Chen Qi: You Sarkaz never put any points into governing, did you? / Chen Qi was now on equal footing with Kal'tsit?

"So they're planning to give these armors to the Competition Knight to create the effect of the Campaign Knight turning against them and launch a military coup?!" This terrifying possibility also surfaced in the Knight Commander's mind at this moment.

The difference and sense of oppression between Campaign Knight and Competition Knight are completely different, but the Supervision Committee has always kept the issues of national defense and city defense firmly in its own hands.

However, if the Commercial Federation could truly replicate the armor of the Campaign Knight, it would mean they could create a large enough number of "Campaign Knight" whose combat capabilities, while not particularly strong, would be sufficient to deceive the city's defense forces.

If a large number of Campaign Knight were to rebel in the Grand Knight's Dominion, would the city defense forces really dare to intervene? Furthermore, given the departure of the entire Nearl Family from Kazimierz and the disappearance of Nearl and her husband, which has already generated considerable discontent among the Campaign Knight, would they truly still obey the orders of the Supervision Committee instead of going with the flow?

"The Commercial Federation has already sensed that we're about to take action against them. They're protecting themselves, and the possibility of a coup... is not small."

"And they were right. We could ignore their previous petty tricks, but if they have such intentions, we will have no choice but to take action against them."

The Grand Knight Commander echoed this sentiment, a renewed ruthlessness and resolve reappearing in his eyes. The other Grand Knight Commander Knight Commander, upon hearing this, also asked:

"Should we strike first? We can immediately summon the Silvermane Knights— "

"No, now is not the time." The Grand Knight Commander shook his head and said coldly, "We must first find out which Campaign Knight provided these weapons and armor to the Commercial Federation for imitation. That is the most important thing."

"As for taking action now, it would only make us appear desperate and like a last resort. We want to completely destroy the reputation of the Commercial Federation."

"They absolutely will not tolerate Director Chen Qi, they will definitely take action... I think they have already secretly discussed with many Campaign Knights who have something on them, and devised a strategy to ambush Director Chen Qi."

Yes, it's time for a change in Kazimierz. The Grand Knight Commander knows very well that it's time to stop letting these merchants run rampant, to the point where even the Supervision Committee has to defer to them.

The Commercial Federation will continue to exist as part of Kazimierz, but it will never again have the power to act arbitrarily or even hold someone hostage at crucial moments.

The Grand Knight Commander's plan was to make the entire Commercial Federation completely owned by Kazimierz in one fell swoop. She wanted to transform these "private properties" belonging to the merchants into "properties owned by Kazimierz"!

From now on, the economy of Kazimierz will no longer be supported by these private enterprises, but by all the loyal state-owned enterprises!

But the Grand Knight Commander needs a reason to do this, a reason and evidence sufficient to silence everyone, and an opportunity to uproot the Commercial Federation —that is, to wait for evidence that the Commercial Federation colluded with traitors within the Campaign Knight in an attempt to launch a coup.

Achoo!

Meanwhile, far away in Londinium, Chen Qi suddenly sneezed without warning. However, Theresia silently took out a handkerchief and helped Chen Qi wipe the dirt off his face.

"Director Chen Qi, you suddenly look flustered. Was my proposal really that surprising?"

"No... rather, whenever I sense someone is plotting against me, I instinctively shudder, feeling like it's something I did in a movie that upset someone."

Chen Qi let Theresia wipe his face with a handkerchief. At that moment, he didn't know who was plotting against him, but Chen Qi was certain that this would happen on their way to Columbia with Kristen.

After all, killing him in Londinium was unrealistic; the success rate would be higher if they attacked him halfway through the journey... However, Chen Qi wasn't worried. With the crew's current strength, unless someone sent an entire army to encircle and annihilate them, or "Sui" directly returned to his original form and came knocking on their door, they would basically die no matter how many came.

