Yes, Madam Prime Minister

Page 162

This legend has a sequel called "Freigo's Revenge." Freigo is the son of the little prince and the lord's daughter from the first part, and is the ancestor of the Freigo family.

The Clichy Palace is different from the Palace of Versailles in another timeline of Paris. The Palace of Versailles is in the southwest of Paris, while the Clichy Palace is in the northeast.

The overall layout of the Krishnamurti Palace is a regular pentagon.

The first half is a plaza shaped like a two-winged bird. Entering from the south gate, there is a trapezoid, representing the bird's tail. Further ahead, the two sides spread out to form the wings, and then there is a triangle, which is the bird's head.

The square is lined with rooms arranged in dense blocks, each with a different function.

Further north of the bird's head in the square is a wide crossroad paved with white stone slabs, representing the church.

If you go straight north from the crossroads, you'll find the main hall, which is the largest, most spacious, and brightest part of the entire palace. On either side of the main hall are the secondary halls.

Behind the main hall is a garden, and the sleeping quarters are also located within this garden.

At this moment, the ministerial meeting is being held in the main hall.

The Prime Minister, the General Secretary, and the ministers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defense, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Crafts and Commerce, the Ministry of Foreign Trade, the National Guard, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Magic, and the Ministry of the Interior were all present. In addition, the Chief Justice of the High Court, the Grand Master of the Mage Order, and the Chief of the Military Staff were also in attendance.

The ministers were in front, while those of Ronan, who were one rank lower than "ministerial officials," could only stand on the periphery. Of course, Ronan could have gone to the front and stood next to Ambrina, but he didn't.

As for those at the next lower level, they are not qualified to attend the meeting.

As the Crown Prince presiding over the meeting, Ambrina naturally sat on the throne.

Most of the time, ministerial meetings are just a formality. The prime minister comes out and says a few correct but meaningless words to summarize the work of the recent period, then a few ministers echo his sentiments, the king nods and praises everyone for their loyalty to the country, and that's pretty much it.

But most people didn't expect that the prime minister would make such a big move right from the start.

"I hope His Majesty will abolish the Royal United Chamber of Commerce and then sell off its assets," the Prime Minister said. Although the Crown Prince was presiding over the meeting, he was still speaking to the King.

It's common knowledge that the shorter the message, the bigger the issue, but this issue is way too damn big.

Everyone present was dumbfounded.

You're going to go all out like this, aren't you going to inform everyone? The Royal Chamber of Commerce is a major source of revenue for the royal family's treasury.

On the throne, Ambrina, though she had long anticipated this scene and was prepared to play her opposite, was still angered when she saw the Prime Minister looking up at the sky as he spoke. She gripped the armrest of the throne and demanded, "What do you mean?"

Prime Minister Alexander stepped forward without backing down, saying, "The Royal Chamber of Commerce has been established for over a century and is no longer what it used to be. Your Highness should know this better than I do."

Ambrina raised her head. "I don't know. Could you please tell me?" Her posture and tone were completely devoid of any intention to ask a question, and were full of provocation.

"The country's industry and commerce have not developed because this chamber of commerce engages in forced buying and selling and disrupts market order..."

Many people felt that the Prime Minister would once again do what he had done in the past, clearly listing a bunch of reasons so that the person sitting on the throne would have no room for rebuttal.

But to my surprise, apart from the first sentence, the rest was all nonsense.

While it's standard practice for bureaucrats to spout nonsense to emphasize the "seriousness" of a matter, prime ministers don't usually do this. Heavenly Father, have you finally shown your power, bringing the prime minister down to the same level as everyone else?

Alexander rambled on for a long time, but to put it simply, the country's political, economic, military, and social problems were all caused by the malignant tumor that was the Royal Chamber of Commerce, which had to be eradicated.

That's unreasonable and unfairly pinning the blame on someone.

Although it's a case of falsely accusing someone, Ronan strongly agrees that the Royal Chamber of Commerce is a cancer.

