British writer

A week later.

Palace Street.

"Give way, please give way."

"Fuck! Who spilled the paint? It splashed all over my trouser leg!"

"Pass me the board!"

…

A building is under construction.

The decoration site is busy and orderly, and the fresh paint is exuding a "fresh fragrance", which is intertwined with the smell of sawdust on the ground and seems quite pungent.

Margarita smiled with satisfaction,

"very nice."

Lu Shi was a little surprised,

"What's really... um..."

Before he finished speaking, he felt his palm being scratched by the other party.

Her Royal Highness seems to be becoming more and more unscrupulous.

Of course, men will definitely not suffer in this matter.

Lu Shi clenched his fist,

Margarita's fingers were clenched.

She blushed and glared at Lu Shi, trying to pull her hand back, but found it difficult to do so with her own strength.

The two of them were tugging and tugging.

at this time,

"Ahem..."

There was a cough from behind.

Lu Shi turned around and saw Wodehouse and Churchill standing near the door.

Margarita quickly pinched Lu Shi and took the opportunity to withdraw her hand.

Churchill lowered his voice,

"Professor Lu and Her Royal Highness the Princess are actually real."

Wodehouse curled his lips and said,

"Can I lie to you?"

Churchill said "hum~\

,""Have you lied to me enough? Every time I asked you if you had any new cigars, you said no. But when I went to your office, I found them in the cupboards, drawers, and even on the floor under the carpet..."

Wodehouse was silent;

"..."

Since the other party has lost all face, he can only let him go.

He walked towards the two of them, first saluted Margarita,

"your Highness."

Then, turning to Lu Shi,

"Winston and I brought you exhibits, so we stopped by to see the progress of the decoration."

Churchill stepped forward, took out a few notebooks from his suitcase, and whispered: "The things are a bit sensitive, you can decide whether to display them yourself."

Lu Shi scratched his head,

"sensitive?"

I couldn't help but mutter in my heart,

Don’t you have enough sensitive things here?

He opened the book,

The English handwriting on it is very neat, the strokes are powerful yet delicate, and every turn and every outline is just right.

This looks like the handwriting of a nobleman.

He read the lines above,

——

The duality of Japan.

This kind of civilization is both beautiful and cruel, gentle and aggressive, noble and vulgar.

I never understood,

Why did Japanese soldiers feel that surrender was such a humiliation that they were willing to commit suicide?

After reading "The Nature of Japanese Civilization"...

——

"So, this is a reading note, or should it be called a memo."

Lu Shi closed his notebook.

Churchill nodded,

"Several other books are similar memos and belong to different authors."

Lu Shi looked at the inside of the leather cover.

Above are gilded letters——

A.J.B.

He thought for a while and suddenly realized,

Arthur James Balfour,

"Prime Minister Balfour?"

Churchill nodded,

"Yes. This memorandum may explain some of the world's doubts. At least it can give a glimpse of the reasons why Great Britain appropriately suppressed Japan in East Asia."

Lu Shi put the notebook away.

"Understood."

This reaction is too bland,

Not to mention Churchill and Wodehouse, even Margarita was a little puzzled.

Her Royal Highness the Princess asked: "Why are you not surprised at all? You know, the memorandum is a private matter among politicians, and the content in it may affect the direction of the international situation."

Lu Shi stretched himself.

"Not really."

In the future, there will be a book called "Memoirs of World War II\

,"Its author was Churchill, who won the 1953 Nobel Prize for Literature.

But how true is the content of that book?

All I can say is that this is an issue worth discussing.

Lu Shi said: "Sir Wodehouse, you were present at several rehearsals of "Yes! Prime Minister". At that time, you asked me privately why there were three protagonists, but only Bernard seemed harmless. Do you remember? "

The other three were all smart people and understood instantly.

Balfour's memo was polished by himself, and the content presented must have been carefully selected.

It’s not that serious people don’t keep diaries.

But if it is written and deliberately read to others, can it be considered true?

Margarita said: "Professor Lu, did the novel you were writing recently also make use of this psychology?"

Lu Shi hasn't answered yet.

The two people next to them couldn't help but get excited.

"Are there any new works?"×2

They said in unison.

Lu Shi nodded,

"Yeah, but it was more difficult to write. It took ten days to finish less than half of it. Alas..."

Wodehouse couldn't help but complain: "You still call this 'difficulty'?"

