The copy has 0 error tolerance, and the last words on the ground are all wrong for me.

Chapter 358 Unpopular Prime Minister Ron

Wu Chang looked at the Hills River outside the carriage and said to Revington who was driving:

"I now doubt whether what we are doing now is just to satisfy your driving hobby."

Ravington drove the carriage, his greasy mouth curled down and said:

"You make me so sad when you say that. I am clearly here to help you fulfill Her Majesty the Queen's commission."

"You know, as a detective, in most cases, there won't be any ready-made clues for you to solve the case."

"If you want to solve a case, you need detectives to find clues themselves, and the clues are in all kinds of subtle details."

Wu Chang clapped his hands and said:
"As expected of the best detective in Grimland, what he says is professional."

"But the question is, what does your showing me around town have to do with investigating the Prime Minister's assassination?"

Raventon said in a calm tone that seemed to see through everything:

"Captain, who do you think killed the Prime Minister?"

Wu Chang thought about the crime scene and said:
"It must be a powerful transcendent who is proficient in mental abilities or can forcibly control the target's body."

Ravington shook his head. "No, of course not."

"A transcendent cannot kill the Prime Minister."

Wu Chang raised his eyebrows and asked, "You mean, it was a gang crime."

"I mean, it's society that killed the Prime Minister," said Ravington.

“This society, which is at the top of the world and at its most glorious period, is about to decide whether to soar to the sky or fall into the abyss.”

Wu Chang rolled his eyes and said indifferently:

"Although I am the leader of the Mystic Knights and the Queen's Sword, and I have to share the Queen's worries, I can only do what I can do within the scope of my duties."

"In a sense, I am a detective hired by the Queen. I am only responsible for catching the murderer, physically and accurately."

"The abstract social contradictions you mentioned are matters for the Queen, the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers to consider. They have nothing to do with me."

Raventon glanced back at Wu Chang and said:

"In fact, I mean the actual murderer."

"The situation in Stylan is more complicated than you think. It's not just one party that wants the Prime Minister dead, but every party."

"This murder was done with the tacit consent of many parties. It all depends on who loses control and takes action first. The one who takes action will be punished."

"Grimlan is a miniature of Stylan. Seeing Grimlan clearly will help you determine the status of all parties and find out who couldn't help but take action."

Wu Chang sighed, "I didn't expect our Prime Minister to be so unpopular."

Raventon laughed, "Believe me, he is much more unpopular than you think!"

When they first met yesterday, Raventon, disguised as a coachman, acted as a tour guide and introduced Grimland to Wu Chang.

Now he really turned into a tour guide, introducing everything he encountered along the way.

"Captain Sean, the West District where you are is the quietest and most prosperous place in Grimland."

"Look at the Hills River not far away. It is still so clear and has no disgusting odor. Remember what it looks like now. When you leave the West End, you will miss it."

The Hills River is a river that runs from west to east across the entire Grimland.

The West End is where the Hills River flows into the city, and the water here is not yet polluted.

The route planned by Ravington also followed the Hills River and crossed the entire Grimland.

As the carriages left the West End, they began to enter the political and economic core of Grimland.

The roads are smooth and clean, and magnificent buildings that can be regarded as works of art can be seen everywhere. Various exquisite jewelry are displayed in the windows on both sides of the street.

Respectable gentlemen and ladies, riding in the carriage, talked about what new and interesting things had happened in the city last night.

Wu Chang asked Raventon to stop the carriage. He went into a roadside shop and bought a white diamond necklace displayed in the window. He said:
"I think it suits you very well."

Irene blushed slightly and said, "Thank you, but I'm not used to wearing jewelry."

Wu Chang shrugged and said, "It doesn't matter. It's a gift from the Queen anyway. It would be a waste if I don't take it."

"After entering Grimland, you became less talkative and seemed listless. I was a little worried."

Irene shook her head slightly and said, "I feel very depressed here."

Wu Chang looked up at the sky. The thick gray fog, like a cover, always shrouded the sky, making Grimland seem as if it was always cloudy.

