Yes, Madam Prime Minister

Page 438

Yan Guangzong looked at his father, unsure what expression to wear. "Dad, you're not thinking of having another grandson with extraordinary talent, are you?"

"Do you think I'm a daydreamer? Your brother likes to mess around outside and can't be relied on. I can't have another one either, so you'll have to have one. I'm in good health now and can raise him without any problem."

Yan Youtian said.

He was originally the son of a poor peasant family. After showing his talent, he was sold to a wealthy family and became their adopted son. He was only adopted halfway because not everyone who shows talent can solidify it. Only when it is solidified can he be considered an adopted son.

If his godfather can't find a good son-in-law in the future, then this godson might become a good son-in-law, almost like a biological son.

For those who are not from large families and cannot use the "adoption" method, and who have not been able to produce a gifted child, this is usually the way to do it.

Unfortunately, just as Yan Youtian became a godson, his godfather's family was slaughtered by pirates, and he was forced to become a member of the pirates as well.

He knew very well how lucky it was to be able to have a son who was an extraordinary being, so how could he possibly have such a pipe dream as to have a grandson who was also an extraordinary being?

He just hoped his son would carry on the family line, preferably with a daughter. He would then work hard for another ten years or so to expand the family business and find a son-in-law who was as realistic as him, rather than someone who was as unrealistic as his son.

"I will not marry someone I don't like, let alone have a child with her," Yan Guangzong stated bluntly.

"It's not like I'm asking you to actually become husband and wife with that person," Yan Youtian said with a smile.

“That would be harmful to people,” Yan Guangzong insisted.

"Harm people? The woman I found for you is just a woman from the next village. She's lucky to be here with us. It's enough that she gave birth to your child. She can remarry if she wants, even if she eats our food but cheats on us."

Yan Youtian takes it all in stride.

As long as he can achieve his goal, some things don't matter at all.

"You're simply..." Yan Guangzong almost blurted out some harsh words.

Yan Youtian put down his pipe. “The woman I found for you is a little dark-skinned, but her family isn’t poor. She’s also quite pretty and has a good figure. She doesn’t do any housework. I’ve seen your girlfriend at the school in the city. To be honest, apart from being a little fairer, she’s not as pretty as her.”

"Don't make such casual comparisons to others." A hint of anger appeared on Yan Guangzong's face.

“What’s wrong with discussing this? Your lover is just the daughter of one of your teachers. She’s just an ordinary person, and your teacher isn’t very talented either. He’s so old and doesn’t even hold a proper position. If she were an extraordinary person, or if your teacher were more capable, I would sell all my family’s assets and wholeheartedly support you in becoming someone else’s son-in-law.”

Yan Youtian's words were full of disdain for Yan Guangzong's teacher and his partner.

In his view, if his son continued like this, he would eventually end up like his teacher, a so-called superhuman who would neither be an official nor wealthy, and would be worse off than some ordinary people who served as lackeys to superhumans and were doing well.

"What's so great about those so-called superhumans with high cultivation levels? At least those with low cultivation levels do some work. But those with high cultivation levels, when they become officials, they just dump their work on their subordinates. When they go into business, they just take shares without doing anything. They mostly just use their privileges to collect rent. All they know how to do is enjoy themselves. They rely on ordinary people to give advice and to do manual labor. What kind of superhumans are they?"

"It's one thing that they haven't made any contributions to this country, but they only know how to cling to outdated practices when it comes to cultivation. For hundreds of years, our country's cultivation methods haven't made much progress. They're not even as good as Uncle Wu in the village, who improved the wheelbarrow. At least Uncle Wu made transportation in the mountains faster and less strenuous. Now, the wheelbarrows in these mountains are all modeled after his."

Yan Guangzong's outburst revealed many of his pent-up thoughts.

Yan Youtian was also angry. Deep down, he was just like his son, someone who liked to argue and mock others. "This is utter nonsense! People with high cultivation are those who are favored by Heaven and should naturally enjoy blessings. What right do you have to look down on others? It's like those lowly officials secretly saying that if they were prime ministers, they would definitely do a good job. How ridiculous!"

