Flowers, Swords and France

September 14, 1862

The autumn scenery in Cleveland is always so pleasant.

This is the best time of the year. The temperature is neither high nor low. Because it just rained, the sky in early autumn became blue, clear and bright, without floating clouds, less bright and dazzling. The breeze blew away the haze that once shrouded this land, allowing people to see the clear sky for the first time in a long time.

In 1830, the canal connecting Lake Erie and the Ohio River in the Great Lakes began to be navigable, and in 1851, the railway also reached here. Cleveland, which was established not long ago, became a cargo transshipment center between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic coast. The city developed rapidly and the population became prosperous.

With the gathering of population, factories began to appear here like mushrooms after rain. At first, it was an iron smelting plant, then a mechanical processing plant, and recently, with the discovery of oil-rich oil fields nearby, refineries began to appear one after another.

These factories together discharged a large amount of exhaust gas into the air. Over time, the air here began to become a little turbid, and it always smelled like a burnt smell. Only in this sunny weather after the rain can people smell the freshness that they have not touched for a long time.

Because of the recent war between the North and the South, the flow of people in Cleveland has become much sparser. Many people volunteered to join the army and joined the Northern Corps to fight against the South.

However, Cleveland is a city in the north close to the Great Lakes after all. The smoke of war did not leave any traces here, and the autumn scenery is still so magnificent.

"It's such a good weather today." With such a meaningless sigh, a young man in formal clothes and a top hat got off the carriage and looked around.

He is now standing at the door of a mansion.

This mansion is hidden outside the suburbs of Cleveland. There are not many signs of pollution here. The Cuyahoga River flows quietly outside the mansion. The gurgling water and large green spaces make the air very clear, as if to use this method to isolate the noise of the world.

With the embellishment of green grass and river, the originally exquisite mansion now looks even more beautiful, and the vestibule with several marble columns standing in front of the young man can show some hidden edges.

However, unlike others, when seeing this exquisite mansion, this young man flashed a completely different idea - with the rising land prices in Cleveland now, this mansion will probably cost a lot of money.

The owner here is really rich.

This young man is called John Rockefeller, and he is just in his early thirties this year. He is a smart and visionary young man. He started doing business since he was a child. Relying on his vision, he has been traveling in various industries, accumulating a lot of wealth and becoming a member of the new rich class in the United States.

Although he has not become a billionaire yet due to time constraints, people who are familiar with him believe that with his ability, energy and vision, as long as he can become a billionaire, he may even become a billionaire among the billionaires and dominate the business world of the United States.

Recently, he set his sights on the oil refining industry that had just begun to flourish, and came to Cleveland, which had become the center of the oil refining industry, intending to use his accumulated capital to make great plans here.

At this time, he was full of ambition and energy. He believed that he had found an industry that could make him rich, and he was confident that he could become the leader of this industry and the master of the entire American business.

How many young people have come to various places to fight with the same ideals as him?

And the family he was going to visit today was also extraordinary.

This family, in general, was a couple.

Their last name was Friedland, and they were said to be German, but they were equally fluent in English and German.

They came to the United States from the European continent nearly ten years ago and eventually settled in Cleveland.

Originally, in the United States dominated by Puritans, Germans were always discriminated against, but the couple was not disturbed by this discrimination and soon took root in the city - they brought a lot of money from the New World, and used the money to buy land, open factories, and bribe congressmen, and soon became a well-known figure in the city.

At first, some people were curious about the origins of the couple, because they were not as poor as other German immigrants, and even their appearance and behavior were different from ordinary people. Some people speculated that they were writers and painters - because the male host was good at writing commentary articles for newspapers and the female host was good at painting. Some people even speculated that they were of noble origin and came to the New World just to avoid disaster.

But as time went on, people's curiosity about the couple was soon gradually wiped out, and they got used to their existence and regarded them as locals - the United States has always had a tradition of hospitality, and as long as a person has money, not many people pay attention to a person's origin.

Relying on investments and operations made with the capital they brought, the couple accumulated a large fortune in the past ten years. They were also kind and generous, and liked to do charity and help every poor person. As a result, they soon became well-known figures in the emerging city of Cleveland and were considered one of the best businessmen in the city. Many local celebrities were even proud to be their guests.

