In the office of the Prime Minister's residence, the Duke of Wellington and Sir Peel watched Arthur, who had received the double approval of the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Home Affairs, get up and leave.

The Duke of Wellington got up and went to the wine closet, took out a half-drunk bottle of sherry, and poured a glass for Sir Peel and himself.

He took a sip of wine, nodded slightly at Arthur's back, and said, "Promising young man, isn't he?" But I'm only 20 years old, so insightful, and there's nothing wrong with running more university education. The University of London, which lacks funding and faith, can produce such talents, and I wonder when King's College, the orthodox university founded by His Majesty the King and me, will produce such outstanding young people. ”

Sir Peel smiled and raised his glass: "King's College was only founded last year, and its first graduates will not be able to graduate in two years, so you can wait." ”

Wellington suddenly asked, "Seeing young people is always full of memories. When I was 20 years old, I was a cavalry lieutenant in the 12th Dragoon Brigade. Robert, you know what? Actually, I didn't want to be a soldier at first, I like to play the violin, and I can only play the violin.

But my mother thought that my little son was too clumsy, and when he grew up, he could only be cannon fodder, so she sent me to Pinheirol Military Academy to study army command. Speaking of which, what were you doing when you were 20 years old? ”

"Me? That had to go back to 1809. ”

Sir Peel's eyes were full of fragments of the past: "I had just finished secondary school and university at Oxford, and I graduated with good grades, first in mathematics and literature, so my father paid me a seat in parliament to reward me for my outstanding studies. ”

When the Duke of Wellington heard this, he seemed to remember something: "You went to secondary school in Oxford? Oh, by the way, I think I've heard you mention that Lord Byron is in the same class as you, right? It's not easy for you to get the first place in the liberal arts on his head. ”

Sir Peel modestly said, "I'm just better at exams, it's not a big deal." And I only beat him in secondary school, and when I got to college, he went to Cambridge and I went to Oxford. After graduating, I went to the House of Commons and attacked each other all the time, and he inherited my father's title and went to the House of Lords, and had more time to study literature, and the gap between me and him was already evident at that time.

But I am indeed surprised that you have such a high opinion of Lord Byron. After all, he wrote you in the unfinished Don Juan......"

The Duke of Wellington shrugged his shoulders slightly when he heard this: "If I had been fighting with him all day, I would have died of anger." Compared to what the Times gave me today, Byron was merciless. ”

Sir Peel asked: "What does the Times say?" ”

The Duke of Wellington didn't speak, but took out the crumpled newspaper from his pocket and threw it on the table: "See for yourself." ”

Sir Peel unfolded the crumpled newspaper and looked up to see the huge headline "The Iron Duke: Arthur Wellesley"

"The Iron Duke? Nice nickname. ”

The Duke of Wellington rolled his eyes and drank the sherry in the goblet: "Yes! If it weren't for the following paragraph, I would have thought that The Times would still be unwavering in its ass. ”

Sir Peel was stunned at first, and then his gaze turned to the contents of the newspaper.

According to this newspaper, the Duke of Wellington, who could not bear the protests of the enlightened public, had changed the window glass of his home several times this month, and the frequent additional expenses made the Duke of the Duke financially strained, and in order to reduce the expenses, he regained the wisdom of defeating Napoleon, and built an impregnable defense of his 'London No. 1' Aspley Mansion near Knightsbridge with several sets of specially made iron windows.

- The Duke of Wellington, Field Marshal of the Eight Nations, Conqueror of the Conquerors of the World, Nemesis of the French tyrant Napoleon, his will like iron, his command like iron, his determination to oppose parliamentary reform like iron, his dead brain more like a piece of rusty iron, and now even the windows of his house are iron!

- May the Tories who follow in the footsteps of the Iron Duke have a rag with them in order to wipe away the spittle of the public in time for his iron pimple body, so that his beautiful Red Army suit will not be stained with rust.

As soon as the Duke of Wellington's eyes glanced at the newspaper, he couldn't help but be angry: "Robert, look, what did I tell you before?" The Times is a third-rate newspaper that rushes to pay attention to you when you are in a secure position. But as soon as he realized that the situation was wrong, he immediately turned into a reform fighter and began to shout for the Whigs.

At this point, he is not even as good as the Guardian, at least the Guardian's point of view is continuous, and there will be no sudden big turn, they still have to be cheeky. From a military point of view, a defective guy like The Times is far more infuriating than a clear-cut enemy like The Guardian! ”

Sir Peel threw the paper into the trash, without humor: "So, you now know why the Guardian can't sell The Times, right?" ”

The Duke of Wellington muttered, "I know what's the use? Those parade fools don't know! They probably don't understand that what they are doing is putting the country into the hands of these guys. Oh, let me step down, then I'll do what they want, anyway, I don't bother to continue to care about this mess. Contemptible, Arthur Wellesley, is getting out of the open field. ”

……

4 Whitehall Street.

Director Charles Rowan sat in his chair with his fingers folded over his lips as he looked at the empty conference room, his spotless face showing no expression.

