Those Who Grew Through "Yes, Prime Minister" / Chen Qi: When We Get Ruthless, We Even Insult Ourselves

In the drama, the Bloodborne Archon is still defending the existence of the "civilized, noble government machine" he speaks of, constantly offering more compelling examples.

"Bernard, would you like to see the Lake District turn into a vast land-based boat camp?"

"The Royal Opera House has been turned into a casino lobby?"

"Has the National Theatre turned into a carpet supermarket?"

"--Actually, they do look quite similar." Unable to find a rebuttal to the Bloodborne Archon's point of view, Manfred made a small blunder on this issue, causing all the Victoria who understood the joke to laugh involuntarily.

In contrast, the Bloodborne Archon's expression was even more unpleasant than if he had swallowed a fly, but he still forced himself to suppress his anger and said, word by word:

"We knighted the designer so that people wouldn't say that."

"Hahahahaha!" XN

That incredibly sharp remark almost made the people of Victoria, who had already shared this idea, burst into laughter, but that was far from the end of it.

"Would you like Radio 3 to play pop music all day? How would you feel if they canceled all cultural programming on TV?"

However, Manfred seemed unconcerned, shaking his head and replying, "I don't know, I never look at them."

"I don't watch them either! But their existence is crucial!"

The Bloodborne Archon repeatedly emphasized the reasons why local governments should not be allowed to control too much power. However, when Manfred asked about the corruption and incompetence of local governments, and why they couldn't reform them if they couldn't relinquish power, the Bloodborne Archon gave a fitting analogy.

"Local governments have become so corrupt and incompetent that even ministers can see it, but this means they have centralized power, and all the real power has been given to us."

"We are... the flowers of the government, Bernard." The Bloodborne Archon addressed Bernard, speaking to a potted plant of white roses on the table.

"Local governments may be piles of manure, but they can cultivate beautiful roses."

"But if we try to clear the manure pile and accidentally lose our balance..."

"We're about to fall..." Manfred finally understood what the Bloodborne Archon meant and why local governments could neither be reformed nor eliminated.

To put it bluntly, the corruption and incompetence of local governments serve as proof of the efficiency and rigor of the central government, and also safeguard their status and power. In order to maintain the operation of the Civil Service System, the prime minister will have to rely on the power of the central government, which will only make the civil servants within the central government more and more important and powerful.

This is a power directly related to their interests, one that they need to uphold. If this power is delegated to local governments, their existence will become insignificant, which would be completely detrimental to the country.

"Call..."

Meanwhile, Theresia breathed a small sigh of relief after watching the episode. The impact of this episode was simply too strong, and there was just too much useful information.

Although Kazdel has not yet officially re-established its kingdom, Chen Qi's episode can be said to depict the situation in Kazdel for several decades after its restoration.

This knowledge may not help the Sarkaz rebuild their homeland, but it can save Sarkaz from many detours after Sarkaz rebuild. There are simply too many things to learn from and too many things to pay attention to.

As expected, after the Bloodborne Archon sought help from Arnold played by the King of Scavengers) and received guidance on how to persuade the Prime Minister to abandon his plan, he went to see Agnes (played by FrostNova) again to discuss the issue of local government reform.

Upon seeing these plans, FrostNova's character immediately lost her composure. Realizing she would completely lose her power, she immediately changed her tune.

"If they could understand, of course they would like it. But ordinary voters are simple-minded; they can't see their own needs, they can't analyze problems, and they have to follow the leader to get things moving in the right direction."

Ultimately, neither FrostNova nor Bloodborne Archon, who did not want to lose power, reached a "The Gentleman's agreement": she would no longer make things difficult for the police, and Bloodborne Archon would join forces with her to persuade the Prime Minister to abandon the decision.

After receiving the manuscript that the Bloodborne Archon had prepared in advance, FrostNova sincerely remarked to the Bloodborne Archon:

"Humphrey, it's a real shame you don't participate in radical movements."

"--And you, dear Agnes, it's heartbreaking that you didn't join the civil service."

This is arguably the highest level of praise an insider can give; praising someone for being the most suitable person for their current position is always the most appropriate approach.

"In order to prevent the division of power, even two people who were once sworn enemies can reconcile?"

