In the security room on the first floor of the shopping mall, there were two patrolmen in black uniforms. Judging from the shoulder straps, there was a deputy sheriff, an old man in his fifties or sixties. He had a serious face and an attitude that kept people at a distance. He also spoke in a scolding tone to the security guards.
Lu Ming and Jennifer came in. The old man looked over and sized Jennifer up and down, frowning slightly. "Miss, the residents of the community opposite the mall have complained about your advertising cloth, saying that it has caused them mental oppression. Please take it down. It's so black, and it's unsightly!"
Apparently, the security guard said that the person who would put up the advertising banner would be here soon, so he naturally assumed that the two people coming in must be the main one, the Western noble lady.
"Ah..." Apart from Lu Ming, no one had ever spoken to her in such a harsh tone. Jennifer was startled and said cautiously, "I'm sorry, I, I didn't know..."
After all, she is always surrounded by many people protecting her, and ordinary people can't talk to her.
Now that I am with Lu Ming, I no longer have a protective layer.
Lu Ming frowned slightly. Yang Yanran, who had been following closely beside him, immediately took two steps forward, looking arrogant, "Watch your attitude when you speak. Where is your ID?"
The old sheriff took out his ID, Yang Yanran took it, handed it to Lu Ming with both hands, and glared at the old sheriff, "Let me tell you, do you know how many of you our mall can support with the taxes it pays in a year? This is a private building, we have the right to put up any advertisements, will complaints be of any use? Do you have a court injunction to remove our advertisements? You are just a small stinky patrolman, who gave you the courage to tell us to remove the advertisements?"
Obviously, after working in the chairman's secretary's office for almost a year, Yang Yanran is no longer the same Yang Yanran as before. Her knowledge and so on have greatly improved. Moreover, she has become more and more arrogant, bullying the good and fearing the evil.
Of course, the "good" people she is bullying now may be people that most people cannot afford to offend.
Lu Ming took a look at the ID. The old police chief was named Xu Sanzhi. According to the naming rules of the lower-class people of the previous generation, he should be the third child in the family.
At this time, the old sheriff stared at Yang Yanran, "What did you call me?"
When patrol police first appeared in Donghai, the common people used the derogatory name "Stinky-foot patrolman" for them. But today, the status of patrol police is no longer the same as it was before.
"Don't you know what you are?" Yang Yanran's eyes widened even more.
The old sheriff stretched out his hand, as if he was about to slap Yang Yanran, but something was stuffed into his hand. It turned out to be Lu Ming who was stuffing his police officer ID back to him.
Glancing at the young patrolman who was watching the fun and gloating behind the old sheriff, Lu Ming smiled at the old sheriff: "Sheriff Xu, I haven't seen you before. Oh, I don't have a business card with me."
Outside the security room, a beautiful girl in a rose-red suit trotted in and handed a business card to the old sheriff.
Lu Ming pointed at the girl in the red dress, but he didn't know her name. When they traveled, there were always a lot of men and women. The male and female affairs officers who accompanied them changed like a revolving lantern, taking turns to accompany them on duty. It was all arranged by the office, or rather, by Murong Xue and Master Gong.
The security room was too small, so except for Uncle Sun, all the accompanying personnel stayed outside.
Pointing at the girl in the red dress, he said, "You, follow..." He glanced at Jennifer, "Follow Miss Jennifer."
He looked at Jennifer again and said helplessly, "You, if you want to find me in the future, tell her that the office will inform her of my schedule. Don't run around with a driver by yourself. You haven't been scolded by others before, right? Now you have experienced everything, right?"
"Okay!" Jennifer's delicate little face looked somewhat happy.
Lu Ming sneered in his heart, oh, when a girl chases a boy, it's really like a thin veil between them. It's only been a few days and he can't bear it.
The girl in the red dress was filled with joy. She immediately came up to Jennifer and started speaking in Western language, apparently introducing herself.
Lu Ming rolled his eyes. The clerks in the office seemed to have impressive academic qualifications. In the future, the worst would have to be from a 985 university. There were many hidden talents and there were many academic masters. Murong Xue was one of the best. Moreover, being fluent in Western English was the minimum requirement for them all.
Jennifer soon became happy after what she said. She seemed to hear the word "fifteen" vaguely. It was a Western language, and she only understood some simple words, such as numbers.
In addition, there is also a faint pronunciation of "姨夫人", and Western languages use a transliteration for "姨夫人".
Maybe this guy calls Jennifer the Fifteenth Concubine
"So you are Attorney Lu who is running for councillor in the third district. I didn't expect that you were the one who directly placed the advertisement. I thought it was your supporters who placed it." The old sheriff looked at the business card and then sized up Lu Ming.