"Speaking of which, Theresia, what were you saying just now?" After enjoying Theresia's face-wiping service, Chen Qi realized it was already late at night. Theresia took the opportunity to relay some of Theresis's arrangements to Chen Qi.

"My brother wishes to invite you to serve as the 'Minister of Arts' of our Sarkaz clan," Theresia repeated Theresis's words with a smile.

"The Sarkaz traditions that are not accepted by outsiders... My brother and I may not be able to change them, but much of our culture and art needs to be rebuilt step by step. We hope that in the future, when we rebuild our homeland, you can help us to rebuild our Sarkaz culture."

"Director Chen Qi, would you be willing to accept our Sarkaz's invitation?"

Theresia didn't force him, but her words carried a tone that made it hard to refuse. At that moment, the system's female voice, which had been absent from Chen Qi's mind for a long time, reappeared.

[Congratulations, host, for unlocking the new feature "Honor"!]

[The host's influence on the Terra is constantly expanding. Traveling the Terra as a director who claims to be powerless and insignificant isn't a long-term solution. It's time to earn more "honorary titles" that you can boast about, that are influential, and that are recognized by various countries!]

The corresponding "Honorary Titles" equipped with items have different effects. The higher the level of the "Honorary Title," the greater the bonuses and reputation points gained. Holding a higher-level title will also make the host more respected by others, and the rewards for commissions received may also be more valuable!

Chapter 153: Chen Qi: You Sarkaz don't seem to have any skills in governing, do you?

"Honorary titles? What use are those things to me?"

Chen Qi was also somewhat surprised, as he hadn't activated his system for a long time since he had used the item to test the ingredients of the initial version of the Oripathy Cure that Kal'tsit had sent.

Now, Chen Qi and his crew are not what they used to be. They move among various countries and forces. Those who are friendly to them want to win them over, while those who are hostile or even hate them have no intention of eliminating them. In addition, with the boost brought by the "Blood of Sui", Chen Qi has gradually lost the anxiety caused by his own weakness... except when he was fighting Talulah.

The newly awakened "Honorary Titles" function also piqued Chen Qi's curiosity, prompting him to ask in his mind, "System, how many Honorary Titles do I currently possess?"

[The host's current honorary titles have been retrieved: Friend of the Sarkaz (Bronze), Friend of the Sarkaz (Bronze), Lost "Year" (Bronze), Director of the Integrated Cultural Troupe (Silver).]

"... Why are they almost all bronze?" Chen Qi was also somewhat surprised. He thought that his title had long since reached the pinnacle of fame on the Terra. After all, before him, no one had ever been able to gain the friendship of two races at the same time.

[Because the reputation of the host's "honor" is not yet widespread enough on the Terra, the more recognized and celebrated the host's "honor," the higher the level of "honor" will be, and the greater the corresponding increase will be.]

[Taking the host's "Friend of the Sarkaz" title as an example, although the host possesses the "Royal Court Covenant," which requires all Sarkaz to acknowledge you as a friend, most Sarkaz do not truly respect the host. They are only respectful because of the title, and this "honor" doesn't currently contribute much to the host's reputation.]

[If the host holds a more specific "honorary title," the evaluation level may be higher. Furthermore, if the clan that bestows the "honor" on the host has greater recognition of you, or if the clan's influence increases, the corresponding "honor" evaluation will also rise.]

"If I were to turn the Sarkaz back into the Teekaz era, would my title of 'Friend of the Sarkaz' instantly turn gold?"

[Absolutely correct.]

Forget it, Chen Qi had no such intention. Although Chen Qi wasn't entirely sure why Kal'tsit led the Allied Forces to ravage Kazdel back then—the first time was one thing, but then they destroyed it so many times afterward— Chen Qi still felt a bit apprehensive about the Sarkaz race.

Putting everything else aside, just considering the powerful figures in the Royal Court, Chen Qi wouldn't dare get too close to them. And now, Theresia is proposing that he be appointed "Minister of Arts"?

