Fang Lang glanced at everyone in the reception room. From everyone's performance, he was very sure that neither the US government nor the big conglomerates had yet formed the thinking habit of the world's police.
Even the heads of Morgan and Rockefeller, the two largest financial groups in the United States, have not yet realized that the aid plan must be supported by force.
Mr. Marshall, who is about to take office as Secretary of State, has not yet realized the fundamental purpose of Lao Du’s choice of him, a five-star general, as Secretary of State.
This allowed Fang Lang to see an opportunity. Standing on the shoulders of historical giants, he knew very well what would happen in the future. He was not worried at all about whether he could make money by investing in road construction.
When everyone is scared, if he can stand up and take on this hard nut, does it mean that he can get more fat from other places as compensation?
If this is the case, food exports will become less important, and even investing in General Electric should no longer be completely impossible!
Now that the benefits have been distributed, when Lao Du's layout is completed, Lao Du's doctrine is made public and implemented, he can just sit back and enjoy the success.
In order to advance this matter, he could even sell the theory of world police to the future Secretary of State, Mr. Marshall! Anyway, this is something Americans will inevitably do in the future, so there’s nothing wrong with taking it out in advance for your own benefit, right?
Thinking of this, Fang Lang began to think about how to maximize his own interests, but he said with a look of shame on his face:
"I'm really sorry. I didn't realize it for a moment. I thought I was in Brazil."
But those people sitting here are not human beings. Although Fang Lang just raised a question, everyone began to make calculations in their hearts.
You must know that the people here are either generals or heads of large financial groups. They never care about fighting. If war can bring benefits to their business, they will promote the war at all costs.
Halken Morgan was the first to speak to Marshall:
"I think what Fang said makes sense! The U.S. military should protect our American businessmen, right?"
Marshall, who was deep in thought, looked up when he heard the words and looked at the excited chairman of Morgan Company. He hesitated. What Fang Lang said today made him seem to have caught something, but it was somewhat missing the point.
"You are right, but if our troops enter the territory of other countries to carry out armed intervention, it may cause international disputes! This will have a very bad impact on the international image of our United States."
Alvin Rockefeller on the other side also reacted at this time. He glanced at Fang Lang deeply with a profound look, and then slowly said:
"If I remember correctly, these countries that need our assistance are all our allies, right? As allies, it seems reasonable for us to send troops to help them stabilize domestic order and eliminate opposition forces!
Of course, there are also some countries that are defeated countries. Our troops are already stationed in these defeated countries, so this is even more problematic. "
As soon as he said this, both Marshall and several members of the Morgan family began to smile. yes! It seems like everything is a matter of course!
As long as the U.S. military is stationed, there is not much risk in these businesses. After all, the U.S. military has just won the world war and is at the height of its military power.
They have not yet been beaten by their hometown with a stick on a certain peninsula. They feel that they are the most powerful army in the world. With the protection of such an army, investments that were originally assessed as high risks will be reduced in an instant. to the point of being risk-free.
And high risk often means high income. The eyes of everyone present shone, they exchanged glances calmly, and reached a consensus in an instant.
And Fang Lang, who witnessed all this, could only lament and wanted to slap himself hard. Why did he have to talk too much? Now everyone has thought of letting the US military protect their business, which has caused them to lose the opportunity to pick up the slack.
As for whether the US military will agree to protect the business of the consortium, this is not a problem at all for the consortium. It only needs to convince the President of the United States.
Whether the President of the United States can be persuaded or not is not a problem at all. After all, the U.S. government is a government that represents their interests. If it cannot serve them, it will have to be replaced by an obedient president.
What's more, Fang Lang knew very well that Truman didn't need to be persuaded by the consortium at all. It could be seen from the other party's new job arrangement for General Marshall that he had actually considered everything beforehand.
What Fang Lang needs to do most now is to unify the interests of everyone present and reach a united front, so as not to let the two largest consortiums leave him behind.
