Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 2535 The Road to Queenhood (First Update, Please Subscribe)
The heavy snowfall has turned all of Moscow white. Although sanitation workers have begun clearing the snow and spreading salt on the roads, the snow is still very thick, so cars can only move slowly.

Division for Cultural Liaison.

Natasha frowned slightly as she thought about the new position the minister had assigned her: the Department of Cultural Liaison, which is responsible for managing external cultural exchanges and scientific and educational cooperation.

This department may not seem very important, but it is actually one of the most important departments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, because cultural exchange and scientific and educational cooperation are core aspects of diplomatic work, and its scope of work is not limited to a certain region, but extends to the whole world.

Although the Soviet Union had a Ministry of Culture, matters such as cultural exchanges with foreign countries were handled by the Cultural Liaison Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Soviet Union had science and technology departments, but cooperation in surgical education was handled by the Cultural Liaison Department.

This department is also a former member of the ministerial committee, making it an important department second only to several vice ministers.

"Isn't this too fast?"

Natasha said that because she had just turned thirty.

Even in Moscow, such young senior officials are extremely rare.

Because she was thinking about something, and because the road was icy and there were many cars, she drove very slowly.

While waiting at a traffic light, Natasha, lost in thought, completely forgot about her car. She was only brought back to her senses by the constant honking from the car behind her. She checked the time and exclaimed:

"Oh dear, school's almost over! ...I hope Andrei isn't getting impatient."

Despite working every day, Natasha, a single mother, always tries her best to make time to pick up and drop off her children.

In her haste, Natasha glanced around and, without thinking, turned the steering wheel, driving the car into the emergency lane in the middle of the road.

Then she stepped on the gas and drove forward. Compared to the icy outer lane, the emergency lane was salted several times a day and never accumulated snow. So she accelerated quickly, but unfortunately, she was spotted by the police just as Natasha crossed the intersection.

A red "Riguli" was driving in the emergency lane, which was unacceptable.

It's important to know that, aside from official vehicles like ambulances and fire trucks, the lowest-ranking car traveling on the emergency lane is a Seagull—a car reserved for ministers.

The police immediately called for an interception via radio, and Natasha's car was quickly stopped at the next intersection.

After the two traffic police officers got out of the car, they walked towards him. The officer in the lead looked at the new red Riguli and began to have some doubts.

Although it's called Riguli, it's a new style.

"Boss, this is a new car."

Generally speaking, people who can get a brand new car right after it leaves the factory at this time definitely don't get it by queuing up.

Those who receive new cars often have extremely special identities or work in special departments.

In other words, these people are definitely not people that we lowly police officers can afford to mess with.

"I know."

As he got closer, the young policeman's expression changed slightly. He saw the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' pass on the car's windshield, though it was obscured by snow, he still recognized it.

"It's a car from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

"Damn Michele, why didn't he mention that..."

The officer said that not because of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs... but because many KGB members work under the guise of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In other words, they might have stopped a KGB officer.

Moreover... the other party is a very beautiful young woman!

No need to guess!

In the end, the two police officers instinctively identified the other party as an official from KGB.

The moment the car window was rolled down, a smile immediately spread across the officer's face, and he said:
"Comrade Citizen, passage is temporarily prohibited ahead."

What was originally a car-stopping maneuver was transformed into normal traffic control, and in that instant, the police officer praised himself for his ingenuity.

"what?"

Natasha, who initially thought she had been stopped in the emergency lane, paused for a moment, looked ahead, and said:

"Is any important vehicle passing by?"

"Yes Yes……"

The police officer, of course, wouldn't admit that they had come specifically to stop her, and quickly covered it up with the simplest excuse:
"It's a notification from the Ninth Bureau."

"Oh, it's the Kremlin's motorcade."

Natasha nodded and said:

"Then I'll wait a moment."

Sure enough, this woman must be a KGB agent, the Ninth Int, the KBG Ninth Int, who is specifically responsible for the security of the Kremlin.

The other party knows so much about them, they must be one of their own.

The two officers exchanged a glance, feeling both grateful for their own cleverness and secretly relieved that they had finally escaped a disaster.

After waiting a few more minutes, the man in plainclothes pretended to say a few words into the walkie-talkie, then said:

"Alright, citizen, you can proceed now."

"Okay, thank you, citizen."

As the car drove away, the two policemen exchanged a glance, their faces filled with relief.

"Boss, you're so smart!"

Hearing his subordinate's praise, the officer said:

"Thank goodness, thank goodness I'm quick-witted enough! Otherwise, we'd be in Lubyanka..."

Natasha was clearly unaware of the police's self-indulgent antics. She simply rushed to the school, picked up her son, and then took him home—not to the apartment where she and her children lived.

It was his father's villa.

Upon arriving home, after learning that her father had already arrived, she bent down and said to her son:

"Andrei, you watch TV with your sister first. I have something to discuss with Grandpa."

"Okay." Andrei, like a little adult, slung his schoolbag over his shoulder and went to find his sister. Natasha, on the other hand, went to her father's study, where she saw him reading a book.

"dad."

"Um,"

Marshal Kozverev looked up at his daughter, a smile spreading across his face, and said:

"Nasha, I received a lot of calls today, all praising you."

At this moment, the marshal's face was filled with pride. After all, his daughter had received praise from all sides. For a father, this was naturally a source of great pride and joy.

Natasha said:
"It was just a suggestion, I didn't expect it to be praised by so many people."

"It's more than just a suggestion."

