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Chapter 539: Rock Mackie is on the Line
Chapter 539: Rock Mackie is on the Line
Sharing a meal between the Plant Royal Family and the Prime Minister was not a fixed custom in the Plant Empire, but it was one of the informal meeting formats in the Empire's constitutional democracy.
The private lunch provided an informal setting for the Emperor and the Prime Minister to discuss important imperial matters and policy issues in a more relaxed atmosphere.
In the constitutional system of the Plant Empire, the current Empress, Queen Kexia, played an important ceremonial role, while the actual administrative power was mainly concentrated in the hands of the Prime Minister and the parliament.
Nevertheless, Queen Kexia maintained a deep interest and influence in state affairs.
It was a part of the Plant Empire's political tradition for the Prime Minister to regularly report on government affairs to the Emperor.
In the Plant Imperial Capital, the Palace of Salem.
Originally a large city-state mansion built for a certain duke, it was later acquired by the royal family and gradually expanded into the palace it is today.
Lanci's footsteps echoed through the palace as he walked at a steady pace, guided by the steward.
Today, the building serves not only as the residence of the Plant Empire's monarch but also as a symbol of the nation's identity and royal traditions.
After leaving the Congress building, Lanci was escorted by his secretary to the Palace of Salem to meet with the Empress.
It was now lunchtime.
Soon, he arrived in an elegant dining room, filled with the faint scent of antique furniture. Tall windows let in soft natural light that reflected off the royal tablecloth and silverware.
"Lord Wilford, please have a seat," Queen Kexia gestured to Lanci after noticing his presence.
Her posture exuded an air of dignified nobility and aloofness.
"Thank you, Your Majesty Queen Kexia," Lanci replied as he sat down at the other end of the long table, looking up at her.
The young queen exuded humility, her satin-like brown hair intricately braided with intricate knots adorned with sparkling gems and pearls. Her eyes shone with intelligence and insight.
However, she seemed slightly nervous and cautious.
Both individuals remained silent for a long moment.
As if waiting for the attendants to bring in their lunch, yet also deep in thought.
Aside from the prime minister's appointment ceremony, the two had hardly any interaction beforehand.
This was their first lunch together.
Theoretically, this lunch or similar private meetings provided a platform for the queen and the prime minister to exchange views. The prime minister could use such occasions to brief the emperor on the policy directions of the House, the development of significant events at home and abroad, and the potential challenges and decision-making considerations they faced. For the emperor, it was also an important channel to understand the functioning of the government and the state of the nation, so ordinarily, the prime minister would be the first to speak.
Furthermore, such meetings helped maintain a good personal relationship between the emperor and the prime minister, ensuring smooth communication between the House and the royalty. Even though Queen Kexia did not directly participate in political decision-making, as the symbol of the nation and the unity of the people, a good relationship with the ruling prime minister was crucial for stability and the people's trust in the government.
The problem was that Queen Kexia still disagreed with the appointment of Wilford as prime minister.
In her eyes, Wilford was a man with a questionable resume, wavering political stances, and an enigmatic personality. Many of those close to her referred to him as a madman.
However, aside from him, no one else dared to take on such a heavy responsibility at this point in time.
"Speaking of which, is Her Majesty Queen Kexia hungry now?" Lanci suddenly asked.
The question took Queen Kexia by surprise.
Even the cat boss lurking in Lanci's shadow was stunned.
Are you treating all women the same? At least choose a different opening topic when chatting with the Empress!
"Is Lord Wilford not feeling hungry yet?" Queen Kexia inquired, pondering his motive.
"No, I'm looking forward to having lunch with Her Majesty as soon as possible. The work in the morning has left me dizzy," Lanci shook his head, a weary smile on his face.
"I just thought that Her Majesty might not enjoy talking while eating. If I don't start a casual conversation with you now, we might spend the entire lunch in silence."
"Sometimes, asking a question unrelated to the matter at hand can ease the tension and divert the other party's attention."
"Especially effective on women."
"Indeed." Queen Kexia nodded.
She preferred not to talk while eating, and it seemed Wilford was the same. By bringing this up beforehand, they could both eat in peace without any awkwardness.
"Regarding the situation in the Plant Empire, I believe Your Majesty is well-informed. I won't bore you with tedious details you already know. If there's anything you're curious about, please feel free to ask, and I will answer to the best of my ability."
Seeing the queen relax a little, Lanci continued slowly.
"..."
Queen Kexia nodded silently, her gaze fixed on him. "Lord Wilford, if not as allies, but as friends, you are more approachable than I imagined."
What she had expected to be an arduous lunch became much more relaxed. They could choose to remain silent or discuss only the topics she wanted to talk about.
Finally, she had a moment to observe the black-haired, green-eyed man sitting across from her.
However, what she didn't expect was that this man, whom she feared, also seemed to hold her in awe.
Despite his neat suit and respectful demeanor, his eyes revealed humility and sincerity, indicating the great importance he attached to this private meeting.
"If possible, I hope I never have to use my abilities, and that my Plant Empire, as it is, is the best Plant Empire." Lanci said candidly.
"You know, the conservatives now regret electing you as the new prime minister because of your speech this morning."
Unlike most of the empire's elites, Queen Kexia could see that Lanci had a sense of responsibility but lacked ambition. This might be why some people envied and ostracized him.
Of course, many had also anticipated this. Once Wilford helped them through the empire's difficulties, they wouldn't cling to power and would soon step down.
"But it was necessary to express my true thoughts." Lanci replied firmly.
"You shouldn't mislead the people." Queen Kexia hadn't planned to bring up this topic, which might cause their meeting to end on a sour note. However, she now felt that Wilford wasn't a petty man, and it was better to be open with him about certain things.
She was referring to how Lanci hadn't informed the public about the Honing Empire's official invasion of the northern border of the neighboring Blisse Kingdom the night before. Instead, he had stated that if the Honing Empire began to threaten them, the Plant Empire would counter-attack with all its might and never allow the claws of the Honing Empire to reach their homeland, which had been guarded by their Plant Empire ancestors for generations.
"But this can boost morale and inspire everyone's will to resist. We can't surrender without a fight." Lanci lowered his voice and said to Queen Kexia.
"..."
Queen Kexia, who had intended to continue questioning him, found the words stuck in her throat.
Seeing Lord Wilford speaking with the strongest tone yet, but with the attitude of a child admitting a mistake, softened Queen Kexia's heart. She felt for his unspoken loneliness, shouldering the burden alone.
She realized that reprimanding him now would only add to his difficulties.
Upon reflection, what he said made sense, and he was determined to prepare for a vigorous resistance.
"I'm sorry, Lord Wilford. I didn't consider your situation." Looking into Lanci's tired eyes, she felt a sense of guilt.
Cat Boss: "???"
In just a few minutes, it could no longer detect any wariness in Queen Kexia's attitude towards Lanci.
Instead, she seemed to be trying to build a closer connection with him.
With Hyperion absent, he was freewheeling, and this peak power of the Northern Continent might have already recovered half his strength!
(End of Chapter)
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