Catherine and the Black Emperor

048. Vice Chairman

"The rebellion at Hay Market involved a total of eight leaders, headed by retired Major Yuri. The other seven, according to investigation, included French, Turkish, and Austrian nationals, as well as convicts recently released from the fortress," Sergei reported.

"It's all about jealousy and hatred towards Russia, and Austria is even involved." Elizabeth's face turned cold.

"Austria wants us to go to war with Prussia, but Austria is Prussia's real enemy, so this is a disguised attempt to form an alliance with us," Sergei explained tactfully.

Elizabeth understood all this, and scoffed, "This kind of behavior disgusts me!"

Sergei did not comment further.

He knew that even if Austria's actions displeased Elizabeth, geopolitics and self-interest would still lead the Russian empress to eventually ally with Austria to jointly confront the growing Prussia.

"Everyone's been arrested?" Elizabeth's gaze returned to Sergei.

"Arrest them all and lock them up in the fortress. In addition to the eight rebel leaders, there are twelve civilians who were most active in the rebellion. Some are serfs, and some are idle. They are just waiting for your order, and they will all pay the price they deserve."

Elizabeth remained silent for a while before giving the order.

"All eight ringleaders have been executed. As for the other twelve, they were just ordinary Russians, blinded by conspiracy. Let them suffer enough before releasing them!"

"Her Majesty the Empress is kind and benevolent; God will surely bless you and Russia." Sergei bowed.

Elizabeth looked at him and smiled with satisfaction: "Sergei, you've done a good job. Igor is getting old. From today onwards, you will take his place and help Shuvalov manage the secret committee."

Igor is the vice chairman of the secret committee!

"Thank you, Your Majesty, I am flattered!" Sergei expressed his gratitude and joy.

Elizabeth waved, and Sergei stepped back.

Stepping out of the office, Sergei transformed himself from the secretary-general of the secret committee into the vice-chairman, becoming the second most powerful figure in this vast secret organization in Russia!

fortress.

Eight prisoners were brought before Shuvalov by the secret police. They were Yuri and eight other leaders of the rebellion that had taken place in Hay Market.

After confirming that everything was correct, Shuvalov nodded, and the secret police put black hoods on them and led them away.

At the execution ground, eight prisoners knelt on the ground.

Ten meters away, 32 musketeers raised their flintlock pistols. Shuvalov and Sergei stood on the stands. At the executioner's command, eight men wearing black hoods fell to the ground amidst the neat and loud gunfire.

"Such a form of punishment is quite entertaining. Igor did leave something for the secret committee before he left," Shuvalov said casually.

"Such a public execution will greatly intensify the fear of those with ill intentions," Sergei nodded.

How could the other party know that this was precisely because he had promised Igor benefits that the other party brought it up?

He had already made the arrangements. The musketeers would shoot the prisoners in the face, leaving them bloodied and unrecognizable. Shuvalov personally oversaw the pre-execution checks.

In this way, even if Yuri runs into trouble later, he won't be held responsible.

He helped Yuri escape to determine if Yuri could become his man. He was in charge of the Hay Market case, so even if Yuri was his man, he still had to be "captured" and brought to justice to cooperate in this charade.

The play was a great success, and he was subsequently appointed as the vice chairman.

After Sergei left, someone appeared here; it was none other than Otto Brummer, the former Marshal of Holstein.

"Look what you've done! I sent him to the hay market, and now he's the vice chairman. My next position will be his!" Shuvalov said coldly.

"Chairman, if you want to ruin someone, you have to make them fall from the top. He's become the vice chairman of the secret committee at such a young age, so it's inevitable that he's arrogant. We just need the right opportunity to bring him down in one fell swoop!" Blumer explained with a smile.

"Even if we disregard the worst-case scenario and he actually replaces you as Chairman, so what? You control the Special Court, a powerful hand that can strangle the Secret Committee!"

Hearing this, Shuvalov's expression softened slightly.

He now regrets bringing Sergei into the secret council, even if it was Elizabeth's idea. If given another chance, he would rather displease Elizabeth than agree.

When Sergei left the secret committee, he had an extra piece of paper in his hand.

"It really was Brummer."

From the moment he received the assignment to the hay market, he guessed that Shuvalov had ulterior motives.

Shuvalov wouldn't be kind enough to give him a chance to impress Elizabeth. If he handled it poorly, she would naturally take advantage of his misfortune. But if he handled it well, Elizabeth would surely look at him with new respect.

In addition, he had previously sensed that there were eyes watching him in the darkness, so while dealing with the hay market, he also planted spies in the secret committee.

Now we finally know who was behind this.

"Brummer, you're asking for it!"

Otto Blumer had no past grudges against him, and had no recent conflicts with him. He usually let Peter bully him, but as long as Peter didn't provoke him, he would turn a blind eye. However, since the other party was so arrogant as to come looking for trouble, then he shouldn't blame him for being ruthless.

Sergei had already begun to devise a plan to deal with Blumer.

As night falls, in a manor of moderate size in the northwest of St. Petersburg.

This is the territory of the landowner Valentin.

A short, old man with a thick beard came to the storeroom alone. He pushed open the door, and an oil lamp illuminated the room. The tools were arranged in a very messy manner. He cleaned the table and walked to the iron cage in the corner.

He brought the oil lamp close to the iron cage, illuminating the girl inside whose hands were bound and whose mouth was gagged.

The yellowish light from the oil lamp made the old man's aged face look like a demon crawling out of hell, and the little girl's blue eyes revealed an unprecedented fear.

"Hehe, good boy, I'll let you out in a bit."

As he said this, the old man had already hung the oil lamp high up and began to take off his pants.

"Hello!"

A voice suddenly came.

"Who!" the old man exclaimed in surprise, looking into the darkness in the distance from the warehouse.

There, a figure slowly walked out. Upon seeing the man's face, Valentin's expression immediately changed.

"Yuri! What are you doing here!"

"I've come to claim your life for my wife and daughter! You beast, how dare you not show any restraint!" Yuri's face was filled with rage as he saw the little girl in the iron cage.

The old man tried to escape, but his trousers were unzipped, hindering his movement.

"Bang!"

Yuri leaped into the air and kicked his opponent away.

He lunged forward, grabbed the man's collar, and rained blows on Valentin's face, punch after punch, until his fists were soon covered in blood.