shadow of britain

Chapter 895 Your Empire Publishing House is going to make a fortune!
"Is that so?" Lord Lindhurst smiled and beckoned Disraeli to find a chair and said, "It sounds like you have good news for us."

Disraeli coughed lightly, hung his hat on the coat rack, and sat down with his hands folded on his knees: "Your Excellency, I bring his attitude, or, more accurately, his silence."

The room fell silent for a few seconds.

Pierre stared into Disraeli's eyes, as if trying to determine if the Jewish boy was lying: "He denied it?"

“He…neither denied nor admitted it,” Disraeli said cautiously. “However, one thing I can confirm from my conversation with him is that he really doesn’t know the origin of the nickname ‘Mrs. Melbourne’, nor does he know what Fleet Street has been doing for the past two weeks.”

“I don’t believe that.” Lord Stanley exhaled a puff of smoke. “He’s the Secretary General of the Commissioner for Police Affairs and the Chairman of the Board of Imperial Publishing Company. It might be an exaggeration to say he can control all the writers in Fleet Street, but how could he have been completely unaware of something like this?”

“Yes,” Lord Lindhurst said, crossing his legs. “Has he been hiding in the cellar for the past two weeks?”

“It might be a little better than hiding in the cellar, but it’s probably about the same…” Disraeli’s mind raced as he racked his brains to figure out how to get Arthur out of the garbage dump: “Arthur has been squatting in Paris for the past two weeks.”

“Paris?” Earl Ellenborough peeked out from behind the newspaper. “That makes perfect sense.”

Even the kind-hearted Earl of Aberdeen looked up and asked, "Are you going on vacation?"

“More or less.” Disraeli paused for a moment, feigning hesitation, before continuing, “To be precise, he was on Her Majesty’s orders to go to Paris to find performers for the Buckingham Palace concert.”

As soon as Disraeli finished speaking, the gentlemen in the reading room immediately showed a disdainful expression.

“That is truly a great appointment of state.”

"I wonder if he also picked out a few lace handkerchiefs for the Queen at a fashion boutique in Paris?"

“Piano again, concert again…” Earl Ellenborough shook his newspaper: “She’s still just a little girl, all she thinks about are balls and fun all day long.”

Hearing them criticize the royal family again, the Duke of Wellington, a loyal royal, could no longer stand it: "I've said it before, Your Excellencies..."

Before he could finish speaking, Pierre, who was usually indifferent to the Queen, unexpectedly interrupted them, saying, "It's just a concert, I can understand that."

Lord Lindhurst was somewhat surprised by this: "Oh? Robert, did the sun rise in the west today?"

Peel glanced at them: "Her Majesty is only eighteen years old this year. She has just been released from that airtight cage in Kensington and is in a stage where everything is new and exciting. Besides, would you rather she focus her attention on the Cabinet Gazette, budget review, and reports on the workers' strikes than on putting on a concert?"

The people sitting in the room were all old hands who had been in British politics for decades, and they certainly understood Peel's implication.

A monarch who enjoys organizing concerts is far better than one who is preoccupied with parliament and the budget; the latter are the real problem.

Even the Duke of Wellington, a staunch supporter of the monarchy, cannot deny this point.

Of course, if circumstances allowed, the Duke would prefer a strong, powerful, and wise British king.

If the king truly possesses that level of ability and is willing to fully control the country, the Duke of Wellington, a staunch royalist, wouldn't mind leading the push for a "return of power to the monarchy."

However, as things stand, the little girl named Victoria does not yet meet this standard.

Lord Lindhurst shrugged and smiled noncommittally: "Well, I admit I'd rather Her Majesty focused her energy on the piano."

Disraeli seized the opportunity to add, "In fact, Arthur's trip to Paris... wasn't just about the pianist."

Pierre raised an eyebrow, opened the liquor cabinet, and poured a glass of sherry: "I knew it. Knowing that kid as I do, if he were to personally make a trip to Paris just for something this trivial, the Thames would have to flow backward."

The Duke of Wellington asked with a serious expression, "And what else did he do?"

“Uh…” Disraeli moved his lips, feigning hesitation: “This matter… he didn’t actually tell me much detail himself.”

"Get to the point." Pierre placed the glass in front of Disraeli, his tone leaving no room for refusal.

“Well,” Disraeli said with a wry smile, “he also...took a trip to Brussels.”

The moment the name Brussels was uttered, all eyes immediately turned to Disraeli.

What was he doing in Belgium?

“As far as I know…” Disraeli seemed to have finally made up his mind: “it’s for the business of the English Electromagnetic Telegraph Company.”

Lord Lindhurst yawned: "Benjamin, do you know how shameless you are at lying?"

Disraeli blushed upon hearing this and said, "Your Excellency, I haven't finished yet. Although Arthur went to Brussels for Belgian telegraph business, the Larken Palace wants to discuss more than just one or two telegraph lines with him. Leopold introduced his nephew Albert to Arthur, and you gentlemen are probably aware that Leopold has a visit to England at the end of this month, aren't you?"

