Darkstone Code-Chapter 780 - 0778 Change of Attitude

As Lynch emerged from the Imperial Palace, a triumphant smile was on his face, and the lesser nobles all breathed a sigh of relief.

"The matter was completed perfectly, His Majesty the Emperor agreed to our plan, and he agreed to have the Governor and various levels of government cooperate with our plan..."

Without waiting for others to ask, Lynch proactively shared the results of his meeting with His Majesty the Emperor.

The Emperor approved his plans, which allowed everyone around him to breathe a sigh of relief, safeguarding their wealth.

Though in the short term these funds would have to be spent through various means, at least they remained in their possession, merely transformed to continue accompanying them, rather than leaving them.

This was the best outcome, knowing that when they first heard the Prime Minister was preparing to act against them, many had shown looks of despair.

Unexpectedly, when the situation reached this point, there was still a turning point, and they looked at Lynch with varying degrees of admiration.

Not everyone could achieve this, and when they asked themselves, they found it beyond their reach.

Everyone’s mood lightened, smiles returned to their faces, and Lynch spoke a few more words about other related matters, including the minor demands he proposed... cooperation from various levels of government.

Lynch gave His Majesty the Emperor what he most wanted, so naturally His Majesty must wisely grant Lynch what he desired; this is politics, compromise, and trade.

Politics is not necessarily severe, nor necessarily overtly ethical; often, it appears much less sacred than people imagine.

With the cooperation of the Governor and various levels of government in Amelie Province, Lynch’s "dual-core city" could be implemented more smoothly.

"Then... when do we go to Amelia?" The Young Count asked with some anticipation, feeling excitement instead of the lingering trepidation others might have.

This was his first time leaving Gafura to visit another country, and according to Gafura’s standards, the Young Count was not yet considered an adult.

In Gafura, people are not considered adults until the age of twenty; nobles’ "travels" often occur after adulthood, and before that, they focus on learning.

The Young Count was an exception; the sudden death of the elder Count forced him to prematurely inherit the title, distancing him from the life his age should entail.

Rarely did he show the demeanor of youth, with curiosity towards the outside world and anticipation towards an impending "adventure" seeming to arise.

Those suppressed traits slightly emerged, evoking a sense of nostalgia.

Lynch glanced at his watch, which had a calendar window, "Before the end of the month, we have one last deal to make."

The last deal referred to the struggle for fiscal authority between the Prime Minister and His Majesty the Emperor; while Lynch knew the result, he was unlikely to side with the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister probably knew he had won, so siding with him now held little significance, and people like Lynch were not impactful enough for the Prime Minister to prioritize them.

On the contrary, standing with His Majesty the Emperor at this time was more suitable; as long as these lesser nobles listened to Lynch and followed the plans he arranged for them, to develop in Amelie Province.

Even if the Prime Minister was dissatisfied with their allegiance to the Emperor, there was little he could do against them.

This requires mentioning the Governor; the position of Governor is distinct from being a provincial governor, preserving the characteristics of a noble official from past eras.

The Governor holds full authority over Amelie Province’s administration, finance, and military affairs, all firmly within his grasp.

Like a lord from days past, he possessed almost absolute power over his domain!

No matter how much the Prime Minister resented Lynch and his faction, he could not interfere with the Governor’s decisions, who had certain ties with the Imperial Family and undoubtedly supported the Emperor.

So, why not pledge allegiance to His Majesty the Emperor now, when Amelie Province would inevitably become the Imperial Family’s main arena in the future? Lynch favored such "sure bets".

He already foresaw the outcome, and betting at this stage entailed no possibility of loss!

With Lynch’s conversation with the Emperor as a result, the lesser nobles felt assured, and in the ensuing days, they appeared daily at the Secretariat, which was bustling like the Lower City market.

Of course, during this period, other events occurred, such as the secret police arresting a large group of opportunists influenced by hostile foreign forces, whose collaboration with certain factions led to severe financial market turbulence domestically.

To assert legal authority and protect the dignity of the Empire, the Empire’s highest court conducted the final trial of these opportunists.

All their earnings from this speculative endeavor were confiscated, along with fines ranging from double to ten times the amount!

