Yes, Madam Prime Minister

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Unfortunately, Ronan, Ambrina, and Dinia still wielded too much influence, and no one in the central government dared to embarrass the Crown Prince. Lucien also diligently handled his political affairs without any fuss, and the capital remained relatively quiet until Ronan and Ambrina returned.

Chapter 622 Three Years Later, Passing the Throne, First Shopping Trip

Three years later, in 1609.

Ronan was 52, Dinia was 53, and Ambrina was 44.

In this year, the construction and aid programs in southern Belgium, the Rhine region, and Catalonia have been on track, and an economy capable of radiating to the western continent, the north, the east, and the south is taking shape. The Kingdom of Fass will enter a new period of rapid development.

In February, the navies of the Kingdom of Fas and the Kingdom of Weyland fought a battle in the New World colonies. Both sides suffered losses and each claimed victory.

Thanks to Ronan's repeated cunning and forceful exploitation of the Netherlands and Villa, the navy of the Kingdom of Phos has finally developed. Although it is still not quite there yet, it is now able to contend with the increasingly weak Villa, the rising Weyland, and the Netherlands.

This declares a fact: this sea is about to welcome a new group of "civilized people".

In March, Ambrina officially announced that she would pass the throne to her son Lucien II in May.

No one expected that the agreed-upon five-year period would only last three years before Ambribna was about to conceive.

At this time, the kingdom's high-ranking officials remained calm and did not think that Ambrina's abdication was a big deal, because Ambrina's image was no longer that of a tyrant. Not counting her years of political achievements, she had personally led the army to victory over the empire twice, which was a real feat.

Moreover, Ambrina is still very young and in good health, showing none of the signs of a short lifespan inherited from the Freigo family. To put it bluntly, wouldn't retiring mean becoming an emperor emeritus?

For small matters, the son discusses them with his mother; for big matters, the son doesn't even have the right to discuss them.

What was even more unexpected was that at the next ministerial meeting, Ambrina told all the ministers that after passing on the throne, she would not stay in the country, but would travel the world with her husband.

Upon hearing this, all the ministers panicked and knelt down in unison, shouting, "Your Majesty, you cannot leave!"

"The country cannot do without you."

"The kingdom may lack someone, but it cannot lack you."

“If you weren’t here, who knows how many rebels and scoundrels would emerge.”

"We beg you, please serve for another thirty years."

“It’s fine if you don’t become king, but at least stay in the country. You like flowers and theater, so we’ll propose—no, we’ll make an exception—that we start building a garden right away, as big as you want, and a theater that will run 24/7.”

The officials were only putting on an act to show their loyalty; they were genuinely reluctant to let Ambrina go.

Ambrina and Ronan were indeed ruthless. In the past twenty years, the number of officials, nobles, and magicians who fell from power, had their homes confiscated, or were beheaded was more than in the previous three hundred years combined.

"Brutality" is not enough to describe this couple; they were utterly depraved, demons among men.

However, and this is always the case, during Ambrina's reign, officials' authority expanded, promotions became more and more normalized, nobles no longer held onto their lands but acquired businesses and made a fortune, and the entire magician community also grew and thrived, with their treatment far exceeding what it used to be.

We're not really afraid of His Majesty using force, we're just afraid that His Majesty won't let his brothers get rich.

If Ambrina leaves, can Lucien manage?

Anyway, they felt that the Crown Prince wasn't very capable. He was good at tinkering with technology, and some of his technologies made money, but that was his money, not everyone else's. Moreover, he had to spend public funds to establish research projects. It was only because Ambrina and Ronan were still around that they didn't dare to say a word. If they weren't around, they would have stopped the Crown Prince's money-burning research projects no matter what.

Steam trains, railguns, super cannons, ironclad warships, and multi-cannon armored tanks—I suggest the Crown Prince go to the Sacred Heart Mental Hospital east of the palace for some treatment.

Why can't the young master just settle down and study some looms or work on machine tools? Why does he have to get involved in these gadgets?

As for the Crown Prince's ability to govern, that's irrelevant, since he didn't really govern much when Ambrina was around.

Everyone just went about their business.

As for military matters, let's not even go there. The Crown Prince is no match for his mother. Although Ambrina lacks command ability, she does have strategic vision and basic military skills. This isn't about talent, but rather that Ambrina has never relinquished military power since ascending the throne. Every now and then, she would have her staff or a few generals come over to explain the history of war to her.

