The spacious and luxurious living room is filled with the aroma of cigar smoke and oak aged whisky.

Perhaps because he was no longer distracted by the hustle and bustle of Scotland Yard, Arthur even took the time to redecorate the house. Bright chandeliers, classical frescoes on the walls, intricate ornamentation on golden curtains and heavy wool carpets, and burning firewood in the fireplace make the light in the interior softer and richer.

A delicate mahogany round table is filled with a variety of silver flasks and carved glasses, filled with a mellow amber liquid that exudes an enticing aroma.

A few well-dressed guests sat around a round table on the sofa, their white and crisp collars, their bow ties, and each holding a glass full of whiskey, which he shook from time to time, savoring the unique aroma.

Their conversations were moderate, intellectual, and witty, and the topics ranged from recent legislative bills in Congress to business opportunities in the Far Eastern colonies, to the latest fashions, reflecting the breadth of knowledge and depth of thought of these gentlemen.

Laughter, clinking glasses, and piano tunes on the gramophone intertwine to create a vivid picture of 19th-century British gentlemen's club socializing.

Lionel looked at the furnishings in the room and said with a smile: "Arthur, it seems that your body is recovering far better than I thought, and you know how to enjoy life better. The shift from dancing with swords to appreciating classical art may have been a step backwards for a police officer, but it could not have been more appropriate for a diplomat about to take office. How did you suddenly figure this out? ”

Hearing this, Arthur held the wine glass and said: "It's very simple, Lionel, if a person lets people shoot twice in half a year, one in the corner of the eye and one in the chest, after one foot is on the dividing line between hell and heaven, your mind will also change." Nothing is of value to the dead, not even gold, let alone the pound. Whether it's charity or buying alcohol, the money should go where it belongs, and it should be spent. ”

Speaking of this, Arthur turned his head to look at Ridley again and asked, "Anyway, Ridley, do you still have those hot goods in your pocket?" ”

Ridley smiled and said, "Sir, where is the work of Scotland Yard hot or not, it is all for the citizens." Of course, sometimes I don't get everything right, such as the night you led the team to the Tower of London, several sections of the Police Intelligence Service accidentally caught fire. Alas, it's still my fault for my lack of ability to do everything. ”

Ridley's words can be tasted by everyone present, but only Arthur can make every condiment clear.

When the Police Intelligence Service was still known as the Surveying and Statistics Department of the London Region, they were already collecting information that was beyond their purview, such as making a private file for some big people or future big people.

If Arthur had remained at Scotland Yard, he would have had a hundred ways to deal with the Home Office's investigation, but sadly, he has now left his private kingdom.

It's no secret that no one in this world likes to live under surveillance, and British law strictly prohibits police officers from doing so. Only when the Ministry of the Interior needs this group of political security police to monitor protest assemblies will they issue authorization to temporarily release control over surveillance operations.

But the status of the parliamentarians is obviously different from that of the workers, and if they knew that in the eyes of the police intelligence service, all people are created equal, it would be a mess.

Arthur understands this, and Ridley, who has always been clever, certainly does.

But what Arthur didn't expect was that Ridley would act so quickly, as early as when he just received the news that Arthur had been shot, he had already burned those top-secret files in one go.

From this point of view, Ledley seems to have no other shortcomings other than being too progressive.

Arthur looked at Ledley and nodded slightly, "Ledley." ”

Ridley sat upright: "What's wrong?" Sir. ”

Arthur smiled and raised a glass to him: "In my opinion, you will definitely be the director of intelligence in the future." ”

"Oh, really?"

Ridley raised his glass in awe and touched Arthur, "Then I'll borrow your kind words, Sir." To tell you the truth, I have just bought your portrait from Mr. Turner at great expense, and it is now hanging on the wall of my office. Every day, as soon as I open the door, I have to look at it twice. ”

When Arthur heard this, the wine he had just brought to his mouth almost stuck in his throat, and he pulled out his handkerchief to cover his mouth and coughed repeatedly: "Ledley, you're a little too much." ”

"Ever? I don't know what to call it. ”

Ledley gave a thumbs up, pointed to Plunkett next to him and said, "I only bought portraits, but Thomas bought the Rain, the Police and the Tower of London." ”

Hearing this, Plunkett hurriedly clarified: "Sir, don't listen to this kid Ridley's nonsense, I can't afford such an expensive painting. It was Mr. Turner who offered to give the painting "Rain, the Police and the Tower of London" to Scotland Yard, but we were too embarrassed to accept it directly, so we symbolically raised some money as an honorarium for Mr. Turner as a sign of respect for him. However, the painting has not yet been delivered to us, and it is currently participating in the annual exhibition of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, and we will not be able to receive it until the exhibition is over. ”

Arthur always felt strange when he heard this, after all, in his happy hometown, only portraits of dead people would hang on the wall.