To be honest, when Chen Qi heard about Sarkaz's "art," he felt that it was not the same as the art he had imagined. Chen Qi could not accept Sarkaz's "traditional skills," and he found it hard to imagine what Sarkaz's art was all about.

"Director Chen Qi, judging from your expression, I know you've heard a lot about the Sarkaz traditions, haven't you?"

However, Theresia noticed the troubled look on Chen Qi's face, but she was not angry. She knew that the impression that the Sarkaz had left on the world was almost indelible, and what she wanted to do was to let the new generation of Sarkaz reverse that impression.

"The traditions of the Sarkaz, passed down since the time of the Teekaz, are imprinted in the blood of every race... The bloodlust of the Bloodfiend, the ritual of the Wendigo devouring their relatives, the Carrion Eaters drawing power from corpses... all of this is difficult for non- Sarkaz to accept."

"These things are hard to change, and perhaps never will be, but my brother and I will not give up. Before our people became rootless as they are today, we also had our own art and civilization."

"After watching Director Chen Qi's remarks on art in 'Yes, Prime Minister,' my brother Wang and I both deeply agree. I think that perhaps culture is a way to help the Sarkaz people break free from stereotypes."

"As a collection of Sarkaz wills, I know that some Sarkaz, after fleeing to Columbia, created an art form called 'rock and roll' there? Perhaps, this is the path we should take in the future..."

Theresia offered her conjecture at this moment. Unfortunately, Theresia did not experience the Sarkaz's so-called peak period. Although she lived a long life, she was still figuring things out as she went along when it came to art and cultural development.

"I see, so you're going down the cultural export route? That's a good idea, but it'll be a long and arduous process."

Chen Qi nodded in agreement, understanding Theresia's words. Addressing the princess seeking his advice, Chen Qi said, "However, for cultural export to succeed, the Sarkaz must first establish a foothold."

"Without sufficient national defense, a certain level of basic livelihood, and comprehensive education, it will be very difficult to achieve cultural export."

"Hmm? Education? Does this have anything to do with education?"

Upon hearing this, Theresia blinked her large, pink eyes, a hint of confusion in them. Clearly, this Sarkaz princess had no idea what Chen Qi's words had to do with art.

However, it's not entirely Theresia's fault. When she was born, Sarkaz was already in a similar state to what it is now. Kazdel was destroyed, and most Sarkaz survived by wandering, scavenging, and war. In addition, Kazdel was destroyed several times, and much of what was useful about nation-building and education was lost.

"Of course it's related to education. Otherwise, with such a large group of Sarkaz, do you expect me to be your face?"

Chen Qi also found it amusing, but Theresia's blank stare seemed to say, "What else?" Seeing this, Chen Qi shook his head and said, word by word:

"My wisdom and talent are limited; they are not inexhaustible. Theresia, the people truly possess boundless imagination and room for development."

"The people." Theresia murmured the word somewhat unfamiliarly, and Chen Qi nodded, continuing to explain:

"It is the wisdom of countless people that builds up a country's culture and civilization. Of course, some geniuses are one in a thousand or one in ten thousand, but even if the probability is so low, as long as there are enough people, a country will never lack talent, right?"

"Natural geniuses are a minority; most people need nurturing, enlightenment, and development. Through education and hard work, their achievements can rival those of geniuses."

Chen Qi seemed to feel that this explanation was not enough, so he found a piece of paper and a pen nearby, sat down, bent over, and began to write down words on the paper, explaining the many connections between them to Theresia.

After all, this princess, whose country had been extinct for countless years, seemed to know nothing about how to govern a country. Theresis was probably in a similar situation. Sharing a little bit of her knowledge could at least give them some direction.

As for whether Sarkaz can successfully restore its kingdom... Chen Qi didn't know, but it was certain that if Sarkaz were to restore its kingdom, it would benefit Chen Qi. After all, Sarkaz was his ally, and he wasn't the kind of leader who had to be wary of powerful neighboring countries. He was just a director, and a strong ally would definitely benefit him.

