How Am I Still Alive?-Chapter 1336 - 1322: In a Dilemma

"You still knew to come?"

"... When your esteemed ancestor summons, how dare I not come."

Originally, Lu Ping’an hadn’t planned to go to the Government Development Zone, but now, it seemed he couldn’t avoid it.

"... Esteemed ancestor? I have quite a few, which one specifically?"

"Heh, the one who did the ribbon-cutting, the one who planned to marry you to me, the one who has the most say in your tribe."

"Snap!"

The cup Wang Xier was pouring shattered to the ground, her face filled with horror as she looked at the uninvited guest.

"... I refused."

"Sigh."

Wang Xier took a deep breath, finally coming back to her senses.

The next moment, she frowned and looked at Lu Ping’an with a displeased expression.

"Why refuse? I mean... cough, that’s not what I mean, you know."

The inexplicably angry woman stared at the man sitting across from her with his legs crossed, reading the newspaper as if he didn’t care at all about the matter, becoming even more upset.

"I don’t really mind, after all, it’s just a figurehead, a nominal thing, but it seems like half your life’s plans might be ruined."

Lu Ping’an merely flipped the newspaper and casually remarked, providing some reassurance to the other party.

Once a woman is married off, like water spilt out, if she truly went through with a political marriage to Lu Ping’an, no matter how you looked at it, Wang Xier’s current efforts on her "path to ascendancy" were likely hopeless.

In this regard, Lu Ping’an did have some understanding. Among the new generation of the Saphire people’s Royal Family, Wang Xier was the most promising. The profits from Green Planet had significantly boosted her status within the tribe. Having control over the increasingly important affairs of the Development Zone also gave her substantive control over independent finance, politics, and military.

If she were really dragged out to marry now, even if she could gain a higher "human side" political status through this marriage alliance, she could forget about the power within her own tribe, as everything she now held would also be handed over.

"... Then I guess I should thank you."

When she said this, Wang Xier was gritting her teeth.

The more they interacted, her princess temperament seemed non-existent. In Lu Ping’an’s eyes, she was just an ordinary girl who pursued power fiercely and dared to fight hard.

"No need to thank me."

Speaking irritatingly, Lu Ping’an casually threw the newspaper on the table and pointed at it, signaling her to take a look.

"What’s this? A job advertisement? What’s the point... Is there something wrong?"

Wang Xier frowned and couldn’t figure out what was amiss after looking at it for a long time.

"Look at the wages for labor workers, six hundred a month, I’ve never seen it lower... uh, at least not on Earth. Mercury 42 indeed has lower ones."

Lu Ping’an sighed, perhaps the issue wasn’t entirely his, but it was somewhat related to him.

"Six hundred..."

Calculating with her fingers, Wang Xier frowned as well.

"It’s the year 2001, although the national average wage is only nine hundred, in reality, a labor worker in the city easily makes fifteen hundred a day. Six hundred, living is difficult, Your Highness."

Seeing the nobly born princess not understanding for a long while, the commoner Lu Ping’an seemed to have a sting in his words.

"I know, I was just calculating whether six hundred is enough to survive. Rice has recently gone up by 15%, meats have gone up, average rent as well, even tents are now being charged an environmental management fee, these vampires..."

And Wang Xier, was even more knowledgeable than Lu Ping’an had anticipated.

The more she calculated, the more distressed she became.

Contrary to most expectations, the "refugee" life not only requires money, but is also quite expensive and necessary.

Not having a stable housing means paying for "food," "drinking water," "hot water," and tent living simultaneously brings high crime rates, further exploiting these vulnerable Exotic Races.

And the overflow of population further increased the local population for survival. In fact, housing rent prices locally were at least 30 percent higher than inside the ancient city, and housing prices started at triple... In this regard, Wang Xier and her associates still had some connection with those Sapphire noble and wealthy individuals who indeed had money.

For the "refugees," completely incomprehensible taxes like the environmental management fee were merely a pretext to collect money, and the local "Urban Management" was mostly composed of Saphire people, who were even more ruthless.

"I remember there was still a thousand last month...."

At this moment, Wang Xier’s look towards Lu Ping’an was filled with some resentment.

"Why blame me? Even if the regulation truly had something to do with me, that thing hasn’t even been implemented yet...."

Actually, such level of laws and regulations, even if Lu Ping’an had finished his work and returned to Mercury 42, might not have actually reached the grassroots level.

These "guidance opinions" need to be implemented step by step, divided among various departments and tiers, and then organizing Executors and Managers to learn and understand them.

After the system is rolled out, thoroughly refining and implementing it requires time as well as cooperation from subordinate units; it’s not something that can be achieved immediately.... Many laws and regulations are implemented, and then they just disappear into thin air, most likely because they cannot be carried out at the grassroots level.

"Just a hint of a breeze, and people are planning to take advantage of the typhoon to sweep up money."

It seems that Wang Xier is quite aware, as the policy hasn’t come down yet, but people are already using this reason to make money.

She puffed her cheeks, somewhat annoyed, but in the end, she just sighed.

If she’s not mistaken, through these layers, she possibly really couldn’t manage it.

After all, many of her relatives still had some connections.... Behind many enterprises in the Development Zone were members of the Royal Family trying to make money.

The life of the common people? They only cared about their thinning wallets and the endless extravagant feasts.

Even in past eras, when they were still based in their homeland, they were consistent.... no, perhaps even more outrageous back then, slaves were just one type of private property, why pay slaves for their labor.

"....I....I’ll try."

"Are you so unsure?"

"It’s hard....If I’m to manage, I must treat everyone equally, and currently, my influence within my clan... many brothers and sisters are already coveting my position, they would love to see me make mistakes."

Massaging her temples, Wang Xier was also feeling helpless.

Over these years, she had had enough of being stifled, not only was the local government pressuring her, her clan brothers and uncles were increasingly repulsive.

Back when they were not optimistic about the ancient city, they allowed her, this "junior," to opportunistically succeed. Even though this gained her more influence within the clan, compared to the elders and those brothers who initially had royal inheritance rights, it was still not enough.

"Most of them are very pragmatic, only wanting to be idle princes, but in such situations to maintain a wealthy lifestyle... ah, and some are even worse, do you know how many ’rebellion’ incidents I’ve thwarted in the last two years? Sixteen, almost once a month is routine, the most outrageous ones, even with conclusive evidence, I brought back to the clan, they completely don’t care! They even blame me for stopping them... I #@￥!"

Listening to the other party’s complaints, Lu Ping’an stroked his chin and said.

"How about you just work with me...."

"Slap!"

The woman’s teacup smashed once again, this time, she was truly a bit heartbroken, as each piece of this cherished set of teaware from her hometown was irreplaceable.

"No, thank you, you’re a nice person, but we are not suitable, you dislike women who pursue power, and I dislike a calm life."

At this moment, Wang Xier was endlessly calm.

She didn’t dislike Lu Ping’an, in fact, she quite liked him.... but just like the feeling Lu Ping’an had towards her, being friends and brothers was fine, but as lovers or even spouses, they were just too incompatible.

And even though she liked power, she didn’t want to gamble with her future.

Indeed, because she didn’t want to be used as a "marriage tool" and wanted to control her own destiny, she, born noble, dared not stop for a moment.

Although the other’s "proposal" indeed moved her, after contemplating, she chose to reject it.

After all, the result of this political marriage was probably just her becoming a subordinate of the other party....

"Err, I meant, you come work for me, I have a big project right now and I need a coordinator from the Saphire people..."

"You should have said so! Be clear when you speak!" Thus, the woman became infuriated.