Yes, Madam Prime Minister

Page 425

How the hell did such a cunning person manage to reach the seventh rank? Isn't it said that those who can reach the seventh rank have no distracting thoughts and are single-mindedly devoted to the Dao?

Without giving Zhao Jun a chance to entangle him any further, Ronan vanished in a flash.

He really will be spending this New Year with the women.

Before transmigrating, he had no interest in celebrating the New Year, but after decades in this strange world, he suddenly had such an opportunity and really wanted to celebrate the New Year with his family.

However, for his women, apart from Zhao Yingqi and Lu Jianling who couldn't come, the others would only see this New Year in Seris as a novel and lively event full of exotic charm.

Even Zhao Yingqi didn't feel much, because she was actually a "banana" – she was just old enough to understand things when she went to France and grew up there, so her mindset was already that of a Westerner.

On the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, something unexpected happened during the New Year celebrations.

Lu Jianling said she was coming, and her whole family was coming. In Lu Jianling's own words, since their relationship was already common knowledge among the upper class, they might as well just admit it publicly. Although her reputation was completely ruined, her subordinates would be more steadfast because she now had a strong backer.

Immediately afterwards, Zhao Yingqi said he wanted to bring his lonely Mrs. Zhao over to celebrate the New Year together.

Good heavens, if word gets out, won't it make people think Ronan is messing with his sister-in-law, or even taking both sisters in? There's no way around it, most people think Zhao Yingqi and Madam Zhao are twin sisters.

Ronan could only say that it was better for him to have a bad reputation. The worse his reputation, the less likely people were to believe that he could rise to power, and the more they trusted him.

"Why don't you just give up and do whatever you want?" Ambrina said, still concerned about getting Ronan to deal with Guo Hanlu.

"It really won't fall," Ronan said quickly. It's not that it's impossible, but there's always a method to it, isn't there?

Chapter 990 Chinese New Year, Shoes and Socks, A Warm Home

New Year's Eve.

The weather this year is particularly cold. Even at this time of year, the daytime temperature is only around ten degrees Celsius, which is very uncomfortable for people in Guangdong who are used to wearing only two layers of clothing in winter.

However, what most people in Guangdong don't know is that in some parts of Jiangnan, it has even snowed.

However, with the booming economy in Guangdong in recent years, a considerable number of rural residents are able to buy some cloth to make new clothes, while some urban workers can even afford new cotton-padded coats. Of course, there are still many rural areas with poorer conditions who can only barely get through the winter, and for them, celebrating the New Year is just about having enough to eat and a few eggs.

In Ronan's household, all the few servants who were already there were given a holiday.

Unlike the servants who had signed indentures and whose entire families had become part of their master's household, the servants in Ronan's family were purely hired, so they were simply allowed to go home for the New Year.

So naturally, Ronan had to take care of the New Year's Eve dinner.

Ashley, who had actually worked as a maid, Falek, who rose from slavery to the position of queen, and Zhao Yingqi, who had learned a few cooking skills from Madam Zhao, all came to help in the kitchen. They were all people with some culinary skills.

Elena, Alice, and Grand are barely good enough to be kitchen helpers.

Ambrina and Isabel were princesses who were waited on hand and foot; Dinia grew up eating in the cafeteria; Canaan and Agustina were the type who never learned or practiced; and Faith, from a circus performer to a clergyman, was someone who couldn't cook for herself.

These women should just chat about women's topics outside with Madam Zhao, the guest, and Lu Jianling, the other guest. Coming into the kitchen would only cause trouble.

While Ambrina and the others weren't exactly dressed in their finest attire, they were wearing clothes typically reserved for festivals.

Ambrina wore a corset and bodice underneath, with a creamy white fitted long dress over it, and a half-length cape. The long dress was very gorgeous, with the outer layer full of pure handmade lace decorations. Underneath, she wore a pair of white silk pantyhose with a dark jacquard pattern, and on her feet, a pair of ivory white chunky-heeled princess shoes.