"Theresia, let me ask you first, what is the purpose of your reconstruction of Kazdel?"

"Of course, it's about giving all Sarkaz a home, a place to belong." Theresia leaned closer, her eyes fixed on Chen Qi as he wrote the word "nation" on the paper. Chen Qi continued, "..."

"Well, a nation is supported by countless families. Theresia, how can you guarantee that after the nation is restored, the Sarkaz mercenaries, who are used to wandering, will be able to establish families within Kazdel?"

"... Tell them that building a home is better than being a mercenary?" Theresia pondered for a moment before tentatively answering, like a child unsure of her own answer.

However, Chen Qi shook his head and corrected him, "I'm willing to believe in Sarkaz's longing for his homeland, but how can you prove that staying is better than becoming a mercenary?"

"Without a doubt, you must ensure that your people have hope for the future. And this depends on two things: firstly, stable jobs and pay under order; and secondly, I believe, on future generations."

"Descendants?" Theresia repeated, still confused, while Chen Qi nodded in agreement.

"Offspring are what hold parents together—though I'd like to say that, the Sarkaz's mercenary experience means that almost every Sarkaz faces the test of survival from birth, and very few have ever experienced parental love."

"But I think, given a choice, who wouldn't want their descendants to be more successful than themselves? Who wouldn't want their descendants to have a better life than themselves, instead of facing the same survival challenges from birth?"

"And how do you make people feel that their descendants will definitely be better off than themselves? It's through the future of a rapidly developing country, their own stable income and life, and the better education that most Sarkaz haven't had the opportunity to receive."

Chen Qi then wrote the word "education" on the paper and explained it to Theresia:

"With education, children who are just beginning to learn will grow faster, and their progress will be more readily apparent. A stable and systematic education needs to be provided by schools."

"When a family has a child, the child's education needs to be carried out in a fixed school. So, the child's parents will naturally settle down in the local area. In this way, the child receives an education, the parents settle down, and the new city gains a stable family population and labor force."

"And then, the children who receive education will become even more outstanding, and those who stay in a city for a long time will unconsciously develop a sense of belonging to their hometown. As a result, more and more outstanding descendants will live in this city, leading to a growing population, with each generation becoming more and more excellent than the last..."

"By then, are you still worried that no talented individuals, no Sarkaz with artistic geniuses, will emerge? When the country is strong and people seek spiritual fulfillment, are you still worried that Sarkaz culture won't flourish?"

As Chen Qi spoke, he couldn't help but ramble on and on. Of course, what he said was superficial and only an ideal scenario. He knew that for a country to maintain a steady upward trajectory was a very unrealistic dream.

However, what Chen Qi wants to say is that the Sarkaz's current situation requires them to think about how to survive, rather than focusing on art first—only when the body is satisfied can the soul's dreams be better realized, right?

If someone only talks to you about ideals and never about food, that's definitely a boss. If you want a horse to run, you have to feed it, right? Even Ancient Egypt slave owners knew that slaves had to be paid and fed to work.

However, what Chen Qi didn't notice at that moment was that Theresia's gaze slowly shifted from the paper to Chen Qi's face.

The Sarkaz princess, her lips slightly parted, stared intently at Chen Qi with her pink eyes. She shared with him, without any reservations, the entire national development plan that no other country on this land would be willing to share.

He hadn't even considered it, as if this knowledge was nothing more than the most basic and easily understood facts to him. Little did he know how many kingdoms had fallen and risen, how many roads had been traversed, to compile all this knowledge...

At that moment, Theresia's gaze towards Chen Qi suddenly shone with a dazzling light. Her initial resolve, which had merely been to sacrifice herself for the future of Sarkaz, seemed to have subtly shifted...

Chapter 154: Chen Qi and Kal'tsit are now on equal footing?

"So, after saying all that, and considering how much can be done in education... shouldn't that be the most important thing for us after the restoration of Kazdel?"

