British civil servant

"Give me a glass of juice, thank you." He ordered to the waiter in the restaurant, and then Alan Wilson said, "Dear Mr. Derek, there is no country in the subcontinent at present. You are still thinking very long-term, which is really admirable." .”

The two chatted one after another, and they didn't get to the point for a long time. Time passed little by little, and Derek's confident smile had long since disappeared. He frowned and said, "Mr. Allen, even if you are already considered Senior officials in the colony, the salary is not very rich, how much can they get with some gray income, a few hundred dollars a month, what are you doing, who do you think you are, the Prime Minister of the British Empire?"

What a coincidence, Alan Wilson really thought so, and was unmoved by the other party's sarcasm, "I don't think that in British India, my power is similar to that of the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister kill people casually on the streets of London? He can't, but I can, I have countless ways to solve the factors that I think are unfavorable to the British Empire, this is the real colony. If it is the United States, of course Mr. Derek can do it, but it certainly doesn't look like I do it so easily here."

Not to mention, the shareholder of the U.S. Steel Corporation in front of him may not have as much money as him, even if the other party has money.But money and power cannot be completely equated, even if the two are interdependent.

Alan Wilson didn't take his word for it, and didn't like Derek's temptation, and finally made the other party feel that the so-called head start was just a beautiful dream, so he gave up the vague temptation and said directly, "Okay, Let’s be straightforward, the purpose of my visit this time is to come to British India to see if I can expand my business to the subcontinent, and I followed the iron mines, so this is also good for Britain, isn’t it?”

"This matter is very difficult." Alan Wilson regained his spirit a little, and the other party finally got to the point, but he still showed embarrassment, "The risk is huge, and it may destroy the stable situation in British India."

"British India, isn't it up to you British people?" Derek chuckled and mocked, "When will you British people care about the voice of the colonies? Isn't it always the guns that talk?"

"You can't say that." Alan Wilson categorically denied, "Britain and India are like brothers, and Indians are our dear relatives and friends, brothers and sisters!"

"A person like you still cares about this?" Derek frowned slightly, as if he had seen an alien with his own eyes. Just as he was about to say something, he saw Alan Wilson's head tilted to one side, with helplessness "I have to pay more."

Derek's expression was dull, and he suddenly chuckled and said to himself, "I thought I met an honest official just now, and I wanted to check if today is April Fool's Day."

"Mr. Derek's misunderstanding of me is really serious. Here I solemnly remind you not to take your domestic experience out of the United States. Diplomacy is no small matter. Once you change places, your previous experience may not be useful." Allen Wilson snapped his fingers and asked for another glass of juice, and then said, "When I say difficult, I mean considering the overall situation, it's a macro level matter, not limited to the behavior of a certain individual."

"That is to say, there are people above you." Derek said succinctly, saying that he understood what the other party said, "It seems that this matter exceeded my previous expectations, and even a little out of my control."

"It's not surprising, Chamberlain thought he controlled the head of state." Alan Wilson looked at the fat...capitalist from the United States in a tactical backward posture, "When Mr. Derek came, it was actually a Signal, since you can come, if the delay continues, there may be other guests coming to British India, if this iron ore falls into the hands of others? There may be a competitor for the U.S. Steel Company.”

"There are many steel companies, but there are not as many such good iron mines as there are steel companies."

"Who would come to a distant subcontinent, Mr. Allen?" Derek said that he disagreed with the other party's opinion. "The infrastructure here is backward, and even skilled workers are scarce."

"The biggest and best iron mine is in the state of Mysore, which is a coastal state. Maybe Mr. Derek wants to tell him that you don't understand British India in front of the civil servants of British India." Alan Wilson chose He raised his eyebrows and pointed out that Derek’s words were not true, “The coast of Mysore state can rely on the developed shipping to transport high-quality iron ore. Of course, if Mr. Derek told me that the shipping in the United States is very backward, Just pretend I didn't say it."

When it comes to geopolitical issues, Derek, a pure capitalist, is the opponent of Alan Wilson, a British Indian official.

