Chapter 982: The Birth of a Faction

After dinner, Lanse went to the study with Mayor Williams and his two sons.

Mrs. Williams did not accompany them, because in the eyes of some older people, a study is a sacred place.

Especially for some politicians, the last things that should appear in a study are people of color and women!

In some large families, maids can almost work or serve anywhere, but only the master's study is served and cleaned by a male butler.

Apart from the many secret things here, the most critical thing is that women are not welcome here.

Now, the one serving everyone in the study has become Arthur. He constantly brought some pastries, drinks, cigarettes, cigars, and some things used for service from the cart pushed by the butler and maids outside the door.

Mayor Williams looked at the cigar box Arthur brought in and immediately introduced it to Lanse. "Willis brand cigars, have you tried them?"

This cigar box looked very exquisite and beautiful, just one look and one knew its price was very expensive.

Some golden lines on the front of the box should be pure gold inlaid on the box. In the middle of the box is its... should be said to be its trademark.

A lion lying on the grassland, with a shield and a sword beside the lion.

Lanse shook his head. Animals like lions are regarded as symbols of "power" and "strength" in many countries, so there are quite a few trademarks that use lions, which is very normal.

"Willis is a cigar brand. You might not pay much attention to this usually, because it is very niche."

Mayor Williams let Arthur help Lanse unpack one, took it himself to cut the cigar cap, lit it, and smoked the cigar head.

"It belongs to a member of the royal family of the extinct Hama Dynasty, specifically serving this royal family member personally."

"After the Hama Dynasty was destroyed, this farm was acquired by businessmen, and people could taste the wonderful taste of Willis cigars."

He handed the already baked cigar over. Lanse said thank you, took it, and took a puff, feeling the constant changes in the taste of the smoke in his mouth.

After about seven or eight seconds, he exhaled the thick smoke in his mouth, and the entire study was filled with a good smell of tobacco.

Actually, the smell produced by the burning of most tobacco is not good, pungent, and some people even think these smells are smelly.

Including some relatively good cigars, the smell of the smoke they exhale is also hard to control.

But the smoke exhaled by this cigar cannot be as exaggerated as people say, but at least it is not terrible.

Mayor Williams looked at Lanse with a slightly expectant look. Lanse looked at the cigar in his hand and commented, "Very average."

This sentence made James and Arthur stunned for a moment. They subconsciously looked at their father, while Mayor Williams couldn't help but laugh out loud!

"Yes, yes, you are too right, it is just like that, very average!"

He laughed until tears were about to flow out, while laughing, he also lit one for himself.

After he took a puff and exhaled these smokes, he laughed and said, "But it is still one of the best cigars in the world. Its advantage is not in how much taste it can provide you, but its added value."

"Limited to 1,000 boxes per year, sometimes production can't keep up, only seven or eight hundred boxes."

"Think about it, how many rich people are there in the Federation?"

"How many rich people are there in this world?"

"Only a small amount of cigars circulate in the market every year. Owning it is not just about having money; you also need other things."

"Power, status, influence!"

Mayor Williams took another puff. "If she hadn't taken it out, maybe I would have collected it."

This was clearly Mrs. Williams's decision, and the reason she made such a decision was that Lanse took the initiative to mention attending Arthur's wedding, and she accepted this favor.

Saying this, Mayor Williams looked at his two sons. "You two also take one each, especially Arthur. Remember its taste and our evaluation, you will use it in the future!"

In Lanse's view, this Willis cigar is at most at the level of twenty or thirty dollars, and there is still some distance from those top-level cigars, fifty dollars or even more than one hundred dollars.

But just as Mayor Williams said, some of its history has given it more value.

The old tailor's business in the city center of Jincheng is booming. After people knew that he used to serve nobles in the Empire, he didn't have to worry about doing business!

Before Lanse left, he complained to himself that there were too many guests now, and reservations were booked until a year later.

He is not only not relaxed now, but has to constantly lead apprentices to catch up with the progress, which is something he couldn't imagine before!

There are too many rich people in the Federation. Some people in Manton even drive or take the train to Jincheng just to book a number, in order to be able to wear a custom-made clothing of "the same quality and production level as nobles" on some important occasions in the future.

Federation people just like this, can only say that Federation people are still too rich.

However, Lanse's attention is not here, but on Mayor Williams's discipline of Arthur.

Mayor Williams felt the confusion in Lanse's eyes. He took the initiative to explain, "Arthur will very likely not develop in Jincheng after marriage. He will go to Jinzhou, New Jincheng."