John Rockefeller met Mr. Friedland when he first arrived. He had no friends at the time, and no help in Cleveland. He only had a sum of previously accumulated capital and unparalleled ambition. However, through some luck, he got to know Mr. Friedland, and in his favor, he became his refiner. A shareholder of the plant participated in the oil refining industry in Cleveland.

After getting this opportunity, John Rockefeller immediately took action and began to flex his muscles in Cleveland, expanding the market share of the refinery, using various methods to exclude other competitors, and letting the people of Cleveland know his name as Rockefeller.

During this period, he visited the Friedland family's mansion many times and became one of the most popular guests of the host and his wife.

However, he probably won't be so popular this time... He has this realization.

Because he had been a guest many times, he was quickly ushered in by the concierge and then came to the mansion.

Because of the mistress's preferences, not only the living room and bedrooms of this mansion, but also the corridors and stairs are covered with paintings, some of which are from her collection, and some of which were written by her herself. But Rockefeller didn't know anything about paintings. He just thought it was interesting, but he wasn't really interested.

After waiting in the reception room for a long time, the door reopened.

To John Rockefeller's slight surprise, the person who came to meet him was not Mr. Friedland, but Mrs. Friedland.

This lady has bright blond hair, tied in a bun on the back of her head. She is wearing a simple white dress, and the only accessory is a string of pearl necklaces around her neck. Her face is very delicate, and her eyes are blue. The pupils are very lively. Although she is already thirty years old, besides the charm of a young woman, she actually looks a bit youthful.

He stood up hastily, then took off his hat to the lady.

"Good afternoon, ma'am."

To be honest, he really believed the rumors that this lady was a noble, because her manners and behavior were different from others.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Rockefeller." The lady smiled slightly and nodded towards him. "I'm sorry, I was painting just now, so I came to see you so late."

"It doesn't matter, I didn't wait long." John Rockefeller also smiled, "In fact, I feel very sorry for disturbing you."

Their greetings were very polite and courteous, making people forget that the United States is currently at war——

"Hey, what can I do? My husband is temporarily out of town, so I can only deal with these things." The lady smiled bitterly.

When he heard that his husband was not there, John Rockefeller seemed a little hesitant, as if he didn't know whether he should speak to his wife.

"Don't worry, if you have something to say to me, it's the same as saying it. I'll be happy to help you solve the problem." Madam still smiled, "But I'm still busy finishing the painting, so I have to ask you to say it concisely. your business.”

Under the lady's smile, John Rockefeller gradually calmed down.

In fact, it might be better to say it in front of this lady.

"Actually...it's not a big deal." He looked at the lady with a smile, "Actually, it's just something about our refinery..."

"What's going on?" Madam still didn't quite understand.

"Recently...there have been some problems in the business operations. Under this severe situation, we must take some necessary self-rescue actions." John Rockefeller cleared his throat and then said seriously, "Several of our shareholders passed by After discussion, we plan to temporarily shut down the factory and then liquidate and distribute the company's assets..."

"Liquidation?" When she heard this word, the lady was very surprised, "Do you mean to split it into factories?"

"In a sense, yes." John Rockefeller straightened his face, and then looked at his wife with a very innocent expression, "This is a painful decision that we made after deliberation for a long time... …”

"But I have never heard that the factory's operation has reached such a state?" The wife immediately asked, "My husband has not told me any information about this. On the contrary, he has always said that the operation is thriving."

"Your husband is too busy and has never been on the front line of factory operations, so it is normal that he does not know much about the situation in the factory... Madam, this is a misjudgment." John Rockefeller laughed again , "In short, according to our judgment, liquidation is necessary now, and it should be done as quickly as possible to avoid unnecessary losses for everyone."

This is of course not true. In fact, the factory is very profitable and thriving. But because of this, John Rockefeller had the idea to take the factory into his own hands.

Mr. Friedland is the majority shareholder of the factory. As long as this gentleman exists, his plan cannot come true, so he is determined to change this status quo. Under his tireless instigation, other shareholders of the factory also Slowly I agreed with him and planned to kick this gentleman out.

Today is the time for them to formally showdown with Mr. Friedland.

