1855 United States Tycoon

The negotiations between Carol and Lawrence Cavaliers were not going well. Regarding Carroll's accusation that the British smuggled arms to North America, Lawrence said that they did not export anything to the South that was prohibited in the agreement. As for some smugglers , This is not what they can manage. Because they cannot censor every customer who comes to buy these things.

Carol said tit-for-tat that if it is a small-batch smuggling, Lawrence’s statement is understandable, but if it is a large-batch smuggling, the British say that they don’t know it, and they cannot justify it anyway. If the British cannot afford reasonable compensation for the losses caused to the Macdonald Infantry Arms Company and the Macdonald Chemical and Pharmaceutical Company, then he cannot guarantee that in the future, there will be no one who will smuggle to the British territories in the same way.

Britain has the most powerful navy in the world, and this navy is sufficient to ensure that any large-scale smuggling to the British mainland is a death. However, Britain still has vast territories, and these places are not airtight.

But the threat didn't frighten Lawrence. He knew it was purely a fright. If you really want to do this, it means a break between the two sides. He knew that Scrooge would definitely not really break with Britain for such a thing. Carol said this purely out of jealousy that he could not get it while watching others make money.

"Ah, Carol." Now they are familiar with each other, so Lawrence is accustomed to calling him directly, "I understand your psychology, but I'll be honest with you, you know, as a businessman , Um, if Mr. Macdonald was in the position of His Majesty the Prince, his approach would not make any difference."

Of course Carol knew who the Mr. Macdonald Lawrence was referring to was definitely not himself, nor his own father, but the own Little Brother Scrooge.

"I think Mr. MacDonald will not really care that we are taking such a small advantage now. But he must let you show his attitude. We also know how much this is detrimental to your interests, but your loss is actually It’s also very limited. Even, because you’re simply unable to export these things to the south, and we didn’t sell anything, you can get a lot of share, right? Well, or I’m like this. Make it up to you? Carol, I know, you are not married yet, right? It's time for you to consider these issues. How about I introduce you to a few ladies who combine beauty and virtue?"

This kind of joking suggestion really moved Carol a bit. In fact, when he went to England, Scrooge had half-joked and half-seriously expressed that he hoped that he would bring a famous lady back from England. The Macdonald family’s business expanded too quickly, but there were too few people in the Macdonald family. Scrooge only has a brother like Carroll, which makes him have to hold several positions in some key positions. And such days are really exhausting. Sometimes Scrooge really felt that he also needed a little pill.

Old Joseph had three brothers, but one of these three brothers died very early. There is another one who has two sons, but these two sons are not very good. One is a drunkard, and the other, um, is actually an opium smoker. Not to mention Scrooge, even Carol can't trust these two guys.

As a result, the importance of the wife's clan has emerged. It is also a very common practice for a full-fledged upstart family like the McDonald family to find a well-known wife and use marriages such as marriage to reach the level of the Ascension family.

"Is it everyone famous? I don't care too much." Carol said, "The important thing is to be sensible and well-educated. In addition, there is one more thing. Mr. Lawrence, you should also know something about our family. If it weren't for Scrooge, our family is just a leather shoe maker. Therefore, Scrooge and I learn a lot of things by ourselves. So some of the life habits in our family are still quite low-level. I am very worried, what you said Those ladies are not sure if they can adapt in a family like ours."

"Ah, don't worry, we British women are the most adaptable." Lawrence said with a smile.

When Carol left, Lawrence returned home, his wife and another young girl in a white dress were drinking tea in the small living room where they were talking.

"Emma, ​​what does Catherine think of this young man?" Lawrence asked.

"Catherine, you should tell your Uncle yourself." Mrs. Lawrence reached out and patted the girl's hand gently.

The young girl raised her head. She had a relatively thin face of a typical British woman. Because of her narrow face, her pretty eyes became more striking.

"Lawrence Uncle, this person seems a bit simple." Catherine Miss replied with a smile.

Lawrence certainly understood what Catherine meant by "simplicity", which was not to praise Carol, but to euphemistically express that he was a bun.

"Compared to the British, the United States guys who have never had aristocratic traditions would have been less sophisticated." Lawrence said, "However, even in Britain, the traditional aristocracy is in decline. For this era, those The nouveau riche is actually more valued by society than the nobles who have passed on for many years. The McDonald family is currently the most prominent nouveau riche family in the entire world. According to my estimation, their family wealth has exceeded 5 million pounds. It’s gone, and it’s still rising at an alarming rate. I dare say that it won’t take long for their wealth to exceed tens of millions of pounds! Even more! Catherine, do you remember the castle you saw here? The blueprint? That's the family residence they are building. If you don't like this guy, I'll introduce him to other girls."

"Uncle!" Catherine yelled, and then she asked: "But, as far as I know, his Little Brother is in charge of the family, right? And I don't think I see anything outstanding in him. place."

"Catherine, you don’t know much about the MacDonald family. It’s true. In fact, the person in charge of the family’s wealth is indeed his Little Brother Scrooge McDonald. But the Macdonald family was founded, you can’t use it. Look at it with the eyes of those big families. There are only a few people in the entire McDonald family, and here, the only one who can really assist Mr. Scrooge McDonald is his brother Carroll. Although it is As you said, Carol is not a very talented person, but his position in the family is absolutely extremely stable. In addition, you know that for a family in the state of the McDonald family the most need What is it?" Lawrence closed his mouth, smiling into Catherine's eyes.

Catherine seemed to be viewed with ignorance by own Uncle, so she suddenly turned her face toward the window and said, "How do I know this, I disdain to know it!"

Lawrence knew that his niece's statement was just playing arrogance, and he didn't really want to know it. So smiled and continued: "A family in such a state, its business is expanding rapidly, and the lack of reliable management talents will become a major obstacle to its development. Therefore, such a family The most eager hope is to be supplemented by new and noble blood. Catherine, if you marry a British nobleman, your life will be very ordinary, and if you marry him, the status you can obtain in the family is Will be far more than marrying ordinary nobles. What's more, although I have the title of royal knight, I am a little stronger than Falstaff (the run-down noble knight in Shakespeare’s plays), but I am far from being able to compete with those real Compared with the big nobles. So, with my identity and influence, I can only find some small nobles who are right in your hands. But in England, the good times of the little nobles have long passed. Maybe after you get married, your family can only Relying on an annuity of less than dozens of pounds a month for Life, this will even make it a problem to maintain the decentness of the nobility. Isn’t this the way our family was ten years ago? But as long as Scrooge McDonald doesn’t After a change, the McDonald family can definitely grow into a big family no less than the ducal family."

Having said that, Lawrence looked at his own niece again. He saw Catherine looking out the window while playing with her fingers around her hair.

"Well, I still have something to go out." Lawrence said, "If you think about it, you can talk to Emma." After speaking, he picked up the hat on the table and put it on his head. Then stood up, kissed Mrs. Own lightly, then glanced at Catherine again, and then went out.

Seeing her husband walk out of the room, Mrs. Lawrence turned her face to Catherine and said, "What's wrong, our little Catherine, who has always been decisive, sometimes can't make up his mind? As far as I said, there is no reason to hesitate. That kid seems to be hesitant. It’s a bit rustic, but these can be changed. For a woman, as long as you are careful and patient enough, these can be corrected. And a rustic, honest man, wouldn’t it be more worry-free? What's more, what you said Uncle is right. Important members of the ascending family like this can't be met casually. Besides, that guy is actually not bad, is he? ?"

A week later, at the invitation of Lawrence, Carol went to the countryside with them to hunt foxes. During this outing, he met Lawrence's niece Catherine.

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