"According to reliable information, the army of the Kingdom of Great Britain has recently invaded Cairo, and Alabi and other Egyptian generals have been captured, and the US Federation has not expressed its position on this matter for the time being."

"In Lima, the capital of Peru, there has been news recently that Peruvian general Cáceres is planning a counterattack against the Chilean army, and there is a possibility that the local fighting will recur."

On a Delaware estate, an old man in military uniform tries to roll over from a pure-blooded horse.

Every week, he would ride his horse around the estate.

The entourage who had been waiting for a long time next to him walked up quickly, wanting to help the old man, but the old man decisively waved his hand and refused.

The attendant had to wait quietly for the old man to dismount and lead the horse away.

The old man took off his white gloves and straightened the corners and collar of his military uniform, his eyes resolute, sharp, and deep.

His name is Henry Dupont, and he is the current head of the DuPont family, the current head of the family.

The French family moved to the United States after being unable to get along in their home country due to the Revolution.

Through their relationship with the then President of the United States, Jefferson, they started a gunpowder business for the federal army and gradually grew stronger.

When it came to Henry, the West Point graduate had extraordinary courage to manage the entire family business in a militarized model.

And during the Civil War, he stood with Lincoln again.

So in the seventies and eighties of the 19th century, the DuPont family established and led the gunpowder association, almost monopolizing the entire upstream and downstream of the gunpowder industry in the United States.

But Henry DuPont is now feeling a little overwhelmed.

Years of hard work have made him not as good as before.

For example, I used to be able to ride a horse for half a day, but now I basically have back pain after two laps.

And he faced almost the same problem as the old Pinkerton:

The two sons are full of power and profit, and they tear each other down.

The only nephew who seems to be able to carry the family on, but he has always disagreed with him in all aspects.

The interior of the Gunpowder Association is not monolithic, and when he is there, he can still be firmly controlled by his own prestige and wrist.

What about yourself a hundred years from now?

Henry didn't dare to think about it.

With gloves in his hand, he walked along the boulevard with his hands behind his back.

As he walked, he listened to a manager in a black suit next to him, reporting various information to him, including but not limited to business.

As an arms dealer, he must be well aware of the wars going on in this world.

"Is there any intention on the president's side to intervene between Peru and Chile?" Henry asked.

"No, President Arthur thinks it's a matter of the previous government and has nothing to do with him." The manager said.

Henry was silent.

It is known that the cause of this war is the Atacama Desert, the world's largest saltpeter mine.

Saltpeter, on the other hand, is the main raw material for the production of gunpowder.

If Chile wins outright, then the Kingdom of Great Britain behind them will completely control the saltpeter market there.

The interests of the American businessmen represented by themselves are not easy to say.

Seeing that Henry didn't speak, the manager knew it was time to move on to the next topic.

"This is a report of our company's sales volume in each state across the country for this month." He handed the old man a document.

Henry took the file and glanced at it, only to be attracted by the glaring numbers on the report.

He pointed to the sales figures behind several western states, including California, Kansas, and Colorado:

"Why did sales fall so much in these states last month?" Henry frowned.

"Well, it's because there's been a new model of firearm on sale lately." The manager quickly replied.

"What does the new model of firearms have to do with us? Isn't that a gun association thing? Henry still didn't quite understand.

"Because the new gun can only use new bullets, and this new bullet is different from our previous products." The manager explained.

Henry's expression suddenly became cloudy.

His first reaction was that someone in the Gunpowder Association had backstabbed him.

But the manager who has followed him for many years can know what he is thinking just by looking at the boss's expression.

"The company that produced this bullet is not a member of the association." He said.

"Our engineers studied the bullets and found that the filler inside was not black powder."

"It is a smokeless gunpowder, more powerful than black powder."

"Ha, uncle, I said earlier, the future will definitely be the world of yellow explosives and smokeless gunpowder!"

A vigorous young man came from not far away, and he walked as if he were carrying the wind, and soon came to Henry's side.

The young man was Henry Dupont's nephew, Ramon Dupont, who was most likely to inherit the DuPont family business.

"I'm really curious, how did they develop smokeless gunpowder, and can they help me get in touch with that company?" Ramon walked up to the manager and asked.

The manager's eyes wandered, cruising between the uncle and nephew.

Henry's face was displeased.

"Ramon, I remember saying that DuPont would not get involved in anything other than black powder, and that the testing and production of yellow explosives was not allowed within DuPont."

He looked directly at Ramon, and his sharp eyes made the young man look like a man's back: "It's the same with smokeless gunpowder. ”

Ramon didn't say anything, but continued to follow Henry with his head down.

Forbear!

Henry walked in front, he didn't speak, and neither did the manager and Ramon squeak.

The old man thought for a moment and hooked his finger back.

The manager immediately came up.

"Find the company that makes smokeless gunpowder, talk to them, and bring them into the gunpowder association." Henry stroked his beard.

Although I don't know how there was such a slip through the net when the association was used to reshuffle the industry a few years ago.

But the fish that can slip through the net must be small fish.

Henry wasn't worried at all.

He thinks his temper has gotten a lot better over the years.

Since he wants to make money, as long as he plays under the rules he has made, he has no opinion.

After joining the association, if he is honest and obedient, he doesn't mind taking a sip of soup.

"We, we've talked to them." The manager stammered, "Boss, he's a Chinese businessman, but he has U.S. citizenship." ”

The old man's footsteps stopped.

"And then?"

"He, he refused, saying that the requirements were too harsh, and it was okay to let him enter the association, but it was on his terms." The manager finished his sentence tremblingly.

A roar suddenly appeared over the manor.

"Him! Thought! He! Who is it?! ”

Henry was as furious as he had been ten years ago.

The manager did not dare to speak, and his nephew, Ramon, watched from the sidelines.

The old man's face flushed.

He turned around and walked slowly in front of the manager, staring at the manager with stunned eyes.

The manager did not dare to come out.

"Then use the old way." Henry said.

"Let them fly on dirt planes!"

Ramon on the side almost didn't laugh, but he still forced it back.

So, it made his expression look very weird.

Ramon despised his uncle's way of solving problems.

is old, the liver fire is still so strong, and he still thinks about his dirt plane all day long.

The future is yellow explosives and smokeless gunpowder, which Ramon never doubted.

The old man let him take his own black powder into the ground, and he had already set up a factory of his own in New Jersey.

The gap between large companies and small workshops lies in the strength of capital and the ability to mobilize resources.

Small workshops can have innovations, they can have inventions, but soon they won't belong to them.

Patent? Patents are a fart in front of the DuPont family!

If you are willing to sell, that is, you are a smart person, and you will naturally be merciful to buy the patent, and you will be in a good mood with the company;

Reluctant to sell? That's to shame the face, can you dig your technicians? Is it okay to find a way to get your information?

Steal? Can the affairs of a large company be called stealing?

A real patent can only be used when it is in the hands of large companies! Only then can there be a future!

After Henry left with a gloomy face.

Ramon pulled the manager aside: "Help me get in touch with that company, or you can just go to them for me!" ”

(End of chapter)