A young white man and a Chinese man stood at the door of the president's office.

Both Cleveland knew each other.

Astor Jr. and Chen Jianqiu.

The two men crossed paths when he first ran for president.

The former provided him with a certain amount of donation, the latter directly saved his life, and his Border Detective Agency was also responsible for his own security during the election campaign.

However, Astor Jr. followed the family's will and turned to the Republican Party, while Chen Jianqiu was busy with other things in the west.

So naturally, there is a lot less connection between the two sides.

Despite the political differences, Cleveland had a good impression of the two men.

However, in his opinion, no matter how rich the two people are, they are just businessmen.

"We just came from the Capitol, they were adjourning, and the Speaker said you left midway because of a headache, so we came straight over." Little Astor looked around.

Many people in Congress he was familiar with, some of whom were guests at his mother's ball.

"Sorry, you two, we're discussing something more important, if we want to talk, can we be later?" Secretary of State Graham said politely.

"If I'm not mistaken, you're probably talking about the treasury's gold reserves." Chen Jianqiu spoke.

Compared to Astor Jr., he is not so reserved.

He surveyed the layout of the president's office.

At that time, the president's office was not the famous "Oval Office" located in the administrative office building, but on the second floor of the mansion.

However, the "Fortitude Table", made of the planks of the Royal Navy sailing ship, has been placed in the center of the office.

The expression on President Cleveland's face was almost the same as that of Secretary Wright on the other end of the phone.

Embarrassed.

Does the whole of America now know that the government has run out of gold to redeem?

"Don't be surprised, you should have expected this day from the moment the financial crisis began." Chen Jianqiu's words did not save Cleveland the slightest face.

"So, you're here to take advantage of the fire?" Secretary of State Grleyshan, who was standing at the president's desk, glanced at the Chinese and asked unceremoniously.

"I'm here to make amends." Chen Jianqiu said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "For your fault." ”

Graham laughed: "I have the impression that you and your Sanjiang Bank are not as good as Morgan, and without the Rothschild family behind you, you will not be able to move an inch in Europe!" ”

"But I have gold." Chen Jianqiu walked over to one of the three floor-to-ceiling windows behind the president and pulled back the curtains.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows is the verdant lawn of the White House.

On the road outside the lawn, two rows of horse-drawn carriages were parked.

Each carriage, drawn by four horses, was so tightly covered that it was impossible to see what was inside.

"Mr. Grleyshan, twenty tons of gold are now parked outside the White House, and at the slightest order from Mr. President, they can be shipped to the Treasury Treasury for urgent relief." Chen Jianqiu said in a calm tone.

Graham glanced at little Astor.

"Yes, Mr. Secretary, I can assure you that he is telling the truth, that these were just shipped to the port of Washington in the morning." Astor Jr. said.

The Secretary of State's expression was wonderful.

He really couldn't imagine how someone could just park twenty tons of gold at the door of the White House.

But the Astor family, who have been famous in New York for a hundred years, will never lie.

There is a good chance that what these wagons are carrying is actually gold.

"Of course, if you don't need it, I can have this gold shipped back now, and I can still afford the freight." Chen Jianqiu said.

President Cleveland finally spoke.

He walked over to the edge of the couch and made an inviting gesture to the two standing:

"Sit down, then."

"What's your best idea? Mr. Chen? ”

Some of the 20 tons of gold were transferred by Chen Jianqiu from the vault of the headquarters of the Sanjiang Bank in New York overnight, and the other part was the private collection of the small Astor family's vault.

Since the beginning of the financial crisis, he has been buying gold all over the world, including but not limited to the United States, Mexico, Chile, South Africa, Europe.

Some of them are exchanged directly with the government in dollars, in his words, that is, they are deposited for the federal government first;

Some are bartered, such as in South Africa.

At that time, the Federation of South Africa had not yet been formed, and it was the Transvaal Republic established by the Boers who ruled there.

In 1884, the world's largest Witwatersrand gold mine was discovered there.

The country was adjacent to the British colony of South Africa, and relations with the British Empire were clearly not very good.

