Yes, Madam Prime Minister

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Isabelle held a secret meeting at one of her clandestine meeting places.

Of the four young officers, two were considered her staunch supporters. The other two were either newcomers who had previously accompanied Ronan's group to the New World, or the two hundred workers and soldiers that O'Brien and Chip had started with, who were mainly trained by him. The retired Marshal Raven didn't actually focus on training; he was primarily in charge of ideological education.

The other person is Adrian, who has now been transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture and entered the civil service system. It's hard to say whether he is still trustworthy, but Isabel must invite him, otherwise it would be a clear indication that she no longer trusts him.

Five key figures in the retrogressive movement: three of these individuals are influential figures in the arts and literature circles, while the other two are either authors of a well-known legal treatise or considered among the most famous economists in China. These two have recently published numerous comments on the books "A Brief History of Democracy" and "Communitarianism," offering both criticism and praise. Their stances are wavering and highly ambiguous.

But like Adrian, Isabelle still couldn't refuse to invite them to the meeting, otherwise it would be an open declaration of distrust.

Her team is currently very unstable, and if she shows distrust at this time, the result could very well be that her team falls apart.

Besides the representatives of these two factions, there are also Isabel's two advisors, who have long been bound to her, so there's not much to say about them.

Finally, there were three magicians, one of whom was Ashley; being a maid was just a side job for her.

Isabel rested her chin on one hand, tapping her fingers incessantly on the table with the other. "I think I don't need to elaborate on the topic. What are your thoughts?"

No one expected that Ashley, who almost never speaks, would be the first to speak up, "What's the point of talking now? Let's find a way to get rid of her."

Even Isabel laughed, and the others couldn't help but laugh as well.

Want to kill Ambrina under Dinia's protection? That's no joke.

It's impossible unless those old men intervene, but those old men don't get involved in these things. Unless Dinia breaks the unspoken rules and directly uses violence to fight for Ambrina's position, but she didn't. All the methods she and Ronan have used so far have been within the scope of political means.

"Then let's just have a coup?" Ashley asked again.

This sentence makes people even more dumbfounded.

A young officer spoke up, “The forces we control are not enough to carry out a coup. If the king were to take action against His Highness, we could claim it was a signal to attack us, thereby enlisting more people to form a powerful force to accomplish this. But right now, the king has not taken any action that should make people nervous.”

That's the truth. If the king takes a hard line against Isabel, many people will be nervous and might take risks for their own sake.

But if the king doesn't act, most of the so-called second princess's faction won't listen to Isabelle, let alone join her in any coup.

"Then you guys come up with a solution," Ashley said with an expression that said, "You guys do it."

A moment of silence fell over the room.

After a long pause, Adrian spoke up, "Let's also declare some political positions and make some improvements based on them."

No one responded to Adrian's words for a simple reason: if Isabelle wanted to do the same thing as Ambrina, why wouldn't others choose to support Ambrina? Ambrina was ahead in the line of succession, the king favored her, and she was relatively less assertive. In addition, she had Ronan and Dinia, two opposing figures, in her team.

Isabel's two advisors were also in a dilemma.

If Ronan were to implement reforms in the capital, or even in towns closer to the capital, they would have plenty of ways to sabotage the efforts, incite officials to increase their enforcement, provoke troublemakers to lead the opposition, or create incidents to embarrass them.

The crucial point is that Ronan chose Rennes City, a place not too far from the capital, where news could reach them, but where their influence was limited.

In the end, the secret meeting talked a lot, but it was as if nothing was said, and it ended just like that.

For Isabelle, the only takeaway was that she discovered the retro faction remained almost entirely silent, confirming that they were no longer willing to stand by her side.

She's important to retro parties; she needs these people to shape the legal system.

Everyone had already left, but Isabel was still sitting there, lost in thought.

It seems the tide has turned. Should she really cooperate with the Empress Dowager's faction, who are likely out of money, and let the old aristocracy replace the retrogressives as her mouthpiece? Forget it. Superficial cooperation is fine, but if she really becomes one of them, even if she can sit in that position, what's the point?

The meaning of her life is to change this country that she finds disgusting. If she can't, what's the point of living?

Unlike Isabelle's side, the atmosphere on the other side of the party was quite tense.

The queen and her three brothers also held a secret meeting, but none of the capitalists they thought had already pledged allegiance to them came. They gave all sorts of excuses: some had diarrhea from eating expired oysters, some had fainted from taking a long bath, some had their thighs broken by a woman sitting on them. In short, none of them could come.

This secret meeting, which was originally intended to discuss countermeasures, turned into a rant by nobles against capitalists.

The Queen's elder brother, Count Aquitaine, pressed his hands against his drooping face. He never imagined that the young man who had once been so subservient to him in prison would now be the one to orchestrate a drama that left them only with helpless rage.

Less than a month after returning to China, they had emptied their pockets.

