Theresis's heartfelt delight / Gaul and Victoria's "ancestral feud"

--That's what Theresis said, which is why this passage was preserved in "Yes, Prime Minister". Of course, this joke isn't just about the Sarkaz; it's essentially a mockery of Victoria for not having suppressed Gaul for so long, the most recent time being because Gaul wasn't involved.

"You see, Prime Minister, if you were in charge of the negotiations, you would give everything to Gaul."

These words from the Bloodborne Archon forced Theresis to abandon her plan to negotiate personally, and she reluctantly said:

"Thinking about it carefully, is it really necessary for me to personally lead the negotiations?"

"If it's truly a matter of national humiliation and loss of sovereignty, then let's leave it to the Foreign Minister."

Well, another insult to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At this moment, Vina, who was watching the performance next to Chen Qi, and the people led by the Duke of Wellington on the other side, all twitched their lips and ignored it.

It has to be said that in the "Yes, Prime Minister" series, the Victoria Ministry of Foreign Affairs was the most insulted, and this influence has even subtly changed the Victoria people's perception of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The specific impact is that the Victoria Ministry of Foreign Affairs has found that it is always more difficult for them to recruit people than other departments. The specific reason is that those who are not qualified cannot enter the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and those who are qualified are unwilling to accept the "tough job" of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and would rather go to the Ministry of Finance or the Ministry of the Interior.

"... After this broadcast, let's suggest raising the salaries and benefits of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Just thinking about how they'll be constantly used as a scapegoat for national humiliation and moral decay, they must be having a tough time."

The Duke of Wellington thought so, but he still didn't mention anything about changing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs's current reputation—they should just stick to being scapegoats; that's the job of the Victoria Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Chapter 132: Theresis's Heartfelt Ecstasy

Making fun of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is just a minor matter in the "Yes, Prime Minister" series. After all, the biggest reason why most ordinary viewers like this show is that it is backed by the government and can use humorous self-deprecation to talk about many topics that ordinary people don't know or dare not say.

Now, officials on Terra are learning "advanced knowledge" through this show, viewers need it to enrich their spiritual world, and Victoria even wishes the show would let other countries experience the same turmoil as her, so she could also be a thief and steal a chicken.

It can be said that now that there is Theresis, Victoria represented by the Duke of Wellington, and the righteous cause of the Sarkaz, Chen Qi's performance in "Yes, Prime Minister" is permissible as long as he doesn't promote any anti -Terra ideology. You really can't ban his show.

As the scene ended, the trio in the show also reached their "off-duty" time, and they once again talked about some of the remarks made by the former prime minister in his memoir, which were derogatory towards the current prime minister, Theresis.

"What?" Manfred asked, handing the glasses to the two men. Theresis immediately replied, clearly annoyed.

He called me a 'two-faced person'.

"--This is really inappropriate."

However, Manfred's casual remark, which hardly even qualified as a rebuttal, successfully elicited a chuckle from everyone present. Even Theresis looked up at her Grand Secretariat secretary, asking in surprise, "You're just admitting that it's inappropriate?"

"Of course, cheers." The Bloodborne Archon intervened to prevent the conversation from escalating, but Manfred, oblivious to the danger, continued to chime in:

"Completely lacking in confidentiality awareness."

This time, however, he was met with a death stare from his boss. Theresis, with an expression that seemed to say, "Is this kid thinking of quitting again?", retorted, "Confidentiality?"

"Oh, that's not appropriate either..." Manfred quickly changed his tune, Theresis's expression softened as she muttered, "How could he slander me like that?"

"What slander? Oh, I see!" Manfred, never one to make the same mistake twice, quickly slipped away, once again showcasing the audience's favorite "resignation trick."

However, Theresis's attention was clearly not on Manfred's minor issues; he was more disgusted by the former prime minister's "slander" of him, and he angrily denounced it as nothing more than the other party's despicable tactics and shameless character.

However, at that moment, a phone call came into the Prime Minister's office. Manfred answered immediately, and since it was after work hours, he asked, "Yes, is this urgent? Because... oh?"

"Really? He died halfway through? Okay, thank you."

"... Bad news, Bernard?" It was probably the word "deceased" that made Theresis feel a sense of crisis, and at that time, Emperor Victoria was indeed old and at risk of dying at any moment, but Manfred's answer was unexpected.