“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” Lord Lindhurst shook his head with a slightly exaggerated tone: “I knew that King of Belgium had ill intentions.”

"Since he ascended the throne in 1831, which of his visits to England wasn't for this very purpose?" The Earl of Ellenborough slowly put down his newspaper. "Only this time he's been smarter; instead of rushing ahead himself, he's taking a roundabout approach, trying to get through to Her Majesty's inner circle."

The Earl of Aberdeen, who had served as Foreign Minister, also disliked the Belgians' methods: "Leopold wants to be both a nobleman and a businessman. He wants to please London and cling to Paris at the same time. Where in the world can you find such a good deal? But then again, why doesn't he go after his sister? Doesn't the Duchess of Kent have more say in her daughter's marriage?"

The Duke of Wellington, who was familiar with Kensington Palace, coughed upon hearing this: "Don't you know? The Queen and her mother have fallen out. I heard from Greville that the two of them have been giving each other the cold shoulder recently because of Conroy's award."

“I did see that Albert once in Windsor last year,” Lord Stanley recalled. “He was a proper young nobleman, nothing particularly objectionable, but he didn’t seem to have any outstanding strengths either…” Pierre’s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he turned to Disraeli: “Did Arthur promise the Belgians anything?”

“I don’t know about that,” Disraeli shook his head decisively. “I wasn’t there at the time, and he himself didn’t reveal any details of the conversation.”

“That’s easy,” Lindhurst interjected. “We just need to see how the telegraph construction in Belgium progresses over the next few months, whether government funding goes smoothly, and whether approvals for new projects are issued. You can find out these things just by reading the newspapers; there’s no need to plant spies in Belgium.”

Lord Stanley, who had little contact with Arthur, frowned and said, "Hastings wouldn't be foolish enough to collect the money himself, would he?"

“He’s certainly not stupid,” Peel commented. “But he’s much bolder than you think.”

"Alright." The Duke of Wellington raised his cane and tapped it lightly on the floor. "What's the use of just keeping an eye on that young man, Hastings? The key issue isn't him, but Her Majesty the Queen. What do you all think about Her Majesty's marriage? If she's really determined to choose someone from the Coburg family, how should we respond?"

Upon hearing this, Peel countered, "Do you still support George, the Duke of Cumberland's son?"

“That would certainly be the best option,” the Duke of Wellington said. “A well-educated young man from the Church of England, of Hanoverian lineage, and first in line to the throne of Hanover. If the Queen were to marry her cousin George, then the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Hanover could reunite as a personal union. Moreover, from the perspective of army building and maintaining influence on the European continent, Hanover’s geographical location and excellent manpower are also very important to us.”

At this point, the Duke of Wellington paused for a moment: "However, this is only my wishful thinking. Whoever Her Majesty the Queen ultimately chooses, I will support her decision."

As soon as the Duke of Wellington finished speaking, Lord Lindhurst gave a soft chuckle.

“Sir, your insightful remarks just now did sound quite reasonable.” He slowly picked a cigar from the box, held it between his fingers, and paused for a moment. “However, I dare to offer a word of advice: politics cannot be judged solely by bloodline, faith, and military origins.”

Pierre glanced at him, as if he already knew what he was going to say.

Lindhurst tapped the cigar box lid lightly: "George, the Duke of Cumberland's son, is indeed a member of the royal family, and he has just been appointed regent for his father in the Kingdom of Hanover. But if I remember correctly... less than a month after the Duke of Cumberland became King of Hanover, he suspended the validity of the 1833 Hanoverian Constitution."

The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room changed instantly.

“That constitution was approved by his brother, William IV.” The Earl of Aberdeen, whose stance was relatively moderate, frowned. “And his reason for abolishing the constitution was simply that ‘Hanover does not need a parliamentary kingdom,’ without even following the legal procedures.”

“Yes,” Lindhurst shrugged with a half-smile. “Now look what’s happened. This king is trying to restore his autocracy in Hanover, and now he’s sending his son to be the Prince Consort of England. Tell me, what kind of uproar will this cause at home if this gets out? Londoners aren’t as radical as Parisians, but they’re still much harder to manage than Hanoverians. Last time there was a parliamentary reform riot, it was our esteemed Sir Arthur Hastings who got caught in the crossfire, but if we drag him out to take the fall again this time, I’m afraid it will really break his heart.”

Disraeli sat upright in his chair, seemingly unworthy to intervene in the arguing among the gentlemen.

But in fact, he had long anticipated that Lord Lindhurst would voice his opposition to the Queen's marriage to the Cumberland family.

There was nothing they could do; after all, the Duke of Cumberland had once humiliated Lady Lindhurst at a banquet hosted by Lord Lindhurst.