“You’re the one who’s being unreasonable,” Yan Guangzong retorted sharply.

Just then, a round of applause suddenly rang out, and the next instant, a man and a woman landed in the courtyard.

Ronan had been using stealth techniques the whole time; otherwise, as a seventh-tier cultivator, even the slightest aura emanating from him would have been enough to create immense pressure. Guo Hanlu didn't know this technique, so when she suddenly arrived, her third-tier aura was incredibly obvious.

Yan Youtian and his son Yan Guangzong could not sense her rank, but they knew that Guo Hanlu was someone whose cultivation was much higher than theirs.

Yan Youtian knelt down without hesitation. Regardless of the other party's intentions, it was always right to kneel first. He knelt down and even reached out to pull his son's trouser leg, wanting him to kneel down as well.

However, Yan Guangzong did not kneel; instead, he stood ramrod straight and sized up Ronan.

“Mr. Ronan?” Yan Guangzong asked.

“It’s me,” Ronan replied. “But you should help your father up first. How can you let an old man kneel like this?”

"Tch, unfilial son." Guo Hanlu muttered quietly to herself. Actually, she didn't care about that. She was just very uncomfortable with Yan Guangzong's words. He made it sound like people with high cultivation levels were useless. All he said was the grumbling of a lower-class person. She really didn't know how Luo Nan could appreciate such a person, and even go so far as to come and see him in person.

Afterwards, Yan Youtian respectfully and obsequiously invited Ronan and his companion into the house. Seeing that Ronan had come to see his son, he didn't mind and personally fetched some good tea to brew, and instructed his wife and maid to prepare a table of delicious dishes.

Inside the room, Ronan was talking to Yan Guangzong.

“Your analysis report on various parts of western Fujian, although not yet complete, is already very good,” Ronan said. “It also contains some excellent policy recommendations from the committee after they arrived here.”

Ronan admired the other person, not because of his bookish and idealistic remarks—many people could say those things—but because the other person, at such a young age, as a superhuman, was willing to conduct down-to-earth investigations and visits to all levels of society. Moreover, he not only discovered the problems but also provided targeted solutions, which was very rare.

"Mr. Luo, you flatter me." Yan Guangzong said modestly, but his expression showed no humility whatsoever. "Mr. Luo is the one who is truly admirable."

This is the absolute truth. Ronan brought amazing changes to Guangdong. This was not just due to the high-yield crops, fertilizers, and various technologies he brought. More importantly, he established a financial system centered on banks and farmers' associations and labor unions, which truly mobilized the dispersed wealth resources.

Chapter 1020 Sincerity Must Be Appreciated, There's Only One Bed

Without any preamble, Ronan extended an invitation to Yan Guangzong to join the organization, which had been renamed the Gongjin Committee.

"Does Mr. Ronan want me to assist in conquering and stabilizing western Fujian?" Yan Guangzong asked.

Ronan shook his head. "You Fujianese are just as fierce as the Guangxi people. The collaborators are a matter for later. First, we need to let the new recruits from Guangxi come over and teach you a lesson. I've always felt that there's no need for politeness before force. Are you going to be an accomplice?"

The words were quite blunt: the goal was to kill and establish authority.

Yan Guangzong sighed. He didn't want his hometown to suffer bloodshed, but he also understood that some things were useless to talk about.

"So, what does Mr. Ronan intend for me to do?" Yan Guangzong asked directly.

“Come work for me as my secretary. I don’t have much power in personnel appointments, so this is the only way,” Ronan said. “Work for a while to broaden your horizons, then I’ll arrange for you to go to the farmers’ association to gain some practical experience. After that, I’ll put you in charge of a county, and from then on, you’ll have to rely on yourself.”

Ronan had already planned the route for the other party.

He really thought highly of Yan Guangzong, believing that if he were placed in the original timeline, he would definitely become an outstanding revolutionary.

Yan Guangzong did not immediately agree, saying, "Let me think about it."

Yan Youtian was just going to find good tea and supervise the preparation of meals. If he were eavesdropping outside the door right now, his blood pressure would probably explode and he would faint. With such an opportunity to stand out from the crowd, what else is there to consider?