Lu Ming smiled and said, "Yes, I invested in this advertisement."
"Lawyer Lu, if you really care about the residents of District 3, you should remove the advertisement!" The old sheriff said sincerely, "Yes, I don't have a court injunction, and I probably won't get one before the end of your election. You have many ways to delay the matter with the judge, but this will only disgust the residents of your district. Moreover, although there is no court injunction, our community can hold an owners' meeting and demonstrate in front of the mall. If it comes to this, it will also damage your reputation."
After a pause, he said, "To be honest, I am also a resident of the community across the street, Lawyer Lu. I have never voted in a council election, but now I want to vote against you."
Lu Ming smiled and said, "You feel uncomfortable when you see the pictures in the advertisement and want to oppose me. What if the pictures in the advertisement become real?"
The old sheriff laughed and said, "Lawyer Lu, I am not a three-year-old child. I know a few of your election tactics. It's just that a black kid entered St. Anton's Middle School, so you are exaggerating."
Lu Ming nodded: "Many major events in history, when they first happened, most people didn't take it seriously. The so-called fair schooling plan of St. Anton Middle School will continue to be implemented in the future. Next year, the number of students will be expanded. Did you know that? If no one stops it next year, then it is conceivable that the year after next, the year after that... Moreover, this is just a school. In the future, a large number of foreigners will come to the East China Sea. Have you ever thought about it? The East China Sea has developed from a ruin to the richest place in the empire. Moreover, our Central Continent population accounts for an absolute majority. This is because since it became a free city-state, our laws and regulations have been determined by our people. Geographical location is one aspect, and the freedom and openness of the past two hundred years is another aspect. But from the core, our laws are actually very conservative. Protecting the way to get ahead through one's own efforts is one of the essences. Although the class is becoming more and more solidified now, there will still be a window for the general public to enter the upper class, even if this window is getting smaller and smaller."
"But what are people like Cao Ying doing? They artificially divide this window into two. One of them is used to provide it to the vulnerable groups that they recognize and label. Moreover, the window they divide will become larger and larger. For them, they will be filled with a sense of happiness for helping the poor people. They feel that they are compassionate and look at problems beyond race and class. Moreover, they will have a sense of mission, an alternative equalization of the rich and the poor. However, this equalization of the rich and the poor absolutely does not involve the class he lives in, but rather, to..." After a pause, Lu Ming smiled: "Captain Xu, in fact, it is the equalization of the rich and the poor of your class, depriving you of opportunities and giving them to the weaker and more sympathetic class in their eyes, to meet their emotional needs for a sense of mission."
The old sheriff frowned. He understood some of the words but not others.
"Captain Xu, you can go back and think about what I said. As for this advertisement, I will keep it. If you can persuade the community to come to the demonstration, that would be great. I just happen to have a lot to say to you all."
Lu Ming smiled and stretched out his hand: "Captain Xu, see you later?"
"Okay, okay, Lawyer Lu, goodbye." The old sheriff stretched out his hands and shook hands with Lu Ming.
Lu Ming nodded in his heart. This was a stubborn old man, the typical kind of person who would respect you ten feet if someone respected you a foot.
Moreover, he had a hot temper and almost slapped Yang Yanran in the face just now.
You can tell from the fact that he is still a deputy sheriff even though he is about to retire that he has worked his way up to the top by enduring age.
After all, according to the patrol police rank regulations, ordinary patrol police who have served continuously for forty years will be directly awarded the rank of deputy chief of police, which can be regarded as a kind of recognition for the diligent elderly patrol police.
Coming to check the billboard, it was obvious that he was being used as a gun.
Looking at his back, Lu Ming smiled, but this stubborn old man was quite interesting.
…
When Lu Ming returned to the Liberty Building, the second round of negotiations had already ended in a bad mood.
At noon, all the staff of the campaign office were invited to have a working lunch. It was obvious that everyone was worried. After all, it was already December 10th, and there were only 10 days left until the local council election voting.
If they succeed in the election, most of them have a good chance of staying and becoming clerks in the congressman's office, but if they fail, they will need to find a new job.
There were three rows of long tables, with extremely sumptuous dishes on them. After all, in the local council election, this office should be the one with the most abundant funds. It was said that the political donations supporting Lawyer Lu had reached millions. However, too many things had happened in the past month.
Perhaps, it is a fantasy in itself for outsiders to enter the political ranks.
Even a gifted person like Lawyer Lu.
This is the South District No. 1 Restaurant in the Liberty Building, which is also the largest restaurant in the South District. It is fully capable of hosting cocktail parties. Everything from the dining tables to the decoration is luxurious. There are dazzling and gorgeous chandeliers hanging high in the hall, making it magnificent and splendid.