The Royal Merchant Guild was founded by Lawrence. Lawrence was ruthless and merciless, which is why he was nicknamed "Tyrant." However, he also fulfilled most of the promises he made when recruiting people, which is why he later earned the nickname "Holy King." He reversed the trend and appointed a bunch of lords, big and small. At the same time, he also fulfilled his promise to the civil service, and the finances no longer belonged entirely to the king.

Against this backdrop, the Wang Li United Chamber of Commerce was established as a source of funds for the slush fund.

More than a hundred years have passed, and this joint chamber of commerce is still filled with all sorts of cronies.

Their methods cannot be described as mere trickery or plunder, because there was no trickery involved, only plunder.

It's no exaggeration to say they disrupted market order.

The only business under the Wangli Chamber of Commerce that isn't in such bad shape is land. The key point is, not so bad. These useless bastards can't even manage to collect rent properly.

This is why the royal family isn't considered wealthy. Otherwise, would Ambrina, the queen mother who loves luxury and extravagance, be associating with a bunch of capitalists?

Of course, the Royal Chamber of Commerce is not entirely without capable people, but these people have been gradually "assigned" to various companies under Ambrina's control in recent years to manage those companies for her.

Ambrina, seated on her throne, glanced at the department head. "Gentlemen, what are your thoughts?"

“The Prime Minister’s words make a lot of sense,” the bolder person stated.

They don't care about the closure of the Royal Chamber of Commerce; what they care about is the subsequent sales, which is a big business.

Chapter 370 A Routine, A Four-in-One Strike, In an Era Without Conscience

With someone taking the lead, soon, voices agreeing with the Prime Minister were heard everywhere.

The sale of royal property is definitely overseen by relevant officials, but if these ministerial-level executives were to communicate with them, they would have to be given some face, right?

“I agree with that as well.” Dinia’s voice instantly silenced everyone, and all eyes turned to her.

Then, Dinia changed the subject, "However, such a big matter will affect the entire kingdom's market. I think we should establish some rules and regulations and add some relevant laws. As we all know, those parasites in the Royal Chamber of Commerce are not good at running businesses, but they are very good at persecuting others. If these assets are sold without some protection, they may be snatched back by these parasites. At that time, the country's credit will be lost."

Before the ministers below could figure out the meaning behind Dinia's words, Ambrina slapped the armrest and said, "Alright, that's settled."

The future king made the decision, and the ministers found it difficult to voice their opposition; otherwise, Ambrina would certainly have used this as an excuse to reject the proposal to abolish the Royal Chamber of Commerce.

Besides, it would be very dangerous to really displease the king. This is not hundreds of years ago, when the king was just a slightly more powerful lord.

At that moment, no one noticed that Prime Minister Alexander sighed.

Because only he knew that the so-called abolition of the Royal Chamber of Commerce was just a pretext. The real purpose was to enact new laws. No, that's not entirely true, since it was also a way to sell off unprofitable businesses, a win-win situation.

Seeing that no one objected, Ambrina added, "We'll discuss the specifics later. I just hope that there won't be any issues with embezzlement or bribery."

Haha, who the hell is embezzling or taking bribes? We're all decent people, just collecting a little "consulting fee" and accepting a little "donation".

That said, we have a lot to do with the Marquis of Rhine, Lord Ronan the King's consort. Ever since the engagement was announced, everyone has started investigating Ronan, originally hoping to find something on him. But instead of finding anything, they learned quite a bit.

Oh no, the Prime Minister suddenly realized that these incompetent teammates were about to try and be clever again.

This is not just killing two birds with one stone, it's killing four birds with one stone.

Ronan and Ambrina are conducting a "entrapment" to take the opportunity to purge a group of officials. It's no use if they're not corrupt. Those within the Royal Chamber of Commerce who are destined to lose power will become Ambrina's dogs. Whichever official she points to, they will bite. Otherwise, it won't just be a matter of mismanagement, but a crime of embezzling royal assets.

At the same time, the proceeds from the dismantling of the Royal Chamber of Commerce and the sale of its assets will largely become the initial funding for the Ministry of the Interior.

Because the official in charge of the matter was arrested, the Ministry of the Interior can legitimately take over.

