The captain lowered his head, gritted his teeth, and trembled all over.
He was not afraid of the whip. At most, it would leave him bedridden for half a month. But the humiliation of being personally ordered flogged by the Tsar would follow him for the rest of his life!
Paul I glared at him and shouted, "You men, spoiled by your habitual sloppiness, can't even carry out an order without dragging your feet?!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" The captain hurriedly snapped to attention. Without waiting for the gendarmes to come over, he turned and ran in great strides toward the Military Discipline Officer.
Suvorov immediately grew anxious.
He had just identified the flags and confirmed that the unit training at Gatchina Palace was an infantry regiment of the Izmailovsky Guards. These were the elite among the Empire's elite!
And if that officer were flogged in public, he would practically be ruined from then on—how could an officer mocked by every soldier still command men in battle? Suvorov immediately strode up to Paul I. He was about to bow out of habit when he suddenly recalled the decree on knightly etiquette. Its most important rule was that all nobles had to kneel on one knee when meeting the Tsar, and in appropriate circumstances, they even had to kiss the back of his hand.
Suvorov could only take the lead in kneeling. "Your Majesty the Emperor, your humble servant pays his respects."
The people behind him also hurriedly knelt and saluted.
A satisfied smile appeared on Paul I's face as he gestured to them. "Please rise.
"Are you here to attend the army inspection?"
Suvorov had already forgotten why he had entered the palace. He glanced toward the officer in the corner of the square, who had already removed his shirt, and