The Shadow of Great Britain

Capítulo 1359: Chapter 193: The Devil That Tempts the Heart_3

Hutter was just about to continue the introductions when he heard the sound of footsteps nearby. The Constitutional Soldier Captain immediately closed his mouth and coldly looked toward the mayor’s wife walking into the dining room.

The mayor’s wife’s gaze swept over the two people and finally settled on Arthur: “Colonel, we need your help with something. Shall we find a place to talk privately?”

Arthur took a light sip of tea and smiled: “No need, Madam, Captain Hutter is not an outsider. I have nothing to hide from him.”

The mayor’s wife, seeing Arthur’s response, let the maid pull out a chair for her. As she sat down with her skirt raised, she teased: “Colonel, you may have nothing to hide from Captain Hutter, but you are hiding something from me.”

“Hiding from you?” Arthur’s heart skipped a beat, thinking his secret had been uncovered: “Madam, I wouldn’t dare boast saying ‘I have never lied in my life,’ but I swear to God, I’ve never deceived any lady in my life, not one.”

The mayor’s wife, seeing his earnest demeanor, said with a smile: “In that case, why didn’t you tell me earlier about the arrival of another imperial envoy? General Balakov’s arrival in Druiysk today really frightened Aleksey, he almost fell on his backside. You know, the whole city is in chaos now. Everyone’s worried that the new arrival won’t be as easy to deal with as you.”

“The new imperial envoy?” Arthur feigned ignorance: “It must be sent by the Home Office. However, I truly didn’t know beforehand that the Home Office was sending someone here. I thought this was just a routine local inspection by the Third Bureau.”

“That group of Home Office rascals, truly devilish!” Captain Hutter chimed in at the right moment, his voice low yet filled with anger: “All they know is to stir trouble from within, finding nothing but trouble for themselves. They pay no heed to local affairs but always love to meddle. Each time they clamp down on information as if those of us doing the actual work have to follow their lead. Nonsense! Those people are nothing but corrupt pigs, taking others’ money to do their wicked deeds, wanting to use their imperial envoy status to suppress us. General Balakov? I’ll bet he’s just a sycophant; however high he climbs, he remains just a foolish mule!”

His expression grew even more severe, hands clenched into fists as if trying to break the table: “If it weren’t for us, suppressing the mess they create, they’d have turned the place upside down a long time ago! These guys don’t know their own weight, they ought to be thrown into the firewood pile and burned!”

The mayor’s wife, hearing Hutter’s curses, felt even more confident.

She knew, though a Commodore outranked a Colonel by First Class, Colonel Hestingov’s connections up to the Third Bureau were invaluable.

Let alone a mere Commodore, if truth be told, even a provincial Governor wouldn’t dare show disrespect to the Colonel.

Moreover…

This Colonel was so young!

Arthur pretended to reprimand Hutter: “Richard, that’s enough. Though we indeed contend with the Home Office, at least on the surface we must maintain some decency. By the way, Madam, the new imperial envoy you mentioned, is his name Balakov?”

“That’s correct, Colonel.” The mayor’s wife complained: “Though it might be inappropriate for me to say, the gentleman is not as dignified and elegant as you. Early this morning, he rushed into the city with a large group of Cossack Cavalry, causing quite an upheaval and panic among the people. He said something about gathering all city officials within the time it takes to smoke a pipe. If anyone remains absent when he finishes, he’ll send the Cossacks to give them three lashes.”

Arthur stood up and adjusted his attire, straightening the iconic collar of his tailcoat: “Oh? If that’s the case, then these three lashes are bound for me today, aren’t they? After all, it seems I’m among the ‘all city officials’ category, and by now, he has likely finished his smoke, has he not?”

The mayor’s wife secretly laughed to herself, thinking the unwelcome Commodore was probably going to meet a dire end today.

“How dare he!” The mayor’s wife praised: “Even the Emperor would hesitate to lash you. How bold that Tatar brute must be!”

Arthur wiped his mouth with a napkin, leisurely stood up, and commanded Hutter: “Captain, gather our people and follow me. After all, General Balakov’s order is to gather all the city officials, and not one of your soldiers can be absent.”