Yes, Madam Prime Minister

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"Alas, Brother Luo, what exactly is your purpose?" Liu Menglong asked again.

“Firstly, as I’ve told you before, my wife and I are obsessed with official positions,” Ronan replied. “Secondly, as a group of foreigners, we face many inconveniences in Seres, so we want to acquire some official status to make our travels easier.”

"Where do Brother Luo and his party wish to go?" Liu Menglong asked.

“Two historical sites,” Ronan replied.

Liu Menglong's tone turned serious. "That is probably not an ordinary historical site."

“It is indeed extraordinary, but it has nothing to do with worldly affairs.” Ronan added that the alternate dimension, which was transformed from a sealed interdimensional passage, was indeed unrelated to worldly affairs.

"It seems that worldly matters are just games to Brother Luo." With that, Liu Menglong smiled with relief. If they are not worldly matters, then that's good.

“No one in this world can truly escape the mundane. Actually, Liu, rest assured, in Seris, I am just Master Ronan,” Ronan said.

Liu Menglong completely relaxed. "May I ask, Brother Luo, why did you give up such a great cause?"

"I'm tired of it." Ronan's answer was simple.

Once someone has taken their seat, they've done so. Lingering on and refusing to leave only breeds resentment.

Chapter 759 Iron is not just iron; it's about willingness without resentment. You're still young.

The iron and steel industry is not just about iron smelting; it also includes upstream and downstream industrial chains and many people who make a living and earn money from this industry.

In Ronan's view, Foshan's iron and steel industry was really nothing special, because it was still using charcoal to smelt iron and steel, and the manufacture of ironware was still semi-manual. Compared with the large steel mills in the northern part of the Kingdom of Fas and the ones along the western coast, it was inferior in both quality and output.

Even the number of job openings offered is less.

Many people believe that large-scale assembly line production will reduce jobs, which is true, but not entirely. While the demand for a particular job may decrease, the overall number of jobs created by the rapid expansion of an industry's production capacity will increase.

Attributing unemployment to increased productivity is possible, but the reasoning is insufficient. The root cause of unemployment lies more in the distribution of wealth. Of course, wealth distribution cannot solve the problem itself, only the problems of those with problems. In short, in Ronan's view, Foshan's iron and steel industry still has a great deal of room for improvement, and there is absolutely no need to worry about civil unrest; as long as pest control is done well, everything will be fine.

Luo Nan and Liu Menglong arrived at Renxiantang at noon, and four hours later, outside Renxiantang.

Master Li, Master Zhou, Master Xu, Master He, and Master Lin are five businessmen who rely on the Foshan ironware industry to make money, whether they are directly engaged in the ironware business, supply raw materials, or run transportation. At this moment, they are surrounding Master Wang.

"Wang Zhixiao, you are truly a despicable son." Master Zhou, being the most cultured, cursed him in a more civilized manner.

"Damn it." Master Xu's ancestors were pirates who had been granted amnesty, so he used a rather vulgar curse.

"Old Wang, how could I, Li, have a relative like you?" Old Master Li, being the weakest among them and Wang Zhixiao's in-law, could only offer a half-hearted complaint.

"We agreed that we'd have that guy surnamed Liu be the vanguard to deal with that Chen dog, and we'd take the opportunity to reclaim some territory. Well, now we've become the vanguard." Master He was the most successful businessman and the most wealthy among the group, and also the most resourceful. This plan was his idea, but he pushed Wang Zhixiao to the forefront.

"You're afraid that Master Luo will threaten to kill your whole family? Does he really think he can kill your whole family?" Master Lin is from the area where Guangdong and Fujian meet. He's a businessman with a temper even worse than that of a gangster.

Master Wang Zhixiao was berated by his business partners, but he didn't retaliate.

He pointed in a direction and asked, "See that?"

Mr. Lin curled his lip, "It's just a pile of sand and gravel, and nothing else. What are we supposed to see?"

Wang Zhixiao sneered, "Old Lin, you're right. There's nothing there. But originally, it was a sturdy watchtower. It was razed to the ground by Luo's two concubines, leaving only a pile of sand and gravel."

Mr. He, who had the biggest business and the best connections, asked in surprise, "Two? Not the one with the white hair?"

“No, one is blond and blue-eyed, and the other is wearing an eyepatch.” Wang Zhixiao replied, while observing the expressions on everyone’s faces. He thought to himself, do these people really think he, Wang Zhixiao, is a coward? It doesn’t matter who comes.

Everyone had heard about how Master Luo's concubine beat up Yuan Fanghe, the head of the Yimin Division, but they never expected that Master Luo's concubines were all highly skilled.

