Chapter 82 Green Vein Operation 15 Storm is coming
Even though she had been busy with many things recently, Heather still arrived at Gracechurch Street on time at noon on the appointed day to attend the rare family gathering.
Because Elizabeth also came to London.
No one else from the Bennett family came with them this time. Elizabeth came with Caroline and Mrs. Hurst.
This would have been illogical half a year ago, because the two parties not only disliked each other privately but were also not very friendly on the surface. However, now, for the sake of Miss Bennett and Mr. Bingley's marital happiness, they tacitly put aside the last bit of prejudice.
Spring has arrived, and there are many more green dishes on the table. There are fresh and delicious fruits in the salad, and the cheesecake is also decorated with small sweet fruits brought by Longbourn.
As the wedding is approaching, the whole restaurant is filled with a relaxed atmosphere.
Mrs. Hearst modestly praised the elaborate preparations for the engagement ceremony to Mr. and Mrs. Gardner.
"We're going to London this time to invite some of my father's old friends and relatives. Some of them are still in the political arena. Fortunately, the parliamentary term has just begun, so schedules are relatively relaxed. Otherwise, I'm not sure if they would be able to find time to come to Longbourn." Even if she tried to hide it, she still showed pride in her background. "You know, Mrs. Gardner, Longbourn is quite remote compared to London."
Mrs. Gardner patiently tolerated her boasting. "Longbourn is indeed a bit far, but the environment is quieter and more comfortable than London. Spending half a year in the countryside and half a year in a big city is perfect for someone like you. However, I thought the ceremony would be held at the Bingleys' new estate, after all, it's only two hours from London."
"Oh, about that." Mrs. Hearst felt a momentary discomfort. "The previous owner of that manor was more interested in pristine nature, which doesn't align with Charles's aesthetic. It's still undergoing renovations. I'd like to hold the wedding ceremony there."
Heather asked Elizabeth secretly: "Is Mr. Bingley planning to buy Netherfield as well?"
Elizabeth shook her head. "I don't think there are any plans for that at the moment, but Jane really wants to use the dividends from the bonds you gave her to rent Netherfield long-term. The dividends are enough to cover the annual rent, and she wants to see Mother and us more often after she gets married."
"Huh? Then why not save up some money and buy a house in London that's not so central? It'll probably appreciate in value in the future." Heather added, "It's best to buy one before you get married."
Elizabeth was thoughtful.
After dinner, Mrs. Hurst and Mrs. Gardner went upstairs together to see the wedding gifts prepared for Jane. Elizabeth and Mary talked about their recent money-making affairs, and Caroline whispered to Heather.
"Do you want to know what Theodore is doing recently?" She couldn't hold it in any longer.
Heather looked at her in surprise: "Why are you still in contact with him?"
Caroline blushed: "There's nothing between him and me. I'm just occasionally curious about what he's doing. After last time, I occasionally entrust him to buy some small things."
Heather didn't understand why she needed to buy something from such an irregular middleman, but she still followed her and said, "What is he doing?"
"When I came back yesterday, I wanted to go to the pub to find him and ask about the progress of something I asked for last time. Then I heard that he often went to Chelsea recently."
Heather looked at her with deep sorrow, wondering what could have made such a good young lady go against her principles and meet a man in a pub.
Caroline glared at her. "Don't let your imagination run wild. Listen to me. I happened to pass by Chelsea on my way home, and I saw him sneakily talking to a servant in a very luxurious house. The two of them were secretly pulling something in their hands. It looked like money."
Heather didn't have time to investigate how coincidental this "just happened to pass by" was: "Chelsea? Is he the factory owner?"
Caroline looked mysterious. "After he left, I made careful inquiries. That's the residence of the owner of the largest leather factory in London. What do you think he wants to do? Is he trying to seduce the big boss?"
Heather didn't answer.
The owner of the Haven Leather Works was arguably one of the most vehement opponents of the plant-based decontamination plan. In several interviews, he explicitly accused Hughes of alarmism, saying he was inciting workers to riot and destabilizing the industry. He publicly stated numerous times that he absolutely did not believe industrial wastewater and exhaust posed any harm to humans. On the contrary, he believed it, like machine production, would accelerate progress.
Theodore is not a purely good person. He is a profit-driven and unscrupulous intelligence dealer. How could he be related to Haviden?
After staying for a few hours, Mrs. Hurst and Caroline said goodbye and did not stay for dinner at the Gardner family's house.
Mrs. Hurst explained, "Charles heard from Mr. Darcy that things have been a bit chaotic in London lately. There's often conflicting opinions in the newspapers, with one faction attacking another, and different classes banding together to speak out. I heard there were two small-scale workers' riots recently. Anyway, we plan to stay here for a week, deliver the invitations, and finish our business, then return to Netherfield as soon as possible. We'll decide after the engagement ceremony whether to attend the social season events."
Heather frowned. Although she had been following the newspaper news in the past week, she rarely attended any gatherings. Mr. Darcy had already acquired a small textile factory and was about to start production. She thought that the newspapers were still stuck at the level of academic discussions on science and health.
