The Shadow of Great Britain-Chapter 563 - 289 Gladstone’s Family Ethics Drama_2

It was at this moment that Gladstone hurried over, taking off his hat and greeting, "Good afternoon, Mr. Roseville."

The old gentleman turned his head and exclaimed with joy, "William, when did you get back?"

"Ah..." Gladstone replied, "I only returned yesterday, so I haven’t yet had the chance to visit you. Mr. Roseville, it’s been a while, how have you been keeping?"

"Sturdy! My health is as sturdy as an old pocket watch just serviced!"

The old gentleman’s face broke into a smile, "In fact, even if you didn’t come to visit me, I reckon I would have to make a trip to London next spring myself."

"You are going to London?" Gladstone inquired, "Is there some business matter you need to handle?"

"Indeed! It is for business!"

The old gentleman coughed and said, "I’m also worried about my little Catherine. The girl is getting older, and her mind can’t be contained even by the whole of Liverpool, only a city of London’s scale could satisfy her. I thought to myself, if she wants to go, let her go, but starting from April the social season is bound to be expensive, I might as well directly acquire a watch factory in London to support her. After all, when this old pocket watch of mine stops ticking, isn’t all this money going to her eventually?"

Upon hearing that his beloved wished to settle in London, Gladstone could not help but feel elated. He asked, "From what you say, will Catherine be living in London from now on?"

The sharp eye of the young man couldn’t escape the observation of an old pocket watch, Mr. Roseville slightly smiled, raising his finger to emphasize.

"Not necessarily, it mainly depends on where my future son-in-law resides. After all, isn’t a wife supposed to follow her husband? However, I can assure you that wherever the young couple goes, so will my watch business. Ah... I’m old now, long past the time when I only thought about profits. The matter of profits, I leave it to the new son-in-law to worry about."

Gladstone was about to speak, but before he could, he was interrupted by his father.

Old Gladstone slightly shook his head, "William, didn’t you say you were reflecting on your defeat in the party primary? How come you suddenly have the mood to come to the company?"

"Ah!" It was then that Gladstone remembered his pressing business, "Father, I indeed have something I need to discuss with you."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Roseville also took his leave with great tact.

He raised his finger to lightly touch the brim of his hat, "William, don’t be disheartened, this is just a minor setback on the journey of life, and you still have a long road ahead of you. When I first set up my street stall, I went several days without business until the fifth day, when I made a sale to a junior clerk at a trading company, even though it earned me a punch to the nose. But all in all, harsh treatment of honest business is not my problem. William, my advice to you, is also based on my years of doing business—earn your own money, let them cry about it."

With that, Roseville shook his tailcoat and humming a little tune, made his way down the stairs.

Old Gladstone watched from the window as he got into a carriage, before speaking with a stern face, "William, my foolish boy! What exactly did you learn in three years at Oxford? Even if we absolutely must have this deal, we can’t show our hand right at the start of the negotiation!"

Gladstone, chided by his father, was suddenly jolted from his fanciful musings.

"I... Dad, but this is not business, this is marriage."

"Marriage is also a business, and you’ve got to sell yourself at a higher price."

Old Gladstone beckoned, and his secretary quickly came over to light his pipe, "William, if we use stocks as an analogy, you’re undeniably a blue-chip in the stock exchange. Whether in long or short positions, your upward trend is clear for all to see. Your shareholders include not only individual investors like the Duke of Newcastle and Sir Peel, but also powerful, stable groups like Oxford University and the Tory Party. With a clearly bullish outlook, are you now planning to backstab me, your original shareholder?"

Gladstone had always known his father to be a remarkable trader, but he hadn’t expected that the man nearly in his sixties would still be refining his skills, even venturing into the realm of finance.

"I..." Gladstone felt deflated, "Dad, I genuinely like Catherine."

"Oh! Foolish boy, listen to what you’re saying!"

Old Gladstone patted his son’s face gently, "Like is just an emotion, but it doesn’t create value. If you like her, want to possess love, you can certainly develop a relationship with her. But a relationship does not have to culminate in marriage.

Do you understand what marriage represents? Don’t believe the nonsense in those newspapers and magazines. The drivel written in ’Blackwood’s’ and ’The British’ is nothing but nauseating claptrap. Marriage is not the union of two people’s emotions; it’s about bringing a new social relationship to both husband and wife.

This social relationship is completely positive, something you can brag about openly, which can legitimately help improve your social status and power. You can fully exploit this relationship to become a stronger person."

"But William, you’re now telling me you want to marry a watchmaker’s daughter? If you are only seeking such a marriage, then all my life’s efforts would have been in vain. Even if you were not the son of John Gladstone, the great merchant of Liverpool, but the son of John Smith, the King Street blacksmith, you could have such a marriage."