"Anyone you like can come. I can have someone give them their talents. If you want to recommend someone to work here, that's fine too, as long as they pass the exam. If you have any other needs, just say so. I can agree to any conditions that don't exceed the limits."

Ronan said that while appreciation is fine and special treatment is acceptable, the structure of wages and benefits must not be disrupted, lest it invite resentment from colleagues towards young people.

Offering someone excessively favorable conditions based solely on their supposed abilities is a recipe for chaos.

Extensive experience, a strong background, and even outstanding appearance are all things that can make people admire you, but ability is not.

Take Guo Hanlu for example. She has a good father and is beautiful, so no one objects to her job transfer.

"This..." Yan Guangzong was speechless for a moment. Luo Nan was really too sincere. If he didn't accept, he would be ungrateful.

“Not refusing is considered a yes,” Ronan said bluntly.

If Yan Guangzong hesitates any longer, then this matter will be dropped. After all, he is just a rough diamond that looks promising, not a talented person who can be used right away. If he doesn't take the opportunity, Ronan won't beg him to come.

“Okay,” Yan Guangzong agreed.

"Distinguished guests, tea is served." Yan Youtian personally brought over the tea, showing no curiosity whatsoever about what they had just discussed.

It must be said that Yan Youtian, this old father, is very skilled in dealing with people.

"Excellent tea." Ronan took a sip and couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, then asked, "Uncle Yan, is all the tea from your tea plantations this good?"

"How could that be? I only have a few old tea trees with decent tea leaves. The rest are for poor people."

Yan Youtian had lost his previous obsequiousness, but he also lost all of his usual smugness.

It can be described as being neither humble nor arrogant.

It can only be said that although the father and son have very different views, they are still the same in some ways at heart.

That is indeed the case with the tea plantations he owns.

It's important to understand that the finest teas from Seris are reserved for top-tier superhumans. Those of comparable quality but less rare are also largely monopolized by the powerful and wealthy, including the emperor. The next tier down is tea that can be purchased, but at a very high price. The fourth tier, which Yan Youtian just gave Ronan, is good tea, but not top-tier.

This is his limit. A third-rate superhuman like him could never own a tea mountain that truly produces good tea; most of his tea is low-end stuff for the poor.

"Uncle Yan, have you ever considered cultivating mid-range tea on a large scale?"

Ronan asked.

Yan Youtian fell silent for a moment. It wasn't that he couldn't answer, but that he dared not say that Ronan's suggestion was complete nonsense.

Ronan smiled slightly, "Sir, please speak freely."

Yan Youtian remained silent, but Yan Guangzong spoke up at this moment, “Tea is something that can be sold either at the low end or the high end. The reason is simple: the proportion of people with spare money in the city is too small. Either low-end tea is for the poor, or high-end tea is for the rich. The mid-range market is too small. You can fill the market by selling some inferior products from the high-end market.”

His words are actually quite simple to translate: these days there are no working-class people, and there's a lack of middle class, so there's no market for mid-range products.

Yan Youtian glared at his son, thinking to himself, "How can you talk to such an important person like that? Don't you even understand that what the important person says is right?"

“You’re right. However, there are quite a few people in Guangdong who have a demand for mid-range tea, and that demand will only increase.”

Ronan said.

He has been committed to expanding the consumer base.

Since the enemy of capital is always another capital, the only way to avoid being swallowed up is to exploit it. Exploitation inevitably leads to a contraction in consumption, and many people know what happens next.

Therefore, Ronan created peasant associations and labor unions with strong feudal connotations.

The goal is to ensure that a segment of the population are "subjects" whose power is tied to the "lord's." For a lord to maintain stability, he must pursue a dynamic balance between wealth and power, rather than pursuing profit unilaterally like capitalists. Thus, a segment can serve as a stable consumer group and may very well become the cornerstone of future democracy.

Yan Guangzong, who was familiar with Guangdong, quickly grasped Luo Nan's intention: "Why not look for Yunnan?"

