The Shadow of Great Britain

129: Chapter 88 The First Step to a Higher Position 129: Chapter 88 The First Step to a Higher Position Arthur was flipping through the property register in front of him, yet the corner of his eye caught the real estate agent whispering something into Lionel’s ear.

While listening, Lionel’s face suddenly took on a look of astonishment, followed by a helpless shake of his head.

He then spoke to Arthur with an apologetic tone, “I’m sorry, Mr.

Hastings.

The six-bedroom suite in Regency Crescent that I introduced to you earlier…”

Arthur raised his head and asked, “Is there a problem with that room?”

“No, no, no,” Lionel said with a smile and a dismissive wave of his hand.

“How could I introduce a room with problems to you?

It’s just that our company just got news that the suite was temporarily seized by the government this morning.

However, if you wish to live there, I can still inquire for you to see if there are any properties in Regency Crescent that will be listed soon.”

“Temporarily seized?”

Arthur pondered for a moment.

He had long heard of the great reputation of Regency Crescent, which lay just opposite Regent’s Park, a reserved plot for the recently deceased former King George IV during his regency.

King George IV had originally planned to build a summer palace garden there for his and other members of the nobility’s leisure, but before the construction could be completed, George IV ascended the throne and naturally moved into Buckingham Palace.

Consequently, the garden part of the summer palace was converted into a park, and the palace part was turned into terraced villas, which is now Regency Crescent.

It could be said to be one of London’s most sought-after wealthy districts in recent years, so Arthur had never considered buying property there.

Although he had £1,500 at his disposal, that amount of money was not considered very significant compared to the residents of Regency Crescent.

He knew that Rothschild had been giving him benefits, but the scales of such benefits varied.

While the previous stock tips could barely be considered normal investment advice within the bounds of the rules, the current real estate purchases were almost tantamount to a blatant handout of money.

The difference was that occasionally hearing a few insider stock tips might not provide others with a handle, but buying property in a high-priced area at a low price could actually cause trouble.

Moreover, although a few years had passed since he had transmigrated, Arthur had not yet forgotten the old saying from home—accepting gifts could soften one’s stance, and taking someone’s hand could make one short of freedom.

Arthur was clear about what could be done and what could not.

Before Arthur could speak, the Red Devil had already started using that familiar tempting tone of his, trying to arouse Arthur’s greed.

With a rub of his hands and a heh-heh laugh, Agares said, “Arthur, what are you waiting for?

Haven’t you read ‘Paradise Lost’?

Mammon built a palace called ‘Pandemonium’ for Satan.

Now, as the mortal Satan, you shouldn’t hesitate.

After all, if you don’t take it, someone else will, so why not accept this invitation from Mammon?”

Arthur glanced at the Red Devil; he had thought that this fellow had turned a new leaf recently, but now it seemed that it was only because the right opportunity had not yet come.

Whenever the opportunity was ripe, this devil would become impatient, scheming about how to send him down the path.

Arthur spoke with a smile, “That’s alright, Lionel, Regency Crescent was never within my consideration anyway.

We can look at other detached houses and apartments, such as Bayswater next to Hyde Park or near Lancaster Gate—I think they are all very suitable.”

Arthur’s statement was not long, but the information conveyed in it was enough to fill Lionel with joy.

Because Arthur did not call him Mr.

Rothschild, but directly by his first name, it showed that his efforts to close the gap between them had succeeded.

And Arthur’s subsequent words indicated his polite refusal to accept such a blatant giveaway; he wished to find a house that suited his financial capabilities.

Lionel smoothly changed his form of address to Arthur as well, and with a smile, he asked, “Oh, Arthur, you’re quite something!

Those two areas are indeed very good choices.

Although they lack the grandeur of Regency Crescent, they have their tranquility, and you can also enjoy the beautiful views of Hyde Park after dinner.

I know you’re also very renowned in the scientific research field, I’m sorry, I should have thought of this sooner—you, as a scientist, would prefer a quiet and comfortable research environment.”

He leaned forward slightly, his hand landing on the property register and casually flipping it.

Information about a detached house for sale in Hyde Park quickly appeared in front of Arthur.

“How about this one?

West London, Zone Two, Bayswater, 36 Lancaster Gate, a three-story detached house.

