"Hello, Ser Desmond."
From the first moment she saw him, Michaela disliked the guy in front of her. At the same time, the system elf Torina also found some clues by searching the memory files:
"Michaela, you should have seen him in the blood elf camp before."
With such a reminder, Michaela seemed to think Sir Desmond looked a bit familiar.
As expected, although the old chaebol's tone was still cold and arrogant, when he opened his mouth, he still approached him first:
"When I saw you in the camp with the courage to fight against the heartless, I knew you were extraordinary. Now you have indeed become a minister."
But the next sentence immediately changed the direction: "Now that you have become a minister, you will definitely fulfill your obligations as a minister."
The implication is that Michaela still doesn’t understand. But just when Michaela was about to retort, the first person to speak was Humphrey:
"You are right, Sir Desmond. I believe that the minister must understand the truth and know how to assess the situation."
At this point, Humphrey turned to look at Michaela and asked deliberately: "Right, minister?"
"Michaela, when Humphrey looked at you, he glanced at the white paper on the table!" Torina reminded.
"Ok, I know."
Michaela is not an old bureaucrat and doesn't have to go around so much, so he simply picked up the white paper and asked:
"Sir Desmond, I want to know why you just let workers build a mansion for you before the city has been fully revitalized?"
Unexpectedly, Sir Desmond was not ashamed but proud. He even asked on the spot: "Is there any problem with this?"
Michaela immediately said: "In order to revive the city, even the regent doesn't have his own mansion, how can you..."
"But the regent approved it."
Who would have thought that Humphrey suddenly interrupted: "Minister, you know the process, our white paper is not made up, the relevant policies must be approved by the Prince Regent, and then the government white paper can be written, and finally signed by you for implementation."
Aqiang also approved it?
How is this possible... No!
It's possible!
The way Michaela looked at Sir Desmond immediately changed, from pure disgust to disgust.
Even Torina bluntly said: "I smell the smell of power-for-money transactions."
If it were an ordinary official, he might be so cowardly.
But Michaela was different. He was sitting in the office approving documents purely for transition, so even though he knew that there was a possible power-for-money transaction, he still chose to be tough:
"Unfortunately, Ser Desmond, I cannot agree to this project."
"Huh? Don't agree?"
Sir Desmond looked surprised and immediately turned to look at Humphrey, seemingly complaining that he didn't get it right.
"Be patient, Ser Desmond."
Humphrey is worthy of being an old bureaucrat who has been in the officialdom for hundreds of years. His expression did not change at all, and he just said lightly:
"It must be that my work here is not in place, which has caused some unnecessary misunderstandings among our young ministers."
Sir Desmond said immediately: "Then do your job well, Sir Humphrey, I am also very busy."
"um, yes."
Humphrey stood up and said, "I'm sorry this time. It was a mistake on my part that wasted your precious time. Bernard, send Sir Desmond away."
"OK, all right."
Bernard immediately stepped forward and said politely: "Sir Desmond, please come this way."
Before leaving, Sir Desmond glared at Mikaela one last time, and then followed Bernard out of the office.
As a result, only Humphrey and Michaela were left in the office.
Michaela slammed the table and spoke directly: "I don't care what deal that old ghost has with the Prince Regent, but I will never agree to such a nonsense project!"
"Yes, yes, minister, we should spend our precious budget on restoring the city, not on someone's enjoyment."
After Humphrey said a few perfunctory words, he immediately changed the subject:
"But, minister, no one is innocent of the deal you talk about."
Michaela snorted and shouted: "Sir Humphrey, do you think I am you?"
"Oh, this..."
Humphrey pouted, showed a meaningful smile, and began to talk at length:
"I admit that Sir Desmond and I were good friends in the old days of Silvermoon City. He was a generous man who gave a lot of sponsorship and helped the court complete many projects. The old king also knighted him."
"However, the natural disaster invasion changed a lot of things. Our compatriots suffered heavy casualties. My old friend Sir Desmond also lost his wife and children in this catastrophe, but he was lucky enough to survive and regain the Silver Moon. City, when the property was counted, his own property was basically kept intact."
"The god of luck favored Sir Desmond, so when he learned that the regent was preparing to revive Silvermoon City, he still maintained his generous virtue and vigorously sponsored the new government. Therefore, with Sir Desmond's contribution, , I think building a luxury home is not too much.”
Humphrey is indeed Humphrey. He has hundreds of eloquent words, but if you condense it, it’s just:
"Desmond has a relationship with the old Silvermoon City government, so now he is repeating his old tricks and has established a relationship with the current government and started to benefit himself."
Torina, the master of language compression, proudly puffed out her little chest.
In this regard, Michaela simply made it clear: "Sir Humphrey, I confiscated Desmond's money!"
I can't control other people's transactions for power and money, but I didn't participate in the transaction, so I'm innocent!
