Someone Humble, Someone Great

The Provincial Governor Drag kept glancing at the Old King's face, and occasionally at the others.

He understood what the Old King meant: as long as there were always hardline but ultimately compromising opposition factions in Nagaril, these Capitulation Faction would always have value and a market.

If the opposition is too hardline, for example, if the Old King tries every means to refuse the various demands made by the Federal, the Federal will eventually become angry and help Nagaril replace him with a New King who is more "in line with the people's needs," thereby satisfying their desire for control over the area.

If the opposition is too weak, and surrenders before the Federal have even had a chance to use any means necessary, then there is no need for "lackeys" like the Provincial Governor Drag to exist.

The Federal don't need to pay them any extra benefits, nor do they need to keep these people here to help them. They can control the country directly, so why do it through someone else?

Therefore, whether the opposition is too tough or too weak, it is a disaster for the local Ruling Class, as they will lose their power, wealth, and even their lives.

The only, and best, way is to force the Federal to rely on these Capitulation Faction lackeys to achieve their demands. These Capitulation Faction lackeys serve as a "bridge" to ensure communication between the two sides and to gradually reach an agreement on a certain point.

Only in this way can the Federal prevent them from directly interfering in Nagaril's internal affairs and controlling the government, thus allowing Capitulation Faction lackeys like Drag to continue enjoying the various benefits the Federal provides and the power they wield here.

This way, they can always maintain their value. If the Federal still want to save face and not be the first to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, they must consider their methods and means. They can only use those "lackeys" to satisfy their demands.

The lackeys were useful. Although the opposition was very stubborn, they would eventually be persuaded, and the country's sovereignty would be fully preserved. Even though sometimes the decisions they made were not their own, at least they preserved something.

The Old King is waiting; he may not be able to see that day himself, nor will he have the time, but he wants to create opportunities for his children and his descendants.

As Nagaril develops rapidly, fueled by the capital of the Federal, one day this nation will awaken a national consciousness through its wealth. On that day, what they lost and what the Federal took from them will be able to be reclaimed.

But before that, it is essential to ensure Nagaril's political independence and to ensure that at least some people are on his side and uphold this system.

It's tragic that even the internal affairs of a weak nation have become "international issues," but it's also an opportunity! If Nagaril relies solely on its own development, it might take decades or even centuries to catch up with the pace of developed countries. Now, with the intervention of the Federal, they will soon be able to catch up in all aspects!

Drag's gaze toward the King changed slightly. He felt ashamed; he was a staunch "Capitulation Faction," but there was nothing he could do about it.

Even Gefra couldn't stop the Federal, so what right did Nagaril have to fight against Federal? He used to think it was shameful, but now he felt a little ashamed.

However, it was just shame. For rulers, this feeling was practically nonexistent, much like the slight shame and guilt one feels for eating an extra piece of meat at dinner during a diet, which quickly dissipates.

With the Old King's frank statement, everyone knew the outcome of the meeting, and some things that were difficult to say became easier to say.

"We will have a hard time defeating the Federal, gentlemen, I know that all too well," said the Provincial Governor of the neighboring province, a Provincial Governor in his late forties or early fifties, who was one of the younger ones there.

The Ruling Class enjoys the best medical and health services and guidance, and their lifespan is much longer than that of ordinary people. This also leads to a slower change of power, and new rulers are often older when they take power.

Those young rulers who seize real power in their twenties are mostly those whose power shifts were caused by an unexpected event involving the previous ruler. Therefore, the unexpected event involving the previous ruler must be related to the new ruler.

For example, the Old King.

His face was serious and somewhat worried. "If even a minor character like Preton can do nothing to us, we are even less likely to be a match for the Federal. All we can do is pray that the Federal people will never get tired of this proxy game."

"I know many of you won't like to hear what I'm saying, but it's the truth, even though it hurts me a lot too!"

He paused for a moment, then said bluntly, "I sent my children and close family members to the Federal, and I also secretly sponsored a group of students to study in the Federal."

"Whatever the motivation, I think it's very important to have a comprehensive understanding of the Federal, and we should also learn from their advanced aspects."

Everyone nodded in agreement; what they said was true, and that was what they thought and did.

If Mr. Truman had noticed, he would have discovered that the number of students Nagaril has sent to various countries has increased significantly in recent times, and some ordinary people with good academic performance have also been given the opportunity to study abroad.

This was something that would never have happened in the past. Let alone studying abroad, children from ordinary families didn't even have the opportunity to go to university. It was a place specifically for cultivating the children of the Privileged Class and Ruling Class, and had nothing to do with ordinary people, although ordinary people often took pride in the fact that their city had a university.

The Old King looked at these people, his face lined with wrinkles, and raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you think of something positive, something that gives us hope?"

"I know you are all pessimistic, and it is precisely because of this huge gap that some of you have not hesitated to join the Federal. But I don't blame you. At the same time, I need to remind you that we are not completely without a chance of winning."

"You only saw that the Federal defeated the Gefra ' Invincible Fleet, but you overlooked the seeds of hatred that were sown between them. They were also competitors, even adversaries."

"The next time a war breaks out that affects the world, those two countries might clash."

"If the Federal loses, or fails to demonstrate decisive power, then this is our opportunity..."

The Old King's voice was a little hoarse and dry, not as deep and full as it had been in his youth, but it also had a more thought-provoking power. "I don't know how long it will take for this day to come. Maybe a few years, maybe a decade, maybe even several decades."

"But that day will eventually come. With this long period of development, I believe that by then, Nagaril, our country, will also have a level of technology that is close to that of developed countries."

"Our technology and our industry have achieved partial self-sufficiency in production with the help of the Federal."

"We are not invading anyone; we are simply protecting our own sovereignty and land. It is a war for dignity and justice, and I can imagine that on that day, each of us will stand up and fight for dignity!"

What was supposed to be a tense meeting in the eyes of the Provincial Governor Drag gradually transformed into a discussion about the future and the exchange of ideas about current events, which is quite remarkable.

Fortunately, the entire meeting was conducted in a closed room, and no one else knew what they said except for themselves. For the first time, they were able to talk freely about topics they would not normally have anyone to discuss with each other.

Then...

At the end of the meeting, the Old King stormed out of the room, as if he had been truly angry the whole time. He even tripped and fell down the steps! Fortunately, his guards helped him in time and cushioned his fall, so the Old King was unharmed except for a possible twisted ankle.

The sighs of some onlookers made the Old King's face darken even more. He walked quickly, muttering curses under his breath, but many of the observers, both civilian and government, wore smiles.

Drag drove back to the hotel. He intended to call Lin Qi and relay what he needed to say to her, so that Lin Qi could pass it on to others.

Just as he picked up the phone, there was a knock on the door, and then two men who looked like Federal Government employees barged in without his permission.

"Don't be nervous, Your Provincial Governor Drag. We are under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government, and we would like to discuss with you some matters that occurred during your meeting just now..."

The speaker showed his identification. "You can call any Federal official you trust to verify the validity of this document. I advise you that the person you call should ideally have some working relationship with the government, otherwise they may not be sure whether this document is valid, which could lead to unpleasantness for both of us."

After a moment's thought, the Provincial Governor Drag gave up on seeking confirmation. He found a sofa, sat down, and said casually, "No need. These things will be announced soon anyway, so there's nothing to hide."

Subsequently, in his account, the Old King's irrationality was swayed by his persuasion, and he agreed to the demand to push up the value of the Galil, and expressed his willingness to negotiate with everyone to jointly purchase Federal Sol as foreign exchange reserves to push up the value of the Galil!

In short, he ignored the role of others, focused mainly on himself, and believed that others would do the same.