Yes, Madam Prime Minister

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Veneto frowned slightly; this was treason.

He was a man with political ambitions who wanted to enrich the country and strengthen its military.

“What’s there to hesitate about? Your mid-range porcelain industry was already failing, so this is like getting rid of a burden,” Ronan said. “You can just continue making those high-end counterfeit Seres porcelain.”

In the realm of mid-range porcelain, no one can rival the exquisite and durable bone china produced on the assembly line controlled by Ronan.

"Okay," Veneto agreed. "Is there anything else?"

It is only right that a minority of the people make some sacrifices so that he, as a good leader, can come to power.

“That’s all. You can’t offer anything else,” Ronan said. “That’s it. We’ll be going now. Someone will talk to you about the specific contract terms later.”

A high-ranking leader like Ronan would only set a general direction; the specifics would be handled by his subordinates.

After leaving Veneto's villa in the water city, Ronan and his two companions returned to their temporary hotel.

It was late at night, and Dinia was already asleep.

Golan and Ronan went outside, and Golan whispered, "I always feel that there's something wrong with Dinya. Everything has been resolved, but she won't go back, and she even wants to make the Prime Minister's visit a reality."

"Of course she has a problem. She wants to take me away from the capital for a while. Last time, she tricked me when I wasn't watching her and got a taste of the benefits. She's probably going to do it again this time. But I have to say, she underestimates our Queen."

Ronan was perfectly aware of Dinia's intentions.

"Really?" Golan was somewhat skeptical.

“Anli is a lazybones, so she never learns how to solve problems; she only knows how to deal with people who have problems.”

Chapter 490 Half, you know me, the king is working too hard.

The Central Court of the Kingdom of Fas is another deformed, patchwork, and functionally ambiguous department, serving as both a legislative and judicial body.

It is called a semi-legislative body because the Kingdom of Fas was a monarchical autocracy, and the real legislative power was in the hands of the king.

It was considered a part of the judicial system because the Kingdom of Fas was not only an autocratic monarchy, but also riddled with feudal remnants, with nobles, the church, local laws, and religious laws.

Even so, it is undoubtedly a powerful department.

However, the new dean, Edmund Artes, is a very unpopular person.

Ambrina was among those who disliked him.

But despite her dislike, Ambrina couldn't simply replace him.

Since the reign of King Lawrence a century ago, the kingdom has had a somewhat "co-governed" character, with the king and the officials sharing power.

There was nothing that could be done about it. More than a hundred years ago, Lawrence faced a situation where the Northern Legion had been defeated, the Allied forces were at the gates of the city, and the country was on the verge of collapse. His father, the King, and his elder brother, the Crown Prince, fled with the royal family and the country's wealth. The nobles also fled, while the high-ranking mages watched coldly.

Although Lawrence Lund himself is exceptionally talented and capable, he has neither money nor soldiers, and can only gather the "mortgage slave magicians" who are living in the city to make empty promises.

Many of the rules we have today originated from that time.

For example, even the king cannot arbitrarily replace ministers, and these ministers refer to officials at the ministerial level.

However, I can't just replace you, but you can resign voluntarily, right?

As a result, the son of the newly appointed president of the Supreme Court was sued for not paying for prostitution.

The plaintiff, a wealthy young man, tearfully accused the man, saying, "I am a lord, a nobleman. So what if I don't pay? You lowly thing, go ahead and sue me. My father is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court."

Edmund could only sigh helplessly. He asked his son what had happened, and his son replied, "Father, you know me. If I go to a brothel, it's this pimp who will be the one to sleep with me."

Edmund was so angry that he smashed his son's head on the spot, but he knew that his son was indeed a damn homosexual and would never solicit prostitutes.

Someone is setting him up.

Moreover, he was extremely malicious. Edmund was a strong advocate for abolishing aristocratic privileges, and then the other party attacked his son, saying, "I am a nobleman, so what if I don't give money?" They also used the phrase "My father is the Chief Justice of the High Court" to smear Edmund himself.

Edmund hesitated for a moment, then decided to put aside his own family for the greater good.

His son was subsequently detained.

Edmund never expected that the plaintiff would die by suicide, leaving behind a blood letter. This blood letter was very well-written, and it did not directly mention anyone's name. It only said that although he was lowly and a scoundrel who ran a brothel, he wanted to seek justice. However, he did not expect that some people were not just people who wanted to uphold justice, but hoped that he would die so that his family would not be harmed.

Who is being referred to as "the one who claims to uphold justice"? Isn't it Edmund?

Immediately afterwards, the prostitute involved was attacked and is now in a rehabilitation center under the Ministry of the Interior's Security Bureau.

It was an extremely low-level framing tactic, but public opinion spread like wildfire.

Just as Edmund was figuring out who was behind his scheme, he was invited to the palace.

The royal palace, the king's study.

