Shadow Empire

Chapter 87 Rumors and a New Dinner

Jason's death brought everyone together, which might be more important than...what mountain is there in the Federation?

Lance wasn't quite sure, but that was probably what it meant.

At nine o'clock in the morning, he arrived outside the Cathedral of Saint-Neuer. Recently, he has gained some fame in the imperial circle. Many people took the initiative to greet him along the way.

Lance will also manage his own "appearance". If he wants to achieve higher achievements, he must become a "representative".

People are a multifunctional resource, and in the hands of capitalists they are a mine that can never be exhausted.

In the hands of politicians, people are artifacts that can switch back and forth between the sharpest sword and the toughest shield at any time and anywhere.

In the hands of different people, it can play different roles and even be used back and forth. Sometimes people are like condoms, which can be washed and still used as long as they are not broken!
Now many people actually haven’t realized this, just like Mr. Jobaf, he obviously has a very good base, but he doesn’t know how to use it, which is why he is so soft.

He doesn't understand this: if you think of people as power, the more people there are, the stronger the power is.

But you just treat them as leeks. Although you have more money, you have not gained any strength.

If Lance has such a basic foundation, he will be very hard, and whoever touches him will be melted by his heat and hardness!

Mr. Jobaf was also here today, but he didn't seem to be in a very high spirits. He stood aside in a daze, as if he had a lot on his mind. Lance greeted him.

If it were in the past, he might have taken the initiative to walk over and chat with Lance, and Lance would have stopped there and waited for him, as a courtesy.

But Mr. Jobaf had no intention of chatting with Lance at this time. He had just had dinner with the mayor. The mayor was very interested in and supportive of his desire to join the mayor's team, but there was something that made him hesitant.

He was thinking back to what the mayor had said that night, and the options left to him -

"Once the president is re-elected, he will start to make some illegal immigrants become legal citizens, which means they will also have the right to vote."

"Jobaf, you hold a high position in the hearts of the imperial people. I am glad that you can see the situation clearly and join our team."

"But you know, everyone on our side has proven their worth to us, what about you?"

“How are you going to tell others that with you on the team, it will be better than before, not worse?”

Mr. Jobaf was not used to this blatant, coerced statement. Even in the empire, the nobles would at least maintain a superficial decency.

Even if they covet his wealth, they will find a suitable reason to negotiate with him. It is very likely to be some kind of deal, giving him something and then getting wealth from him, rather than asking him to "pay" so directly.

If it were in the past, he would not have paid, but now he had to pay, as there was a big trouble waiting for him from Arthur's side. The only thing he could be sure of now was that the batch of wine might not have been smuggled away by Arthur.

If it were him, he would definitely not be able to sit still and would have come to blackmail him a long time ago, but the more he did this, the more headache he had. There were no clues, no evidence, and he didn't even know who to blame for this matter.

It seems that joining the mayor's team is the last choice, otherwise he will be swallowed up by Arthur and his people sooner or later without leaving even a trace!

But the "fill-in-the-blank question" given to him by the mayor made him very embarrassed. He had to make others see his value before he could join the team.

If you do it too well, you won’t be able to let go of it. But if you are willing to let go of it, these people may not be satisfied. It’s a headache!

Mr. Jobaf had no desire to chat with him, and Lance himself did not want to say much to the other party. He went straight to the young man.

When Gerard saw him, he ran over to him, waving his arms, and the young people around him also greeted him.

"You have formed a family!" he said in an excited and affirmative tone. "I want to join!"

Lance didn't respond, "Who told you that?"

"Many people are saying this. Enio and the others are following you now." Gerard's eyes were full of admiration.

Lance had been helping him when they were on the boat, otherwise his tight little butt would have been in trouble, so he had always admired Lance.

Lance glanced at Bolton, who was circling around several well-dressed imperial men in the crowd in the distance, and turned back and said with a smile, "You have to convince your uncle first."

Gerard was not impressed with him. “He only cared about how much money I could give him every month, not what I was doing.”

Lance hadn't asked about that. "I thought you guys had a pretty good relationship."

He curled his lips. "If you mean that he expects me to give him a little extra money at the end of the month, then yes."

