Miss Wang Weina, even your cousin won't do!

They had already packed their bags and were on their flight to Victoria.

By the time other countries reacted and enacted relevant laws, Victoria had already taken advantage of the time difference and made all the money.

Who said Victoria was a fool for not getting a share of the Colombian pie?

Victoria simply baked a new cake and then ate it all in one go.

Chapter Eighty-Seven: The Upright Official

Victoria, New Wales, Rhine Life headquarters.

Director Henry led Miss Magistrate nervously into the New Wales City Hall building, carrying bags of gifts.

He came here to apply for a business license for Rhine Life.

Unlike in Colombia, business licenses in Victoria are not issued by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, but are approved by the City Hall Market Administration. This once made Director Henry feel very distressed; the thing he feared most in his life was dealing with government officials.

The negative impression left on Rhine Life by the Colombian government was so severe that there was an instinctive aversion to the word "government" from top to bottom at Rhine Life. Although the government had changed from Colombia to Victoria, this aversion did not disappear. On the contrary, it was exacerbated by the unfamiliar environment.

So much so that, although it has been almost a week since the core members of Rhine Labs moved to Victoria,

However, no one has been willing to go through the process of obtaining the business license.

Seria was asked to go, but she felt it was outside her authority and, being an ordinary staff member, declined the request. Henry thought about it and realized it made sense; sending Seria, with her outspoken (and emotionally intelligent) manner, might leave a strange and negative impression on the Victorian authorities.

Let Monica go. That woman is even more important. If she hadn't contacted Seria and told Henry her location, he might already be dead in that coffee shop. He owes her a life, and he can't let her deal with government bureaucrats.

After much deliberation, he realized that Rhine Lab, a prestigious organization, had no available troops. Left with no other choice, he had to take on the responsibility himself.

I also brought along a young lady from the department, so she could "broaden her horizons".

The New Wales City Hall is currently quiet, with not many civil servants coming and going. This is probably because the mobile city has only just been completed, and Londinhem has not yet officially assigned any civil servants to work here. Currently, the person in charge is a minor earl from the neighboring County of Toronto.

This made Henry feel even more disheartened.

What is the most terrifying thing on Terra?

Capitalists, nobles, warlords.

With two-thirds of New Wales already occupied, Director Henry could already foresee the difficulties of this trip.

"We're bound to get ripped off on this trip. Hopefully, our gift will make Count Doron a little happier."

Henry pursed his lips and said helplessly. Menezes, who was following behind him, carried two heavy leather suitcases and stared at Henry's back with dead fish eyes.

Yes, you're right, so that's why you made me, a lady, carry such a heavy suitcase?

Henry pretended not to notice Menes's indignant gaze, straightened his tie, and then knocked on the carved wooden door in front of him that had a nameplate that read "City Official's Office".

"Please come in."

A slightly weary voice came from inside the door. Henry glanced back at the commander, clenched his fist, and muttered in a low voice:

"Keep going! Don't be afraid, I'm here for you."

Menezes' lips twitched.

Well, I'm actually not that scared.

But you, Director... are you sure it's okay that your thigh is shaking so much? You're just going to meet a Victorian nobleman, not to the guillotine. Even if he wants to blackmail you, he wouldn't go so far as to tear you apart alive, would he? It really doesn't have to be like that.

Oh... I see, so you were the one who was scared!

The young lady suddenly understood. She bit her lip and clenched her fist, then solemnly replied to Henry, "Go for it! I believe in you (you can definitely overcome this difficult time!)"

Director Henry felt that something was amiss, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He could only nod, take a deep breath, and push open the door.

"Hello, Earl of Doron, I am..."

"Oh my! Is this Mr. Henry, the director of Rhine Life Insurance?"

Upon seeing the visitor, Count Doron, who was sitting behind his desk, immediately stood up with a sigh of relief, wiped the sweat from his brow with a towel, and said:

"I've been waiting for you for a long time."

Have you been waiting for me for a long time?

Is this an expression of dissatisfaction with me?

Henry frowned, his bad premonition deepening. Sure enough, Rhine Life's two-week-long silence had already displeased Victoria.

Perhaps their boss, Victoria General Health, has already sold them for a good price.

Henry's mind raced, but he had to do what needed to be done. He could only follow procedure, lower his stance, and say:

“Count Doron, I am here to apply for Rhine Life’s business license.”

