Chapter 608 The Great Lord of Heaven

In order to control the talented but irregular Russia, Germans are needed, and many Germans are needed!

——Tsar Nicholas I

The arrival of the mayor broke the tense situation, and the air seemed to become heavier.

Officials from Druisk filed in along with the mayor. Judges, school inspectors, jury judges, liquor inspectors, and chief security guards from all villages in Druisk almost filled the small hotel to the brim.

Their coats and dresses fluttered messily in the cold wind, and their breath condensed into mist in the cold air.

The little shopkeeper's body trembled suddenly, and his expression turned from excitement to fear. He almost instinctively took a step back, staggered, and almost fell.

In the past, just one of these bastards would make him work for nothing for a week, but if so many of them suddenly came here today, wouldn't they bankrupt him?

At the same time, the police chief's expression also changed three times. He lowered his head slightly and lowered his voice and told the shopkeeper: "You, prepare the bill first."

As he spoke, he quickly walked towards the mayor and his party.

"Ivan Mikhailovich?" Mayor Bakalkin muttered dissatisfiedly when he saw the police chief: "It's a lucky coincidence for you. I heard from your men that you weren't on duty today? Why did you suddenly come to the police station?" Are you here?"

At this point, the mayor's mind suddenly changed: "Damn it! Did your father-in-law ask you to come? That old ghost, I knew he didn't have any good intentions!"

The police chief held his head high, showing no intention of retreating in front of the mayor. He held the sword in his hand, walked up to the mayor, and said arrogantly: "Yes, I did receive instructions from my superiors. But it was not my father-in-law's instructions, but Colonel Hestingov's. I think he was concerned about Druisk's affairs anyway."

"Damn it, I haven't said anything yet, but you're talking plausibly... You still have instructions from your superiors, why don't you ask Colonel Hestingoff..." The mayor's tone stiffened, and he suddenly came back to his senses: "Hesting Colonel Goff? Have you met him?"

The police chief took a step away, revealing Arthur sitting behind him, smoking leisurely, and bowed deeply: "This is the Special Commissioner of the Second District Gendarmerie Regiment of the Third Bureau of His Majesty the Tsar's Imperial Office, Sixth Colonel Artur Agaresovich Hestingov."

The mayor's eyes froze for a moment, and his heartbeat seemed to have stopped temporarily.

The Colonel Hestingov in front of him was completely different from the image of an officer he had imagined.

The aura of the Special Commissioner of the Military Police Regiment of the Third Bureau of His Majesty's Imperial Office hangs over his head. This impressive official position and status make Arthur look like a saint on earth.

The dark tuxedo produced in Jermyn Street, London, is well-fitting, with a slender waist and silky fabric. It exudes an aura of luxury and sophistication. Even someone who has been blinded by a magpie can tell that this dress must be It was tailor-made for a high-society dinner party.

The hem of the tuxedo is slightly raised, highlighting a strong yet elegant figure.

The snow-white shirt has no wrinkles at the collar, and the pleats on the collar are tightly pleated. He wears an inconspicuous and exquisite golden cufflink. Even the most inconspicuous details reveal silent authority.

Arthur sat leisurely on the chair, twirling the police chief's pipe in his hand, and slowly exhaled the smoke.

The smoke drifted gently under the dim light, as if time had been stretched a bit at this moment.

Arthur did not speak in a hurry, and his glowing red eyes slightly glanced at the mayor and other officials present, as if he was examining a group of uninvited guests.

The pipe swayed gently, and the smoke emitted intertwined with the surrounding air to form an invisible net, surrounding everyone.

In the silence, Arthur finally spoke. His voice was low and magnetic, with a hint of calmness and intimidation: "Mr. Mayor, I have been waiting for you for five full days. I really spend more time meeting you as the mayor than I do with Benken." It’s not easy for Earl Husband.”

As soon as the name of Benkendorf, the director of the Third Bureau, was brought out, the officials in the room were immediately frightened into confusion.

The mayor timidly said: "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, I really didn't know you were already here."

Seeing Arthur smoking, he hurriedly took out the triangular cigarette case in his pocket and handed it over: "You can use it, you can use it..."

