I just reached the maximum level, and you want me to be a puppet emperor?

Chapter 651 Do you want to vent your anger? (Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets)

A trusted spy responsible for monitoring the movements in the fiefdom was kneeling on one knee, giving Grand Duke Andrei a detailed report on all of Sergei's recent actions: including promoting a peace-loving image, spending huge sums to ransom prisoners of war, and secretly reorganizing his old troops, etc.

After hearing this, Grand Duke Andrei's face showed a complicated expression.

How could he not know the movements of his eldest son? Even if he no longer valued him, basic surveillance was never relaxed.

"Hmph, it seems this setback hasn't completely broken him." Andrei's tone was unreadable. "He still knows how to save himself, accumulate strength, and try to compete with his brother. He's more ambitious than I thought."

The spies below whispered, "Your Highness, His Highness's influence is growing daily as he acts in this manner within his fiefdom. Should we restrict or guide him?"

Andrei pondered for a moment, then waved his hand: "No need. Let him do what he wants. If he can establish himself on his own merits, or even surpass his good-for-nothing brother, it will prove that he still has some value. It's better than him becoming a useless piece of trash and giving up."

He mistakenly believed that Sergei did all this simply to prove himself in the internal family competition and win his favor again, or at most to compete with his brother for the right of succession.

He never imagined that Sergei, under the influence of his "good mentor," had already swelled his ambition to the point of overturning his table and seizing the throne of the Grand Duke!

There was actually another reason why Andrei temporarily indulged Sergei.

He was also somewhat dissatisfied with his second son, who was eager to prove himself and went to serve as Tuoba Zhen's henchman.

Although the second son had earned some military merits, in Andrei's eyes, it was nothing more than relying on others and working for the barbarians. It was far less honorable than the eldest son's self-reliance on his own territory, even though he completely misunderstood the eldest son's "self-reliance".

He was happy to see his two sons compete with each other, as this would further motivate them.

However, it was this "indulgence" based on flawed judgment that provided Sergei and Li Chen with valuable time and space to develop their plans.

Recently, Vasily, the chief strategist of Grand Duke Andrei, has not been with the army at the front. Instead, he left the camp under the pretext of "lobbying various forces, making potential allies, and consolidating the foundation in the rear for Grand Duke Andrei."

But this was just a perfect excuse; his true whereabouts were much more secretive.

At this moment, he had already quietly returned to the heart of Grand Duke Andre's rule, Winterhold.

That afternoon, Vasily carefully tidied his appearance and, with a seemingly respectful smile, visited Catherine the Elder under the pretext of reporting official business.

Inside the reception room, Catherine maintained the poise and aloofness befitting a noblewoman as she received the strategist whom her husband relied heavily on.

She wore a conservative yet luxurious deep purple dress, but it still couldn't completely conceal her breathtakingly mature curves.

Vasily began with a formulaic report on some unimportant "lobbying progress," then abruptly changed the subject, his gaze becoming somewhat intense as he subtly swept over Catherine's voluptuous figure, lowering his voice as he said:
“Madam, I have heard about some of the eldest son’s recent actions within his fiefdom. While his youthful vigor and some of his ideas are certainly good, his actions are inevitably hasty, which may invite criticism and even displease the Duke.”

Catherine frowned slightly, her tone indifferent: "Oh? What brilliant idea does the strategist have?" Vasily leaned forward slightly, a smile he thought was genuine spreading across his face, his voice carrying a hint of seduction: "Madam, I am not very talented, but I can speak to the Grand Duke with some influence, and I also have some connections within the fiefdom."
"If Madam is willing, I might be able to mediate and lend the eldest son a hand, making his affairs run more smoothly and leaving a better impression on the Grand Duke."

His intentions were almost written on his face; the greed and desire in his eyes were almost overflowing.

In his eyes, the beautiful woman before him was the most alluring fruit on the Great Luo Ice Plains—mature, beautiful, and of noble status, her extremely voluptuous figure held a fatal attraction for him.

In the past, when Grand Duke Andrei was alive, he could only bury his covetousness deep inside, but now he knew that His Majesty the Emperor had already laid a trap, and Andrei's downfall was only a matter of time.

Emboldened by lust, he decided to seize the opportunity before the tree crumbled, hoping to pluck the peach he had long coveted and take this noble duchess into his private residence.

How could Lady Catherine not see through his filthy thoughts?
A surge of intense disgust and anger welled up within her, but outwardly she maintained aristocratic decorum, though her eyes instantly turned cold, and her tone became as chilling as the wind on an icy plain:

“I appreciate your kindness, strategist, but Gai’er’s affairs are for him, as her son, to worry about. As her mother, I shouldn’t interfere too much, and I certainly wouldn’t dare trouble you. If there are no other official business, please return.”

This was already a blatant order to leave.

Vasily's smile froze instantly, and a sinister glint flashed in his eyes.

He hadn't expected Ekaterina to refuse so decisively and thoroughly, leaving no room for negotiation.

He chuckled twice, stood up, and gave a perfunctory bow: "Since Madam says so, then I was being presumptuous. Farewell."

After leaving the Grand Duke's mansion, Vasily's face instantly turned extremely gloomy. Back in his carriage, he slammed his fist against the carriage wall!
"You shameless wretch! You don't know what's good for you!" he cursed under his breath, his chest heaving with anger. "You think you're some high and mighty Grand Duchess? Humph! Just you wait! Once His Majesty has completely dealt with Andrei, let's see how long you can remain so arrogant!"

"Then, you and your good-for-nothing son will be nothing but prisoners! Let's see if you can still pretend to be so high and mighty! Then, I'll make you kneel and beg me! I'll let you taste what it means to wish you were dead!"

He was already plotting in his mind how, after Andrei fell from power, he would use his power and the emperor's tacit approval to completely control Catherine and manipulate her at will, to vent his anger at being rejected today.

Vasily was unaware that the woman he longed for was cold and aloof towards him, even keeping him at arm's length and putting on airs.

But when she was with Li Chen, she was always so proactive and gentle, as if she was afraid that Li Chen would not want her.

Not long after Vasily left, Li Chen returned to his residence.

Seeing Ekaterina's troubled expression, he asked her what had happened and learned that Vasily had been there.

Li Chen was puzzled. He hadn't even planned to make a move on the beautiful mature women in the man's courtyard. How dare this man be so bold as to make a move on him?
Li Chen looked at Ekaterina and said, "Do you want to vent your anger?"

(End of this chapter)