Italy?"

"Yes, I was originally a businessman in Naples, running some cloth business."

"I can tell that your accent is different from northern Italy and Corsica."

"Have you ever been to Naples?"

"Although I have been to Italy twice, once to Rome and the other to Guastalla, I did not go to the south."

“If you can come to Naples, check out the scenery there, and also go to Capri.”

Check out the 16-9 book bar and see the correct version!

"But now that the French are there, the Italians may not be doing so well either."

"For businessmen, it's different everywhere. It's just that we are used to living in poverty there, and we are next to Mount Vesuvius. The most important thing in life is happiness."

"It's happiness, is it also in Sofia?"

"You can make money here, and you will only feel happy when you return to Naples. But the prerequisite is to drive the French out of us like the Sicilians did in the past. Sorry, madam, you are French, I Some ignore this.”

"It doesn't matter. I left Paris because of Bonaparte. It doesn't matter what you tell me."

Mrs. Recamier kept smiling in front of others, which showed off her charm very well.

This kind of business smile in the salon is an external and private state, sometimes it may be two people.

This guy from Naples kept staring at Madame Recamier, and he behaved like an Italian.

When I saw Prince Borghese in the past, I felt that he felt good about himself, but when I think about it in northern Italy earlier and the southerners I met this time, it may be that Italians are like this.

There is really no way, this is a kind of nature.

In addition to the cloth merchant, there are also local lumber merchants. If you see some grocery store owners coming, you can really feel that the local merchants are very poor, and when they want to send out invitations, the quality will not be too high. High.

They have to wear clothes that they think are decent, and they may even have to go to a tailor. In the recent period, it is probably more profitable for local tailors to make high-end clothes.

Just the way the locals dress, it looks like a step back in time.

"Julie, you have seen so many guests. Look."

"You told me that Russians in the past also wore robes. Some people here are like that. It's still summer."

"The summer here is not bad, and the climate is pleasant. Even if we go to a hotter place further south, it's also good."

"Do you want to go to Greece?"

"I have this idea."

"It's a pity that Catherine stayed in Petersburg. Otherwise, we could all go. We women could meet on a small island in the Mediterranean with our children, promote each other's feelings, and then figure out how to deal with you."

Well, Madame Recamier is naughty again.

But this is a good suggestion, Solovyov also thought, but considering his glorious history, he can fight the War of Three Emperors in bed, and probably only some lovers of similar status will gather together.

"Okay, last time you cheated with Katya in a card game, you didn't count me out."

"Hahaha, you cunning guy, you still have a trick up your sleeve and guessed the cards in our hands."

"The cards I don't have are probably in your hands. You two will naturally understand after collusion."

Yes, Solovyov played Landlord with them, but it can't be called that in Europe.

If it really means that, it's probably "playing Napoleon."

"You are really smart, and I can never win when playing chess with you."

With Mrs. Recamier's brain, she may be very smart in socializing, but she may be a little worse in other aspects.

While they were talking here, the guests were finally here, and now they could start discussing some issues.

If there is really nothing to say, they can also choose to dance here.

But the lady didn't want to come down to dance. She always leaned there to chat with people and discuss things that women find interesting.

But Solovyov felt that she should also come down to dance.

"Julie, you are the hostess of the salon, you can come down and dance."

"We can discuss some interesting things, such as Virgil's poems. Michel, if you want to dance, you can take Mihrima with you, can you teach her to dance!"

Although this is possible, there is no suitable dance partner for leading your maid to dance. Yulia and her husband are reunited after a short separation here, so they don't need their sister to be a dance partner.

"Master, I also want to learn, it seems that the guests are having a lot of fun."

"Okay, but you have to come and see"

Soloviev tried to invite a local young lady to dance, so that he could show Mihrima a demonstration.

He could even ask some questions, such as the attitude of the local people in Sofia towards the Russian army, and their attitude towards him as the commander-in-chief and temporary governor.

"Sir, you are much more fair in judging cases than those masters in the past. There was a dispute between my family's inn and neighbors, and the land was divided equally between each family. Although we didn't get it all, your judgment was based on evidence. Even if we are not satisfied, it is an acceptable result."

"There is nothing we can do about it. It's just an empty lot, and we can only judge it according to custom. But you dance well. I want to teach my maid to dance. Your dance steps are very suitable for us to set an example."

"Really? We also have dances here, but because we are short of money, we only have the opportunity to come out during important festivals."

"If we can achieve long-term peace in the future, and there will no longer be those tax farmers who suck the blood out of people, but regular tax departments will replace them, maybe everything will be better."

He said so, but that's all. (End of this chapter)