Lately, Sergei felt that, in some respects, he had already reached the pinnacle of his life.
Though he had yet to sit upon the imperial throne, his status and power at his young age already surpassed those of his father, who had once held sway over court and country!
Not only did he possess vast lands and a huge population bestowed upon him by the New Emperor, but he also commanded elite troops who answered to him.
Moreover, since his father, Grand Duke Andrei, was merely unconscious rather than dead, Sergei still effectively controlled his father's enormous holdings under the title of "acting" lord.
One could say that Sergei was now the undisputed foremost Grand Duke of the Great Luo Dynasty, his power towering to the heavens, with no one able to rival him.
Just as he was basking in his triumph, new instructions from his master, Li Chen, arrived through a secret channel.
The instructions told him that he could act a little more "outrageously," taking the initiative to demand further powers from the New Emperor, Matvei, such as the right to garrison certain important passes or collect taxes in specific regions.
They explicitly stated that, given Matvei's cowardly nature, he would most likely agree. During implementation, however, Sergei would inevitably encounter obstruction from the stubborn ministers at court who remained loyal to Ivan and whom Matvei could not replace.
Sergei could then use this opportunity to clash openly with these ministers and find ways to push them aside, or even bring them down.
Although these ministers wielded considerable influence and had deep roots, at such a sensitive time, they would never dare offend Sergei too greatly, given his powerful army and recent "submission."
After all, the Imperial Court had only just managed to temporarily pacify this fierce tiger