Mu Lin picked up the teacup in front of him, took a slow sip, and waited a while. When no one spoke further, he glanced around at the group and asked, “Is there anything else anyone wants to tell me that I should be aware of?” Everyone looked at Mu Lin and shook their heads.
The Queen chuckled lightly, saying, “Haha! What a polite and lovely child indeed!”
Hearing this, Mu Lin was both amused and frustrated. After everyone had finally expressed their positions, he thought it was finally his turn to perform. Standing up, he bowed politely to both the Prime Minister and the Queen, and said calmly, “I forgot to mention that my ancestral roots are in Huaxia, so the etiquette I’m familiar with is also Huaxian. Although I later became a citizen of Country U, that doesn’t mean I’ve become completely Westernized. My bones are engraved with the mark of Huaxia. Therefore, please forgive me for any oversight regarding Western etiquette.”
“My medical skills were mostly learned in Huaxia, with only a small part acquired in Country U. Moreover, my clinic is my own business, first established in Country U, then later in Germany and France, and its reputation was built there. It seems unrelated to the Empire of DY, right?” Mu Lin asked the Prime Minister, who now sensed that the situation was deviating from his initial expectations. However, since his words had already been spoken, it was too late to change them, so he could only reluctantly nod.
“Since I have absolutely no connection with your Empire of DY,” Mu Lin continued, “there’s no need for you to grant me permission to establish a royal clinic. After all, I already have a number of clinics of my own to manage, so you can keep that prestigious honor for yourselves. Plus, I’m not really accustomed to all these complicated royal formalities of yours.
“Besides, I don’t really care for the precious honor of being the royal clinic of the Empire of DY, nor do I care for the honor of becoming a lifetime noble of the Empire of DY. As for the land you mentioned, I suspect whether it’s even bigger than my own garden back in Boston? I certainly haven’t thought about claiming that land, let alone living there. So please, keep it forever for the royal family and the Empire of DY.
“Since I will have absolutely no connection with the Empire of DY in the future, there’s also no need for your cabinet and parliament to continue their evaluation of me. You don’t have to worry anymore about me doing anything that might harm the Empire of DY and leave you unable to answer to the Queen and the people of Y country, right? After all, I’m just a citizen of Country U.
“This time, I came to Y country only because the President of Country U insisted. Still, I’m genuinely grateful to you both for taking the time to meet me here at Buckingham Palace, giving me the opportunity to see this world-famous royal garden. I’m also grateful for your earnest guidance to a young man like me.
“Since I have nothing more to do here, I plan to return to New York tomorrow. I hope we’ll have the chance to meet again in New York, where I can properly entertain both of you as honored guests. Thank you very much for receiving me. I’ll take my leave now!” After finishing his speech, Mu Lin bowed to them and turned to leave. After all, this was a public meeting, so he still needed to show the necessary respect and avoid acting like a rowdy troublemaker. He didn’t want to give them any chance to continue the circular discussion, so he pretended not to notice their astonished expressions, actually having no intention of giving them any further explanation.
Seeing Mu Lin rise to leave, the U.S. ambassador to Y country had no choice but to reluctantly stand up as well, bid farewell to the Queen and the Prime Minister, and leave together with Mu Lin. He naturally understood Mu Lin’s standing in Country U—a man who even the President couldn’t command. As a mere ambassador, opposing him would only invite trouble.
Besides, the Y Prime Minister had indeed acted improperly. After everyone had already agreed on the matter, she changed her mind halfway, where did that leave the dignity of Country U, or the dignity of Mu Lin and his clinics?
Since the weather was particularly clear that day and it was also one of Buckingham Palace’s public open days, there were many tourists inside the palace. After leaving the small meeting room, Mu Lin politely declined the officials who offered to see him off, saying he wanted to tour Buckingham Palace a bit more.
Mu Lin and the ambassador then blended into the crowd of tourists, slowly walking and looking around. Although the ambassador had visited Buckingham Palace many times and was very familiar with its scenery, he still pretended to be interested and gave Mu Lin a running commentary as they walked. However, this made it difficult for the Buckingham Palace staff to locate the two men directly.
After leaving Buckingham Palace, Mu Lin noticed the beautiful autumn scenery and asked the ambassador to drive off on his own, while he decided to walk back to the villa his company had arranged for him in this area.
This was a wealthy district of London, and the roadsides were lined with neatly maintained gardens and houses, making the scenery especially beautiful. As he walked, Mu Lin’s mood gradually softened, melting into the beauty of the autumn landscape, and the frustration he had felt at Buckingham Palace slowly faded away.
Since all the important women in his life were busy with their own affairs, this time Mu Lin had only brought his little mischievous companion, Xiao Laipi, with him to London.
Returning to his villa, Xiao Laipi, who had sensed Mu Lin’s presence early, was already waiting at the gate.
As Mu Lin entered, Xiao Laipi sent him a telepathic message, “So? When are we going to your fiefdom, Lord Daniel Mu Butler, the Earl?”
“Hmph!” Mu Lin replied without much enthusiasm and walked ahead toward his room. Seeing Mu Lin’s sour mood, Xiao Laipi didn’t say much more and quietly followed behind. Once inside the room, Mu Lin finally said, “Damn it! I got played this time! Those two old hags gave me a lesson like I was some kindergartener!”
“Oh? Two old hags? Who? Who dares to give our genius a lesson? Isn’t that just asking for trouble?” Xiao Laipi teased Mu Lin.
“Hmph! Don’t think I don’t know your little tricks! If you want to know something, just ask directly. Why go through such a big detour? Don’t you get tired?” Mu Lin scolded Xiao Laipi in return.
Xiao Laipi stuck out his tongue, made a funny face, and instantly made Mu Lin laugh. “Alright, alright! You already look bad enough, and now you’re making faces too! Fine, I’ll tell you. Those two old hags were none other than the Queen and the Prime Minister of Y country! Satisfied now?”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage