Chapter 541: This Time, Lanchi Must Ensure Huberyan's Satisfaction
Chapter 541: This Time, Lanchi Must Ensure Huberyan's Satisfaction
After lunch, Lanchi stepped out of the grand gates of Sharem Palace, standing at the entrance.
He was dressed in a black overcoat and a top hat, his expression solemn as if still pondering the important conversation he'd just concluded, weighing the immense responsibilities he bore as a leader.
The streets of Hersharem bustled with activity, citizens scurrying to and fro. The hustle and bustle of the city constantly reached his ears.
Despite the shadow of war hanging over the city, life went on.
The citizens began to notice the presence of the Prime Minister.
Some paused in their tracks, their eyes curious and respectful.
A few offered him nods of greeting, and Lanchi politely responded. The citizens showed him respect and curiosity, and some even voiced encouragement, speaking of standing up against the Honing Empire.
These interactions brought a smile to Lanchi's face, and a glint of gratitude and determination flashed in his eyes.
Journalists swarmed around, but Lanchi revealed nothing newsworthy.
Until his secretary escorted him to the car and he settled into the carriage.
Alone, he gazed into the dark interior, an eerie silence engulfing him.
"For now, a more cautious approach is necessary to balance public opinion and the parliament," Lanchi muttered to himself.
As if he had been pondering this conundrum the entire time.
The nobility and traditional elites of the Pholant Empire held the military and upper echelons of power, but as Prime Minister, Lanchi now had the support of the people.
The elites couldn't sway public opinion on their own, and they needed either Lanchi or the cooperation of the conservative faction.
To seize power quickly, the first step was to gain the trust of more key powerholders and acquire military authority or amass as much private military force as possible.
The support of several generals was more crucial than that of Queen Xechia.
"Meow..."
Cat Boss poked his head out from the shadow beneath Lanchi's feet.
Ever since Lanchi's conversation with Queen Xechia began, he'd been feeling uneasy.
Though Lanchi's aura remained familiar, Cat Boss couldn't fathom why his primary target for control was the Queen.
"Lanchi, what are you planning to do now?"
Cat Boss cast a sound-isolating barrier and quietly perched on Lanchi's lap, inquiring anxiously.
"I think the first step is to control the public opinion and the parliament," Lanchi replied, stroking Cat Boss's head.
"Meowyes," Cat Boss agreed. Even with Lanchi's abilities, the past day's attempts had proven that satisfying both sides was nearly impossible. It was a zero-sum game, and there was no way to please everyone.
"I initially intended to directly control the entire parliament and become the sole decision-maker, but I've changed my mind," Lanchi confessed.
"Meow?!" Cat Boss's thoughts immediately turned to the man named Rocky Maccassi.
"Don't worry," Lanchi assured, temporarily severing the live recording function of the shadow world program. He didn't want his every move to be witnessed by the people of the Southern Continent, leading to unnecessary speculation.
Cat Boss was clearly anxious about Lanchi veering towards a dictatorial path. If Huberyan were brought back to the Pholant Empire and discovered that Lanchi had become a dictator, and then realized that their shadow world was being observed by the Ikelite Academy... the revelation would be too much for her! After all, the Demon Tribe's villainous duchess was a perfect match for a tyrannical ruler.
The last thing Cat Boss wanted was to let Huberyan down again, as he had in the Northern Continent. This time, he was determined to ensure that no accidents occurred, and that Huberyan would feel at ease upon seeing Lanchi.
"No, no, no. Don't even think about it. It's impossible, so just drop the idea," Cat Boss said, exhaling in relief after a moment's thought.
Lanchi seemed to have realized the futility of his initial plan as well. With limited time in this shadow world and the impending confrontation with the Honing Empire, there was hardly any chance to engage in internal power struggles and swiftly take control of the entire parliament.
It was simply impossible.
Cat Boss was relieved that Lanchi hadn't continued down that path of self-delusion.
"There's a simpler approach," Lanchi mused. "I can start by winning over the imperial nobility. Then, one day, a congressional fire will break out in Hersharem. My assault team will accidentally eliminate the conservatives while rescuing people, and when my assault team surrounds the entire congress, I will request authorization. I believe everyone will agree by then."
Upon seeing Cat Boss's misunderstanding, Lanchi explained, "What?!''
Cat Boss was astonished. He felt that Lanchi was capable of such despicable actions.
"Meow, meow, meow, Lanchi, promise me you must never do that! Think of Huberyan! I know you have better options!" Cat Boss pleaded, desperately clawing at Lanchi's clothes.
He couldn't bear to let Huberyan down again. The last time was due to his immaturity, but this time, he truly understood how fearsome Lanchi could be!
"But I'm tired of power struggles. I don't want to engage in constant political battles anymore," Lanchi said as he picked up Cat Boss, a hint of gentleness in his eyes.
This was the answer Lanchi had found in the Protoss Empire of the Northern Continent. He had always wanted to make Huberyan happy.
However, in Hersharem, he hadn't really seen her happiness.
"That's wonderful, Lanchi. Let's use the right methods to help the Pholant Empire overcome its challenges," Cat Boss meowed, touched, as he wiped away his tears.
He felt that Huberyan's advice had finally gotten through to Lanchi.
Lanchi nodded. He believed that at this moment, he and Cat Boss were thinking along the same lines.
There were many nobles in the empire who despised him, but there were also those who disliked Duke Morretti and the formidable conservative faction.
He had a way to win over the nobles; he just needed to make them understand that the lesser of two evils was in their best interest. Then, they would naturally want to use his hand to get rid of the conservatives.
Next, they might want to use Lanchi to eliminate Duke Morretti's followers, then appease public opinion for a while before replacing Lanchi after a couple of years.
It would be easy for the nobles to turn on each other.
The fact that Lanchi, the one they all feared, did not seem to benefit from this struggle might put their minds at ease a little.
But what they didn't know was that once the regime began to split, Lanchi's sole intention was to reclaim imperial power for Queen Xechia.
In addition to his role as Prime Minister, Lanchi was also a member of the anti-blood cult within the Church, and his position there was not insignificant. Over the past decade or so, the church had established a modest foundation and gained a considerable number of followers in the Pholant Empire.
Over the next few days, Lanchi would be in contact with the church, using his position as prime minister to provide them with immense support and plan their activities in the Pholant Empire for the next month.
He had decided not to destroy the parliament, but he intended to transform it.
He wanted to change the Pholant Empire from a constitutional monarchy back into an absolute monarchy.
Huberyan disliked the idea of a prime minister.
She favored the clergy.
So, he should make this empire religious and become the pope himself.
"Rest assured, Cat Boss, this time, Huberyan will definitely be pleased. When I bring her back to the Pholant Empire, I won't frighten her anymore," Lanchi said softly, patting Cat Boss with a hint of guilt.
Since Huberyan disliked politicians and favored clerics, the answer was clear.
This time, he should take the path of dividing the regime, reshaping imperial power, and strengthening religious authority.
Once he helped her build the church, it would be entirely hers, and she could take any position she wanted within it.
However, to achieve this goal, what he had now was far from sufficient.
Even with the full support of the people, he still didn't have a winning hand.
He needed to personally gain the support of a powerful ally.
He had to first pay a visit to the Demon World. If he could form an alliance with them, it might boost the Pholant Empire's military might, financial resources, and diplomatic standing, further aiding him in completely reshaping the empire.
Regardless, his first step should be to find Huberyan in the Demon World.
(End of Chapter)
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