The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1338: Chapter 185: Hestingov’s Path to Governance (Part 2)

Arthur’s words weren’t just bluffing these officials. His card game skills were honed under the strict training of Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Talleyrand. Without that old fellow who frequented various diplomatic occasions for years, Arthur wouldn’t have learned so many card games.

However, when Arthur suggested changing the game, the mayor and others seemed hesitant.

It wasn’t because they didn’t know how to play Kelder, Hunter, and Paris, but because Kelder decides victory through the player’s hand, Hunter is akin to Blackjack, and Paris is similar to Texas Hold’em.

Playing these three games, the mayor and others couldn’t control the outcome, nor could they ensure the imperial envoy won with a sense of accomplishment.

Whereas Talbo’s gameplay was relatively complex, involving skills, strategy, social interaction, and psychology. As the best Talbo players in Druiysk, they could lose however they wanted, and they could change the way they lost, guaranteeing the imperial envoy’s enjoyment.

Arthur naturally understood what was on their minds, so he didn’t insist on changing the subject, but instead gathered the cards to shuffle: “Honestly, my arrival at Druiysk is truly a blessing for you.”

The officials inwardly cursed but outwardly had to offer hypocritical compliments: “You’re right, people as upright, righteous, and fair-minded as you are rare nowadays.”

Arthur raised an eyebrow, glancing at them one by one, until everyone was sweating under his gaze, then he chuckled lightly: “Don’t disbelieve it. I’m not a perfect person, but at least you can deal with me because I understand reason. If there’s a case I can’t handle, I’ll tell you straight out. But it’s annoying that some people seem upright and decent but have no ability whatsoever. Everything falls apart in their hands.

If you propose a reasonable opinion to him, he doesn’t thank you but instead gets furious, like a calf kicking its four hooves wildly. He’ll say, ‘You bunch of animals don’t know a thing! You don’t know how to be human, so take a look at me instead. Have you ever seen a good person like me?’ Such people think they’re upright and cultured and believe with their virtues, they deserve to be regarded as divine, considering everyone else as chickens while only he is the phoenix among them.

If you truly believe his nonsense, taking him as a savior! Well then, see for yourself! These people can talk big, promise grand gestures, saying they’ll play such tricks to outmaneuver a bunch of incompetents. But when it comes to action, their faces turn red and pale, they lose all ideas. It’s either hemming and hawing with ‘well this’ and ‘well that’, or they just agreeing with you with a couple ‘uh-huhs’.

At this point, Arthur even gave them an example: “There’s just such a person in our area. Always quoting scriptures and discussing, that’s his forté. But once things get serious, look! His calves start cramping. If you send him off, initially he’ll be quite bold, shouting orders, but then, silence, he lets go and doesn’t care anymore. Yet, he’ll keep complaining, saying people don’t appreciate his talents, treating such a capable person like a horse to haul dirt, and that it’s laborer’s work meant for small clerks. He claims he should be the one sitting on top, oiling the machinery. He never considers that if everyone’s mind is filled with such thoughts, if one day everyone becomes cultured people, then who will do the labor?

Druiysk officials were clever and regardless if Arthur’s example was real or not, they planned to follow and elaborate.

Mayor Bakarjin coughed, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and replied with a smile: “You’re absolutely right, it’s indeed like that. Everywhere there’s inevitably some officials who don’t live up to their names, always talking about integrity and virtue but lacking the ability to do the job, spending all day explaining profound theories, ultimately achieving nothing concrete.”

He glanced at the colleagues sitting beside him, with a subtle hint of cunning in his eyes.

Arthur tapped his fingers on the card table: “No, I’m telling you, it’s not because of incompetence nor stupidity, but rather the lack of decisiveness, also because of no patience, and laziness! They always think handling matters is child’s play, as if the fried grouse will fly into their mouths on its own, always using their own perspective to view the world. This is sheer nonsense! When arriving at a new place, you first watch and learn, ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do’, then grasp the local customs and human interactions. Once you grasp them, they’ve got nowhere to run, they are at your command!

If he’s sent back out to investigate a case, do you think he’d want to? No way! Not even five donkeys could drag him that hundred-mile journey! He’d go the first time because he doesn’t know what it’s like in the field, thinking once there he can fully unleash his imagination, and the locals will definitely listen respectfully to him.

Little does he know, to accomplish anything, sincerity alone is insufficient. It requires diligence, insight. Don’t mind dirtying your hands with soil, you must first break it open and look closely before sticking your nose in. But if your hands are pristine white, wearing gloves, and your nose is raised high, well then, keep wearing your gloves, but don’t expect to accomplish anything.”