British writer

December 1, 1901.

For Western Christian countries, December is almost the most important month of the year.

the reason is simple--

Christmas.

Around Buckingham Palace, several core streets have a more festive atmosphere.

Christmas trees, gift boxes, lanterns...

Various holiday decorations are gradually spread out.

Shops have also begun to prepare for the festival.

The smell of baking biscuits and hot cocoa filled the air, masking even the faint stench of industrial pollution that permeated London all day long.

Da da da--

A carriage from Fleet Street drove slowly towards Buckingham Palace.

Soon, it stopped,

Lu Shi jumped down and then helped Margarita out of the car in a gentlemanly manner.

The two walked together in a warm and peaceful atmosphere.

Her Royal Highness the Princess whispered: "It feels like the festival atmosphere comes earlier this year than in previous years."

Lu Shi said: "As long as there is no war, it will happen sooner and earlier in the future."

Margarita couldn't help but be curious,

"Why?"

Lu Shi rubbed his hands and breathed into his palms.

"Family reunion~ It's the end of the year, and every family hopes to have a chance to reunite and have a good rest."

He put his hand into his pocket and introduced: "China also has a similar festival called the Spring Festival. The whole country, from the emperor to the officials and the common people, attaches great importance to it."

Margarita said softly, "Yeah".

"I've heard that the Spring Festival is more grand than Christmas. Professor Lu, are you homesick?"

This question is a bit abrupt,

Suddenly, Lu Shi even felt dazed for a moment before shaking his head.

"Away from home, alone. Which international student is not like this?"

This is not a positive answer.

Margarita sighed,

"Professor Lu..."

Lu Shi did not dwell too much on this matter and changed the topic: "I just mentioned that the festive atmosphere of Christmas is getting stronger year by year. A big reason is that the lives of London citizens... um..."

He paused because he felt a soft little hand reach into his pocket.

Margarita seemed to be blushing a little, winked playfully at Lu Shi, and then did some secret operations in Lu Shi's pocket.

in this way,

Like this,

…

Lu Shi's four fingers on his right hand, except his thumb, were held by the opponent.

Warmth spreads from the palm of your hand.

"hiss……"

Lu Shi sniffed.

Her Royal Highness the Princess is so proactive, so she has to express herself in some way.

He flipped his right hand over and held it instead.

Margarita:! ! !

"What are you doing?"

Her face turned redder than before.

Lu Shi saw Margarita blushing cutely and seemed to be thinking about something, so he asked: "Your Highness, are you thinking..."

Before she could finish her question, she was interrupted by Margarita.

Just listen to her say in a voice as thin as a mosquito: "Lita..."

Word after word popped out.

Lu Shi: "Huh?"

The voice was too low and he didn't hear it clearly.

Margarita was a little dissatisfied and glared at Lu Shi, but seeing that Lu Shi still looked confused, she became even more unhappy and dug her nails into Lu Shi's palm.

But because she is now a pure working woman, her nails are very short and it doesn’t hurt to pick people.

But even so, she still took out the handkerchief and stuffed it into Lu Shi's palm,

I'm afraid I might hurt a pimple.

Lu Shi couldn't help but be confused.

"What's going on?"

Margarita sighed and said, "Didn't we make an agreement before? When we were alone in private, we were so shy that we called me 'Rita'."

"Ah this..."

Lu Shi looked around,

There are still many pedestrians around,

Some parents even took their children to play happily under the Christmas tree.

Can this be considered “private”?

"Gu..."

Lu Shi swallowed and said, "Rita."

Margarita turned away,

"heard it."

This time it wasn't out of dissatisfaction, but out of shyness.

Lu Shi scratched his head a little,

"Um...what are you thinking about?"

Margarita raised the corners of her lips and gave a somewhat metaphysical answer: "I'm thinking about the same thing as you."

Lu Shi was speechless,

"..."

Don't guess what a girl is thinking. You won't understand even if you keep guessing.

