Chapter 297: The Moulin Rouge's Ball

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Since his rebirth, Guo Shouyun has not participated in many auctions, but it is not a few. Basically, he is a regular at Christie's and Sotheby's every spring and autumn auction. Go to the site when you have time, and trade by phone if you don't have time. Therefore, in just two years, he has collected hundreds of works of art. Of course, the last windfall in the UK doesn't count.

After finding his seat with a familiar car, Guo Shouyun, who had just sat down, did not expect to meet an acquaintance here.

"Mr. Guo?"

"Mr. Romney?"

Sitting on Guo Shouyun's right, the middle-aged man with enthusiasm in his expression was none other than Mitt Romney, president of Bain Capital. The two met because Bain Capital's venture capital investment in LinkedIn, although only a few faces, was enough for people who were good at communication and skill.

"Mr. Guo is also coming to Christie's autumn auctions?"

"Isn't Mr. Romney the same?"

The two smiled and shook hands, then sat down.

"Which collection is Mr. Guo optimistic about?"

"It's not decided yet, let's talk about it depending on the situation. But this time the finale was good... What about Mr. Romney?"

"I'm also optimistic about the painting of Renoir at the finale. However, since Mr. Guo likes it, then I still give up. Now, there are not many people in the United States who can compare with Mr. Guo's financial resources!"

"I was just lucky!"

Guo Shouyun, who knew the meaning of the other party's words, smiled and didn't say much. He was well aware that in the case of a big profit in the gold market, he was the object of envy and even envy of the whole United States, nay, or the whole world.

In the context of 9/11, it is difficult to say what will happen, so in order to avoid the darkness of human nature and the greed of capital, the wisest way is to keep a low profile and protect yourself.

Mitt Romney is not a fool, from Guo Shouyun's expression, he can guess some of the other party's inner thoughts. So wisely changed the subject.

"Mr. Guo, do LinkedIn and Google have any plans to continue financing?"

"Mr. Romney interested?"

"Of course!" Mitt Romney nodded without hesitation. There are not many Internet companies that have a clear profit model, and even fewer can achieve positive profits. LinkedIn and Google are undoubtedly the best of them, and as president of Bain Capital, Mitt Romney can clearly predict the strength of both companies.

"We are very willing to cooperate with Bain & Company, but if we want to raise money, we don't need it for the time being!"

Although he expected this outcome, after hearing it with his own ears, Mitt Romney still couldn't help but feel a wave of disappointment in his heart.

"As the best corporate strategy consulting firm in the world, we are also very eager to work with any of Mr. Guo's companies!"

Bain & Company, in addition to venture capital, is also a world-class strategic consulting firm comparable to McKinsey & Company and Boston International. This is also the reason why Guo Shouyun said cooperation.

"Mr. Guo, I heard that your new company is selling off some non-core businesses that originally belonged to Enron?"

Because it was not a secret, Guo Shouyun nodded.

"Mr. Romney is also interested?"

"We want to be able to buy Enron's RAC division!" Mitt Romney nodded.

"RAC department?" Guo Shouyun's brows furrowed slightly.

RAC's analysts study data, question assumptions, examine trading patterns, and employ former bankers, accountants, statisticians, and MBA graduates – an elite team of experts who are well-versed in a wide range of business transactions.

In the nineties, the budget of the RAC amounted to $30 million, with $600 million worth of computer systems and 150 specialists.

Its core mission is to assess the economic, financial, credit, and political risks of every Enron transaction over $500,000!

This is an elite strategic analysis and risk control department built by Jeffrey Jilin based on his experience and connections at McKinsey & Company, and with the vast financial resources and influence of Enron.

It's a pity that this excellent team of talents has a mediocre leader. As the head of the RAC department, Rick Bye has a big belly, eyes, a gentle temper, and even a little cramped when talking to people. For Jeffrey Gilling, Rick Bye was an obedient and loyal subordinate, but for Enron as a whole, the department that was supposed to be a bumper was almost useless.

So, under the leadership of the ambitious and talented president Jeffrey Jilin, the talented but greedy CFO Andrew Fasto, and the CEO Ken Lai, who likes politics and socialization more than shopping malls, Enron has made one stupid deal after another!

However, the fact that Enron fell does not mean that there is anything wrong with RAC. On the contrary, Enron's risk control and assessment department, which took nearly two decades to build, was excellent.

