Chapter 3: Luo Lun Luoyate

Victor Emmanuel II acted quite quickly.

On the day Carlo received his three-million-lira annuity, Victor Emmanuel II also brought him the butler candidate he had carefully selected.

However, the final decision still rested with Carlo. After all, a butler is the subordinate a noble trusts most, and Carlo had 100% of the choosing power.

Borrowing a conference room in the Wang Gong, Carlo held a meeting with the subordinate recommended by Victor Emmanuel II.

Because Carlo was not very old, the talent recommended by Victor Emmanuel II was also young, looking to be in his early twenties.

However, according to the information provided by Victor Emmanuel II, this fellow named Luo Lun was not simple at all.

First was his educational background; not only did he graduate from a prestigious university, but he had also studied abroad in Britain and France for several years.

However, because he had been raised and funded by the royal family since childhood, his loyalty was guaranteed.

Moreover, Luo Lun had already been managing a portion of the Italian royal family's assets, so his abilities in finance and economics were worth affirming.

Simply put, Luo Lun was a talent who had been tested in terms of both knowledge and ability, and his loyalty was also beyond doubt.

Carlo's first impression of Luo Lun was also quite good.

Born in a monarchy, Luo Lun had a favorable view of the monarchical system. Especially since everything he had came from the funding of the Italian royal family, his loyalty to the entire Italian royal family was unquestionable.

"Luo Lun?" Carlo spoke first.

"Yes, Your Highness. I am Luo Lun, and it is an honor to serve you." Luo Lun nodded very respectfully, keeping his posture very low.

"Very good." Carlo nodded with satisfaction, quite approving of Luo Lun's manners and conduct.

After all, if even one's own butler did not recognize the superior status of the nobility, who else would?

"Were you working for my father before?" Carlo asked.

"Yes, Your Highness." Luo Lun nodded and replied very respectfully: "Previously, I managed plantations in the Philippines region and also acquired several newspaper offices in the Turin region."

Carlo was quite satisfied. Although the plantations Luo Lun managed were all crop plantations, this management experience could be extended to future rubber plantations.

There is no need to mention how profitable rubber plantations are; with such experience, Carlo could easily become a giant in the rubber industry when laying out his future plans.

The experience of acquiring newspaper offices added even more points for Luo Lun. Because in Carlo's mind, the power of public opinion held by newspapers was extremely important.

If a person or a country can grasp the power of public opinion, they can easily turn black into white, calling right wrong and wrong right.

This was quite important for stabilizing the monarchy in Italy or Spain; at the very least, it could influence the choices of the masses and keep the monarchy from exiting the stage of Italy and Spain too early.

Whether now or in later generations, the masses have a blind herd mentality.

Regardless of whether a system is good or bad, as long as many people say it is bad, then it is bad.

If the power of public opinion is grasped well, it will become an important weapon for Carlo in the future, second only to the army, and can also play an unexpected role.

In Carlo's future plans, whether he becomes the King of Spain or continues as an Italian noble, he must use his noble status to actually do some good for the people.

And the power of public opinion, centered on newspapers, was an important weapon for Carlo to carry out propaganda. After all, the purpose of doing good deeds is to let the people know that nobles are not all cruel rulers who oppress the masses, and that the monarchy is not entirely flawed.

"Tell me your views on newspapers." Although Carlo was already very satisfied, the examination of Luo Lun was not completely over.

If Luo Lun could have a slight alignment with Carlo in future development, perhaps their cooperation would be even more perfect.

Hearing Carlo's inquiry, Luo Lun did not rush to answer, but after thinking carefully for a moment, he spoke: "For the present, newspapers are just a way for the masses to obtain information from the outside world.

But for the future, the role of newspapers is quite important, and can even influence the people who read them.

Although the role of a single newspaper is not great, if we can control dozens or even hundreds of newspapers, and then publish a certain piece of news in all these hundreds of papers simultaneously, then this news will be instantly believed by hundreds of thousands or even millions of people, regardless of whether the news is true or false.

I believe that, judging from the potential and role of newspaper development, it is necessary for you to purchase several newspapers as your own weapon of public opinion, so as to exert influence on the masses."

Carlo nodded, quite approving of Luo Lun's words.

Although the development of newspapers had not yet formed a large-scale power of public opinion, the role of such an institution was unquestionable.

That Luo Lun could see this ahead of time proved that his strategic vision was quite good.

With such a talent as the manager of Carlo's assets, at the very least, the probability of Carlo's assets growing was far greater than the probability of them decreasing.

"You have successfully impressed me, Luo Lun." At the end of the conversation, Carlo nodded with a smile and said to the anxious-looking Luo Lun: "From now on, you are my court butler."

A butler in a Western court is not like a Eunuch in an Eastern court; a butler not only possesses a high degree of voice and authority, but will also not be discriminated against by anyone.

Luo Lun did not reject becoming Carlo's butler; after all, if he were under the command of Victor Emmanuel II, he would only be a talent with decent ability.

But if he pledged loyalty to Carlo, Luo Lun would become Carlo's confidant and an important subordinate; the importance of the two roles was completely disproportionate.

Moreover, Carlo was also the Duke of Chablais in Italy; becoming a Duke's butler was not a shameful thing.

"Your Grace, because I have been an orphan since childhood, I only have my name, Luo Lun, and no surname of my own.

May I request that you bestow upon me a unique surname? Luo Lun is willing to serve Your Grace with all his life's energy." At the end of the chat, Luo Lun suddenly spoke and requested that Carlo bestow a surname upon him.

Such things had happened before; if a commoner suddenly gained the trust and heavy reliance of a monarch, it was not strange to bestow a surname that integrated them into the noble class.

Luo Lun's request for a surname was actually a way of showing his attitude of loyalty to Carlo. After obtaining the surname given by Carlo, Luo Lun would be completely labeled with Carlo's mark.

If Luo Lun were to betray Carlo in the future, his reputation among the European nobility would be ruined, and his future would naturally be gone.

Carlo naturally understood this. Looking at the determined Luo Lun, Carlo smiled and said: "Alright then, Butler Luo Lun. I think the surname Luoyate is quite good. Luo Lun Luoyate will surely become a legend worth writing in Italian history."

Luo Lun nodded and accepted the surname with a respectful expression.

Luoyate means "loyalty" in English. The meaning of Carlo giving him such a name was self-evident, and Luo Lun also hoped to express his loyalty in this way, so as to gain Carlo's trust and heavy reliance, and to demonstrate his own ability.

New book setting sail, seeking recommendation tickets, seeking collections, seeking follow-up reading, seeking investment!

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(End of chapter)