"Ah, okay."
Humphrey shrugged and said the most terrifying content in the most helpless tone:
"Minister, I just want to tell you a fact. Do you remember your salary? Those are Sir Desmond's money!"
"Wha, what?"
Michaela was shocked: "Salaries are paid by the government, what does it have to do with Desmond?"
Torina also echoed: "That's right, that's right."
But Sir Humphrey said:
"But, Minister, have you ever thought about a question?"
"Today, Silver Moon City is in the stage of reconstruction and revitalization, and the original industries have not been fully restored. No industry means no tax revenue, and the government has no income. So how do the city's reconstruction funds come from?"
"Well!"
The above questions really stunned Michaela, and she was speechless for a while. Fortunately, Torina reminded:
"Michaela, after retaking Silver Moon City, didn't the regent organize a property census?"
Oh yes!
Michaela reacted and immediately replied: "After the regent regained Silver Moon City, he sent people to conduct a property census. If I remember correctly, he received a lot of unowned properties as the government's start-up funds. For example, the establishment of our department, Just rely on that money.”
"Yeah, property census."
Humphrey continued: "It was precisely because of that property census that we discovered that Sir Desmond's property was relatively well preserved, and he became the richest man in Silvermoon City."
At this point, Humphrey deliberately paused tactically, and then added emphasis: "The wealth currently controlled by Sir Desmond even exceeds that of the Silvermoon City government organized by the regent."
Michaela's brows jumped and she was surprised: "He has so much wealth!"
"Yes." Humphrey nodded.
In this way, Michaela understood.
To sum up, Sir Desmond was a wealthy man as early as the old Silvermoon City era. However, at that time, Silvermoon City's dynasty was at its peak, so Sir Desmond could not make any waves.
However, since the natural disaster war led to the massacre of Silvermoon City, the forces within the blood elves have been greatly reshuffled, and the pattern has undergone fundamental changes.
The former Sun-Chasing Dynasty fell, and a new government was established by the regent Aqiang. Sir Desmond, whose property was intact during the war, became the richest man in Silvermoon City. Especially now, Silvermoon City is in the stage of revival and is in urgent need of a lot of money. No wonder even the regent Aqiang has to need the support of Sir Desmond!
As for the unowned wealth received in the property census, it has been spent long ago. Now it is all supported by Sir Desmond. That’s why Humphrey said that even Michaela’s minister’s salary belongs to Sir Desmond. money.
It turns out to be like this!
Michaela had to look at the white paper on the table again. No wonder Sir Desmond was so emboldened that he dared to come directly to ask for his signature to build a mansion, because the city's reconstruction funds were originally paid for by him!
Could it be that, could it be said that I had to...
At this moment, Michaela, who was under great pressure, finally felt that the minister was not so easy to be a minister, and even the right hand holding the pen began to tremble.
"Minister."
But at this moment, Humphrey suddenly said: "There are some things I must tell you."
Michaela looked up at the old bureaucrat in front of her and asked, "What..."
Um?
Suddenly, Michaela noticed that there was an evil light in Humphrey's eyes. He had never seen Humphrey have such a look.
Just listen to Humphrey continue: "I just want to tell you that in order to get Sir Desmond's support, the Regent has made many concessions, and building a mansion is just one of them. More importantly, in the future, Silvermoon City will be extremely important." Ownership of related industries..."
Humphrey suddenly leaned forward, got in front of Michaela, and said word by word: "Sir Desmond will get 50% of it."
"50%!"
Michaela's whole body was shocked. If what Humphrey said was true, what would it mean to Silvermoon City and the current government?
Without Michaela's need to answer, Humphrey gave the answer directly: "After Silvermoon City is rebuilt, the property rights held by Sir Desmond will be enough to influence all aspects of the city, even the regent's policies. Consider Ser Desmond's opinion."
Another tactical pause, another leaning forward, Humphrey's mouth was already close to Mikayla's ear, like an evil god whispering, reminding the young minister:
"So, Minister, I suggest you consider this white paper carefully. After all, it is closely related to your future."
After saying that, Humphrey retracted his body and looked at Michaela with a smile.
"Okay, do you think about it?"
Michaela put down the pen in her hand and looked at Humphrey.
"Yes."
Humphrey nodded.
It was evening, and Michaela came home from get off work and left the office.
Bernard, who was handling the follow-up matters, immediately asked Humphrey: "Sir Humphrey, have you told the minister everything about Sir Desmond?"
Humphrey sneered and said: "If it were in the old Silver Moon City, I would have many means, but now, I can only rely on our ministers."
Bernard asked in confusion: "Minister, what can he do?"
Humphrey said slowly:
"Bernard, you and I both come from officialdom and have bureaucratic thinking and practices, but our minister is different. He is not essentially a bureaucrat."
"So, the minister's approach will be different."
