Fog City Detective

Chapter 3: Manor

John recovered from the attack of the powdered medicine, gestured for the triumphant Liang Xi to sit down, and looked at him gently, saying, "Child, there's a Chinese idiom called 'Wisdom in simplicity'. Do you know what it means?"

Liang Xi explained, "It means someone who appears foolish but is actually very wise. They may seem to do something foolish, but it leads to positive outcomes."

John nodded as if he understood something, sat back, and said, "I've told you a truth: the one who laughs last is the winner."

Liang Xi had a vague sense of unease.

With his left hand, John took the water handed to him by Mary, and with his right hand, he lightly patted Mary's hand in gratitude. John inquired, "Are there any side effects to the medicine?"

Liang Xi replied, "Temporary ones."

John asked, "Can I drive?"

Liang Xi nodded, "No."

John said, "But I need to go to Reading."

"Oh, dear. Mary?" Liang Xi looked at Mary, feeling deceived.

Mary stood up behind the sofa and massaged John's shoulders, saying, "You know, I love this man. I can deceive the whole world for him."

Liang Xi was speechless, "You could deceive me, but have you ever considered how it hurts my delicate soul to show off your affection like this?"

John laughed heartily, opened the drawer, and pushed a business card toward Liang Xi, "Contact Lawyer Cook when you get to Reading."

Liang Xi asked, "Can I not go?"

John smiled, "Liang Xi, I know you enjoy being a detective."

Liang Xi said, "You have pensions; of course, you can enjoy being a detective. Last year, you went on a month-long trip to the Mediterranean, and I didn't earn a penny."

John said, "But you read all the detective agency books."

Liang Xi replied, "I can only read books. Old man, times have changed. Do you know how advanced technology is now? Even burnt paper ashes can reconstruct fingerprints, and the elemental composition of your hair can tell where you've lived for how long. In modern times, being a detective can only be a hobby, not a profession."

John took out the car keys and two fifty-pound notes from the drawer and placed them on the coffee table.

Liang Xi asked, "Can I occasionally take on a part-time job?" reaching out to take the money and car keys.

John waved his hand, indicating that Liang Xi could leave.

Mary accompanied Liang Xi out of the living room, saying, "The girl who brought you here a while ago is very pretty."

Liang Xi said, "We're not a good match."

Mary asked, "Why?"

Liang Xi held up the money in his hand, "Because I'm poor."

Mary laughed heartily, gave Liang Xi a pat on the back, and said, "Go ahead."

John walked out of the living room and watched Liang Xi drive away in his own Beetle. Mary said to John, "John, you can give him a bit more money."

John replied, "He has the ability to get rich and the talent to be a detective. I'm worried he'll use his detective skills to get rich, but I hope he'll use his wealth to be a detective. He'll have enough money, just not now."

...

Currently, there are still over a thousand hereditary nobles in the UK, but those with wealth and land are few and far between. However, about one-third of the land in the UK is held by a very small number of nobles. These types of nobles belong to the typical hereditary aristocracy, true elites.

The contact in Reading that Liang Xi went to see, Lawyer Cook, is a lawyer who provides legal services for this very small number of nobles. Cook's male assistant was responsible for guiding Liang Xi. After meeting outside Reading, the assistant was dissatisfied with Liang Xi, and even called Cook directly. Cook reminded his assistant to treat Liang Xi politely.

Given Cook's attitude, the assistant had the driver go ahead, and he got into the Beetle that Liang Xi was driving. He explained why Cook had asked John to come to Reading. The assistant did not have any personal dissatisfaction with Liang Xi; rather, he was unhappy with Liang Xi's combination of jeans and a T-shirt. Because the place Liang Xi was going to was a noble person's estate.

In Liang Xi's view, the assistant was disdainful. He reluctantly said, "Let's see how it goes." People nowadays have such a weak sense of the law.

With that said, the assistant, who had no confidence, became even more uncertain.

...

The Earl of Davis's estate had a very imposing atmosphere, not to mention the dozens of estate employees in their daily lives, nor the grasslands that resembled works of art. When it comes to having a private chapel within the estate, it adds a sense of grandeur. If you're rich, you should be extravagant like this. The Earl's body was temporarily kept in the chapel, and after the memorial service, he would be directly buried in the backyard of the chapel, the ancestral burial ground of the Earl's family.

The main building of the estate was very large, with the Earl's residence located in the middle of the estate. On the left side were the residences of the Earl's children. Cook, as the Earl's main lawyer, used the excuse of checking the property of the Earl's residence to prohibit the Earl's children and other non-residential staff from entering.

At the entrance of the main residence, Liang Xi met the estate butler, a very traditional and typical English butler. The security officer on one side took the car keys, and Liang Xi's Beetle was driven to a parking space. When needed, if security called on the radio, someone would bring the car to Liang Xi.