Yes, Madam Prime Minister

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Ronan and his party quickly found his mansion, which was not so much grand as it could be described as extremely luxurious.

Liu Menglong's old servant recognized Ronan and his group. Upon hearing the gatekeeper's report, he came to the gate and invited Ronan and his group inside.

The mansion was very large, and the road twisted and turned. Along the way, many servants looked at Ronan and his party with great curiosity, but they were very polite and dared not get close. After all, guests personally led by Elder Zhuo must be distinguished guests.

Zhao Yingqi was very nervous the whole way. She wanted to see her, but she was also afraid of seeing another version of herself. When she arrived at the living room, the lady of the house did not appear. Zhao Yingqi breathed a sigh of relief, but she was also a little disappointed.

It was still early, and Liu Menglong hadn't finished get off work yet, so Luo Nan and his group were seated in the living room with some fruit and tea. They waited there, with Old Zhuo keeping them company, until the sun began to set, at which point Liu Menglong returned.

Chapter 747 Evaluation: Wasteful, the Same Person

Ambriina looked at Old Zhuo and asked curiously, "Is Mr. Liu's office very close to here?"

"It takes an hour to get back from the yamen by carriage," Old Master Zhuo replied.

"Oh, that's a bit inconvenient," Ambrina said casually and politely.

In his heart, his opinion of Liu Menglong dropped another notch. Guangzhou Port was so prosperous; one could only imagine how prosperous the tax collection work must be. Although he wasn't a formal tax official, he was still an important official assisting in tax collection, yet he left work before four o'clock in the afternoon. Back then, in the important port cities along the western coast of the Kingdom of Fas, no tax official could leave work before dark; if they could, they wouldn't need to come to work the next day.

It can only be said that Ambrina was different; what she saw was not the norm.

Regardless of time or place, whether in the East or West, official inaction is the norm.

The diligence of officials in the Kingdom of Fas was solely due to the Kingdom's rapid growth in national strength, which increased year by year and leaped forward every three years. In addition, Ronan's strategy allowed and even encouraged officials to exploit loopholes to make money, while simultaneously eliminating officials who couldn't keep up with the pace under the guise of anti-corruption and eliminating traitors. This strategy motivated many officials to work with great enthusiasm.

This is not the norm at all.

It is conceivable that if the country's pace of progress cannot keep up with the people's desire for progress, they will definitely rebel.

However, no organization can maintain its upward trajectory indefinitely.

So before leaving, Ronan killed off a large number of reform advocates and reinstated those who had been suppressed for opposing the reforms. On the one hand, this reduced the pressure on his son, and on the other hand, his son could use these reinstated people to establish his authority.

Unfortunately, Lucien Jr. and his wife seemed to have lost their minds, continuing to target the people initially promoted by the trio of Ronan, Ambrina, and Dinia, forcing Canaan, a technical official, to flee in despair.

It is conceivable that, while the central government of the Kingdom of Fas may not be described as "a court full of upright officials," at least "treacherous and wicked people" dare not show their faces.

I reckon that in a few generations, Ronan and Ambrina's descendants will be able to experience the famous attractions of the capital.

"Sigh." Ronan couldn't help but sigh when he thought of this.

If I had known, I should have let the third son, who only knows how to mess around with women, go up. It really proves the saying that rich kids who only eat, drink, and have fun can't squander their family fortune; it's the kids who want to start their own businesses and prove themselves who can squander it.

"Brother Luo, why are you sighing? Is it because I haven't treated you well?" Liu Menglong's voice suddenly appeared.

Ronan suddenly came to his senses. "No, it's just that I was reminded that my son is a good-for-nothing. We handed over the family business to him, and he just wants to enjoy it behind closed doors, but he insists on starting a business."

Liu Menglong was shocked. Luo Nan had already passed the family business to his son. Surely his son couldn't be a child?

"Ah, Brother Luo, how old are you this year?" Liu Menglong couldn't help but ask.

“Fifty-three,” Ronan replied.

"Brother Luo, you really have a knack for preserving your youth." Liu Menglong couldn't help but be surprised. Extraordinary people age very slowly, the stronger they are, the slower they age. The top-level ones will only show signs of aging in the last two years of their lifespan. But no matter what, once you're over fifty, you should look like you're over thirty. Moreover, foreigners look old, but Ronan looks like he's only twenty-five or twenty-six.

Of course, he didn't know that after the crystal skull possessed him, Ronan's appearance was fixed. He would still look the same a hundred years or a thousand years later, and he would not age.

Just then, there was a loud crack, the sound of porcelain shattering on the ground.

Liu Menglong turned around and saw that the maid who brought in the sweet soup had accidentally slipped and the soup had fallen from the tray to the ground.