Although John Rockefeller received a lot of help from this gentleman when he first came to Cleveland, unfortunately, in the face of money, Rockefeller felt that kindness could only be put on the other side. However, he was still a little glad that he didn't have to tell the gentleman in person, and it somewhat saved him some face.

However, of course the other party could not feel his compassion.

On the contrary, her beauty turned pale. "You...how could you do this? Why did you make such a decision without my husband's consent?"

"All the shareholders except your husband agreed, ma'am." John Rockefeller shrugged. "And we have the upper hand in the equity. If we make such a decision, your husband should also obey it. This is democracy, isn't it?"

The lady's expression suddenly changed and her eyes moved around. She was obviously panicked and didn't know what to do.

"This... this is too much! You... you are too much!" In the end, she just gave this accusation.

"There is nothing excessive about this, it is just a normal business behavior." John Rockefeller said calmly, "Although it may be difficult for you and your husband to accept this time, I think that our business cooperation will be better in the future." There is still a chance, so there is no need to hurt your harmony.”

In his opinion, he was already confident of winning, so he unconsciously had a more teasing air.

"Is there no room for further negotiation?" The lady suddenly raised her head, and then looked at him hopefully.

I have to admit that she is really beautiful. Her fair face, golden hair and blue eyes are simply mesmerizing.

But...even so, money is still more beautiful.

"Unfortunately, I'm afraid there is no room for further negotiation now." John Rockefeller shook his head. "You and your husband are outsiders. They have only been in the United States for ten years and have no foundation. So I think it is best for you to accept the reality under this situation... Well, I am here today to inform your husband of this Now that you know the matter, you will convey it to him in the same way, so I will take my leave now and see you madam."

After he finished speaking, he immediately stood up and planned to leave.

He was pleased because he had taken a crucial step closer to controlling the refining industry in Cleveland and throughout the United States. In his opinion, the oil refining industry of the United States will be a glorious industry that will last for a hundred years. Controlling it will make him a very rich man, and even become the lifeblood of controlling the economy of the entire United States.

His plan is becoming reality step by step, and will continue to become reality in the future, until it reaches the most glorious vision... On that glorious other side, he will be omnipotent, and he will dominate the entire world...

"Isn't your purpose more than just driving away my husband, Mr. Rockefeller?" At this moment, a question suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

This voice seemed a little weird. It was no longer as gentle as before, but seemed to be a little colder. However, the now complacent John Rockefeller did not feel the subtle difference.

"What do you mean by that?" He raised his eyebrows.

"I think that driving away my husband is only part of your goal. Sooner or later you will drive away other people one by one just like you drove away my husband, and finally turn the entire factory into your own property, and then use it to Control the whole of Cleveland." The lady looked at him calmly, no longer as panicked as before, "Am I right?"

That's right, ma'am - young John Rockefeller certainly wouldn't have said that.

"I think you are not quite right. I will run the factory with my heart and serve every shareholder. I am really sorry about your husband, but I have tried my best to convince others, but they refused to listen. "

"Don't say these words to me, sir, I know you are the mastermind." Madam still looked at him calmly, "I know, in fact, I have been waiting for you to come to my door for a long time."

A chill suddenly shot out of John Rockefeller's heart.

"you……"

"Yes, we are not as stupid as we look. It's a pity, sir." The lady sighed.

"But...but even so, you can't change the status quo, madam." John Rockefeller felt a little uncomfortable and wanted to leave immediately, "Okay, I bid you farewell. Goodbye."

"Can't change the status quo? No... you are wrong!" At this moment, the lady laughed, "My husband is already working hard to change the status quo - and it is very effective."

"Don't expect to go to the police and the government, it's pointless." Rockefeller said reluctantly. "We've already taken care of them."

"They can't fight the federal and state governments, sir." The lady was still smiling. "Do you know where my husband is? He has gone to Washington. The president will meet him because he has ways to expand financial resources and support for the government. Arms production... As for the state government, that is also an old friend of my husband - so I regret to tell you that it is not you who are driving us away, but we who are driving you away!"

This shocking news made John Rockefeller stunned. He instinctively wanted to deny what the other party said, but in his heart he vaguely felt that what she said might be true.

Read the original text in Liu#9@书/吧!