Apart from losing enough wealth to bankrupt them, they also faced consequences ranging from execution to lengthy prison terms.

Overall, public anger was greatly mitigated, and the Empire government’s measures proved effective, leading to a full restoration of societal order.

These were trivial matters for the nobles, the only surprise being that Lynch and his cohorts managed to avoid arrest and sentencing.

In the Ruler’s Hall, the Prime Minister had made it clear, even mentioning Lynch by name, yet surprisingly, they escaped unscathed in the end.

A bit of a pity, there’s no good show to watch.

The nobility is very united; it’s an external display.

Within the nobility, they are not so united; they even engage in struggles and disputes, and they are enthusiastic about watching other nobles’ antics.

Apart from these trivial matters, everyone’s attention is focused on the Secretariat.

People are discussing who is suitable to be the next Minister of Finance, and the candidates ultimately fall on those most senior nobles.

Some of these major nobles have lineages of four or five hundred years; their family history is longer than the history of the Federation, even twice as long!

So don’t blame Gafura people for looking down on Federation people; there’s a reason for it.

People are focused on these things; Lynch and his group seem to be nonexistent, but that’s fine; at least, everyone in Lynch’s small circle is gradually aligning their mentality with him.

They already know the outcome; watching those usually composed nobles in the Secretariat rushing around looks like a farce.

The explosion of enthusiasm from the nobility is indeed astonishing; just when the end of the month was nearing, the Prime Minister suddenly appeared in the Secretariat.

The once bustling Secretariat hall suddenly quieted down; the Prime Minister wasn’t putting on airs, smiling as he greeted the nobles and occasionally shaking hands and engaging in cordial conversations with those of similar status.

Outside the crowd, Lynch watched the Prime Minister’s mannerism and found it somewhat amusing.

No matter the social forms of Gafura or the Federation, the difference in political systems is polarized, but regarding "acting," politicians from both sides are masters.

The Prime Minister is very gentle, very considerate, and quite approachable; he doesn’t reject anyone, even if someone proactively reaches out to shake his hand, he won’t refuse because of the difference in status.

Of course, there aren’t many of such people, as nobles tend to protect their own dignity and don’t want to become laughingstocks in the noble circles.

The Prime Minister made a round and unexpectedly came to Lynch.

"This is our second meeting, Baron Lynch..." the Prime Minister proactively extended his hand, shocking the surrounding nobles.

Nobles like Lynch, undoubtedly, won’t have future generations; he’s the typical "one-generation-and-gone" type of noble.

Why would the Prime Minister shake hands with him proactively?

Some nobles think there might be something hidden here; their gazes at Lynch change slightly.

In a place like the Secretariat, where nobles gather, the Empire Prime Minister, one of the biggest nobles, proactively shaking hands with a Federation noble is inherently politically significant.

"I don’t quite remember us meeting before, could you give me a hint?" Facing this future Prime Minister, Lynch isn’t the least bit timid.

He openly extended his hand and shook the Prime Minister’s.

The Prime Minister’s hand is a bit cool; as people age, their body temperature tends to be slightly lower than younger people.

However, his hand is very soft, like most nobles’ hands, very soft.

Nobles might never have bent down to move a heavy object in their lives, continuously using various things to slow their aging; this is actually quite normal.

Their hands do not quickly release because due to the different settings, releasing hands would mean ending their conversation.

"When you were ennobled, perhaps you didn’t notice me, after all, I was merely a ’mascot’"

He joked self-deprecatingly, further fueling the intrigue.

A while ago, the Prime Minister intended to take action against Lynch, yet the two are now laughing and chatting; something is amiss.

After hearing this, Lynch laughed heartily, "That’s not a funny joke; even if you’re a mascot, you’d be the most dazzling in the Empire."

He subtly expressed his stance; the Prime Minister smiled gently, shaking his arm, "Let’s have a private chat some time..."

Lynch slightly restrained his smile, "I’m looking forward to that day!"

They exchanged a glance, then released each other’s hands.

Watching the Prime Minister move toward the next group, a simple smile appeared on Lynch’s lips, merely a pure smile without implying anything.

Those two simple sentences actually conveyed a lot of content, and soon enough, the restless minor nobles around them would start inquiring about the intricacies within.