Dinia's main color scheme is red. She wears a red, fitted long dress with dark purple floral patterns throughout. She has no coat, just a caramel-colored cashmere shawl. The dress is also short, ending below the knee and halfway down her calves. Only half of her calves are covered by matte black stockings, which is enough to remind people of her near-perfect legs in black pantyhose. On her feet are a pair of black shiny high heels with red soles.

Their gazes unconsciously fell on the boots on Lu Jianling's feet.

Her boots had a capital R and A on the side edge, which are the initials of Ronan Artes, indicating that the shoes were handmade by Ronan.

The shoes worn by Ambrina and Dinia also bear the same logo.

At this moment, Canaan walked over, wearing a brightly colored printed long-sleeved top with a predominantly red lower body and a skirt with patterns reminiscent of the Western Regions. If she were to add a headscarf and elaborate headdress, she would be dressed as a typical Persian noblewoman.

Only when walking can you see the flesh-colored stockings with a warm, lustrous sheen on the instep exposed by the low-cut shoes.

Canaan also had shoes made by Ronan, but the pair she was wearing weren't; they were the kind of cloth shoes from the Middle East that Ronan couldn't make.

Faith came along too. There weren't any particularly fancy clothes in her wardrobe. She wore a white shirt with floral sleeves, an olive green wide-strapped bra dress, brown round-toed leather shoes, and coffee-colored pantyhose. It was the typical pastoral style of a young noblewoman from the countryside of Wieland.

Meanwhile, Isabelle, who doesn't forget to work even during the New Year, is asking Agustina some questions.

Isabelle's group was basically the same style as Ambrina's, except that they didn't wear capes and their dresses weren't as elaborately decorated.

Agustina's style was completely different; it was a modified version of the Western hussar uniform, somewhat androgynous, with black pantyhose underneath and a pair of black knee-high cavalry boots on her feet. She liked wearing boots, but it was too hot in Guangdong, so she could only wear them a few days a year.

A group of women gathered together, chatted for a few minutes, and quickly got into a rhythm of praising each other.

After a long while, Mrs. Zhao, who was with her child, came over. She had been deliberately left in the yard by Zhao Yingqi, who knew that he did this in the hope that she would take the initiative to get in touch with this special family.

Her three-year-old daughter suddenly became the object of concern and amusement for a group of women.

Some children get more excited when teased, but some children are just naturally averse to being teased by their elders. Mrs. Zhao's eldest daughter was like that; she looked extremely impatient, which made Ambrina laugh.

Because Ina also had this unapproachable demeanor when she was a child.

At this moment, Astrid and Yang Nianshan arrived late.

Astrid walked over. "You too, playing with the kids here."

“What else? Am I kidding you?” Ambrina replied jokingly. Astrid’s relationship with her was even better than that with Elena, her biological mother.

"You can tease me, but according to the rules here, give me some New Year's money." Astrid immediately seized the opportunity and reached out her hand to ask for money.

Ambrina sighed in a mocking tone, "Sigh, all my money went to your father. Go ask him for it."

"That damned corrupt official, cruel slave owner, heartless capitalist, let's just forget about him." Astrid spread her hands helplessly.

Without Elena as her old partner, Agustina, seeing that Astrid had some potential, immediately chimed in, "Lily, you can't slander your father. He's wholeheartedly against slavery, that inefficient form of exploitation."

Isabelle, as was her habit, approached Ambrina, saying, "Why didn't you care about your daughter like this before?"

Ambrina feigned surprise and asked, "Isn't it because you, someone without children, are rushing to have one? Sigh, lucky people's childhood heals their whole lives, while unlucky people spend their whole lives healing from their childhood. Luckily, Ina didn't follow your example, or things would have been terrible."

The two sisters entered their familiar rhythm of teasing each other.

At first, Madam Zhao was a little surprised by Lu Jianling, and even almost thought that they had some real conflict, but she quickly realized that this was not the case. On the contrary, their teasing each other was a sign of intimacy. The women in Ronan's family had a much better relationship than the group of women in some wealthy families who looked at each other coldly. They were a real family.