“Brother Boshun, you can’t lie to us. At least let us know.” Master Zhou sighed. Wang Zhixiao was the eldest son, and Boshun was his courtesy name.

Wang Zhixiao's handsome face was twisted into a bitter face, as if he were trying to clear his throat. "If I were to breathe, I'm afraid none of us would be standing here unharmed right now."

"That damned Master Luo!" Master Lin cursed again.

By this time, Master Li had become somewhat more accepting of the situation. "However, if it really turns out as Master Luo says, and we can make a lot of money this time, you've all seen Western ironware, and it's indeed better than ours. As long as we get up and running and expand, Chen's ironworks and ironware workshops will definitely be no match for us, as long as we don't use official means."

"He doesn't use official methods? He relies on official methods all along," said Master He.

To say that the Chen family's rise to power relied on official tactics, they had no technological advantage and weren't locals. How could they compete? First, they suppressed labor costs. When workers rioted, the government labeled them rebels. If others tried to imitate them, the government would enforce the law impartially. Second, they offered kickbacks. Foshan had many business guilds from different prefectures, and they bribed these people. They wanted to learn from them, but the Chen family wouldn't accept the money. Why? Because the Chen family had a cousin who was a vice minister, while they didn't.

Wang Zhixiao spoke up, "Official matters are Lord Liu's concern. We may be stuck on this pirate ship, but can our Lord Liu get off? There are no secrets in the world. With so many of us meeting him today, whether it's those officials or the owners of the ironworks and workshops under the Chen family, they will all find out."

"Damn it, I'm not stupid, this business has great potential, it's just that I always like to take the initiative, and now it feels like I'm being forced to do things, it's really unpleasant." Old Master Xu, whose ancestors were pirates, continued to swear.

Even he, who was the least bright, understood this, so how could the others not understand? It was just that they hadn't been able to take control of the situation, and they were a little resentful.

At the same time, Ronan was also peeling and eating shellfish at the table.

"Brother Luo, are you really that comfortable with these people?" Liu Menglong asked. He felt that these people were no different from the merchants he had met in Guangzhou before; they were all shameless and untrustworthy scoundrels.

“They’re all businessmen, and quite big ones at that. They know exactly what’s good for them when it comes to making money.” Ronan continued peeling the shellfish. “Besides, they’re a bunch of losers, and hungry losers at that. Now that they have a chance to get some meat, they’re going to take the plunge no matter what. You can rest assured that they are absolutely trustworthy until their opponents are defeated.”

Liu Menglong wasn't stupid either, and he reacted quickly: "On the other hand, after the matter is over, they will no longer be trustworthy."

"What does it matter? Brother Liu, you'll either get promoted or be transferred to make room for someone else," Ronan said with a smile. "Even if you're still in this position, it doesn't matter. New people replace the old. We can use them as bad examples to teach them a lesson and win some public support."

Liu Menglong didn't know what to say. "Brother Luo, you're really good material for an official."

“No, I’m better suited to be a clerk than an official. An official who doesn’t serve the people might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes,” Ronan laughed. “Manipulating magic and power is not the right path for a successful official, especially in this era that needs change and improvement.”

Liu Menglong picked up the small wine cup, drank it down in one gulp, and couldn't help but sigh, "In the past, I considered myself a good official, and on the way here, I still felt that I could be a good official. Now it seems that I am still far from it."

“Brother Liu, you are still young, I…” Ronan was speechless for a moment. He wanted to say, “When I was your age…”, but at Liu Menglong’s age, he had already married Ambrina and become the permanent secretary-general of the Ministry of the Interior, equivalent to a third-rank official in Seris.

Chapter 760 Another Feast, Artist, All I Want Is Money

In the blink of an eye, another week has passed. This week, the weather is getting warmer, but the yamen is unusually quiet. Liu Menglong used the excuse of the heat to become a hands-off manager and handed over all the work to his subordinates.

Not only Liu Menglong, but also Master Wang and his business partners, did not make the slightest move.

This calm, however, caused a sense of unease among the officials who had prepared various contingency plans and were just waiting for Liu Menglong to make his move.

It wasn't just the officials, big and small, of the Haiphong Prefectural Government who were feeling restless.

There is also Chen Zuolin, a famous scholar from Foshan and the behind-the-scenes owner of Foshan's largest ironworks.

"What? Another banquet, and I'm the one being invited?"

Ronan was quite surprised when he learned that Chen Zuolin, the behind-the-scenes boss of Foshan's largest ironworks, had invited him and his wife, Ambriel, to visit him.

“This doesn’t seem like a friendly visit, Ronan,” Ambrina said, her Seres language far superior to Dinia’s.