Seeing him like this, Margarita couldn't help but laugh out loud, then changed the subject and said, "Just now, we were talking about Christmas. What do you think happened to the citizens of London?"

Lu Shi said: "London citizens' lives are getting better and better, and they are living comfortably. They will definitely think of ways to have fun. Christmas is a good breaking point."

The two chatted as they approached the gate of Buckingham Palace.

At this time, a bunch of people gathered here,

They are not here for the parade, but to ask for the prizes for participating in the "Monopoly" grand prix——

The Lord of the Rings board game collector's edition.

"I finally got through the first round, but you told me I don't have a gift?!"

"If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have participated."

"Fxxk! I'm a fan of "Lord of the Rings", but I lost on purpose in the second round, and this is the result?"

…

There was a lot of noise.

There were about 30 people, which was quite impressive.

Stephenson was maintaining order and said expressionlessly: "We already know everyone's demands. Don't worry, we will solve it as soon as possible. Everyone go back and wait for the news, don't rush into Buckingham Palace."

Che Zulu talked back and forth in a very perfunctory manner.

This attitude is already pretty good.

Back in the Victorian era, if citizens dared to block Buckingham Palace, they would have been dealt with by the Royal Guards long ago.

But Edward VII was different;

He strives to create a persona that is close to the people and does not treat the people condescendingly, thereby showing his difference from the queen.

Margarita withdrew her hand from Lu Shi's pocket.

"Let's go around."

Lu Shi followed his advice like a stream,

"good."

The two men turned around.

There is a side entrance on the east and west sides of Buckingham Palace, with guards standing guard at the entrances.

Margaretta lived at Buckingham Palace during the Victorian period.

She didn't even need to tell her identity and brought Lu Shi in.

The two came to the study together.

At this time, Edward VII and the Parker brothers were still sitting around the table, playing the improved collector's edition of "The Lord of the Rings."

His Majesty the King is in that crazy state of obsession again,

"Just earn enough experience here and let Gandalf upgrade."

"No, no, no, it still requires a little bit of luck. The slashing attack has to deal the highest damage."

"Shiit! How much HP does Balrog have?"

…

He is still trying to pass the level alone.

Lu Shi was helpless,

"His Majesty……"

King Edward VII raised his hand,

"Don't interrupt my train of thought yet. It'll be soon... soon..."

Lu Shi: "..."

I can only remain silent.

On the other side, George winked at Edward and signaled his brother to continue coaxing Edward VII, while he moved closer to Lu Shi,

"Professor Lu,"

His voice was very low,

"The digitization of "Lord of the Rings" has basically no problems. Although it took us more than ten days, it was already very fast. I have to admit that this is thanks to His Majesty the King's all-night and day-night efforts."

Lu Shi just wanted to laugh.

If that old man behaved like a poor man when facing official duties, why would he have to run around wiping his butt by himself?

He asked the other party: "Da Qiao, do you have any questions?"

George said: "The cost. The production cost of this set of games is too high, about 13 pounds. Based on this, the price should be 20 pounds."

Lu Shi was a little confused.

Since it is a high-quality product, what if it is more expensive?

But he soon realized what the problem was.

The various award settings of previous "Monopoly" competitions,

The third place will only get 10 pounds.

The participation prize is a tabletop game that costs 13 pounds and has a price tag of 20 pounds.

The bonus inversion is too serious.

What's more, this is without considering the commemorative significance of the first edition of "The Lord of the Rings".

If subsequent appreciation is taken into account, then even the first 100 pounds will be a loss.

Margarita on the side didn't think this was a problem.

She mused: "Cash and physical prizes have their own advantages and disadvantages. After all, the majority of people are short-sighted. Between the safety of pocketing and future gains, the vast majority of people choose the former, so there is no need to worry."

Lu Shi thought about it and felt that what the other party said was reasonable.

"Moreover, "The Lord of the Rings" is just a tabletop game and has no practical value. It should not cause any trouble."

George was relieved when he heard this.

