Chapter 97 An Invitation from the Royal Palace
Chapter 97 An Invitation from the Royal Palace
The car door opened, and a well-dressed, arrogant middle-aged gentleman stepped out, supported by a servant.
He claimed to be the secretary of Mr. Granville, a Member of Parliament, and said he had come all the way from London to visit Mr. Michel Leblanc.
Charlie and Bella seemed a little awkward in the living room.
Oh, this is the congressman's secretary...
They had never dealt with "big shots" of this caliber before.
Only Michelle remained composed.
He calmly poured black tea for himself and his guest, as if the other person were just an ordinary visitor.
Generally speaking, members of parliament hire their own secretaries, who, although considered confidants, do not hold high social status.
Whether a secretary has a high or low status depends on the status of the member of parliament.
Clearly, this congressman, Michelle, had never even heard of him.
"Mr. LeBlanc, your talent and courage are admired by all of London."
The congressman's secretary started by showering him with compliments.
"Member Granville has a great admiration for you, believing that you are a rare writer of our time with a strong sense of social conscience."
Michelle picked up her teacup, blew on it to cool it down, and didn't say anything.
Offering unsolicited favors is either a sign of malice or theft.
He knew that every word of praise from these politicians came with a price tag.
Seeing that Michel was unmoved, the secretary knew he wasn't buying it, so she cut straight to the point.
"Member of Parliament Granville has long been committed to promoting reforms in British financial law."
He is currently drafting a proposal to regulate the registration of joint-stock companies, aiming to close legal loopholes and prevent similar financial fraud at its source.
The secretary paused, leaned forward slightly, and lowered her voice.
"This is a great undertaking that benefits the present and future generations. However, as you know, any reform will affect the status quo, and we face enormous resistance in Parliament."
"Therefore, Member of Parliament Granville cordially invites you to join us. With your current popularity among the public, you could be one of the co-sponsors of this proposal."
"Your name will be recorded in history along with this great bill!"
The secretary spoke with great passion and persuasiveness.
Charlie, who was standing to the side, was already getting excited.
Being able to participate in parliamentary proposals is a great honor for one's ancestors!
However, a faint, slightly mocking smile appeared on Michelle's face.
"Secretary,"
He put down his teacup; his voice was soft, yet clear and forceful.
"Does Congressman Granville want me to be his sword, or his shield?"
The secretary's smile froze.
He hadn't expected that this seemingly gentle young man would be so sharp-tongued.
Michelle continued, "Using my fame to promote his proposals and garner public support is using me as a sharp sword."
"And in parliamentary debates, if his proposals are attacked, he can push me to the forefront."
"By letting the opponents face the overwhelming public opinion, they are using me as a solid shield."
"A sword can be thrown away when it becomes dull, and a shield can be replaced when it breaks. Only the councilor remains unharmed."
"Mr. Granville's plan is truly ingenious..."
'
Michelle's words directly revealed the other party's true intentions.
The secretary's forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat. He opened his mouth, but found that any explanation would seem weak and powerless.
"I'm just a storyteller."
Michelle continued.
"My pen speaks out only for the injustices I see, and I do not endorse any partisan interests."
"Please convey to Councillor Granville that I appreciate his kindness, but I cannot accept such an honor."
These few words were a ruthless rejection.
Just kidding, aside from the so-called reputation, the other party didn't mention any benefits at all.
Do I lack this so-called reputation?
People make horses work and then feed them hay...
In addition, Michelle is well aware that her advantage lies in remaining detached and influencing public opinion as an observer and recorder.
Once he becomes an insider, his pen is no longer free.
From any perspective, he had no reason to agree.
The secretary's face turned pale and then red. He stood up in a disheveled state, forgetting even the most basic social etiquette, and practically fled.
Charlie stared in disbelief at all of this, unable to understand why his son would refuse such a golden opportunity.
"Michelle, you..."
'
After thinking it over, Cha Li felt that his son must have his own reasons.
After all, Michelle had already proven herself. All he needed to do was be a good "heroic undercover father."
"Father."
Michelle explained calmly.
"They just want to use me. Once I'm no longer of use, I'll be discarded without mercy."
"Our family can't withstand any more turmoil."
Charlie fell silent.
He recalled the faces of his so-called friends who avoided him like the plague after he went bankrupt.
Yes, this family has finally settled down, and we can't afford to get caught up in this mess again.
Looking at his son's calm and reassuring profile, the small regret in his heart turned into relief.
Thankfully, we have Michelle in our family!
Meanwhile, in London, another discussion about Michel is taking place at an even higher level...
Clarence House, London.
(The picture shows Clarence House, where William IV liked to live)
King William IV, who was over seventy years old, was flipping through today's Times with some irritation.
This old king, who had spent half his life in the navy and had a rough and straightforward personality, had never been fond of the infighting among politicians in parliament.
In fact, William IV was quite unique among the many kings of Great Britain.
For example, he never lived in Buckingham Palace in his entire life... because he disliked the overly luxurious decor and preferred smaller, cozy accommodations.
Even after the Great Fire of Westminster in 1834, he suggested, "Give the unfinished Buckingham Palace to Parliament; I don't need it."
He joined the Navy at the age of 13, experienced the American Revolutionary War, served under Nelson, and retained the Navy's style even after retiring.
William IV was known for his straightforwardness and aversion to formalities, often strolling alone in the streets of London or Brighton in casual clothes...
Even during a parliamentary meeting, when a servant informed him that the carriage was not ready, he blurted out, "Then I'll take a Hackney rental carriage!"
Therefore, he was also known as the "Sailor King".
Of course, his greatest achievement was that he actually lived to see Victoria ascend the throne at the age of eighteen...
"They're arguing again! All they do is argue! A bunch of useless bums who can only talk!"
He tossed the newspaper aside, picked up his black tea, and took a sip.
The Lord Marquis of Corningham, the Minister of Palace Affairs standing nearby, smiled and handed over another newspaper. "Your Majesty," he said, "perhaps you would be interested in this."
William IV took it and was immediately drawn to the enormous illustration.
"Smash someone in the face with a lead block from a printing plate? That's more like our navy's style! Decisive and efficient!"
He became interested and began to carefully read the article about how Michelle exposed the scam.
When William IV finished reading it, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"This young man named Michel LeBlanc is intelligent, courageous, and most importantly, he got things done!"
"He used the mind of a novelist to catch a conman, and he actually succeeded. Especially that last move—so clean and efficient, much better than those useless guys at Scotland Yard!"
He pointed to the newspaper and said to the Marquis of Cunningham, "Look at this! The financial bill that those people in Parliament have been debating for months is less effective than a story written by a twenty-year-old!"
"He protected my people in his own way, which is far more noble than those empty bills!"
'
William IV put down the newspaper, seemingly in a much better mood.
"I like this young man."
He pondered for a moment and then made a decision.
"Investigate this Michel LeBlanc. If he has a clean record, invite him to next month's royal dinner in my name."
Marquis Kangning bowed and accepted the order, but his heart was filled with considerable turmoil.
Royal banquets are mostly attended by nobles and political figures.
A novelist from a humble background was invited to participate in an extraordinary event.
This is an extremely rare occurrence in the history of the British Empire.
It seems that this young man named Michel LeBlanc is truly on his way to great heights.