The Shadow of Great Britain

Capítulo 1409: Chapter 211: Luck So Bad Even Drinking Cold Water Chips Your Teeth (Part 3)

Viscount Palmerston!

There’s always something to learn!

Of course, when the higher-ups have concerns, it’s the job of the subordinates to solve the problems.

But this principle isn’t always absolute; Arthur also very much wants to find Sir David, but his reasons for finding him are different from everyone else’s.

Arthur simply wants to make the acquaintance of the Oxford graduate hero, because he seems to not care at all about Viscount Palmerston and is a rarity among politicians due to his straightforward nature.

Of course, should Sir David unfortunately be caught, Arthur wouldn’t be too upset.

If the Tsar, in a fit of anger, ordered the expulsion of all British diplomats in Russia, Arthur would gladly be sent back to London by Tsar Nicholas I.

In the worst-case scenario, he would just be sent to another country to continue his advisory role.

But this little fantasy of Arthur’s was ultimately shattered yesterday.

Yesterday, the latest issue of the “British Foreign Ministry List” arrived in St. Petersburg. After carefully reviewing the relevant information, Arthur discovered a terrible fact: almost all of the foreign embassies had no openings for a counselor, and the Foreign Office at Downing Street number 15 was filled to the brim.

According to Foreign Office norms, if there were no suitable positions in the foreign missions in Europe, the retired diplomat would be dispatched to overseas colonies or dominions to handle local political or administrative affairs.

And according to the current situation, Arthur’s destination was very likely to be Canada, Australia, or India.

Hmm…

The sky is falling!

Heading to Canada and Australia at this age would be akin to prematurely ending a political career.

What’s the difference between going there and being exiled?

Just because you’re sent with a counselor’s rank and without chains on your hands and feet, doesn’t mean you’re not a prisoner in exile.

As for India, it is indeed a good place; it’s popular among many prominent British aristocrats to send their scions to India for a touch of prestige.

Even if the scions couldn’t achieve prestige and remained incorrigible, at the very least they could get their first bucket of gold in India.

But the problem is, the colonial institutions in India are primarily military-oriented, and those who return are mostly officers like the Duke of Wellington.

Rarely do the names of civil servants appear in cross-continental transfers. If one is a civil servant and is transferred, it means they have at least reached the rank of Governor of Mumbai or Governor of Madras.

This is not to say that Arthur has no confidence in reaching such a rank.

But confidence is one thing and ability is another. Realistically, to achieve such a rank in India, it is impossible without support from the court.

And according to the information released from London, His Majesty the King seems to be dissatisfied with the Grey Cabinet of the Whig Party, and there are signs of instability within the Whig Party…

If the Grey Cabinet collapses, and his mentor Lord Brougham steps down from the position of High Chancellor, and the Earl of Dalmo is expelled by the Russian government…

If the new Cabinet happens to forget about Arthur Hastings…

The Hastings Family might become a clean and sanitary traditional Indian family!

This is simply unacceptable!

At this thought, Arthur suddenly felt no pain in his waist or legs and donned his top hat to walk two miles in the snow.

He wove through the dense crowd and knocked on the door of a mansion on Neva Street: “Excuse me, is this the British Club?”

A servant opened the door, saw the unfamiliar guest, and nodded slightly: “And you are?”

Arthur took a card from his pocket and handed it to the doorman servant: “Please inform Mr. Pushkin in the club that Arthur Hastings is invited to call.”