"Is the relocation complete?"

"It's finished... It officially ended yesterday."

In fact, it had already ended three days ago. The remaining three days were spent learning about the customs and culture of Victoria and how to deal with nobles and bureaucrats. Those troublesome rules and regulations really made Henry, who was used to the simple exchange of interests in the Colombian style of "you give money, I give power," feel a chill down his spine.

There are four ways to say good morning to a nobleman. Which one do you know? Let me teach you.

Those you are close to can be addressed by their first names, those you are not very familiar with should be addressed by their noble titles, those in official positions should be addressed with "Your Excellency" or "Your Highness", and those in everyday life should be addressed according to the personal habits of the nobles.

LOL, I could never learn that.

Director Henry was worried that he might have made a mistake in his etiquette, but surprisingly, Earl Doron didn't seem to care much. He simply nodded and looked relieved.

"That's good, that's good. If you need any help, you can report it to the city hall, and I will personally take care of it."

Earl Doron spoke with heartfelt sincerity, but Henry probably took it as a polite remark. He smiled slightly and changed the subject, beckoning to the lady behind him, who immediately understood and stepped forward to place the two trunks on the table.

Henry smiled and said:

"Your Excellency, it's a pleasure to meet you. I apologize for the trouble I've caused the city hall. These are some gifts prepared by Rhine Lab; please accept them..."

"Take it back!"

Count Doron sprang from his chair as if facing a formidable enemy, waving his hands frantically and shouting:

"No, no, take it back immediately!"

Director Henry clicked his tongue in amazement. He had long heard that nobles were arrogant and couldn't get along with businessmen like them, but he didn't expect them to be so stubborn that they wouldn't even accept gifts.

It's an open secret in Colombia that you can't get things done without giving gifts, and Henry naturally had no doubts about it. But Rhine Life had just gone through a major disaster and hadn't recovered yet. The two suitcases contained money that Rhine Life had scraped together by selling some equipment that couldn't be moved and was stuck in Colombia. If Count Doron didn't accept the money, Henry wouldn't have any more to offer.

No matter what, we have to make him accept it!

“Count, Count, no need to be so polite. This matter is known only to heaven, earth, you, and me. I didn’t leave a recording pen or wear a camera, so there’s no need to worry about any problems. Please accept it with peace of mind and just take good care of Rhine Life.”

"Taking care of Rhine Life is a small matter, but I really can't accept this money!"

"The Earl of Doron said with a bitter face."

Damn it, he knew it. This acting mayor of New Wales wasn't a good position. Although New Wales seemed poised to become a major international trading city, making it a lucrative post, it was still that official's fiefdom!

The Prince of Wales! He's a very prominent figure in aristocratic circles. He's the member of the Aslan royal family who quelled the rebellion of the Dukes of Normandy. Although the nobles all think the Queen was probably setting a trap, there's no denying that the Prince of Wales, as a fishhook, was quite sharp!

If he were to embezzle money elsewhere, that would be one thing, but if he were to embezzle money from the first "subsidiary" of the first batch of so-called "state-owned enterprises" under the royal family's name on his fiefdom, then his head might be on the chopping block tomorrow.

He had absolutely no desire to reunite with the nobles who had committed suicide during that purge.

I absolutely cannot accept this money. For this one day only, I, Earl of Dorron, am the most upright and just official.

"Take it," Director Henry advised.

“No need, no need, really no need,” Earl Doron waved his hand.

The young lady looked on in bewilderment at the somewhat comical scene before her: on one hand, people were eagerly offering money to others, while on the other hand, they were being offered money and refusing it outright—it was truly a bizarre sight.

Suddenly, her ears twitched, and she turned her head to look in the direction of the city hall.

"Hey, Miss Chief, what are you doing?"

Having changed his clothes, Wayne raised an eyebrow and walked into the city hall.

Chapter 88 I'm not pretending anymore, I'm laying my cards on the table~

Wayne made a special change of clothes when he went out today. He didn't wear the bright red robe and formal attire that he wore in the palace with Vina, but instead changed back into the fitted suit he wore in Columbia. After all, his purpose in coming here wasn't for the Prince of Wales to visit his fiefdom, but to inspect the current situation of Rhine Lab.