The door to the conference room was gently pushed open, and the Deputy Director, Sir Richard Mayne, who was holding the papers, walked into the conference hall in a daze.

He glanced at the conference hall, then threw his gaze at Director Rowan, and asked according to his brow, "Charles, isn't there a police meeting today?" Why are you the only one left here? ”

Director Rowan's gaze drifted to Sir Mayne, and he chuckled, leaned back, and fell back in his chair and spoke, "Yes! I also wondered, why was I the only one left? In the end, who is the superior body of the Greater London Metropolitan Police and the Greater London Metropolitan Police East London Region, and since the LPS is directly under the Home Office, why should it be paid under the name of Scotland Yard? Is the top governor of Scotland Yard Charles Rowan or Arthur Hastings? ”

When Lord Mayne heard this, he probably understood what was going on.

He gently put the documents in his hand on the desk, walked to Director Rowan's side and asked, "He got the prime minister's order again like the murder and corpse robbery case?" ”

"Oh! Not this time. ”

Director Rowan snorted: "This time his ability is even greater, the double orders of 10 Downing Street and the Ministry of the Interior, as if the whole of Great Britain revolves around him." Since the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary felt that the order should be sent directly to our most promising young superintendent of Scotland, wouldn't it be better to remove me altogether and put him in charge of Scotland Yard? Why bother? ”

When Sir Mayne heard this, he grinned and comforted, "Charles, it's almost done. Where can he suppress so many factions in Scotland Yard, both cavalry and infantry, all soldiers, and only you, the active army colonel, can listen. ”

"Yes! The cavalry and infantry could listen to it, but only we, a top student at the University of London, couldn't. ”

Rowan looked up at Sir Mayne and asked, "Is it necessary to send so many police officers for a parade of a few hundred people?" I thought it was a fucking Frenchman landing on the Thames! ”

Sir Mayne said helplessly: "Just wait for this time to pass." The Tories may be in the past few months, and when the Duke of Wellington's cabinet collapses, you don't want to fix him as much as you want. Besides, even if you don't move him, will the Whigs be able to sit here in peace with such a young superintendent who has been in close contact with Sir Peel? ”

When Luo Wan heard this, he couldn't help but nodded: "That's right, Richard, you're very right. A twenty-year-old cub is about to turn the world upside down in Scotland Yard because of his close association with Sir Peel. In order to show a little sincerity to the Whigs, we old men who were dragged by Sir Peel to Scotland Yard all need a snack! ”

Sir Mayne also heard Director Rowan's voice, and he smiled, then lightly pulled out the invitation hidden in the document.

"Charles, even if you don't mention this matter to me, I plan to take the initiative to mention it to you. Viscount Palmerston sent me an invitation to dinner and asked me if you would be interested in coming along. ”

"Viscount Palmerston?"

Luo Wan seemed to remember something when he heard this name, he turned sideways and took a sip of tea: "Heh, I didn't plan to have anything to do with him." When he was working in the War Department, everyone who knew him said that he was crazy and like an overseer with a whip. It was obviously easier to stay under Sir Peel than to work for him. ”

Sir Mayne was not annoyed when he heard this, he bent down and put his arm around his old partner's shoulder, and whispered, "Aren't you going?" Charles, my old fellow, I must warn you. Don't say anything about the long future, it's all a lie, and in reality, it's all people who take tea and cool. ”

A shadow cast over Chief Rowan's face, and he looked like he was struggling. 、

Seeing him like this, Sir Mayne did not continue to persuade him, but calmly picked up the invitation and papers again, and turned to go out.

However, before he could walk out, he heard Director Luo Wan's voice suddenly sound: "Time, place?" ”

Sir Mayne turned, his smiling face meeting the slightly narrowed eyes of Director Rowan.

"This Sunday, at Olmark's Restaurant, Viscount Palmerston's personal private dinner, bring your lady. But it's better not to bring it, because you know, Charles, the last thing in the Olmark club is charismatic gentlemen and young and energetic young and beautiful young ladies. ”

When Director Rowan heard this, he picked up his teacup and looked out the window: "The Olmark Club is indeed upper." I didn't think that a person like myself, who was both a soldier and a police officer, would have the opportunity to enter and leave such an upper-class social place. Viscount Palmerston, oh, Cupid from Ireland, is indeed apt to describe him by such a nickname. ”

(End of chapter)