It wasn't until dusk fell that Simon and Sophia left the master bedroom of the villa on the mountainside of Lake Como.

After dinner, Sophia dressed up and the two rushed to Milan to attend a wine auction at Christie's Milan.

In the past few years since the acquisition of Christie's, Sophia has not only managed this old auction house and continued to expand its business, but also perfectly fits with Melisandre's business, and has become a brand marketing platform that plays a locomotive effect.

In most people's subconscious, things that can enter the auction house will always be higher in value and style.

As a result, the brand value of Melisandre's subsidiaries has been invisibly enhanced.

"I have set up a team of buyers for Chinese cultural relics, currently mainly collecting calligraphy and painting and porcelain two categories, I have to say, scattered throughout Europe Chinese cultural relics are really a lot, the price is also very low, recently purchased a blue and white porcelain, remember you mentioned before, only cost about 30,000 US dollars, the seller is an ordinary old man in the United Kingdom, he said that his father brought back from China. ”

In the car to downtown Milan, Sophia and Simon talked about some business matters at Christie's.

The big auction houses are not only auctioning treasures from various collectors, but in many cases, they may be self-speculating, and of course, on the surface, they certainly do not have much to do with the auction house.

Simon happened to Sophia to mention that he could collect some Chinese cultural relics in Europe in advance and hoard them, and when China's economy developed a little more, more and more wealthy people would definitely turn to the field of collecting in pursuit of connotation, just like the Japanese rich who bought most of the Western Impressionist paintings in the 80s.

When the time comes, Christie's can take the opportunity to ship and make a lot of money.

At this time, I heard Sophia say that she had just bought a piece of Yuan Qinghua, even with Simon's current net worth, when she heard this kind of porcelain that was fried in her memory, she still became interested and asked curiously: "What is it?"

Sophia said: "A jar about two feet high, I can't say the specifics, the above is a Chinese dragon totem and peony flower pattern, anyway, it is very well preserved, the expert from China said, if it is in China, it belongs to the kind that can enter the Chinese Palace Museum, well, it is the same level as the British Museum, in short, it is very precious." ”

Two-foot-tall peony cloud dragon yuan blue and white.

The National Treasure level of the Forbidden City.

Simon compared the possible prices in his memory and couldn't help but say, "$30,000, are you sure?"

Sophia smiled: "It's at least $2 million now, so I specifically mentioned it to you, I'm very good at business, right?"

Simon kissed the woman on the cheek complimentarily, and then admonished: "Don't sell it in ten years." ”

Sophia was a little puzzled: "This is too long." ”

Any business is considered successful by obtaining the highest income in the shortest time, investing 1 million US dollars, earning 30% in a year and earning 100% in ten years, it seems that the latter is more, but compared to the former, it is a complete failure.

Simon also knows that in the field of cultural relics speculation, unless it is a real collection, the operation cycle is as short as two or three years, as long as four or five years, and it is difficult to say how long it will be.

The Yuan Qinghua that Sophia just talked about, stored for four or five years, and sold around 2000, it is definitely no problem to double the current market valuation a few times, but that is still not the best time.

Simon didn't explain much about this, but said, "Just listen to me, well, where is that porcelain, I'll take a look?"

"In the vaults in Geneva, you see, I'll take the time to send it to North America. ”

"Forget it, let's see it next time I go to Switzerland. ”

Think about a piece of Yuan Qinghua worth hundreds of millions in the future, if there is a difference in the transportation process, even if the current Simon will inevitably be painful.

"Okay. ”

Of course, Sophia will not object, so that the man can come a few more times, so she has made up her mind to buy more Chinese cultural relics that the man may be interested in.

The two continued to chat, and after the car entered the city of Milan, Sofia's mobile phone suddenly rang. took it out of his bag, chatted with the other side for a few words, and said to Simon after hanging up: "Fiat's Gianni Agnelli and his wife will come over later, and I want to talk to you at the subsequent party." ”

Gianni Agnelli, head of the Fiat Group.

Simon can probably understand what the other person wants to talk about when he thinks about it.