When Ambrina leads her troops, she only asks her subordinates if they can go to a certain place or fight a certain person. If they can, she doesn't care and lets her subordinates give orders. If they can't, she lets it go.

The Crown Prince, on the other hand, is the kind of person who always has his own ideas.

The conclusion is that everyone genuinely doesn't want Ambrina to leave.

Ambrina slammed her hand on the armrest of her chair in anger. "Enough! I've served this country for so many years, and the constitution already states that from the beginning, the king is just a position, a job. I don't want to work anymore, I want to resign and travel abroad with my husband, is that not allowed?"

"Your Majesty, why don't we amend the Constitution?"

"That's right, the citizens of the whole country are willing to serve you from the bottom of their hearts."

"To serve you is the greatest honor in the world."

"If you don't believe me, I'll write to the people another day."

"Without a supreme king, the people feel empty and uneasy."

Ambrina rubbed her temples, her gaze hardening. "I said I want to pass on the throne, I want to leave. That's my freedom. If you won't let me go, then you can leave."

She was no longer the woman in her early twenties, newly transformed from a princess into a queen. She was now a monarch who had held power for twenty years, wielding considerable authority. Having said this much, the ministers fully understood that there was no turning back; further words would have dire consequences.

"That's all for now." Ambrina didn't want to say anything more, so she stood up, flicked her sleeves, and left the meeting hall.

Meanwhile, Ronan and Dinia were shopping.

In March, as the weather warmed up, Dinya wore a thick, soft black shirt underneath a khaki military-style trench coat with two pockets and a wide belt. She paired it with a soft, flowing peach-pink cashmere long skirt, flesh-colored pantyhose with a light silk sheen, and red velvet high heels. This was her favorite style, different from the flashy style of traditional aristocratic women. It was simple, streamlined, and had a touch of androgyny, yet it did not lose its feminine gentleness.

In recent years, noblewomen in the capital have gradually moved towards a simpler style, abandoning the style of piling on gorgeous clothes. This is because King Ambrina, the former prime minister, the continent's first female magician Dinia, and Princess Ina, who is the eldest sister in the noble ladies' circle, all love a simple and less complicated style.

Following the example set by those at the top, everyone began to shift their focus from pursuing patterns to pursuing texture, color, cut, and subtle details that exude luxury.

“Come to think of it, this is the first time the two of us have simply gone shopping together without having to think about anything else,” Dinia suddenly said.

“Ha, that’s because you don’t like shopping anyway,” Ronan replied with a laugh.

Dinia smiled. "There's a reason for that."

Chapter 623 Fried Chicken Freedom, Extravagance Abounds, Uncontrollable

Ronan asked Dinia curiously why.

Dinia's answer was that the environment in the capital was too bad. If you went to some lively places, the smell and the ground were really unbearable.

That's true. The environment in the capital used to be really bad. Although it wasn't bad in every aspect, the environment in the noble districts, represented by the royal palace, was actually quite good because there were fewer people, the area was large, and the basic infrastructure such as roads and drainage was very well done. The living quarters for middle-level civil servants were also okay. The commercial districts were a little worse, after all, there was a large flow of people. However, the living quarters for ordinary people were really terrible. The population was dense, the roads were narrow, and the infrastructure was poor. It would be strange if it wasn't dirty and chaotic.

However, things are much better now. Since Ambrina took over the throne when Alexander was still the prime minister, various municipal projects have been launched. After more than 20 years of renovation and reconstruction, wide streets, clean apartments, and efficient drainage and sewage systems have been installed, and the entire city has been completely transformed. In addition, Ronan launched the New Life Movement in the capital and focused on public health issues. The capital is no longer what it used to be. It is now the city with the largest permanent population in the Western Continent, but it is also the cleanest.

Furthermore, the situation is unlikely to worsen in the future because Ronan has planned the factory area in a centralized manner, prohibiting the opening of factories haphazardly within the city, and preventing the situation from deteriorating to the point where all the wealthy people have moved to the suburbs.

“Actually, what’s most comforting is this,” Dinia said, pointing to a fried chicken stall not far away.

Most people in the capital have already achieved "fried chicken freedom".

This is no easy feat. You need oil and chickens. Although when Ambrina was still a princess, Ronan used soybean seeds left behind by the aliens and the agricultural techniques that the Haidi people had rediscovered to create a wheat-soybean rotation, which produced a lot of soybean oil.

