"Alright, so what do we do?" Clein asked his two coworkers.
"Well, we cannot just go around threatening them, they are too influential for that to work." Jacob replied.
"I doubt we can come up with a 'financial incentive' anytime soon and we currently do not know anything about the people who are encouraging the crown to avoid sewers." Eleanor reasoned.
Jacob, in an attempt to tue off loose ends, asked, "Clein, have you tried asking the other potential sponsors?"
"No, I have not" Clein replied, "Mr. Gougar and his banking friends hold a lot of sway over business, if they are unwilling to do something then everyone else will be apprehensive about it."
"Then there is no other choice," Eleanor sighed. "We must ask Mibister Vanderbilt, consequences be damned."
The three of them reluctantly agreed with the idea, and set off to bother the Minister of Health.
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Vanderbilt saw them walk through the door while he was enjoying the snacks in the lounge. He gestured for them to come over, holding no expectations whatsoever and started to listen to their report...Once they finished speaking he calmly put down his teacup and thought. He knew there was no way in hell he could pressure the government, not from New Winstam at any rate. So his only opening is the sponsors...there are several methods available to force their hand. He could attack their conpanies with the inspectorate, bait the populace into storming their residences, he might even hire some of their servants to give them some drugs like laxatives or hallucinogens. But those methods are too conspicuous...not what the mayor wants.
Perhaps...yes he could do that.
"Everyone, I have a plan." Vanderbilt announced, "I need you guys to do this...."
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Henry Gougar was having a lovely time enjoying a hot drink and waiting for his waiting guest to fume from imaptience. But suddenly he was so rudely interrupted by one of his servants, blathering on about the Ministry of Health selling stocks. It sounds ridiculous, but apparantely it was verified to be true. Needless to say, buying hard power in government requires a staggering price, each stock required several million to purchase. But having at least some say in what the Ministry of Health will do is tempting, he could tweak a few things at the edges, perhaps put a stop to this whole cleanliness business. Tempting tempting...
"Servant, inform my accountant that I will be buying several of these stocks. Put half of my profit into the venture and advise my banking friends to do the same."
"Understood, sir."
They can have their sewer, I will control the Ministry.