Marshal Kozverev shook his head and said:

“In the past, we rarely used such a tactful approach or such flexibility when dealing with Western countries. Your suggestion this time was very successful and effective, which is what the Kremlin values ​​most. After all, we can't always deal with them in a tough manner. So your flexible suggestion is exactly what the Kremlin needs. They need to deal with Western countries in a different way.”

Because of his position as Deputy Minister of Defense, Marshal Kozverev was very aware of the inside story. He briefly explained why the Kremlin valued this matter, and then he added:
"That's why they treat you differently."

"So that's it."

Natasha nodded and said:
"By the way, Dad, this afternoon, the minister spoke with me and he hopes I will go to the Department of Cultural Liaison."

"Cultural Liaison Office?"

Marshal Kozverev pondered for a moment, then asked:
"Are you the person in charge?"

"Yes."

"Then what do you think?"

Natasha thought for a moment and said:

“This is an opportunity,”

"But it's also a challenge. The next step up is deputy minister, and there aren't any high-ranking officials this young in Moscow, Natasha..."

Marshal Kozverev spoke while pondering, and after a moment, he said:

"But in any case, this is an opportunity. My advice is that you take it first, and then seek opportunities outside of Moscow, well, in Ukraine."

When the Marshal mentioned anything outside of Moscow, he did not mention other regions, but went directly to Ukraine.

Having a work experience in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was indeed a significant advantage for promotion to the highest levels of power in the Soviet Union, and was almost a "standard requirement".

The reasons behind this cannot be simply summarized as the "Dnieper Gang," but are multi-layered, involving multiple aspects such as politics, economy, ethnicity, and ideology.

Because Ukraine was the second largest republic in the Soviet Union after Russia, it had a large population and strong organization. It held a permanent seat in the Soviet central government.

Governing Ukraine means managing an entity the size of a medium-sized European country, the political complexity and importance of which are self-evident.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has a very complex social structure, including a pro-Western western region—the former Polish territory that was annexed after World War II; an industrialized eastern region dominated by Russians; an agriculturally developed central region dominated by Ukrainians; and minority groups such as the Tatars of Crimea.

Serving here tests an official's ability to handle complex issues such as ethnic relations, regional development imbalances, and ideological differences. The ability to stabilize Ukraine demonstrates competence in governing a multi-ethnic country.

Meanwhile, Ukraine was also a crucial strategic rear area for the Warsaw Pact in its confrontation with NATO, possessing numerous military industrial bases and a Black Sea Fleet. Its stability and loyalty were directly related to the Soviet Union's national security.

In terms of economic status, Ukraine was also the "economic engine" of the Soviet Union—the Donbas region of Ukraine was one of the largest coal and steel production bases in the Soviet Union, and the Dnieper River region was a center for heavy machinery and military manufacturing. Kharkiv was a tank manufacturing base. Controlling the Ukrainian economy was tantamount to controlling a part of the Soviet Union's industrial lifeline.

Furthermore, Ukraine was the Soviet Union's most important agricultural production base, especially for food and cash crops. Ensuring Ukraine's agricultural output was crucial for solving the country's food supply and stabilizing prices.

The ability to coordinate such a vast industrial and agricultural system is the ultimate test of an official's economic management skills.

Serving in Ukraine means access to the Union's top industrial, agricultural, and scientific management talent, and the opportunity to build one's own network. This network and these resources are invaluable capital on the path to the pinnacle of power in Moscow.

It was precisely because Marshal Kozverev understood the key point that he made such a suggestion. Although he knew that his daughter had no chance of reaching the highest level, when she left the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Ukraine, as a high-ranking official parachuted in, she would have the opportunity to enter the upper echelons when she returned to Moscow.

This is precisely why she needs to go to Ukraine—to connect with the future highest levels of government there and join that group, securing a place for herself within it.

This is the most important reason for traveling from Moscow to Ukraine.

This is the path that all young officials, or rather all promising young officials, should take, rather than going elsewhere, even if they gain promotions in those republics, only to be marginalized by Moscow in the end.

Only after going to Ukraine.

Only then will they have the opportunity to meet with future high-level executives, integrate into the group, and become one of them.

"Now that you're in the Kremlin's sights, they'll keep an eye on you for the next decade or so. When you achieve something in Ukraine, they'll naturally give you the green light."

I wasn't talking about Ukraine..."

The marshal looked directly at his daughter and then spoke in an extremely serious tone.

“I’m talking about Moscow, and possibly even the Kremlin, after all, you’re one of us.”

After listening to her father's arrangements, Natasha pondered for a while. Having an excellent understanding of the Soviet Union's internal affairs, she easily grasped the key points.

From any perspective, her father's arrangement was extremely beneficial to her. Only by leaving Moscow could she gain greater opportunities for development in Ukraine and pave the way for her return to Moscow.

Of course, Natasha doesn't fantasize about becoming the master of the Kremlin, but if everything goes smoothly, she is qualified to enter that conference room in the Moscow Armory building.

The chances are very high if she can rise to the top ranks of Ukraine, given that too many high-ranking officials have entered the Kremlin through this route over the past few decades.

So all she needed to do was replicate their success. And unlike them, she had her father—a marshal.

A marshal's daughter may not become a marshal, but that doesn't necessarily preclude her from becoming a high-ranking official.

Then she said:
“Yes, Father, I know what to do.”

Marshal Kozverev was slightly surprised by his daughter's reaction, but also somewhat gratified. He nodded slightly and said:
What is Andrei doing?

Upon learning that Andrei was in the living room, the marshal's face was filled with a doting smile. He then left the study, and soon the living room was filled with laughter.

Hearing their laughter, Natasha smiled too, then muttered to herself:
"Now, we should go see him again..."

(End of this chapter)