But at that time, oil was still very expensive.

It's not the oil itself that's expensive, but the transportation cost. People in the Mediterranean region achieved oil freedom a thousand years ago because olives were everywhere there, many even ripe and rotten on the ground. People without money could just pick some up and squeeze them by hand to make a pancake. But in the distant northern inland regions, oil was far too expensive; people without considerable wealth simply couldn't afford it.

Things are different now. Sea transport is faster than before, and so is land transport. The equipment for transportation is also better, allowing for longer preservation. As a result, the price of cooking oil has gone down, so ordinary people in the capital can afford to eat oil.

As for chickens, with more grain, there will naturally be more chickens.

Ronan looked at the fried chicken stalls on the street and couldn't help but smile. "So many years have passed, and the signs for all these stalls are still 'Princess Fried Chicken.'" Fried chicken is probably going to become a part of traditional French cuisine.

“Let’s go to that shop up ahead for afternoon tea,” Dinia suggested.

Previously, there were very few shops in Wangdu that offered this service, fewer than ten in total, mostly located in affluent areas where middle-level civil servants and wealthy businessmen lived.

Nobles typically enjoy afternoon tea leisurely at home, while civil servants and businessmen prefer to eat out. As for ordinary people, they have neither the time nor the money.

But things are different now. The capital has many more people with a little money and time, so there are many more cafes selling desserts and coffee.

“No rush, let’s go to that jewelry store up ahead and I’ll buy you a small gift,” Ronan said.

"Do you have money?" Dinia asked.

“Ha, of course I have it,” Ronan said.

Dinia shook her head and sneered, "Heh, I almost forgot, you are the country's number one corrupt official. Compared to you, those who were beheaded and had their property confiscated are just small fry."

"Don't talk nonsense. I just have a lot of legitimate sources of income." Ronan firmly denied that he was a corrupt official.

Ronan truly never embezzled or accepted bribes.

However, he is indeed wealthy, but not extremely wealthy. Leaving aside the assets under Ambrina's name, his own assets are conservatively estimated to be tens of millions of silver dragons, and he can directly control about a few million in cash.

It's probably only a few million taels of silver. In Seris, that level of money is really nothing. People can easily squeeze more money from the poor who toil in the fields than he can earn by trying to improve productivity and make money from the rich and the middle class.

As he spoke, Ronan led Dinya into the jewelry store. With her white hair, red eyes, and stunningly beautiful face, the shop owner and manager, a chubby young man, immediately recognized Dinya, who in turn recognized Ronan. He was incredibly excited. He used to be an apprentice in a jewelry store, and later married the owner's daughter, who now sponsored him to open this jewelry store. This was the first time he had entertained such an important person.

The chubby boy was clever. He just came over and greeted them briefly, treating the two as ordinary customers without revealing their identities or chattering like a salesperson.

Dinia looked around and took a liking to a pair of ruby ​​earrings. The rubies complemented her hair color, skin tone, and eye color perfectly. The gemstones weren't large, but the design was exquisite and beautiful.

Unlike some fools who would shout for a free gift or a big discount, the chubby guy quoted an honest price: 500 silver dragons.

Dinia hesitated. It was really expensive. It would take a highly skilled worker in the capital five or six years of not eating or drinking to earn this much money.

Ronan simply told the chubby boy to wrap it up, then took out his wallet, pulled out a silver dollar note, and paid for it.

Leaving the jewelry store, Dinia sighed, "In the past two years, the trend of extravagance in the capital has risen again. This store isn't even located in a wealthy area, yet it has such expensive items."

“That one was probably the most expensive in that little shop, since most rubies come from the East,” Ronan said. “But that’s the trend in the capital right now. Stocking sales are getting higher every quarter. Many textile workers are even willing to spend half a month’s wages to make a beautiful dress and order a good pair of shoes.”

Dinia, hands in her pockets, said, “It’s a good thing and a bad thing. If women spend so much money, won’t the men have to bear the burden of housing? Housing prices in the capital are getting higher and higher, and they’re still rising even after the land tax has been increased.”

“Ha, these days, if you want to marry a girl who grew up in the capital, a house alone isn’t enough,” Ronan laughed. “Otherwise, how do you think this jewelry store in the working-class district came about?”

Dinia frowned slightly. "What about the men in the capital?"

"Just keep trying, what else can we do?" Ronan said. "For at least the next ten or twenty years, hard work will still be useful, so that's no longer something we need to worry about."