Lancaster Gate is closer to your future office location at 4 Whitehall than Greenwich, and to its south lies Hyde Park.

From your home, you can take in the full view of the royal garden’s beauty, and to the north is St.

Mary’s Hospital, with Paddington’s commercial district nearby.

Or if you wish, after dinner, you could also visit Scotland Yard’s Paddington police division to supervise and inspect the progress of these subordinate police stations.”

“It can be said that this house meets all the location criteria you need.

By the way, I forgot to mention it to you, this was originally the residence of a baronet, but he had some problems with investments and is now eager to sell this place.”

The house is surrounded by a not-so-large, yet elegant and refined private garden, where you could indulge in tending to flowers and plants if you are so inclined.”

Through the gravel path of the garden and entering through the door, you can see the first floor comprises a drawing room, dining room, and kitchen.”

After ascending the spiral staircase, there are six bedrooms and three bathrooms on the second floor, with four larger and two smaller bedrooms.”

When the original owner lived here, one of the larger bedrooms was his, another was reserved for guests, and the remaining two were for his children.

As for the two smaller ones, they were for his housemaids and cook.”

As for the small attic on the third floor, that was the original owner’s private art studio, which you could also convert into a personal research laboratory if needed.”

I have actually been to see this house myself, and the upkeep is incredibly good.

It’s a typical Baroque style, and the original owner put considerable effort into the interior decoration, which is quite extravagant.”

I can confidently assure you that if the owner wasn’t in a hurry to sell, you would never be able to snag such a bargain for 850 pounds.”

Hearing this, Arthur took a deep breath.

As Lionel finished speaking, it seemed that Arthur had no choice but to buy it.

He supported himself on the arm of the sofa with one hand, stroking his chin as he turned to ask, “The house is valued at 850 pounds?”

The estate agent, dabbing his sweat with a handkerchief, thought Arthur found the price too high and apologized, “Actually, 850 pounds is a bit on the high side for this area, but considering the interior decoration, we gave it this valuation.

Frankly, the owner originally listed it for a thousand pounds, but because no one showed interest for a long time, the price was gradually lowered to 850 pounds.

If you really decide to buy this house, I can talk to the owner again tomorrow, and there should be a chance to reduce the price a bit more.”

Upon hearing this, Arthur finally had a clear idea of the house’s actual value.

He nodded immediately and said, “You have worked hard today, so there is no need to trouble you with negotiating the price anymore.

I’ll take the house.

However, I only have 500 pounds left on me at the moment; does your company provide home loan services?”

The estate agent exhaled in relief, feeling as if a weight had been lifted from his heart, and enthusiastically drew out the documents from under his arm, beginning to ask, “So, Mr.

Hastings, your loan requirement is 350 pounds, our current home loan interest rate is 4.2%, if you…”

Lionel, hearing this, motioned for the estate agent to stop with a wave of his hand.

The estate agent, initially startled by the gesture, quickly remembered something and hurriedly replied, “Oh right, Mr.

Hastings, taking out a loan with us isn’t very cost-effective for you.

Considering you’re a friend of Mr.

Rothschild, you can definitely take out a specialized loan through Rothschild bank.

I will go there right now to inquire on your behalf.”

With that, he hastily gathered his documents and dashed out of the trading hall.

Lionel, seeing this, finally nodded in satisfaction.

He pulled out a pen from his coat pocket and drew out a piece of paper from the coffee table, scribbling something on it before pushing it across to Arthur with a smile.

“Arthur, with your credit, getting a special loan from Rothschild is almost without any issue.

So, I took the liberty of calculating the loan rate for you over a ten-year period.

You can refer to this information when you make repayments.”

Arthur took the paper and glanced at it, then looking up at Lionel, he asked with a smile, “The principal is 350 pounds, for a ten-year loan, a monthly repayment of 3 pounds and 8 shillings—this interest rate, isn’t it rather low?”

Upon hearing this, Lionel shook his head slightly, leaning forward with a smile.

“Arthur, you don’t understand.

Loan matters depend on the borrower’s credibility.

To me, your credit is firmer than that of the British Government, so it’s only logical that the interest rate for your loan should be lower than that of the British Public Debt.

Rothschild seldom engages in high-risk business; we seek a steady, flowing income with stable returns.”