The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1295: Chapter 170: Grade 4 Civil Servant Lord Hei

Russia needs order, it needs strict laws, and there cannot be any arrogance or disobedience. I regard a person’s life as a service in the army because everyone is serving in the army. The revolution has reached the doorstep of Russia, but I swear, as long as I have a breath left, I will never let it come in.

——Tsar Nicholas I, the fifteenth Tsar of the Romanov Dynasty, the eleventh Emperor of the Russian Empire

Every respectable person is willing and acknowledges the necessity for the government to establish a highly vigilant police organization to maintain public security and prevent crime. The old police department only oppressed common folks, alienating the Tsar from the people’s closeness, while the new security police organization will provide a sense of safety to honest and kind nationals.

——Count Alexander Hristoforovich Benkendorf, General of the Army of the Russian Empire, first director of the Imperial Office Third Bureau

Poland, a girl, and... Liverpool.

From the beginning of this impromptu party, Arthur had been repeating these words into Shubinsky’s ear.

If Shubinsky was unaware of the details of the Liverpool explosion, he would only take these words as the ramblings of a British lecher.

The decadent lives of diplomats from European countries are well-known, and being interested in exotic girls isn’t considered unusual.

But Shubinsky knows this British friend well, he is a Briton with a Russian spirit, a senior officer in the Royal Greater London Police Department with a will of iron.

As a well-known figure in London society, Arthur has diverse interests, and gathering his personal information is not difficult.

While working in London, Shubinsky had been ordered to investigate Arthur’s background and even had people tail his daily routes.

This person’s life was as monotonous as an unceasing steam engine, primarily moving between White Hall, Fleet Street, and his Hyde Park residence.

However, occasionally he would go to Greenwich and West End Theatre for recreation.

The biggest suspicion about him might be that when he goes to the East District, he often vanishes into the narrow streets there.

To unravel this mystery, Shubinsky once increased manpower to investigate the East District, but the local thugs in Tower Hamlets quickly made his subordinates understand why this was their territory. Even if Napoleon’s nephew stumbled in here, he would be stripped and tied up in a small dark room. France’s great dramatist here would be priced per head. So a few Russian secret police? Naturally, the hooligans didn’t care about them.

If this sole suspicion is excluded, Arthur Hastings’ public image is almost exaggeratedly good.

Before ordering the police force to open fire, he was recognized in British society as a paragon of the police community.

From senior cabinet officials to the common people of London, the political world, sciences, philosophers, and the music industry, all regarded him as a leader among the British youth.

Although the British National Church rated him low due to his beliefs, the British Catholic Church thought he was a talent worth nurturing.

The most commendable thing is that in such a chaotic public opinion environment in London, Arthur Hastings had never been exposed by street tabloids for any chaotic personal life.

Perhaps this is a characteristic of all figures who rise from obscurity; Shubinsky felt that in this aspect, Arthur was very much like Fouche of France, and even an enhanced version at that.

Because even someone like Fouche, who cared about nothing but work, couldn’t help but flaunt wealth by replacing their furniture with solid gold after becoming affluent.

However, Sir Arthur Hastings was well aware of the principle of not flaunting wealth, and besides having a maid for cleaning, he didn’t hire any extra chefs or coachmen.

But does this mean Arthur is very incorruptible?

Shubinsky didn’t believe it.

As a political creature, and as a member of the minor nobility of upper society, Colonel Shubinsky knew that those who acted like this didn’t do so because they had detached themselves from lowly pleasures, but because they had greater ambitions in other areas.

Living simply in all aspects of life, and treasuring his reputation to such a degree, often meant he yearned only for supreme authority.

Always maintaining a clean image, yet taking the blame for the shooting of civilians in a critical moment...

It could only mean one thing.

He had done the math in his mind, and the losses from this move would be far less than the gains.

And the recent conversation also clearly revealed this, as a former Assistant Commissioner at Scotland Yard, he was about to be appointed as a Cultural Attaché to the Embassy in Russia.

Thinking of this, Shubinsky couldn’t help but swallow hard.

Maybe to the prominent figures above Shubinsky, it didn’t matter if Arthur was appointed as a Cultural Attaché or not.

But to Shubinsky, a small figure in the political arena, he couldn’t afford the risk of offending Arthur.

The position of Cultural Attaché can almost be called the fourth or fifth rank figure in the British Embassy in Russia.

Above him were the Ambassador to Russia, Earl of Dalmo, the diplomat designated by the Ambassador to be in charge of the Embassy when he is absent, and the British Military Officer in Russia.

The other Attachés at his rank would not exceed two people, and below him were the Assistant Military Officer in Russia, the first, second, and third secretaries, the embassy staff, and their assistants.

According to the principles of diplomatic work set forth at the Vienna Conference, based on responsibilities and the level of diplomatic relations between the two countries, there are three types of highest leaders for foreign envoys.