"Transportation is inconvenient, but we can take a waterway and then a sea route," Ronan gave a perfectly valid reason.

Actually, the tea was just a casual remark; what Ronan really valued were the minerals and the forests.

These resources can bring in a group of wealthy people, but they can't make this place truly rich.

This is unavoidable; in the vast land of Seris, there are too many places that were difficult to develop in either the agricultural or industrial era.

To put it bluntly, even if you build all the infrastructure in some places, they still can't succeed; the natural conditions are what they are.

We chatted for a few minutes, then it was time to eat.

After dinner, Yan Youtian invited Luo Nan and his companion to stay at his place, and Luo Nan readily agreed.

The room was very clean and simply furnished, but the sheets and blankets were all brand new. The only problem was that the room was very spacious, with no smaller rooms or even partitions, and there was only one bed.

Clearly, the other party misunderstood the relationship between the two.

However, Ronan was too lazy to clarify or explain anything further. He simply grabbed a pillow, summoned his levitation shield, and placed the pillow on it. "You sleep in the bed tonight. It's still early. I'm going to go for a walk outside."

It was already dark outside, but for someone of Ronan's caliber, it made no difference whether it was dark or not.

Guo Hanlu, however, had no intention of staying in the room and followed them out.

Chapter 1021 A Calamity of Justice, Incentive Compatibility, You Take It Off, I Won't Watch

Guo Hanlu didn't expect that Luo Nan's so-called "strolling" was really just "strolling".

This place is full of mountains and forests. The houses are not like the villages on the plains, which are more concentrated. They are scattered here and there. At night, there is no lighting and it is pitch black. Forget about the scenery, you can't even see the road under your feet.

Ronan didn't say a word the whole way, and Guo Hanlu wanted to speak but didn't know how to start, so she kept it to herself the whole way.

As Ronan began to turn back, preparing to return, she finally couldn't hold back any longer, "Do you look down on me?"

“No,” Ronan replied.

“But you admire this person who looks down on high-level superhumans,” Guo Hanlu said, suppressing her emotions.

“Don’t take his angry words to his father too seriously,” Ronan said. “While I mainly admire his down-to-earth nature, he also has a clear understanding of a higher level. He doesn’t agree with, and even resents, the behavior of most high-level superhumans who are indifferent to worldly affairs, but he understands this behavior.”

"Xiao Guo, do you know why high-level superhumans give up?"

Ronan asked.

"Could you please stop calling me Xiao Guo?" Guo Hanlu strongly disliked the title. "The reason we're just giving up is because they're getting into a conflict. If it escalates, it will cause a lot of damage and be bad for everyone."

Nearly five hundred years ago, the East and the West ushered in their second golden age. The first golden age was the era when classical thinkers shone brightly two thousand years ago, while five hundred years ago saw the emergence of many thoughtful and capable individuals who wanted to transform the world according to their ideals and put it into practice.

The result was immense destruction; in that era, superhumans were practically synonymous with evil.

Massacres killed countless people, and civilization was destroyed in an instant.

The books Guo Hanlu read all expressed a critical attitude towards that era.

Ronan sat down on a rock. "Actually, before the nearly one hundred years of chaos, everyone had a period of glory."

"It's strange, really. It seems like there's no justice in this world, but the sense of justice in people's hearts, including those of superhumans, is pretty much the same. It's as if there's an unattainable point of justice in the dark, and everyone with aspirations yearns for that point."

"So, in fact, from the very beginning, the superhumans designed a near-perfect system together."

"However, such a perfect system has a problem: its effectiveness requires an external force to ensure it."

Guo Hanlu suddenly interjected, "What's wrong with this? There have been oversight agencies for a long time. Didn't you also create this procuratorate when you reorganized the committee?"

“This is necessary, but it shouldn’t be relied upon. Also, subordinates shouldn’t interrupt when their superiors are speaking,” Ronan said, then continued, “But interestingly, isn’t this kind of external coercion also a system that needs external coercion?”

"Some brilliant minds think, 'Since that's the case, why don't I just add an external force?'"

"For such a perfect system, everything is worthwhile."