On January 12, 1924, the British newspaper The Times reported two news stories in a joking tone:

The first was the news that the Provisional Government of Munich had been extinguished by the Wehrmacht in Germany, and that the total number of Wehrmacht casualties in the entire rebellion, including the losses caused by the Berlin garrison and the self-bombing trucks, was more than 1,500, almost as many as the National Socialist Party, and the Times correspondent derisively wrote: "The well-armed, well-trained government forces of the so-called elite of the German Empire were tied 1:1 with what they called a rabble, and in the end they had to rely on numbers and spreads to win."

"What is even more strange is the attitude of the German people, the leader of the National Socialist Party, Adolf Hitler, who had fled the scene and returned to surrender to the military and called on the other partymen to lay down their arms and surrender, on the day he was escorted to Berlin and imprisoned, more than 3,000 people marched in support of him holding signs to show his support – Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist Party will always be in our hearts...... According to the analysis of public opinion, Adolf Hitler is very likely to be sentenced to death for treason due to the huge casualties caused, and it is reported that the first trial will be held in March......

The suppression of the Munich rebellion by the government forces did not change the trajectory of the Deutsche Mark's fall into the abyss, and now the exchange rate between the Mark and the US dollar has exceeded 1 trillion marks: 1 dollar, and there are too many zeros on the Mark banknote to count, and it is more cost-effective to use it for fire than to buy wood directly......"

The second piece of news is the sale of 3 Queen-class battleships by the Italian government to the United Group for $4.7 million in the form of a complex operation such as preferred shares. All observers were overjoyed, thinking that the Union had made a very stupid deal - in terms of price, $4.7 million for three third-rate battleships seemed like a good deal, but if it was used as scrap steel, it would greatly exceed its own value, and the question was what a Union would buy three obsolete battleships for?

The newspaper wrote in a mocking tone, "In the future, the Mediterranean naval structure will undergo the following changes: first, the Mediterranean Fleet of the Royal Navy; second, the Italian Navy; thirdly, the Mediterranean Fleet of the French Navy; fourth, the Greek Navy; Fifth, the United Bloc Navy......

Considering that the United Group already had the Second Air Force, the United Aviation, and the Young Italian Volunteers, the ground troops, the Second Navy was now formed...... This newspaper believes that a comprehensive assessment of the military strength of the United Group will begin next year, which is only two Austrian Wehrmacht forces from the point of view of strength and integrity.

At first glance, it is clear that this paragraph is a satire on the low combat effectiveness of the Weimar Wehrmacht, and at the same time, it is also a satire on the indiscriminate spending of money by the United Group, but ordinary readers are all in awe of the United Group - this is the first large group company in Europe with a complete tri-armed force!

"Young master, what do you think of the satirical article in The Times?"

"Not good...... They just tell the truth. Contini smiled, "Uncle Antonio, don't be nervous, the newspapers of democratic countries are like this, dogs bite people are not news, people bite dogs are news, Sickert's defense forces overwhelm the National Socialist Party is nothing to be proud of, being bitten by the National Socialist Party is news - the British are now laughing at the weakness of the Weimar Defense Army, and dare to expand their army by 25,000, sooner or later there will be a time to suffer." ”

"But...... On the Italian side? ”

"The leader doesn't care about this, and the heads of the three armed forces are also satisfied, so this won't get in our way." Contini smiled, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has put me in touch to sell Vittorio for $1.5 million. The Emmanuel was given to the Bulgarians, paid in three installments. ”

"Young Master......"

"I know what you're trying to say, it's a loss, right?" Contini waved his hand unconcernedly, "It's just a few hundred thousand dollars, it's a small matter, the U.S. stock market will earn it back in one day." Besides, when will we not lose so much? Last time Corfu donated 10 million lire, which is also 500,000! ”

Antonio was speechless, and he really didn't brag: before Christmas, the $45 million in shares that Contini invested in the United States had gone out of the bottom area, and there was even a 7% floating profit on the books, which was more than $3 million at once, but Contini didn't care about this, but instead took another $1,000 out of the $3,000 he took from the Pope and put it in, intending to buy another $30 million in stocks, so that the position reached more than $80 million (including the floating profit).