Arthur opened the cigarette box with his fingernail and refilled the pipe with some tobacco leaves.

As soon as he raised his head, he saw that the mayor had struck a match and bent down to light a fire for him with a smile on his face.

Arthur was not in a hurry. He had to wait until the match was about to burn the mayor's fingernails, then he slowly moved the pipe forward: "I don't know, I don't know, and other excuses, Skolnikov has just used them." After that, you’d better get a fresh one.”

"I……"

Arthur raised his hand to interrupt his words: "I heard that after arriving in a place, you only need to see what is in the people's bowls to see how well it is governed. I have lived in this place. I also ate local food for five days. The beef was as hard as a brick, there was not a drop of oil in the vegetable soup, the tea had no tea aroma, and everything smelled fishy. You managed Druisk well."

The mayor stammered, as if his tongue was tied: "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry... I... it's all my fault. What we sell in the market is always inspected and qualified fresh beef. They were all shipped by Kholmogorsky merchants. These people were honest and reliable. He drinks and has excellent behavior. I don't know where he got the piece of beef you just mentioned. If you are not satisfied here, you can... you can move to another place, I promise. You can see what the real people of Druisk eat like.”

"What do the people of Druisk really eat?" Arthur recalled the complaints he heard when passing by the market two days ago: "Earn five rubles a year and eat five ear scrapes a day?"

Arthur slammed the table, stood up, pointed at the mayor's nose and yelled: "You are so brave! You left me here for five days and five nights, and you didn't take the third round and the imperial office. Don’t you take His Majesty’s face seriously? What do you think of me? Do you think of me as a clerk in the ministry who sharpens quills?”

The mayor's legs seemed to have been hit by a heavy hammer, and they instantly went limp. He barely had time to react before he felt his knees bend uncontrollably, his steps staggered, and he almost fell to pieces on the chair next to him.

"Please forgive me, I... I know I was wrong, please don't treat me so cruelly, I have a wife, children, and an old mother to support. I don't mean to get into trouble with you, it's just... I just have no experience. You are also from the ninth rank official. Think about it, one month's salary is not enough to buy tea and sugar. If you don't accept one or two pieces of clothes, , occasionally bring some food, how can the whole family survive! As for the rumors that I hit people while drunk, molested women, and paid people to apply for liquor licenses, they are pure rumors and false accusations. It’s made up by people who have issues with me on weekdays. These people are always bold and deceptive. You, old man, must not be deceived by them!”

"snort!"

Arthur looked at Bakalkin's plea for mercy with a cold eye: "Whether you have a wife or children has nothing to do with me! What do you think the goal of the third game is? The emperor strictly ordered us to investigate and deal with corruption across the country and collect one or two cases. Clothes and a little food are what you say. Little do you know how many households you have ruined with these clothes and food!"

Bakalkin was horrified. He thought that the imperial envoy might be difficult to deal with, but he did not expect that it would be so difficult to deal with.

Judging from the certitude of Arthur's words, maybe he already has a lot of evidence in his hands that is enough to exile him to Siberia or even behead him.

yes!

He should have thought of it earlier. If there wasn't evidence and signs, why would the superiors suddenly send imperial envoys to inspect?

Arthur saw that Bakalkin was trembling with fear. Not only was he unable to get up, he couldn't even say a decent word. Then his face gradually calmed down, and he raised his hand to call Skolnikov: "Come on! Come on! Mr. Mayor, please help me.”

The police chief carefully helped the mayor up, but before he could stand firmly, he heard the living Satan behind him speak again.

Arthur looked at the silent group of Druisk dignitaries and felt that these guys who were like chickens were really ridiculous.

Arthur put on his white gloves, took the fox fur coat that the mayor had put on the chair and put it on his body: "You may be thinking, no, Colonel Hestingoff came to Druisk just to cause trouble. , I’m just picking on the eggs, but I want to tell you, it’s really the eggs! It's impossible to pick out the bones! What I want to see is whether the operation of this place is fair and whether the people live decently and can add glory to the majesty of the Tsar. His Majesty's guillotine is hanging on your heads. If you fall, it depends on how you behave!"