But he thought about it, he had almost died once anyway, and there was no need to worry too much about this kind of subsection.

Dumas, who was sitting next to him, didn't know how to feel when he heard this.

If this were France, Dumas would most likely not forgive him for opening fire on the protesters. But the problem was that this was Britain, and what surprised him even more was that the country's rulers retreated in the face of surging public outrage, and Wellington's action of ordering the Tories to turn back en masse led to a successful vote on parliamentary reform and a return to order in London, which was simply unthinkable in France.

The same June, the same riots, the end of London and Paris, but the fates of Britain and France were very different. Dozens of people died in the chaos and bullets in London, while in Paris more than eight hundred were killed in the battle with dragoons and police alone.

Britain's parliamentary reform was successfully passed, but France's republican path remained elusive.

I have to say that Dumas had some bad feelings in his heart, although he didn't want to admit it, but in the deepest part of his heart, he was still shaken. Maybe this time, really got this damn spy boss right.

If Arthur really died and lay quietly in a coffin, Dumas would not hesitate to lay flowers for his friend and write a eulogy for him to express his memory. But, this kid's life turned out to be like this, and he survived being shot in the heart.

As a result, Alexandre Dumas, who was plagued by ambivalence, never visited Arthur once during his recuperation.

If Louis and Lionel hadn't dragged him along, perhaps the arrogant French fat man would have planned to have a cold war with Arthur for a while.

Now that he saw that his friend no longer had the pale complexion caused by excessive blood loss, Alexandre Dumas was suddenly relieved.

Politics is indeed too complicated. He had to admit that he didn't know as much about Britain as Arthur, a native of York, but his republican views on France were still unshakable.

Dumas pretended that nothing had happened, and joked as usual: "Arthur, you don't care about money, but it's all coming at you." Aren't you going to treat everyone to a meal tonight for some fun? ”

Arthur stared at this fat French man with a smile on the corner of his mouth, until he saw him empty-hearted, and then he spoke: "Alexander, do you want me to invite me to dinner, and you still need to pick me to make a fortune?" I didn't realize you were such a gentleman. ”

Dumas was also relieved when he heard this, and he raised his glass and touched Arthur: "It was before, and now it is now, you know, I am thirty years old now." ”

"Oh?" Arthur laughed, "You're not a republican anymore?" ”

"No, of course I still am." Alexandre Dumas took a sip of his wine and pouted at the amber liquor in his glass, "But I'm afraid I'm not as pure as I used to be." ”

Louis stabbed Alexandre Dumas when he heard this, squinted and smiled, "So, you plan to stand on the same path with me?" ”

Alexandre Dumas shook his head and said, "That's not what I meant. Louis, in any case, your republican emperor's argument is still too out-of-the-box for me. ”

Louis shrugged his shoulders when he heard this, but he was not discouraged: "Well, maybe when you are thirty-one, your opinion will change again." ”

Dumas was speechless for a long time by Louis's words, he really wanted to find some ground, and Lionel, the young master of the Rothschild family, hurriedly came out to act as a peacemaker.

He pulled the check clip from the tuxedo's inner pocket and diverted the subject.

"Arthur, I have to say, that day at the stock exchange, you were indeed very courageous, and by the way, I followed you with your courage. It's risky, but judging by the results, it doesn't end well. Neither the Treasury, nor the Home Office nor Scotland Yard intend to pursue your embezzlement, and Britain's public debt is now back on track.

Therefore, after deducting the relevant taxes and fees and the full return of public funds and the profits generated by public funds, you still have a floating profit of 28 points. Your principal is £8,500, which means that your personal assets now reach £10,160, which is not a small amount of money, and you are currently the number one in the rich circles of London. ”

Lionel smiled and put a thick stack of checks in front of Arthur, but Arthur did not directly receive the money in his arms, but took out 5,500 pounds from it and pushed it back in front of Lionel.

Lionel was stunned when he saw this: "What are you doing here?" ”

Arthur took a sip of wine: "Lionel, you are too forgetful, 5,000 pounds of my 8,500 pounds principal was lent to me by you, and you are willing to do such a high-risk loan business, naturally you should also get a high return." The principal of 5,000 pounds will be returned in full, and you deserve 10% of the profit for half a year. ”

Lionel was about to say no, but Arthur immediately added.

