The Shadow of Great Britain

Lewis realized at this moment that Ledley seemed to have misunderstood him. He hurriedly explained, ”I... I really just admire Sir Arthur, I... I just want to learn more...”

”Admire?” Ledley raised an eyebrow, ”Then you should be more careful. The best way to respect someone is not to mention their name where you shouldn’t speak, and not to appear by their side when you shouldn’t. Do you understand?”

Lewis nodded repeatedly, ”Understand... understand... completely understand...”

Seeing the reporter so obedient, Ledley finally showed a little satisfied expression.

”Very good.” He stood up and neatly folded his napkin, ”You now have two choices. First, leave White Hall, and don’t inquire about anything related to Sir Arthur near Scotland Yard. Second...”

Lewis swallowed with difficulty, ”Second?”

”Second.” Ledley gave a smile, ”I can immediately call Sir Arthur over and let you explain in person what exactly your recent ’curiosity’ is all about. But I must remind you, Sir Arthur is much more difficult to deal with than I am.”

Ledley thought at this point that Lewis would be scared out of his wits and run away.

Based on his past experience of intimidating those street thugs in Whitechapel, the normal reaction would be to break out in a cold sweat, forget their hat, and rush out the door like attending a funeral.

But to his surprise, Lewis sat still in his chair.

His eyes were wide open.

Looking dumbstruck.

As if struck by lightning, or like someone suddenly pressed the pause button on him.

Ledley frowned, and he always disliked those who played dumb, ”Didn’t you understand what I meant?”

Lewis remained motionless.

Also sitting across, Blackwell felt extremely awkward, he tugged at his scarf, hesitated for a few seconds, and finally couldn’t help but cough lightly.

”Officer Jin...”

He lifted his fingertip, pointing behind Ledley.

Ledley frowned, ”Is there something, Mr. Blackwell?”

Blackwell pointed again, but this time the motion was more urgent, more awkward, more forced, ”You... behind you...”

Ledley turned his head slowly, and the next second, a chill climbed up his spine and shot straight to his crown.

The knight rumored to be even more difficult to deal with than him was standing half a step behind, without a sound, without any warning.

”Ledley.” Arthur took off his hat, tilting his head slightly to look at him, ”In good spirits huh? Threatening a reporter first thing in the morning?”

Ledley felt a cold sweat break out on his back, and he almost instinctively stood up straight, his heels clapped against the floor with a loud snap.

”Sir, Sir!”

Ledley stood at attention, raised his head, and puffed out his chest, probably the most standard salute he had ever made in his life.

Ledley was so flustered that his tongue was almost tied, ”Sir, I... I wasn’t threatening him! I was just... just worried that this gentleman is inquiring about you for some malicious intent, I... I was just...”

Arthur merely raised his hand gently.

A very light gesture.

But Ledley immediately closed his mouth, as if his throat were suddenly bound by some mechanical rope.

He dared not say another word.

Meanwhile, Arthur, as if nothing had happened, casually patted Eld’s shoulder.

”Come on, Eld, who said there wasn’t an empty seat? Isn’t there one right here?”

With that, he raised an eyebrow and looked at Ledley, ”Haven’t had breakfast yet?”

Ledley stood like a wooden stake by the wall, ”Just finished, you and Mr. Carter have a seat.”

Arthur chuckled, ”Then we won’t be polite.”

Arthur had just stood by the chair, about to pull it back, when he seemed to suddenly remember something.

He turned his head and looked at Ledley, who was still standing properly aside.

”By the way, Ledley,” Arthur said casually, ”Have you ever considered returning to the local patrol district to serve?”

Ledley’s heart jumped abruptly.

Returning to the local patrol district?

Perhaps returning to the local area does not necessarily mean a demotion, but at this time when everyone is squeezing into White Hall, to be transferred from the Police Intelligence Bureau back to the local area is to retreat from the center of the chessboard to the corner.

Of course, he didn’t want to.

But he also knew that he couldn’t straightforwardly refuse Arthur, nor could he flatter him clumsily, both would offend him.

In front of the knight, neither rejection nor obedience could be too strong, but loyalty had to be deep enough.

”Sir, if you feel that my temperament is too impatient and needs to be tempered back in the local district, then of course I have no complaints. I patrolled the streets in Whitechapel when I was young, I can navigate those dirty alleys with my eyes closed. If London needs me, I can go back to being that rock in the muddy waters at any time.”

Ledley mustered all his caution, forcibly suppressing the panic inside, trying not to let his voice sound like he was begging for mercy, ”There are things in Scotland Yard that anyone can do, of course that is correct. However... the things you often instruct on, some clues themselves are quite fragmented, and if before we train a good successor, I just leave you behind and go back to the local district, that would be too irresponsible.”

Ledley’s attitude was extremely respectful, which in the eyes of the uninformed Lewis seemed almost heart-to-heart, full of consideration for Sir Arthur.

But in the eyes of Blackwell, the senior scribe of the Foreign Office, he couldn’t help but sigh, ”If I could have had a fraction of Officer Jin’s insight when I was in Russia, I wouldn’t have ended up where I am today.”

However, Ledley’s deeply touching statement only made Arthur sigh slightly, appearing unexpectedly regretful.

”So, you’re saying...” he spoke slowly, ”Ledley, you... don’t want to seek a new challenge?”

This sentence left Ledley utterly stunned.

Don’t want?

He initially thought Arthur was trying to reprimand him, but now it seemed, as if... he himself refused something?

Suddenly, Ledley’s mental gears clicked into place.

It was like a gear in a pocket watch clinking into another gear.

New challenge?

Patrol district?

Redefining nineteen divisions?

And...

Adding four new Chief Police Officers between Assistant Commissioner and Police Chief!

Ledley’s pupils contracted slightly.

”Sir, I... I don’t mean I don’t want to.” Ledley hurriedly explained, afraid of being misunderstood by the knight as cowardly, ”I’m just worried about the work in the bureau, worried about...”

Ledley’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, ”Sir... this new challenge you’re talking about... I... can’t wrap my head around. Forgive my boldness, are you willing to speak a bit more specifically?”

”Specifically?” Arthur seemed amused, lightly shaking his head, ”Ledley, your temper, still too hasty. If in the local area, this temper still needs to change. After all, the local patrol district is not like the Intelligence Bureau, from Tottenham to King’s Cross to Whitechapel, which of these places isn’t a mix of all kinds of people and ways? An unsteady person can’t do this job well.”

Arthur spoke lazily, but Ledley bristled all over.

Tottenham, King’s Cross, Whitechapel...

These are not places under the jurisdiction of the same police district.

If there were a position requiring him to deal with people, guilds, and parishes from three or even four divisions simultaneously...

There would be only one possibility.

Of course, Arthur wouldn’t speak that position out loud, but his words just then... were enough.

”Sir...” Ledley’s throat felt tight, his voice dared not tremble, ”If... if there truly is such a position, requiring me to put aside personal interests, demanding my unwavering service to the nation, then I...”

Arthur gave him a look, that gaze like confirming something he already knew.

”Decline or not, it won’t make a difference now. But you need to rein in your temper first. From now on, upon encountering reporters, avoid hastily threatening that they’ll fall on Yellow Chrysanthemum Street. The local patrol district is no Intelligence Bureau, if you really say such things, the next day, you’ll see yourself caricatured in the tabloids.”

Arthur said blandly, ”First learn not to treat curious people as enemies. After all, the area you’ll supervise in the future, many are curious.”

Arthur’s words fell lightly, like a feather, yet weighed as heavily as the Alps in Ledley’s mind.

He promptly stood at attention, saluted, and said, ”Yes, Sir!”