Now it is obviously a seller's market. If the iron ore is to be sold, it can be sold to any steel company, including but not limited to US Steel. Who would refuse such a high-quality iron ore?

Now Derek has to admit that the idea of ​​picking up a big deal and coming to British India to buy the bottom is too optimistic.

He still underestimated his opponent, always thinking of a huge profit, but he didn't know how the British could not understand the subcontinent they governed.

Derek didn't speak for a long time. He was obviously in a bad mood, but he still said, "Excuse me, Mr. Allen. Actually, I'm usually very busy. I might go back sometime."

"Then I wish that Mr. Derek can have a good time in the subcontinent in his short free time." Alan Wilson stood up, nodded politely to Derek, and then left the restaurant without looking back.

Derek just watched Alan Wilson's back disappear until his assistant came to remind him, "Mr. Derek!"

"I can hear you." Derek gave the assistant a warning look. Your boss is in a bad mood right now.

For a capitalist, not picking up a big deal is equivalent to losing money. This is the same as a thief thinking that he has lost money if he hasn’t stolen anything. Obviously, Derek is in a bad mood now.

Alan Wilson was much simpler. He went to the telegraph room of the Governor's Mansion, preparing to report this matter to London as an outstanding imperial civil servant, and give his own suggestions in it.

If the price is right, Alan Wilson said that he is willing to test the other party, and if it is not suitable, he will reject the other party.

Of course, this money is naturally unreservedly contributed to the finances of the British Empire to ease the pressure on the British Empire after the war.

The question is what to do if the other party bribes me, whether to ask the other party to take out the part that belongs to the public.

This telegram was sent to London, and he left the telegraph room and returned to his home. When he walked to the door of the apartment, the corners of his mouth could not help twitching. Joan Crawford was already waiting there.

"Joan, this will make people guess about our relationship." Alan Wilson said helplessly, "This will affect you."

"With Betty here, what am I afraid of?" Joan Crawford snorted and took a step forward, and the two of them were almost face to face, "Are you afraid that it will be heard by Vivienne? Come out, do you really have the idea of ​​staying together forever?"

"She is a big star, I can't get her." Alan Wilson looked sad, with resentment on his face, "There is a gap between us, and it is too difficult to bridge."

This gesture resonated with Joan Crawford, who are all working hard for progress.

This makes Joan Crawford, who has also come to today step by step, feel a little empathy.

"Let's stay and have a meal together, and I'll call Ms. Heidi." Alan Wilson unscrewed the door and turned back to invite Joan Crawford, acting like a good man at home.

"Maybe that's how you seduced Vivienne." Joan Crawford was touched when she saw Alan Wilson like this, and happily accepted the invitation, "I mainly stay and tell you how to deal with Derek .”

"I understand very well, should I do something to express my gratitude?" Alan Wilson held two eggs in his hand, squinted, stared at Joan Crawford's chest, and stabbed twice. "How about a small ball turning a big ball?"

"What small ball, what big ball?" Joan Crawford was taken aback for a moment, but immediately realized that it was a joke, and curled her lips indifferently, "Without those two small balls falling on you, you can go to the sky gone."

Although the dinner was not luxurious, it was also a sumptuous one. Alan Wilson was polite and polite. Not only could he join in the conversation between Joan Crawford and Heidi Rama, but he could also give his own suggestions.

Because of the time difference, it was lunch time in London, and Edward Bridges and Norman Brooke, who were walking hand in hand and without embarrassment, were studying the telegram from New Delhi while eating.

"Since the end of the war, the Ministry of Finance has been the most stressed department." Edward Bridges gently wiped the corners of his mouth and narrowed his eyes. "The ideas of our prime minister require huge financial support."

"The Prime Minister calls it a grand blueprint." Norman Brooke shrugged, "But it's really a big deal."

"That's exactly the case, so we let the civil servants in the colonies find their own way out. At present, British India is indeed the jewel of the British Empire. If it weren't for the support from there, the deputy secretary of the Ministry of Finance would not know how many times he resigned." Edward Bridges said this and looked at Norman Brooke, "So, Norman, is there a decision?"

