92 Fulfilled Ambition

After returning to Jazłowiec, the first thing I did was send letters to my magnate friends, the second thing was to send Saddat as a messenger to the Crimean Khan.

"You tell Khan to launch attacks on the Moscow Principality, the Ottomans will need slaves ... thanks to this Khan will earn gold, which will then help him defeat the Turks." (MC)

"Anything else I should tell him?" (Saddat)

"Yes, let him organize a few attacks from which we free the captives ... but only women and young children. Leave Jazłowiec immediately." (MC)

The population was always a big problem for Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the country was very large, the area was one million square kilometers, but this area was inhabited by no more than 11 million people ... "freeing" women and young children from Tatar captivity was one way to increase the population, especially since women and children are easier to control... They will also find it difficult to deny something to their savior.

Then I called Secretary Kowalski to my office.

"I have new guidelines for our factories, we need more gunpowder, cannonballs and carts to carry it all ... let the carts have additional skids that are easy to remove." (MC)

"Should I order additional gunpowder from merchants? Our local production is only 800 kilograms a year, and our armory does not have more than three tons in stock." (Secretary Kowalski)

"It's good that you mentioned it ... currently 10 kilograms of gunpowder costs 2.5 ducats, I will need it... minimum 10 tons. Pay even 3 ducats for 10 kilograms and buy any amount." (MC)

"Lord, is there any war coming?" (Secretary Kowalski)

"If you want peace, get ready for war." (MC)

These were my preparations for a potential war with Moscow or the Ottoman Empire, whichever comes first... However, a war in the east was more likely than a war in the south. With his newfound passion for digging channels, the Sultan is unlikely to be interested in costly war... I told Kowalski to do a few more things related to preparations for the war, like ordering warmer clothes for my people, preparing salted meat and other supplies.

Sveta was lying, she rested her head on my chest and put her arm around me.

"I would like to ask you for something ..." (Sveta)

I didn't really feel like talking at the moment, but once is not always, I can sacrifice myself ... I kissed her head.

"What can I do for you?" (MC)

Sveta raised her head, looked into my eyes, her face was flushed.

"Will you teach me to read?" (Sveta)

There was a hesitant and embarrassed in her voice ... I thought she would ask for something more serious, of course, teaching her to read would be troublesome, but no more than other things.

"Why do you want to learn to read?" (MC)

"I can see the governess teaching Piotr and Katarzyna ... and I'd like to help with that." (Sveta)

I didn't see anything wrong with it, the following weeks will be calmer so I will definitely find a moment to give her lessons. I got up from the bed and went to the sideboard that stood in the bedroom. I opened one of the drawers ... I kept there started and unfinished texts of poems, books and other things that I had abandoned. I took out my stack of written papers and went back to bed.

I started flipping through the pages. "Nun" no, "Justine Misfortunes of Virtue" is also no, these two novels, if I were to publish them, both would be on the index of forbidden books. I need something easier and lighter. Hmm ... maybe this.

"Now I will read something to you, and then we will slowly try together ... do not be discouraged, and if you do not understand something, ask." (MC)

I read her a few verses of the poem ... and then slowly familiarized her with each letter and its pronunciation. Maybe it was because of Sveta's age, adults have a harder time assimilating new things than children, but the first lesson was not very successful ... or maybe my expectations were too high. Two hours later we both went to bed.

The following weeks were spent mainly on property administration. I also organized a wedding for Sveta's eldest son and, as I had planned, sent him and his new wife to Smolensk, where I gave him a piece of land.

Two or three times a week, Sveta had her lessons, progress was already visible, although Piotr and Katarzyna were doing much better than their mother.

"Lord, a letter has arrived from Hetman Sapieha." (Secretary Kowalski)

I quickly opened it, read it ... its content surprised me. I didn't know what to think. Koniecpolski was "promoted", Potocki became the Grand Hetman of the Crown, and I was to appear in Warsaw to receive the mace of the Field Hetman of the Crown.

The second part of the letter is now partially clearing the mysteries. Potocki was a distant relative of the Radziwiłł family and he obtained their support. We also obtained the support of the Grand Chancellor of the Crown and Bishop of Chełm Jakub Zadzik.

We differed with Chancellor Zadzik in almost everything, but we had one thing in common, we both believed that Prussia was a threat, he even wanted to send troops there to remind Prince Jerzy Wilhelm Hohenzollern that he was a vassal of the Kingdom of Poland, unfortunately the Seym did not support this idea.

There was nothing left for me to do but go to the capital and receive my nomination. It was the only position that interested me, I did not intend to fight for the crown or other honors ... I had everything I wanted.

The next day I left for Warsaw, where I arrived two weeks later. I stayed in the Jazłowiecki Palace, which has been renovated and rebuilt a bit, and it will slowly start to resemble the one I knew from my first life... I sent a messenger and announced my arrival, and as always had to await a summons to the Royal Palace.