Shadow Empire

Chapter 969 Fernandez and His Family

"He's extorting us!"

The president of the German government said this to Fernandez on the phone, expressing his truest thoughts, and his tone was somewhat angry.

“He can’t resort to blackmailing us to solve every problem he can’t handle. That’s not a healthy approach to problem-solving, Phil.”

Fell is the president's short name for Fernandez, and can also be considered a nickname; only very close friends would use this.

If the relationship is very casual, some things are omitted, which is considered impolite.

Fernandez agreed with the president's view, saying, "In fact, Diego himself has money. I found out through some channels that after they sold their grain last year, they deposited the money into federal banks."

“He has a lot of grain on hand, at least 20 to 30 million, plus what he had before, he can actually take out this amount of money himself.”

The president continued, "But he kept his public and private affairs very separate."

"Yes, that's it!"

"His refusal to use his wealth to pay for the country's affairs is the most ridiculous joke I've ever heard, but I can't laugh at it; instead, I feel a bit annoyed."

"How did such a stupid person become president and not get overthrown?"

"I still can't understand this!"

The president of the German government laughed heartily and said, "Actually, you've already given the answer, haven't you?"

"He's stupid enough, that's why."

Fernandez sighed. "Yes, who wouldn't want a stupid president?"

"Do you think so too?"

The two joked around, with Fernandez laughing and admitting, "At least now I can be at home with my family instead of being thousands of kilometers away with an idiot!"

The president knew what he meant; Fernandez was married and had two children.

His wife is a star in the Geeder family and is exceptionally talented in singing and dancing.

He comes from a good family background, although it could be said that his family has fallen on hard times. But this kind of family background is precisely the best background.

This marriage was secretly arranged by the president.

This way, Fernandez's wife's family background could help him make up for his weakness, namely, his lack of a strong family background.

Every place, country, civilization, and society has its own hierarchy, and people are often very rigid and conservative on certain issues.

If Lance doesn't marry Patricia, he'll find it hard to integrate into the Commonwealth; they'll see him as an outsider who's different from them.

I won't say I'll actively confront him, but at least I won't engage in any sensitive collaborations with him, nor will I become business or career friends with him.

Because he himself is not a member of the Federation.

But things changed a lot after Patricia came along, because every Commoner knew a little bit about it.

That is his and Patricia's child, who has half of the purest Federation blood, and this child who can inherit everything from Lance is also half Federation.

If he marries a woman from the Federation later, Lance's bloodline will only be one-quarter, then one-eighth, one-sixteenth, one-thirty-second...

Until his bloodline became so diluted that people could hardly find any "mixed blood" in it, Lance would become an ancestor that his descendants rarely mentioned.

The one who is often mentioned is Ace. As Lance's eldest son, people generally believe that the Lance family truly prospered because of him!
It is important to ensure this, because the Commonwealth has its own pride and rules.

Look at the impressive achievements the Federation has made over the years, how many of them were accomplished by foreigners?
In fact, there are many, including various scientific inventions. At least half of these scientific research achievements were developed by foreigners or foreign-led laboratories.

But all the achievements are attributed to the Commonwealth, because it is not allowed.

Some of the more well-known "inventors" in the Federation can invent two or three small things every day, register four or five hundred technology patents every year, and cover almost all scientific categories.

This person is either a madman or a god!
But this man is neither crazy nor a god. He even has time to listen to operas and watch movies. There were also photos taken by reporters of him entering a hotel with two girls at the same time and spending the night there.

He spends his days having fun, only occasionally going to the lab, research institute, or company; most of his time is spent socializing and enjoying himself.

So how does he manage to have one or two, or even two or three, inventions every day?

It's very simple: as long as those foreigners contribute their research findings to him, he can become the owner of those research findings.

This is the true face of the federal government, but these things are never reported.

The person who plays the good guy is, to a large extent, not a good guy.

Fortunately, Lance found a solution: by marrying Patricia, people would realize that after he died, the property would remain in the Federation and be controlled by the Federation.

If Ace were a bright child, a new financial empire might have emerged.

If he weren't a smart, somewhat dim-witted kid, he would be chewed up and swallowed whole by capital.

Fernandez had encountered a similar situation to Lance, except that he didn't need to figure out the problem himself because the president took care of it for him.