No wonder the BBC’s hell filter is so handy, some places do have their own hell filter.

"Indeed, I also feel it's very depressing here. I'll think of a way to clear up the sky later."

I don’t know whether the mine method of creating clouds and rain can control the smog caused by condensation of industrial dust.

Irene says:

"What makes me feel depressed is not the weather, but the atmosphere here. I can feel that the air in the city is filled with the power of desperate faith. They are waiting for salvation."

Wu Chang frowned slightly. The desperate power of faith and the waiting for redemption, this is a big problem.

"Reventon, adjust the route and see if you can bypass the civilian areas and slums."

Ravington frowned slightly, "Then we can only move around the West District."

Wu Chang sighed and said, "Why don't you go back and rest first, or I can use the Miracle Tree to pray and temporarily block your perception of the power of faith."

He forgot that Irene couldn't bear to see people suffer, so she couldn't look around in Grimland.

Irene grabbed Wu Chang's sleeve, looked at him with shining eyes, and whispered:

"I want to see the source of everything. I won't interfere with your actions."

Wu Chang sighed. Irene had already said this, what else could he do?

Of course, she can do whatever she wants.

In the end, the worst that can happen is a draw.

The magic-destroying bullets of the Steam Phantom Plane are indeed powerful, but they are not magic-destroying crossbows that can injure gods. With the strength of Archangel Irene, nothing can hurt her except the possible existence of the Son of the Plane.

Ravington turned around and asked:
“Do we need to adjust the route?”

Wu Chang shook his head and said, "No need, just follow your original plan."

Ravington asked tentatively, "What happened to Miss Irene?"

Anyway, with Irene's personality, she will reveal herself after a while, so he said:

"My wife is a member of the church and is very sensitive to people in trouble. She is not used to Grimland."

"Holy Bishop?" Ravington asked in a low voice. In Grimland, the Holy Bishop was not popular among the people.

Wu Chang said, "It's a religion from outside, called the Yongguang Sect."

Reventon recalled for a while, shook his head and said, "That's the first time I heard of it."

After the little episode, the three continued their journey.

The carriage traveled through the city, and Raventon returned to his previous rhythm and introduced the surroundings to Wu Chang.

"Most of those who emerged here are new nobles. They made a lot of money through free trade. Many of them acquired more wealth in just four or five years than the old nobles accumulated over hundreds of years."

"As some of the wealthiest people in the world, they are the biggest donors to the Liberal Party and have a big voice in the House of Commons."

The political arena in Stirling is mainly divided into two major parties, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party.

The Conservative Party is mainly composed of land aristocrats, while the Liberal Party is mostly composed of new aristocrats and the middle class that emerged with the development of industry and economy.

Wu Chang asked, "I remember you said that Prime Minister Rowan supported the anti-corn laws and advocated free trade, so he must be very supported by these new nobles."

Ravington denied: "On the contrary, they don't like Prime Minister Rowan."

Wu Chang asked curiously, "Why?"

"Although Prime Minister Ron's views conflict with those of most members of the Conservative Party, he is a staunch Conservative and has repeatedly refused to join the Liberal Party," said Revington.

"Given the influence of Prime Minister Ron in Stirling, if he completes the reform of the Conservative Party and makes it less conservative, the Liberal Party will have a hard time."

Wu Chang held his chin up and said, "Prime Minister Ron is regarded as a traitor by the Conservative Party, but he refuses to join the Liberal Party, so he is feared by the Liberal Party. It seems that he has offended everyone except Her Majesty the Queen."

Raventon sneered and said pointedly:

"As a member of the Mystic Knights, I am absolutely loyal to the Queen, but from a factual point of view, compared to the earlier kings, most of Her Majesty's power has been divided away by Parliament."

"These powers that have been divided are basically in the hands of the prime minister."

Wu Chang understood what Ravington meant. In name, the Prime Minister exercised the king's power on behalf of the Queen.

