Catherine and the Black Emperor

022. Intimidation

The Royal Theatre.

Gemma followed Sergei cautiously in one direction.

He didn't know why the Duke of Saltykov had suddenly sought her out.

"Your Grace, I don't think I can enter this room. If I have offended you in any way, please forgive me," Gemma said, bowing deeply in apology.

"You think I have ulterior motives towards you, but compared to Lestoker, the name 'flower thief' is indeed more fitting for me."

Sergei glanced back at her, then pushed open the door and went inside, not caring whether she would follow.

Gemma hesitated for a moment, but still went inside.

Now that the other party knows she is one of Lestoker's people, she thinks she should be safe.

But as soon as she entered the room and saw the man with his hands hanging from the roof beam, Gemma's face changed instantly. She rushed over in panic and burst into tears.

"Father!"

Felice, hanging there, had his clothes torn to shreds by the whip, and large areas of them were stained blackish-red with blood. The pungent smell of blood was overwhelming and filled his nostrils when he got close.

Sergei found a chair and sat down: "His current state is all thanks to you, his daughter."

Gemma turned around and knelt before Sergei: "Your Highness! Spare my father! You cannot let him go to hell!"

Sergei sneered and took a piece of paper from his sleeve, placing it on the table.

"This record details the times and locations of your recent affairs with Lestoker. Hmm... the last one was on the banks of the Fontanka River, at Lestoker's mansion. Do you still think I'm the one who's sending your father to hell?"

Gemma's face turned deathly pale.

Felice's hoarse voice came through: "Duke, Gemma was... forced into it. The counselor likes Gemma. My daughter... is just a servant. She had no choice."

Gemma pleaded, "Duke, please forgive me! The counselor doesn't want you to cause him this trouble either!"

Sergei's smile turned sinister: "Are you threatening me with Lestoker? Don't forget, I am Her Majesty the Empress's courtier. Don't you understand the gravity of the situation?!"

Gemma collapsed to the ground in terror: "No, Duke, I wouldn't dare! Please, I know I was wrong..."

Seeing that his opponent was sufficiently intimidated, Sergei calmly said, "You now have only two choices: confess what Lestoker ordered you to do and make amends, or you, along with your father, will go to hell with the French's conspiracy!"

"Duke, there's no conspiracy. The counselor and I are truly in love!" Gemma shook her head vigorously.

"You won't shed tears until you see the coffin! Do you think you can hide the French conspiracy from us? You're an idiot! Once the conspiracy is exposed, Lestoc will quickly wash his hands of it, and you'll be the scapegoat! Wake up!" Sergei roared.

Gemma shook her head, sobbing, "There was no conspiracy, there really was no conspiracy."

Sergei stood up to leave: "I can't do anything more, but I believe the secret committee has a thousand ways to get you to talk. I don't need to listen to your nonsense anymore. Save your energy to explain to Shuvalov."

As he reached the door, he glanced back at Gemma.

"You should know what will happen if you fall into the hands of the secret police. Shuvalov loves to extract secrets from women. Of course, your father will die before you. You killed your father!"

This became the last straw that broke the camel's back, and Gemma finally broke down as Sergei opened the door to leave.

"I'll tell you everything, Your Grace! I'll tell you everything!"

Sergei closed the door again, sat back down in his chair, and picked up the fruit knife from the fruit bowl: "I don't have much time. If it were a waste of time, this fruit knife would be stabbed into your father's stomach first."

Gemma didn't hesitate and quickly told Lestoker everything he had told her, and even took out the small piece of glass from the lining of her clothes.

"Poison? Will it kill instantly?" Sergei squinted.

Just as he suspected, a large part of Gemma's job was to take care of Sophia's diet. It's highly likely that Lestoker seduced Gemma by starting with food.

"No, the counselor said the poison would be administered three times."

Looking at the empty glass bottle, Sergei's eyes flashed with intense killing intent: "You've already poisoned the princess once!"

Gemma was trembling.

Sergei calmed his rapid breathing and put the glass bottle away: "You should be glad you didn't cause any irreversible consequences."

"Your Highness, I beg you to forgive my father! I have told you everything I know, and I am willing to give my life for my father and the counselor!"

Sergei was speechless.

Being love-struck is truly deadly.

"I will have someone treat your father's injuries. From now on, you must obey my orders, or you will see your father's corpse. If you behave well, I will give you a chance to atone for your sins," Sergei said bluntly.

"You want me to betray the counselor? No, I can't do that. I truly love the counselor, and I won't betray him!" Gemma shook her head.

"Then you shall collect your father's body!" Sergei shouted.

"No! Duke, please!" Gemma was terrified.

Sergei pretended to ponder for a moment, then revealed his pre-planned idea: "Considering your devotion, I won't let you betray Lestoker directly. I'll find a way to make you see Lestoker's true colors."

"What?" Gemma asked, confused.

Sergei didn't explain further: "You only need to understand one thing: once you see Lestok's true colors, you either need to repent and pledge allegiance to me to rescue your father, or..."

"I will obey Your Highness's orders!" Gemma pressed her head to the floor.

Despite her reluctance to part with her father, Gemma had no choice but to leave under Sergei's orders. After he left, Sergei looked at Felice.

"Alright, get down now."

Felice, who was "on the verge of death," suddenly perked up, untied the loose ropes, landed steadily on his tiptoes, and tore off the torture clothes he was wearing for the performance.

"Your Highness's methods are truly brilliant!" Felice said, his words complex.

Using his daughter to threaten her father, and then using her father to threaten her in turn, the other party's scheme was so intriguing that it was a million times more dramatic than any play he had ever acted in, and he was "fortunate" enough to be a part of it.

"Just don't blame me," Sergei said calmly.

"No, the Duke is willing to rescue my daughter and me, and I, Felice, am extremely grateful. It's just that my daughter has been blinded by Lestoker's hypocrisy. Apart from my life, there's nothing else that can affect her, so she has nothing else to worry about." Felice was clearly a discerning person.

"You know this is good. Remember, this matter must be kept secret. If you want to escape alive, you must bring down Lestoker. So you will need to continue to cooperate with me, and you will really have to take a few lashes."

"no problem!"

Sergei nodded. At this point, the father and daughter were completely at his disposal. Family ties were the best shackles, and in Felice's eyes, he was Elizabeth's courtier, and everything he did would be subconsciously seen as the Queen's orders.

Sergei left the room, leaving Felice to clean up the mess.