“We are the ones who came here, Anri,” Ronan corrected.

Ambrina casually tossed a chicken bone aside. "Is that so? Well, that depends on whether this powerful dragon that dominates the land can suppress you, this powerful dragon."

The previous Mr. Wang was turned on by Ronan within ten minutes.

"Shall we go?" Ronan asked Ambrina.

“Go ahead, there’s bound to be something delicious.” Ambrina replied with a smile. “I recently heard that the people here love chicken and can make hundreds of different chicken dishes. They could eat it every day for a year without repeating a single dish. I’m sure we’ll see some new dishes this time.”

She didn't care about the other person's purpose at all; all she cared about was eating.

“Then I agree,” Ronan said.

Three days later, in a garden, there was a covered bridge over the water, a clear lotus pond, artificial hills and strange rocks, sick trees and delicate flowers. It could be said that there was a beautiful scene every ten steps. Walking in it, it was as if a long scroll of landscape and secluded dwelling was being pushed open little by little, and you would feel as if you had been transported to the water town of Jiangnan.

"Beautiful, truly beautiful," Ambrina couldn't help but exclaim. Besides food and music, her favorite thing was garden art. She was too lazy to read the formal state reports on weekdays, but she could spend an entire day in the garden north of the palace without getting tired.

During her journey eastward, she didn't utter any praise for Suleiman's palace or the palaces of India. Perhaps Suleiman's palace was more stunning and magnificent than those in France, and perhaps the kingdoms of India were more luxurious and splendid than those in France, but they were all "large" and "expansive." Here, however, it was "small" and "integrated," completely different, making one truly feel as if they had entered a different time and space.

As they walked through the garden, Ambrina kept asking the servant leading the way questions about its layout and design. At first, the servant thought Ambrina was a country bumpkin, but he quickly changed his mind. Ambrina always seemed to know the intricacies of the garden's layout, even pointing out areas that weren't quite harmonious or well-rounded, leaving the servant momentarily speechless. This servant was no ordinary servant; he was also a cultured man, but his culture wasn't yet sufficient to understand the artistic ingenuity of this garden.

"Madam is truly an extraordinary person," he could only exclaim in admiration.

“I’m nothing special, I’m just someone who likes to grow flowers, you know?” Ambrina said.

The servant fell silent; he truly did not understand.

Ambrina shook her head. This servant was no better than her former gardener; he was just a craftsman and couldn't understand the mysteries of art.

Ronan didn't say much the whole way, perhaps because he had too much political virus and too little artistic talent; he simply couldn't understand what Ambrina was pointing out.

Not long after, Ronan and Ambrina followed a servant to a pavilion in the middle of an artificial lake. The servant brought the guests there and then turned to leave.

Ronan and Ambrina met Chen Zuolin, the behind-the-scenes owner of the ironworks. He didn't seem like a businessman at all, or even a decent person.

His hair was disheveled, he had shaved his beard, and he dressed very casually, with his clothes wide open.

Not tying one's hair up, not growing a beard, and being improperly dressed are all major taboos for the Seres.

As for her appearance, Chen Zuolin has a slightly long face, thin eyebrows, phoenix eyes, a slightly hooked nose, and thin lips. She is not unattractive and has a delicate appearance, but she is still a distance from being considered handsome. However, her temperament is quite unique, with a touch of arrogance amidst her elegance.

Chen Zuolin personally poured tea, saying, "Please sit down, gentlemen, and have a drink."

"Scholar Chen, you're too kind." Ronan took his seat.

Ambrina sat down casually, picked up her teacup. It was good tea, but it was green tea, which she didn't like. She preferred black tea.

"Let's not rush into worldly matters. I would like to invite you two to appreciate a painting." As Chen Zuolin spoke, she flicked her finger, and a painting that was placed to the side flew into the air and stood upright in front of Ronan and Ambrina.

This is a Western oil painting; it is both a landscape and a portrait.

In the scene, Ambrina is clearing weeds in the garden with a hoe, Ronan is sitting next to her talking to an official, and Prince Louis is holding a paper airplane, about to throw it.

The painting was created by Schwarz, a famous painter from the Rhine region. His masterpiece is "The Wedding in Kahn," which depicts a wedding in the village, a lively group portrait, and also includes a rural landscape. This painter loved to paint pastoral scenes and rural life.

This painting, "The King in the Garden," is not simple. On the surface, it appears leisurely and warm, but it secretly contains a hidden agenda. If you look closely at the paper airplane depicting the Little Prince Louis, you'll see that it was folded from official documents. To put it bluntly, the painting subtly satirizes Ambrina as a tyrannical ruler.