"That being the case, we can start selling it tomorrow. Excluding the participation bonus, there should be no problem in supplying another thousand units to the market. I hope the exorbitant price will not deter people."

Lu Shi was preparing to comfort the other party,

At this time, the door was opened.

Stephenson walked in, nodded to Lu Shi, Margarita, and the Parker brothers, and then said to Edward VII: "Your Majesty, the people outside..."

King Edward VII shook his head impatiently,

"wait a minute."

He focused entirely on his role.

Just like Lu Shi’s novel,

The Gandalf he built this time is a melee mage with both magical and martial abilities.

Unfortunately, he was unlucky. His last slash hit the lower limit of damage, and he was killed by the Balrog.

Single pass failed again.

George advised: "Your Majesty, you can definitely find your teammates."

Edward VII was stunned and refused to accept it.

"No, I must..."

He clenched his fists, and a thin layer of sweat even appeared on his forehead.

Lu Shi subconsciously took out a handkerchief from his pocket.

As a result, just as he was about to hand it over, his hand retracted as if it had been scalded by boiling water.

This action attracted a few people's attention.

Stephenson's sharp eyes spotted the three letters embroidered on the handkerchief——

M.F.L.

He immediately thought of Her Royal Highness the princess’s full name.

Margarita Victoria Feodor Leopoldina,

Margarita Victoria Fyodorovna Leopoldina,

M.F.L., minus the middle name Victoria.

The Parker brothers on the other side didn't know much about the British royal family, but they had worked with Margarita for a long time and quickly figured out the link.

When the three of them looked at Lu Shi, their eyes changed.

We worked together and gave private tokens...

Next, is it time to have a secret affair and get pregnant before marriage?

Lu Shi was so courageous!

And how could Margarita not notice the change in the atmosphere in the study?

She whispered in her heart,

Professor Lu is also true,

You just keep the handkerchief on your body, why do you take it out? !

Fortunately, His Majesty did not see it...

After thinking about it, Margarita felt that it was really not suitable to stay here for a long time, so she approached Edward VII and said, "Uncle Edward, Professor Lu and I went out to appease those people and ask them to leave as soon as possible."

King Edward VII said: "We haven't even spoken yet, and you are leaving? Anyway, "The Lord of the Rings" will be released tomorrow, so why bother?"

Margarita rolled her eyes,

"It's precisely because it's going to be released that I have to notify them~"

"this……"

Something feels wrong,

But it felt like there was no problem.

Edward VII had just finished playing Balrog, and he was still a little dizzy. He was too lazy to think too much.

"Okay, then go ahead."

Margarita winked quietly at Lu Shi,

The two of them walked towards the study door.

At this moment, Edward VII slapped his head as if he remembered something and shouted: "Lu, wait!"

Lu Shi:! ! !

He turned back stiffly,

"Any orders, Your Majesty?"

Unexpectedly, Edward VII was talking about board games: "Have I not been studying games recently? Can I tell you how to pass the level?"

He actually wanted to publish game guides in the newspaper.

The king was willing to advertise "The Lord of the Rings", so of course Lu Shi would not refuse anyone who came.

"Your Majesty submitted an article, how could the Mirror reject it?"

Edward VII was very satisfied;

"That's good. If you have anything to do, go ahead and do it."

Lu Shi and Margarita looked at each other and hurried out.

Edward looked at their backs and couldn't help but marveled in his heart.

Professor Lu is really a god, he can actually pick up the princess.

He winked at George,

"Did you see that? That handkerchief..."

Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by George coughing:

"cough!"

Lu Shi was Parker Brothers' partner in Europe, and he had a very strong background.

Such a towering tree must not fall down.

Besides, when they first entered Buckingham Palace, Stephenson explained the three principles of no contact with the royal family:

Don’t watch what you shouldn’t;

Don’t listen to what you shouldn’t;

Don’t say what you shouldn’t say.

It is better to have less involvement in royal family affairs.