Chen Jianqiu learned the news from the Germans.

Arms dealers have the sharpest sense of war, just as hounds are most familiar with the smell of blood.

What's more, he's still a traverser.

He registered a Dutch company and began quietly sending large quantities of arms there.

From the Maxim machine gun, to the new semi-automatic rifle, to the consignment Knoob cannon, everything is available.

Shiploads of munitions were transported from Amsterdam to Cape Town, where gold was then carried to ports in Mexico, where they were counted and shipped to Roswell and New York.

That day, Mark Twain went to Chen Jianqiu's house and told Chen Jianqiu about the private meeting in the Freemasonry.

What caught Chen Jianqiu's attention was not the angry Rockefeller.

It's Auguste Belmont Jr.

The relationship between this man and the Rothschilds is known throughout Wall Street.

He and Morgan appeared at the same time, and at the same time there was something important to discuss, so it is worth pondering.

Chen Jianqiu used the intelligence network of the Border Detective Agency in New York and the network of the Chinese Suffrage Alliance in Washington, D.C., and quickly came to a conclusion:

These two are going to attack the federal government.

At this time, the federal government is like a person who has been forced to the edge of a river.

The two men wanted to push the latter into the river and then hand over the rope.

People may be able to be rescued, but the rope tied to the body may never be untied.

Chen Jianqiu had no ambition to save America.

He just felt that this rope had to be tied by himself.

But he still needs a helper in this matter.

After all, his gold, mainly in Roswell, New York, was only a small part.

So he found little Aster.

"Lend me some money."

In Little Aster's mansion on the outskirts of New York City, Chen Jianqiu opened his mouth to borrow money.

"How much, I'll let the butler get it for you now." Little Asirt is writing his own.

"I want two million dollars of gold today, and 10 to 20 million dollars of gold in the future." Chen Jianqiu said lightly.

Little Astor put down the pen in his hand.

"Uh, what are you going to buy?"

Although he was a science fiction writer with a lot of imagination, he still couldn't figure out what to do with so much gold.

"Go and be a creditor." Chen Jianqiu replied succinctly.

He thought about it for a moment, and then changed to a more lofty-sounding reason: "Go save America!" ”

So, after receiving the information provided by the border detective agency.

Chen Jianqiu's more than a dozen tons of gold, plus a few meals from Little Aster, appeared at the door of the White House under the personal escort of the two.

Otherwise, President Cleveland and Secretary of State would not have had an equal conversation with the two of them.

"I disagree with what Mr. Secretary of State said just now." Chen Jianqiu crossed his hands with ten fingers and put them on his lower abdomen, "Since the beginning of the financial crisis, a lot of gold has indeed been shipped to Europe by ship. The main reason is the Sherman Silver Purchase Act"

He paused, glancing at the secretary of state beside him.

The Secretary nodded.

"But the president has repealed that bill."

"It was too late, everyone lost faith in the dollar, so they swapped the asset for gold." Chen Jianqiu continued, "Believe me, the United States has gold, but in everyone's hands. ”

"But, as you know, the gold is in the hands of each person, and there is no way for us to get it out of their hands." Ge Lishan spread his hands and said helplessly, "As you said, they have all lost confidence, and even if they issue bonds, no one will buy them." ”

Grashan's fears are justified.

After all, this gold was exchanged by them from the treasury, how could it be easily handed back.

"The issuance of the bonds is entrusted to me, and I and the bankers who will contact Wall Street collectively make credit endorsements." Chen Jianqiu said.

He pointed to himself and little Aster.

"Mr. Astor and I will be the first to subscribe, and the others will follow."

"In addition to these on the White House lawn, I will take out another 20 million dollars in gold, and Astor and the family he represents will also give more than 10 million dollars!"

Little Astor heard the number, and his ass moved subconsciously.

"Isn't that still the same as Morgan's plan!" Graham sneered, "Do you think those people in Congress will agree?" ”

"No, my sir." Chen Jianqiu laughed, "Are you willing to hand over the future of the United States to a bunch of European capitalists, or to your own people?" ”

Both the president and the secretary of state fell silent.