As he spoke, he looked to Churchill for support,

But Churchill shrugged;

"You know, I always write articles very quickly, and sometimes my speeches are even impromptu. So, I am on Professor Lu's side."

grass!

Wodehouse couldn't help but curse secretly,

monster!

Churchill asked Lu Shi: "Professor Lu, can you let us take a look first?"

Lu Shi didn't want to agree at first,

But then I thought about it,

Churchill had a very high vocabulary and strong writing skills.

If "Lolita", which I slightly modified, could pass his eyes, then it would be no problem.

Lu Shi pondered,

"The manuscript is in the warehouse."

Wodehouse was astonished;

"Did you bring the manuscript here?"

Lu Shi sighed,

"I can't help it, I have to watch here. Besides, my typewriter is in the warehouse and is also on display - the original typewriter that brought Jazz's sweaty hands when he landed."

Everyone was stunned and laughed wildly.

Churchill laughed so hard that his belly bumped, and said: "Sir Lu, you are so humorous. However, your humor is not the same as that of us British. It has a kind of naked beauty."

Lu Shi waved his hand,

"Let's go."

They entered the side hall through the small door on the side.

It has been renovated.

Churchill looked around and said, "What a unique gallery. It uses a large area of ​​transparent glass."

Compared with other London art galleries, the entire space here is full of modernity.

Margarita laughs,

"In order to let visitors experience the openness and transparency of art, Professor Lu has tried his best."

Lu Shi scratched his head,

I don’t remember saying anything like “openness and transparency”.

Her Highness the Princess will really give her fiancé gold.

Churchill nodded,

"Sir Lu is different."

Lu Shi was a little embarrassed, so he changed the subject and said, "Would you like to take a look around this gallery exhibition hall? There are already two works on display."

In order to cater to the hunger marketing strategy and fear of leaks, Picasso’s paintings were not displayed.

However, two of Monet's "Water Lilies" are already in the cabinet.

Churchill and Wodehouse near,

Their attention was instantly attracted by the painting "Galaxy Water Lilies".

"This is……"

Wodehouse was shocked;

"What a wonderful painting this is!"

The picture is set against the background of the deep night sky.

The Milky Way flows like a waterfall, and the bright stars shine, making it as intoxicating as a dream.

On the "river", a water lily floats quietly,

It blooms into delicate flowers, the petals are light and soft, as if shrouded in starlight, emitting a faint luster.

Churchill said: "It's so wonderful! I can feel the flow of the Milky Way and the breath of the water lilies. They are all alive!"

Lu Shi also had the same idea,

In fact, when he received this painting, the first thing he thought of was those famous surrealist paintings.

"The Eternity of Memory\

,""The Threatened Murderer\

,""Bird with Beautiful Feathers\

,"…

The same is true for Monet's "Galaxy Water Lilies\

,"This portrait emphasizes a perception:

Reality controlled by reason and logic is false, and only the combination of fantasy and reality is real.

This is surrealism!

Surrealism was born before Dada even existed.

This is a matter of directly giving birth to a grandson instead of a son.

Too outrageous.

Lu Shi never expected that "Village Teacher" would spawn such a work.

“I’m also honored to be given this painting.”

Churchill said: "Dreams and reality, past and future...Master Monet blended these very successfully. I saw mystery, terror, absurdity, weirdness, and of course harmony, beauty, and depth in this painting... "

Wodehouse was much more vulgar;

"Do you want to sell this painting?"

No need for Lu Shi to answer.

Churchill couldn't help curling his lips and said: "My respected Sir, you are the major shareholder of the Mirror. Don't you know that Sir Lu is not short of money?"

As he said that, he looked at the painting again,

"I'm not talking about others, I'm talking about myself. I will definitely not sell this kind of work that is the first of its kind in history."

Lu Shi nodded,

"Let it stay in the museum."

Churchill glanced lingeringly for a few more times, and then said: "Let's go, let's go to the warehouse."

He wanted to see other exhibits and was a little impatient.

Lu Shi and Margarita led the way and soon reached their destination and opened the door.

There is a tall window in the corner of the warehouse, through which you can see the sky outside. The sunlight shines through the window on the floor of the warehouse, forming a scene of mottled light and shadow.

The air is slightly cool,

"Huh~"

Churchill exhaled and said: "There are too many exhibits."

Lu Shi nodded,

"Except for my own collection, mostly the kindness of my friends."

Wodehouse walked to a large pile of books and found that they were written in Russian. He couldn't help but wonder: "What is this?"

