owlsbooks Chapter 949 165
Chapter 949 165
The letter from Kallen and the cabinet's reply were respectfully presented to Perfikot's desk by the attendant.She glanced at the cabinet's reply first—it was nothing more than the usual platitudes like "fully support the Regent's plan," "artisans and immigrants have been mobilized," and "financial allocations are being coordinated."
She casually placed the document aside, a faintly cold smile appearing at the corner of her mouth.
The cabinet's response was as she expected; given her current power, no one dared openly defy her will, at most they showed some restraint in execution.
These bureaucrats always knew how to appear respectful on the surface while hiding real resistance between the lines.
In contrast, the letter sealed with the Workers' Party emblem wax seal caught her attention more.
The wax seal had been opened, but the damaged imprint was still clearly visible—the interwoven gear and wheat pattern symbolizing the Workers' Party's new identity.
Perfikot's fingertips gently traced the crack on the wax seal, as if through this tiny detail, she could glimpse the political turmoil in the Northern Territory.
She unfolded the letter, the first half was a neatly written document, carefully articulating the Workers' Party's concern for the rights of colonial laborers, accompanied by a draft of the "Labor Protection Regulations."
The parchment was much coarser than the paper used for cabinet documents; it was low-cost paper from the Northern Territory, and the Workers' Party seemed to be deliberately highlighting its class stance.
The provisions were standard, nothing more than "ensuring minimum wages," "limiting working hours," "establishing labor representatives," and so on. They were even more conservative than the "Labor Law" Perfikot implemented.
Perfikot quickly skimmed through it, thinking: Kallen is still the same, inherently radical but always wearing a veneer of moderation.
Even if these proposals were submitted to parliament, it would be nothing more than a harmless debate, ultimately passing with a few minor amendments.
Yet despite appearances, if this regulation passed, it would symbolize an achievement for Kallen and her Workers' Party politically, marking a solid step forward.
Repeat this enough, and one day she could accumulate enough influence to ascend to the position of Prime Minister.
Perfikot had no doubt about this, especially since she planned to let Kallen take that position.
After reading the letter's surface content, Perfikot read it again, but this time in a special sequence.
As she reread the words in a specific order, the hidden code between the lines gradually emerged.
Seemingly ordinary initial letters of words formed new sentences, subtle differences in paragraph spacing constituted punctuation, and even the ink blots became part of the cipher.
"Her Majesty the Empress has recently been frequently summoning Conservative Party MPs, with news of promises to privately expand colonial noble privileges. Although the cabinet passed the resolution, the financial allocation list from the Ministry of Finance shows that alchemical materials account for less than twenty percent, lower than the projected demand.
Moreover, a split has emerged within the National Party—some MPs have begun questioning the priority of the 'Cultural Spark' plan, feeling that domestic construction in the Northern Territory is more urgent.
The Workers' Party might take this opportunity to push the 'Labor Protection Regulations,' but it needs your explicit support. If you agree, I will propose an amendment in parliament to include colonial labor representatives in the management system..."
—Yours sincerely, Kallen"
Perfikot's brow furrowed slightly.
Empress Annie's actions did not surprise her; as empress, she should indeed use conciliatory measures to balance various forces rather than favor one side.
Those conservative nobles were like hibernating snakes, seemingly docilely coiled in the corners of parliament but ready to strike at any moment.
Empress Annie's actions instead made Perfikot feel that she had matured—understanding how to exchange noble privileges for their support of the New God plan, a brilliant move.
But the split within the National Party and the financial allocation issues were potential pitfalls, especially given the continued investment needed for the Old World plan.
After serious consideration, Perfikot picked up her pen and began drafting a reply.
The content of the reply was merely the usual official pleasantries, yet Perfikot still conveyed her support for Kallen, albeit not very explicitly.
After all, the surface content of this letter was just for show; Perfikot needed to avoid letting others know of her close relationship with Kallen.
"The regulation can proceed, submit for national assembly review, and upon approval, have the cabinet ratify and implement it, initially under the guise of a 'pilot program' in autonomous regions."
These words seemed like ordinary reply text, but if decoded using a special method, they revealed the true response Perfikot wrote to Kallen.
She used a code only the two of them understood, and those seemingly superfluous modifiers actually indicated the order of letter extraction.
"I am aware of the situation, the reorganization of the Workers' Party is meaningful, and your emergence as an independent political force on the stage is commendable.
I find the content of the regulations somewhat compromising, but given the current circumstances, it's not suitable to provoke intense conflicts.
You don't need to pay too much attention to the National Party's issues, for now, just stabilize your base and the Workers' Party, your chances of winning the next cabinet election are high. What needs to be done now is to accumulate prestige and influence.
As for the cabinet and Ministry of Finance issues, there's no need for you to worry; I will handle them."
After writing the letter, Perfikot summoned the attendant, and after entrusting the attendant with the letter, she instructed, "Send this letter out along with the cabinet's reply."