Facing Lanse's more confused eyes, he continued, "The business here in Jincheng has basically stabilized, and his mother's meaning is that she hopes he can make a career, in terms of business."

"We signed him up for a study class, learning things about business. After the summer vacation is over, he will go to Jinzhou to go to school, and then start a business over there."

Lanse turned to look at Arthur. "Sounds good!"

Arthur smiled shyly. In the eyes of outsiders, he might be an out-and-out devil, for example, the late imperial banker Mr. Jobaf.

Arthur blackmailed him more than once, and every time he blackmailed a lot of money, and was determined that Mr. Jobaf couldn't do anything about him.

Borrowing money, loans, or simply opening his mouth to threaten and demand, in the eyes of those people, he is just like a devil, a scum!

But in front of Lanse, Mayor Williams, and his mother, he only behaves like a cheerful big boy.

Kindergarten teachers are very cute, but kindergarten teachers also have to eat meat.

"Work hard. If you encounter trouble you can't solve, you can call me, but I won't necessarily help you!", Lanse thought for a while and still gave a warning.

Although he hasn't established his own power in New Jincheng yet, as a person who has joined the core of Senator Cleveland's team, he only needs to make a phone call to mobilize some power.

He understands Arthur this person. He is very persistent about sex and pleasure. Lanse doesn't think he will cause any big trouble, at most it's getting a girl pregnant and not finding a place to have an abortion.

Arthur scratched his head. "I know, Uncle Lanse."

As a child pampered at home, Arthur also has places that are not easy for ordinary people to do, that is, he listens very much to his mother and Mayor Williams.

They let him call "Uncle," so he calls Uncle, and there is nothing embarrassing.

Lanse nodded slightly, and this topic was considered over. This is probably also a topic Mayor Williams deliberately brought up.

It can also be seen that he is still very partial to this youngest son, otherwise he wouldn't let him go around blackmailing and causing trouble like a bastard in the city.

Ending this topic, Mayor Williams held the black tea and took a small sip. There were not so many complicated ingredients inside, just simple black tea.

The taste of black tea made the greasiness brought by the food just now disappear quickly. He put down the teacup and looked at Lanse. "Terry's side... has he contacted you?" This is a serious matter. Arthur took the initiative to stand against the wall, and James also began to concentrate his attention.

Lanse nodded and said, "We talked on the phone. I will go to Manton in a few days, and I will meet him and chat."

As for what to chat about, he didn't say, but Mayor Williams knew it was about the gubernatorial election.

Then naturally, what they are going to say next is also extended from this topic.

"Lanse, have you thought about some subsequent problems of the governor's position?", he asked.

He didn't wait for Lanse to answer him, and continued to say his own thoughts. "Jincheng is a very important voting base, plus the Lawrence family side, if you add your personal influence, the influence of gangs, it can be said that you basically control 30% to 40% of the legal votes in Likarai State."

"You already have the greatest say in the issue of the gubernatorial election. In the future, everyone who runs for governor must respect you and obtain your support before they have a chance to compete fairly."

Mayor Williams picked up the teacup and took another small sip. He looked up at Lanse. "You are more important than you think, in this matter!"

Lanse just nodded without speaking, which made Mayor Williams couldn't help but smile bitterly. "You are still so cautious!"

He paused, then turned to look at James. "You have such a great say in this matter, plus your current career, Lanse, you need a stable and reliable base!"

"Senator Cleveland and the others will form an interest group, for the sake of each other's interests."

"Actually, we can also form an interest group, for the sake of our interests here!"

"I believe that with the changes in some subsequent matters, perhaps you can continue to expand your influence in this regard."

"I am already very old. In this life, it is very likely that I have no chance to run for governor, but James is still young, and William (Lanse's father-in-law) is also very young, and some younger generations in the Lawrence family are all very young!"

He said this and looked at James, who had already widened his eyes. "It's a pity that I only have two sons, and Arthur's mother always has her own independent ideas."

"Recently, James's wife is already pregnant...", he turned to look at Lanse. "If it is a girl, I hope she has the opportunity to accompany Ace."

Ace is only a year old, and he already has a fiancée. I don't know what those people who are twenty or thirty and still single think.

Lanse knows what Mayor Williams means. Since Lanse has such strong influence, plus the Williams family and the Lawrence family that is constantly expanding and inflating, they can completely unite and turn Likarai State into their own backyard!

Just like those few states that are firmly held by mountainism!