“Actually, if you had stopped advocating for the abolition of noble privileges, you wouldn’t have caused so much trouble.” Ambrina was very direct. “To be honest, I don’t really like you. After all, I am the highest-ranking noble. If you want to abolish privileges, as the king, shouldn’t I set an example?”

"I wouldn't dare say I'm the most frugal or gentle king of all time, but I am indeed very frugal and gentle, aren't I? To ask me to lower my standard of living like that is really going too far. I'm a woman, and sometimes when women get angry, they're not so willing to reason with each other, understand?"

Ambrina's tone was gentle, yet every word she spoke was like a knife.

"Your Majesty, I only wish to abolish the legal privileges of the nobility; this has nothing to do with your life."

Edmund replied.

Ambrina slammed the script in her hand on the table. "Should I think you're stupid or malicious for saying that? You take something from someone's house that she doesn't care about, as if it doesn't affect her. But if she just lets you take it, more people will come and take more things, right?"

"Yes."

Edmund replied.

But the same principle applies to him; if he backs down now, he'll have to back down even more later.

“You are a talented and idealistic person, but you are too impatient.” After her sharp words, Ambrina softened her tone, “I hope that people like you can make the country a better place, and I hope you can understand.”

Edmund insisted, "I have devoted myself entirely to this country."

Ambrina took a deep breath. "Does that mean I'm not wholeheartedly devoted to this country?"

Edmund was stunned.

“Oh, my apologies.” Ambrina expressed her apology without any apology on her face. “That woman, she may wake up, or she may not. If she wakes up, she may be very lucid, or she may be delirious and talking nonsense.”

"In short, the road is winding, but the future is bright. Sometimes it's okay for people to take a detour. If you just keep going forward, you'll run into obstacles, right, Dean Artes?"

Ambrina has almost made it clear.

"I am willing," Edmund replied firmly.

Ambrina smiled. "You're willing, and your son has no choice but to agree. But what about your students? If another problem arises, I, the king, can't protect you."

Edmund suddenly felt as if his bones had been removed, and his whole body went limp. "Your Majesty, I would like to recommend someone to succeed me. If it is him, I am willing to resign."

“Okay,” Ambrina agreed. “Tomorrow, public opinion will turn around. Don’t worry about what happens after that.”

"Your subject takes his leave." With that, Edmund departed.

After Edmund left, Ambrina stretched in a very unladylike manner, "What a nuisance."

Dinia dragged Ronan away, but some officials wanted to cause trouble.

Ambrina knew she was terrible at handling practical problems and couldn't possibly counter Ronan's moves and dig traps along the way. So she changed the battlefield and sent the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to let Dinia's faction weigh the pros and cons.

After dealing with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the matter was not over yet, and Alice arrived shortly afterward.

Before she could summon Edmund, Ambrina had already sent for Alice.

Alice was brought over so that she could arrest a few of the more vocal members of the faction that were at odds with Dinia.

To prevent some people from seeing that the Dinia forces have been weakened and then being eager to launch a counterattack.

Struggles are necessary, but they can only begin when she, the referee, shouts "start!" If she doesn't shout, anyone who dares to approach the arena will be kicked in the leg first.

After giving Alice her instructions, Ambrina prepared to go to sleep. She had to get up early the next day for a royal meeting, after which she could leave the palace to watch the performance.

Being a king must be incredibly tough.

Chapter 491 Discussion: The Way and the Technique, What Does It Matter What If There's a Flood After My Death?

Dinya's visit lasted only one day.

The reason is self-evident: Edmund, the reformist she favored, was forced to resign. Although the new leader was of the same faction in the legal field, he was far less upright than Edmund.

She was in a bad mood and naturally didn't want to force a formulaic smile and use official language to deal with these Vena people.

The next day, in the afternoon, at the seaside, a gentle sea breeze was blowing.

Golan was wearing a light pink dress with a pointed collar, short sleeves with ruffles, a high-waisted, tiered, long skirt, and sheer pink and white stockings on her legs, along with a pair of silver-pink strappy shoes that resembled ballet shoes.

At this moment, Gelan gently brushed her hair, which was ruffled by the sea breeze, and gazed lazily at the distant sea. The soft sunlight shone on her fair face, which combined Eastern and Western beauty, making her look so pure and elegant.

Golan turned around, about to speak.

"Don't move, don't speak," Ronan whispered.

Golan pouted, "Why won't you let me speak? I'm so happy right now, hahaha, Dinia really suffered a big loss this time, just as you predicted."

Ronan couldn't help but rub his forehead and sigh, "Ugh, I really want to tear your mouth apart."

This kid was so nice when he was little, except for being a little naughty, he had no other problems. How did he grow up to be such a slut?

"Dad?" Golan looked at Ronan, puzzled.

"I don't have a daughter like you." Ronan laughed angrily, pinching Golan's cheek hard. "Watch your words, understand?"

