xymnovel Chapter 105 Inviting the Enemy into the Trap
Chapter 105 Inviting the Enemy into the Trap
Chapter 105 Inviting the Enemy into the Trap
Third floor of the Broadway Building, New York.
Cornelius Jeremiah Vanderbilt burst through the door, his face beaming with excitement, and strode to his desk without even taking off his hat.
"Mr. Strauss, have you seen today's stock price?"
Strauss, who was sitting behind his desk reviewing documents, looked up at the words and smiled slightly: "Mr. Jeremiah, Mr. Tacitus of the Mining Exchange already told me yesterday."
"Forty-one and six dollars!"
Cornelius Jeremiah walked to the table, placed his hands on the edge, and said with flushed cheeks, "It hasn't been long, and the company's stock price has already gone up by another two and a half dollars. I don't think it'll be far from fifty dollars."
Strauss stood up, took a bottle of red wine and two wine glasses from the cabinet, and slowly poured half a glass of red wine and handed it to him: "Mr. Jeremiah, this is just the beginning."
"The factory is already under construction, more and more companies are coming to us to refine aluminum ore, and the jewelry store is doing booming business, with ladies lining up to wait for the new styles."
It's safe to say that fifty dollars is definitely not our final goal.
Cornelius Jeremiah took the glass, drank it all in one gulp, and placed the empty glass on the table, his excitement still evident.
"By the way, Mr. Strauss. Speaking of Mr. Tacitus, how did you two meet?"
Strauss put down his wine glass and leaned back in his chair: "Mr. Jeremiah, are you interested in Mr. Tacitus?"
'
"A little."
Cornelius Jeremiah sat down in the chair opposite him and said slowly, "I've also been involved in the stock market for a few years, and I've met quite a few stockbrokers at the New York Stock Exchange."
But I've never seen anyone like him before, so ruthless and willing to take risks.
He carefully considered his words: "Like the Westerns depicted in popular novels, rugged and wild. When the company's stock price plummeted, everyone else was selling, but he was the only one who dared to buy."
Strauss smiled: "Mr. Jeremiah, your judgment is very accurate."
Mr. Tacitus was indeed from the West, a wild and untamed land, so his style was naturally a bit wild. I knew him because he invested in our aluminum mine; he was one of the first people to be optimistic about us.
2
Cornelius Jeremiah nodded thoughtfully.
Strauss glanced at the clock on the wall and asked, "Speaking of which, Mr. Tacitus is coming to the company this afternoon to discuss some matters. If you don't have any other plans, would you like to have dinner together?"
Cornelius Jeremiah nodded: "Then I shall gladly accept your offer."
At four o'clock in the afternoon, Dutch appeared at the office door on time.
Today he wore a dark gray flannel coat over a vest and shirt, with a small gold lapel pin. He looked both respectable and understated, striking a perfect balance between businessman and adventurer.
"Mr. Jeremiah, we meet again." Dutch extended his hand with a smile.
"Mr. Tacitus," Cornelius Jeremiah said, warmly shaking his hand.
The three of them chatted about company matters in the office for a while before heading to a restaurant.
The pub is located in a side alley on Broadway. It looks unassuming from the outside, but once you push open the heavy oak door, you'll find a hidden gem inside.
The bar features a dark mahogany wood counter, comfortable leather sofas, and several oil paintings depicting the Western landscape hanging on the walls.
The three of them sat down by the window and ordered drinks and several dishes.
After a few rounds of drinks, Cornelius Jeremiah gradually became more talkative.
He talked about growing up on a plantation on Staten Island, how strict his father was, how outstanding his brother was, and how he was sent to military school but had to drop out due to health reasons.
He picked up his glass and downed it in one gulp, saying with a hint of drunkenness, "Just because I've had a few epileptic seizures, my father thought my life was over. He thought I wasn't strong enough, smart enough, or like a Vanderbilt."
He poured himself another glass, his voice bitter: "I want to prove myself, but every decision I make only strengthens my father's belief that I'm incapable. Sometimes I wonder, maybe my father is right, maybe I really am incapable?"
Dutch slowly began, “Mr. Jeremiah, my father died when I was four years old, but I had a mother who was similar to your father. So when I was sixteen, I ran away.”
"To earn money, I first worked as a sailor on a barge. Every day I would get up before dawn to unload cargo, and at night I would lie in the cabin listening to the mice running under the planks."
Cornelius Jeremiah put down his wine glass and listened to Dutch speak.
"Besides being a sailor, I've been a cowboy, a laborer, a farmer, a guard—but I didn't make any money with any of them. Then the gold rush started, and I happened to be there selling tools."
Everyone needs a pickaxe and pants, and with that money I became a stockbroker and have made it this far.
Dutch paused, looking into Cornelius Jeremiah's eyes: "Mr. Jeremiah, you see, failure has been a constant in my life, but it only took one chance for me to become who I am today."
Your problem is the same as mine; you just haven't had a stroke of luck yet.