"Of course it's support." Norman Brook nodded solemnly. "It's better to sell the colonies than to sell the homeland. Many things in the past have proved that once we let things go, they will eventually be fed back to us."

Chapter 286 Reply from London

"From the very beginning, when Allen came back from British India that time, he bluntly said that if British India became independent, it would be best to package and sell it. The only worry is that the country cannot unify a consensus on British India." Edward Bridges lit a cigar, took a puff and continued, "Of course, this is also an old problem in our country. The ruling party and the opposition party will never reach a consensus if there is no major issue."

"Maybe this is democracy." Norman Brooke laughed dryly, "I just don't know what the prime minister will think. At present, the great prime minister is not a pedantic socialist like people think. By."

"At least not all." Edward Bridges added in a timely manner, "Some aspects are still debatable."

"Okay, should I tell the whole thing about this idea directly, or should I get permission and assume that Alan is testing on the edge?" Norman Brook said to himself with a look of embarrassment, "That way of handling is more sure."

"I think it's fair to say it." Edward Bridges thought for a moment, "Our prime minister is crazy about money."

"This is where I am strange. In addition to the national health care plan, there is still a large amount of funds that do not know where to go." Norman Brooke talked about this topic with a strange face, "I don't want to accuse the Prime Minister of opaque finances, but this Where did the money go?"

"Norman, don't pay attention to this matter." Edward Bridges looked at the other party hesitantly, and finally warned Norman Brook not to delve into it.

The alloy tube project is still in a top-secret state. There are no more than five people known to the prime minister. Edward Bridges happens to be one of them. Although Norman Brooke has been regarded as the successor of the cabinet secretary, he also Among the others who don't know.

"To be honest, if this thing is done, I think Allen's achievements can be knighted."

In order to prevent his successor from thinking too much, Edward Bridges used Alan Wilson as a shield. Knighthood is a favorite topic of discussion among civil servants, and Norman Brooke is no exception.

"If it wasn't for his father who didn't live until after the war, he should have been knighted long ago. But if it were placed on Allen, it would be very inappropriate in terms of age." Norman Brook said from a completely neutral point of view, " Of course, I am not greedy for anything, if I get out of the quagmire of war as soon as possible, the credit belongs to all the civil servants, and that is what Allen's telegram envisioned."

"Including but not limited to you and me..." Edward Bridges said with a half-smile.

"That's right. Glory belongs to all the gentlemen of Whitehall." Norman Brook paused at this point, "What are we going to do!"

"Sometimes the glory can be shared with the political parties. What is the tendency of the prime minister's political advisers? Isn't it pedantic socialism? I really don't have much contact with it." Edward Bridges murmured to himself.

Compared with the close-knit cabinet secretary, Norman Brook has a very close relationship with politicians, and even once attracted criticism from many people because of his over-familiarity.

Edward Bridges is not very clear about this issue, but Norman Brooke knows it well. "I have a certain understanding of him. He is a gentleman with a flexible moral bottom line."

"Very good, then it will be easy." Edward Bridges was in a good mood, drank the remaining whiskey, got up calmly, and left under the reverent eyes of the Whitehall civil servants who were dining in the restaurant.

This will not delay everyone, and I will look at Norman Brook again with the same respectful eyes later. Whitehall civil servants should pay attention to these points. Although the leaders have differences, they are all for the advancement of work.

The reason for the divergence is that the leaders are in different positions and work priorities are different.Everyone should fully understand the intentions of the leaders, and try to propose a plan that takes into account the leaders.

If one of them is the immediate leader, the opinion of the immediate leader should be followed first.

People can work when one leader asks and the other doesn't, so there's no disagreement.

If the matter is not urgent, the implementation can also be postponed, waiting for the consensus of the leaders to start the work.

But when encountering a special situation, it is necessary to show the efficient and responsible side of Whitehall, and eliminate possible threats.

National affairs require the prime minister and ministers to make decisions, but everyone naturally has a way, and the country's decisions coincide with their own expectations.

