Marvel: I traveled through time a little early

Chapter 66 Meeting and Transaction

The car drove for about 10 minutes and arrived at the Mountbatten family's castle.

To be honest, there are many large and small castles in Edinburgh and throughout the UK.The castle in front of George can definitely represent the characteristics of Scottish culture, being simple and solemn.

In fact, after experiencing the First World War, the European aristocracy had begun to become lonely.By the 21st century where George lived in his previous life, many of these traditional nobles were already in decline.Castles like this one are no longer used for residence.Many noble families could not afford even the most basic maintenance fees and had to hand over their castles to the state.

World War I and the British Nobility, as Cannadine summarized in "A History of the Decline of the British Nobility": "For most British aristocrats, the First World War was not just about martial martyrdom and poetic patriotism, because Not only did they make unparalleled, selfless, tenacious, and uncomplaining sacrifices, but the greater and crueler irony is that all their sacrifices were made to protect a place that gradually but irrevocably no longer belonged to them. nation."

However, during this period, the Mountbatten family, which held a seat in the British Parliament and a hereditary duke, still held a very high status in Britain, so George attached great importance to this meeting.

At the gate of the castle, after George got off the car, he was led into the castle by the castle steward. In the reception room of the castle, George met the Duke of Mountbatten of this generation.

After the two parties met each other according to aristocratic etiquette.George first presented a gift prepared by the old butler Fred and said: "Dear Duke, I am honored to receive your invitation to come to your castle as a guest."

Duke Mountbatten said: "Haha, George, I can call you that. You're welcome, and don't be nervous. Those things of the previous generation have long passed, and I don't blame your mother for what happened back then. To be honest, she and I My sister grew up together. So, I just treat her as a sister. I am also happy for her that she can find her own happiness. Although, the method she adopts is not aristocratic enough. Haha..."

"Uh, of course, you can. Haha." This caught George off guard.It turned out that the person his mother had escaped from was the Duke Mountbatten in front of her.It was really embarrassing to meet the other party on the second day after arriving in Edinburgh and to be told this directly.I also blame myself for not asking Freddy more to find out what happened to his mother back then.And Freddy probably thought he knew what happened back then, so he didn't explain it to himself.

George could only smile awkwardly at Duke Mountbatten, but looking at the man in front of him, he looked ordinary and should be more than ten years older than his mother.Therefore, it should be understandable that my mother escaped from marriage with her handsome father.

"Okay, let's not talk about this anymore. Come, let me show you around this castle. In recent years, no new guests have come here. Haha."In the following time, Duke Mountbatten personally led George to visit this castle full of aristocratic atmosphere. Mountbatten also did not forget to describe the deep friendship between the two families.

Finally, in the large dining room on the second floor, George had dinner with Duke Mountbatten's family.

The entire dinner was held in a friendly atmosphere.Although Duke Mountbatten's family members were curious about George, the sudden appearance of the sole heir to the Swent family, no one deliberately made things difficult for George.And George completely followed aristocratic etiquette and did not lose face in front of these people.You know, in this kind of dining occasion, there are a lot of etiquette, not just the tableware can handle it.

After the Duke finished his meal and put down the empty wine glass, it also meant that this sumptuous dinner was over.Everyone also put down their tableware and ended the dinner.

After dinner, Duke Mountbatten took George to his study and gave George a glass of red wine again.After the two parties sat down, they shook the wine glasses in their hands and did not speak.

George knew that the formal conversation was about to begin tonight.

Sure enough, after taking a sip of red wine and putting down the glass, Duke Mountbatten said: "George, are you also curious about tonight's invitation?" "Yes, Duke Mountbatten." George replied.

"Haha, then I won't beat around the bush. You should come back this time to inherit the title and fief. In fact, this matter was discussed separately in our parliament. Although the Svent family only has the title of earl, it is also It is the only hereditary title with a fiefdom. So for you, an aristocratic heir who has American citizenship and grew up in the United States, many people do not approve of you inheriting Svent's title and fiefdom. But your maternal grandmother, the powerful female Earl, your name was declared to the Parliament of Nobles a long time ago. But your name is George Swent. So after discussion in the Parliament, let me discuss with you privately. Now I will give you two plans, one is you If you give up your American citizenship, you can completely inherit all the heritage of the Svent family, including the fiefdom. The second is that you can be allowed to have two nationalities, but the noble assembly will take back the Svent family fief. Of course, the hereditary title will still be there. It will be awarded to you. After all, it is your family's glory. No one can arbitrarily deprive the Svent family of its glory as long as you do not violate the rights of the nobility or endanger the honor of the United Kingdom."

George was also surprised by Duke Mountbatten's outspokenness. Isn't it said that nobles like to speak in a foggy way? This one is very straightforward.More importantly, George was mentally prepared for the fact that he had to become a British citizen in order to inherit the title.After all, in Europe, all nobles have some kind of kinship relationship between them.During World War I, the kings of Germany, Britain, and Russia were cousins.Therefore, it is completely understandable that their children have dual citizenship.

It's just that George's American nationality is not within the big European family, so these two options were given.George believes that if he were not an American national but a French or German national, he would not have such a big reaction.

Of course, George understood that it was impossible for Britain to allow an American to still have a territory in its own country, but he was still unwilling to let him give up directly.After all, this is also the case for the Svent family who lost a fiefdom as soon as they inherited the title, and would be looked down upon by other nobles.

Perhaps seeing George's hesitation, Duke Mountbatten said again: "Of course, certain compensation can be given in other aspects."

When George heard that there was something interesting, he smiled and said: "Duke Mountbatten, you see, the Swend family's fiefdom is the Swent family's territory. If the Swend family directly gives up the territory, this is not in line with the rules of aristocracy. However, You can definitely change it in another way, such as changing a territory."

"Wouldn't it still be the same if we change another territory?" Duke Mountbatten said with a frown.

"Of course it's different. Now Britain has many colonies abroad. I think if the hereditary fiefdoms in Britain are changed into colonies, wouldn't it solve the problem that everyone is worried about?" George replied.

"A foreign colony?" Duke Mountbatten looked at the young man in front of him, smiled softly and said, "So, George, do you have any objections? Or do you want that fief?"

"What about the Arabian Peninsula?" George replied.

"Haha, that peninsula full of desert? George, to be honest, what did you see?" Duke Mountbatten seemed to have seen through something, so he said slightly jokingly.

"Well, I didn't plan to hide anything. I have my eye on the Suez Canal. When I can control the Suez Canal, I will make it the busiest commercial canal." George said confidently.

"To be honest, George, your idea is very good. If you are willing, I can take you to talk to the parliament and exchange you for an overseas fiefdom. But it is impossible in the Arabian Peninsula. Not to mention the area issue, just the above few It’s very troublesome to deal with it between colonies.”

(End of this chapter)