Catherine and the Black Emperor

Chapter 119. The Differentiation of Royal Power

Chapter 119. The Differentiation of Royal Power

Sergei left Panin's residence.

He knew that from this moment on, he had Panin's genuine support.

Because Panin entrusted him with the most precious thing he had in Sweden, which can be said to be all of Panin's hard work in Sweden.

He knows some of the history of Sweden.

This period falls within the later part of the "Free Age" dominated by the Swedish Parliament.

That is to say, present-day Sweden.

Internally, parliamentary politics were more active than ever before, and King Adolf's power was effectively usurped.

Externally, it is deeply dependent on France and struggles between France and Russia.

The Swedish Parliament is divided into two factions: those wearing top hats and those wearing casual hats.

The top hat faction supports France and therefore currently holds considerable power in parliament, while the side hat faction supports Russia and Britain and currently has relatively less influence.

But all he knew was this general outline.

"Sweden lost its great power status due to its defeat by Peter the Great and Russia in the Great Northern War. The Hat Faction, composed of patriots and officers, harbored a dream of restoring Sweden's great power status and diplomatically allied with France to counter Russia."

"The cap faction, on the other hand, tends to adopt a cautious diplomatic approach, hoping to maintain a détente with Russia, preserve peace, and build a harmonious international environment."

"King Adolf appears to be all-powerful, but in reality, his power is very limited; he is more of a symbol of the state. Queen Luisa Ulrika is trying to restore the monarchy, which has strained relations with the ruling Hat faction and puts her closer to the Casual Hat faction."

"In some respects, Louise was more ambitious and shrewd than Adolf, which is why Louise, as queen, actually had more power than Adolf."

Panin told him all of this.

Although it wasn't exactly a secret, and he could find out with some effort, time was more important to him than anything else.

Besides, Panin knows far more than that!

Panin was very clear about the strength of the top hat faction and the casual hat faction, as well as the supporters of the King and Queen, and most importantly, their weaknesses!

It's not a weakness, it's a vulnerability!

His knowledge of the fact that Sweden would begin issuing banknotes this year, and that the newly established Swedish Engraving Bureau would be responsible for their production, was kept secret.

Ambassador William's womanizing nature is a weakness.

Secrets combined with weaknesses will become his powerful weapons to strike his opponents!

Just as Sergei left the Panin residence, Louisa and Adolf were discussing him at the palace.

"This new Russian ambassador is no ordinary man," Louisa said gravely.

"I also think he's something special. He's a very skilled dancer. His hand was always on your waist, which must have felt very comfortable. Did he touch other places too?" Adolf glanced at her sideways.

Louisa smiled enigmatically. "It is quite comfortable. You give away food you don't want to eat to others. What's there to be unhappy about?"

Adolf walked up to her, arrogantly declaring, "Even if I don't want to eat it, it's still my food. Whether I give it to others, and to whom, is entirely up to me!"

Louisa showed no fear of her husband's authority: "Unfortunately, I'm worthless."

Adolf pushed Louisa onto the bed.

Are you provoking me?

Louisa saw the anger in Adolf's eyes, pushed him away as he lunged at her, and stood up.

"We've been married for so long, I know better than you whether you're still interested in me. Instead of talking about things between men and women, let's talk about how you can be a more worthy king!"

Adolf smiled, straightened his clothes, and sat down on the sofa.

"I'm all ears. What invaluable advice did Saltykov give you that makes you value him so much? As long as it's not about art or design, I'll seriously consider it."

Louisa then briefly and clearly recounted to her husband what Sergei had told her.

After hearing this, Adolf no longer looked down on the person and his expression became serious.

"This is indeed a way to increase Sweden's standing in the eyes of Russia and France, and if things go according to plan and succeed, Russia and France will not easily send troops to attack Sweden."

Louisa succinctly pointed out: "But this also solves a major problem for Russia. Russia's national bank is newly established and lacks an experienced assistant. Food is also a major problem for Russia, and France can also benefit from it."

Adolf countered, "Is there a better way? If we don't let them taste the sweetness, will they allow Sweden to grow back into the giant it once was?"

'

Louisa sneered: "You're completely different now than you were just now. It seems you value Saltykov more than I do."

"No, I don't care about anyone; I only care about the results." Adolf changed the subject. "Saltikov's methods aren't wrong. After all, he's the Russian ambassador. How could he offer us advice if he didn't work for Russia's benefit?"

Louisa nodded: "I will find an opportunity to discuss the cooperation details with him."

Adolf shook his head and said, "No rush. Our most urgent task is to reclaim the power that belongs to the king. Jones and Joachim currently control the government, and that's the pressing issue we need to address!"

At this point, the Swedish king seemed somewhat troubled.

"William and Saltykov seem to be at odds. The cap faction is no match for the top hat faction. If the Russian ambassador and the British ambassador disagree, it will only make things worse for us. Find an opportunity to mediate their conflict."

Louisa shook her head.

"This is simply impossible. The conflict between William and Saltykov stemmed from their country, the alliance between Britain and Prussia, which Elizabeth viewed as a betrayal of Russia by Britain."

Adolf didn't care about any of that and gave orders to his wife.

"I don't care about any of that. It's your responsibility to handle it well. Don't forget, the power you wield now is all thanks to my tacit approval. We are one. Without me as the king, no matter how much power you have as queen, it's just a facade that could be exposed at any moment!"

Louisa looked at her husband, who was speaking so harshly: "Is it enough that I handle it? No matter what methods I use?"

"Yes, that's right. You can use any means necessary to restore my power as king!"

Louise, the dignified, elegant, and gentle queen, nodded and turned to leave.

The couple had already started sleeping in separate rooms.

Adolf watched his departing wife, a sense of helplessness welling up within him, and he couldn't help but sigh.

As Louisa said, there was no love left between them, not even the primal urges.

"Compared to restoring the monarchy, none of this matters! I am the king, she is the queen, and our relationship is only bound by mutual interests; we don't need any love!"

Adolf stood up and called out to the royal steward outside.

"Let Hannah and Hilma in! They're the two we'll choose tonight!"