Lu Ming toasted the staff and drank water himself. He returned to the dark gold velvet round table and smiled at Master Gong, "Why are you so depressed too?"
Master Gong laughed and said, "This fellow Cao Ying is very cunning!"
Indeed, that guy is a natural born politician. He looks polite and well-mannered, but he is also very clear-headed and knows how to endure. Even when he got involved in a lawsuit and was gradually criticized by the outside world, he firmly disagreed to any televised debate as his opinion polls were still above 60%.
"Where is Director Murong?" Mr. Gong looked around and found that Murong Xue had disappeared since lunch started.
Lu Ming smiled. At this time, an officer hurried in, came to Master Gong, and whispered something to him.
Master Gong was startled and looked at Lu Ming: "Boss, Cao Ying just called and agreed to have a TV debate with you on the 12th.
The 12th is the last day of the second week. Originally, the planned TV debate was to be held on a certain day in the second week of December.
Lu Ming nodded.
Master Gong smiled bitterly: "You expected this?" He blinked his eyes, "When lunch was about to start, I heard that Director Murong was contacting schools in Western States? Is this related?"
"Do your best and leave the rest to fate." Lu Ming stood up. "Well, it looks like you guys will be busy now!"
Inside the restaurant, word quickly spread from one person to ten, and from ten to a hundred, and everyone knew that the boss would be on TV on the 12th, the day after tomorrow, to discuss their election policies with Cao Ying. To put it bluntly, it would be a TV debate.
But I have a vague feeling that the boss wants to attack Cao Ying by supporting the apartheid policy. Generally speaking, Donghai has always prided itself on being the most open and free autonomous city-state, and it is fashionable for the elites to criticize the empire's apartheid policy. If the boss turns to support the empire's apartheid policy, it would feel a bit inappropriate and inconsistent with the political correctness of the mainstream public opinion in Donghai.
…
In the office, Lu Ming looked through the program schedule and the conditions proposed by Cao Ying.
Sitting at the table were several heavyweight program producers and hosts from Kunlun TV.
The political debates for the local council elections will be shown on television for the first time, in front of an audience of 20 million.
In Donghai alone, there are nearly two million households with a television.
From the perspective of the entire empire, even TV viewers who have nothing to do with the Donghai Beiguan Third Constituency should be very interested in this.
Kunlun TV's branch in the imperial capital is pinning its hopes on using this as a crucial battle to further expand Kunlun TV's influence and ratings in the imperial capital.
Even Lu Ming’s closest people might not have thought that, for Lu Ming, the fact that this TV debate could take place was already a huge win.
None of the Kunlun TV program producers and hosts currently sitting in Lu Ming's office know that the candidate for parliament in front of them is actually their big boss behind the scenes.
In order to produce this important program, Kunlun TV set up a public policy program production department.
The four people who came to see Lu Ming were the minister, deputy minister and two hosts of the department.
Minister Ralph is a plump old man in his fifties with a brilliant resume. He is one of the veterans who specializes in political programs.
The deputy minister's surname is Wang. She looks like an independent and unique woman. She wears a beige suit and has a short hairstyle, which makes her look fresh, smart and capable.
Both hosts are men. Nowadays, female hosts are rarely seen in political talk shows.
"The other party has too many taboos!" Lu Ming shook his head. "However, I am very satisfied with your program process and the two hosts. I can see that you put a lot of thought into it."
Ralph breathed a sigh of relief and after further research he realized that Lawyer Lu was truly a legend in the legal profession.
Besides, she was only nineteen years old? I'm kidding, it's simply blinding.
It's too incredible. Also, at the age of 19, he was successful in the legal profession and entered politics from there
Somehow I feel like this is an alien lost in space, right
Not quite human.
People like this are usually very eccentric, right? If they are not careful, they might even kick you out.
However, he did not expect that he was not interested in some of the requests from Cao Ying, but was very satisfied with the arrangements made by the Taiwan side, which he represented.
Ralph secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said quickly, "What topics do you hope will not be included in the list of prohibited topics? Please list them and we will communicate with candidate Cao."
"Well, thank you for your hard work. Our Director Murong will communicate with you directly on other matters!"
Murong Xue, who was sitting next to her, stood up and gestured for invitation.
Lu Ming looked at the backs of these people and shook his head. Although he had already given the Taiwan side some suggestions on how to make this program and the general idea, he was still not very satisfied with the process arrangement and so on. However, due to the limitations of the times, he could not force them to have the keenness of 21st century producers and hosts.
If I hadn't taken this into consideration, I would have scolded them to death.
Of course, I am speaking from the perspective of a TV station owner, not as a debater.