Edward VII did not notice the strange atmosphere at the scene and glared dissatisfied.

"Da Qiao, are you sick? Why are you coughing so loudly?"

George waved his hand and said: "No~no~"

He suddenly flashed his big sincere eyes and stared at His Majesty the King.

Edward VII looked awkward all over,

"Yeah, it's okay."

He stood up, stretched, and walked toward the door.

"I'm going to sleep for a few hours. When I wake up later, I have to write an article for the Mirror."

After saying that, he opened the door and walked out.

Stephenson followed closely behind.

When Edward VII returned to his room, he entered the bathroom first, filled the bathtub with hot water, and stripped himself naked.

The window in front of me is open,

The scenery of Buckingham Palace is beautiful. The square, gardens, lawns, etc. form a magnificent picture.

In the distance, you can still see the crowd at the gate.

Occasionally there is sporadic noise,

Listening carefully, I found keywords such as "Lord of the Rings" and "Participation Award".

Edward VII smiled,

"When you see the real thing tomorrow, you will definitely eat it...well...that's..."

He saw Lu Shi and Margarita,

It’s not surprising that the two of them work together;

But the problem is,

"They are too close..."

His Majesty the King murmured to himself.

After being stunned for a long time, when he came back to his senses, he found that Lu Shi and Margarita had disappeared from sight.

He quickly lay down on the windowsill,

"Where are the people?"

I looked left, right, up and down, but couldn't find it anywhere.

At this time, you can only rely on tools.

King Edward VII shouted: "Sir!? Are you out there!?"

Stephenson outside the door was already ready to leave. When he heard the call, he quickly opened the door and went straight to the bathroom.

Then, he saw a scene he would never forget.

His Majesty the King was seen naked leaning against the window sill. Because his upper body was leaning forward out of the window, the curve behind him looked uneven and unusually rounded.

Stephens’ first reaction:

Don’t watch what you shouldn’t!

Second reaction:

Quickly ran over and hugged Edward VII,

"Your Majesty, don't worry about it! Isn't it just that you can't pass the level temporarily? We have a long time to come..."

Edward VII's head was full of black lines,

￣□￣｜｜

He struggled with kicking legs,

"No! Don't hug me! I didn't want to jump off the building!"

"Ah this..."

Stephenson heard a hint of irritation in the other party's tone, so why didn't he know that he might be wrong?

He quickly took a step back and lowered his head,

He was concentrating on it, as if he was extremely interested in his feet, which were as big as cattail leaf fans.

Edward VII's face turned purple,

"What the hell..."

I have the intention to kill people.

Stephenson continued to lower his head, studying the natural pattern on his buckskin combat boots.

King Edward VII would certainly not be able to reprimand his young daughter-in-law for her aggrieved look.

He sighed helplessly,

"You can't...well...I almost forgot about the business because of this torment of yours! Do you have a telescope?"

Stephenson said "Huh?"

"Your Majesty, there is it in the room."

After saying this, the atmosphere in the room instantly became weird.

"..."

"..."

"..."

The two looked at each other.

After a full half minute, Edward VII licked his lips in embarrassment.

"I've lived here for so long, why don't I know? Where is it?"

Stephenson said: "I'll get it!"

After saying that, he quickly left the bathroom.

Soon, he came back with an exquisite monocular telescope and said at the same time: "When the Queen was alive, she liked to look at the edge of the city with a telescope, and she said she felt a sense of pride as she watched more and more buildings being completed. "

Edward VII took it,

"I know."

After saying that, he went to the window again, raised the telescope, and slowly searched in the direction where Lu Shi and Margarita had just moved.

Finally, he locked onto the two figures.

It is a lawn on the east side of Buckingham Palace, in the shadow of the building, very close to the angle of the courtyard wall.

On the lawn, the parasols are like a small hill, providing protection for the tables and seats below.

Several exquisite porcelain bowls and silverware are neatly placed on the dining table.

It was a tea break place where the Queen would occasionally go with Margarita during her lifetime, but it was gradually abandoned after Edward VII succeeded to the throne.

"It's indeed them."

The fire of gossip ignited in His Majesty’s heart,

He held his breath and observed quietly.

I saw Lu Shi approaching Margarita's ear very unruly and whispering something.

The latter blushed and lightly kicked Lu Shi's calf.

The behavior of the two of them is no different from that of a couple in love.

"Gu..."

King Edward VII swallowed and muttered:

"Yeah……"

Stephenson was by his side, and he didn’t know what kind of medicine His Majesty the King had taken.

What is good or bad?

It's just weird.

And Edward VII is still observing,

In the courtyard, Lu Shi took something out of his pocket, held it high and shook it.

Margarita seemed very embarrassed and stepped forward to grab it on tiptoe.

The two made a fuss.

Edward VII asked: "How to enlarge this?"

Stephenson said: "Your Majesty, please turn it to the right... No, the front sleeve of the telescope is turned to the right... Oh... that's right. Can you see clearly?"

As a result, Edward VII did not answer,

His left eye was closed tightly, and his right eye was wide open, almost attached to the eyepiece, and he was muttering: "M...F...L...hiss...that's Margarita's handkerchief..."

Stephenson:! ! !

My heart couldn't help but thump.

Unexpectedly, His Majesty the King discovered it.

Just as he was feeling uneasy, King Edward VII put down his telescope, turned around and said, "Sir, I have a serious question I want to discuss with you."

Stephenson looked at the other party's naked body,

"Um...Your Majesty, how about you put on a bathrobe first?"

"Hmm..."

Edward VII quietly moved with "lotus steps", walked to the wardrobe, took out a bathrobe and covered his body.

Then, he asked: "Sir, do we have any precedent in Great Britain for a commoner to marry a princess?"

Stephenson immediately recalled,

But after all, he is not a member of the Privy Council who specifically serves the royal family.

"This requires changing the old rules. However, Her Royal Highness the Princess is the daughter of the Grand Duke of Hesse. Her marriage involves many countries, especially Germany, and Her Majesty cannot make arbitrary decisions. What's more, her marriage partner is Chinese Professor Lu."

Edward VII chuckled,

"You shouldn't worry about this. Lu can make Emperor William take back the Yellow Peril...wait!"

He frowned,

"Sir, did I just mention the margarita?"

Stephenson nodded,

"mentioned."

Edward VII showed a clear expression, and then became a little confused.

"Then did I mention Lu just now?"

"Ah this..."

Stephenson lowered his head, seemingly once again deeply interested in the texture of his shoes.

Edward VII looked suspicious;

"Sir, you wouldn't have known about them for a long time, right?"

Stephenson quickly clarified: "No, no, I am also today..."

Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by His Majesty the King:

"Come on~ If you say this now, will I still believe it?"

This time, even if I jumped into the Yellow River, I wouldn’t be able to clean myself.

Stephenson was on the verge of tears.

Edward VII cared about these details,

He mused: "I didn't expect it... Now there is another reason to give Lu the title of nobility."

As he said that, he turned to Stephenson,

"You go to the Privy Council and Whitehall for consultation. It's almost January and you have to get the medals awarded."

Stephenson asked: "Do you also want to ask about Her Royal Highness the Princess?"

"Tsk..."

Edward VII was inevitably a little hesitant;

This incident is so special that old examples may not be found.

He hesitated for a moment, and finally said: "You can ask the Privy Council, and leave it to Whitehall. We have our own set of procedures and standards for the family affairs of the dynasty, and Whitehall will be responsible for the aftermath."

The so-called "aftercare" is actually just wiping the butt.

Everyone who understands understands.

However, with Lu Shi's reputation, as long as the title was settled, there would be little resistance to marrying the princess.

Stephenson retreated toward the door;

"I'll do it right away."

Edward VII said "hmm", picked up the telescope again, and stood by the window to look at the gossip outside.