"You are right, we are indeed outsiders, but we are not alone, because we are very useful to the United States, and we can help the United States get out of the current crisis, so the president needs us, and the United States also needs us." The lady continued to sneer, "Originally, my husband wanted to give you a chance, but he didn't expect you to come here today. So I can only regret to tell you that you lost the opportunity."

It turns out that the panic just now was actually fake? John Rockefeller felt a pang of anger for no apparent reason.

However, he quickly regained his composure.

This is a critical moment. He should not panic, but should find a way to confirm whether what the other party said is true. Even if what she said was true, he had to rush back as soon as possible to recover the losses.

He couldn't sit still anymore, walked to the door, opened it and wanted to leave, but as soon as he opened the door, he found two tough men in uniforms waiting at the door. They grabbed his arms forcibly. Then he was escorted back to the room.

At this time, he was shocked to find a strange expression on the lady's face, which seemed to be a smile but not a smile, and her eyes seemed to be covered with a layer of mist.

What's even more frightening is that she has a pistol in her hand.

This pistol is small and exquisite, and the handle is inlaid with pearls, but even so, it is still a terrifying weapon.

"You want to leave without even saying hello to the master? People in the New World are so ignorant of etiquette..." She looked at the embarrassed young man, "My husband thinks so highly of you, and you have to repay him like this. Not telling you makes me very angry."

"Wait... Madam! Wait!" Seeing that the situation was not good, John Rockefeller shouted, "I know I was wrong, please don't do this!"

He never expected that his wife, who was usually so gentle and only enjoyed painting, would show such a terrifying appearance, so he begged for mercy repeatedly.

But she didn't take any action and walked over with the gun.

"If I die here, you will be screwed too!" John Rockefeller shouted in despair.

"No, it won't happen, sir. In these days of war, no one will care if two people die." The lady shook her head, "On the contrary, if you don't die, you will bring us a lot of trouble. So..."

She held the gun and pointed it at the young man's chest. "goodbye."

"Bang!" With her plain farewell, John Rockefeller left this world with his eyes wide open.

Then, she waved her hand and two servants dragged him away.

He will be taken away from everything that can prove his identity, then his face will be scratched directly, tied with an iron block and thrown into the flowing Cuyahoga River. In this turbulent year, the market wars between gangs, the river The presence of an unidentified body inside is not surprising.

After he was taken away, the lady put away her gun again, and then returned to the studio as if nothing had happened, continuing the unfinished painting.

………………………………

In the darkness, a carriage rushed to the mansion.

The moon is particularly round tonight, and the silver moonlight is like mercury pouring over the ground, making everything look so clear.

In the moonlight, a middle-aged man wearing a black formal suit stepped out of the carriage and came to the depths of the mansion.

He has short blond hair, and his face looks slightly old-fashioned due to his age, but he is still very handsome and has sharp edges.

When he came to the living room, the wife, who had already received the news, came down the stairs and threw herself directly into her husband's arms.

"Sir, you are finally back!" She hugged her husband's chest directly, and then buried her head in his chest, almost as if she was about to cry. "I haven't seen you for half a month, I really miss you so much. !”

This time, she didn't speak English.

After seeing his wife, this middle-aged man's serious face also showed a slight smile. He gently raised his hand and wiped his wife's smooth golden hair. "Isn't it only half a month?"

"Half a month is long enough, sir!" the wife protested again, "I really can't stand you leaving me for so long."

"Okay, okay, isn't there something we can do? I missed you very much along the way, so I'll be back as soon as I finish the work." The husband gently stroked her hair and comforted her in a low voice, "Don't Cry, be careful if Alice sees the joke..."

"If you ever go on a long journey from now on, you must take me with you." The wife raised her head and looked at her husband with rippling sadness and expectation, "I really don't want to endure this kind of suffering anymore."

"Okay, okay..." The husband kept agreeing to her, and finally coaxed her over, just like a father coaxing his daughter.

Although he has been coaxing his wife, the husband is not as bored as he appears. His wife, who is already in her thirties, still has such a lovely side. It is better to say that he is very happy.

"How was your experience in going to Washington this time?" After the two of them cuddled for a while, the wife lay in her husband's arms and asked in a low voice.