"Yes and no." Manfred slowly revealed the news he had heard. "Your predecessor, the former Prime Minister of the Victoria Empire, just passed away from a sudden heart attack."

"--Ha ha!"

Upon hearing the news, Theresis's first reaction was slight surprise, but after a moment of stunned silence, she almost broke into a ecstatic smile.

But this ecstatic smile didn't last long. Almost simultaneously, before she could even laugh out loud, Theresis's expression twisted into a grimace. The uncontrollable smile turned into a desperate, asthmatic-like urge, and then she forced herself to furrow her brow and change her expression.

In a short while, her expression of surprise turned into a frown of grief—it all seemed to take a long time to describe, but it only took three or four seconds. Theresis delivered a performance worthy of an Oscar!

"This shot alone is enough to win us an award at next year's awards ceremony!"

Meanwhile, Chen Qi, Vina, Talulah, and Xi are enjoying a performance by three high-ranking Sarkaz, while Nian is overseeing the filming.

Theresis's near-perfect performance this time also made Nian gasp in amazement—she knew about this scene from when Chen Qi was explaining it to Theresis and the others, and she never expected that this scene could be filmed in one take.

But now, Theresis's near-perfect control over her facial expressions was far beyond what Nian had expected. At that moment, Talulah, Xi, and Vina all looked at Chen Qi with astonishment. Talulah couldn't help but ask:

"... How did you direct Theresis? How did he manage to act so well?"

Clearly, if it weren't for Chen Qi's request, the expressionless Theresis would never have been able to make such a rich and varied expression, even if it were not for his request.

However, facing the curious women, Chen Qi coughed lightly and said softly:

"I simply told Theresis that by this time, he should imagine someone informing him that one of the kings who opposed him in Kazdel's Royal Court had suddenly died... something like that."

"..."X4

"If you can make him put on such a show this way... and if the Sarkaz Royal Court hears about this and comes after you, I won't be there to collect your corpse."

Xi also tightened her face, forcing herself not to laugh, and said this to Chen Qi in a seemingly indifferent manner. However, everyone knew that when it came to the crucial moment, Xi would definitely not stand idly by—after all, even with Vina, who had only recently joined the group, Chen Qi had only greeted Xi, and Xi had not stopped Vina from entering and leaving her painting.

To be honest, Chen Qi only said that to Theresis with a "let's try our luck" attitude; he didn't expect Theresis to actually succeed on the first try...

"It seems the Sarkaz regent has it tough. He can only manage such a happy smile because his opponents are dead."

At that moment, Nian couldn't help but make a joke, and filming continued.

On camera, Theresis, barely managing to control her emotions, was unaware of how many people had burst into laughter at her stunning performance. She forced a sorrowful expression and said, barely suppressing her grief:

"What a tragedy."

"Tragic." Manfred and the Bloodborne Archon echoed Theresis almost immediately. Having just witnessed their beloved Prime Minister's "heartbroken" expression, almost following his predecessor into death, they knew what to do.

He was a great man.

"Great Man." x2

He will live forever.

"Eternal Glory." x2

The two-faced performance of Theresis captivated countless people at this moment, as evidenced by the fact that everyone from Victoria officials to Sarkaz, and even the film crew, was laughing uncontrollably.

Aside from the three main actors, only three people in the entire audience didn't laugh: the languid Vina, the self-perceived indifferent and cold-hearted Xi, and the self-assured Ablana.

However, the three women were only a hair's breadth away from bursting out laughing; they were just putting on a brave face.

The performance of the trio in front of the camera continued. Before his death, the former prime minister expressed his wish to be buried with state honors. This time, faced with the premise of "respect for the dead," he immediately changed his tune and readily agreed.

"I believe many people would want to attend his funeral."

"To pay homage to a great prime minister." The Bloodborne Archon promptly picked up where Theresis left off, and Theresis, whose expression gradually calmed, suddenly continued:

"... and to make sure he's really dead."

"Puff!"

Finally, after Theresis finished speaking, the three heroines in the two rooms simultaneously broke down in laughter. However, compared to Xi's composure, Vina laughed exceptionally happily this time, even laughing until tears streamed down her face.

Vina had to admit she knew what that mentality was all about... Ever since she realized she couldn't ascend the throne smoothly, although Victoria had reunited, Vina still felt a bit alienated by the almost universal disloyalty in the situation.