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Cornelius Jeremiah poured himself another glass of wine and said drunkenly, "Then let's hope it comes soon."
He suddenly laughed, a laugh full of self-mockery.
"You know what? My father told me last month that if I don't do anything right, I should go to Connecticut and help him run his farm in East Hartford."
"The farm, the second son of the Vanderbilt family, will go and run a small farm."
A fleeting hint of disdain flashed in Dutch's eyes.
If he hadn't done his research beforehand, he would have actually believed what this person said.
Is a farm that covers 10,000 acres also called a small farm?
With such high aspirations but low abilities, it's no wonder he can't succeed at anything.
Dutch and Strauss exchanged a knowing glance, and then took turns comforting Cornelius Jeremiah, saying that the small farm was indeed beneath his dignity, that he deserved a better and bigger business, and that someone of his talent should be making waves on Wall Street.
After a hearty meal, the three of them drank two more rounds of alcohol.
Strauss glanced at the time and suddenly suggested, "By the way, how about we go to a brothel later? I heard a new one opened near Wall Street, with several very attractive women. We don't have anything planned for tonight, so let's relax?"
Cornelius Jeremiah, who was drunk, waved his hand in protest, saying, "I'll pass."
"What's wrong?"
Strauss was somewhat puzzled. According to intelligence, this second son of the Vanderbilt family was indeed a womanizer. Could it be that he had been too promiscuous in the past, and had become celibate in his twenties?
Under the influence of alcohol, Cornelius Jeremiah hesitated for a moment before saying, "It's nothing really. You know, when I was younger I liked to hang out and met some mature women."
Unexpectedly, I later fell ill, and it never fully healed, it just kept recurring.
He slumped over the table, muttering to himself, "I've seen several doctors and taken a lot of medicine, but nothing works. I don't dare tell my family. If my father knew, he'd think I'm a useless piece of trash."
"Syphilis? Gonorrhea? Or chancroid?" Dutch asked casually.
Cornelius Jeremiah was taken aback, not expecting the other party to be so direct. He hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "Channacosis."
Dutch clapped his hands and said, "That makes things simple. Mr. Jeremiah, I know a doctor from San Francisco. He has a new drug that should be effective for your condition."
Cornelius Jeremiah was taken aback: "A new drug?"
"right."
Strauss, who was standing nearby, nodded and said, "I had this STD before, and I recovered quickly after taking the medication."
Cornelius Jeremiah grasped Strauss's hand urgently, saying, "Mr. Strauss, Mr. Tacitus, I beg you!"
One day later.
Third floor of the Broadway Building, New York.
Cornelius Jeremiah burst in like a madman, barging through the door without knocking. He rushed to Strauss and embraced him tightly.
"It's all better now, it's really healed!"
After taking the medicine given by Strauss, his chancroid began to improve within a day; the ulcer on his penis was slowly shrinking, and the pain was subsiding.
Only God knows that ever since he got this thing, he's been in so much pain that he can't sleep.
Strauss looked up, a perfectly timed expression of surprise on his face: "Oh? So fast?"
"I can't believe it, the medicine you gave me is simply a miracle drug!"
Cornelius Jeremiah gesticulated excitedly, saying, "Over the years I've seen so many doctors, in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, those so-called famous doctors, and they all just prescribe useless medicines and ointments. They don't even work for a week, let alone a day."
"As long as it works."
Strauss smiled slightly, took out two more white pills from the drawer, and wrapped them in a clean piece of white paper.
"It's the same as before, one pill in the morning and one at night. If you're still not better after finishing them, come back to me for more."
"it is good."
Cornelius Jeremiah carefully put away the pills as if they were some rare treasure, and left with profuse thanks.
Dutch came in through the side door and whistled, "He's starting to trust you and me. The fish's taken the bait."
Strauss leaned back in his chair, speaking in a relaxed tone: "Next, it's just a matter of getting him to slowly pay up."
Two more days passed.
Cornelius Jeremiah went upstairs to get medicine from Strauss. Just as his hand touched the doorknob and he was about to push the door open, he suddenly heard arguing coming from inside.
His movements stopped, his hand hovering in mid-air.
"Mr. Strauss, there are only two spots left to subscribe to that fund."
Dutch's voice came from inside, "And Hosea has three clients in line, so there's no way I'm giving you any new slots!"
"Tacitus, I thought we were old friends!"
Strauss's voice rose, tinged with discontent: "Whose money isn't money? Instead of giving opportunities to strangers, give me one or two more. It's not like I'm not willing to pay!"
"No, that would violate the rules."
Dutch's tone was firm. "Western Gold Mining Company said that the number of places for this fund is currently limited. A 10% monthly interest rate—do you think that kind of return can be promised so easily? There has to be real money backing it up."
Cornelius Jeremiah stopped at the doorway, his ears perked up.
A 10% monthly interest rate? What kind of fund can offer such a return?
"Fine, if you won't give it to me, I'll go talk to Hosea myself later!"