"You..." Liu Menglong was very angry. The maid had made him lose face, but since the guests were in front of him, he couldn't lash out. He whispered a rebuke, "Get out."

The maidservant nodded vigorously and quickly retreated.

“It’s not her fault,” Astrid suddenly said. “She saw Sister Zhao just before she came in, and for a moment she was distracted, which is why she tripped over the threshold.”

Upon hearing this and looking again, Liu Menglong suddenly realized that one of his brother Luo's concubines looked exactly like his own wife.

And, surprisingly, they also share the surname Zhao?

"I see." Liu Menglong's expression softened considerably.

"Let's not talk about that, Brother Liu, we're here to freeload a meal," Ronan said casually.

"I should have done my duty as a host, but I really don't have anything prepared at home. It wouldn't be appropriate to serve Brother Luo some preserved meats," Liu Menglong said apologetically. His house was not small. Besides himself, his wife, his daughter's family, his cousin's family, and more than twenty servants of all ages, including five people in the kitchen, he could have prepared a feast. However, his family could not always keep enough fresh meat and vegetables to feed so many people like Luo Nan.

Ronan said, "I know, Brother Liu. Don't worry, we've already prepared the ingredients for you. The kitchen is busy right now."

"This, this is not right." Liu Menglong was even more embarrassed. He was supposed to treat his savior to a meal, but instead, the guest had to spend money.

Ronan waved his hand, "Ha, it's nothing. We just arrived suddenly and disturbed Brother Liu."

“Exactly, exactly, we were just messing around anyway,” Ambrina added, “We’ve put your cook in a difficult position.”

Liu Menglong was also amused by Ambrina's words, "Ha, Madam is indeed quick-witted."

“That’s just how she is, Brother Liu, please don’t take offense,” Ronan said.

"No, no," Liu Menglong said, then added, "Brother Luo, please wait a moment, I'll go and fetch my wife."

Ordinary guests would not bring their wives along to accompany them, but Ronan was different; he was his savior. In addition, Liu Menglong also wanted his wife to meet this person who looked exactly like her.

A short while later, Liu Menglong brought his wife, who had the exact same face. Even though Ronan and his group knew that she was Zhao Yingqi from this world, they were still somewhat surprised when they actually saw her.

Seeing the surprised expressions on Ronan's group's faces, Liu Menglong couldn't help but smile slightly. He remembered how he had been stunned when he first saw Miss Zhao beside Ronan on the ship.

However, the two women's attire and temperament were truly different. Madam Zhao had her hair up in a bun, adorned with a few hair accessories. She wore a light blue, thin, open-front gauze blouse, which was almost collarless, buttonless, and unfitted at the waist. She wore a long, pleated, light pink skirt that was so long that only the toes of her embroidered shoes could be seen. Her outfit, like her temperament, was simple and elegant.

Zhao Yingqi's hair was casually tied back with a ribbon, looking light and fluffy. She wore a white shirt with pointed collar and floral sleeves, a light green suspender long skirt with a Western pastoral style, revealing part of her calves and ankles, and a pair of nude sheepskin woven fisherman sandals in the Mediterranean style.

The two Zhao Yingqi looked at each other, each wanting to say something, but unsure how to begin.

Zhao Yingqi knew that the other person was another version of himself, while Madam Zhao sensed that the other person was not just someone who looked very similar to her.

In the end, they simply nodded to each other without saying a word.

Chapter 748 A Banquet: An Honest Official Will Be Your Advisor

After having enough wine and food.

Liu Menglong extended another invitation, saying that he would treat Ronan and his group to a nice meal three days later to truly show his hospitality.

Ronan said there was no need to spend too much money.

Liu Menglong, who had drunk quite a bit, said that he hadn't spent any money. He was from Suzhou and his family was in the silk and cotton business. He wouldn't say he was very rich, but he was still quite well-off. He said that he had bought the mansion with some money on short notice, not by embezzling.

More importantly, he was being transferred in ten days, so he had to treat Ronan and his group to a meal.

"Brother Menglong, where do you work?" Ronan asked.

"I've been promoted to Assistant Magistrate of Foshan Coastal Defense Subprefecture. This place is nominally under the jurisdiction of Nanhai County, but it's not. The position of Assistant Magistrate of Foshan is a fifth-rank official, much higher than that of a county magistrate. All of this is thanks to Brother Luo. If it weren't for you, I would have already perished at sea. Even if I had managed to escape, I would probably have been demoted and transferred elsewhere. Now, I've been promoted, hahahaha." Liu Menglong laughed loudly as he spoke.