This mature system and personnel can not only strengthen the strength of Enron Pacific's risk control department, but also have a certain role in strengthening the risk control department of Guo Shouyun's other enterprises. After all, the most important thing for a risk management department is always experience. Enron's RAC division has always had the most experience.

Therefore, for RAC, Guo Shouyun never thought of selling it, but continued to invest funds to further strengthen it after removing the rot and retaining the essence.

"Sorry, RAC is not for sale from Anping Company!"

"What if we traded eBay shares?"

Taking a deep look at the middle-aged man with a meaningful smile on his face in front of him, Guo Shouyun shook his head firmly.

"Sorry!

"Okay! It seems that I can only wait for the next opportunity to cooperate with Mr. Guo!"

Mitt Romney shrugged, and there was no other look on his face. People like him have been messing around in shopping malls for many years, and they have long learned to be moody.

Guo Shouyun raised his eyebrows, and was about to say something to ease the slightly tense atmosphere, when the auction began.

Because tonight's auction is dedicated to modern oil paintings. Therefore, it is the oil painting of William Turner, a famous modern British landscape painter. Because the size is not large, the value is not extraordinarily high. In the end, though, the 19th-century British Romantic painter's "The Beach" still sold for a whopping $2.37 million.

"Mr. Guo still doesn't make a move?"

After six or seven oil paintings in a row, Mitt Romney, who had not participated in the auction for Guo Shouyun, was not only curious.

"I only like boutiques!"

Mitt Romney smiled, "Without a strong competitor like Mr. Guo, it would have been much easier to win this No. 27."

"8.8 million!"

"8.8 million, Mr. 9 bid 8.8 million, is there more?"

When the auctioneer's voice sounded, Guo Shouyun's gaze also shifted to the oil painting "No. 27" displayed on the screen.

After looking at it for a moment, he sighed in his heart. Although the author of this oil painting is Jackson Pollock, the famous American master of modern abstract expressionism, he really can't appreciate this oil painting composed of ink spots of various colors and messy lines.

In fact, apart from Picasso and Matisse, he rarely collected works by other abstract painters.

However, Americans were very supportive of artists in their own country, and it took eighteen rounds for this 90 x 158 painting "No. 27" to be acquired by Mitt Romney.

Compared with the initial bidding price, the transaction price of 12.8 million has nearly tripled.

As time passed, most of the 25 oil paintings had been sold tonight, and there were no first-class auctions in between. It can also be seen that these lots are all high-quality.

"Thank you very much for your enthusiasm, and with your support, only the final finale of the 25 lots in this modern oil painting special sale is the finale - the culmination of the French 19th-century impressionist master Pierre Auguste Renoir's "The Ball at the Moulin Rouge"!"

"I'm sure you've been looking forward to this world-class work for a long time, so let's take a look at it now!"

In the high-pitched and clear voice of the auctioneer, familiar images appeared on the large screens on both sides of the auction table. At the moment of its appearance, all the people involved in the auction, including Guo Shouyun, couldn't help but turn their eyes away.

The Ball at the Moulin Rouge, also known as The Ball at the Moulin Rouge, is an oil painting depicting the state of French society in the 19th century, which is now one of the national treasures of France's culture.

"I believe many people know that Renoir's "The Ball at the Moulin Rouge" has two paintings, one is in the collection of the Musée d'Orsay in France, and the other is what you see now. It is from Mr. Ryohei Saito from Japan. ”

Speaking of Ryohei Saito, this person is also a wonder. After buying Renoir's "Moulin Rouge Ball" and Van Gogh's "Portrait of Doctor Gachet" for $78 million and $82.5 million respectively, he actually announced that he would burn these two priceless paintings for his own funeral!!

Fortunately, this guy's company went bankrupt, and for the sake of cash flow, these two precious oil paintings appeared on the market again.

Compared with the one in the Musée d'Orsay, the "Ball at the Moulin Rouge" now on auction is about 93 x 120 in size, nearly one-third smaller.

Even so, for one of Renoir's masterpieces, most of the people present were as determined as Guo Shouyun.

Of course, in the end, who will fall into the hands of this painting, everyone still has to speak with strength.

“… I'm sure you know more about the Moulin Rouge Ball than I do, so let's go into the auction process. … I am announcing that The Moulin Rouge Ball has a floor price of $55 million, with no less than $500,000 at a time. Right now... Interested parties are invited to bid!"