However, Ambrina didn't mind. She was an artist herself and frequented artist circles; she knew their bad habits. As long as they weren't promoting rebellious or rebellious ideas, she never cared. Instead of criticizing or punishing them, she even bestowed upon Schwarz a baronial title.

Chen Zuolin's work is not an original, but a forgery, because the paper airplane is just a paper airplane.

“I think the people in the painting look a lot like the two of you,” Chen Zuolin added.

“Ha, people said the same thing back in the West,” Ronan said.

“Yes, once when I went to a restaurant, the person was afraid to accept my payment,” Ambrina added.

Chen Zuolin laughed along, "So, the people in the painting aren't two?"

Ronan's tone was very certain, "Definitely not. The person in the painting is an extraordinary figure. Why would he come here to be a clerk? Has he lost his mind?"

Ambrina, sitting rudely, said, "That's the emperor. Do I look like an emperor to you?"

Chen Zuolin's smile faded. "I think that only someone who can be so unattached to material possessions, unburdened by their own mind, and unperturbed by others can possess such a magnanimous spirit as Madam. Wealth comes and goes as it may."

“Sorry, I don’t quite understand this,” Ambrina said. She wasn’t pretending; she genuinely couldn’t understand this Seres language, which wasn’t Cantonese.

“It’s alright, Master Luo will understand,” Chen Zuolin added.

“Coincidentally, I don’t know either,” Ronan said.

“Let’s talk about mundane matters then,” Chen Zuolin said, getting straight to the point. “To me, the ironworks is just a money-making machine. As long as it makes money, nothing else matters. I can support Lord Liu, and I don’t even need the ironworks anymore, as long as there’s money.”

This statement surprised Ronan somewhat.

Chapter 761 Offering empty promises, enticement, and no way to coerce.

Chen Zuolin refilled the tea and continued, "People say I'm the behind-the-scenes boss of Gaoming Ironworks and Sanshui Ironware, but that's not the case at all. Do you two think I'm someone who's good at business? Some people say I'm a hands-off manager, but that's a ridiculous notion. If a businessman doesn't care about his subordinates or their affairs, no matter how big his business is, he can only feed others and won't earn anything for himself."

"The idea of ​​a hands-off manager, or ruling by doing nothing, is a joke that fools people."

"I just own a lot of shares, and I use my shareholder status to build relationships with some people, that's all."

"I know nothing about business."

"Most of the money I've earned has been invested in my spiritual practice. To be honest, this garden was built with funds from my friends and is not my private property."

Hearing this, Ronan became somewhat curious, "A spiritual practice?"

“That’s right, the spiritual practice.” Chen Zuolin answered decisively and affirmatively. “I can’t go into details, but I can say something in general: we are looking for a way to make everyone qualified to practice.”

"Huh? This..." Ronan was genuinely surprised this time.

"This is not in the interest of the many scholars and warriors today, is it?" Chen Zuolin appeared very calm. "This China, which you foreigners call Seris, seems to be unified, but it has never actually been unified. The reason there is an emperor is because none of the various forces can do anything to each other. If they fight directly, it will soon turn into a bloody conflict, and no one will benefit. So everyone needs a court and an emperor."

"On the surface, people with high cultivation levels don't concern themselves with worldly affairs, and everything is governed by the laws of the court. But in the end, local power and wealth are still controlled by academies and martial arts schools centered around scholars and warriors. Officials can manage the common people, but can they manage the scholars and warriors? Even if a hundred or a thousand common people rise up, they are no match for a few scholars and warriors with some cultivation."

"However, people are selfish. At the time of the founding of the country, the public interest of the country was aligned with the private interests of the scholars and warriors, so the country naturally strived for progress."

"But over time, public interests and private interests became inconsistent, and everyone rushed to enrich themselves at the expense of the public."

"However, not every parasite can devour the country. Even for many who have already devoured it, it is still not enough. At this point, the country becomes an enemy that hinders them. The country is necessary, but if the current one is not good enough, then we should find a way to replace it."

"For thousands of years, the rise and fall of dynasties has been no different."

"Only when everyone can cultivate, and the martial advantage of scholars and warriors over the vast majority of ordinary people is stripped away, can the world achieve lasting peace and stability."

At this point, Chen Zuolin paused deliberately to observe Ronan's reaction. Unfortunately, Ronan's expression, which had changed before, was no longer the same. He then looked at Ambrina and was surprised to find that the empress was only interested in the pastries on the table.

This was quite unexpected.

Because he wasn't talking about ideals or the world, but rather implying to Ronan that he and his team were researching methods to grant ordinary people talents, and that they had already made progress.