As soon as Arthur finished speaking, the small townspeople and farmers who gathered outside the small hotel in the heavy snow and held up the door frame to watch the excitement burst into laughter. They shouted, 'Long live the Tsar! Long live Colonel Hestingov! ’ The slogan seemed to blow away the wind and snow all over the sky.

Seeing this, Arthur took off his hat and smiled and nodded slightly to them.

The officials in Druisk turned pale with fright. Just when they were at a loss what to do, they suddenly saw Arthur leaning down and whispering a few words into the ear of the embarrassed mayor.

Immediately afterwards, I saw the mayor suddenly startled, and then he stood up and nodded as if he had been granted amnesty. He half-bowed and asked Arthur to get on the most magnificent carriage in Druisk: "Please get in the carriage, even though it is a humble residence. It’s simple, and although the food is hard to eat, how dare you disobey your request.”

The officials in Druisk also followed the mayor out of the small hotel like followers.

The citizens who gathered outside the hotel all left when they saw the officials. Some of them, who had been freezing for a long time, left, while those who had some money left in their pockets entered the room in a cheerful mood and planned to order a few glasses of water and wine.

Suddenly there were so many guests in the deserted hotel, and the waiter in the store was suddenly happy and smiling. He used a rag to clean the table where Arthur had just eaten, and talked with the guests about the scene just now.

"It's really an eye-opener for the Emperor. These sons of bitches should have been punished long ago!"

"As expected of a high-ranking official from Petersburg, he is truly an extraordinary person! His magnanimity made the inspector pee with his eyes."

"Yes, our hard times are finally over!"

A ragged farmer patted his companions happily: "These beasts, we can have what we have today in Druisk, all thanks to these bloodthirsty bullies! Today, we can finally teach him a lesson!"

An older peddler wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and was so excited that he was incoherent: "What he said just now was like a knife, stabbing everyone and making them dare not breathe! Look at the way he walks in the house, he is simply a god descending to earth!"

There was a young man with a hot temper, with a smile on his lips, biting his pipe fiercely and said: "The old man Bakalkin should be arrested. With so much money in his hands, how can he not be black? I heard that he privately bribed many people in the province, and even dared to ignore the orders from the top! Today, when Colonel Hastingov came, he was like It was like he was not wearing any pants at all, and he was sweating coldly! "

"Haha, well said! You see, the mayor was still mumbling at first, but he was frightened by Hastingoff and he lost the energy to speak! How dare he pretend to be a big official? His face was almost scared purple! "Another small vendor laughed and gestured with his hands to show the mayor's humble appearance: "I almost laughed out of my guts at that time. Even I almost didn't dare to look at him. I didn't expect that he was so afraid of that young man who was probably not even half his age! "

The young man was busy with his work happily. Suddenly, he saw the shop owner who had calculated the bill coming out of the kitchen. He hurriedly said: "You really missed a good show just now. If you miss this time, you may never have the chance to see such a funny thing in your life. "

"What's wrong?" The young shop owner asked.

The clerk repeated what had just happened in detail. At the end, he heard several small vendors discussing choosing a day to go to the imperial envoy to complain.

Unexpectedly, after hearing these words, the shop owner not only did not smile at all, but couldn't help but sigh and shake his head.

The young man asked in confusion: "Why don't you smile?"

He took the rag from the man's hand, wiped the table and said: "Let me tell you a story. In the past, there were several streams and rivers in our Druisk. They always flooded in the spring, making our farmers here bankrupt. The farmers couldn't stand it anymore, so they gathered together to complain to the big river, hoping that the big river would come out to judge and take care of the streams and rivers. The farmers walked and walked! Finally, they came to the river. As a result, they found that half of their property was washed away by the water. They were all floating on the river. So the farmers could only sigh to each other and say, "Why should we waste our time? The big ones will never punish the small ones, because they divide the spoils equally! '"

The young man was stunned and asked, "Did you make up this story?"

The shop owner looked at the young man meaningfully and said, "I'm not a poet or a writer, so how can I make up a story? But if you want to say this story is old, it is indeed very old. But if you insist on saying it is new, then it is indeed very new. "