If Isabel lost her pen, she still had the chance to team up with others and take a gamble, but if they lost their wallets, there was really nothing they could do.

Chapter 323 That's all. Just being alive is good enough; don't have any unrealistic expectations.

In late May, just when everyone in the capital thought that the uproar over Rennes City, which had been in the news for more than half a month, had finally subsided, two more major pieces of news came out.

First, there is a magical weapon under development. This weapon is suitable for use by mages, and even novice mages can use it. Its physical destructive power is not much stronger than that of a regular firearm, but this thing can fire six shots in a row, and it deals magical damage that can penetrate the magic defense membrane of a first-tier mage.

When the news spread, the high-ranking mages didn't care much, because this thing couldn't cause them any real harm. Even if a group of people used this weapon together, it wouldn't be as effective as their magic.

But countless novice magicians were excited.

Many low-ranking mages also tensed up immediately.

Firearms pose little threat to rank-one mages because their physical abilities are not those of normal people, and they also have a magical defense membrane.

However, if such a magical revolver were to actually appear, the combat power of first- and second-tier orthodox mages would become largely meaningless.

The vast majority of magicians are only beginners, and most of those in the main ranks are first or second tier. It can be said that the magic revolver is enough to influence the entire ecosystem of the magic world.

Many young officers began to wonder if it was possible to break the rule that senior officers must be in the correct position.

The second point is that the newly built milk processing plant is actually municipal, and local nobles can exchange land for shares to become shareholders of the municipal plant.

Throughout the north, due to Lawrence's enfeoffment more than a hundred years ago, there are many small military nobles, just like the minor nobles in Rennes. They own a piece of land that is neither too large nor too small. The control over these lands is so strict that they cannot expand or sell them.

Seeing the land-for-equity swap in Rennes, these people wished they could replace their own fathers.

Of course, many powerful noble families with vast landholdings had even higher ideas. If there were municipal enterprises, could there be state-run or even national enterprises? Dairy processing plants were out of the question, too unstable. They could invest in entire ironworks and salt mines, and they could have as much land as they wanted, more than enough.

The attitude of powerful nobles will inevitably influence the old nobles who are now merely figureheads.

The reason why old noble families, now reduced to mere figures of honor, still wield some influence is that, despite their decline for various reasons, they maintain deep connections with powerful nobles who still hold considerable real power and possess numerous fiefdoms, and even with the royal family.

For powerful nobles, old-guard nobles who like to talk nonsense and cause trouble are good stepping stones. However, when the stance of these stepping stones is too different from their own, they will never secretly support them again.

No longer a pavement for established nobles, yet his words still carry weight?

At this point, Ronan had accomplished what he had initially told Dinia: to divide and weaken the forces of the Princess Party and the Queen Party outside the capital. With a combination of tactics—young officers, retrogressives, old nobles, and emerging capitalists—those who needed to defect switched sides, and those who needed to shut up shut up. The few remaining die-hards were either already on the wrong side or couldn't even get on the queue to surrender, and were not worth worrying about at all.

The queen was so angry that she smashed seven or eight of her dressing mirrors.

Meanwhile, unlike her enraged mother, Isabel, the daughter, quietly left the mansion alone, preparing to leave the capital for a final gamble. She knew very well that her chances of winning were less than 50%, and it was less of a final gamble and more of a death wish.

Then, shortly after she stepped out, just as she was about to cross a small alley, Ashley blocked her way.

"Your Highness, being alive is better than anything else," Ashley said earnestly, her usual carefree demeanor completely gone.

"Ha, I didn't expect you to have been bribed too," Isabel remarked.

"Bribery? I've always served His Majesty," Ashley replied.

Isabel was taken aback, then realized, "So that's how it is. The 'Cold Cake Case' was orchestrated by my good father from beginning to end. The spies on my uncle's side were planted at that time, weren't they?"

“Come with me, and I promise you’ll be fine,” Ashley said.

“You really dare to say that,” Isabel laughed, wondering where Ashley got the confidence to make such a guarantee.

Ashley turned to face her. “I am your half-sister, my dear Your Highness.”

Isabel was stunned once again. After a long, long time, she slowly took a step and followed Ashley's steps.

At this moment, in the royal palace, in the king's study.

King Lucy felt a sense of relief. He hadn't expected Ronan to so easily dismantle both groups without giving them a chance to fight back.

He couldn't help but recall the words he had once said to Ronan, "I wish you were my son." Back then, it was just a casual remark, but now, he truly felt that way.

If he had a son like Ronan, he wouldn't have so many worries.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

“Go in,” Lucien said.

Ashley entered, knelt on one knee, and said, "I have fulfilled my mission, Your Majesty." After saying this, she disappeared into the shadows.

Immediately, Lucien heard familiar yet unfamiliar footsteps. "You've come."

Isabel entered the study and looked at the man in her line of sight. At first glance, she felt he was a stranger.

