Power Is Selfish
The children left quickly after receiving their father's permission, each wanting to prove that they were the most suitable successor.
After the children had all left, the Provincial Governor remained seated in his chair, his elbows resting on the armrests and his chin propped up by his thumbs, lost in thought.
After the butler came in, he cleaned the study again. There were some very important things in there, and maids and the like were not allowed to come in.
Watching the butler about to leave, the Provincial Governor suddenly asked a question, "Whose method do you think is the best?"
Just now, when the Provincial Governor was asking about the solution for the five children, the steward was right outside the door. The Provincial Governor did not try to hide anything from him. In fact, sometimes the steward knows far more confidential things than his children do.
The butler bowed slightly, head down, "Master, I don't understand these things."
The Provincial Governor smiled and said, "You understand, you understand better than anyone else, better than all of them..." He sighed, looking somewhat melancholy.
The butler and he grew up together. When he was about eight or nine years old, the butler began to serve him and initially protected him.
At that time, the infighting among the Ruling Class of the country had stabilized, but there were still some lingering effects, with various conspiracies, schemes, and attacks occurring from time to time.
Rather than hoping that a Provincial Governor governor with many children will care about the physical and mental development of one of his sons or his safety, it's better to rely on yourself.
To put it bluntly, when faced with the choice between power and family—a choice that would be difficult for most people— the Provincial Governor, his father, his grandfather, and even his future children who would inherit his position would unhesitatingly choose power.
As long as you have power, you can have as many family members as you want.
From childhood to adulthood, the butler actually fills in some of the emotional gaps that were missing in the growth of the descendants of the powerful family, such as the relationship between father and son, the relationship between brothers, and the relationship between family members.
They are not relatives, but they are closer than relatives.
But... they are not family after all, especially for those in power. The butler knew this very well, so he never said a word.
Even if the Provincial Governor's children make many mistakes, he will only punish them and make them suffer. But if the steward himself makes a mistake, he and his family may disappear. So he will not take the Provincial Governor's sometimes sentimental remarks as true, unless he doesn't want to live.
Seeing the butler always bowing and keeping his head down, the Provincial Governor felt a mix of annoyance and melancholy, a sense of boredom washing over him. He shifted his posture and stretched his shoulders. "What has the boss been up to lately?"
The steward felt a chill. If such words came from an ordinary family, it would probably mean that the old father was concerned about his eldest son's recent work and life. However, in such a centralized and powerful family, it meant that the Family Head's attitude towards his eldest son had changed.
"The young master has been quite keen on participating in some salons lately..." The butler spoke with his head slightly lowered. It wasn't that he was lying; he wouldn't dare lie in front of the Provincial Governor. He was just a little worried about the Provincial Governor's eldest son.
The Provincial Governor frowned as expected. "Sharon?"
"Yes, it's basically just chatting together. The organizer will come up with a theme, and everyone will share their thoughts around that theme." While the butler's description isn't entirely accurate, it's pretty much the same.
The Provincial Governor scoffed, "It's just an excuse to eat, drink, and have fun!" He accurately characterized the situation, then his brows furrowed again. "Who are the people organizing this?"
Who else could it be but some businessmen? These businessmen know very well how to use their wealth to gain influence. They have set up various clubs and salons in Nagaril, a backward and ignorant place, and regularly hold various recreational activities.
For this backward and impoverished country, all entertainment and information from developed countries have become their pursuit, and activities such as clubs and salons meet their needs.
The latest magazines, the latest records, the latest film tapes, and even things you can't find anywhere else can all be found here.
These people became loyal partners of the merchants, who never made demands of them, and people became increasingly willing to participate in these activities.
Even these seemingly harmless activities, which allowed him to meet many people, still made the Provincial Governor's expression turn displeased.
He understood the fragility of human life far better than others. Before he turned thirty, he had never considered the issue of death; he felt that death was far removed from him.
Before he turned forty, he never considered that he would lack energy one day. At that time, even if he stayed up all night, he would only feel a little tired.
