Chapter 47 Jade Rabbit and the Surprise Rabbit Winner

In just one day, the news spreading in London became more and more outrageous, but her son had no explanation. The old Countess of Camden closed the newspaper in her hand, ordered her servants to harness the carriage, and went to the house in person to find out the truth.

Arriving at the townhouse where they lived next door to each other, he went to his son's house first. As expected, he found nothing there. The only person left in the house was the male servant.

The old Countess was almost speechless after learning from John that Adrian had claimed he was the lover of the other protagonist in the scandal. Her son, who had no understanding of romance and had once refused even marriage, was now willing to be Miss Alice's lover?

The situation was even more outrageous than the gossip she had heard.

Adrian comes from an aristocratic family, and he's so handsome, so how could he be so unsuccessful? He was told to get married to support his family, but he wasn't told to spend all his money on her! And looking at his stubborn attitude, I'm afraid he's going to be a lifelong lover. This won't do.

The old Countess of Camden immediately took John and knocked on the door of the next room.

"Miss Alice." The old lady was led into the living room by the servant. Alice did not lean on Adrian anymore and stood up to greet her.

"Old Countess of Camden," she said politely, and ordered the servants to bring some refreshments.

"Mom." Adrian stood beside Alice and called out as usual, without showing any guilt.

Seeing her son already living in the young lady's house, acting like a follower, the old countess was choked. How could she negotiate terms?

After introducing the visitor to Mary and Catherine, who were not yet acquainted with each other at home, everyone sat down on the sofa again.

The lady, accustomed to socializing with the ladies of high society, feigned ignorance, stating only the information she had received: "Miss Alice, I'm visiting you today to inquire about your marriage to Ed. By now, practically everyone in London knows of your close relationship."

"What are you planning to do..." She glanced at her wooden son opposite her and continued.

Before he could finish his words, there was another knock on the door.

"Miss Alice." It was a calm voice. Alice had heard it before.

The servant opened the door at the master's signal, and in walked a page dressed in a red court uniform, the kind he had seen in the British royal palace.

"Miss Alice." The man bowed to her after entering the room before continuing, "His Majesty has ordered me to invite you into the palace."

The old countess was a little surprised, but her expression remained unchanged. The others in the room wore expressions of worry about the unknown. Even Lydia kept quiet, looking back and forth.

Alice smiled lightly and told the attendant to wait a moment. She walked over to the old lady and said, "I'm sorry, please stay at home for a while. I will reply to you when I return from the palace."

Looking around at the expressions of the other people in the family, the person who was being missed just smiled and said, "I'll be back soon", then went out and got into the carriage with the door opened by the servant, and headed towards the palace.

Not far away, I heard the old Countess of Camden say to her son, "The palace servants are very polite. It shouldn't be a bad thing for Miss Alice to go to the palace." Thinking that her eldest son had also gone to the palace today, she had some guesses in her mind.

Adrian's calm tone showed his belief in her strength: "I know."

The carriage that came to pick her up from the palace was painted with gold, and the body of the carriage was decorated with gorgeous patterns. It was pulled by four horses and entered the palace in this way, which seemed quite high-profile.

It was the same reception room where he had last met with the King. The shadow that had weighed on George III's heart for years lifted, and he no longer displayed his royal authority. "Miss Alice, I've summoned you to the palace on a happy occasion."

"Then I would like to thank His Majesty and Her Royal Highness the Queen first." Alice looked at the smiling face of the queen on the podium and knew what was going on.

"Miss, do you know that it is related to us?" As expected, George III's expression relaxed, whetting everyone's appetite.

"Your Majesty, many people are waiting for you in the auditorium. Please speak quickly," said the queen.

"Very good, very good." George III patted his wife's hand gently, turning his head to comfort her before continuing to speak to Alice, "Originally, those matters had not been completely dealt with, so this reward would not have been bestowed so quickly. The Queen heard the rumors about you, young lady, and urged us to hurry up and get this done. Today's ceremony is a bit rushed, so don't complain about its simplicity."

As Alice showed a listening attitude at the right moment, the king, seated on the dais, spoke of the most important matter of the day: "Miss Alice Bennett, for her meritorious service in saving lives, is made a life peer, given the title of Duke of London and the additional title of Earl of Lambeth."

