The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 852: After modification: Chapter 2 Is Money Friendship? No, Friendship is Money_2

Arthur always found this statement a bit odd. After all, in his hometown of happiness, only the portraits of the dead would hang on the walls.

But then he thought, since he had almost died once, there was no need to fuss over such minor details.

Sitting beside him, Great Dumas heard these words and didn’t know how to feel about them.

If this were France, Great Dumas would most likely not forgive him for firing at the protesters. But the problem was, this was Britain, and what surprised him even more was that the authorities here actually retreated in the face of the overwhelming public outrage. Wellington ordered the Tories to collectively retreat, which led to the successful passage of parliamentary reform, and London quickly regained its orderly appearance. Such a thing would be unimaginable in France.

In the same June, with the same riots, the outcomes of London and Paris, the fates of Britain and France, were completely different. In London, dozens died in the chaos and gunfire, whereas in Paris, over eight hundred people were killed just in the clashes with the dragon cavalry and police.

Britain’s parliamentary reform successfully passed, while France’s path to republicanism still seemed endless.

Great Dumas couldn’t help but feel a bit unsettled. As much as he hated to admit it, deep down, he was shaken. Perhaps this time, that damned spymaster was actually right.

If Arthur had really died, quietly lying in a coffin, Great Dumas would have unhesitatingly sent flowers and penned a eulogy for his friend. But alas, this fellow turned out to be so stubbornly tough, surviving even a gunshot to the heart.

This inner conflict had caused Great Dumas not to visit Arthur even once during his recovery.

If it weren’t for Louis and Lionel dragging him along, the boisterous Frenchman might have intended to give Arthur the cold shoulder a while longer.

Now, seeing his friend no longer bearing the pallor of severe blood loss, Great Dumas suddenly felt a bit relieved.

Political matters were indeed too complicated. He had to admit, his understanding of Britain was not as profound as that of Arthur, a native York lad. But his views on French republicanism remained unshakeable.

Pretending as if nothing had happened, Great Dumas joked, “Arthur, you don’t care about money, but money is flooding towards you. Aren’t you planning to treat everyone to a meal tonight to celebrate?”

Arthur, with a smile on his lips, stared at the Frenchman until he felt uneasy, then said, “Alexander, do you have to wait for me to get rich to ask me for a meal? I never realized you were such a gentleman.”

Great Dumas breathed a sigh of relief, raised his glass, and clinked it with Arthur’s. “The past is the past; now is now. You know, I am thirty now.”

“Oh?” Arthur laughed. “You’re no longer a republican?”

“No, of course I still am.” Great Dumas took a sip of wine, pouting at the amber liquid. “But I fear I’m not as pure as I once was.”

Louis, hearing this, nudged Great Dumas with a smile. “So, you’re planning to join me on the same path?”

Great Dumas shook his head. “I don’t mean that. Louis, no matter what, your idea of a republican emperor is still too far-fetched for me.”

Louis shrugged, not discouraged. “Well, maybe by the time you’re thirty-one, your perspective will change again.”

Great Dumas was left speechless for a moment, wanting to retort. Lionel, the Rothschild heir, quickly stepped in to mediate.

He took out a cheque book from his tailcoat’s inner pocket, changing the subject.

“Arthur, I must say, at the Stock Exchange that day, you were indeed very decisive, and you let me ride along on your decisiveness. Though it was risky, the outcome was good. The Treasury, Home Office, and Scotland Yard aren’t pursuing your embezzlement. Britain’s public debt has returned to its normal track.

So, after deducting taxes and repaying the principal and its earnings, you still have a 28% profit margin. Your principal of 8500 pounds now totals 10160 pounds, which is no small sum. Among the wealthy circles of London, you’re now quite a figure.”

With a smile, Lionel placed a thick stack of cheques in front of Arthur. But Arthur didn’t immediately pocket the money. Instead, he pulled out 5500 pounds and pushed it back to Lionel.

Lionel was taken aback. “What are you doing?”

Arthur took a sip of wine. “Lionel, you have a bad memory. Of my 8500 pounds principal, 5000 pounds were borrowed from you. Since you were willing to make such a high-risk loan, you should also reap the high rewards. The 5000-pound principal will be fully returned, and the 10% profit over six months is also yours.”

As Lionel was about to refuse, Arthur quickly added.

“Lionel, you treat me as a friend, so I treat you as a friend too. You trusted me, so I trust you. You didn’t refuse my high-risk loan request, so I won’t accept your gratuitous gift. In a friendship, the best relationship is mutual benefit and win-win. I don’t want our relationship to be affected by such trivial money. Sure, everyone wants money, but the remaining 4660 pounds would already be more than I could spend in a lifetime.”