"Blinded by greed... even immortal beings can't resist the allure of power? Then the kings of the Royal Court... are probably no exception."

At this moment, after watching this episode of "Yes, Prime Minister," the biggest takeaway for Theresis and Theresia was undoubtedly the characters' obsession and greed for power, and their relentless pursuit of it, even to the point of repeatedly contradicting themselves.

FrostNova's character, Agnes, is capable of radical movements to gain more power, yet to prevent her power from being stripped away, she transforms from a seemingly benevolent local official into one who speaks the ignorant "truths" of the people.

Among them, whether it was Humphrey, Hacker, or Bernard, who seemed innocent but in reality stood by Humphrey after understanding everything, each of them clung tightly to their power and refused to let go. As soon as something threatened their power, they immediately negated everything they had done before.

The characters they played were merely people from races with relatively average lifespans on Terra: Feline, Aslan, Vouivre...

But if they are beings like the kings of the Royal Court, who have lived for countless years... how long have they held this position of supreme power? How could they possibly willingly relinquish their power?

In particular, when their power is directly linked to their dominant strength, they have even more power to defend it.

Theresis: "But at least now we know their weakness... Power has blinded them; they fear losing their power, and they should be prepared to pass on their positions to the next generation."

Theresia: "Let's wait for the right time... Let the future bring forth a new generation of more vibrant Sarkaz who will take the place of the current corrupt Royal Court, and let them make a choice."

"--Whether they pass the position to their next generation or erase their entire lineage from the ranks of the Royal Court forever, I believe they will choose the better option." x2

Both siblings were thinking the same thing at that moment, and even though they didn't notice each other's expressions, they had already come up with the same method to completely transform Kazdel.

If the current generation of kings is disobedient, then the next generation that is obedient and whom they trust, or the new generation that they have no choice but to choose, is selected. In this way, the Royal Court retains power, and the king of Sarkaz regains control of the country.

Chapter 148: People Who Grew Up Because of "Yes, Prime Minister"

"So in the end, the problem of local government corruption and incompetence was not solved, and everything went back to square one?"

"... It's not that we accomplished nothing; at least we achieved the initial goals. However, compared to the later goals of reforming local governments, the initial goals seem insignificant."

After the fifth episode aired, Miss Ning and Liang Xun, who were far away in Shangshu, each gave a summary. This is something they do every time they finish watching a new episode. They also write down their thoughts and entrust them to a special official to deliver to the palace.

Since the first season of "Yes, Prime Minister" aired and its immense potential was discovered, the Emperor of Yan has ordered it to be one of the "must-read" books for all officials of the Great Yan Kingdom.

After the second season aired, the emperor himself watched the series and ordered all officials of the fifth rank and above to write weekly reflections and work reports, which the emperor and the Grand Secretariat would review.

It can be said that this kind of treatment was generally only done when the emperor was examining the princes' studies. In order to coordinate the thoughts and suggestions of all the ministers and to explore the value in "Yes, Prime Minister", he went to great lengths.

Liang Xun and Miss Ning, one a fourth-rank official and the other a second-rank official, and given that Shangshu, where they reside, has received extra attention due to a certain entity, their reports will naturally also receive extra attention.

"However, Victoria in the TV series is at the peak of her career and can overlook such problems. But the more hidden dangers accumulate, the more devastating they will be when they finally erupt in the future."

Liang Xun was deeply moved by this episode, not only because it concerned him as the local official in charge of Shangshu, but also because it starkly pointed out the local officials' desire for power and their despicable faces when their own interests were actually affected.

This can hardly be called irony; it's practically a direct insult. Liang Xun, also a local official, couldn't help but reflect on his own performance and his own feelings when watching this episode.

"Miss Ning, I am ashamed to admit that when I saw the drama's message about weakening the power of local officials... I was quite afraid and unwilling to give up this position."

"Is Lord Liang afraid of losing power?" Miss Ning looked at Liang Xun, who was unusually candid at this moment, with some surprise. Upon hearing this, Liang Xun looked ashamed and said:

"... Yes, but if the imperial court appoints someone to replace me, I would gladly relinquish the position of prefect. However, I would be willing to give up the position to someone incompetent... Thinking of this, I can't help but worry whether such a person can truly fulfill the duties of a local official?"

