The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1021: Chapter 66 Bastard_2

The old granduncle heard his great-niece’s words and simply raised his wine glass, leaning against the sofa: ”My dear, he is indeed not of nobility, but he has earned a knight’s title through his efforts. However, not having a noble crest does not mean his blood doesn’t run blue.”

”This...” Emily asked: ”Are you saying he will be granted a title in the future?”

The old granduncle shook his head, putting down his glass, holding Emily’s hand.

”Silly child, I know that in the streets and alleys of London and Paris, there are many tales of poor boys getting rich overnight. Some of these tales are not just stories but embellished truths. Take our DelaSalle Family, for example. We were once ordinary citizens doing the most basic, lowly jobs, but we seized an opportunity and, fortunately, captured it, thus turning into minor wealthy people.

Families like our DelaSalle Family, which rose to prominence, are not uncommon, either in France or Britain. The most typical representatives are the Baring Family and the Rothschild Family in London. If you trace back two or three generations, one was a middleman trading in cotton and linen products between Germany and Britain, and the other was a roaming peddler dealing in medieval antiques.

However, although there are many families who have risen from business, there are very few who can build a political career from scratch in one or two generations. In Britain, there are indeed commoners who have become MPs through their own efforts, the typical example being the father and son, Robert Peel.

But it’s worth noting that the elder Robert Peel was already the owner of a large textile factory employing two thousand people before entering politics. After the elder Robert Peel’s generation laid the groundwork, and with Sir Robert Peel Jr. being a truly remarkable figure, he was able to become a Cabinet Minister, serving as the Duke of Wellington’s deputy, holding a significant position in the Tory Party.

My dear, have you seen the crucial point here? In British politics, wealth and family background are indispensable. Among these two, if you possess one, you can enter this circle. But to occupy a central position within the circle, you must have both, otherwise, you will always be an outsider.”

”What do you mean?”

The old granduncle said: ”In fact, the speculation about Arthur Hastings’ lineage didn’t start with me. In London, there was already a group interested in guessing his family background. His carrying the Hastings surname certainly makes people suspect whether this young man might be a illegitimate child of the Hastings Family.”

”The Hastings Family?”

The old granduncle narrated: ”This family is a Marquis family. Although their history of being bestowed the title of Marquis isn’t particularly long, the influence of the first Hastings Marquis in British politics was significant.”

”Why is that?”

”Why? My dear, it’s because in colonial adjustments of 1813, he became the first Governor of India!”

As a somewhat well-known figure in London Financial City, the old granduncle knew these British nobles intimately: ”In my younger days, I once had an encounter with His Excellency. He was a standard product of British noble education. A graduate of Harrow School and a top student at Balliol College of Oxford University. When I first met him, he was an Army Major General, having just returned from serving in the American War of Independence.

Everyone highly praised his performance in the war. Before going to North America, he was just a Second Lieutenant in the 15th Infantry’s ’Biting Fish’ division. But during the Battles of Bunker Hill, Long Island, and White Plains, he performed exceptionally, and later achieved a significant victory at the battle of Hobkock Hill with fewer soldiers against a larger force.

Moreover, he had a good relationship with George IV, who was a prince at the time, and the Duke of York. With these achievements, he was not only promoted to Army Major General but also became Director of Ordnance. When the Colonial Office was adjusting Indian boundaries, as a confidant of Prince Regent George IV, it was natural for him to become the first Governor of India.”

Emily blinked and asked: ”Did he do well there?”

”Not just well, he did exceptionally!”

The old granduncle said: ”He conquered Nepal and incorporated the locals, forming an infantry regiment made up of Nepalese Gurkhas. Later, he also conquered the Maratha Confederacy and led the acquisition of Singapore.”

Emily puzzledly said: ”From what you said, the Hastings Family doesn’t seem to be any inferior to other old British noble families. Why then, in recent British politics, do we not hear their voice? When one opens a British newspaper, it talks about the Marlborough Family, the Wellington Family, the Newcastle Family, or the Russell Family.”

”Ahem...”

The old granduncle took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth: ”That’s because the Hastings Marquis later ran into bad luck. He served as Governor in India for nearly 10 years, occupying such a good position undoubtedly aroused jealousy. So later, he got entangled in an East India Company corruption case, for which Parliament investigated him repeatedly for years. During his later years, he almost constantly had to go to court to defend himself until his death when the case was yet unresolved. Although the corruption case eventually fizzled out, the Hastings family must have realized their prominence was too conspicuous, so they toned down their actions significantly afterward.”

”If that’s the case, why do people think Sir Hastings is from the Hastings family?” Emily asked, puzzled: ”From your previous introduction, it seems Sir Hastings often drew attention in London.”

The old granduncle showed a sly smile: ”Oh, my dear little Emily, there are many things you don’t understand here. I forgot to tell you that the Hastings Marquis was from Ireland, and Arthur Hastings, the young man, is a Catholic. His rise within Scotland Yard is due to the soothing effect of the ’Catholic Emancipation Act’ for Ireland.

If your memory isn’t bad, you should remember I mentioned earlier that the Hastings Marquis had a good rapport with the Duke of York, and Arthur Hastings, in official introductions, is listed as being from York. Thus, if we infer using reasonable logic, a real York farmhand cannot reach such a position.

And if he has ascended there, he most likely carries some noble lineage, at least having a prominent paternal figure. But this young man happens to have none. If there is none publicly, it can only mean there is something privately, indicating he must be an illegitimate child. As for whose illegitimate child, I tend to think, it makes the most sense that he is an illegitimate child from the Hastings Family.

They currently cannot make any overt moves to prevent their political enemies from catching hold of them for little mistakes. Therefore, promoting an illegitimate child who seems unrelated to them to serve in a fringe police department is quite sensible. Scotland Yard is supported by retired army officers, and the first Hastings Marquis was an Army Major General; their family absolutely has the capability to manage that.”

Emily, hearing these words, was first stunned, then pondered for a long time, feeling as though her heart was about to leap out: ”The Marquis’s illegitimate child?”

The old granduncle laughed as he took her arm: ”My dear! I can tell you are not indifferent to him. But we must first investigate clearly. Shh! If we sail under the wrong flag, the family will mock us; you certainly understand what your granduncle means. Therefore, let me help you, my dear great-niece. We will keep it a secret, and I promise you, if he is currently in Paris, I can bring him to our drawing room and let us observe him up close again.”