It seems that this is the result that I said would satisfy me before.

Interesting. They both knew exactly why the King of England wanted to reward her. But he was vague, saying only that she had performed a remarkable job treating patients. Coupled with his recent visit to a pharmacy praising Tzu Chi's medicines, if word got out, people would probably think she was being honored for treating ordinary people, and that they were praising George III for his love for the people.

Alice thanked the King and Queen with a gesture of gratitude, but she also considered the underlying scheme. She wondered what had become of Duke's useless chess piece.

"The formal dress is ready. Go ahead. Everyone who's watching the ceremony is waiting in the investiture hall," the queen said. Then a female attendant took her to a specially prepared room and put her into the duke's formal dress, which consisted of a red velvet coat and a gold leaf crown.

Following the attendants into the auditorium, she found herself surrounded by the nobles, all dressed in formal attire. Several wore attire of the same standard as hers; she wondered if any of them were dukes, but they didn't seem particularly hostile.

Alice followed the attendant to the front of the auditorium and stood there.

Sir Lucas had recounted the entire investiture process at the Meryton gathering, and Alice could easily recall it. Although this knighthood was vastly different from Sir Lucas's honorary title, it was likely that the ceremony would be more elaborate.

She was too lazy to deal with this, and she hated having a sword placed on her shoulder. She certainly wouldn't kneel before a human emperor, so she took a few steps forward and waved her hand. Everyone in the hall awaiting the ceremony began to move according to the rules, as if there was an Alice Bennett receiving the ceremony right where she had been standing.

The ceremony lasted nearly an hour. Alice flicked her finger in the air, and the medal ribbon that had fallen on the cushions automatically draped itself around her body. The awarding document also flew into her hand, as if she had participated in the entire ceremony.

After the ceremony, George III glanced at the Prince of Wales standing beside him, then smiled at Alice and said, "As the new Duke of London, I will also take the documents exempting the Bennett family's Longbourn land from restrictions on inheritance home home with you." As he finished speaking, a servant handed over another thick stack of documents.

The king then instructed the servant who had brought her to the palace to send her back.

As they walked out of the auditorium, they saw a man outside the door who looked a bit like Adrian, but who was truly arrogant in his bones. The two men met each other.

Alice nodded to him, and he called out "Your Excellency the Duke," and went off to talk to some other nobles. She heard someone next to her call him "The Earl of Camden."

On the way back, the scene was even more grand. The carriage Alice was riding in was followed by a smaller carriage in front and behind, which were used to lead the way and provide guards, and also to demonstrate the king's grace.

As the carriage drew near the terraced house, Alice heard Mrs. Bennet's high-pitched voice complimenting her, "Old Countess, it is a great honor to have such an elegant and distinguished lady as you visit my humble abode!"

Mum is in London?

The lady explained her purpose again and received a surprised reply from Mrs. Bennet: "What! The lover of Eliza that Lydia wrote about, the one who eats and drinks for free at home, is your youngest son?"

Lydia is really like that. She complains right away. Alice sighed and rolled her eyes.

Then I heard my mother excitedly say, "You're here to discuss marriage, so let's sit down and discuss it thoroughly. After all, we'll be in-laws in the future. How much is your youngest son's annual pension, and what assets does he have?"

"By the way, is your eldest son, the Earl of Camden, married? If he's single, why not marry our Elizabeth? It's a double happiness." Mrs. Bennett was dissatisfied. "Elizabeth, why are you pulling me here?"

Her mother was still so keen on marrying off her daughters. Elizabeth, chosen and recommended, had worked hard. Alice was helpless. Perhaps what she had learned from this trip could save Elizabeth from this dire situation.

Inside the house, the old countess replied, "I'm already married." Her tone was filled with the patience of someone trying to maintain decency, and her elegant accent was a little out of tune.

It seemed that she had only just begun to take a closer look at the gentleman in the house. Mrs. Bennet said quickly, "Ah, aren't you the arrogant and rude gentleman you met at Jane's wedding?"

Adrian quickly apologized: "Mrs. Bennett, I'm so sorry. I was so rude that day."