Strauss slammed his fist on the table and roared, "If Hosea won't give it to me, I'll go to the Western Gold Mining Company and talk to their boss! I refuse to believe that we can't invest the money!"
Cornelius Jeremiah took a deep breath and pushed open the door.
"Mr. Strauss, Mr. Tacitus, what are you arguing about?"
The two stopped arguing and looked at him. Strauss still had a hint of anger on his face, while Dutch had a businesslike expression that said, "Business is business."
After exchanging greetings, the office suddenly fell silent, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.
After a while, Cornelius Jeremiah finally couldn't hold back any longer.
"Mr. Tacitus, I just heard you mention some kind of fund? Something about a 10% monthly interest rate?"
Dutch glanced at him and said in a flat tone, "Mr. Jeremiah, that's a separate investment and has nothing to do with New Continent Light Metals. You should focus on your investments here."
Cornelius Jeremiah's curiosity intensified: "What kind of investment? Would you mind telling me?"
Dutch hesitated for a moment, then shook his head in the end.
"If he won't say it, I will."
Strauss scoffed and explained, "The fund we're talking about is the fund of Western Gold Mining Company, a mining company registered in San Francisco that holds mining rights to five gold mines in California."
"They launched this fund because they needed to upgrade their equipment and gold extraction processes, and also wanted to expand production." The fund offers a monthly interest rate of 10%, payable monthly.
As he spoke, he took a document out of the drawer and placed it on the table.
"This is the subscription agreement I signed back then."
Cornelius Jeremiah picked up the document and quickly scanned it.
As Vanderbilt's second son, he was very familiar with this system, but the numbers in the document still surprised him.
The daily output, monthly net profit, and ore grade of the five gold mines were all higher than any mining company he had ever seen before.
"Ten percent monthly interest."
He became interested. "Mr. Tacitus, may I invest in this fund?"
Dutch shook his head: "Mr. Jeremiah, this fund has given me very few slots. I didn't even give Mr. Strauss more investment slots when he asked me for them."
Cornelius Jeremiah's face showed disappointment.
Strauss chimed in, "Tacitus, why don't you take one of the spots that Hosea has? If you won't give me one when I vote, you should at least give me one when Mr. Jeremiah invests."
"Alright."
Dutch pondered for a moment, as if making a difficult decision. He looked at Cornelius Jeremiah and said slowly, "Mr. Jeremiah, I need to make things clear to you before investing."
To ensure the mine's operation isn't disrupted by short-term capital inflows and outflows, this fund has unique rules: for the first three months, the principal cannot be withdrawn, only the interest. After three months, the principal and all interest can be withdrawn at any time.
"I accept this condition," Cornelius Jeremiah blurted out almost immediately.
"All right."
Dutch nodded: "I didn't bring the subscription agreement. Let's sign it tomorrow. But let me ask in advance, Mr. Jeremiah, how much do you plan to invest?"
Cornelius Jeremiah hesitated for a moment; he didn't have much cash left. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, "I'll invest five thousand dollars!"
"Mr. Jeremiah, the minimum subscription amount for this fund is ten thousand dollars," Dutch reminded him. "This is a rule set by Western Gold Mining Company, and I can't change it."
Cornelius Jeremiah's face fell.
Dutch suddenly changed the subject: "If you're short on cash right now, you can invest five thousand first. The remaining five thousand will be a loan from me. Interest will be calculated at the bank rate and deducted from your returns. How about that?"
Cornelius Jeremiah was stunned: "You're willing to lend me money?"
Dutch smiled sincerely: "Mr. Jeremiah, five thousand dollars is a small matter for you, and it is also a small matter for me."
I have high hopes for you, and I'm willing to let you owe me a favor. Because this favor might be worth five million dollars in the future.
""
Cornelius Jeremiah's eyes reddened: "Mr. Tacitus, it's been a pleasure doing business with you."
Dutch grasped his hand: "It's been a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Jeremiah. You won't regret it."
"Next, we just have to wait for this scam to take hold throughout New York."
Late at night, the four members of the Van der Linde gang gathered together after a long time, lying on the sofa drinking and smoking cigars.
Arthur nestled on the sofa, looking exhausted: "This second scam is really troublesome. I have to negotiate with them one by one. The minimum investment is capped at over ten thousand dollars, and the principal cannot be redeemed for the first three months."
"Even wealthy people would back down when they hear these conditions."
Hosea, sitting beside him, laughed and said, "Trust in human greed, Arthur. In three months, your foundation will sell for more than Strauss's stock."
"It'll take another three months like this?"
Arthur sighed, "I want to go back to California and kill someone. It's been so long since I've done it, my marksmanship has gotten rusty."
"Then let's find a shooting range and practice our shooting."
Dutch said, "Strauss, you can start gradually selling off your shares. If we just keep transferring them between ourselves, the share price will only stay this high at best."
"We need to release more shares so that all the stockbrokers on Wall Street can speculate on them."
Strauss gave an OK sign: "No problem, I'll start releasing small batches tomorrow."