The Shadow of Great Britain

When he said this, his hands were still shaking. It was clear that he was truly afraid that if he touched this thing one more time, he would be invited by the military tribunal for a chat.

The outer layer of the bag was made of specially manufactured kraft paper by the Navy Department, with a blue Navy Department watermark pressed on the surface, and the seal wrapped with three hemp ropes, the knot covered with a deep and new red wax seal.

Just from this design alone, even a layman could see that this thing was absolutely extraordinary, enough to make several generals lose their positions.

Eld looked at Arthur with eager eyes, as if he were going to the guillotine: ”Arthur... do as you see fit. Really, you know me.”

Arthur gave him a glance.

He then reached out directly and opened the red wax seal.

No hesitation.

No prayer.

No deep breath.

He didn’t even lock the door.

The movement was so casual, like opening a receipt from Regent Street.

”You...” Eld was petrified, jumping up from his chair: ”You, you... you actually opened it?! Opening such a package without ministerial authorization, do you know what that means?!”

Arthur didn’t even lift his eyelids, he pulled out the document and said calmly, ”Don’t worry, Britain hasn’t invented a law to convict me yet.”

Then, while examining the report, he raised his hand and instructed Eld: ”Go, open the third file cabinet by the window.”

Eld was terrified, his body was numb, but he didn’t know what to do, so he could only walk trembling to the file cabinet.

He initially thought there were some classified archives in there, or a special authorization letter from Her Majesty the Queen to Arthur, but when he opened the cabinet, there was a neat row of identical file bags, seals, and wax seals inside.

Home Office, Foreign Office, Navy Department...

There were even two outdated ones, engraved with the old Southern Department and Northern Department.

Eld stammered, ”Ar...Arthur, where did all these come from?”

Arthur leisurely flipped through the documents: ”I carved them myself.”

”Really?”

”Fake.” Arthur stared at the document: ”I don’t have that craft, Mr. Victor helped, he knows some craftsmen with an artisan spirit. I initially bought them as art collections, I didn’t expect... to actually have the chance to use them.”

Eld stared at the seal cemetery in the file cabinet, about to go crazy: ”Arthur, this is not a collection! This is... this is preparatory work for rebellion! Did you plan all along to one day open a minister’s confidential letter? Did you plan this in advance?!”

Arthur closed the file, leisurely placed the hemp rope tied to the documents on the corner of the table: ”Planned in advance? Do I look like the kind of person who would plan something like this in advance?”

”What else? You even found craftsmen to make fake ones!”

”I told you, it’s an art collection.” Arthur rested his chin on his hand: ”Eld, don’t make such a fuss.”

”I’m making a fuss?! You just tore open the highest-level classified letter of the British Navy Department, and you tell me not to make a fuss?!”

”I indeed... might be breaking the law, I admit that.”

”You know?!”

”But...” Arthur interrupted him, ”I equally don’t believe that the Cabinet hiding the fact of the uprising in Canada from the public is any kind of fair or just cause.”

The room suddenly fell silent.

Eld was stunned: ”You... what did you say?”

Arthur seemed not to notice his reaction, just spread open the document, speaking in a calm tone: ”The Canadian Colonial Government report states that the Six County Alliance in Canada organized an illegal assembly in Montreal, clashing with government authorities, leading to riots and destruction in the entire Montreal City. The Canadian authorities immediately issued arrest warrants for the Six County Alliance leaders and quickly arrested 26 Lower Canada Patriot Party members involved in illegal activities. On November 16th, Officer Marlo was dispatched to arrest three members of the Patriot Party. With the escort of a 15-man police team, he was taking these prisoners out of town from Saint Jean, only to be ambushed by 150 long-awaiting Patriot Partisans in Longueuil. Once the Canadian government got the news, they immediately dispatched troops to suppress, but in the Battle of St. Denis on the 23rd, they were defeated by the Rebels organized by the Patriot Party...”

At this point, Arthur couldn’t help but show a slight smile, waving the document at Eld: ”In other words, this letter is asking for help.”