In fact, Prime Minister Attlee's biggest problem is money, which is a well-known thing in Whitehall now, as you can see from the miserable face of the secretary of the Ministry of Finance every day.

Edward Bridges and Norman Brooke used their own methods respectively. Edward Bridges convened a meeting of cabinet secretaries to discuss the current financial issues.

The financial problem has always existed, but now it needs a meeting to focus on it.

And Norman Brook's method is to win over Prime Minister Attlee's political advisers by dredging the relationship. Although political advisers belong to parties and not civil servants, they have the same desire to pursue progress. Today's political advisers may not be tomorrow's Prime Minister, you must know that the current Prime Minister Attlee also served as the former Prime Minister's private political secretary.

The previous example is to live in No. [-] Downing Street steadily, so shouldn't the latecomers be allowed to follow suit?

Furthermore, the risks that political consultants take on this matter are far from comparable to those of Whitehall. If they fail, they will not lose anything. If they succeed, the Labor Party may rise. Why not do it?

At this time, the close relationship between Norman Brook and the ruling party has become the key to open the door of convenience, and the other party promised to help without much effort.

Doing practical things is always harder than wiping your ass. If Alan Wilson stabbed someone, Edward Bridges directly forged a letter archive that reported to the Prime Minister so that no one could find it.

In a telegram sent back to New Delhi, Edward Bridges, as cabinet secretary, responded, "The train is also independent, but as long as you lay the track, it can only follow the established track."

This sentence is very philosophical. Alan Wilson has read it several times. It probably means that political parties are trains, but civil servants are railroad tracks. Only when the two cooperate can we ensure smooth progress. .

"Why can't we close the curtains, shake our bodies, and pretend that the train is still moving?" Alan Wilson thought of a famous Soviet joke.

Of course, confidentiality was also mentioned in the telegram, and it was believed that Sir Barron, the current British Indian Commissioner, did not need to know about this matter for the time being, and left it to Alan Wilson to handle it independently.

When there is a clue, the cabinet will take the initiative to notify Sir Barron, and he will naturally have a share of the credit.

Alan Wilson was in a good mood, and even Joan Crawford felt it. After all, the two had no friends in British India, and they always wanted to chat with someone, so they got along well with this young assistant commissioner.

If this relatively isolated environment lasts for a few months, both of them may fall in love with this man, and love for a long time exists.Whoever let the two of them live in this apartment is familiar with Alan Wilson.

"It seems that after getting off work today, my mood has improved a lot. What happened to make you so happy." Heidi Lamarr asked first, and Joan Crawford on the side also looked curious.

Naturally, domestic affairs cannot be discussed with the two Americans. Alan Wilson teased the two female stars and said, "I had a dream yesterday. I dreamed that I was ruling the world."

"Dreams have everything." Joan Crawford couldn't help laughing, and mercilessly attacked.

"This sentence was said by your country's President Truman. I forgot to tell you one thing." Before Heidi Lamarr joined in, Alan Wilson responded calmly, "I attended the Potsdam Conference, and what happened at that time A lot of interesting things."

"Oh, yeah!" Heidi Lamarr and Joan Crawford shined at the same time. American politicians may not be as impressive as top monopoly capitalists, but for the two female stars, they are still worth looking up to. people.

"Oh, you still like to inquire about this kind of thing?" Alan Wilson turned his head away and looked at the flowerbed not far away.

The gardener was digging the soil for the new flowerbed, which was next to the pigeon coop by the gate.He was a mentally retarded, terribly stupid young Indian who lived a life of reticence and whose tongue was so big it couldn't fit his mouth.

He covered his face with his hands, gave Alan Wilson a deep salute, then raised the shovel again, and shoveled vigorously and clumsily at the dry soil, his delicate muscles trembling.

Although there are no Indians living in New Delhi, there must always be Indians working. The gentlemen and ladies of the British Empire should not be allowed to do rough work, right?

Among the two female stars, Alan Wilson only spoke about some interesting stories about the Big Three at the Potsdam Conference. At present, how Prime Minister Churchill became Mr. Churchill and continued to stay at the Potsdam Conference as a consultant has also become him closer. and two tools.