Dinia's reaction was indifferent; she and Ronan had discussed similar topics far too many times. She then changed the subject to something else: "What are the prospects for that oversight agency for officials in the New Sea City pilot program?"

“There’s not much of a future for them,” Ronan said bluntly. “For example, who pays civil servants’ salaries? The public? In essence, yes, but actually no. The salaries are paid by the government. The public can’t control the taxes they pay, so the public can’t control civil servants.”

“The income of the supervisory personnel comes from the public, but the public has no control over that income. So, by the same token, the public has no control over the supervisors. Just like homebuyers can’t control the homeowner representatives and construction supervisors of a project,” Ronan said, spreading his hands helplessly.

Chapter 624 Fallacies and heresies have finally leveled up; this is awesome!

To put it in more academic, or rather, dry, language, it would be:

The public pays the vast majority of the costs of starting, operating, and maintaining the entire social system, but they have no control over these expenses. For the executives of any public organization, the public is not their provider; it is the individuals or organizations that have the power to control these expenses.

Therefore, those who execute obey the rules set by those who govern.

This principle holds true whether applied to a society or a nation, or even within a small organization.

The People's Congress in Xinhai City, which served as a pilot site, was also an organization.

To put it simply, it's obvious that the representative constrains the represented, rather than the represented constraining the representative.

Even if a representative prioritizes the interests of the represented, it is only due to external reasons such as morality, ideals, and pursuits, not because "you" have any binding force on "it".

Unless you represent it, no one, no organization, can change that fact.

Whether acting as a representative or a delegate, any executor is only bound by the organization's controller and the controller's rules, usually accompanied by interests, or rather, interests are a prerequisite.

In other words, interests are the primary constraint.

Therefore, in any case, if the dominated group wants to fight for any collective rights within this social framework, it must go through the dominant group. Under normal circumstances, the dominated group undoubtedly has no power to restrain the dominant group, or rather, cannot control its interests.

To give a very simple and specific example, under normal circumstances, a person cannot avoid paying taxes, and after paying them, they can also control how the tax money is used according to their own will.

The root cause lies in the fact that society itself is formed by individuals relinquishing their rights, and then a group of people control these rights.

As long as society remains in this form, it will be impossible for the people to supervise the bureaucracy.

This is also why some people believe that society itself, or its concrete manifestation, the government, is the root of all evil.

But clearly, without a government, the situation would be unimaginably terrible.

"Therefore, I have never been interested in delving into these kinds of issues. Society will always have crises. Just find a way to get through them. If you can't, start over. The so-called end of a cycle is just a change in the form of a cycle. Treating a certain idea as a panacea that can solve all social problems is essentially no different from those who believed in the words of religious texts thousands of years ago as eternal truths. There has never been any truth in the world, nor does it need any truth, not even temporarily."

Ronan said.

Dinia smiled with a hint of sarcasm. "In your words, you are a reactionary with no ideals, no faith, spouting fallacies and heresies."

Ronan showed no displeasure whatsoever; on the contrary, he was proud of it. "I suppose so. However, my reactionary game has come to an end. What follows is the leisurely life of a retired bureaucrat and his lovers."

Before they knew it, the two had already sat down inside the coffee shop.

Dinia stopped talking about the pilot project. "Has the route been planned?"

"We've tentatively planned two routes. First, we'll go through Svetsch, then to Austeria, explore the Alps, and maybe catch up with some old friends. Then the paths diverge. We can head directly east to the steppes, then through Rus', then to the western part of Seres, and finally into Seres. Alternatively, we can head south from Austeria to Suleiman, enter the peninsula region, and then head east all the way to India. Once in India, we can cross the snow-capped mountains and enter the southwestern part of Seres."

Ronan offered an explanation.

Dinia tapped her fingers lightly on the table while stirring her coffee with her other hand. "I feel the second option is more interesting. I'd rather go to India than Ross, but it depends on you and what they think."

"Actually, I don't... uh." Ronan was about to say that he didn't care when his magic suddenly activated, and the Book of Destiny appeared. He had advanced.

Those who use fate magic mainly rely on practicing the laws of fate to increase their total magic power limit. Unlike the oath of heaven, which requires adherence to the vow, fate magic is more flexible and does not have any backlash, but the speed of progress is relatively the slowest. Dinia is an exception; she has her own cheat code, and it is one of the strongest cheat codes in this world.