But power is something more private than a partner. Is it reasonable to exercise it on behalf of others?

Any ambitious monarch is naturally in opposition to the Prime Minister.

And Olivia, her ambition is definitely not small. "Well, our Prime Minister Ron seems to really have no friends."

After leaving several core areas of Grimland, Wu Chang began to understand why Raventon had said before that he would miss the clean Hills River.

Leaving the western area, factories emitting black smoke began to appear on the riverside, and steamships carrying cargo began to appear on the river. The ships were constantly coming and going, and the river was very bustling.

As a result, the water of the Hills River began to become turbid and have an unpleasant odor.

The route chosen by Raventon passed by the dock, and he could see a huge shipyard docked near the dock.

From the political and economic center to the commercial district, there has been a significant decline in both the urban environment and people's living standards.

Not only that, groups of people marching can be seen on the streets from time to time.

Judging from the flags they waved and the slogans they chanted, the march was to oppose the Corn Laws.

Wu Chang thought of something and said:

"I remember you said that the Corn Laws had a great impact on industrial development. The people who pushed for the anti-Corn Laws were mainly the new nobles who controlled the factories and the lower classes. Prime Minister Rowan was the main promoter of the anti-Corn Laws."

"Then these new nobles who control the factories must support Prime Minister Ron."

Ravington was silent for a moment, then said, "In fact, they don't support Prime Minister Ron either."

Wu Chang slowly typed a question mark, "What's the reason this time?"

He just didn't believe that Prime Minister Ron could be so disgusted with people and dogs. It must be that Ravington was deliberately targeting him.

Raventon saw Wu Chang's thoughts and said:

"There are many reasons. Prime Minister Rowan is against the Corn Laws now, but in the early years, he was a staunch defender of the Corn Laws. He also helped the old nobles and suppressed the new nobles, so there has been resentment between them for a long time."

"At the beginning of last year, Prime Minister Ron also promoted the establishment of the Factories Act, which legislated that child workers aged 9-13 should not work more than 9 hours a day."

"How much?" Wu Chang scratched his ears, suspecting that he was hallucinating.

Ravington said: "It's an exaggeration, isn't it? You know, before the implementation of the Factory Act, child workers worked no less than adult workers, averaging 14 hours a day."

Wu Chang couldn't hold it in any longer. He said:

"My question is not that 9 hours is too short, but whether a 9-year-old can be employed?"

Raventon looked at Wu Chang strangely and said:
"I began to wonder if you had never seen what society is really like before you met Julie, or if the New World is really so different from Stian."

"You know, in many coal mines, many children start working with their parents at the age of five, so nine is not too early."

Feeling Raventon's gaze, Wu Chang didn't know what to say for a moment.

So it’s his problem that he can’t understand? That’s okay then.

The carriage traveled along the Hills River, and many small factories gradually began to appear in the city.

The treatment in small factories is lower than that in large factories. The reduction in wages has further reduced people’s quality of life, and they have begun to transition from civilian areas to slums.

Irene's expression in the carriage became increasingly ugly, and it was obvious that she was trying her best to endure something.

Through Raventon's introduction, Wu Chang learned that the place they were entering was already one of the poorest areas in Grimland.

There are a large number of unemployed people, disabled people and orphans gathered here.

The most eye-catching thing in the area is a huge gray church.

According to Ravington, it was formerly the Cathedral of the Holy Bishop, but has now been transformed into a huge poorhouse where anyone can get relief as long as they enter it.

Wu Chang thought that Grimlan still held on to his bottom line and had a bit of humanity, but Raventon's next words made him realize that he was overthinking.

The existence of the workhouse was not for relief, but to reduce the relief provided by the church.

The poor need to enter the workhouse to receive help, but once they enter the workhouse, they will be subject to strict management at all levels and high-intensity forced labor.

All income earned from working in the workhouse belongs to the workhouse, and those who enter can only get dirty dormitories, simple food, and extremely poor medical environment.

