The Shadow of Great Britain

Capítulo 1356: Chapter 192: The Real and Fake Imperial Envoys (Part 2)

The mayor’s wife glanced at the silver teapot on the table, lifted her elaborate hairstyle, and said smugly: “You see, Aleksey, our hospitality is impeccable. That young man Hestingov has been looking at you with admiration recently. I knew that serving him well would definitely pay off. You’ll surely soar in the officialdom in the future.”

She gently picked up the teacup, her eyes filled with pride and fantasies: “Once he goes back, he’ll certainly recommend you for a high position. Even if it’s not a transfer to big cities like St. Petersburg or Moscow, at least you won’t be stuck in a backwater like Druiysk. Even if they make you the director of the tax office in the provincial capital, wouldn’t that be a godsend for our family to connect with such a noble person?”

The mayor took a deep breath, brushing off his fatigue, and his face shone with a hint of vanity.

He replied in a low voice: “Yes, madam, you see his bearing, truly extraordinary. Such opportunities only come a few times in a lifetime. I can’t wait to see what kind of opportunity he’ll find for me once he returns.”

The mayor’s wife suddenly muttered to herself: “If you really became the tax office director, it wouldn’t just be the benefits of a promotion. We could also make our family business and industries flourish. Think about it, isn’t this exactly what we want?”

The wife was completely engrossed in her fantasies, her eyes lightly shining, as if she were already planning the next ten years of life in her mind—apart from other matters, just the increasing number of properties, the commercial firms she would open, and the palace-like mansion would make her intoxicated.

Suddenly, she furrowed her brows slightly, adjusting her overly luxurious shawl, and said softly to the mayor: “Aleksey, I’ve been thinking, since it’s taken an effort to establish relations with such an outstanding person as the Colonel, isn’t there a way to turn it into a long-term relationship?”

“Long-term relationship?”

Bakarjin wasn’t stupid; he instantly understood the wife’s meaning. He covertly glanced at their daughter in the far-off drawing-room, who was leaning by the window, flipping through a French book with a look of contemplation and anxiety.

He spoke up: “It’s a god’s miracle! I’ve never seen Marina so dedicated to learning French in my lifetime.”

The mayor’s wife rolled her eyes: “I always urged her to become fluent in French and German, but she just wouldn’t listen. When I was her age, I was one of the top talents in all of Vitebsk. But our daughter, although beautiful, with fair skin and clear eyes, her only flaw is staying too long in this small place, which has warped her ideas. She only thought that marrying the postmaster meant a good life, unaware that mastering French and German would allow her to stay in her beloved St. Petersburg and Moscow rather than be relegated to the countryside like her old mother. Now that she’s met someone like Colonel Hestingov and saw that they only speak German and French, she realizes how awkward it is to even have a chat and has started to panic!”

Bakarjin retorted: “Although Marina’s German and French are rusty, she isn’t like those ordinary girls. Her temperament is unique, a bit distinctive, and she can stand out even in the salons of St. Petersburg and Moscow. At least when I took her to provincial parties, she never embarrassed me. Even the Secretary said, ‘I didn’t expect that a stout man like me could have a daughter who’s as graceful as a nightingale.’ Moreover, a man like Colonel Hestingov isn’t someone who bothers with trivialities. If her German and French are rusty, she can learn them over time. Besides, young men do enjoy beautiful girls, don’t they?”

The wife snorted and threw cold water on her husband: “That’s true, men do like pretty girls. But a handsome young officer like the Colonel won’t just be interested in Marina. Look at his demeanor, full of scholarly aura, a bright future, a seasoned way of dealing with things, even able to chat a bit about science and music. Which girl wouldn’t want to get close to him?”

Bakarjin listened and nodded, indifferently, but a hint of uncertainty flickered in his eyes: “You have a point, and a man like the Colonel can’t be concerned only about our family’s business and promotions. However, I believe we should proceed slowly, not rush. If we could indeed bring about this marriage, our family’s status would be different. I know I’ll never become a Sixth Rank official, but having a son-in-law who becomes one… Or if we take a step back, what do you think of Captain Hutter?”

“Captain Hutter?” The wife recalled Hutter’s icy, unapproachable face: “Hah, I don’t like him, but Marina might enjoy it. Our foolish daughter has a knack for warming a cold heart, first with the postmaster, now moving on to the Constitutional Soldier Captain—it’s an improvement at least!”

Suddenly, hurried footsteps rang from outside, and a servant rushed in, breathlessly reporting: “Master, the imperial envoy has arrived!”

“Has Colonel Hestingov woken up?” The wife promptly adjusted her attire and lifted her skirt: “Serve the breakfast from the pot to the dining room, and brew a pot of the Colonel’s favorite black tea, with sugar and milk on the side.”

Bakarjin saw his wife stand up and asked: “Where are you going?”

“Of course, to chat with the Colonel.” She raised an eyebrow lightly: “You don’t understand, men always like women who can discuss highbrow topics with them. You know, he’s not an ordinary officer, and I must show him that not everyone in Druiysk is a country woman. My bearing is unique, no worse than those high-ranking women in St. Petersburg.”

The servant hurriedly interjected: “Madam, it’s not that; the new arrival is Commodore Pavel Andreievich Balgov! He just got off the carriage and is at the city gate. He commanded Captain Potemkin to gather all the officials, big and small, in the city, saying if they don’t see people in the time it takes to smoke a bag of tobacco, he’ll send the Cossacks to ‘invite’ you over.”

“Balgov?” The mayor was stunned, then nearly shouted out: “My lord!”

The mayor’s wife frowned, a trace of displeasure flashing in her eyes: “Balgov? Didn’t we already have an imperial envoy? How come there’s a new one?”

Her voice contained an impatient tone, and her slightly raised eyebrows indicated she clearly disliked this news, disturbing her peaceful morning.

The mayor was as anxious as a cat on hot bricks, pacing the living room with hands behind his back: “Something’s wrong! How in just a few days have two envoys arrived? Could there be some significant event? The old one hasn’t even left, and now a new one has come—how should we deal with this?”

“How to deal with it?” The mayor’s wife sneered, slightly pouting her lips, “Isn’t it just an imperial envoy? What’s the big deal? Isn’t Colonel Hestingov here?”

The servant quickly explained: “Madam, it’s not like that; the newcomer is a commodore! A Fifth Rank officer, higher than Colonel Hestingov!”

The wife still didn’t regard this as significant and remained indifferent, continuing to stroke her meticulously arranged hairstyle: “A commodore? So what? He may be a commodore now, but Colonel Hestingov’s talents are enough to captivate even those in the Imperial Palace. Although Colonel Hestingov is young, his future is limitless.”

However, the mayor dared not be careless.

From a bureaucratic standpoint, although Arthur is indeed young, the gap between Sixth Rank and Fifth Rank is a formidable barrier, just as significant as the promotion from Ninth Grade to Eighth Grade.

Even if Colonel Hestingov has promising prospects, he is still far behind the commodore.

The mayor hurried to the window, looking through the half-open window at the street, where a group of officials and guards were rushing about, and he couldn’t help but feel apprehensive.

“We should consult Colonel Hestingov about this.” The mayor frowned and said quietly.

As he spoke, he felt a lack of confidence, but this was no longer something that could be handled with mere enthusiasm: “Hopefully, the new envoy will be lenient for the sake of the Colonel.”