With a wife from a privileged background who had fallen on hard times, his background was resolved.

This marriage, which could be considered a political alliance, was much happier than expected. A capable, witty, and good-looking person who was highly valued by the president was in high demand everywhere.

He and his wife have a good relationship, as evidenced by the fact that they have two children.

When talking about his wife and family, Fernandez feels an urge to go back and visit them.

"Consider it a debt I owe you, Phil. After this period of work is over, I will give you a long vacation. You can take your wife and children wherever you want, and the government will pay for all the expenses!"

Fernandez sighed. "You said the same thing last time, and now I'm in Lapa."

The president laughed twice. "I guarantee it, I'll keep my word!"

He paused for a moment, then continued, "What will he do if we don't give in to Diego's demands?"

Fernandez was a bit annoyed. "That's why I called. His attitude was very ambiguous."

"My impression of him is that if we don't agree, he will cooperate with the Federals and sell a piece of land to the Federals."

"This will allow the Federation to smoothly station troops in the Asia region, which will have a significant impact on us."

"At that time, all the countries in Asia will have to act according to the Federation's wishes, which will have a great impact on our development plans."

After listening attentively, the president sighed, "These damned Federals, their words are like farts!"

You could tell he was in a bad mood and felt helpless. "Let's talk about it."

“You can talk to Diego first. Even if we reach an agreement, we can’t possibly pay him 90 million federal soles all at once. We might not even have that much foreign exchange.”

"And even if it existed, it wouldn't be used in this area."

The currencies of the Asiatic region have very low value in the international currency market due to their limitation of not circulating in the international market.

If you receive their Para by selling them goods, but cannot spend it anywhere, then their currency is essentially no different from worthless paper.

Poor international liquidity means that the best way to buy things internationally is to use a universally recognized centralized currency, such as the Federal Sol.

They have developed well in all aspects over the years and have many international customers, so Federal Sol has many use cases and its value is very stable.

Obtaining this foreign exchange is no easy task for the people of Asia. It means that they must sell goods worth at least 90 million Federal Sols to the Federation, or to other countries or forces that also use Federal Sols for settlement.

Asia doesn't have much to offer besides tobacco, coffee, and young women. Raising 90 million from these things is no easy feat.

Fernandez was also aware of the shortage of foreign exchange in the country, and he made a suggestion: "I'll ask Diego if he'd be willing to give us the foreign exchange he has in the bank so we can exchange it for other currencies or valuables."

The president immediately agreed, "You talk to him."

This is clearly a very favorable situation for Giesecke & Devrient.

After hanging up the phone, Fernandez did not immediately go to talk to President Diego about the matter, but instead called his wife.

It's July now, and the children are all on holiday. They should be at home or traveling.

In the summer, people like to go to the beach or to cooler places. When he was in Jiede, he would take his children on vacation every summer and winter. This time, he couldn't go because he had work, and he didn't know if his wife had made any arrangements.

The call was answered quickly. "I thought you would take the children on a trip."

The thought of his wife on the other end of the line brought an uncontrollable smile to his face. "Are you alright?"

His wife's gentle voice came through the receiver, "Very good."

"Except when you're not home."

"Where are the children?"

"They're nice, but they're too noisy. They keep asking me when I'm coming back."

Fernandez could feel the intense emotions and feelings hidden in the voice, and he had an urge to go back immediately.

But he held back. He knew what was important and when it wasn't. He also knew that if they didn't handle this matter well, they wouldn't have a good life in the future.

Why would these people in Gied, including the president and the cabinet, repeatedly grant Diego's seemingly rude requests? Was it because of... benevolence?

of course not!

It's because they can't handle this, and their lives won't be easy in the future.

As the "vanguard of the anti-Federal movement," once Alan falls into the hands of the Federation, the high-ranking officials of the Jede Republic will definitely be purged, and it will be a bloody and brutal purge.

The president, the ministers, and even he and their families probably have no future, which is why they are taking this matter so seriously.

After chatting for a while, Fernandez's mood gradually calmed down. "I will try to go back as soon as possible and bring you some gifts."

"I love you all!"

His wife, hugging their two children who had run over to talk to Fernandez, said with a smile, "I love you too, darling!"

"Be careful, and if possible, come back occasionally or earlier."

