Chapter 1131 Ding Dong-The Wicked Witch is Dead
Chen Zetao was confused. How was this shipwreck related to "dividing Britain"?
Chen Zetao was even more stunned by Jelena's next words: "Sorry, I didn't say it accurately. It should be 'Do you want to split England?'"
Chen Zetao was even more confused. If it was about splitting up the UK, he could still understand it. After all, there were signs of division in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and now Wales. But what the hell was splitting up England?
Xiao Peng pointed at Jelena and said, "First of all, remember, I'm your boss. When you talk to me, you have to use the word 'boss'!"
"Yes, boss!" Jelena agreed readily.
Xiao Peng nodded and said, "Yes, you are a teachable young man. Tell me what you think! Why should I divide England?"
Jelena said, "I went to St. Paul's Girls' School in England and then to the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, so I understand the history and current situation in the UK. The 'NIP' you mentioned isn't the abbreviation for the Swedish esports club, but the abbreviation for the UK's 'Northern Independence Party.' Their slogan is to separate northern England from England and establish the 'Kingdom of Northumbria.'"
Chen Zetao was stunned. "What the hell? Northern England seceding from England? Have they watched too much 'Game of Thrones'? Are they planning to crown themselves 'King of the North'?"
Xiao Peng's face darkened after hearing this: "Brother Chen, stop saying stupid things in front of your daughter and maintain your dignity. Jelena, tell your idiotic father what you think!"
"Okay, boss," Jelena said, "but I have objections to you calling him my father."
Xiao Peng ignored him and turned to Ilka and said, "Ilka, you should listen carefully and learn from this!"
Ilka said, "Master, you must know more. Wouldn't it be better if I listened to you?"
Xiao Peng took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a puff. "Ilka, remember this: When three people walk together, there must be one person who can teach me something. Listen to other people's opinions and make your own judgments."
"Yes, Master!" Ilka nodded and whispered, "That's why I don't want to go to school!"
"Shut up!" Xiao Peng said angrily after hearing this: "Jelena, keep talking."
Jelena said, "Because I studied at the Edinburgh School of History and Classics, I know a bit about British history. If I'm going to talk about this, I have to start with British history."
Seeing that Xiao Peng didn't try to stop her, she continued, "Actually, the British Isles were originally part of the European continent. It wasn't until 6,000 BC that they became what they are today due to changes in the sea level and terrain. The first people to live on the British Isles at that time were the Britons. During the Iron Age, the Celts from Central Europe migrated westward into the British Isles and merged with the locals. The Celts became the masters of this area, and Druidism developed there."
"In 55 BC, the Roman Empire invaded, and the southern part of Britain became the Roman province of Britannia. However, by 410 AD, unable to maintain its rule, the Roman Empire withdrew completely, relinquishing its sovereignty. From that point on, Britain entered the 'Dark Ages.' After the Romans left, the Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and others invaded England, assimilating and exterminating large numbers of Celtic peoples. Legends like King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table were born during that period. Of course, those are just legends; there's no evidence to prove their existence. By the early seventh century, as the boss mentioned, Britain had become divided into seven kingdoms: the Saxon Kingdoms of Sussex, Wessex, and Essex; the Jutes' Kingdom of Kent; the Angle Kingdoms of East Anglia and Mercia; and the Kingdom of Northumbria, which I mentioned earlier. At its peak, the Kingdom of Northumbria stretched from the River Humber in the south to the River Mersey and the Firth of Forth in Scotland in the north."
Chen Zetao thought for a moment and said, "Does this mean that places like Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, and York all belong to this Kingdom of Northumbria?"
Jelena glanced at Chen Zetao and nodded, "Yes, it's northern England and southern Scotland."
"What does that have to do with the independence of northern England?" Chen Zetao asked, puzzled. "Aren't you talking about re-establishing the Kingdom of Northumbria? Even if the Kingdom of Northumbria was once an independent country, that was over a thousand years ago. Why are you clamoring for independence now? Are you crazy?"
Jelena thought for a moment and suddenly started singing a cheerful rhythm.
Chen Zetao suddenly became excited after hearing this: "I know this song. It's from the 1939 movie 'The Wizard of Oz'. It's called 'Ding Dong - The Wicked Witch is Dead'... Wait, could it be?"
Xiao Peng answered Chen Zetao's question with action: He pulled out his phone, turned on the player, and started playing a song. It started with a strong, dynamic bassline. It was a volatile, punk rock sound. The lyrics were bland at first, but later on, they became a repetitive refrain: "We're going to dance on your grave, Margaret Thatcher!"
After listening to the song, Chen Zetao seemed to suddenly understand: "Are you talking about the UK's economic transformation? Neoliberalism?"
Xiao Peng snapped his fingers: "BINGO!"
Britain was the first country in the world to undergo the Industrial Revolution, but has now transformed itself into a financial nation, and it was the "Iron Lady" Margaret Thatcher who facilitated this transformation.
They say a person's merits and demerits are left to future generations to judge, but the Iron Lady's merits and demerits remain a mystery. Should we consider her merits? She launched nuclear bombs during the Falklands War as soon as the situation turned sour. Should we consider her demerits? The British economy did improve. For example, let's take Hong Kong: the difference between before and after the Iron Lady took office was astonishing. Her transformation from a "dirty, chaotic, and poor" city to the "Pearl of the Orient" was also inseparable from her policies.
But there is one place where no one says anything good about her, and that is northern England. On the day the "Iron Lady" died, grand celebrations were held on the streets of cities in northern England such as Liverpool, Manchester, York, and Leeds. People took to the streets waving flags, singing and dancing, lighting fireworks and opening champagne to celebrate.
The point is that what the 'Iron Lady' did in northern England back then was really a bit... 'iron'!
As the football star Robbie Fowler, who wrote in the fourth-grade text "Giving Up the Shot," once recalled: "Liverpool was on the brink of civil war at the time. Gunshots could be heard every night. Workers tried their best to keep their jobs and unions, but to no avail."
Britain's transformation from an industrialized country to a financial country was not smooth sailing.
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