"56 million...!"

"57.5 million...!"

In the blink of an eye, the price of the entire painting skyrocketed, surpassing its all-time high of $78 million in five minutes.

At this point, although there are fewer bidders, the intensity of the competition is higher.

"Mr. Guo still hasn't made a move?" Mitt Romney asked.

"Don't worry, wait and talk about it!"

Guo Shouyun didn't want to waste meaningless words, so he waited for another two or three minutes, and waited until the end when there were only four people competing. He motioned to the bodyguard next to him to raise the bidding sign in his hand.

"Mr. 3 is bidding $88 million, is there anything higher?"

The auctioneer's words instantly focused the eyes of everyone present on Guo Shouyun, who suddenly appeared.

After experiencing a media war with Citi and an unprecedentedly gambling game, Guo Shouyun is now not unknown in American high society.

"I didn't expect it to be Mr. Guo. Since Mr. Guo likes this oil painting, then let's quit first!"

It was a middle-aged man with an East Asian face who spoke, Guo Shouyun didn't know the other party, but after nodding his head, he looked away.

"His name is Morita Ieyasu, the executive director of Sony Corporation! The 16th generation patriarch of the Japanese Morita family!"

Mitt Romney explained next to Guo Shouyun.

"Morita Ieyasu?Sony?" Guo Shouyun was stunned for a moment, "Morita Akio...?"

"They are father and son!"

Guo Shouyun nodded knowingly.

"$89 million...!"

The rest of the bidders didn't give Guo much time to think, and soon a telephone auction from outside the world raised "The Ball at the Moulin Rouge" to a new historical price.

"$90 million!"

This time, Guo Shouyun did not hesitate! He now has food in his hands, and he does not panic in his heart. And buying an oil painting is an investment in itself. In particular, the finest oil paintings, such as The Ball at the Moulin Rouge, are predictably only appreciated in value over time, and in no way depreciate.

"$91 million!"

"$92 million...!"

By the time the price finally reached $103 million, there were no competitors around Guo Shouyun.

"It seems that Mr. Kwok took advantage of the worst disaster in the history of the United States to make a fortune in the gold market. We don't have the same chance as you, so this Renoir painting is yours!"

The sudden words made Guo Shouyun's originally happy mind cool down instantly. Turning his head and looking at the young man with a sneering face not far away, Guo Shouyun smiled faintly, "I thought it was Mr. Schiff." Why, Citigroup and ING Group have both failed in the gold market, and now that their strength is not good, they have changed to playing tricks?"

"If it weren't for 9/11, you think you'd win?" said Grant Schiff, recalling his own loss in the gold shorts.

"It turns out that I won in the end. And, even if there is no 9/11, I can still win against you, because I am better than you!" Guo Shouyun's face showed a strong confidence with his chin slightly raised.

Of course, the conversation between the two also attracted the attention of almost everyone around them. Everyone is no stranger to the strangulation battle between Citi and Guo Shouyun in the media against the gold market some time ago, so now they are also particularly curious about the inside story.

However, seeing the confrontation between the two, Christie's people were unwilling, or did not want to cause trouble. After the person in charge of Christie's who was present hurriedly reminded the auctioneer, the other party reacted and quickly announced, "Congratulations to Mr. No. 3 for his masterpiece "The Ball at the Moulin Rouge", let us applaud his generosity." ”

Under the leadership of the other party, the banquet hall resounded with warm applause. The applause interrupted the argument between Guo Shouyun and Grant Schiff. Let everything return to normal.

"Mr. Guo, I'm Richard Bailey, Vice President of Christie's, and thank you very much for joining us today's Christie's Autumn Auction!"

After shaking hands with the other party, Guo Shouyun smiled indifferently.

"You're welcome, you can call me anytime you can call me if there is something like 'The Ball at the Moulin Rouge' in the future. ”

"Definitely, definitely!"

After a brief chat, Guo Shouyun turned around, "Mr. Romney, I still have something to do, so I'll leave first." You are always welcome to visit my home when I have time in the future!"

"I'll be bothering you a lot in the future!"

"Goodbye!"

"Goodbye!"

After a simple handshake, Guo Shouyun turned around and left with his own people. As for the photographs of the paintings, after he had paid all the funds, Christie's people would naturally deliver them to his home in person.

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