Before he turned fifty, he had never paid so much attention to his health. He thought he was very healthy, so healthy that illness could never find him! But now he understood that life is fragile, and everyone knew what these businessmen were trying to achieve by currying favor with the descendants of those in power, whether they had the opportunity or not.
Because opportunities are created by people.
The Provincial Governor wiped his face. "Have someone keep an eye on him. Also, I feel the recent situation is a bit off; arrange for more guards..."
After he finished speaking, he looked at the butler. The butler could feel the Provincial Governor's sharp gaze without even looking up. The gaze was like a knife, making him feel uncomfortable, his heart racing, and his mouth dry.
"I know what to do!" he replied.
The Provincial Governor's expression softened a bit. "You understand me best. We grew up together. You're like an older brother to me. Sometimes you don't need to be so careful."
The butler looked up quickly at the Provincial Governor, then lowered his head again. "Master, I am a servant."
"Okay, okay, whatever you want. Let those two girls massage me again. I've only been sitting for a little while, and I'm already feeling a bit uncomfortable again..." he complained, reaching out his hand. "Come on, give me a hand."
While the Provincial Governor was chatting with his children, someone also found Lin Qi.
The person who sought him out was a local tycoon, a foreign businessman named Simon.
Lin Qi discovered a very interesting phenomenon: Simon, as well as some of the businessmen he met from other places, were more enthusiastic about wearing local traditional clothing than the locals.
This practice, in a sense, conveys a message that everyone is "one of us," and they are seeking a sense of belonging.
Among the many avenues, nothing is more direct and effective than "cultural identity," which is why they are more enthusiastic than others about wearing traditional indigenous clothing.
Looking at the shrine hanging on Simon's chest, Lin Qi felt it was necessary for him to hang up that shrine as well, since it represented his recognition and support for the indigenous culture.
"Mr. Lin Qi, I wonder if I have disturbed your rest?" Simon's tone was gentle and his words were very polite.
He was a gentleman in his forties, about five feet six inches tall (around 1.7 meters, it's common practice to round up by an inch), slightly overweight, and fair-skinned.
Lin Qi greeted him, extending his hand to shake his. "Of course not..." After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the two sat down in the reception Living Room.
Simon's visit was actually related to Mishe Haye, who had another family backing him. He reported on the matter between himself, Lin Qi, and the Provincial Governor's son.
If he doesn't speak up now, he might have to bear the consequences himself if something goes wrong in the future. If the higher-ups find out, they might be able to help him out a bit.
Once a third person knew, then a fourth, a fifth, and more would follow. Soon Mr. Preton also learned of this matter, and he immediately sent someone to visit Lin Qi to see Lin Qi's attitude.
If they can cooperate, they will unite and become reliable business partners, and they won't mind sharing some of their resources to satisfy Lin Qi's appetite.
If they cannot cooperate, then they will have to start preparing to take some measures, so in any case, the first thing to do is to find out Lin Qi's attitude.
Simon is a prominent merchant in the Magulana Province, primarily responsible for the export of spices.
Every year, a large amount of spices from here enter the international market through his hands. Spices that might only cost thirty or fifty Galil locally can be sold for hundreds or thousands of times more after some gimmicks, some packaging, and some hype.
Merchants will stop at nothing to pursue profits. They even wooed the royal families of several Small Country, allowing them to designate certain spices and goods for royal or royal use by sharing profits.
This greatly increased the value of certain commodities in the international market. People say that feudal rule is backward, but everyone wants to make themselves more noble and fill their lives with a noble atmosphere.
Therefore, without a doubt, using products exclusively used by royal families is the simplest, most direct, and most effective method.
These people may not realize that the royal family or monarchy they look up to may not have much more power than their mayor.
Some Small Country have a population that is less than that of a major international metropolis. You can imagine the level of their royal families. It is said that there is even King who personally farms the land!
The semi-monopoly business brought Simon enormous wealth, but now he faces some danger that jeopardizes his business.
He didn't show his true feelings on his face. Every businessman and politician is a master actor; they always know how to show the most appropriate expression at the most opportune moment.
"Mr. Lin Qi, are you familiar with the Preton Merchant House?"