Chapter 337 Appointment of Northern Commissioners

Two voices also arose in public opinion as to into whose hands the future of British India was to be placed.

In fact, this is very normal, as long as there are two candidates, there will be the result of each taking sides. Triangles have stability and do not really hold true in the political arena, even if there are three parties in the UK, a left-right divide will develop.

Finally this wind, which traveled back from London to New Delhi, can be seen as an important step in the middle of the independence process of British India.

Almost the whole of British India, from the south to the north, people of all classes and colors, were aroused to a strong interest in key politics.

This can give the key political leader Alan Wilson busy, to prepare London at the same time optimistic about Nehru, or suggest that Patel hopes for a greater draft, but also can not forget the leader of the PML-N Ali Jinnah, show that London absolutely did not sell out the PML-N, the division of British India in the long-term interests of the British Empire.

It is just as well to take advantage of this opportunity to also arrange a meeting between Governor Mountbatten and Ali Jinnah, on the one hand, Mountbatten is no longer like when he first came to office, enthusiastic about a successful resolution of the problem of British India.

Without that heart, a meeting between the two would not have erupted into conflict, and for a long time the Viceroy’s Office, up and down the country, had prepared the Viceroy psychologically by making him realize, through various occasions, that Arizona would not be staying in the same country as the Hindus.

Just when the subcontinent was discussing with unprecedented fervor who would be the present Deputy Prime Minister of British India, the future leader of India, it also happened to be appropriate for the meeting between Viceroy Mountbatten and Arijana, which in the eyes of the outside world was seen as an appeasement of the PML-N.

According to the mindset of Viceroy Mountbatten when he first arrived in British India, Ali Jinnah’s oily attitude would certainly have caused Mountbatten to resent him, but after a few months, there was now much less likelihood of a conflict.

Some time had passed since Gandhi’s last mention of handing over the reins of British India to Arizona.

Now that there was no news from the Congress side, it could already be tentatively concluded that Gandhi’s saintly prestige was useless in the matter and that the Congress high command was not listening to Gandhi.

Before the talks, Mountbatten, in accordance with the specifications for the reception of Gandhi, first arranged for Jinnah to stand before the Mountbattens to take a picture to commemorate the occasion. Before Alan Wilson escorted the Governor and his wife and Ali Jinnah into his office, he asked in a flat tone, “Mr. Jinnah, how is your health these days?”

“Very well!” Ali Jinnah knew exactly what Allen Wilson was asking and gave the same sincere answer.

In the middle of the office, Mountbatten and Ali Jinnah had an exchange that could not be described as intimate, but definitely sincere, around the future of British India.

“We will never co-exist with Hindus in the midst of a country. Gandhi is cunning like a fox and the reference to handing over power to the PML-N is not at all actionable.”

Hearing Mountbatten talk about his earlier suggestion that Gandhi was going to hand over British India to the PMLN, Arizona had no qualms in starting a scoff, “Honorable Vice-King, how long have you known Gandhi? I was in the same party as him for decades, and as far as knowing him is concerned, I certainly know him better than you do.”

“Oh yes.” Mountbatten, after all, was good at coordinating, and, outwardly unmoving, allowed Arizona to continue.

“Every different person in the world has different ideas. When I was young, I was much like Nehru, a nationalist, and all I asked for was an equal treatment. At that time I never thought that one day I would be such an advocate of dividing British India into two countries.”

“In 1937, the PMLN was already the second largest party in the subcontinent, fighting for its rights along with the Congress, but after the elections the Congress refused to honor its earlier promises to give autonomy or power sharing.”

“That’s when I knew that what the Congress Party wanted was that the Congress flag become the national flag of India, Hindi as the mother tongue while Urdu was banned, and the anti-Mu’s mother Hail Mary as the quasi-national anthem. So what’s the point of talking about it?”

Mountbatten turned his head to Allen Wilson to signal, and Allen Wilson, receiving the signal, explained how the Congress and the PMLN had last worked together in 1937 and had never been on the same page since.

His words were similar to Ali Jinnah’s, not so much that he had been paid, which would have been the truth, but that he had merely repeated what had happened without taking a personal stand. One can’t be slammed by the Congress Party for repeating what it did, can one?

Alan Wilson finished his narration, Ali Jinnah nodded his head and continued to say to Mountbatten, “I am different from Gandhi, even during the time of the Congress Party, I thought that the nonviolent non-cooperation movement, was a movement of cowards. The fight for independence should be resisted, and that is my attitude even today, so I can say with a straight face that Pakistan must be created, even if it means fighting a civil war.”

“That’s similar to the judgment we’ve been making for a long time.” Alan Wilson took the time to help out, not wanting to cause animosity between the two sides because of Arizona’s directness.

Edwina was equally voluble, trying to make the meeting as pleasant as possible, and with the help of her wife and daughter’s beloved, the talks were never too stilted.

