Blackstone Code-Chapter 249:

For businessmen, money was their most important asset.

For politicians, their political agendas and ideologies were their most valuable possessions.

No one could take away another's private wealth without any cost, not even the president.

Lynch felt a bit amused when he learned that he had been invited to the president's inauguration party because the president had quoted a small section of something he said. But at the same time, he saw it as a great opportunity.

He could make brief contact with the upper echelons of the Progressive Party. More importantly, this invitation was a prestigious credential, and a very significant one.

For ordinary people, especially those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, under the influence of certain emotions, they may be less inclined to trust businessmen.

These emotions stemmed from years of hard struggles between laborers and capitalists. Some were even fueled by propaganda from the ruling class. In the eyes of most of society, capitalists were synonymous with deceit and greed. These people, in pursuit of profit, would even sell the rope to the hangman who would execute them.

Thus, it was not easy for capitalists to win the trust of the general public, and those non-essential goods of theirs weren't easily accepted by people. Nevertheless, capitalists had their ways of achieving it.

They would find representatives from non-capitalist groups to interact with the public. The idea of spokespeople wasn't limited to politics. It was also very common in the capitalist environment.

Since the first time a well-regarded figure, often portraying heroes in operas and films, endorsed a product and saw it gain significant success, capitalists realized how to manipulate the will of the public.

Movie stars, athletes, and other celebrities—anyone admired by the public—would attract endless invitations and constant scrutiny.

These people capitalized on their influence to generate financial gains, while businessmen's products gained the trust of the market. This strategy effectively addressed various challenges and ensured strong sales.

But if one had to identify the most authoritative and influential person in the entire Federation, it would undoubtedly be the President.

However, the President would never endorse any products. After all, there were always financial groups behind these products, and the President never lacked money, nor would he act as a spokesperson for money.

But businessmen were not troubled by such things; they could always find ways to leverage that authority and influence, for example... through a handshake.

This may seem absurd, but in the early years of the Baylor Federation's founding, at least two presidents had sold the "rights to a photo."

Of course, this was the more colloquial expression. The more accurate version would be that businessmen secured a meeting with the President by donating to certain charitable foundations, which was then followed by a handshake and a photo op at the Presidential residence.

Those businessmen's descendants now controlled major financial groups behind the scenes in the Federation. The President and his team got what they wanted, and the capitalists also got what they desired.

As long as Lynch enlarged the photo of him shaking hands with the President and displayed it in his office, people would believe that he was a moral, responsible businessman who embodied the highest ethical standards. His business would also thrive as a result.

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This was just the perceived value for ordinary people from his meeting and handshake with the President. For the Progressive Party, the fact that Lynch received the invitation from the President could be seen as him aligning with the President's faction.

Here, another issue would arise: factions within a party. Whether it was the Progressive Party, the Conservative Party, or the often-forgotten Socialist Party, none of these parties had just one voice.

Due to differing political agendas and ideologies, many smaller factions existed under the umbrella of a larger common goal.

For example, within the Progressive Party, two mainstream factions currently existed: the radical internationalists and the relatively conservative internationalists. Both factions shared the same overall goal of enhancing the Federation's role and value in international society but differed in their methods.

The current President leaned slightly towards the conservative internationalists and was relatively moderate. Although within the Conservative Party he was considered part of the radical faction, he was just not as extreme—yet still radical.

The stance of a faction within a political party wasn't as rigid as the party lines. They could shift over time, based on changing circumstances and political environments. Thus, factions weren't overly strict in their stances.

But choosing to align with the mainstream faction always had its benefits. Many open policies, often with barriers, would become accessible to Lynch simply because he was invited by the President and shook his hand.

Some people would even take the initiative to approach him, bringing him into one circle after another, uniting around certain individuals, who in turn were united around the President. This was how a faction was formed.

For the next six years at least, the mainstream faction would remain largely unchanged. As the Baylor Federation sought to develop its international relations, the President would likely win the next election.

