SWDnovel 025. Advisor Minister
025. Advisor Minister
Sofia awoke from her coma. Her mother was by her bedside, and on the other side was the person she least wanted to see—Leistock, who was burning a scalpel with a candle.
"What are you doing?" she said weakly.
"Darling, he knows what he's doing, you don't need to ask any more questions." Johanna was eager for her daughter to get better.
Lestoker said expressionlessly, "There's blood on your lips, which means you have too much blood in your body and it needs to be released. I'm going to perform bloodletting treatment on you."
He used a scalpel to cut open the vein in Sofia's arm, and blood flowed down her slender, snow-white arm into a small golden basin.
"Counselor, she looks too pale," Sergei reminded her, standing in front of the bed.
Lestok didn't even glance at him: "You're standing here because Shuvalov ordered you to guarantee the princess's safety, but now the princess's safety is in my hands. I've said enough!"
Sergei didn't speak, but the veins on his forehead were throbbing.
He was certain that bloodletting would worsen Sophia's condition, but he couldn't stop it. He wasn't the only one there; there were also secret police. If he tried to obstruct the chief physician's treatment, he would be arrested by the secret police outside the door first.
Lestoker, you'll soon pay for this!
Lestoker handed the small basin to his assistant and put away his scalpel: "If that doesn't work, I'll try draining the bile."
Sofia raised her weak head and looked at Sergei, her eyes filled with pleading: "Your Highness, if the Grand Duke could come and see me, I think I will pull through."
After a brief silence, Sergei nodded and said, "You get some rest. I'll bring the Grand Duke over."
He left the room and in the corridor, he encountered Alexander Shuvalov, who was walking towards him.
"count."
"Where are you going?" Shuvalov asked.
"The princess wishes to see the Grand Duke."
Shuvalov couldn't help but chuckle: "Trying to gain the Grand Duke's sympathy? The Grand Duke won't see her."
Sergei nodded in agreement: "That's right, but since the princess has spoken, I can't refuse. I'll just go and tell the Grand Duke what to do next."
Shuvalov looked at him, remained silent for a moment, and then asked, "Do you think it's normal for the princess to suddenly fall ill?"
"You said it was sudden, so it can't be that normal."
"Tell me your opinion." Shuvalov sensed that Sergei also had doubts.
After a brief pause, Sergei said, "I learned from the servants that the princess is usually very healthy and lively, and her diet is fine. Although she stays up late, it shouldn't cause such serious consequences."
"If there's a conspiracy behind this, who do you think it is?"
Sergei cautiously shook his head: "Count, I do not have your position as chairman of the Special Court, nor do I control the Secret Committee. To speak ill of court officials would incur a very heavy penalty."
"You won't do that now." Shuvalov took out an appointment letter from behind his back and handed it to him, which was obviously prepared in advance.
Sergei looked at the contents of the document.
"Secret police are not allowed to serve as the Empress's attendants, but it is Her Majesty's will that you be cultivated. Therefore, from now on, you are the advisor minister of the Secret Council, with the right to question any possible conspiracy in the court!" Shuvalov explained the reason.
Sergei had finally waited for this moment.
Elizabeth's favor would give him the opportunity to serve under Bestudev or other ministers while he was serving as a courtier.
Without a doubt, the secret committee was what he desired and needed most.
Sergei solemnly accepted the appointment: "I am willing to serve His Majesty and the Count!"
"Now you can speak freely about your doubts," Shuvalov said, his hands behind his back.
Sergei nodded: "I had the honor of serving as His Majesty's secretary once, and I know that many ministers do not want Frederica to be chosen as the Grand Duke's fiancée, so any courtier who has supported other princesses is a suspect."
Shuvalov remained silent, as he was also among the opponents.
Sergei continued, "Prime Minister Bestutev, General Apravshin, and Counselor Lestok are all suspects."
"However, with His Majesty absent, if a conspiracy were to occur, the Prime Minister would either be suspected or be accused of dereliction of duty, so Besdudev is actually the least likely candidate."
"Counselor Lestoker supports the French princess, but he has been in contact with Frederica, and if the princess falls ill, he would also be responsible for her treatment, so his chances are very slim."
Shuvalov, with his hands behind his back, said, "Then it's only Aprakshin. He's Besdudev's old partner, but they have different opinions on who should be the princess."
Sergei immediately chimed in, "Just as the Count suspected, General Apraksin has never given Frederica a kind look, nor has he had any contact with the princess. But precisely because of this, it seems as if he wants to distance himself from the conspiracy!"
Shuvalov nodded, not wanting to discuss it further with him: "You should go see the Grand Duke."
Sergei nodded in acknowledgment and then turned to leave.
As he watched the other person's retreating figure, Shuvalov's expression gradually turned cold, and a look of seriousness appeared in his eyes.
This charming duke is very quick-witted, and as His Majesty said, he is worth cultivating.
But then his eyes turned contemptuous.
Because Sergei's understanding was limited to this; he didn't understand conspiracy at all, his suspicions were completely off track, and he didn't know that the darkest place is right under the lamp. The conspiracy definitely didn't come from Apraksin!
Shuvalov entered the princess's room.
On the other side, Sergei, who was walking towards the Royal Theater, kept feeling the gaze of Shuvalov behind him until he turned the corner and slowed down.
A slight smile played at the corners of his mouth.
Shuvalov, who controlled the secret committee, was cunning and shrewd. The secret police were also very pervasive in St. Petersburg, so he was very wary of Shuvalov.
He had to appear intelligent but not so intelligent as to threaten the other party, so that Shuvalov would feel he was under their control and wouldn't be targeted.
"The laziest of them all, Aprakshin, has already pushed himself to the limit by supporting the Danish princess at the meeting. Why would he get involved in this mess? Shuvalov will definitely be eyeing Lestoker!"
Sergei arrived at the Royal Theatre.
At this moment, Peter was pacing back and forth below the stage, holding his scepter and chanting in fluent German: "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6..."
On stage, several actors dressed in Holstein's military uniforms, playing German soldiers, are doing push-ups on Peter's orders.
Naryshkin sat in a chair below, eating watermelon while watching Peter conduct his "military training."
"Sergei, look at my trained soldiers! You've come at the perfect time. Go tell Frederica that I'm inviting her on a hunting trip, and we'll celebrate with wine afterwards!" Peter shouted to Sergei.
Sergei came to his side: "Your Highness, I was just about to tell you that the princess is ill. You should go and see her."
Upon hearing this, Peter's face instantly turned cold, all interest in hunting vanished, and he instead continued shouting at the stage, "Keep going! 1, 2, 3..."
Sergei approached him again and said in a low voice, "You are going to see her, not in the name of the Grand Duke, nor as a man visiting his fiancée."
"What's that? A cousin looking at his cousin? Don't be ridiculous, Sergei." Peter stuck his tongue out at him.
Sergei's voice was solemn: "On behalf of King Frederick, I am visiting his people in a foreign land."
Peter stopped and turned around, where Sergei offered another temptation.
"Perhaps King Frederick will award you the Order of the Black Eagle (Prussia's highest honor) for this."
Peter immediately went outside.
"What are you all standing there for, Sergei? Naryshkin, come with me to visit the people of Prussia!"