Sophia also said: "It should be that the Fiat Group is planning to enter China, and I guess I can't pay attention to it, and I want to hear a little news from you." ”

The aftermath of Simon's last visit to China continues.

Although the Apollo management company's team proposed to invest in Geely Automobile, but other hesitant overseas car companies have accelerated the pace of layout, such as General Motors, which began negotiations with SAIC last year, and has been stumbling before, after Simon's visit to China, the negotiation progress between the two parties has accelerated sharply, and it is expected that a formal cooperation agreement will be signed in the near future, which is a full year earlier than the time in memory.

As for the Fiat Group.

Thinking about some of the information in his memory, Simon couldn't help but shake his head, two successive attempts to enter China ended in failure, and this can only be Fiat's own problem.

However, because of the deep layout in Italy, the Westeros system also has a lot of cooperation with the Agnelli family, which can be called the 'Italian royal family'. ”

Sophia noticed Simon's expression and asked, "You don't want to touch them?"

"No, it's just that I'm not optimistic about Fiat's entry into China. ”

"Why?"

Simon said: "Apart from Italy, do you think Fiat has been more successful in any overseas market?"

Sophia thought about it, but she really didn't find it.

The Fiat Group is the standard snake in Italy, and has occupied 90% of the country's automobile market through the Italian government's overt or covert protection for half a century, but overseas, except for some luxury car brands under the Fiat Group, there is no business.

Moreover, even the luxury car brands of the Fiat Group such as Ferrari, Maserati, and Alfa Romeo have not been very good in recent years, because of losses, brands such as Maserati have been repeatedly resold and merged.

In the final analysis, the Fiat Group is too comfortable doing this snake in Italy and has lost its enterprising spirit.

Of course, with the current seller's market state of China's auto industry, Fiat can actually occupy a very important place in China's auto market if it is seriously operated.

It's just that, combined with the information in memory, Fiat obviously lacks this kind of mind, but is very strict in controlling technology research and development and automobile production, always beware of partners stealing their own technology, only knowing how to ask for it and not wanting to pay more.

In a word, arrogance.

How to say that.

Weakness and ignorance are not obstacles to survival, arrogance is!

As a result, the Fiat Group made two consecutive attempts in 2000 and 2010, both of which were good times for the development of China's auto industry, and the results ended dismally.

Arriving at Christie's headquarters in the center of Milan, the auction would take more than ten minutes to start, Simon and Sofia were waiting in a VIP lounge, and Gianni Agnelli and his wife Marilla Agnelli also arrived early and held together.

Gianni Agnelli is 75 years old this year, starting from 1966 when he became chairman of the Fiat Group, and has been in charge of Italy's largest industrial group for 30 years, and the other party has a younger brother, Umberto Agnelli, 62 years old, is the CEO of the Fiat Group.

In the original time and space, after the death of Gianni Agnelli, the power of the Fiat Group fell into the hands of Umberto.

Because Gianni Agnelli's only son committed suicide in 2000.

Regarding this young man, there are also allusions in the Italian movie "The Beautiful City" that Simon remembers very much.

In fact, just like the Agnelli family, the Gucci family and even the Versace family, etc., the behind-the-scenes stories of these old family businesses in Italy are definitely enough for Hollywood to shoot for 30 years, and all kinds of wonderful things.

Gianni Agnelli came to meet Simon, sure enough, to enter the Chinese market, the Italian business tycoon has recently begun to pay attention to China, but because of some inherent concepts of Westerners, even with Simon's exemplary role, the other party still has all kinds of hesitation to invest in China.

Simon was also open and honest: "Gianni, the current cooperation model of China's auto industry is usually between Western car companies providing the necessary technology and core components, and China providing them, so if you plan to invest in China, you are only paying for technology, and the import of parts can also bring you additional income." Moreover, in terms of technology, there is no need for even the latest, just like the best-selling Santana sedan that Volkswagen cooperated with China, in fact, the latest model in the Chinese market is only two generations behind the technology of Europe. ”

Gianni Versace leaned on the sofa in the lounge, still holding a cigar in his hand, probably the young man opposite did not mean to smoke, nor did he light it, shook his head slightly: "Simon, that's what I'm worried about, haven't you found that China's goal is our technology? When the Chinese side masters the technology, then, do you think they will leave us?"

