Manhattan, the Astor Estate.
Inside the lavish evening gala, distinguished gentlemen and high-society elites milled about in pristine suits.
Lauren made his entrance with his son Schubert by his side, greeting the crowd with a beaming smile and raising his glass in acknowledgment. Many in attendance nodded in return, for this was the true "half-owner of Manhattan" who stood to inherit over a hundred million dollars in Astor family assets. As for why such a moniker existed, it was because the Astor family held up half the sky of Manhattan in every sense of the word.
Approaching Liu Ren, who was conversing with several business associates, Lauren said, "Liu, come here. Let me introduce you to a friend!"
"Excuse me, gentlemen. It was wonderful speaking with you, and we'll continue our chat next time!"
Raising his glass with a warm smile, Liu Ren offered a genial farewell. But when he walked aside with Lauren, he found himself face-to-face with a middle-aged man whose mobility was slightly impaired.
Taking in the sight of the man, a giant warning sign practically flashed across Liu Ren's forehead.
The friend Lauren was introducing was none other than the "strictest father of all capitalists," the Emperor Wu of America, Franklin Roosevelt!
For anyone unfamiliar with Roosevelt, they had surely heard the verse:
"A fearsome aura sweeping in from every side,
Surrender every scrap of income to the tide.
Earn a hundred, hand back ninety-five to me,
You know full well what kind of man I can be.
Don't go spending those five dollars left behind,
By tomorrow morning, send four-eighty down the line.
Leave that last twenty cents untouched in your purse,
Just in case I need it if things get worse!"
As the man who hauled the entire nation out of the mire during the Great Depression, the methods of crippled Roosevelt could be described as extreme to the point of madness. He had not merely aided the impoverished; he had reached straight into the pockets of the wealthy, plundered their fortunes, and redistributed them to everyone else!
And why did Liu Ren dislike him? Because Liu Ren himself was capital!
Yet the political power of the Roosevelt family completely faded after his peak. After all, not a single financial conglomerate was willing to tolerate another crippled Roosevelt. That was precisely why subsequent presidential elections became battlegrounds fraught with wrestling syndicates—this "Emperor Wu of America" had truly terrified the nation's financial oligarchs!
Furthermore, after crippled Roosevelt departed, the most terrifying entity on the other side of the ocean was born: the notorious military-industrial complex.
After all, only continuous war could allow them to keep growing. Why did successive presidents instinctively avoid auditing the books? Because "they" had grown so vast they could no longer be contained. Even the man hailed as the "Prince Beside the Throne" who dared test the Pentagon's bottom line had ultimately slunk out of office in defeat. Everyone knew that after World War II, the military had become nothing more than a mouthpiece for the military-industrial complex!
Dare to audit their accounts, and they would genuinely make you vanish.
Never assume the justice system across the ocean was sophisticated or rigorous; anyone who thought so had simply never witnessed true darkness. In their eyes, human life was perhaps far less important than a single fluctuation on Wall Street.
That was also why Hewlett-Packard would lose a lawsuit in the future and become a laughingstock.
HP: "You call me a computer seller now, but what were you supposed to call me back in World War II?"
Liu Ren: "......"
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Roosevelt!"
Extending his hand, Liu Ren looked at him with an affable smile.
"Liu, I've heard your name. The weapons made by your Silver Rock Arms are quite good—I've used them myself!"
Reaching out, Roosevelt shook Liu Ren's hand, patting him on the shoulder with the benevolent smile of an elder statesman.
Before coming, he had looked into Liu Ren, but what surprised him was that this young man's talent far exceeded his imagination. Rising from a coal stoker on the Titanic to the president of Silver Rock Arms today, he clearly acted nothing like a typical Chinese laborer; instead, he resembled an exceptionally calculating old fox.
Even Roosevelt had never imagined that someone in Liu Ren's circumstances could pull off such an astronomical leap in status. What was Qiang the fishmonger's legendary three-step rise compared to him? In front of Liu Ren, he would have remained just a fishmonger!
"I hear Silver Rock Group is preparing to establish a bank?" Looking at Liu Ren with a pleasant smile, Roosevelt inquired casually.
Hearing Roosevelt's question, Liu Ren immediately replied, "That's correct. We are currently preparing a national bank! Its primary purpose is to serve the people!"
Hearing those words out of nowhere, Roosevelt asked with a hint of skepticism, "To serve the people?"
"Yes, because our bank's mission is to safeguard the wealth of every single citizen!"
Meeting Roosevelt's gaze with unwavering resolve, Liu Ren kept one thought to himself: once that money entered the bank, it was his! When it came to safeguarding his own money, Liu Ren was certainly not about to let anyone else do the job.
"A wonderful concept, Liu. You truly are a kindhearted man!"
Beaming at Liu Ren, Roosevelt had not expected him to be so "benevolent."
Yet at Roosevelt's words, the corner of Lauren's mouth twitched uncontrollably.
Liu Ren had plenty of strengths, but goddamn benevolence certainly had nothing to do with him! After all, what decent person built a cement plant just to make it easier to fill up gasoline barrels?
After conversing with Roosevelt for a while, the man departed, supported by his wife.
Standing beside Lauren, Liu Ren asked suspiciously, "What's the situation with the Roosevelt family?"
"I mentioned the bank to them. They think it's a great venture and plan to buy a stake! What do you think?" Looking at Liu Ren, Lauren lowered his voice, afraid he might decline. "The Roosevelt family carries exceptional influence in the Navy! If the sailors' accounts run through our bank in the future..."
"Lauren, you're being far too mercenary. Even if the soldiers' accounts don't pass through our bank, we must let them join—because this is doing good for the people!"
Liu Ren understood the depth of the Roosevelt family's naval connections all too well. More importantly, this man was the future Emperor Wu of America! In the future, even if he raised the butcher's knife, he would have to think twice about whose carotid artery that blade would sever.
If Roosevelt could tolerate his family's interests being harmed, Liu Ren would immediately shift all his assets into the defense industry without hesitation. After all, once World War II concluded, he would transform into the military-industrial complex itself!
By that time, the country across the ocean wouldn't belong to this American Emperor Wu Roosevelt—it would belong to them!
"Little John has spoken to me several times lately. Silver Rock Group's growth has already earned us an admission ticket! Liu, you really are incredible!"
Patting Liu Ren's shoulder, Lauren was genuinely thrilled for his friend.
At these words, Liu Ren frowned slightly. "Joining the New York Syndicate?"
"Don't tell me you don't want to?"
Lauren looked at him in surprise, knowing full well how exclusive those people were. After all, the New York Syndicate was an alliance of the Morgan Syndicate, the Rockefeller Syndicate, the First National City Bank Syndicate, and the Harriman Syndicate. Liu Ren's selection was largely due to the Astor family's backing.
Those syndicates had already cornered finance, steel, banking, petroleum, and countless other industries; they were the very embodiment of wealth itself. Liu Ren was being allowed in only because Silver Rock Arms happened to shore up their weak link.
Hearing Astor's explanation, a broad smile broke across Liu Ren's face. "Now that truly is fantastic news!"
"I know no one looks up to us right now, but in the end, we'll leave everyone stunned!" Astor said with a grin.
"You're absolutely right, partner!"
The corners of Liu Ren's mouth curled, his gaze turning razor-sharp. His instinct, after all, was greed!
That year, at twenty-seven, he stood before the New York syndicates like an ant!
Chapter 36