The Shadow of Great Britain

Capítulo 1348: Chapter 189: The Cunning Cultural Attaché

Mayor Bakarjin was busy handling a pile of trivial paperwork in his study, the fireplace roaring and dispelling the chill of the Druiysk winter.

The stuffy air in the study was filled with the smell of old paper and a faint scent of ink.

His pen was gliding over a report when a sudden knock on the door interrupted him.

“What is it?” The mayor looked up, a hint of impatience in his voice. He hated being disturbed, especially when he was spending so much effort covering up the local fiscal holes and resource misappropriations.

In recent days, he had been accompanying Colonel Hestingov through Druiysk’s streets and alleys, City Hall, the municipal school, church, and court, and even the garrison’s barracks.

Although there were several minor incidents along the way, such as someone secretly tailing them outside City Hall, seemingly waiting for a chance to lodge a complaint. During the municipal school inspection, a teacher accidentally revealed some inappropriate remarks while explaining a lesson, causing the Colonel to frown slightly, apparently doubting the overly idealistic teaching methods.

What troubled Mayor Bakarjin the most was when they had just left the church, and Hestingov calmly questioned a farmer who had lodged a complaint with City Hall. However, the farmer appeared extremely nervous and at a loss, with even some incoherent words, so in the end, he couldn’t articulate a coherent narrative.

Fortunately, Colonel Hestingov kept his promise and did not overly trouble Druiysk’s local officials over these trivial matters.

But correspondingly, this loaf also required the heads of each department to write their inspection reports themselves to hand over to him to take back to St. Petersburg.

Outside, the servant cautiously opened the door, his face full of anxiety: “Sir! Something’s wrong! The gendarme… A gendarme captain brought people, saying they want to see you.”

“Gendarme captain?”

Bakarjin’s pen paused in mid-air, a small black blot spreading on the paper from the ink.

The word gendarme was to him more piercing than the winter chill. He instinctively touched his forehead, as if to check whether cold sweat had started to bead yet.

“Is it a new gendarme you mentioned? Not Colonel Hestingov?” The mayor’s voice was slightly dry.

“Yes, Your Excellency. They are already at the doorstep, and they look… very formal.” The servant’s tone revealed unease, his gaze was somewhat wandering, as if not daring to meet the mayor’s eyes directly.

“Are they subordinates of Colonel Hestingov?”

“That… I didn’t ask, but even if I did, they definitely wouldn’t say.” The servant swallowed saliva: “You know, those are gendarme lords, each colder than a knife.”

Bakarjin quickly stood up, tugging at his slightly loose collar, trying to steady his breath.

He knew some of his “small actions” were not entirely concealed, especially regarding tax funds and local grain allocation.

If the gendarme had any evidence…

He dared not think further.

“Let him in,” Bakarjin finally said, trying to sound calm, but the slight quiver in his tone betrayed his inner fear.

The servant nodded and left, while Bakarjin paced the study. His mind rapidly calculating the possible reasons—was it that his recent secret dealings with a landlord were exposed? Or were the inconsistencies in last month’s grain allocation records discovered?

No matter the reason, he had to prepare an explanation in the shortest time possible.

But in an instant, Bakarjin remembered Colonel Hestingov residing in the guest room next door.

What was there to fear?

It’s just a gendarme captain!

As long as Colonel Hestingov stood by his side, could a captain really overturn the situation?

Bakarjin had just reassured himself, but in a flash, he felt his confidence waver.

However…

Regarding the gendarme, nobody could say for sure.

Previously, when handling affairs in the provincial capital, he heard others mention tales of internal gendarme struggles.

Although the gendarme had ranks, since most maintained direct communication lines with higher-ups, and most gendarme officers could directly communicate with the Third Bureau headquarters in St. Petersburg, occasionally, low-ranking gendarme would impeach higher-ranking ones.

If this newly arrived gendarme captain didn’t possess Colonel Hestingov’s cunning sociability but was a complete dunce, then what?

The more Bakarjin pondered, the more anxious he became, hastily shaking the bell on the desk to summon the servant, ordering: “Peter, go and check if Colonel Hestingov is asleep. If not, please ask the Colonel to come by, just say… just say I’d like to invite him for a cup of tea.”

“Understood, sir.”

The servant hurriedly closed the door and left; the study once again echoed with Bakarjin’s murmurings.

“If this gendarme captain truly has a fiery temper, would he reveal my secrets on the spot?”

Bakarjin cursed his stupidity inwardly.

Although Colonel Hestingov seemed elegant, he wasn’t entirely a die-hard ally. This guy appeared indifferent to local affairs as if willing to let them handle it all, yet the more this kind appeared, the more they liked to protect themselves.

If nothing was exposed, naturally, everything was fine for everyone, but if something went wrong, he’d surely be the first to abandon ship.