This home is very warm.

Lu Jianling was relieved, but Madam Zhao was further shaken.

As time passed and darkness fell, the dishes began to be served one after another.

It wasn't a round table, but an extra-long table made up of several rectangular tables.

The first dishes served were cold dishes, all of which were cooked food bought from outside: braised goose liver, braised pork hock, poached chicken, and braised beef shank made from the shank of a cow that had just been killed that morning.

Next came several large earthenware pots simmering soup.

Next came the main courses, one of each of chicken, fish, beef, and lamb. There was roast chicken, braised beef in tomato sauce (both prepared in a Western style), garlic-braised fish (a typical Chinese dish), and lamb in red soup. The lamb here has a strong gamey smell and is not suitable for eating in its original flavor. Finally, there were two braised pork knuckles.

Finally, I pretended to cook a few vegetarian dishes.

There are yellow wines and locally popular rice wines.

And so, the New Year's Eve dinner began.

Chapter 991 Leaving or Staying, Special Interests, Watching Stockings Take Off

The New Year's Eve dinner started before 6 p.m. and didn't end until after 8 p.m. Actually, we had finished eating long ago, and the rest of the time was spent drinking and chatting.

Most of the women around Ronan hadn't had much contact with Lu Jianling. For example, Isabel and the others only truly got to know each other after meeting this afternoon. Madam Zhao was similar; although she had met everyone before, the only people she was familiar with before this were Zhao Yingqi and Alice.

After meeting in the afternoon, they quickly warmed up to each other.

Lu Jianling has a rich resume and is a local official. He has a lot to talk about with the women in Luo Nan. Although Madam Zhao is a woman of the inner quarters, she becomes very talkative once she starts talking. After all, she and Zhao Yingqi are the same person. She also knows a lot of secrets of the upper class and has a good understanding of some things in Jiangnan.

However, as the conversation went on, the topic turned to Ronan.

A group of women started revealing Ronan's "dirt".

Ronan then went to the children's table.

After the New Year's Eve dinner, it was time for some people to leave.

At the side door.

"Why are you following me?" Astrid asked Yang Nian.

Yang Nian retorted irritably, "If I don't go with you, where am I supposed to go?"

Astrid placed her hand on Yang Nian's shoulder and said, "You stay. Maybe the old man will just do something to you out of a daze. Wouldn't that be fine? Although the old man is a heinous criminal, he's really good to women. He won't let you down."

“But he’s not interested in me at all,” Yang Nian said.

“Sometimes men use that instead of their brains,” Astrid said, gesturing as she spoke.

"I'm not pretty." As she spoke, Yang Nian gestured, first her chest, then her buttocks, "I don't have this, and I don't have that either."

Astrid rubbed her forehead, looking troubled. "That idiot Zhao Yingqi didn't expect that she, a young lady from a high-class family, would actually go for it, while you, this so-called chivalrous person, are so timid and hesitant."

In the end, the two of them just left.

At the same time, on the other side.

“Mother, there’s no need to see her off,” said the eldest son, Liu Chongjin.

Lu Jianling stopped. "Hmm?"

The second son, Liu Chongsi, who had drunk the most and was somewhat tipsy, said, "Mother, I think you should stay with Uncle Luo. We won't bother you any longer, so we'll be leaving now."

Upon hearing this, Lu Jianling's eyes widened in surprise.

“Xiao Hong and I are planning to stay up all night until dawn. It’s not convenient for you to be at home,” said the third brother, Liu Chongyu, before looking at his wife, Shan Xiao Hong.

Shan Xiaohong lowered her head and remained silent.

Just as Lu Jianling was about to speak, her three sons—the eldest and the youngest—pulled their wives along and ran off. The second son, meanwhile, wobbled and stumbled ahead, nearly tripping as he crossed the threshold. They didn't give her a chance to say anything more. Taking a deep breath, Lu Jianling felt a mix of helplessness and relief, and turned back.

