Catherine and the Black Emperor

019. Preemptive strike

In the snow-covered palace gardens, Johanna strolled along the corridors with Prussian Ambassador Madfield.

"Elizabeth has a fanatical hobby of spying on everyone, and our number one enemy—Besdutev—is not someone to be trifled with. From now on, we must talk away from the windows."

Johanna nodded with reverence; she had now become a fanatical follower of Frederick.

"King Frederick sends you his sincerest greetings and three thousand thalers."

Johanna's excitement was palpable.

"I am very grateful to Your Majesty! Please convey my message that I am his loyal servant!"

Madfield nodded.

"This is exactly the answer His Majesty is looking for. King Frederick hopes that you will tell him truthfully and in detail all the secrets you have discovered here, and I will present them to him personally."

Johanna nodded in agreement.

Under an oak tree just a few dozen meters from the corridor, Sergei was silently watching the two.

He already had a plan in mind to strike first and nip that seed in Elizabeth's heart in the bud—to get him to seduce Johanna.

After the banquet, he went to Elizabeth and told her about Johanna's meeting with Madfield.

"You had a pleasant conversation?"

Elizabeth became increasingly certain that she had not misjudged Sergei.

The other party could deduce from the two people's facial expressions and gestures that they were discussing something secret—avoiding crowded places, but not completely out of sight, and not near the palace or windows.

"Yes, Madfield's smile was very satisfied when they parted, and the Princess's expression could be described as... 'respectful'."

"Sergei, your charm can be put to good use on a grander battlefield. Believe me, now is the time for you to show your abilities. Don't you have any interest in the Princess?" Elizabeth looked at him with a mocking gaze.

coming!

Just as he had anticipated, Johanna's adoration deepened Elizabeth's sense of crisis, leading her to assign him to seduce Johanna.

Elizabeth's tenacity was evident; her question left him no chance to refuse.

The other party's words were quite straightforward.

"Your Majesty, I am honored to serve you and Russia, and I have an unusual affection for the Princess's wife. I will go without hesitation at your command. However... judging from the Princess's wife's attitude towards me, she seems to dislike me very much." Sergei bowed, maintaining a respectful posture.

"Oh? What's your attitude?" Elizabeth said calmly.

Sergei smiled wryly: "Perhaps knowing my reputation, she did everything she could to prevent the princess from speaking to me, and before the banquet, she told me bluntly in front of the princess that I needed a more experienced and reliable lover!"

"Hahaha……"

Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh after hearing all this.

Even Razumovsky, who had always been by Elizabeth's side, smiled.

"Saltikov, even the Princess's wife can't withstand your reputation for saying such things!" Queen Elizabeth teased.

Sergei remained unfazed, maintaining a humble smile.

Finally, Elizabeth waved, and Sergei bowed and stepped back.

After Sergei left, Count Razumovsky expressed his feelings.

"To ensure Frederica's marriage to the Grand Duke, the Princess spared no effort, even turning her dislike to Saltykov, who was the most philandering and youngest duke in the court."

Elizabeth's smile vanished completely, and her eyes turned cold.

"Saltikov has no intention of seducing Johanna!"

Count Razumovsky did not respond. Elizabeth's ability to charm was no less than her ability to govern, and it was precisely for this reason that he was captivated by her.

Elizabeth then changed the subject: "But then again, Johanna really does dislike and hate Saltykov, so he's not suitable... Perhaps only a mature man can tame that woman."

Having quickly chosen a candidate, the Russian Empress gave the order to her attendants on duty.

"Bring Betskoy here!"

Sergei walked out of the palace.

His hand slipped inside his clothes; the shirt he was wearing was completely soaked with sweat and clung tightly to his back. The cold wind seeped in through the gaps his hand had torn open, chilling him to the bone.

But compared to the cold, the comfort of his mood was more important to him.

Rather than waiting to be killed, he took the initiative and succeeded in striking first.

He had rehearsed those lines in his mind dozens of times.

"You absolutely must never be so reckless again!"

This time, Sergei had no choice.

Because the trouble came so suddenly, he had to catch Elizabeth off guard in order to prevent such thoughts from taking root in her mind.

"Let's see which unlucky guy will take on such a cushy job."

Sergei was in no hurry to leave.

Given Elizabeth's style of doing things, now that this matter has been brought up, it would be best to find a new candidate immediately. With Razumovsky also present, I believe the candidate will be determined soon.

Sure enough, no sooner had he come out than his colleague, who was on duty that day, came out as well.

Sergei went to a place further away but where he could see the Queen's bedroom clearly. He didn't have to wait long before he saw the unfortunate fellow—Ivan Betskoy, a scientist and architect who loved design.

"He is a suitable candidate," Sergei muttered to himself.

He was considered unlucky because of the Queen's mission; if he didn't do it well, the consequences would be dire. But it was a sweet job because Johanna, though simple-minded, still retained her charm.

She eventually gave birth to a beautiful German princess.

Betskoy entered the Queen's bedroom, and Sergei turned and left.

A few days later, Hofmal met with Sergei and whispered to him, "I'm sorry, Your Highness, I was unable to uncover Lestoker's plot, but I am certain that Lestoker has an affair with Frederica's servant."

Expectations were low, so Sergei wasn't too disappointed.

"The French are not easy to deal with. You've only just arrived at the court, so don't blame yourself."

Court painters held low status and were not allowed to enter or leave many places at will. Moreover, Hofmahl did not know many people and had been under surveillance by the secret police recently. It was already quite remarkable that he could confirm that Lestoker and Gemma had an affair.

"We have no choice but to turn to Ulyana."

After parting ways with Hofmal, Sergei found Ulyana and asked her to find out about Gemma's relationship and keep an eye on her, hoping to make some unexpected discoveries.

As fellow servants, doing these things is certainly easier for us.

Sure enough, two days later, Ulyana told Sergei.

"Gema's father, Felice, was a court performer."

Sergei pinched his chin.

"That clown performing in the play on stage..."