"Lionel, you treat me as a friend, so I treat you as a friend. You trust me, so I trust you too. You don't refuse my high-risk borrowing requests, so I don't accept your gratuitous gifts. In a friendship, there is no better relationship than a win-win situation that is mutually beneficial. I don't want this little bit of money to affect our relationship, money is such a thing, everyone really wants, but for me, the remaining 4,660 pounds is already a lifetime to spend. ”

When Lionel heard this, he suddenly shook his head slightly, and he couldn't help but laugh when he looked at Arthur's face: "Arthur, you guy, you are really different from ordinary people. ”

Who knows, Dumas looked at the remaining 4,660 pounds on the table, but couldn't help frowning: "Why is there only more than 4,000 pounds left?" I remember when I was at Liverpool, you were ......"

When Louis heard this, he waved his hand slightly at Alexandre Dumas: "Alexander, you haven't been working in public for too long. Liverpool's money is not only yours, mine, Heinrich and Arthur's, but a series of Excellencies who are connected to this matter. If this were not the case, how could Liverpool's urban renewal plan pass so smoothly, and how could Liverpool's businessmen be so grateful to Arthur? Take what you deserve, that's all I can say. ”

When Dumas heard this, he looked at the 5,500 pounds in front of Lionel, leaned back on the sofa and grinned: "Arthur, I'll just say why you can give up so much money so easily?" 5,500 pounds, that's 110,000 francs, and you can give it up because you've done something like that before. ”

Lionel took the stack of cheques into his bosom and half-jokingly said, "Yes, Alexander, I have long said that our Sir Arthur Hastings is no ordinary man, and I am glad that I am able to be friends with such a noble man, who is much better than the old men who smell of copper." ”

Speaking of this, Lionel suddenly changed his words again: "But, Arthur, since our friendship is so deep, I can't help but want to share an interesting story with you. I think if you're looking to recuperate, you might want to consider Wales or the South West of England, where the air and sun are good, not as cold and damp as London. What's more, I have heard that Parliament seems to be considering giving approval for the construction of a 171-mile railway from London Paddington, connecting all the key towns in South West England with Wales. So, when you come back from Hannover, if you want to go there for a holiday, the transportation will be very convenient. ”

"Oh?" Arthur shook his glass: "This is a great project, and I am lucky enough to know who the chief engineer of this railway is?" To be honest, trains are a great new invention, but I also have to think about the safety of travel, and if it weren't for a well-known engineer, I would be worried about the quality of the railway. ”

Lionel smiled: "You don't have to worry about this at all, because the chief engineer of this project, which is named the 'Great Western Railway', is naturally first-class - Mr. Isambad Kindham Brunel." If you remember that I suggested you buy his Road & Bridge shares, you won't be unfamiliar with the name. ”

Arthur nodded slightly, and then took out three thousand pounds from the check and handed it to Lionel: "I have always valued this gentleman, although I have not met him in person, but this surname alone is enough to win the trust of investors." ”

Seeing this, Louis and Alexandre Dumas on the side also generously said: "There must be a lack of start-up funds to build such a project, although we are French, but as long as it is for the people, France and Britain should be no different." ”

Even Plunkett and Ledley, who were shy in their pockets, couldn't help but feel a little itchy when they saw this, but stock investment has never been for the poor cops of Scotland Yard, even if they are now one superintendent and the other is a superintendent.

More than a year ago, one of them was a mediocre sheriff, the other was a progressive police officer, and they couldn't have saved so much money for stock investment in a short period of time.

Arthur casually took out two cheques for one hundred pounds and gave them to them.

"Sir, you're ......"

Arthur said calmly: "Remember to return me, when I come back from Hanover." ”

Seeing this, the two couldn't help but stand up and salute, "Of course, Sir Hastings, we're sure you'll be back soon!" ”

Seeing this, Arthur smiled and pressed the shoulders of the two of them and said, "Okay, save these words for me when I come back." Now, take me to meet our old friend, Mr. Schneider, Assistant Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, a pure British gentleman of German origin. I'm a newcomer, so I have a lot to ask him before I take on the job. Where is he now? ”

Ridley grinned and said, "Where else can he be?" The guy was hooked on Miss Fiona's sex experience hall, and he would run to get whipped every weekend when he had time, and I guess he was there right now. If it's convenient for you, I'll take you and the three gentlemen over now? ”

(End of chapter)