All day on Oct. 20, Simon was at the Westeros corporate headquarters in Midtown Manhattan's Rockefeller Center.

Through communication with the senior management of the Eagle Rice Company, the Westeros family political advisory team, the Cersei Capital analysis team, Simon's personal assistant office, and even the Westeros family's private intelligence team, the combing and analysis of the recent series of events surrounding the Wisconsin logistics distribution center were clearly completed.

In a small conference room at the company's headquarters in Westeros, it was already evening.

Simon and James Raybould stood side by side in front of a white clipboard in the corner of the conference room with only a few words on it.

Party.

Trade union.

Short.

Media.

Competitor.

A lot of things seem complicated, cut through a mess, and there are always a few core threads.

For a political party to win votes, it must stir up some of the topics that are of most interest to the public and make a commitment that is in line with the public's wishes.

Trade unions need to maintain their position and at the same time strive for more benefits.

Bears need a company's share price to fall in order to be profitable.

The media needs public opinion hotspots to boost sales and ratings.

Between competitors, as long as there is an opportunity, they cannot be merciful.

Moreover, these factors are not completely separated, but rather mutually reinforcing, with political parties trying to win over the trade unions, bears borrowing the power of the unions and the parties, and the media often being the most effective tool, and competitors are happy to see the parties, the unions, and the media stirring up.

The two men looked at a column of words on the whiteboard in silence for a moment, and James Raybould spoke first: "I'm going to Washington on the weekend to talk to the president." ”

The White House pair really needs a bang.

Simon actually didn't have too much to ask of the Clintons, and he knew that in that position, there were too many things to weigh. However, if the other side blindly watches the Democrats do things with Igret in Wisconsin on the grounds that the party is not monolithic, he does not mind letting the Democrats lose their influence in Wisconsin to the greatest extent.

As a key state in last year's midterm elections and a focus of the Westeros System's plan to deepen its political landscape, Simon won't have a hard time doing that. Wisconsin's share of 10 electoral votes is not at all inconsequential compared to states and counties in the Midwest with only two or three electoral votes.

Thinking so, Simon nodded and said, "Also, if you can, talk to Gore again." ”

With the popularity advantage that Clinton has accumulated in recent years, there is almost no suspense about his re-election in next year's general election, but Vice President Al Gore, who wants to continue to seize the presidential throne after Clinton, will inevitably be inseparable from the help of the Westeros system. Moreover, compared with the relatively shallow Clintons, the Gore family has much deeper influence in the Democratic Party.

James knew about Simon's quiet meeting with Bush Sr. at the beginning of the year, and he also knew some of Simon's thoughts, and said, "You changed your mind?"

"Of course not, Jim, you just need to have a meal with Gore and you don't have to commit to anything. ”

Simon does not want Clinton to continue the national policy centered on economic development in the United States after Al Gore takes office, but hopes that the Bush family will return to power and re-polish Clinton's accumulated family foundation through several wars, so that the United States will decline fundamentally.

However, during the discussion with James, Simon would not explain so bluntly.

It's hard to say if James would have been a staunch patriot.

Therefore, the reason given by Simon is that the huge Westeros system must have certain solid allies between the two parties in the United States, and the Clintons are considered allies of the Democratic Party, and the relationship between the two sides is actually just right, if it is too close, it is estimated that Clinton's re-election will be a problem, not to mention continuing to exert the influence of the Clinton family in the future.

On the Republican side, Simon chose the Bush family.

As for Clinton's current vice president, Al Gore, although the other party is the main promoter of the US information superhighway bill, Simon did not think about wooing the other side too much from the beginning.

Of course, it is okay to use the influence of the Gore family within the Democratic Party to interfere in the recent turmoil.

Neither politics nor business can escape deceit.

After saying this, James crossed the word 'empty' on the whiteboard again and asked, "This, Simon, what are you going to do?"

Of the five factors that triggered this turmoil, the last two 'media' and 'competitors' are not too important.

The Westeros system has a fairly strong grip on the media sector at the moment, and there is absolutely no one-sidedness.