Mr. Gardner also said: "It's a good thing to go back early. The social atmosphere in London has not been very good recently. In addition to concerns about pollution, the political turmoil is becoming more and more obvious."
Heather quickly asked, "Brother, are you talking about the political turmoil?"
Mr. Gardner affirmed that he was an enthusiastic citizen who was keen on national affairs and he could come into contact with many people in his business.
"He's the client I delivered wine to last Christmas. He's a member of parliament. He was probably in a good mood last time. He heard me and the butler chatting about current affairs and told us that the parliamentary term has just begun, and a new round of competition for seats has begun. The king's health is declining, and the regent has been embroiled in a series of scandals related to his conduct. The various political parties are fighting fiercely, attacking each other every day in the major newspapers.
Look, in today's newspapers, the Supreme Court Justice, who has always been neutral, has been attacked with innuendo."
"What?" Heather ran over and sat next to her brother. She had arrived early today and hadn't had time to read the newspaper. "Has the Chief Justice been attacked?"
Mr. Gardner didn't understand why his sister suddenly became interested in the Chief Justice. He thought she was only interested in topics related to factories and plants.
"That's right." Mr. Gardner pushed his glasses up and quickly found a newspaper from the stack at hand. "It's just a medium-sized newspaper, but it has always had its own information channels for political news. Look, this article is the transcript of an interview with a senior Conservative Party official, and it implies various improprieties by the current top judicial official."
It was already late, so Heather didn't rush to read it. She stuffed the newspaper into her handbag and quickly asked, "Brother, maybe you know how old the Chief Justice is and what kind of person he is?"
Mr. Gardner had lived in London for nearly twenty years and was well-informed, knowing a little more than Mr. Darcy.
"I don't know how old he is, and there are very few direct reports about him in the newspapers. But I remember when I first came to London for business twenty years ago, there was a bill promoted by the Lord Chancellor, and the newspapers at the time wrote about the Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Ashwood."
Heather listened carefully, not missing a single word, and soon discovered a clue: "So, the Chief Justice is at least fifty years old now?"
She suddenly felt ridiculous. Why did she always doubt that Lancaster's real identity was the Chief Justice? Twenty years ago, he was only 18 years old. It would be a joke if the British Empire allowed an 18-year-old child to be the Chief Justice. Fortunately, she didn't ask.
Mr. Gardner confirmed her suspicions. "In short, I think the Chief Justice is very powerful and cautious. Except recently, many high-ranking politicians have been attacked in the newspapers over the past few decades. After all, even the Prince Regent has his fair share of satirical articles, but the Chief Justice is rarely the subject of debate."
Mrs. Hurst and Caroline went back, and Heather also took Mary and Elizabeth home.
Only after the little sisters, whom she hadn't seen for a long time, returned to their rooms and went to bed did Heather pick up the newspaper nervously.
The title of that article was very bold.
The first person in the judicial field to use public power for personal gain, what is the future of England?
I have to say that the limits of freedom of speech in England are really broad.
Heiser continued reading and found that the article was indeed attacking the upcoming industrial cleaning bill.
"If readers believe the Justice used his connections in Congress to ensure the passage of the bill for the benefit of workers, they are gravely mistaken. Witnesses have stated that the Justice's chief clerk and an assistant to Dorothy, a radical opponent of industrial emissions, were seen on the same residential street several times, clearly conspiring to deprive people of their legitimate property in the name of justice."
However, the author of this article is a conservative. His purpose is not to speak for the industry. On the contrary, he advocates a return to the traditional economy. Then he changed his tone.
"The emergence of new industries has even led to high-ranking officials, who have always been upright and honest, wanting a piece of the action. This shows how harmful such excessive profits are to social stability. In fact, the best way to eliminate all risks is not to introduce clean laws to cover up industrial misdeeds, but to directly restrict industrial development, reduce the power of factory owners, and protect the interests of traditional aristocratic landowners."
Heather didn't read the part that contained ulterior motives in the latter part, but the first part was enough to cause a stir.
Wait, the Lord Chancellor's assistant, isn't he talking about Lancaster? Dorotheus' assistant is Mr. Cummins. Could someone have set their sights on her Paddington residence? After all, they've been to 12 Paddington several times recently.
Heather's first reaction wasn't fear of being exposed as the owner of the house, but fear of Lancaster being reprimanded by the Lord Chancellor. The Industrial Purification Act was undoubtedly beneficial in the long run. Besides plant cultivation, it also provided preliminary regulations for pollutant emissions. Judging from the information leaked in various tabloids, those regulations were undoubtedly forward-thinking. Historically, even in the late Industrial Revolution, direct discharge of sewage into the Thames was strictly prohibited.
But people nowadays don't realize it, and what Heather is most worried about is that Lancaster must have really wanted to help her by secretly helping the bill.
If someone kept digging deeper into this relationship, Heather couldn't imagine how she would clear herself of suspicion.
However, this is just the beginning. Where there are allies, there are just as many enemies. The Chief Justice's opponents will not miss the opportunity to drag him into this.
Everyone has their own stains and is attacked by tabloids from time to time. How can we tolerate someone who is pure and innocent and stays out of it?
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