Moved away, handed the notebook to Huaiya, and sighed softly.

If only he had seen this earlier.

Maybe we won’t be so oblivious to many things and deal with them passively?

Balta continued:

"...Also, we will spare no effort to reverse public opinion, hedge against the rumors that are unfavorable to you these days, and reshape your image from the bottom up."

Thales was startled for a moment, then laughed:

"I came to the Emerald City to bring down a duke, dragged down a city, and destroyed countless people's livelihoods. How can I still have an image?"

"Of course. As long as you take care of your hair, a person's image can be changed - a criminal thief can become a knight-errant who enjoys revenge, and a respected knight can also be said to be a hypocritical and cunning landlord. It depends on how people behave.

Cut your hair, uh, why don’t you listen to the story.”

Balta's eyes lit up, and he seemed to become confident when talking about his profession:

"Relax, Your Highness, we are professionals. We know well that blocking is worse than sparing. We also know that subtlety is better than deliberate publicity, and we understand that positive and negative factors can be combined to push and pull together..."

After listening to his words, Thales couldn't help but put down his notebook.

He restrained his smile and became wary:

"Now I know where Zhan's good reputation comes from."

Balta realized something and bowed humbly:

"But no matter how good the reputation is, it can't compare to a light finger from your high position."

Thales chuckled, not sure whether it was sarcasm or confirmation.

This guy is interesting, Thales.

The voice in Thales' heart quietly spoke:

He can sense the most subtle emotions and situations and react accordingly, sometimes showing favor or weakness, sometimes showing off his muscles.

He can smell the heavy power lingering on you and act accordingly.

A born survivor.

Or, make good use of him...

Or, simply...

While Thales was thinking, Balta continued:

"I can also help you find Miss Hilley who has kidnapped the murderer and escaped. As far as I know, she was sent to the Sunset Temple for further study when she was a child, and she had a very good relationship with a priest. And that priest had a crush on Luo from the Blood Bottle Gang.

Although Jie Youen. Roger is dead, his secret stronghold in the Emerald City is not without a trace..."

The prince frowned.

"No need," Thales refused flatly, "I have more important things to do, and I'm not interested in where Xi Lai is hiding."

Balta frowned and raised his head.

Thales looked at him with sharp eyes:

"If I really want to find her, I can find my own way without any help."

Balta was silent for a while, his brows furrowed.

"That being the case, I understand." After a moment, Balta relaxed his expression and smiled honestly, "His Highness is indeed a master of strategizing and is superior to others."

For some reason, Thales felt a little uncomfortable facing this little barber who seemed to be invisible to everyone, and he actually felt like he was being seen through and naked.

What did he understand?

"Then what we can do is also increase people's confidence in the future of Emerald City to help you govern," Balta continued, "You have experience in governing Star Lake Castle. I heard that after you took charge, there will be

Don’t pick up lost things on the road, don’t close your house at night, be full of vitality, hear chickens and dogs, these deeds can enhance your image..."

Huaiya on the side looked strange and hesitated to speak.

"But none of this is true."

Thales was a little irritable.

Don’t pick up things along the way…

Indeed, if you are so poor that you have nothing, what can you leave behind?

Keep the door open at night...

The gate of Xinghu Fort has not been repaired, how can we close it?

Full of life, chickens and dogs hear each other...

This is true, even all kinds of feces and urine can be smelled.

"But what is the truth?"

Balta asked himself questions and answered with a patient smile: "The truth is what people want to believe and what they expect."

Thales' eyes moved.

"If such conditions are not met," Balta's eyes flashed, "the truth is not enough to become the truth."

Thales was silent for a while and glanced at Huaiya, who was flipping through a small intelligence book next to him and became increasingly shocked.

The attendant immediately understood and said coldly:

"Let's be honest, Baltar, you promised His Highness so many benefits - what do you want? Surrender and serve?"

"Nothing is required. It is a citizen's obligation to be loyal to Your Highness..."

Thales snorted softly:

"Balta."

The owner of the barber shop paused for a second, bowed deeply, and spoke in an orderly manner:

"If there is really a reason why I did this, it should be said that it is because of your magnanimity and not remembering the small faults of the common people..."

"What's the meaning?"

I saw Balta raise his head, his honest and honest appearance was gone, and he became serious:

"This is an apology, Your Highness. For the injustice you and Miss Hilley suffered in my shop on the day I was away."

Thales' eyebrows jumped when he heard this!

He thought of the adventure he and Shilay had experienced on the street that day in order to track down the defense lawyer Slimani, but then he thought of the glove that Shilay had dropped on the street.

Not good.

"What grievance?" Huaiya looked suspicious.

Balta looked at the attendant, then at the silent Prince, and smiled slightly:

"Nothing. Your Highness taught the guys in my shop a lesson that day, that's all."

Huaiya couldn't help but be surprised. He turned to Thales, but still suppressed the doubts in his heart.

Thales subconsciously wanted to deny it, but looking at Balta's calm expression and the small book in Waiya's hand, he finally just pursed his lips.

"You know that's us."

Balta nodded.

"I wasn't in the shop that day. But the boys lost a lot of sales and couldn't hide it, so they had to tell me everything." His expression became serious, "Except for exaggeration and falsehood.

Partly, I guessed the truth and the identity of the person involved."

Thales couldn't help but sneered when he thought of what he had experienced on the street that day, especially the good things done by the barber shop guys.

"Then I guess you want to say that it was your temporary workers who were careless and offended the noble man that day?"

Unexpectedly, Balta straightened his back and looked directly at Thales, his eyes firm and showing no intention of dodging.

"No, they are not temporary workers, but clerks in my store. Each one of them was collected and stored by me."

Thales couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.

"Secondly, they would do such a thing, not because of anything else, but because they have eyes." Balta sighed softly, regretting it. "On the one hand, they are jealous of money and look at the gorgeously dressed defenders.

On the one hand, he is flattering and flattering, but on the other hand, he looks down on others and bullies poorly dressed outsiders without any restraint."

interesting.

Thales narrowed his eyes.

"That's why I was forced to bully you that day - no, it was a pair of brothers and sisters from a foreign land who make a living by doing tricks," Balta said sadly, "So to sum up, the person who really made a mistake that day was actually me."

"You?" Thales was very interested.

This is quite novel.

"Yes. No matter what the appearance is, in the final analysis, it is me, as the boss, who has a problem with the management of the store." Balta replied in a deep voice, with a solemn expression and a stern tone.

"oh?"

"Yes. The Emerald City has been comfortable for many years, and I can make money even while lying down. Therefore, I neglected to teach and turned my subordinates into mean and selfish drunkards. They are lazy and indifferent, asking for bribes in private, pretending to be powerful, and bullying others," Balta bowed again.

, "I would also like to thank His Highness for visiting your shop, which woke me up in time and realized this potentially fatal flaw."

Thales was silent for a while.

All right.

In this day and age where everyone in the Emerald City's bureaucracy shows loyalty and strives to be the best, I unexpectedly encountered a boss who did not shirk his responsibilities and took the initiative to accept them.
To be continued...