"Oh, it's going well. Lincoln has adopted most of my suggestions. He will expand the recruitment of troops in the north to cope with the increasingly tense war - the resistance of the southerners is stronger than he imagined." Mr. clicked Nodding, "So the consumption of funds and arms is increasing day by day, and it will definitely become an astronomical figure in the end. He needed someone to help him solve the government's financial gap, and I could help him issue bonds within the state, throughout the Great Lakes region, and then expand the scale of factories everywhere so that he could win this war... Yes, he is now His imagination is still very poor, but one day he will find that he has to arm hundreds of thousands of troops."

Under the gaze of his wife, the husband is eloquent, as if he has everything in mind, and this look of him is exactly what she likes the most.

"So...I feel pretty confident that if this war goes the way I envision it going, then we will be one of the government's largest underwriters and contractors...ultimately we will help the government win this war, and I will also be adequately rewarded...that is, I will become one of the largest businessmen in the United States, and..."

"I killed that Rockefeller today." Suddenly, the lady said in a casual tone.

"What?" The husband stopped and looked at his wife in shock, "You killed him?"

"Yes, he has done such a thing, why should we keep him? He must bear the price for betraying you, and every one of your enemies must pay this price." The lady asked, as if she had only done Opinions are trivial things the same. "Don't worry, I have already made arrangements. No one will care where he is when the time comes."

"...You can try to continue to let him be my subordinate." After a long silence, the husband said, "You don't know what unfunny things you have done."

The wife looked at her husband, not understanding what he meant. She was a little uneasy, afraid that she had done something wrong.

"Okay, okay, now that it has happened, it is history. We can't indulge in history." After a long silence, the husband shrugged, "You did the right thing, you eliminated an enemy for me, I Thank you."

After receiving his praise, his wife finally smiled and hugged him tighter, "You're welcome. This is what I should do. I can do anything for you."

Then, with her heart racing, she raised her head and looked at the moon outside the window.

It was already late at night, and the thick fog was spreading and spreading, creating a calm and peaceful night. The soft moonlight was dyed golden under the brilliant candlelight. Under the moonlight that ripples like water, the leaves rustle, as if they are playing a "Moonlight Song", graceful and poignant, deep and beautiful, and the beating notes seem to come from the hazy moonlight. What jumps out is intoxicating.

She was fascinated by the moonlight, and then closed her eyes. She was glad that she brought her husband to America ten years ago.

What a right decision that was!

She was happy, extremely happy.

"Sure enough... you will still stand out when you get here..." She murmured in a low voice, "What a great person you are. I am really lucky to be by your side."

"Uh...what's wrong?" The husband was a little strange.

"Today is the tenth anniversary of our union, and it is also our daughter's seventh birthday. Have you forgotten?" The lady glared at him. “You forget every time!”

"Ah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Only then did the husband react and apologized again and again. "I...I will buy you a gift. I will buy it tomorrow. I will definitely buy you the most expensive gift!"

"No, no need..." The lady shook her head gently, "As long as you and the child are by my side... Thank you, sir."

Now, she just wants to continue this happiness and live with her husband and children forever - of course, it would be nice if there were more.

Even if the happiness in this life needs to be compensated by the suffering in hell, it is still worth it in her opinion.

Then she raised her head and looked at her husband, "Can't we try to bring another child?"

The husband lowered his head, and her fair face came closer and closer, and her slightly opened red lips seemed to have endless temptation.

Screw the President and Rockefeller, I have more important things to do now.

"Of course you can try harder." His breathing suddenly became heavy, and then he directly picked up his wife and walked to the bedroom upstairs.

…………………………………………

Under the clear moonlight, the mansion was looming in the mist, and the brilliant lights were like beacons in the green ocean.

And in a secluded distance, a woman wearing a black dress and a black hat looked at the mansion. She was tall and thin, and her face could not be seen clearly because of the veil hanging down from the hat. She could only see the slight smile on her temples. Blond hair hanging down.

She stared at the mansion in the distance, ignoring the rushing sound of the river, and behind her stood several people in black clothes, their expressions were dull, as if they were indifferent to everything.

"Finally found it." A sneer flashed across the corner of the woman's mouth, "It was so hard for me to find this happy couple." (~^~)