Chapter 37

New book uploaded, seeking favorites and recommendations.

"Jason, Robert Churchill has arrived in Manchester and is inside the factory office building on Vincent Street (the factory Zhu Jishi bought)."

Seeing Isabel's excited expression, Zhu Jishi was slightly taken aback. The countess often visited him, but her attitude towards him was always lukewarm. However, today she had traveled all the way from London to Manchester, which was quite unusual.

But why did Robert Churchill come? Although he had saved his life at the Denave villa, the 300 pounds in medical fees were enough to repay the great favor. Since then, he had only seen him once at the London County Court, without even exchanging a word. What did it mean for him to come with Isabel today? Could it be that he had noticed Zhu Jishi's inappropriate thoughts about Isabel and wanted to challenge him to a duel!?

But why was the countess so excited? Could it be that this woman liked men to risk their lives for her? That was a bit too much...

The countess leaned in close to Zhu Jishi and said softly, "Jason, the Duke of Marlborough from Oxfordshire wants to meet you. Robert is here for that matter."

"What? The Duke of Marlborough?" Zhu Jishi was stunned and quickly asked, "Who is he?"

The countess smiled, "He is the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire and a prominent figure in the Conservative Party. Robert Churchill is his brother."

The countess smiled and nodded, her eyes filled with admiration. Zhu Jishi scratched his head. Duke, Lord Lieutenant, and a bigwig in the Conservative Party—these titles sounded quite reactionary. Could it be... because of the articles he had published in the *Polar Star* to gain fame, which the Chartists had used to attack the dark capitalist system in Britain? Was the Duke now preparing to have him expelled from Britain on behalf of the Conservative Party (led by Prime Minister Robert Peel)?

Well, according to the lawyer Jones, the worst that could happen was expulsion... Although the British Empire was reactionary, and the working people here were also suffering, it was still more progressive than the Qing Dynasty.

Firstly, the constraints on power. The rule of law in Britain was not just a slogan but was seriously enforced. People like Sir Reed and Sir Hobart, if they were in the Qing Dynasty, would be fourth or fifth-rank officials who could easily deal with a commoner like him without needing a court. How could they end up losing face?

Secondly, the protection of private property, which was also part of the British rule of law but deserved special emphasis. Protecting private property was a hallmark of the British bourgeois dictatorship! In contemporary Britain, depriving someone of their property was far more difficult than sending them to prison! Unlike in the Qing Dynasty, where confiscating property was a trivial matter. If it were as easy to seize private property here as in the Qing Dynasty, capitalism would never have developed.

Thirdly, the respect for science in Britain, which he could personally experience. It was not just a formality but a genuine recognition of science as the primary productive force.

Zhu Jishi sighed. With Kosper and Meyer at the dock, he decided to return to the company headquarters for some tea and meet Robert Churchill. He said to the countess, "Isabel, let's go back."

...

"Jason, congratulations, you're finally with Romana."

As soon as the carriage started moving, the countess smiled at Zhu Jishi, "She's a charming woman, and few men can resist Romana. You actually waited several months before sleeping with her, which really surprised me."

What does that mean? Was she upset that he hadn't made a move on her sister sooner? Zhu Jishi smiled faintly and, almost involuntarily, placed his hand on the countess's thigh. She smiled seductively at him and continued, "Jason, to be honest, your achievements have greatly exceeded my expectations. You are now qualified to pursue me." She looked at him with affection, "Do you know what I mean?"

Looking at the seductive countess, Zhu Jishi smiled, "Do you mean a match of equal status?"

The countess raised her face, her blue eyes fixed on Zhu Jishi, her gaze flickering as if trying to see into his soul. Suddenly, she smiled and pulled out a beautiful invitation from somewhere.

"Omarque Club?" Zhu Jishi was stunned as he read the heading on the invitation. What did this mean?

"You don't know?" The countess blinked her blue eyes and smiled, "Have you never paid attention to the British upper class?"

Zhu Jishi looked puzzled, "The upper class? And this Omarque Club?" He thought to himself, "I've been paying attention to the lower class in Britain, but the upper class... is that a level a person of my race can easily reach?"

The countess's red lips curved into a charming smile, "The Omarque Club is the most famous social club in the British upper class. Being invited to it means you have been accepted into the British upper class."

Zhu Jishi's lips curled in a mocking smile, "The upper class would accept an Easterner?"

The countess smiled, "Why not? An Easterner, from distant China, talented and soon to be incredibly wealthy, a member of the French Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society, and a baronet of the British Empire. The upper class will certainly welcome a new member like you." She paused, "Jason, you should know how prestigious the title of a member of the French Academy of Sciences is, right? Even Emperor Napoleon was proud to be a member! With this title, your skin color is no longer an issue."

The countess continued, "There are only 145 members of the French Academy of Sciences, roughly one in ten thousand of the European aristocracy! They are the most outstanding scientists of this era, destined to be remembered in history. In 19th-century Europe, even the highest nobles would not mock a member of the Academy in public, as it would make them appear shallow, unrefined, and a complete fool."

Zhu Jishi looked into the countess's eyes and suddenly said, "I can get this invitation to the Omarque Club so quickly, it must have something to do with you, right?"

The countess nodded slightly, acknowledging it. She was indeed one of the dozen or so well-known "hostesses" of the Omarque Club, not because she owned shares in the club, but because she often organized balls and gatherings in her name and had the authority to introduce new members to the social circle.

Zhu Jishi thought for a moment and then asked, "Isabel, what exactly is this club?"

He guessed that the Omarque Club might be similar to the clubs of the future in China, where important figures would gather to socialize and build relationships.

The countess furrowed her brow and thought for a moment, "It depends on what you want. If you want to climb the social ladder, it is your ladder to the clouds, as most of the important figures in the British Empire are members of the Omarque Club. If you want to have fun, it can also satisfy your needs, with all kinds of beautiful women, like me, and others who are both beautiful and noble... of course, it is also a place where some upper-class ladies in British society seek entertainment.

If you want to find a suitable marriage partner, you can certainly find a well-matched young lady from the upper class at the Omarque Club."

The countess looked at Zhu Jishi with a meaningful expression and said, "Jason, you should know what a good marriage means for people in the European upper class, right?"