The money of the Royal Chamber of Commerce is, after all, the royal family's money. Ambrina can give it to whomever she wants, and she herself is not short of money. As the Crown Princess, she is actually the biggest capitalist in the country. She has a monopoly on grain, cooking oil, feed, sugar, and dairy products, and also owns two highly profitable industries: stockings and porcelain.

She was also the bankers' mother, because she owed them countless sums of money.

at this time.

Suddenly, a hand slapped his shoulder. Alexander turned his head and saw Dinia's red eyes staring at him.

Alexander gently brushed Dinia's hand away without saying a word. A hint of helplessness flashed across his face, followed by a smile that was tinged with pleasure.

I got tricked, but it doesn't seem so bad.

Ronan, standing at the edge of the main hall, breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, the Prime Minister didn't lash out, otherwise he would have had to resort to backup measures.

Before long, the meeting ended, and the officials walked out of the main hall and headed south, preparing to take their carriages home.

On the other side, Ambrina left the right corridor of the main hall to change clothes and remove her makeup in the dressing room. The heavy clothes, the blue velvet cloak that looked like a big quilt, the corset that forced her to sit up straight, the pointed high heels that made her toes hurt, and the extremely formal updo all made her very uncomfortable. She just wanted to relax as soon as possible.

After a long while, in the changing room, Ambrina finally changed into a light and comfortable outfit and let her hair down.

Ronan just walked in. "Anli, I have an appointment tonight."

“Who?” Ambrina asked.

“Carl,” Ronan replied, “but I suspect it was his father who truly invited me.”

“Count Lorraine?” Ambrina looked puzzled. This was the leader of the powerful nobles. What did he want to do by inviting Ronan?

“There’s nothing to worry about,” Ronan said casually.

So-called powerful nobles are nothing more than those with more land, more people, and more money. They may have a lot of troops under their command, but they don't have many mages. That's all they are.

We must also mention Oran and Lawrence. Oran, with his absolute power that had dominated the land for generations, established a civil service system and reduced the political power of the feudal nobles. Although Lawrence redistributed fiefdoms, he took away the military power of the great nobles, stationed troops around their fiefdoms, and demanded that they pay for logistical support.

The only ones who can reliably provide the core combat force of the army—mages and musketeers—are the small military nobles who have established fiefdoms around the numerous magic academies in the north. The state will subsidize the children of these small noble families to attend school.

Because the southern and western coastal areas, which are relatively wealthy in terms of industry and commerce, generally do not allow the establishment of magic academies, even if you have money, you can only spend a lot of money and find a way to come to the north to study magic.

night.

Ronan boarded Karl's carriage and arrived at his family's villa in the capital. Soon, Ronan met Karl's father, Marcus.

He was taller than Karl, standing at nearly 1.9 meters. Even in winter clothes, one could tell he had a very robust physique. He had a square, long face with a resolute and decisive expression, and with his neatly trimmed beard, he looked more like a valiant warrior than a wise man.

"Good evening, Earl Lorraine," Ronan greeted.

Marcus responded with a warm greeting, "Good evening, Marquis of Rhine."

"I think there's no need for formalities. You can just say what you want to say." Ronan didn't want to say anything polite.

“The Marquis of Rhine is more like one of us northerners,” Marcus said with a smile. “Then I’ll be frank: I want the land owned by the Royal Merchant Guild.”

A hint of surprise flashed across Ronan's face. "Don't you dislike land?"

Marcus gestured for Ronan to sit down and poured him a glass of wine himself. “What I don’t like is my own land, not that I dislike the land.”

Ronan thought for a moment and understood a little, but still asked, "Oh, I still don't quite understand. I hope you can explain it to me."

Marcus smiled and took a sip of his drink. "Because the people on my land are also mine. To put it nicely, I am a nobleman with a conscience. My people have dedicated their blood and sweat to my family for generations. How could I bear to mistreat them? To put it bluntly, even a slave owner wouldn't drive a slave to his death. After all, they are his own property, aren't they?"