The saying goes, "Oranges grown north of the Huai River become trifoliate oranges." There are countless examples in the world of people who succumb to the effects of a change in environment. Two weeks after Wayne returned to Victoria, he still hadn't heard any news from Rhine Life in New Wales. After waiting anxiously, he finally couldn't suppress his worry and decided to travel to New Wales incognito for a visit.

However, he had no idea what he was getting into while traveling incognito. Just as he stepped through the city hall gates, Wayne heard arguing coming from the direction of the city official's office. Walking over, he unexpectedly saw an old acquaintance.

"Miss, what are you doing?"

Menes noticed Wayne's presence and blinked in surprise. She was about to ask Mr. Wayne why he was there when she suddenly remembered that Mr. Wayne seemed to be a Victorian.

As one of Rhine Life's shareholders, Wayne has clearly stated his identity as a "Victorian" from the beginning. It was she who arranged for Celia to come to Victoria to pick Wayne up and take him to Colombia. It's not surprising that Mr. Wayne would be here.

The fact that he could spend such a huge amount of Lateran gold coins to buy Rhine Life shares shows that he must have considerable wealth in Victoria. According to Seria, Mr. Wayne also owns a property in Londinium, although it is only in the sparsely populated western suburbs, which is enough to prove his wealth and status.

What kind of place is Londinium? It's a veritable aristocratic city, the capital of the British Empire, renowned as the most magnificent city on Terra. Owning a detached villa there naturally signifies immense wealth and status. Although Rhine Life is now wholly owned by Victoria General Medical, and Wayne is no longer a shareholder of Rhine Life, Menes still wants to actively cultivate a good relationship with Wayne because of this connection.

She subtly moved a step towards the door, blocking the door to the city official's office, placed her hands in front of her, gave an embarrassed smile, and replied:

"It's nothing, Mr. Wayne. Long time no see. Director Henry is discussing matters with the city officials regarding the official commencement of operations for Rhine Life."

Is it really necessary to argue so fiercely about something as simple as opening for business?

Wayne tilted his head, looking at the figures pushing and shoving inside the door, and the two people chattering incessantly. He frowned in confusion and spoke first:

"Are you in trouble? Do you need my help?"

"Help?" Menes was taken aback. Mr. Wayne offering to help was no small matter. Given his position in City Hall, Mr. Wayne couldn't possibly be unaware that the current City Head was a genuine Earl. Was he offering help because he was confident he could influence the decisions of a Victorian nobleman?

Could it be that Mr. Wayne is also an aristocrat?

No, that's unlikely. Although Mr. Wayne has a villa in Lentinium and is very generous, he doesn't have any of the airs of an aristocrat!

In Miss Menes's memory, Mr. Wayne always appeared with a friendly smile, like an innocent young man. If it weren't for his wealth and insightful investment in Rhine Life, perhaps no one would regard him as a partner or rival in the business arena, but only as a well-mannered rich kid.

Menezes never sensed the inherent arrogance, strict adherence to etiquette, and innate disdain for Colombians that were common among Victorian aristocrats. If he truly was an aristocrat, then perhaps the Victorian aristocracy wasn't as terrifying as one might imagine.

However, even if Mr. Wayne is indeed a nobleman, he probably wouldn't be a high-ranking one. Why would a high-ranking nobleman bother with a small biotechnology company like Columbia? Manipulating the Terra trade in the City of Londinium is their norm, isn't it? It's a bit of a stretch for a minor nobleman to help Rhine Labs.

After all, on the surface, the city’s mayor is the Earl of Dorron, but in reality, as can be seen from the name New Wales, the city’s master behind the scenes is actually His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales of the Victorian Aslan dynasty.

That prince encountered unfair treatment in Colombia, and even called on the royal family of Victoria to support him, threatening the Colombians to get revenge.

He certainly wouldn't have a good impression of the Colombians. Rashly asking Mr. Wayne to help Director Henry and sabotage Earl Doron's "business" might protect Rhine Life's short-term interests, but in the long run, it could very well anger the enigmatic Prince of Wales. Even when beating a dog, one must consider its owner; offending the Prince of Wales would undoubtedly cause significant harm to Rhine Life's future development. It might even implicate Mr. Wayne, who helped Rhine Life, and bring him into the mess. It would be a losing proposition.