Lu Shi said: "It was sent by Mr. Gorky."

"Gorky..."

Wodehouse thought the name sounded familiar.

Churchill next to him prompted: "He is the co-author of the prose poem "Petrel". What did he send?"

He asked, picking up a book,

The cover showed a pig walking upright and wearing a red military uniform. There was also a blue ceremonial ribbon hanging on the military uniform, with three medals hanging down.

Churchill was shocked;

"This is not...hiss...this is His Majesty the Tsar's favorite dress for formal occasions."

He understood immediately,

That stack of books were various versions of "Animal Farm" that were widely circulated in the Russian market during the ban on the short story collection "The Way of the Morning".

Churchill couldn't help but complain,

These guys are so tough!

Lu Shi said: "Mr. Gorky also wanted someone to bring a printing press over, saying that it was a 'heroic printing press that broke the emperor's cultural blockade and reshaped Russia's cultural freedom'; he also said that 'the printing press worked day and night, and finally Fight to death from exhaustion'."

Churchill chuckled,

"Then why didn't you want it?"

Lu Shi spread his hands,

"I already have one. Mr. Scott of the Manchester Guardian insisted on giving it to me - the great pioneer of the first printing of the Mirror."

Churchill laughed, then immediately stopped,

It sounds like a joke,

But the Mirror, as a newspaper that has adapted the entire media industry, is indeed worth it.

Wodehouse asked: "Anything else in particular?"

Lu Shi looked around,

Frankly speaking, they are all very special or memorable.

Margarita said: "By the way, didn't we just talk about the Prime Minister's memorandum? There are also more than a dozen copies here, which belong to His Majesty the King. They contain strategies for the board game "Lord of the Rings"."

"Pfft! Cough cough cough cough..."

Wodehouse sprayed on the spot;

"You just said that there are more than a dozen guides like this?"

Margarita said "Ah...", counted them carefully, and said, "I didn't count them carefully before, but there are actually 21 books in total."

Wodehouse was speechless;

"..."

The king writes a strategy book, which is called being close to the people and having fun with everyone;

The king wrote 21 guides, which is called not doing business.

Churchill on the side shook his head.

"Our Majesty is really capable."

He looked at Lu Shi,

"Sir Lu, I suggest you only display one copy."

Edward VII already had a reputation for lewdness.

If the citizens see that His Majesty the King studies games every day, public opinion will turn upside down.

How could Lu Shi not understand?

"That's what I originally thought."

These strategy memos may only see the light of day on a show like "Royal Secrets" one day in the future.

Wodehouse looked again at a statue;

"What is this?"

Lu Shi spread his hands,

"The French Academy built a statue of me, which is a one-to-one replica. However, I don't plan to display it, otherwise it will appear too narcissistic."

Moreover, it also has my own calligraphy rubbings on it.

It's really hard to see people when you're so ugly.

Afterwards, Churchill and Wodehouse saw everything there was to see and couldn't help but marvel.

The two of them had a vague hunch that Lu Shi's private museum might become extremely famous.

It’s not that it’s better than the Louvre or the British Museum.

It’s about the pioneering nature displayed here. All collections will become more and more precious as time goes by.

The future is promising!

One day in the future, this place will become a pilgrimage place for scholars from all walks of life.

Churchill said: "Sir Lu, let me see your new work now."

Lu Shi handed over the manuscript of "Lolita".

Wodehouse joined in.

They both read together.

Because it is a manuscript, it is definitely more difficult to recognize the handwriting than when typed. In addition, the wording of "Lolita" is far different from spoken language. It took Wodehouse a long time to read the first page.

He patted Churchill on the shoulder,

"Okay, don't wait for me, just turn the page."

Churchill: "..."

Unmoved.

Wodehouse was surprised and observed the other party subconsciously.

Churchill's gaze seemed to be repetitive, as if after reading a sentence, he couldn't help but go back and read it again, twice, or three times...

He looked like he was weighing every word.

Wodehouse said: "Winston?"

Churchill shook his head,

"Don't talk to me yet."

He held the manuscript very carefully,

It's like holding a bowl full of water, even breathing becomes lighter, for fear that the water will spill out if you move too much.

Lu Shi said to Margarita: "It seems that Mr. Churchill will be studying for a long time. Your Royal Highness, let's go out first."

Margarita nodded,

"good."

The two left.

Wodehouse hesitated for a moment and finally followed.

Churchill was the only one left in the room;

He read it carefully,

The surrounding time and space seemed to have stopped, and there was only one person and one book in the universe.