Those few states are firmly controlled by local political families and financial groups. From governor, deputy governor, secretary of state, attorney general, speaker of the two houses, to almost all government officials below, they are all their own people!

Apart from the military, which they are not so easy to infiltrate, basically the government level is all their people.

That is an independent small kingdom. They can formulate regional policies for their own enterprises, allowing their financial groups and political families to continue to expand!

What Mayor Williams is thinking about right now, what he wants, is this!

How can a family compare to a "great family"?

Families are common, great families are not common.

James and Arthur both looked over here. Lanse didn't refuse, which meant they had the possibility of cooperation.

The father and three sons stared at him without blinking. Lanse didn't give them any indication, but frowned and thought about this matter.

Actually, from the historical development trajectory, whether it is the Federation or other regions, mountainism will eventually disappear in the long river of history.

The thing of "private land" will become thinner and thinner.

But in this period, this era, local emperors still exist, and the federal government still has no very good way to deal with these people.

But with the development of the era and the progress of science and technology, it will eventually move toward a strong country and a weak region.

Lanse thought for a while, and finally nodded. "If it's not a girl..."

Mayor Williams couldn't help but laugh out loud. He looked at James with a kind of indescribable grotesque in his eyes. "Then let him keep having girls until he has one!"

Arthur also had some schadenfreude on his face. He knew that James and his wife were also a political marriage, and there was no affection between the two sides at all. Letting him go to someone he had no affection for and keep having girls until he has one is indeed quite torturous.

James also found it hard to control his expression under such circumstances.

Incredible, absurd, ridiculous, shocked, eventually becoming serious.

He took a deep breath. "I will work hard."

He of course knows who this is best for. With Lanse's support, he might not be able to be mayor in the future, and his children might also have the opportunity to be mayor.

According to Mayor Williams's current idea, the future governor is very likely to circulate between the Lawrence family, Lanse's children, and the Williams family.

This is something they didn't even dare to think about before. Now it has become a reality, and it has high executability. How could he destroy this cooperation because of personal likes or dislikes?

Even if his wife doesn't like to sleep with him, he will tie her to the bed with a rope, and her family will also strongly support it.

After all, if they have a chance to be the governor's son in the future, there is also half of the wife's family's blood!

Seeing Lanse agree, Mayor Williams said again, "The Saint Agriculture Festival is coming soon. Before the Saint Agriculture Festival, I plan to go to Lawrence Farm. Let's sit down and talk about these things properly."

"And, I think we can invite some other people to join. After all, there are so many government positions and posts in a state, not just the position of governor."

Since Lanse has already agreed, he won't block him on such small issues, and this is indeed helpful for "rule," so he agreed to it all.

The two chatted about some other things, not involving the issue of "personnel allocation." This requires everyone to sit down at the Saint Agriculture Festival before they can have a rough intention.

Whether it is James or William, or others, at least for the next four years, it is very difficult for them to become governor.

Attorney General Terry has been coveting this position for a long time. As one of the top five people in the state, he has always maintained enough respect for Lanse, which shows how keen he is on this position.

So the next four years will be the four years of Attorney General Terry. As for who can go up after four years, it depends on how much the interest group with Lanse as the core can expand in these four years.

After the father and three sons sent Lanse away, Mayor Williams was a bit emotional. "It's been seven or eight years like this. Seven or eight years ago, Lanse was just a small character, but look at him now, even we need to consider his attitude."

"I didn't believe in the Federation Dream before. I always thought the Federation Dream was a clever ruling means, but now, I perhaps believe it a little bit."

He glanced at James. "I don't care about the relationship between you and your wife, she must give me a granddaughter."

James nodded and said, "I know."

After Lanse patrolled Jincheng, he rested for two days and then went to Manton. Attorney General Terry had been waiting for a long time.

Maybe there was no such strong feeling in Jincheng, but after coming to Manton, one could feel the atmosphere of the gubernatorial election.

The streets were full of Attorney General Terry's campaign posters. He wore a brand-new formal suit, revealed eight teeth, and some colorful campaign slogans were printed on the posters.

Small activities about the election could be seen spontaneously in many places. Attorney General Terry successfully obtained the "Gubernatorial Candidate Nomination" submitted by the Social Party Party Representative Committee of Likarai State, and the election had been operating since June.

Now he was still a bit anxious, because Lanse hadn't been in the country during this time, and he couldn't contact him.

The votes in Jincheng and the Lawrence family were particularly important. It could be said that these votes ultimately determined who could win!

Fortunately, Lanse is back.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 983 =====