Lord Stanley pondered, “Even disregarding the potential political risks of a marriage alliance, from an emotional standpoint alone, Her Majesty doesn’t seem to have much affection for the Cumberland family. I’ve heard that Her Majesty previously asked the Duke of Cumberland to give up his suite at St. James’s Palace for the Duchess of Kent, but the Duke of Cumberland flatly refused, and he apparently persuaded his two brothers, the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of Cambridge, to do the same.”

Lord Aberdeen nodded: “As we have said before, it would be best if Her Majesty were not interested in politics, and her husband should have the same habit. From this point of view, the Duke of Cumberland’s family is not suitable. Moreover, we have no say in who Her Majesty ultimately chooses. In this situation, if we can keep a potential candidate like Albert in line, it may be the most appropriate compromise.”

Upon hearing this, Disraeli quickly chimed in, "Your Excellencies, I am not keen on discussing the philosophy of marriage alliances. However, from the perspective of national interests, Albert has a German background, connections with Belgium's foreign affairs, and, judging from the reports about him, he doesn't seem to be as unscrupulous as those princes from small countries. If he accompanies Leopold on his visit to England at the end of the month, we can at least gain a point of contact."

Seeing that Disraeli had spoken up at this moment, Pierre couldn't help but laugh and ask, "My dear Mr. Disraeli, are you sure what you just said was for the sake of national interest?"

Disraeli's heart skipped a beat, but he maintained a composed facade: "Of course, Your Excellency, everything I've said comes from the bottom of my heart. Besides, if we don't contact Albert first, and the Whigs get there first, then..."

“You’d better be,” Peel said with a half-smile. “However, it’s undeniable that he’s not the worst choice. Although his background has some ties to Belgium, at least he’s alone in Britain, so given his network of connections, it’s unlikely he has too much political ambition.”

Disraeli chimed in, "If we can first infiltrate him through interpersonal relationships, the media, and public opinion, making him feel that the Conservative Party is his backer in England, perhaps he will not be so easily swayed by liberalism."

Lord Lindhurst nodded approvingly, quite satisfied with Disraeli's answer: "That's a pragmatic view. Since we can't choose a perfect consort, we might as well build good relationships with all the potential consorts first. That way, even if the Queen ultimately favors him, we won't appear too passive."

Lord Stanley still had some doubts about this choice: "That being said, we still need to see if Albert is truly interested. If he feels irreconcilably opposed to the Conservatives from the outset, then we'll have to bet on somewhere else. Leopold is visiting England at the end of the month, and if Albert accompanies him as you've suggested, that would be a great opportunity. If he's not hostile to us, then we need to beat the Whigs to it and cultivate relationships with Albert in London's social circles, establishing his traditional media image through the newspapers so that he doesn't appear too close to the reformist forces."

Earl Ellenborough nodded in agreement, saying, "New friends may not become allies immediately, but at the very least, we should make it clear that not being our enemy is a safer choice for him."

Lord Lindhurst agreed: “That’s right. The few days when Leopold visits Britain at the end of the month are our window of opportunity. If we can create a few public contacts and social events during those days, and first shape him in the public sphere as a neutral and polite potential royal consort, then even if it’s just to maintain a good impression of him among the British people, Albert will have to maintain a good relationship with us.”

Seeing everyone's enthusiasm, the Duke of Wellington gave up and said, "I'll contact the Marquess of Cunningham and see if the Lord Chancellor's office can give us some leeway in the official procedures."

Seeing that these Conservative Party leaders had already made up their minds, Peel, as the party leader, stopped talking and turned his attention to Disraeli: "Dizzy."

"Your Excellency?" Disraeli, feeling guilty, couldn't help but stand up. "Is there anything you need?"

Peel smiled and raised his glass, saying, "Your speech just now was truly beautiful. It's hard to tell whether you were worried about the future of the royal family or preaching to some old friend."

Disraeli smiled calmly: "Your Excellency, you flatter me. My loyalty and concerns are all for the country and the royal family."

“Very good.” Peel raised his glass and gently clinked it against his own. “Since Imperial Publishing Company controls one-fifth of Fleet Street’s pages, I think you understand better than anyone that the media has the power to determine how the Emperor should be perceived by the public, even more so than he himself. Therefore, I believe you certainly wouldn’t mind if Imperial Publishing Company were to publish a few elegant, insightful, and conservative columns in its magazines during the last few days of the month, would you?”

Disraeli's smile remained unchanged. He nodded and bowed slightly, saying, "Your Excellency, Imperial Publishing has always taken it upon itself to defend British traditions. Although I cannot represent the collective wisdom of the company's board of directors, I believe that if the future King Consort can also embody our values, most editors on Fleet Street would be happy to write a few good words for him."

Pierre chuckled and downed his sherry in one gulp. "I knew you'd say that. Well then, I wish the English Electromagnetic Telegraph Company all the best for its telegraph project in Belgium."

(End of this chapter)