Satisfied with her future son-in-law's attitude, Mrs. Bennet quickly forgave him and treated him as a family member. She also said to the old countess: "If you ask me, you should also let your brother, the earl, promote more of his younger brothers."

The palace servant knocked on the door for Alice, and Mrs. Bennet could still be heard talking from inside.

When the newly appointed Duke, dressed in his best attire, walked into the living room, the room instantly fell silent.

Everyone was stunned by Alice's impressive appearance in her formal gown. Only the old lady knew the value of the dress. "This is... a duke's gown," she said with disbelief. She had expected an honorary lord.

The attendant introduced at the right time: "Miss Alice Bennett has been granted a life peerage by His Majesty, and has been named Duke of London and Earl of Lambeth."

"Ah! Duke!!" Mrs. Bennet screamed.

Listening to the shrill shouts that threatened to blow the roof off the house, the old countess could hardly maintain her composure. She had never seen such an indecent person before.

The palace attendant handed the documents of ennobling and other items to the servants at home and quickly said goodbye and left.

"Oh my God, I can't believe it! My dear Eliza is a duke!" Mrs. Bennet came to her senses and touched her daughter's dress coat, looking at it over and over again. "No, no, I'm going to faint! There's a duke in our family!"

"Mother, there's something even more gratifying for you. The land at Longbourn is no longer subject to any restrictions on inheritance." Alice saw Mrs. Bennet's delight and told her what she cared about most. "I asked His Majesty for this reward a while ago, and today the formalities have been officially completed."

Mrs. Bennett's eyes widened and she gasped, "That is to say..."

Alice finished the second half of her sentence for her: "In other words, Jane, as the eldest daughter, can legally inherit the land of Longbourn."

"Ah!!!" Mrs. Bennett fainted with joy.

Alice quickly reached out to support her, saying it was nothing serious, she was just too happy for a moment. She secretly sent a ray of good luck to her mother, and Mrs. Bennet woke up.

"Oh my God, my sweet Alyssa!" The man who had just woken up immediately regained his energy and hugged his daughter, shouting, "You are simply a gift from God to our family."

Alice patted Mrs. Bennett's back to soothe her breath. She smiled at the words.

It wasn't wrong, but it wasn't the Western sky, it was the Eastern Heaven. It was fate between them, I guess. Alice looked at Elizabeth and the others in the room, as well as Mr. Believer, whose eyes had been following her since she entered.

"Your Excellency," the old Countess of Camden was the first to come to her senses. She knew that the purpose of this trip had become almost impossible, but she still wanted to try again. "Your marriage to Ed."

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I don't intend to get married," said Alice, "but don't worry, I'll treat him just the same."

"But weren't you going to marry Ed?" the old Countess refused to give up. If the marriage went through, Adrian would receive the attached title of Earl of Lambeth, thus returning to the aristocracy.

Alice couldn't say that secular marriage had no meaning for her, so she had to find a plausible excuse: "You know how marriages are in England. When a woman gets married, the property belongs to the man. With my wealth growing and this new title, it's better not to get married."

Mrs. Bennet immediately responded, "That's right. Our baby Eliza is already a duke. How can she marry someone without a title? He must be a prince at the very least." Compared with her enthusiastic and flattering look just now, she looked like a completely different person with such arrogance.

"Mom, I won't marry anyone," Alice said.

"How can that be possible?"

"Why not?" Alice said patiently, "Mother, think about it, London is already ours, why should we get married?"

"London, my God, from now on, walking around London will be like walking around my own home. Am I dreaming?" Mrs. Bennet's eyes were wide open, and her expression looked like she was still in a dream.

"The documents are all over there, go and take a look." Alice pushed her to the table where the documents and deeds were placed.

"Soho, Lambeth, St. James's, look, there's also the City of London where your uncle lives!" Mrs. Bennett couldn't help but marvel at the documents recording the fiefdoms enjoyed by the Duke of London.

The old Countess of Camden knew that it was impossible to make this marriage happen, so she stopped insisting and wanted to take her leave.

"Please stay for a quick meal." Alice noticed the commotion over there and offered to keep the guest.

"good."