Granda gave a sly smile. "I was just kidding." After the joke, Granda immediately became serious. This ability to switch from laughing and joking to being serious and earnest in the next second was exactly like Ronan's. "Speaking of which, the next step is with the guild, right?"

“Yes,” Ronan said.

The union that Ronan created was not the same as the Western unions he had in his previous life.

This was an officially established, semi-official organization led by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, rather than a spontaneously formed, scattered, non-governmental organization.

Its main function was not to coordinate labor relations between workers and employers, but to replace the guilds that were widespread in the country to coordinate the direct relationship between large capital and small capital.

In Ronan's view, guilds were organizations with mafia-like characteristics that attempted to interfere in politics. They were the complete enemy of monarchical autocracy and the source of that evil, vertically divided democracy.

In the Western Continent, the Church's ideology is the "Tao," while the old imperial-style republic is the "Technique." Therefore, "democracy" is an inevitable stage that will arrive in the Western Continent, and no one can stop it.

However, some of the negative aspects of democracy can be eliminated in advance.

Next, primary and secondary schools, as well as apartment buildings similar to tenement buildings, will be built in the factory area, and the labor union will act as an intermediary and guarantor to help unionized workers take out loans to buy houses and send their children to school.

Golan was aware of this as well.

"Why not have the factories fund the construction of schools and apartment buildings in the factory area, and then provide preferential policies for workers? Instead, they let those unscrupulous businessmen in and create student loans and mortgages to siphon money from them?"

"Gollan asked."

Ronan chuckled. "When did you start sympathizing with workers? Did you get assimilated from spending too much time with Isa?"

“It’s not out of sympathy, it’s just that I felt that doing so would win people’s hearts,” Golan replied.

Ronan held up one finger. "First, the country's money should be spent on the military industry. There's no money available for these workers right now. And welfare is something that needs to be squeezed out little by little, and it needs to be squeezed out every now and then, so that these people will know how to be grateful."

"Secondly, the country does not need too many intellectuals for the time being. A certain number of literate people who know a little math are enough to serve as skilled workers and highly capable soldiers. At present, there are not enough positions available for intellectuals. Intellectuals who have nowhere to go are a dangerous species."

"In the end, state-owned enterprises will eventually disintegrate. Being too closely tied to factories is not necessarily a good thing for them."

Gelan could understand the first two, but she found the last one hard to believe. State-owned enterprises were doing so well, how could they disintegrate?

Ronan saw through Golan's thoughts. "Because of efficiency. To be honest, state-owned enterprises are too inefficient. They are only suitable for industries where you can make money while lying down. The reason you look good now is because of the technological advantages brought about by a large number of novice and low-level mages giving up their specialization in magic and improving their combat power to devote themselves to the production field, the management advantages under the civil service system, and the human resource cost advantages brought about by our basically unified and centralized system with a large population."

"Once these things recede, the drawbacks of state-owned enterprises will naturally become apparent. The purpose of establishing state-owned enterprises now is actually to control the means of production so that when war comes, it will be easier to implement a wartime economy, unleash the full potential of the country, and, as a near-industrial nation, severely beat these rotten feudal countries."

Ultimately, as a political animal, Ronan's efforts in establishing state-owned enterprises, collective farms, labor unions, and farmers' associations were all aimed at creating a group of giant-level monopolies to compete in the international market and make money.

But the inefficiency of state-owned enterprises is what it is, and they will eventually fail.

Ronan continued, "Once we win and become the dominant force, the upper echelons of the country will lose their grand goal and will naturally only try to preserve their power and wealth."

“If the upper class wants to maintain their wealth and status, they can only grow stronger. Stagnation will only lead to being swallowed up by others. It is always easier to extract benefits from within themselves. Therefore, the state-owned enterprise system will inevitably collapse, and the current farmers' associations and trade unions will also be corrupted.”

"However, that's all there is to it. We can only watch helplessly as the country declines little by little. It will probably be my grandson, or even my great-grandson, who loses his hegemonic status."

"In the future, Anri will be the wise king of the three-fold revival of France, I will be the virtuous king consort, and Dinya will be the wise prime minister. You will also benefit from this. Everyone will have a bright future. The only ones who will suffer are the prodigal descendants. What does that have to do with us?"

Ronan said.

In a way, he's the one who will control the flood after I die, but he'll at least leave some capital for his descendants and build a few dams along the way, so they can do whatever they want.

Dinia is pretty much the same. Admittedly, she was born during the most difficult period of the country, and the country raised and educated her. Her mentor died to protect her, and the former king had given her a second chance. She has a sense of mission for the country, but how long can a sense of mission last?

As for Ambrina, she always longed for a leisurely pastoral life. Country? Citizen? Forget about it.

“I think I understand,” Golan said.

"If you understand, then leave. It's time to go back." With that, Ronan turned around.