Therefore, he said directly without hesitation:
"If that's the case, I think it's not impossible to help them restore road traffic! I just don't know what benefits we can get from eating this hard nut."
Everyone present understood that sending US troops to protect their business was no longer a problem. All that was left was to communicate with the President of the United States.
Even General Marshall knew very well that with the participation of Morgan and Rockefeller, it would not be difficult to push the White House to implement this policy.
Therefore, everyone chose to keep silent on this topic.
Fang Lang's words brought everyone's thinking back to the actual distribution of interests.
Since entering the door, the Morgan family, who had never mentioned the issue of Nice Company's grain exports, looked at each other. Halken Morgan was the first to speak:
"Fang, I think if our Morgan family comes forward and agrees to provide infrastructure loans to the local government, we will definitely be able to let Nice Company regain all the grain market share."
Hearing this, Fang Lang wanted to curse in his heart. I have provided you with such a good solution to the problem. All your businesses will be evaluated from medium to high risk and reduced to no risk or low risk.
Before others can react, they will learn how much benefits they can gain in other fields by taking on these high-risk projects. Now he actually wants to get rid of himself on the terms that were originally promised to him. This is obviously unacceptable to Fang Lang.
After glancing at the thoughtful Alvin Rockefeller, Fang Lang gritted his teeth, turned to Marshall and said:
"Mr. Marshall, I feel that simply helping the local government restore traffic does not reflect the atmosphere of our America. If the local government agrees to use its own taxes to provide a guarantee for me.
I would like to set up a company dedicated to building and operating highways, responsible for building highways for local governments that are better than the original roads.
Of course, for the highways I build, our company must have a minimum 40-year franchise. what do you think? "
When Marshall heard this, he raised his eyebrows, glanced at several members of the Morgan family, and with a reserved smile, said slightly to Fang Lang:
"What you mean is that you only need the local government to provide you with a guarantee using taxes, and you don't need them to provide a loan, right?"
Fang Lang smiled and nodded:
"Yes, we can borrow money from the bank in the name of this expressway company, build the road first, and then repay it by collecting tolls! In other words, we can borrow money to build the road and repay it with tolls."
"I don't think they can find any reason to refuse. I wonder what your conditions are?"
Marshall's eyes shone. Fang Lang's plan was a pie-in-the-sky good thing for that government. It was impossible for anyone to refuse it. As for the 40-year franchise period, which is too long, you didn't even look at it. What is the current situation in various countries?
How high is the risk of this investment? It is impossible to recover the cost in a short period of time. It is not too much for others to ask for a 40-year franchise, right?
With highways, the economic recovery speed of various countries will rise to a higher level. After all, the impact of transportation on the economy is still very huge.
At this moment, Marshall felt that this trip was really worth it.
Fang Lang heard Marshall's question, glanced at several members of the Morgan family, and slowly said:
“Since it needs to be guaranteed by the local government’s tax revenue, then it shouldn’t be too much to ask the local government to deposit tax revenue equal to the loan amount into the bank that provides the loan!”
As soon as these words came out, the expressions of several members of the Morgan family changed instantly, and Halken Morgan even looked in disbelief and was about to jump up from his seat.
Fortunately, the old patriarch Charles Morgan beside him was relatively calm. He reached out and grabbed Halken Morgan who was about to get up.
Naturally, all this did not escape the eyes of Fang Lang, who had been paying attention to the reactions of several people. At this moment, Fang Lang couldn't help but burst into laughter. This time he had pinched seven inches of the Morgan family!
If you want to do a simple grain merchant business, you will kill yourself. There is no such simple thing in the world.
Rockefeller on the side also looked horrified when he heard this. He was not a simple oil businessman. After several generations of development, the Rockefeller family has already spanned multiple industries.
Although it is still unable to compete with the Morgan family in the financial field, it is no longer willing to give in too much.
What Fang Lang said about depositing taxes into banks that provide loans is of course not as simple as it seems. Taxes are the main source of revenue for the government. Taxes from various countries are generally deposited into central banks of various countries, such as the Federal Reserve in the United States and the Bank of England in the United Kingdom.
