In February, St. Petersburg was still snowy and freezing. This season of dripping water turning into ice made Schwarzenberg very uncomfortable when he first arrived.
Vienna in this season would never be 20 or 30 degrees below zero, let alone dripping water and turn into ice. Looking at the half-deep snow on both sides of the road, Schwarzenberg shuddered subconsciously. He finally understood why Napoleon would make a
Disgraced.
He subconsciously tightened the mink coat tightly, and then held the stove tightly, and then he felt a little warmer, but even here he still felt a chill in his heart.
"Is Peter Volkonsky still unwilling to let go?"
Schwarzenberg asked with some annoyance while holding the hearth tightly. To be honest, he really had no choice in dealing with the greedy Peter Volkonsky. He had already given away a lot of money, beating around the bush.
I also brought some favors, but this person was always vague and refused to give me accurate information.
To be honest, Schwarzenberg couldn't get enough of the Russians. Although these damn barbarians all dressed up similarly to French upper-class aristocrats, their style of speaking and doing things was completely oriental.
It's vague, always in the clouds, always confusing for you.
This made him admire his predecessor Metternich very much. He couldn't understand how the old prime minister could tame the Russian bull so docilely that he was willing to wear a nose ring and drive it around, let alone lead Russia by the nose.
, he was almost knocked upside down by this wild bull. Is he so far behind Metternich?
Schwarzenberg's thoughts suddenly drifted away, so much so that he didn't come back to his senses even after his secretary reminded him twice. After a while, he asked the Austrian ambassador to Russia blankly: "What's wrong? What did you say?
?”
"Your Excellency, Prime Minister, I think you should be more flexible when dealing with the Russians. These guys are cunning foxes who often only take benefits without doing anything... You can't expect these barbarians to have integrity or conscience...
"
In fact, this is a criticism of Schwarzenberg. The ambassador is really speechless about the new prime minister's style of doing things. He feels that he is too demanding from the Russians. How can this be done? Doesn't he know that these guys are
What a cunning old fox!
Schwarzenberg naturally couldn't listen to these criticisms. He felt that the ambassador was a bit disrespectful. What's more, Austria was in a different situation. At the beginning, it could talk to Russia on an equal footing. How could it not give up now when it asked for help?
figure?
He felt that even now that he had lowered his stature, the Russians seemed to be ignoring him. This fully demonstrated that the Russians did not really care about Austria as their ally. If they were not more diligent at this time, would they be watching Russia helplessly?
Man ran into the arms of the Prussians?
But he had received news that the Russians and the Prussians were flirting with each other. If he didn't take this seriously, Prussia would really overtake Austria.
"Prince Menshikov needs to strengthen contact!" Schwarzenberg snorted and expressed his judgment directly, "In addition, you should contact Duke Ordorf, he is also a key figure, Neshe
Count Elroddie has repeatedly stated his importance, we must serve him something!"
What Schwarzenberg said actually meant that his ambassador was not caring enough, which made the latter speechless again, because the ambassador felt that Schwarzenberg had explained so many key points, and he felt that every one of them was the key figure.
So many key people have to be taken care of one by one. Isn’t this a joke?
The ambassador felt that Schwarzenberg's work had completely missed the point. Not all of these key figures were pro-Austrian. How could you cover everything? You had to find those key figures who were interested in cooperating with Austria, and then concentrate your efforts to overcome them.
Only in this way can they accomplish great things.
Where can we cast a wide net like now, seemingly covering all aspects, but the power is completely dispersed, and these Russians feel that they are all taken advantage of by Austria, and everyone starts to raise their prices.
However, he did not dare to say these words in front of Schwarzenberg, because he heard that the new prime minister was difficult to deal with and had no regard for old ministers like them.
You shot yourself in the foot.
Not long after, as Schwarzenberg and Mr. Ambassador were sleeping together, Peter Volkonsky's mansion arrived. Schwarzenberg took a deep breath and walked out of the carriage as if he had resigned himself to it.
Moving forward firmly in the wind and snow.
Such a decisive expression is particularly ridiculous in the eyes of Mr. Ambassador. It is true that St. Petersburg is very cold, but the hotel where Schwarzenberg is staying and the carriage in which he travels are not. Here you still look like the wind is rustling and the water is cold.
Who are you showing it to?
The ambassador accompanied Schwarzenberg into Peter Volkonsky's mansion while vomiting. As the owner, he was already at the gate to greet Peter Volkonsky, wearing a sea otter hat and a bearskin.
From a distance, it looks like a naive brown bear, but this brown bear can really eat people.
"Welcome, Your Excellency Prime Minister, your arrival will make this humble house shine!"
After the usual exchange of greetings, Schwarzenberg couldn't wait to walk into the room. Within a short time, he was shivering with cold.
Not long after entering the door, Schwarzenberg asked impatiently: "Your Excellency, how do you think about my last proposal?"
"Haha, you are too anxious. This is not the way we do things in Russia!" Peter Volkonsky laughed and immediately changed the topic: "Today is your first time to visit Humble House. Let's first
Business aside, the first and most important thing is for me to entertain you well, otherwise after you go back, my colleagues and friends will laugh at me for not knowing etiquette and not entertaining you well! You must not let me be rude!"
Schwarzenberg was a little dumbfounded, because the purpose of his visit was really to discuss business. Who would have thought that Peter Volkonsky would not follow the routine and treat him with food and wine from the very beginning? Look at the big bottle of vodka.
Looking at the huge piece of barbecue, Schwarzenberg felt vaguely that his stomach was beginning to twitch again.
Seeing this scene, the man next to him laughed faintly. He naturally knew that his prime minister could not stand Russian-style treatment, especially the vodka that could kill him. His delicate tongue really couldn't stand Russia's boldness.
But Schwarzenberg had no chance to refuse, because Peter Volkonsky had already announced the banquet with a wave of his hand...