As for the competitors, not many will be taken seriously by the Westeros system.

So, in addition to political parties and unions, one of the most volatile factors is Wall Street's short capital sharpening its knives against Westeros technology stocks.

Simon sorted out his thoughts a little and said: "What the bears want to do well in a company is nothing more than those means, provoking litigation disputes, introducing authority interference, exposing financial scandals, and so on. What happened in Wisconsin has little to do with the bears, they are still building positions, but I think they will definitely continue to use these things to suppress the market's confidence in Igret. As for the financial aspect, there is no loophole for Igrete to exploit now, so the most important means is to introduce the interference of the authorities, which is nothing more than antitrust review, even if we have already had some compromises with Washington, Igret's monopoly advantage is still too obvious. Robertson: If they want to go short, the most effective way is to start from this aspect. ”

Choosing the right time to split up Igrete was Simon's plan.

After all, the scale of Igrete is too large now, and if it does not take the initiative to adjust, it will be difficult to escape the shackles of development.

James also understands this, and therefore understands that even if those bears do succeed, it will not deal a heavy blow to Eaglet, but he is still quick to ask: "Simon, are you really not worried that the new tech bubble will burst in the short term?"

Simon said: "Cisco, AOL, and Igrete, the only thing I'm a little worried about is AOL, because it's still investing heavily in building its own infrastructure network, so I'm going to have AOL issue a $5 billion long-term bond in the near future to have enough cash reserves." Other than that, there's not much more. If the bubble does burst, Cisco's market advantage can easily survive the downturn, and Igrett is even more so, and you must have read the memo from the meeting on October 7, and the money raised by the company's IPO is the same money I have prepared for the bottom-buying expansion after the bubble bursts. Therefore, if the new technology bubble bursts early, it will only be good for us, because many potential competitors will lose strength and even have to withdraw from the field altogether. ”

James re-scanned a list of words on the whiteboard and turned back to Simon, his eyes blazing, "So, you actually think these things are nothing lately?"

"Of course not, we still have to take it seriously and handle these things very carefully. There has never been a shortage of black swan events in human history, and sometimes it may be just a few very inconspicuous things that can brew into an irreparable storm. Therefore, I will only say those words to you just now, and my attitude in front of others must be like a great enemy. ”

Hearing Simon say this, James showed a relieved smile, and couldn't help but say, "Simon, many times I wonder, what kind of experience will make you so mature?"

Simon laughed, "Jim, let's talk about the next topic." ”

James also just asked casually, not expecting an answer.

The two continued to discuss some specific details of the follow-up response, and did not leave work until six o'clock in the afternoon.

Speaking of which, for the recent turmoil, and even some things that can be expected in the future, Simon is actually happy to see it come to fruition.

Because the tech market is indeed going a little too fast.

Simon would love to see the growth rate of Ygrete and other Westeros tech stocks slow down.

Only fine water can flow for a long time.

So, even without these things, Simon is planning to start reducing his holdings in Westeros technology stocks early next year, on the one hand, to cash out funds for investment in other areas, and on the other hand, to suppress the overheated rally in technology stocks.

Now it's a two-pronged approach.

Of course, Simon won't let this go unchecked.

Just like the sudden strike of truck drivers at a Wisconsin distribution center contractor, Simon's handling of this situation will definitely be unforgettable for some in order to avoid similar surprises in the future.

There was no work schedule on the weekend, and Veronica was still in Los Angeles and couldn't go back to the West Coast.

In the last few days, I occasionally glanced at the map in my apartment, and with a casual touch, I decided to go to the Alaskan wilderness where the snow has begun to fall, drag racing, hunting, hiking, and relax.

When ordinary people see rich people wearing ordinary clothes, driving ordinary cars, and eating ordinary food, they often feel that rich people are nothing more than that, and even have some strange sense of superiority. In fact, the biggest advantage that wealth brings to people is freedom and choice. Rich people can wear ordinary clothes, but they can also brush up on the luxury goods of a shopping street at any time, which ordinary people who have to save money for half a year for a satchel can't do it at all.