At the same moment, in the guest room, Mrs. Zhao was about to take off her shoes when she said to Zhao Yingqi, "Yingqi, thank you."

Zhao Yingqi grabbed Madam Zhao's wrist. "Why are you taking off your shoes? Aren't you coming to take a bath with me later?"

"Take a bath?" Madam Zhao asked in surprise.

"They're both fast asleep; they're going to sleep until dawn," Zhao Yingqi said. "They can take a nice bath and then stay up all night together."

"I..." Madam Zhao hesitated.

"Don't worry, it's just a bunch of women like us," Zhao Yingqi said, and then started pulling Madam Zhao out.

Not wanting to make a noise and wake her son and daughter, Mrs. Zhao was dragged away by Zhao Yingqi and ended up in the changing room of Luo Nan's house, which was connected to the shower room.

When Madam Zhao first came to this place, she was stunned.

This changing room is very large, and one wall is lined with cabinets, five in the middle and three in the middle, a total of fifteen cabinets, with names written on them.

At this moment, in this fairly large changing room, both of Ronan's women were present—oh, no, Lu Jianling was missing.

Just as Madam Zhao was thinking this, Lu Jianling, wearing long boots, walked in.

When Lu Jianling saw Madam Zhao, she was also taken aback. Then, she turned her head to look at another wall, which was decorated with a row of twelve zodiac animal heads. Her expression became even more surprised.

"What's wrong?" Madam Zhao asked.

"It's nothing," Lu Jianling replied.

She had discovered the anomaly: the inside of the wall was hollow, and the eyes of the twelve zodiac animals had small holes that connected them. Ronan was inside the hollow wall, spying on them through the holes in the eyes of the twelve zodiac animals.

Madam Zhao did not notice because Ronan used a concealment technique to hide his aura as a superhuman.

Lu Jianling was puzzled. She really didn't know what was so interesting about this. Apart from Madam Zhao, everyone present had been seen naked from head to toe by him.

It can only be said that she still doesn't understand Ronan enough. Watching his woman take off her stockings from this voyeuristic perspective is also a kind of fun.

Take off your shoes, put on slippers, take off your skirt and put it in the bamboo basket in the closet, take off your clothes, take off your bra, and finally take off your stockings and underwear.

Ambrina's movements were rather clumsy. She pulled down her floral-patterned white pantyhose, lifted her leg to pull it off, and then reached down to pull off the white stockings hanging on her other foot. Her legs were just average, neither long nor slender, but rather straight and of decent proportion.

Isabelle, standing next to her, was much more ladylike, moving with gentle grace. It was as if the bronze, slightly glossy pantyhose on her legs weren't indestructible stockings, but rather easily torn and snagged silk stockings. Her legs appeared much longer and slimmer than Ambrina's, and would certainly be considered beautiful legs by most people.

"Look at you, so clumsy and impulsive," Isabelle said to Ambrina.

Ambrina turned her head and gave her a disdainful look. "Tch, someone always says they want to stand with the people, but in reality, their behavior should always be different from the people's."

“That’s utter nonsense,” Isabel said, turning her head away.

Ambrina stuck her tongue out at Isabel.

Alice's legs were slender and had a Lolita-like appearance. She took off her white stockings very gently. While others stood, she sat down. Ronan could hardly see the white stockings disappearing little by little on her legs.

Compared to her sister Alice, Grandine was slightly more voluptuous, and her movements were very provocative. She deliberately stuck one leg out behind her and slowly pulled down her white stockings, keeping her white stockings directly in Ronan's line of sight. After completely removing one leg, she switched to removing the other.

Alice looked at her sister, Grandine, and said, "Can you stop pretending here?"

"Who's pretending here?" Golan retorted.

Ashley was very cooperative. She first turned her back and bent over, showing off her high-waisted, silver-pink, shiny black pantyhose that she wore on stage, which accentuated her strong waist and beautiful legs. She then pulled the pantyhose down to her knees, turned around, leaned against the wardrobe, and slowly took off the black pantyhose in front of Ronan's gaze.