"But ultimately, Liang's first reaction was still a fear of having his power diminished. This makes me wonder if I myself am also sitting in the chair of power, and starting to crave the feeling that power brings?"

Liang Xun frowned, his eyes closed, deep in thought. He was reflecting on himself, or rather, questioning himself. However, Miss Ning smiled slightly upon hearing this and said softly:

"I think that the Lord Liang is already reflecting on whether he is competent enough is enough to show that you are worthy of your current position."

"As for the answer to this question... In any case, we haven't undertaken such bold reforms yet, and we are both still fulfilling our respective duties. His Majesty is ambitious and intolerant of any darkness. Neither of us has become like those characters in the play."

"If Lord Liang is afraid of changing his ways, that's fine too. I've been in Shangshu for a long time, and if Lord Liang really do change... I will definitely correct you."

At this point, a smile appeared on Miss Ning's face, but she spoke with even more seriousness:

"But if Lord Liang truly succumbs completely to the allure of power... then I will not hesitate to abandon our comradeship, expose the crimes of the corrupt Liang Xun, and on the day Liang Xun departs, I will send my former comrade off on his final journey."

"--Until that day comes, Lord Liang will still be Lord Liang, and I will do my best to prevent Lord Liang from changing his ways."

"Miss Ning..."

However, faced with Miss Ning's sudden shift from solemnity to affability, Liang Xun couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat, but his uneasy heart had indeed calmed down.

Miss Ning's words, implying she would keep a close eye on him and not change her mind, stirred a slight unease within Liang Xun. After a long pause, he finally said in a muffled voice:

"... Let's keep watching."

"Alright." Seeing that Liang Xun had nothing to say, Miss Ning's eyes flashed with a hint of helplessness, and she continued to turn her gaze to "Yes, Prime Minister" on the television, but in her heart she began to make plans.

According to her grandfather, who had long since retired from officialdom but was well-informed, His Majesty was considering whether to have Chen Qi direct a film for the Yan, but was also worried that Chen Qi might act recklessly and cause unnecessary trouble.

Now, as Miss Ning reads the satire and revelations in "Yes, Prime Minister," she feels even more strongly that it would be a great pity if such a talented person could not be properly utilized.

Perhaps... she should join Liang Xun in submitting a memorial to the emperor, reassuring him to use Chen Qi? If that doesn't work, maybe they could start with a smaller topic?

Miss Ning thought to herself, her gaze still fixed on the television. Now, a new episode of "Yes, Prime Minister" was airing, and the two of them, like viewers everywhere, were watching the next episode with great anticipation.

The sixth episode begins by setting the stage: Hacker, played by Theresis, receives an invitation to the Victoria Theatre Awards as a guest to a gala dinner. However, Theresis has recently been having some unpleasant experiences with the entertainment industry and has no desire to accept the invitation.

Therefore, he only needed to consult with Manfred and Bill, the publicity secretary, to discuss countermeasures. When the topic of actors came up, Manfred also felt the matter was inappropriate and immediately said:

"Wouldn't it be bad to associate with actors? They make a living by putting on an act. If you hang out with them, people might notice..."

Suddenly, Manfred stopped speaking, and Theresis immediately turned her death stare on him, demanding, "Speak, Bernard?"

How can I continue? Does he mean to say that others will discover he's the prime minister, and that he shouldn't be on the 10th, but rather on stage?

"Hahaha! Chen Qi! I really admire you. How did you come up with so many little tricks for Manfred, that serious-looking general, to resign?"

Beside Chen Qi, Nian, having grasped the essence of "daily resignation tips," arguably loved Manfred's segment the most. Even the Bloodborne Archon's long and complex sentences had to wait. Manfred's frankness made her even happier.

For no other reason than that she admired his straightforwardness. She greatly admired Bernard in the TV series for being able to say whatever he wanted so freely, and she also longed to say a few sarcastic remarks to the Emperor of Yan in the same way.

But some things can only be thought about, though that doesn't stop Nian from liking this part the most.

"Each character has their own role. Bernard's character is there to speak for the audience," Chen Qi explained. At that moment, Xi, who was intently watching the show, frowned and said:

"You two are so noisy! If you keep making noise, I'll throw you inside the painting and lock you up."