Theresia forced herself to look away from Chen Qi's face. She repeatedly emphasized to herself that she was the princess of Sarkaz and that she bore the responsibility of reviving the Sarkaz clan... Even if she would eventually hand it all over to her brother, she still had to be prepared to shoulder the responsibility of reviving the Sarkaz clan before that happened.

It took only a tremendous amount of determination, known only to herself, for Theresia to focus her attention on governing the country. However, upon hearing this, Chen Qi smiled and shook his head, correcting her:

"While education is important, and should never be interrupted, the foundation of a nation remains domestic policy, foreign policy, and finance. Only when a nation's strength is stable can education reliably supply talent to that stable country."

"Therefore, the fundamental principle of establishing a nation is that after rebuilding Kazdel, you must first rapidly develop the economy, ensure that the people have enough to eat and wear, and that they have houses to live in, and meet their basic needs. Only then can you devote your energy to addressing issues such as education."

"Education must first focus on comprehensive education. Only after comprehensive education is successful and stable can we prepare for so-called specialized education. Arts and culture must be addressed after basic needs are met."

"... In other words, the Sarkaz's path to changing their image through culture will take a long time."

Theresia couldn't help but sigh. Although her hopes had temporarily been dashed, there had been considerable gains for Theresia this time. She hadn't expected that what she had originally come to do, merely to invite Chen Qi to be the Sarkaz's "Minister of Arts," would come so unexpectedly.

I was surprised to receive so many unexpected gains.

Their "Minister of Arts" practically outlined all the necessary conditions for them to pursue art and culture, and even laid out the foundation for the future revival of the Sarkaz.

"However... we still lack experience regarding the details of education."

"Comprehensive education... what are the specific details? We've never tried running a school before, not even a literacy class... we really don't know where to begin."

Theresia seemed a little embarrassed. The Sarkaz race had been wiped out for far too long, and many generations of Sarkaz had not received any systematic education.

Even in terms of battlefield knowledge, most Sarkaz learned it by becoming mercenaries, through bloodshed and the threat of death. Most of the survivors were practically crawling through mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Such Sarkaz are indeed very strong in individual combat, and their small-scale tactical deployments are mostly good, but if we talk about literacy... unfortunately, most Sarkaz are illiterate, and the few who can read are used as talent for training, such as Hedley, who is still guarding the library in Londinium.

Therefore, the brother and sister were completely clueless about education, even though they had no idea where to start, and even though they were literate.

However, Chen Qi waved his hand and laughed, "Isn't this the country with a complete and comprehensive education system?"

"This knowledge can certainly be one of the conditions required to provide Sarkaz Victoria temporary defense asylum. Rest assured, Victoria's comprehensive education system is quite comprehensive; their colleges have produced many talented individuals."

For example, the two most successful college students in Siracusa, and many operators from Rhodes Island and Lungmen, are graduates of Victoria's universities. Chen Qi still believes that Victoria's education system must have been perfected a long time ago and can provide Theresia and the others with a lot of reference value.

"Besides, even if there are problems, don't worry. Next week, after I finish writing my script, you can look at the issues with the Victoria education system in my script, Theresia, and then make improvements."

"Is one of the last two episodes of 'Yes, Prime Minister' also about education?"

However, Theresia's eyes lit up upon hearing this. However, it seemed that Chen Qi's timing was so perfect that Theresia couldn't help but wonder if Chen Qi was deliberately writing this educational piece to help her out...

Theresia wasn't one to be presumptuous, but... the timing seemed a little too perfect, making Theresia wonder.

However, this overthinking made Theresia wonder... was an empty promise as "Minister of Arts" not enough to thank Director Chen Qi?

"... Director Chen Qi, regarding the position of Minister of Arts, I feel I haven't considered it well enough."

"I knew it." Chen Qi nodded in agreement. He could talk big and fool the Terra, but he really didn't know what to do if he were a minister.

However, the next moment, Theresia smiled and nodded, then addressed Chen Qi, saying each word clearly: