"Luckily, we brought this up today." Talleyrand limped out of the house alongside Zubov, turning his head as he said, "Still, I think this might be a fine opportunity for you."
Zubov did not understand. "What opportunity do you mean?"
Lowering his voice, Talleyrand said, "Since becoming commander-in-chief of the Guards, you have yet to win a major battle.
"If you can defeat the Persians this time, seize vast territories in the Caucasian region, or even invade Persia, I believe His Majesty the Tsar will certainly see you in a new light."
Zubov's heart immediately stirred.
As an ambitious paramour, his greatest wish was to surpass Potemkin, the Tsar's favorite.
He was more handsome than Potemkin and better at pleasing the Tsar. The only thing he lacked was military merit.
Potemkin had won Moldavia on the western shore of the Black Sea for the Empire. He would seize the Caucasus on its eastern shore!
At the thought, he felt his entire body brimming with drive.
Rhineland.
Kastellaun, a small town in western Palatinate.
Inside an ordinary house by the street, Baron Scheller glanced at the smoked sausage, chicken, vegetable soup, and mashed potatoes on the table, then politely nodded to the elderly couple opposite him. "Thank you for your hospitality. This is truly a lavish spread, Mr. and Mrs. Nicklas."
In truth, he considered the food merely ordinary, but he knew that given the Nicklas family's circumstances, they could probably only afford such a meal during holiday celebrations.
Mrs. Nicklas hurriedly smiled and waved her hand. "I don't know whether it suits your tastes. Besides, you paid so much for the room..."
Yes, Scheller and his wife were only staying here temporarily.
They had originally planned to cross the Rhine River from Strasbourg into France, but halfway there, they