Simon wanted to go to Alaska on the weekend and told him that everything would be arranged.

Fashion Week has just passed, and many models have rushed to New York to rest and prepare for the Victoria's Secret show at the end of the year. Simon had planned to bring a few large vases with him for dinner with Erin Lauder on Wednesday, and casually talked, and the girl snatched the pit down.

Obviously, there can only be one.

On Friday night, they rushed to meet Simon for a night at Greenwich North Suburbs in Connecticut, and the next morning, just after dawn, the two boarded Simon's private Boeing 767 and flew to Alaska, a six-hour trip to Anchorage, which was still nine o'clock on a Saturday because of the time difference.

After landing, the plane left Anchorage and drove more than 100 kilometers east to a wilderness hunting ground.

In October, Alaska has already reached the snowfall season, fortunately, not all areas are covered with snow, and the hunting ground selected by Simon and his party is naturally so.

Erin Lauder, who has never had this kind of experience as a good girl for many years, was even more excited, and after getting out of the car, she looked around, and soon couldn't help but spread her arms and shouted out.

It's already noon.

A group of bodyguards accompanying Simon and two guides, a man and a woman, began to prepare lunch, Simon naturally didn't need to pay attention to these things, and when Erin Lauder finished venting, he looked at the girl's red face and asked with a smile, "How do you feel?"

Erin Lauder felt Simon's smile, suddenly a little shy, and stepped forward to hold the man's arm: "What about the gun, aren't we going to hunt?" Tell you, I'm so big, I've never touched a gun, I must try it later, well, I don't hunt any animals, can I empty the gun?"

"Of course. ”

Simon nodded and led the girl to an SUV in the back, where a bodyguard was already sorting out the guns, because this was a large animal hunting ground infested with moose and brown bears, and the trunk was full of rifles with scopes.

Seeing Simon walking over with Erin Lauder, the bodyguard said hello, but instead of picking up those rifles, he dragged through an obviously heavy box, and after opening it, looking at a large gun with an exaggerated shape in the box, Erin Lauder's eyes suddenly widened slightly.

The middle-aged bodyguard, who had a calm personality, picked up the big gun with both hands and handed it to Simon, and couldn't help but persuade: "Boss, do you have to play this?"

Simon easily took the famous Barrett anti-materiel sniper rifle with one hand, and after a slight gesture, he gestured to the barrel: "Remove the bracket, it's not good-looking." ”

The middle-aged bodyguard was helpless, but he skillfully helped Simon remove the bracket in the front of the big gun, and he already knew how his boss planned to play. However, considering the extraordinary strength of his boss, this fifteen-kilogram gun is nothing in his hand. He handed over the magazine again, thinking that if his boss was injured, he would definitely not be able to eat and walk around, so he finally tried: "Boss, hunting with this gun, even a brown bear will be broken." ”

Simon took the magazine and hit it, saying, "I'm not going to hit a brown bear, just hit a rock." ”

After speaking, he carried a big gun in one hand and Erin Lauder who was still a little dazed next to him with the other: "Baby, let's go, let's try this big toy together." ”

Erin Lauder followed Simon's strength and walked a short distance outside the camp to stand beside the man, watching him carry the exaggerated gun that looked heavy.

And then.

Rumble......

At a certain moment, looking at the tall figure beside her, looking at the wild gun, and the roar in her ears, Erin Lauder felt as if she had become a prey of someone, or the kind that did not need to chase and hunt at all.

An estate in the northern suburbs of Greenwich, Connecticut.

The weekend passed.

It's October 23rd.

Monday.

Cooking and preparing breakfast myself, waiting for the man who changed into a suit after the morning exercise sat across the table, Erin Lauder thoughtfully took the initiative to divide the breakfast, sat down at the table, but did not immediately pick up the tableware, and supported the face with a certain seductive flush after this weekend with one hand, and looked at a certain guy for a moment with shining eyes, and suddenly asked: "Simon, did you mean it?"