"But this is an era where conscience is no longer an option, don't you think, Marquis of Rhine?"

Chapter 371 Conscience? Spirit of Contract? Guiding Ideology?

During a pause in conversation, Marcus used tweezers to pick up a piece of crispy beef that had been marinated and then grilled, dipped it in a jelly-like sweet and sour sauce, put it in his mouth, and then took a sip of red wine.

"More importantly, the vast lands and the large number of people who depend on me are something that a king who wants to centralize power is unwilling to see. If we don't get rid of these people, one day the king will resort to the most ruthless methods. So ever since I learned about the strategy of exchanging land for shares, I have been supporting you."

"First, we'll exchange land for shares, so that the clansmen who are more trouble than they're worth will have a place where they can maintain their wealth and status."

"After that, there are still some issues to deal with. Farmers don't need to worry. With the change of land ownership, they can continue to farm. But those who originally profited from the land were not just the sons of nobles, but also a large group of noble vassals. My plan is to lend these people a sum of money so that they can engage in manufacturing."

"But manufacturing also needs agricultural support and workers, so I need a piece of land that can be exploited and a group of farmers that are easy to exploit."

“The land owned by the Royal Chamber of Commerce would be very suitable.”

"This is not just my personal need."

After saying that, Marcus put down his glass.

Ronan swirled his wine glass. "Your Excellency, you want to play the good guy and reap the benefits. Isn't that a bit too much?"

“I am a nobleman, aren’t noblemen just greedy and wicked people?” Marcus was not angry at all, but instead mocked himself.

Ronan took a sip of his drink. "After the land-for-shares swap, your land will undergo some reforms."

“I fully support the reforms,” Marcus replied without hesitation.

Even if the land ownership changes, if Ronan wants to carry out reforms on his original fiefdom, it's not that Ronan can't do it, but there will be endless troubles if he doesn't support it.

“Those engaged in industry and commerce must also abide by laws and regulations,” Ronan added.

“Of course, I’ve always been a law-abiding citizen,” Marcus replied with a smile. “If someone breaks the law, it’s definitely not my problem.” This wasn’t a preemptive statement to distance himself from the issue, but rather a promise not to cover for anyone.

"The assets under the Royal Chamber of Commerce, including land, will be sold through auction. This is not my responsibility, and even if it were my responsibility one day, I would absolutely not provide any assistance to anyone in any form. After all, fairness is essential, right?"

Ronan said this.

Marcus nodded. As a smart man, he naturally understood Ronan's meaning: he would not favor anyone. In other words, everyone should rely on their own abilities, and as long as the methods were not excessive, Ronan would pretend not to see them.

"Do you have a technical department there?" Marcus asked.

"Is it Mrs. Heath?" Ronan asked.

Mrs. Heath is Karl's wife, Lena Heath, a woman who is 1.8 meters tall, carries a giant sword made of wood, and looks like a female warrior, but is actually a scholar who specializes in magical artifacts.

“That’s right, she should have no problem working for you,” Marcus said.

"Then let her be the head of the technical department." Ronan offered her the position directly.

“She’s probably not a good fit,” Marcus said.

Although Lena rarely expressed her opinions, Marcus knew very well that his daughter-in-law had far better political judgment than his son Karl; however, she had no interest in politics and was obsessed with researching magical artifacts.

Ronan and Reina knew each other, so he understood why Marcus said it wasn't appropriate. He explained, "The Technical Department is a purely research institution with a strong sense of independence."

“That’s good.” Marcus nodded.

The two reached a verbal agreement, and Ronan finished his drink and left.

Both trusted each other, after all, they were both from the Western Continent and valued the spirit of contract. This spirit of contract originated on the ships of the maritime civilization, just like the spirit of benevolence and righteousness that originated in the fields of the Seres agricultural civilization. For thousands of years, few people have truly possessed it; they all talk about it. However, when both parties are engaged in robbery and trade on the same small boat or making a living in the same field, both the spirit of contract and the spirit of benevolence and righteousness are relatively reliable.

After disembarking and receiving their share of the land, that's another story.