If, at this moment, Vina were told that the Grand Duke had suddenly died, Vina would probably laugh even more than Theresis —she wouldn't even be able to hide her smile or feign a sad expression.

"It seems my emotions are still fluctuating quite a bit; I still need to work on my self-cultivation."

However, after laughing, Vina quickly realized her shortcomings. It is said that a king does not show his emotions and can remain calm in the face of any news, which is undoubtedly the best solution.

However, Vina no longer felt so nervous—having said goodbye to a life where she could be urged to go to Londinium at any moment, and having temporarily bid farewell to her status as crown princess, Vina actually felt a strange sense of relief, as if the knife held to her neck had moved much further away.

She knew, of course, that she still had much to learn, but Victoria's current situation, barring unforeseen circumstances, would remain stable for twenty or thirty years... At least during that time, the people of Victoria wouldn't need an emperor.

Vina, having spent two or three decades learning, was no longer nervous. Now, she had ample time to stay by Chen Qi's side and learn from his wisdom...

"But I can't learn anything just by sitting here, and it seems like Director Chen Qi doesn't intend to teach me?"

"Was I being too pretentious? Or is Director Chen Qi still worried about my status? Perhaps I should start by learning the most basic things on set?"

Vina couldn't help but glance at Chen Qi beside her. Although it was only her first day on set, and Chen Qi had told her to get used to life on set first, Vina still felt that Chen Qi didn't value her enough... or even take her seriously.

No, she had to find a way to achieve something. Vina thought to herself, but now that she was in Londinium, Vina didn't even dare to face the Duke of Wellington directly, fearing that he would notice something if he stared at her for too long. She and her father were somewhat similar.

"Then let's start by helping in areas where we're good and within our capabilities," Vina thought, but then she started scratching her head over what she was good at... It seemed like all those years in the slums had only taught her how to fight? But the Art Troupe seemed to have no shortage of fighting power.

What could she possibly do to help Director Chen Qi? Vina fell into deep thought, and for a moment, she could only continue to gaze at the big screen, pondering her future role on the film set...

Chapter 133: The "Historic" Relationship Between Gaul and Victoria

The following events, the former prime minister's state funeral, attracted a large number of foreign envoys to pay their respects. However, everyone knew that this was merely a summit held under the guise of a funeral, where the matters that the envoys from various countries could discuss and reach were far more important than attending the funeral.

Victoria officials unanimously agreed with this, noting that state funerals have always been the best opportunity for countries to handle their affairs, providing a pretext and addressing any unattainable goals, while ensuring that the topics discussed are generally meaningful.

Rather, it's more accurate to say that most things can't be agreed upon at these so-called "summits," and only in such situations is there the best opportunity to address the issues.

However, Bernard, played by Manfred, brings bad news: the person from Gaul who has come to attend the state funeral is not the Foreign Minister, but the Gaul. Although the rank of the envoy has increased, everyone soon realizes that this matter is not simple.

"When His Majesty visited Gaul three years ago, he presented the Gaul Emperor with a Fangbeast. Now that Fangbeast has given birth to baby Fangbeast, and the Gaul Emperor wishes to reciprocate by gifting him one."

"--This is terrible, things are really going to get bad."

However, upon seeing this scene, the Duke of Wellington and the group of Victoria officials immediately sensed that something was amiss. Ablana, still somewhat confused, asked the Duke beside her, "Duke of Wellington? Is this a bad thing? Isn't it a diplomatic gesture?"

"This might be true in other countries, but for Victoria, which has the 'Fangbeast Quarantine Act,' Gaul is simply trying to create a diplomatic conflict."

"... Fangbeast Quarantine Act? Does Victoria still have this law?"

Although Ablana and her sister studied under the Count Warwick, Abrahim clearly didn't understand every detail of the Victoria Acts, while the Duke of Wellington, who was well-versed in them, immediately explained to Ablana:

"This law has been in place in Victoria for a long time because of the despicable acts of spies using pets to transport intelligence and even carry viruses to cause huge upheavals. So we enacted this law, requiring every pet entering the country to undergo six months of inspection and quarantine at a transit point."

"Now, the Gaul emperor wants to bring the Fangbeast into the country, clearly trying to circumvent the law. The situation we face is that if we refuse, it could cause a diplomatic conflict, and Victoria would be the one being disrespectful."