"He's a very stingy guy. He always told me that I wasn't exploited and oppressed like those illegal immigrants because they signed something that allowed me to work here legally, and I should be grateful to them."

"They also took me in so that I didn't have to sleep under a bridge. These are all their efforts."

"But I know my parents have actually given him some money."

Lance hesitated, "If you come over, how will you tell your parents?"

"I'm an adult now, I can decide my own future!" He looked at Lance, very firm, and did not give in. Lance patted his arm, "I'll give you an address, come over after you deal with their affairs."

Gerald smiled immediately.

The news of Lance setting up a family spread quickly among young people. It might have been accidentally leaked by someone, but it had nothing to do with the overall change.

In fact, he should also set up a new "brand" instead of continuing to expand his influence in his personal capacity.

After all, the power of one person is limited, but a group has unlimited power!

In some ways, this is actually a good thing.

Lance told these young people that if they encountered difficult problems that they couldn't solve, they could come to him, but he couldn't guarantee that he could help them solve them, but he would try his best to do so.

Because we are all citizens of the Empire, we should help each other in this strange country that is hostile to them.

On Sunday morning, Patricia sat at her dressing table trying to figure out how to make herself look better.

Mrs. Lawrence stood outside the door and looked for a few seconds, then went to the study, "Pat is going out again."

Mr. Lawrence, who was reading a newspaper, didn't even raise his head. "Then let her go. She is already a grown-up girl. We can't control her life forever. It's her life!"

Mrs. Lawrence added, "She's putting on makeup. I think she's going to have a relationship."

"Or that thing..." Mr. Lawrence recalled and said uncertainly, "Lance?"

"Lance White, that seems to be the name."

Mrs. Lawrence was even more dissatisfied, "You should respect the boy and your daughter at the same time."

Mr. Lawrence knew he was in the wrong because what he had just said would give people the misunderstanding that his daughter was a slut who frequently changed boyfriends.

He put down the newspaper and raised his hands. "I apologize. I said something stupid that I shouldn't have said."

"I want to invite him to our home, at least so that we can get to know him." This is Mrs. Lawrence's opinion. After all, this is her daughter's first formal love in every sense.

She used to go to a girls' school, where the nuns were so strict and inhumane that they were like robots. They would even spank disobedient girls with wooden boards in front of other people.

The newspaper said that most girls graduating from girls' schools would have psychological problems to varying degrees, and they were also worried about this.

Mr. Lawrence thought about it and said, "You can try to tell her to invite Lance to dinner, so that they can come back before dark."

As an old father, he was still worried that his lamb would be skinned and eaten.

Mrs. Lawrence had been with him all her life and knew what he was thinking, but she didn't expose him. She just smiled, which made him feel a little embarrassed. "Please don't look at me when you want to laugh. And you should go talk to your daughter."

After a few steps, she arrived at her daughter's door and knocked, "Can you come in?"

Patricia, who was putting on makeup, looked back shyly, "Of course, Mom."

Mrs. Lawrence walked up behind her, "Are you going on a date with Lance?"

The girl didn't deny it. "Your father wants to invite him to dinner at home."

Patricia turned around and looked at her with wide eyes, "This is inappropriate!"

Mrs. Lawrence asked, "Why not?"

"Because you are not in a confirmed relationship?"

"Or is it for some other reason?"

Patricia didn't know how to answer this question. She calmed her daughter down and said, "I think this is a very suitable opportunity. You know your father and I care about you and are worried about you."

"You have to give us a chance to get to know each other. You can't wait until you tell us you're getting married before we can meet him?"

"And it's just a meal. I'll tell your father not to talk nonsense, and I promise not to interfere with your relationship. I swear."

Patricia thought for a while. "I'm not sure if he'll come over, but I'll tell him about it."

Mrs. Lawrence picked up the handkerchief and wiped the lipstick off her lips. "He must like your innocent look more. This is your greatest advantage. Show it and make me proud, girl!"

Patricia looked at herself in the mirror, full of youth and purity, and suddenly felt confident.

She looks her best even without makeup!
=
①: This refers to the block family, which is the lowest level of organizational form.

(End of this chapter)