When people drink too much, they become more talkative. "Let me tell you, Foshan is a great place. It's in the Jiangnan region of central Guangdong, a water town. Although it's not as nice as my hometown, it can still soothe my homesickness to some extent."

Is Foshan such a wonderful place?

Ronan could only chime in with a few words of agreement.

Foshan is indeed a good place, but in Ronan's view, its goodness lies in its metallurgy and textile industries, its abundance of fish and rice, its vibrant commercial atmosphere, and its large population—truly a wonderful place. A sudden thought struck Ronan: if this idea could be realized, perhaps his subsequent journey north would proceed smoothly.

After chatting for a while, Ronan took his leave.

Liu Menglong grabbed Luo Nan's hand and said, "Brother Luo and his family, why don't you just stay here? My place isn't big, but I have eight spare guest rooms."

"I'd rather not. I have many female relatives, and it wouldn't be convenient," Ronan politely declined again.

"Sigh, Brother Luo is good in every way, except for this..." Liu Menglong was truly drunk, and all sorts of things were spilling out.

“Actually, he’s not really a womanizer,” Ambrina said.

"Probably, but there are always a lot of women swarming around him, which he always tries to avoid," Astrid said. Her language skills were truly exceptional; she spoke just like a proper Seris.

Upon hearing Astrid's words, Liu Menglong was also taken aback. "Your daughter is truly an outstanding person."

“Brother Liu, don’t flatter me. My daughter has always been very arrogant. She used to be a big menace in her hometown,” Ronan said.

“Extraordinary people naturally have extraordinary deeds. Your daughter, being of such stature, should naturally have pride,” Liu Menglong said. Although he couldn’t accurately assess Astrid’s strength, it was precisely because of this that he was certain that Astrid’s cultivation was higher than his own. He was not yet thirty and at the third level, which was not weak, but how old was Astrid? She was probably only in her early twenties.

He currently only has one daughter, and it's not obvious yet, but it's certain that she doesn't inherit any special talents. If he has a son in the future who is half as good as Ronan's daughter, he should be content.

"Sigh, having children is such a troublesome thing," Ronan couldn't help but sigh.

“Exactly, they’re all useless.” Ambrina sighed. She was also very unhappy with her son’s foolish behavior. However, she didn’t value this “family business” that much and didn’t want to rule anymore. Otherwise, she would have rushed back to slap her son a few times and then take away his power to become regent.

Afterwards, they chatted for a while until after nine o'clock before Ronan and his group finally left.

Three days later, in a garden.

"Brother Menglong, are we the only guests?" Ronan asked.

Although he said it was to entertain Ronan, this meal could also be considered a celebration of his promotion. Although Liu Menglong didn't seem like a person who knew how to get along with people, he held a low-ranking but powerful position, so he should at least have a few close associates and two or three friends from the local area.

Even if there isn't one, you should still ask your immediate supervisor.

"Two days later, we'll set up another table at the restaurant. I'm an honest official, and I don't have many close associates," Liu Menglong said with a touch of pride.

He certainly didn't need to be greedy, as his family was wealthy. However, given his position, not being greedy would clearly make him seem somewhat out of place. If it weren't for his connections, he probably wouldn't have been able to hold his position for long.

Soon, everyone took their seats.

It wasn't a round table, nor a square table, but rather individual tables for each person.

Soon, the dishes began to be served. First came the tea-infused fish noodle soup. The tea-colored broth was a filtered mushroom and chicken soup, and the fish noodle soup consisted mainly of fish meat with shrimp paste, adding a touch of bouncy texture and umami. Next was a stew, purely vegetarian, yet it tasted just as good as Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. Then came a main dish, a small portion of sticky rice chicken served in a teacup. There was no chicken, only sticky rice, but the chicken flavor was very strong. Next was another vegetarian dish, made with eggplant, yet it tasted like grilled eel—absolutely amazing. Following that was another fish dish, whitebait. This type of fish is delicious but has many bones; it's practically a large crucian carp. However, the chef's skill was superb; he removed all the bones, blanched it, and served it with a very simple dipping sauce, focusing solely on its freshness and sweetness. Next was braised goose liver. The goose liver was tender and smooth, and the braising liquid wasn't too salty, but very fragrant. After that, a small bowl of crab roe rice, nothing particularly special. Next came the deboned poached chicken. Ronan actually preferred it with the bones, finding it more flavorful, but that's how it is at a fine banquet; it's impolite to have guests spit out bones. Finally, a soup was served—fish soup. After the meal, there was a bowl of slightly sweet dessert to cleanse the palate.

Overall, this meal didn't use any expensive ingredients, and most of the dishes didn't employ any complicated cooking techniques, but they were very skillful, especially the eggplant that tasted like eel; Ronan simply couldn't figure out how it was made.

Some of the less sophisticated women in Ronan didn't even realize at first that it was eggplant; they thought it was fish.

Liu Menglong only drank two small cups of plum wine during this meal, and he was still quite sober.

So Ronan spoke up, "Brother Menglong, I have a favor to ask."

"What's our relationship? Brother Luo, just tell me," Liu Menglong said. He would definitely do whatever his savior asked if he could.

“I want to be your advisor,” Ronan said.

Liu Menglong was stunned, wondering if he had misheard. After a long while, he finally managed to ask, "Master?"

“That’s right, Master,” Ronan replied.

Liu Menglong's official title sounds like "Assistant Magistrate of Coastal Defense," but in reality, it's equivalent to a county magistrate who can manage almost anything. In Seris, where imperial power doesn't extend to the countryside, a county magistrate can't take office without a secretary.

"Well, that's not entirely impossible." Liu Menglong stammered. It really wasn't impossible, since he had hired the advisor himself. "However, Brother Luo, I'm fine with it, but the local customs here might not be as simple and honest as those in the West." What Liu Menglong really meant was that the people below him were all slick petty officials and violent troublemakers.

"Ha, Brother Menglong, you didn't even ask about me?" Ronan was also surprised. Liu Menglong had returned with Humbert, the French representative, and Humbert certainly knew who Ronan was—the nightmare of countless civil servants in the Kingdom of Fas.

"No, I only know that Brother Luo is in the West and his status is extraordinary."

Chapter 749 All crows under heaven are black; those who act on behalf of Heaven will have their own blessings for their children and grandchildren.

Ronan smiled and said, "I was able to marry Anri because I achieved good results when I was a local official. In the West, the local power is not weak at all. There are nobles who have passed down their power for generations and have a voice in the local area, newly emerging magicians who have both wealth and military power and actually rule the countryside, churches that have the right to education and military power, and lower-level bureaucrats who have intricate connections with all parties."

This was the first time Liu Menglong had heard such a clear description of the basic units of Western regimes. After thinking about it and making a comparison, he realized that it was really no different from Seris.

Aren't nobles just those virtuous families who claim to uphold the tradition of poetry and propriety? Aren't churches just academies with plaques proclaiming "Winning people over with virtue"? Aren't emerging magicians just those who open martial arts schools with signs at their doors proclaiming "Defending the Way with the Sword"? And the local officials of Seris are also intricately connected with these people.

“So, I’m very familiar with these people, so I naturally have ways to deal with them. If I can’t handle them, then I’ll have to let my wife take care of it.” Ronan pointed to Dinia.

Liu Menglong's heart skipped a beat. He had seen Dinia before. Fan Hong, a fifth-tier cultivator, was like a little chick in front of her, easily defeated.

"Uh, it's best not to trouble you, Madam," Liu Menglong said awkwardly. He had finally cleared his name of the charge of colluding with foreigners. Hiring Ronan as his advisor didn't count as colluding with foreigners. But if Dinia used violence to suppress those people, someone would probably write a letter accusing him of colluding with foreigners again.

Ronan chuckled and looked at Dinia, "Dinia, have you made a move in all these years?"

"No," Dinia replied cooperatively.

Over the decades, hundreds, even thousands, of officials in Phos have been investigated and punished, including many who were themselves magicians. However, there has never been a need for Dinia to intervene. The reason is simple: every time someone is investigated, a large number of officials applaud, and these officials applaud because the interest groups they represent are delighted by this.

The reason why Dinia called Ronan a villain and why he was the nightmare of countless civil servants was that he not only knew how to incite the masses to fight against each other, but he was also good at inciting officials to fight against each other.

"Brother Luo is truly remarkable," Liu Menglong praised, though he wasn't entirely convinced.

“Just give it a try, it doesn’t cost any money anyway,” Ronan added.

"Huh?" Liu Menglong exclaimed in surprise.

“Brother Liu’s family is wealthy. I myself don’t have much money, but my wife Ambrina is quite rich, though not a lot, just a few million taels of silver,” Ronan said. “So, I don’t need Brother Liu to pay me a salary. If I don’t perform well, you can fire me anytime.”

"So, it's decided then?" Liu Menglong asked.

“That’s the decision,” Ronan replied.

After agreeing, Liu Menglong suddenly relaxed a lot and asked, "Brother, I'd like to ask, what exactly is Brother Luo's reason?"

“I have a thirst for power, and so does my wife,” Ronan replied, pointing at Dinia.

"Oh." Liu Menglong exclaimed in surprise. He really couldn't see how this Madam Di resembled an official. It wasn't because she was an exceptionally beautiful woman, but because he felt that she had a kind of bandit-like air about her that most women, and even most men, didn't have.