Therefore, it is impossible to deposit all the taxes in a private bank, or even deposit the tax amount equivalent to the loan amount in a private bank.
But central banks of various countries can come forward to establish some cooperative relationships with this bank.
As for the specific method of cooperation, it depends on the attitude of the local government and the price it is willing to pay for economic reconstruction and highway construction.
Fang Lang's words were obviously meant for Morgan and Rockefeller. This was an excellent opportunity to establish contact with central banks of various countries, if Fang Lang's own Development Bank of Brazil came forward to take over this business.
The Brazilian Development Bank will become a major global bank in an instant, not to mention how much benefits this bank can bring to various financial businesses in these countries.
Simply acquiring the right to international monetary settlements would allow the Brazilian Development Bank to become one of the giants of the World Bank.
Compared with such a big piece of cake, the tolls collected for highway construction are not worth mentioning at all.
Therefore, just this short sentence shocked the Morgan and Rockefeller families. As for whether this request is possible to be realized, the two companies can understand it just by thinking about it. The opportunity is very big.
The two families now understood the young man's huge ambition, and had to start treating Fang Lang's existence with caution.
Marshall obviously did not expect that Fang Lang was waiting for him here. This kind of thing was obviously not something he could decide, so he could only say hesitantly:
"I can't answer you! I think you need to negotiate directly with the local government."
Hearing this, Fang Lang shrugged indifferently and said:
"Oh well!"
Then, Fang Lang looked at Morgan and Rockefeller with a smile and said:
"I wonder if any of you are interested in joining my project?"
As he spoke, he looked at Rockefeller calmly, and Rockefeller across from him immediately understood.
Before several members of the Morgan family could speak, Alvin Rockefeller had already laughed and said:
"Of course, Fang, how could such a good project be without the participation of our Rockefeller family! I think my petrochemical company can provide the best asphalt for highway construction.
In terms of loans, our family-owned bank is also willing to provide them. "
This statement made the three members of the Morgan family frown. After looking at each other, Charles Morgan sighed helplessly and said:
"Fang, I have to say that I underestimated you. Here, on behalf of the Morgan family, I would like to express my most sincere apology to you."
Hearing this, Fang Lang's face showed no emotion. At this moment, he had already seen clearly the true face of the consortium. There was no such thing as the friendship of the Morgan family, it was always just interests.
As for the so-called most sincere apology, it is probably just words. In the end, it depends on how the other party is prepared to respond to the proposal he just made.
Therefore, Fang Lang did not answer the call, but quietly waited for the other party's next words.
"As for your idea of buying a stake in General Electric, I can give you the final say right now. We are willing to transfer 10% of General Electric's shares to you as compensation. What do you think?"
Eli Morgan and Halken Morgan, who were beside them, looked at the head of their family in stunned silence. This was different from what everyone had discussed! However, on this occasion, under these circumstances, the two of them obviously would not interrupt to refute the words of their family leader, and were both waiting for his next words.
Now it seems that GE's 10% share is not much, but Fang Lang knows what kind of company GE will develop into in the future.
That is to say, GE has not yet fully grown, and he has the opportunity to invest in it. It will take a few years. Even if Fang Lang wants to buy one thousandth of the shares, not to mention that the Morgan family will not agree, the US government will directly intervene.
This is a large enterprise related to the national defense security of the United States. The aircraft engines it produces alone are products that many countries cannot buy.
And now that Charles Morgan actually agreed to transfer 10% of the shares to Fang Lang, what else could he be dissatisfied with?
After Fang Lang heard this, he was already excited in his heart, but he remained calm on his face. After coughing lightly, he slowly said:
"Will it not be diluted?"
Hearing this, Charles Morgan coughed twice and said unnaturally:
"This depends on whether you follow up when the company increases capital and expands its shares."
Fang Lang said without hesitation:
"Of course, I am very optimistic about the future of General Electric and will definitely follow up with all my strength."
(End of chapter)