"If it were passed... that wouldn't work either. It would be trampling on our own Victoria laws and tarnishing His Majesty the Emperor's reputation. So this matter is extremely difficult."

"However, there is no doubt that Gaul did this to force us to make concessions on railway control, otherwise we might risk triggering a diplomatic conflict."

The Duke of Wellington said this, and Ablana hadn't expected that the seemingly simple Fangbeast would conceal so many secrets and traps...

As expected, on the screen, the Bloodborne Archon and Manfred's analysis was exactly the same as the Duke of Wellington's, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs's attempts to find a solution were fruitless, leaving him helpless.

"We've tried everything—suggestions to change it to a portrait, bronze statue, or porcelain statue of Fangbeast —but all of them have been rejected."

"Can't we have someone make a specimen of the Fangbeast?" Theresis was so anxious she was practically at her wit's end, but obviously, no one would take that suggestion seriously.

The Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior also said there was nothing that could be done. The bill did not make exceptions for Victoria or any foreigners, not even His Majesty the Emperor. The Emperor could not possibly make an exception for him, as that would severely damage his prestige.

Meanwhile, facing the approaching Gaul ambassador, the anxious Theresis quickly processed the situation and immediately issued several orders:

"Go back to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and tell them to discuss it with the Ministry of the Interior; they must find a way to work things out!"

"You all need to stay in touch with Bernard — Bernard, you contact the palace."

"Humphrey, could you contact the Ministry of Justice and coordinate this?"

"We will set up a communications station in the Grand Secretariat!" The Bloodborne Archon and others immediately took action. At this moment, Victoria's Civil Service System, united internally against external forces, displayed unprecedented efficiency, which was a rare positive aspect of the system's operation.

"I didn't expect that Victoria's Civil Service System would actually be somewhat useful." This scene also surprised Vina, who was standing next to Chen Qi. She hadn't really experienced how this civil service system worked firsthand. Most of what she had seen about Victoria's system came from "Yes, Prime Minister".

In "Yes, Prime Minister," Vina witnessed a corrupt, inefficient, and internally strife-ridden Civil Service System. Now, this unusually rapid operation is truly surprising.

However, Vina also saw a deeper meaning in this—it might not be that the Victoria Civil Service System was inefficient, but rather that there were too many voices within it, causing them to restrain each other and thus appear inefficient.

If a Civil Service System has only one voice, it may be more efficient, but it may also be close to overthrowing power... Vina vaguely sensed that maintaining and operating Civil Service System was not a simple matter.

Back to filming, the actor playing the Gaul ambassador this time is Lieutenant Colonel "Leto" from Londinium. He is a descendant of the Gaul people. When Chen Qi invited him to play the Gaul ambassador, saying that his performance would determine the face of the Gaul in the past, the lieutenant colonel came without hesitation.

Lieutenant Colonel Leto possessed a strong presence, and this time, facing Theresis and the others, he showed no fear whatsoever. In fact, compared to Theresis, who had toned down her aura, Leto appeared to be the more assertive one.

This conversation was fraught with danger and traps. Lieutenant Colonel Leto proposed a face-to-face meeting between the Gaul and Prime Minister Victoria from the outset. Theresis had no choice but to comply, putting her at a disadvantage.

The second thing Lieutenant Colonel Leto proposed was that the Gaul military accompany the delegation for this meeting.

"Don't you trust the Victoria Police?"

The Chinese government makes no comment on the Victoria Police.

Although there was no answer, it seemed as if everything was answered. Even the Victoria couldn't refute this, because they knew better than the Gaul just how idle the Victoria police were.

Fortunately, the Bloodborne Archon, who was responsible for keeping things under control, answered the question in time. He explained that delegations from almost every country on the Terra would be coming, and if each country brought its own guard, it would obviously cause more trouble.

However, Lieutenant Colonel Leto was not discouraged by the failure of this proposal alone; he still had one last trump card up his sleeve!

"His Majesty the Emperor specially entrusted the Grand Duke to deliver a small gift to Emperor Victoria."

"A little Fangbeast, its name is 'Little Casserole'."

"Puff."

However, when Lieutenant Colonel Leto solemnly uttered the name, Ablana couldn't help but laugh—because in Gaul, the term meant "little darling," but in Victoria language, it meant "prostitute."