I don't know how much time passed like this,

Someone knocked on the door outside,

Dong Dong——

"Mr. Churchill?"

It was Lu Shi's voice.

Churchill came to his senses.

At this moment, he suddenly realized that he had arrived at the window.

As the sun set, I was engrossed in reading, and I unconsciously followed the movement of the sun.

He walked over and opened the door.

Outside the door, Lu Shi came in with someone from the post office and said, "Okay, put it here."

The man at the post office put the box down,

"Sir, take a look first."

Lu Shi nodded and opened the box.

Unexpectedly, there were a hundred gold bars inside.

In an instant, the warehouse was illuminated by golden light, which even made Churchill close his eyes.

Snapped--

Lu Shi closed the box,

"Why did you bring this here!?"

The person at the post office said innocently: "Sir Lu, didn't you say that all postal parcels arriving at Braya Road during this period will be directly forwarded to Palace Street?"

Lu Shi was speechless.

He waved his hand,

"That's it, that's it."

When the people at the post office saw Lu, they didn't blame him and left quickly.

Churchill chuckled,

"Sir Lu, are you really a spy from another country? Was that activity fund just now?"

This is obviously a joke.

Lu Shi couldn't help but be amused,

"Mr. Churchill, whose spies' activity funds go through the post office? These are the royalties for "The Rise of a Great Power: Russia" given to me by Emperor Nicholas."

Churchill was surprised,

"It's not like "The Rise of the Great Powers"...well...that's it...it actually has a special edition for Russia."

He couldn't help but laugh and said: "In that case, you might as well regard this box of gold bars as an exhibit. The name is called 'The Rise of a Great Power: Russia'. It is definitely a gimmick."

This kid is full of bad ideas.

If he did what he said, Nicholas II would definitely become the laughing stock of Europe.

(Although it already is.)

Lu Shi chuckled and didn't say anything.

Churchill also understood the meaning of this silence and stopped joking.

"After watching "The Rise of Great Powers", I was thinking about one thing. Should Britain make further efforts to maintain its status as a great power? Or should it slide down to a path that seems easier, more comfortable, less strenuous, and less disruptive? , and at the same time bear all the huge sacrifices involved in this decision..."

In fact, this discussion has been discussed among the British elite for a long time.

And, the answer is gradually becoming clear,

From Balfour to strategic contraction in South Africa,

to Chamberlain’s appeasement,

Then to Churchill’s kneeling lighthouse,

…

On this path, the British could insulate their national economy from war losses and preserve most of their colonies and overseas markets.

But by the same token, Britain is also going further and further away from being a human being.

Churchill shook his head,

"Forget it, let's talk about this "Lolita"."

Lu Shi asked: "What do you think?"

Churchill said sincerely: "This will be a work that will shine in the annals of history. But I always feel that... it is missing some flavor."

Lu Shi was very curious.

"What is the taste?"

"Ah this..."

Churchill coughed lightly and said in a low voice: "Sir Lu, it's not that I am not serious. But...but...I think, sometimes, intuitive description is still very important, there is no need to avoid talking about it. ~"

Lu Shi fell into deep thought,

"..."

Seeing that he didn't speak, Churchill continued: "Sir Lu, your English skills are very deep. Just like the beginning..."

He read out in a measured tone:

"

'Lolita, Light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul.'

"

Lu Shi asked, "What?"

Churchill explained: "The word 'loins' is generally understood to mean the waist or lower body, but in fact, the most accurate description should be between the waist and the legs, that is, the 'pubic area'. This is a very direct hint. ."

Lu Shi was somewhat impressed.

As expected of Churchill, a walking dictionary.

He said: "In fact, I was originally going to give a visual description. However, "Hunting" caused so much controversy..."

Churchill spread his hands,

"It doesn't matter. Just write two versions~"

"Ah this..."

Lu Shi couldn't understand.

Why should I write a version that others cannot read?

Churchill's lips curled up,

"The so-called 'original manuscript' can be displayed in a museum! Exhibiting twenty or thirty pages a day does not count as official publication, and you have not actively spread it. This way there is no moral hazard."

"Tsk..."

Lu Shi was speechless.

"Okay, okay! This is how you play, right?"

Churchill smiled and said: "Sir Lu, anyway, the exhibits you have here are huge, including His Majesty the King's game strategy memo. What does it matter if there is one more manuscript that is not quite 'correct'?"