The mortality rate of members in the workhouse was as high as 15%, which is enough to illustrate what the environment was like there.

For this reason, in the slums, the workhouse is also called the prison of the poor.

Only treatment worse than that of the lowest-level workers can deter the parasites who want to fleece Stirland.

After seeing and hearing all this along the way, Wu Chang had a basic understanding of Grimland, and was no longer surprised when he heard these things again.

Apart from saying "It's worthy of being a royal city", there was no further reaction.

But looking at Irene, her expression wasn't so good, and it was getting uglier and uglier.

She couldn't bear to hear it, but she couldn't do anything.

She is the goddess of light, not the goddess of wealth. If it is illness that troubles people, she can strike hard, but it is wealth that causes all this, and even gods can do nothing about it.

Wu Chang grabbed Irene's hand, trying to give her some comfort.

Not to mention that she is a foreign god, even Julie, the native of Steam Phantom, is helpless about it, right?

The moving carriage suddenly stopped and a scream of pain was heard from the front of the carriage.

Wu Chang looked forward and found a thin boy who seemed to be a ghost and almost bumped into the carriage.

Thanks to Raventon's quick eyes and hands, he reached out and grabbed the other person.

"Thank you sir, you are such a nice man."

Ravington looked at the boy with a half-smile and said:
"I would have appreciated your gratitude more if you hadn't tried to take my wallet out of my pocket."

He grabbed the little boy's wrist, and in the boy's hands was a square wallet clasped front and back.

"It was a quick move, but it picked the wrong target."

The little boy was caught in the act and his face turned pale. He saw a corner of the banknote in the gap of Raventon's wallet.

banknotes, indicating that the property he stole was more than one sovereign.

According to Stirlan's laws, even if it was his first offense, he would face years or even lifelong exile.

The little boy panicked instantly, struggling and begging for mercy:

"Sir, I didn't mean to do that. Since this is my first offense, please let me go!"

"My sister is still waiting for me to take care of her, I can't leave her!"

Ravington curled his lips, released his hand and said, "You're lucky, kid."

The little boy showed his relief at surviving the disaster and bowed deeply. Just as he was about to leave, the door of the carriage opened and an unreal young woman walked out.

"and many more."

After hearing this, the little boy shuddered. If a coachman could carry banknotes in his wallet, how distinguished must the passengers he was carrying be?
He didn't dare to think about what would happen to him if he offended such a big shot.

In front of such a big shot, he didn't even dare to run. He could only stand there honestly, hoping that the other party would look at him with pity and not bother with him.

"My dear lady, I didn't mean to disturb you."

Irene said, "Don't be nervous, your sister is sick, right?"

The little boy nodded and said, "My dear madam, my sister is in poor health and has malaria. She is very ill. The doctor said that if she is not treated in time, she will die within two days."

When the little boy said this, he started to cry, and it didn't seem like he was faking it.

The movements of the few people also attracted the attention of the slum residents, but they just watched.

The little boy's story sounds tragic, but in the slums, such stories are very common.

Especially in recent times, there has been a large outbreak of malaria in Grimland, which is more common in the slums.

After hearing this, Irene said softly:
"Take me to your house. I'm a doctor. I can help her treat it."

The little boy said in disbelief: "But I don't have the money for treatment, not even the most basic money to buy medicine."

Irene said, "It's okay, take me to see it first."

The little boy's words did not attract everyone's attention, but Irene's words "I am a doctor" and the subsequent free treatment instantly attracted everyone's attention.

Their eyes were full of eagerness. A doctor willing to provide free treatment was a rare novelty in the slums.

More importantly, there are patients in their families who need treatment.

Feeling everyone's gaze, Raventon's expression became a little stiff.

He asked in a low voice: "Captain Sean, is your wife going to use her extraordinary powers to heal the disease?"

Wu Chang nodded.

Ravington asked, "Is it working?"

Wu Chang affirmed: "Absolutely good."

Ravington sighed and said, "That's troublesome. Grimland does not welcome outsiders."

(End of this chapter)