Catherine and the Black Emperor

055. Choosing a Wife

"Master...Master! Master!"

In one of the rooms, papers on the table were swept to the floor, the silver buttons on the man's trousers clattered against the table legs, and the woman's petticoat was rolled up to her waist, the hem of her skirt surging like white waves on the deep red carpet.

Half an hour later, Sergei sat on the sofa, and Agafia's soft body slid off the table like a stream and lay on the floor.

"You're becoming more and more manly, as fierce as a flash flood!" Agafia looked at Sergei with eyes full of infatuation.

"Your father has been keeping a close eye on me lately," Sergei said with his eyes closed.

"I'm watching you too, a lot of women are watching you, the most threatening one is Anastasia Djogolokova, she's beautiful, has a seductive figure, and is a master at seducing men!" Agafia also closed her eyes, enjoying the afterglow of passion.

"Shuvalov sees me as a thorn in his side, your father doesn't accept me either, and Aprakshin has also taken notice of me." Sergei tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the sofa.

"Anastasia is Elizabeth's servant, and now she's a page. She'll likely become a courtier in the future, a privilege reserved for nobles. Elizabeth wants her to be your wife." Agafia reopened her eyes and stared at the ceiling.

"Your father will soon have less attention to me. Mikhail Vorentsov will gradually gain the Empress's favor. The Empress has realized the threat posed by your father's growing power," Sergei said slowly.

"Anastasia couldn't hold your heart. It's not that you're fickle, it's that you're ambitious. At first, I just wanted to play around with you, but your strength and power made me fall for you," Agafia said with a smile.

"Should I marry her?" Sergei asked, looking at her.

"Will my father's position be threatened?" Agafia also looked at him.

"If I don't marry her, I will be driven out of St. Petersburg by the Empress, and even out of Russia, so I... must marry her." Sergei exhaled.

"The Prime Minister won't be so easily sidelined, especially since he's my father. As long as Elizabeth is alive, she can't live without my father." Agaf was relieved.

Both of them fell into a brief silence.

Sergei turned around and saw Agafia lying on the floor, her white dress lifted up to her thighs, her long, straight, and shapely legs making the floor look dull. Agafia looked at Sergei and smiled sweetly.

"Your sword is drawn again; why not use it to strike the enemy once more?"

She shifted her hips, turning her body completely towards Sergei, and slowly raised her long legs, like two jade pillars reaching to the sky.

Sergei got up and left the sofa.

Two hours later, Sergei returned to the residence, where Guards Major Maxim was already waiting for him.

"Sorry, Major, I'm too tired to train today. Shall we reschedule?" Sergei waved his hand.

As a close bodyguard of the Russian Empress, he possessed the combat skills of an elite soldier, but he was still inferior to the soldiers of the three Guards protecting St. Petersburg.

Therefore, he asked Major Maxim of the Semenovsky Guard, one of the three Guards Corps, to train him in fencing, hand-to-hand combat, and to train his physical fitness and reaction speed every day.

"Duke, health is your capital; a man's body should be used on the battlefield," Maxim teased.

During this period of contact, he had become quite familiar with Prince Saltykov.

Sergei reminded him: "Men have three battlefields: the battlefield, the drinking arena, and the love arena."

The two laughed, and after Maxim left, Sergei went back to his room and took a nap.

When he came out, it was already dark. A meal was prepared on the table, and his parents and brother were there. His father, Ivan, waved to him.

"Come and eat."

Sergei nodded and sat down at the table.

"Have you been busy lately?" Ivan asked, noticing Sergei's tired expression.

His feelings toward his youngest son were mixed, a mixture of relief and worry.

What is gratifying is that the other party has gone from a playboy to a court minister and is now the vice chairman of the prestigious secret committee. In just one or two years, his youngest son's status is no less than that of his father.

Not long ago, he handled the case of a Privy Council member named Vasily, which made him both feared and respected by many courtiers.

These were things that he, as a father, had never thought of or dared to imagine.

What is worrying is that the position his youngest son now holds has already drawn him into the power struggles of the court. As the Queen's adjutant, how could he not know about these things?

The Shuvalov family alone is not something they can contend with.

But as a father, he would naturally support his son, so during this time he did his best to build connections and relationships in the palace to ensure his youngest son's stability and safety.

"Fortunately, the Empress gave me a few important instructions," Sergei replied.

As the vice chairman of the secret committee, how could he not know what his father had done?

He couldn't help but feel happy and warm.

As for whether his father's actions would cause him trouble, he wasn't worried, because every powerful minister would develop his own relationships and influence.

Just like Alexander Shuvalov, who was the chairman of the special tribunal and the chairman of the secret committee.

With his help, his brother Pyotr Shuvalov became the current artillery general in the Russian army.

And then there's his nephew, Ivan Shuvalov, who is now showing signs of becoming Elizabeth's new lover. Although he can't shake Razumovsky's position, he undoubtedly adds new strength to the Shuvalov family.

Ivan nodded.

He knew how strict the secret committee was in maintaining secrecy. Even though his youngest son was the vice chairman, he couldn't ask about certain things unless the other party took the initiative to tell him, or he would get into big trouble.

Mother Tolstoy brought up another matter, which was exactly what she was concerned about.

"His Majesty said that he arranged for you to meet with her new eunuch, Anastasia, today?"

Sergei nodded frankly: "Your Majesty is choosing a wife for me."

"His Majesty has chosen a wife for you, which is an honor, but the eunuch... she is not a noblewoman." Tolstoy frowned slightly, seemingly not very happy.

Her son is now the vice chairman of the secret council, a court minister, and a nobleman. His wife should also be a noblewoman, and a woman of superior looks, figure, and family background.

Ivan had a different opinion: "This matter can only be handled according to His Majesty's wishes, otherwise it will be detrimental to Sergei's official career. The more His Majesty values ​​Sergei, the less His Majesty will allow his wife to have a background or family influence."

Tolstoy knew this, and although she was unhappy, there was nothing she could do.

Sergei comforted his parents, saying, "Cheer up. This means I still have a lot of room for advancement with His Majesty, which will allow His Majesty to curb my influence in other areas as soon as possible."

The two nodded.

After dinner, Peter quietly approached Sergei, and from Peter's expression, Sergei deduced that Peter had gotten into trouble again.

However, he already knew that his future partner was a troublemaker, so he was mentally prepared.

"Don't hide anything, tell me everything clearly, and I will help you handle it."

"He truly is my good younger brother!"

After Peter finished speaking, Sergei nodded and agreed to help. Peter left happily, while Sergei watched his brother's retreating figure, lost in thought.

"We still need to put in some effort; we can't let my brother become the rotten apple that spoils the whole Saltykov family soup."