"But last year's annual report was ugly...... Antonio said, "although the accountants are still in the final calculations, it is impossible to calculate the loss of less than 200 million lira, if this news leaks out......"

"It's okay...... When I let it out, I said that I lost 200 million lira. Contini smiled slightly, "The group's investment amount this year is 700 million lira, of which the expected loss is 300 million!" ”

"Young Master, you ......"

"Uncle Antonio, you can't just look at the loss, you have to see what's behind the loss......" Contini snapped his fingers and enumerated them one by one,

"First, the United House flagship stores in 8 major cities have completed the opening, regardless of whether they make money or not, their popularity has been very good, and when all 17 are completed this year, they will bloom everywhere;

Second, the Milan line was completed, and the Rome line was about to be completed, which brought about a well-known effect, and we were the only group company with the armed forces of the three armed forces, and the group company with exclusive city lines could not find a second one in Europe;

Third, 6 civil aviation bases have been completed, and the daily parcel delivery volume of United Express has exceeded 100 pieces, which are gratifying achievements, and it is expected that manned civil aviation will be rolled out across the board this year;

Fourth, 1,800 workers' houses have been built, and another 3,000 are expected to be built this year.

Fifth, United Power has completed preparations, and United Chemical, United Iron and Steel, United Shipbuilding and even United Electric have completed the first phase of civil construction, which is a force that has erupted;

Sixth, the number of United Radio units exceeded 20,000 units, which was unique in Europe, and Italy came from behind to achieve overtaking in the broadcasting industry. Relying on the United Group's unsparing efforts to promote at a loss;

Seventh and last, the relationship between the United Group and the three armed forces is very close, in terms of time, in terms of seniority, Fiat, Ansaldo and other companies have cooperated with the military for many years, and they have already consolidated for many years, but do they have such a deep relationship with us? ”

Antonio shook his head: these companies are counting on making money from the army, how can they have such a good relationship, but the relationship between the United Group is also completely smashed with money.

"Then continue to throw money, in this world, if you have money, you can do whatever you want!" "Sooner or later, they'll recognize how good my model is." ”

"However, the loans are all repaid, and the preferred stock also has to pay dividends, and then ......"

"Pay it back? I never thought about it......" Contini smiled, "with the 100,000 workers of the United Group, do you need to pay back?" Who's going to pay for it? ”

"You ......" Antonio was dumbfounded.

"Besides, doesn't it mean that the United Group has three armed forces, and as long as the Italian Wehrmacht does not come forward, which banker has the ability to violently collect? Court? Government? It's all our people! Contini laughed, "Uncle Antonio, don't be nervous, when I build the United Group into a national focus group, it will be owned by all the Italian people, and won't the loan go from the left pocket to the right pocket?" How much does it hurt to talk about repaying money? ”

This logic is really convincing, Antonio looked helpless, but he couldn't say a word - the words are not rough!

"You won't really keep the other 2 warships, will you?"

"No, the Neapolitan is going to be sold, and someone has already gone to find a buyer for me." Contini added, "As for the last Roma, I also arranged a place to go. ”

"Who are you going to sell the Naples? Romanian? Yugoslavia? Turkey can't sell ......"

"These two poor bastards can't pay a penny, and the Romanians say that they will exchange oil for it, but the problem will last for 20 years, which is too long, and I can't stand it." "I'm going to sell it to the Far East, and there are people in China who will need it," Contini explained. ”

"China?" Antonio was taken aback, "Isn't there an arms embargo?" ”

"Who said I sold weapons? What I sell is obviously a scrap ship, can the navy's scrap steel be called munitions? Contini made an exaggerated gesture, "The shouting price has been sent out, 2500 silver dollars/ton of naval scrap steel, sold as a whole, free shipping worldwide, door-to-door delivery!" ”