Toward noon, as Edwina prepared lunch for her husband and Arizona, Allen Wilson came up cautiously and asked, “What does your wife think of this man Arizona.”

“One can see that he has had a proper English education, though far from showing himself a gentleman. Not as amiable as Gandhi seems to be, and all the non-violent ones just now are cowards, too harsh.”

“Actually, from the point of view of a colonized place, Gandhi’s set really can’t be considered smart.” Listening to Edwina’s words, Alan Wilson laughed bitterly, “But from a personal point of view, what Gandhi can do we can’t do, and if Gandhi doesn’t have influence, he is definitely a good person.”

“The people here are indeed too difficult to reach!” Edwina shook her head helplessly, “There are no exceptions, does the so-called politics turn people like this, it’s really regrettable.”

Is there no one good to contact? Alan Wilson pressed, and Edwina gave a painful answer.

“That’s right, they are all politicians, and the words of politicians can’t be trusted, being learned and treating people kindly are all pretenses, politicians are natural actors.”

Having received this answer, Alan Wilson now had the intuitive idea that Mountbatten ought to express his gratitude to himself for having saved the Governor’s love, and for not giving the fifty-eight year old man an opportunity of practicing his art of discourse.

The love between Mountbatten and Edwina was genuine and passionate. Although there were ups and downs in their relationship later in life, on the whole, their bond not only did not diminish slightly with the passing of the years, but grew stronger with each passing day.

A like-minded Governor and his wife, the union brought material benefits to both of them.

Mountbatten lived in good taste, but he had no income beyond his officer’s salary, and Edwina’s great wealth would not only enable Mountbatten to live the kind of life he desired, but would be useful, if not essential, to his dream of becoming a marshal.

Nor would Edwina be unaware of Mountbatten’s extraordinary kinship ties to the royal family, which also made her a firm believer in Mountbatten’s future.

If Alan Wilson hadn’t wasted his time working in British India and getting Nehru exhausted, the Viceroy would surely have been on fire in his backyard as he has been historically, and not even realized it. So hitching a ride on one of his daughters was no loss to Mountbatten.

This was the first of five future meetings between Governor Mountbatten and Ali Jinnah, and in the meantime, Alan Wilson did not forget to continue his work, including but not limited to continuing to connote Nehru in Edwina, deepening the negative impression.

Also through the newspapers, writing diametrically opposed articles, one moment suggesting that Nehru was more appealing, the other that Patel was the savior of Hinduism, to cover for the talks between Mountbatten and Arijana.

But even as a working machine, Alan Wilson had to take time off to do his own business, brokering a deal for Lai Gyson, and getting Sir Barron’s approval to appoint Lai Gyson as the British commissioner to Nepal, Bhutan, and Sikkim, to help the three small countries in the north, to conduct a census and prevent them from being mixed up with the Indians.

Before the departure of the representatives of the three countries, he took Pamela Mountbatten along with him, and the representatives of the three countries had a parting farewell, and at the same time introduced Commissioner Lai Gison, who was in charge of the connection between the three countries and the British Empire.

“Crown Prince Palden, your position as Crown Prince in the Kingdom of Sikkim should be stable, right?” Allen Wilson called the last king of Sikkim to a halt and asked a question that would definitely get him killed in feudal times.

“Mr. Allen, if there are any hints you can just say so.” Crown Prince Palden spoke up, “You have helped us a lot and I believe you are a true gentleman who would never harm Sikkim.”

“I’ll give you a personal advice, don’t save any more money on diplomacy, it would be best to establish an embassy in London immediately. You yourself will be the ambassador yourself, and your position as heir apparent is very secure anyway. The smaller the country, the more you have to utilize your diplomatic skills, and several of the major powers need seemingly harmless, non-threatening spokespersons on the UN stage.”

“If the Crown Prince can be the head of a subordinate organization on the stage of the United Nations, the Indians will never dare to touch your country. If you are able to do so, it will be good for your country and your subjects. If Sikkim does not have a channel to raise its voice, if India really makes a sudden move, the other countries will not be able to intervene in time, and when you want to raise your voice, you will find that the channels to raise your voice have all been muffled by the Indians.”

“Shall I go personally as an ambassador?” Crown Prince Palden looked hesitant, and finally made up his mind, “As Mr. Allen said, the money cannot be saved, and when I return I will discuss with my father the establishment of an embassy in London.”

“The same goes for both of your countries, it’s something we in Britain look after before we leave the subcontinent.” Allen Wilson said to the representatives of Nepal and Bhutan, “If there is anything you can contact through the Northern Commissioner of Lai Jisheng, the embassies still need to be set up, and this money should definitely not be saved.”

“Thank you Mr. Allen.” The representatives of these small countries opened their mouths to thank them and at the same time greeted like Ri Jisheng.