Heidi Lamarr and Joan Crawford were laughing and laughing. At this moment, Bette Davis, who was full of complaints, appeared at the corner and happened to see this scene.

"Betty, come and have a seat." Heidi Lamarr took the initiative to say hello, inviting Bette Davis, who was rarely seen these days, to come over.

Seeing that Joan Crawford was there, Bette Davis shook her head slightly and walked towards her apartment.

"What's wrong with her?" Heidi Lamarr was a little puzzled, but then remembered that Joan Crawford was here, so of course she wouldn't come.

Feeling Heidi Lamarr's gaze, Joan Crawford snorted softly, "It has nothing to do with me, maybe I was dumped."

Chapter 287 Master of Metaphysics

"Why can't you live in harmony? This is a world of reconciliation. Let us focus on the future and seek common ground while reserving differences." Alan Wilson was doing mediation work without sincerity.

"What do you want me to say, as if you are my husband." Joan Crawford curled her lips and said, "Things between women are more complicated. In fact, there is no special reason. Is it okay to just look down on each other?"

"This reason is actually the most powerful reason." Alan Wilson is very sincere, that's what he thought, and then he raised his wrist and said, "Ladies, dinner is ready. If you want to eat something, don't ask questions. You should know how poor I am, on a meager colonial wage."

In fact, he wanted to say that if he couldn't even get this salary, if he didn't strive for a gray income of [-] million points, it would be a problem to eat.The Indian gardener in the flower garden not far away is also leaving. If the bus stops later, he will have to walk back to Delhi, which is a hard job.

In British India, several stars such as Heidi Rama also followed the guidance of Alan Wilson. When treating Indians, ignoring them is the greatest protection.

There can never be any loyal and true friendship with an Indian.Affection, even liking, will not do.In general, the British did love Indians - native officials, rangers, hunters, clerks, servants.

Indian soldiers cry like children when their colonels retire.It doesn't even hurt to be intimate with them, as long as the occasion is right.But if you want to talk about joining forces, cooperating or something, absolutely not!Even if you want to know who is right and who is wrong in the indigenous dispute, it is a matter of damaging prestige.

Of course, any rules are dead, people are alive, and no rules are so strong that they cannot be broken.For example, Alan Wilson and Ali Khan, he, the assistant to the British Indian Commissioner, has heartfelt respect for Ali Khan.

If Derek can do half of Ali Khan, he will also give Derek the same respect, it depends on how the other party chooses.

In fact, Joan Crawford's age is more than twice that of Alan Wilson's real age, but there is no conflict, but from time to time, he just talks and flirts with Alan Wilson, a young man who has never seen the world.

Women, like men, like young people, but women usually don't say it, but in the colony of British India, Joan Crawford returned to some of her nature and took off the disguise.

As for Alan Wilson, he thinks that age should be considered separately. After all, he is good-looking and has a star halo on his body, and age is only a part of the factor.Not to mention a well-known star, even ordinary women, there will be no shortage of young people who don't want to work hard after decades. I hope that my aunt will open her heart and give her shelter.

As for Derek, Alan Wilson, as a bureaucrat in the British Indian colony, has anyone ever heard of a colonial official being anxious because of one thing?Not to mention colonial officials, even local officials, delaying time is professional.

There was no movement from the other party, but he focused on his work. He even invited Heidi Rama, Joan Crawford, and Bette Davis who stayed in New Delhi to watch a movie. Go, that's a very bold move.

Such unprofessional behavior made British India Commissioner Sir Barron very satisfied. Young people should increase their knowledge and not indulge in work. The work of British India still needs to be managed by mature and prudent people. The assistant realized this problem. Let the immediate boss very pleased.

There is nothing wrong with accompanying a female celebrity. Young people, everyone has a love for beauty, and it doesn't matter if you delay work. There are so many civil servants in the Governor's Palace of British India, and Alan Wilson will not worry about it.

Even more boldly, Alan Wilson directly took out three rings and gave them to Heidi Lamarr, Joan Crawford, and Bette Davis at the same time.