"Tch, you're talking like your little sister's painting can trap anyone. If I wanted to get it out, would you still be able to trap your older sister?" Nian didn't care about this at all, but she still made sure to keep her voice down.

Returning to the plot, the conversation between Theresis and Bill reveals the real reason why Theresis doesn't want to accept the invitation—the government's allocation to the National Theatre this time is too small.

Theresis could almost picture the scene. "The theater's general manager would have introduced me at the dinner party, making veiled accusations and sarcastic remarks, calling me stingy, a roughneck among the ten."

At this point, Bill, the secretary of the propaganda department, suggested, "Why not let the Minister of Arts take the blame for you? Isn't that what lower-ranking officials do?"

However, this proposal was a bad idea for Theresis, who was very familiar with the media, and she immediately said:

"Great, I can imagine how the headlines will write it: 'Birds of prey hide from griffins, the prime minister fears public opinion.'"

"--If there's a major crisis, you don't need to go at all." Manfred offered his advice at this point.

Unfortunately, Theresis noticed that Victoria, who usually seemed to be dealing with a lot of trivial matters, hadn't experienced any major crises recently, and couldn't help but ask:

"Is there any long-term crisis that can be averted?"

"What kind of crisis would warrant cancelling the invitation?" Bill, the propaganda secretary, pondered seriously. Fortunately, Manfred immediately offered several proposals, saying:

"The Victoria Gold Coin has suffered a significant devaluation, a small-scale war has broken out in the Iberia Sea, and the Originium Plant has caught fire..."

"Bernard, I don't think these things are good for my image," Theresis said with utter helplessness.

"--But I can exonerate you." Manfred hadn't given up trying to help his prime minister, but suddenly he seemed to have a good idea and quickly said, "I've got it! How about the death of Grand Secretariat colleague?"

"... Is someone going to die?" Theresis, seemingly genuinely considering the feasibility of the plan, asked hastily.

"Uh... no, but this trick can both excuse me and not damage my image."

"It couldn't possibly be such a coincidence that it happened on that day, could it? At least it couldn't be an accident."

This tactic also seemed to be failing, yet the conversation was filled with Victoria's dark humor, as if the Grand Secretariat would actually send someone to force a Grand Secretariat colleague to "voluntarily die" if Theresis gave the order.

Fortunately, just when Theresis and the others were at their wits' end, Humphrey, played by the Bloodborne Archon, appeared on screen. Not wanting to give a speech in that awkward situation, Theresis immediately sought help from the Bloodborne Archon:

"There's a speech I'll be giving that will be incredibly awkward. My audience will be a bunch of menacing, pretentious drunken actors."

Bloodborne Archon: "--Are we going to the House of Commons?"

"Hahahaha!" XN

Once again, the House of Commons was insulted without any sense of incongruity. Now, with the airing of "Yes, Prime Minister," many ordinary people in Victoria have had their impressions of the House of Commons completely changed.

Today, jokes about the House of Representatives have spread among the common people of Victoria, and the impression of "the House of Lords garden and the House of Commons zoo" has become deeply ingrained in people's minds along with Chen Qi's works.

It can be said that, currently, the people on the Terra who hate Chen Qi the most are, first without a doubt, the Kazimierz leadership who are still going through a catastrophe; second, the Ursus leadership who are too Kung Fu Hustle to care about others; and third, the members of the Victoria House of Commons.

"Teacher... your writing is as sharp as ever. Is there any possibility that you can rid the House of Commons of this absurdity in the future?"

Meanwhile, Vina, who was learning from Chen Qi and now diligently taking notes in the room, was already used to such jokes in the House of Commons.

Vina's mindset now is completely different from that of the crown princess when she first arrived at Rhodes Island. She no longer gets angry when people criticize her former country; in fact, she has evolved to the point of joining in the criticism of her own country.

Vina felt that she was adapting to a process, that she was constantly being tempered, and that she was making herself more and more magnanimous—something she couldn't learn on Rhodes Island or in the palace.

You can only grow by accepting others' disapproval, recognizing areas for improvement, and thus enhancing yourself. This was the first lesson Vina learned from Chen Qi.

Chapter 149: Chen Qi: When we get ruthless, we even curse ourselves.

"This episode is about art? It's a topic that's very relevant to director Chen Qi and his team."