Perhaps she had finally figured it out, the shrewd old lady quickly established good relations with the Bennett family at the dinner table. Adrian finally relaxed.

The news that George III had appointed a duchess quickly spread in upper society.

The next day, Alice's house was flooded with visitors. The first to arrive was Lady Finsbury. Besides cementing her relationship with the new Duke, she also brought two pieces of news: the Duke had been stripped of his title; and the Archbishop had been reprimanded by His Majesty, a title rumored to be connected to the Duke. She reminded Alice that the Earldom of Lambeth was a significant achievement, perhaps using the title as a warning to the Archbishop.

This king was truly stingy. He revoked the permanent ownership of a vast hereditary noble's estate, only to grant her the royal family a mere hundred years of ownership of the lands in London. And then, he used her knighthood to pressure others. Alice couldn't help but sigh after hearing the news about the Countess of Finsbury.

However, she would not have any descendants anyway, and would eventually return to heaven, so this small amount of property did not matter to her. It was enough for her to do whatever she wanted in the human world.

Many people had shown goodwill these days, but one source surprised her. The old Countess brought news, supposedly from her eldest son: a thoroughfare in the estate that separated Mayfair and Soho had been coveted by the Prince of Wales, who had even chosen a name: "Regent Street."

Three short words, yet so much was revealed. Regent, regent. If the father won't cede power, how can the son be regent? This was also Alice's earlier speculation about the Duke's role as an indispensable chess piece. As for now, George III was no longer insane, and the mad king was no longer mad, so who would dare to talk about regentship? What was the need for checks and balances?

Alice puts down her king chess piece and captures Adrian's rook opposite her.

There was also Lydia's latest gossip in her ears. Although she had stopped attending salons due to the recent bustle at home, she still didn't know where the younger sister got so much fresh news every day.

"Alyssa, London has a new version of the story about your romance: Some say they saw you dancing while on vacation in Bath. The only two publicized instances of the old Earl of Camden's second son dancing with anyone seem to have been with you. They say his previous sharp tongue was simply a way of waiting for a price. So, it wasn't the famous Duke of London actively seducing a simple clergyman, but rather the scheming Mr. Moran, who had long ago planned to climb the social ladder."

Lydia tells the story of Adrian, who was neglected by his father from a young age and knew early on that he would not have a title or wealth, so he feigned weakness and, through his family, secured for himself the position of rector in a wealthy area of ​​London. This was only his first step.

He knew that although he had a good appearance, he was not special enough, so he deliberately spread the reputation of not liking to attend parties to attract the attention of young ladies in London. He then used his sharp tongue to further highlight his specialness, so as to set a trap for the noble lady he finally chose.

At that time, an unexpected figure emerged on the London social scene: a country lady dedicated to curing women's headaches. The explosive success of her refreshing ointment made Adrian see Alice's immense potential and change his target. Seeing the lady's kindness, he took advantage of the large number of poor patients at his parish's charity hall and hooked up with her, leading her to open the first charity pharmacy and seducing this inexperienced, kind-hearted lady.

Unfortunately, the young woman's devotion to charity led to the opening of numerous Tzu Chi pharmacies. Seeing that Alice's income was insufficient, Adrian found an excuse to leave London. However, with God's help, Alice developed a new, hit ointment that took Europe by storm. The man, secretly observing, staged his own drama on the Thames, returning to the young woman as a protector. Finally, at a masquerade ball, he moved her by proposing his resignation from his teaching position simply to be by Alice's side, and the two began a relationship.

Adrian had long known that Alice was going to be made a duke, and was worried that his position would be lost, so he seduced her on the street and made love to her in public to declare his status and warn other men with the same intentions.

After hearing the latest gossip, Alice laughed even louder: "Hahahaha, how can it be so funny, seducing me and warning others."

She lifted the man's chin and teased him, "When are you going to seduce one for me?"

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The author has something to say: Rabbit bought London in full at the age of 18 (eyes wandering)!

Become a duke, own land, a lot of money and a beautiful woman~ The winner of rabbit life [erect ears rabbit head][erect ears rabbit head]

Mrs. Bennet screamed: "Oh! my dear Eliza!

The old Countess of Camden held her forehead and said: Ed, quickly bring me my refreshing ointment...