This is probably the common state of cooperation between many overseas companies and China.

Simon just shrugged his shoulders slightly: "Or, Gianni, you can also think of it this way, if the Fiat Group does not cooperate with China, then, when the country's automobile industry develops, the market will definitely only be other first entrants, and it will definitely be very difficult for you to enter again." As far as I know, GM is already close to reaching another agreement with China, and other car giants are also testing, leaving Fiat with little time. ”

"But, Simon, why did you reject the proposal to invest in China's auto industry?"

Simon was slightly stunned before he reacted.

It's still the same auspicious plan.

For Agnelli to know about this, Simon did not rush to the surprise.

Just as Simon didn't know why Agnelli knew about it immediately after he arrived in Italy that morning, that's the substance. After all, when Simon enters a country, he must report at customs, and he has no intention of hiding it. This is also the reason why Yeltsin's daughter was able to find her door so easily a few days ago.

With the current power of the Westeros system, if Simon wants to deliberately hide, then no one can find it.

However, this trip to Europe, not only Ukraine, but also other regions, actually has the meaning of inspecting the territory, of course, let everyone who should know know that Simon Westeros has appeared.

Thinking so, Simon said: "This is different, Gianni, because the Westeros system is not involved in the automobile industry, and at this stage, China's automobile industry is monopolized by state-owned enterprises, and the cooperation agreement is for a private company, if I do this, it is likely to cause disgust among some Chinese state-owned enterprises, and China's state-owned enterprises and China's top management are closely linked, so the gains outweigh the losses." ”

Simon explained this, and Gianni Agnelli immediately understood.

Ground head snake.

Because the Fiat Group's position in Italy is such a thing, other overseas car companies that want to enter Italy must either cooperate with the Fiat Group or, they will inevitably be strongly suppressed.

Putting the unlit cigar in his mouth and taking a puff, Gianni Agnelli said, "Simon, or, what is our cooperation like?"

"Huh?"

"We're working together to enter the Chinese market, and you know, I have a lot of concerns about that. If you're involved, I'm reassured, because you already have a good network in China. ”

Simon said: "But, in this case, Gianni, we can only get 50% of the shares at most, 25% each, are you satisfied?"

Gianni Agnelli laughs: "Of course, as long as the project can be successful. ”

"I think it's better to forget it," Simon refused with a smile, and said: "Jenny, if you plan to enter the Chinese market, let me give you some advice, don't be too cautious, don't be too harsh, the potential of China's auto market, in my opinion, in the next ten years, may be comparable to North America, reaching the level of 10 million, don't doubt this, you can query the growth data of some other industries in China, this country has a very large potential." Only Fiat is willing to bet heavily now, and China will inevitably become Fiat's largest overseas market in the future. ”

Gianni Agnelli's eyes flashed with a gleam, but he quickly added, "Then why can't you participate in it?"

Simon and Agnelli looked at each other and said, "If you are willing to hand over control of the joint project to me, I am willing to invest, Gianni, are you willing?"

Gianni Agnelli subconsciously shook his head.

Simon said: "So, we can't talk about it together. Frankly, I will enter the Chinese car market, but not now, because the Westeros system has no roots in the automotive industry, and in a few years, I will definitely participate. ”

"According to you, I should probably wait a few years, for example, for China to join the WTO. ”

"Of course, it's a good time. Simon nodded and said, "However, in this case, I can only feel sorry for you, because with the conditions of the Fiat Group, there is no need to wait, and you are equivalent to missing a very precious opportunity to lay out in advance." ”

At this time, the staff came to remind you to enter the venue.

The two also stopped talking at the right time.

It can be seen that Gianni Agnelli is still hesitant, Simon has already said everything he should say, and how the other party chooses is not what he needs to care about.

Speaking of which, if it weren't for the two failed Fiat attempts to enter China in memory, and if it weren't for the hesitation of Gianni Agnelli in front of him, Simon really wouldn't mind cooperating with the other party, even if it was just a pure investment without control. Now, Simon wasn't interested in it at all.