After exchanging well wishes, Fernandez hung up the phone immediately. He is a workaholic, which is a very special quality of his.

Others always procrastinate, but he always does what he says he will do.

Fernandez's wife hung up the phone with some reluctance. She was only in her thirties, not yet forty, an age when she loved her family very much.

A sigh was enough to express his most genuine feelings at that moment.

She placed the receiver on the phone stand, then smiled and looked down at her two children. "Alright, Dad's off to work now. Shouldn't you two go and finish your homework?"

Upon hearing the word "homework," both children showed pained expressions.

They were very reluctant, but under the influence of their upbringing, they dragged their weary feet, said "okay," and left together.

Unlike the Federation, the Republic of Geedela does not have universal education. In the Republic of Geedela, education is a very sacred and influential matter.

Because their educational resources are still very limited compared to the federal government, they cannot have a primary, secondary, or high school on every street like the federal government does.

It's even less likely that the Republic of Germany would have a complete education system, from high school to "town university," like some towns with only 20,000 or 30,000 people. The Republic of Germany doesn't have that many people.

Therefore, they adopted the "five-entry" system.

In other words, five exams determine one's future.

After three years of schooling, the first exam will be held to filter out students who are unable to study properly for various reasons, such as difficulty concentrating, aversion to learning, or other reasons.

These students have lost the opportunity to receive a free education. If they still want to go to school, they can, but they will have to pay to attend private schools, which are very expensive.

After five exams, it takes about thirteen years for them to enter university and begin their studies.

Each entrance exam is a huge event for Jiede, and this influence only grows as the exam progresses. For example, the "fourth and fifth entrance exams" cause a sensation throughout society!

Because everyone knows that completing the final exam means they're on the fast track to success in life.

After graduating from university, they can be immediately assigned government jobs or continue their studies, and after graduation, they may start working directly as cadres.

This is an opportunity for ordinary people to change their destiny. Even families like Fernandez's place great importance on their children's education.

If they can graduate from Fernandez's university, regardless of whether they study abroad, Fernandez will make good arrangements for them in the future, after all, they are university graduates!
The two children knew this was no joke, and although they were reluctant, they left.

They were now incredibly nostalgic for the time when Fernandez was still at home. If he were still home, they would probably be on their way to a trip, or already on a trip.

After Fernandez's wife settled the children's affairs, she went to the garden. They lived in the villa, not the estate.

The estate is a bit far from the city center. Fernandez has his own car, so it's not a problem. However, his family members would have some trouble commuting, so they just live in the villa in the city.

She picked up the watering can and began watering the flowers and plants in the yard. She loved these plants and watching them grow from a seed into a blooming flower or something else gave her a great sense of accomplishment.

While they were tidying up, a guy who looked like a plumber suddenly stood outside the yard. He rang the doorbell, attracting Fernandez's wife's attention.

She put down the kettle, wiped her hands, and walked over, but didn't approach the courtyard gate; she kept a distance.

"Who are you looking for?"

The plumber outside the door adjusted his baseball cap and said with a smile, "Madam, I'm here to inspect the boiler wiring. A gentleman named Fernandez booked this service."

Each villa has a boiler, which plays a very important role in winter.

Heating, hot water, and all sorts of other things all depend on this boiler.

Moreover, once the boiler is lit, it will basically not go out throughout the winter. However, since it involves both water and fire, it needs to be inspected regularly, usually in the summer.

In the past, Fernandez would have someone come and repair these boilers every one or two summers, so she didn't feel anything was amiss.

She walked to the door, opened the door that could only keep out gentlemen but not scoundrels, and welcomed the other person in, saying, "I didn't know, I'm sorry."

When the plumber smiles, he shows off his white teeth and looks very sunny; he doesn't look like a bad person at all.

He carried a toolbox and walked into the yard. "Madam, could you tell me where the boiler is?"

The woman glanced back at the villa where she lived. The boiler room was at the back of the house. She hesitated for a moment, but it was broad daylight, and there were four maids in the house besides her two children, so there shouldn't be any danger.

"Please come with me, sir."

The plumber followed behind her with a smile, "Thank you for your help, madam."

A dozen minutes later, two maintenance trucks from the pipeline company entered the villa area. The community services company had received registration information from one of the villas; their boiler had a problem and needed replacement and repair…

(End of this chapter)