Looking back, the last time I saw my father was last year. Back then, he was still a handsome middle-aged man. But now, his cheeks are sunken, his skin is loose, he wears glasses on his nose, his hair is thinning, and he has a lot of gray hair. The word "old age" is etched on his face.

Lucien saw through his daughter's thoughts. "That's normal. This disease can't be suppressed anymore. At most, you have a year left." He spoke calmly. When he first got sick, he was very irritable because he didn't want to die. But as time went by, he gradually came to terms with it and no longer cared about life and death. He only wanted to leave his name in the history of the kingdom and the history of his family.

He knew he couldn't achieve great things; he lacked the ability, time, and energy. So, after thinking about it for several years, he came up with the idea of ​​having a prince assist in governing to continue the family's rule.

The ideal person to realize this idea was the eldest daughter, Ambrina, rather than the more capable and restless second daughter, Isabelle.

"Now that things have come to this, have you summoned me here to announce your punishment?"

"Isabel asked."

She lost, and lost decisively.

Lucien took off his glasses with trembling hands and sat down in the chair. "He's just a failed, dying father who wants to have a heart-to-heart talk with his daughter whom he hasn't spoken to in a long time."

“There’s nothing to talk about. Give me a piece of land in the colony, and I’ll go alone, without anyone else,” Isabel said resolutely.

Lucien waved his hand, "Don't even think about it."

“Delusion? I just want to live,” Isabel said.

Lucien sighed softly, "As long as you accomplish one thing, the only thing you will lose is your status as a princess, but you will win a seat in the future central government."

Chapter 324 What happened? Why did you kill her?

"What is it?" Isabel asked, puzzled and curious.

Lucien opened and closed his mouth repeatedly before finally speaking.

"Kill your mother with your own hands."

For King Lucien and the exceptionally politically astute Ronan, there was only one person who could not be eliminated from opposing Ronan's marriage to Ambrina: the Queen.

It's reasonable for a mother to oppose her daughter's marriage, right? No argument there.

Even King Lucien and Ronan, a man of extraordinary skill, were powerless against a mother.

So, the only thing we can do is ask her to die.

"Why?" Isabel was completely baffled.

Ambrina is 21 years old this year, not a child, and she also has Ronan's help. Her mother has neither the right nor the ability to interfere in politics, so why kill her?

Now that things had come to this, Lucien had nothing left to hide: "because Ronan is going to marry Anri."

"This..." Isabel was so shocked she couldn't speak.

“The competition between the countries of the Western Continent is intensifying, and the future situation will be even more severe, leaving no room for error. The king is the one most likely to make such a mistake. Isha, isn’t that why you’re unwilling to let Anri take the throne and want to do it yourself?”

Lucien countered with a question.

Isabel remained silent in acquiescence; that was indeed what she thought. She felt that it would be a national disaster for her sister, who struggled even to manage her own household affairs, to ascend the throne.

Seeing that his daughter was no longer so agitated, Lucien continued, "To be frank, I am considered above average among all the rulers of the past, but the country has been slowly falling behind under my rule."

"In the end, the king only has one wife and a few heirs. If the chosen one is not a good-for-nothing, it is already a blessing from God."

“Isa, you may think you have some talent, but tell me yourself, can you compare to Ronan?”

“I am not as good as him,” Isabelle replied, and there was nothing wrong with admitting it.

Lucien continued, "My idea is very simple: starting with Ambrina, all future crown princes' spouses will be selected from commoners or lower-ranking nobles through a combination of examinations and practical assessments."

Isabel had been completely drawn into her father's line of thought, so she asked, "But what if it's the Crown Prince? Would the Princess choose the same thing?"

"Ha, you think women are no good?" Lucien retorted.

Isabel, of course, would not say that women are incapable; she herself is a woman.

“In this way, our Freigo family can continue to be the royal family, and at the same time, we can ensure that the level of the highest ruler will not cause problems for at least five or six generations. As for what happens after that, that’s a matter for one or two hundred years from now, and it’s not something I should be concerned about,” Lucien explained further.

Isabel stood there, speechless for a long time. She understood, she understood everything.

Why did Ronan act as if he didn't see his close relationship with Ambrina when he came to the capital? Because Ronan had already passed the test and become a candidate.

Why did Ronan and Dinah go to the colony to deal with the two counts? Because it was a so-called practical test.

Why did rumors about Ambrina circulate in the capital last year, and why were those who spoke out dealt with by her good father, the king? Because it was actually a hunting operation by His Majesty the King.

The reason why "A Short History of Democracy" and "Communitarianism" spread so quickly was to enhance Ronan's reputation.

Having understood all this, it goes without saying why her father wanted her mother to die.

Having figured everything out, Isabel knelt down. "My mother isn't stupid. At most, she's using the marriage as leverage. If we can meet some of her conditions, she won't really object."

Even though she disliked her mother since childhood and had a poor relationship with her mother as she grew up, Isabelle still hoped that her mother could live at this moment.