During these six years, Lynch wouldn't have to worry about regrets stemming from choosing the wrong side. He would be able to freely utilize his abilities within the bounds of the President's political agenda.

As for the future, things may change. The currently conservative President might become more reform-minded and radical—or perhaps not. But who cares.

When the time comes, if things didn't work out, he could simply switch to another faction. After all, everyone shared the same goals; they just differed in how they achieved them. As long as he didn't change party affiliation, it was entirely normal to switch factions.

So, this was a good thing, a very good thing.

"Do I need to prepare a speech?" Lynch jokingly asked.

This instantly brightened the mayor's mood, causing him to burst into laughter. "Why would you think that?" he asked, then explained why he was laughing, "You probably only need to prepare three sentences. They are…

"It's an honor to be invited, Mr. President.

"Likewise, Mr. President.

"Take your time, Mr. President."

The mayor couldn't help but laugh again. These were likely the only three sentences a regular person would say when meeting the President. The President and other distinguished guests wouldn't give Lynch much time to say anything else, even if it were just for two or three minutes.

Lynch wasn't annoyed by the mayor's "mockery." He just shrugged. "That's really disappointing. I was just thinking about whether I should limit my speaking time to five minutes or seven minutes. But that's also good news; at least I won't be pulling my hair out trying to prepare something."

Of course, this was just a casual joke and merely a jest. Given Lynch's skills, saying what people wanted to hear in the right circumstances was naturally effortless for him.

After laughing for a while, the mayor gradually composed himself and said, "Your accountant might be in some trouble. If you have anything that needs addressing, it's best to handle it as soon as possible."

"Vera?" Lynch furrowed his brow. "What's wrong with her?"

The mayor casually stirred his coffee with a stirring stick, a meaningless gesture and said. "Gap turned himself in. He told the police that he entrusted some critical evidence related to the Listoan Group scandal to his wife for safekeeping, and she happens to be your secretary.

"The state prosecutor handling the case believes that that woman..." he paused, seemingly recalling Lynch's mention of her name earlier, "Oh, right, Vera. He believes Vera, knowing about the situation, failed to report it to the prosecution and attempted to conceal important evidence, which makes her an accomplice in the case."

The mayor spoke nonchalantly, showing no concern for whether certain people were innocent or not. He was well aware that innocence had nothing to do with what these people had done or what the law said, but rather with the decisions of those in power.

Everyone thought Neo and the Listoan Group's downfall was orchestrated by Sabin City's Mayor Langdon, but in reality, the core figures knew there was someone behind Langdon—the Governor.

Neo's dissatisfaction stemmed from their inability to get what they wanted from the EverBright case. Frankly, the handling of such a statewide case wasn't something Mayor Langdon could decide; it had to be decided at the state level.

Neo's disrespect for the mayor was essentially a slap in the Governor's face. Only a few people knew about these behind-the-scenes matters, including the neighboring Conservative governor, who intervened mostly for amusement. But this also prompted the Governor to decisively crush the Listoan Group.

If Neo hadn't acted so hastily, perhaps he and his group could have survived for another couple of years. Once the international affairs settled down, they might even have had a chance for a comeback.

But he acted too hastily, making it difficult to reverse the situation.

The governor had privately directed the prosecutor to adopt a harsher approach as a warning to certain individuals that this was the governor's territory. They must respect his decisions—they could question them, but they must not challenge them.

The EverBright Group, as a foreign entity, might not attract much attention, but using Listoan as an example would send a stronger message.

Everyone involved in this case would be prosecuted, including Vera, who was suspected of "concealing evidence." She would also be indicted on various charges.

Women in such high-profile cases often faced a particularly unfortunate fate. With higher authorities involved, people would often employ extreme measures that even many men would find it hard to withstand, let alone women.

In the end, regardless of the facts, they would tend to confess just to get a swift conviction and sentence.Please vote for this novel at /series/blackstone-code/There are advance chapters available nowAccess will be granted 24 hours after the donationTier 1: 7 Advance chapters Link

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