They had something left unsaid.

The power of those European bankers should be limited, yes, but you Chen Jianqiu are Chinese!

Who can accept that the biggest creditor of the American country is a Chinese!

Cleveland was still hesitating.

Chen Jianqiu took out his pocket watch and glanced at it.

"Mr. President, pick one. Before four o'clock in the afternoon, the entire gold reserves of the United States will be depleted! ”

Chen Jianqiu's words pierced Mr. President's heart like a sword.

He had to face a choice.

This is an opportunity to put an end to this financial crisis.

But the price is to face the reality of a European consortium or a Chinese becoming a creditor of the US government.

Moreover, whether it is Morgan or Chen Jianqiu, it is possible to make a fortune by taking advantage of the interest rate difference of the issued bonds.

Cleveland finally made a decision:

"Mr. Chen, I'll try it and see if I can convince those people in Congress."

He could not afford to let the credibility of the federal government be ruined in his own hands.

Mr. President hung up a phone call to the Minister of Finance in front of everyone.

"We've found gold, Wright, but it may take a little time to convince Congress."

But the other end of the phone completely blew up.

"Mr. President! I don't have that much time left! Those Brits are waiting downstairs! If we can't fulfill today! The credibility of the government and the dollar is finished! ”

Cleveland put down the phone and didn't say a word.

It's almost impossible.

If you want the Congress to reach a consensus, you can't do it without ten days and half a month!

But it is completely impossible to get those British to give up the payment.

He understands Wright.

The finance minister must have tried his best to get so emotional on the phone.

Once again, things have reached a dead end.

However, at this moment, Chen Jianqiu suddenly took out something from his clothes.

"Mr. President, I have already asked you to think about this matter."

"During the Civil War, there was a law that allowed the federal treasury to lend gold during special times, with only the approval of the president."

He took out the top few pieces of paper and handed them to Cleveland.

It was a copy of the law at the time, and the Border Detective Agency got it.

This law, originally prepared by the Northern government to finance the war effort, was signed by Lincoln.

In terms of exploiting legal loopholes, Chen Jianqiu has extremely professional talents in his hands, after all, this is not the first time he has done this.

President Cleveland took the sheets, read a page, and handed them to Secretary of State Greaseshan.

"You are professional, is this law true?"

Grishan took out his nose-clipping glasses from his breast pocket, looked at them, and nodded.

As a lawyer-turned-secretary of state, he is familiar with all the federal bills and constitutional amendments that have been passed since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

"Then let's do it." The president slapped the cards.

Half an hour later, Chen Jianqiu and Little Astor walked out of the president's office.

It took them 22 minutes to sign a contract for the issuance of gold treasury bonds, and all matters will be handled by Chen Jianqiu and his Sanjiang Bank.

"I hope this crisis will end here."

While saying goodbye, the president shook Chen Jianqiu's hand.

"Don't worry, Mr. President." Chen Jianqiu's tone was extremely affirmative, and his face was like water.

"Mr. Chen, I want to take the liberty of asking again, what made you gamble almost all of your net worth?" Cleveland asked again.

"Because I believe in this country and has a bright future." Chen family, you go and answer.

When the two walked out of the gate of the White House, Chen Jianqiu stretched his waist.

"We seem to have made a big deal just now." Little Astor looked at Chen Jianqiu and said resentfully, "You should have told me in advance." ”

"It's over with me, brother, when did I make you suffer." Chen Jianqiu said disappreciatively, "You just wait to surpass Rockefeller and become the richest man in the United States." ”

On the other side, Morgan and Auguste Belmont Jr. were waiting for news in the reception room on the third floor of the Treasury Department.

JP Morgan pulled out another cigar.

This is the third cigar he's smoked today.

"Don't worry, Morgan, they don't have a choice, and the people in Congress will have to listen to us obediently until tonight." Belmont looked at the cigar after the Morgan and reassured.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple." Morgan took a puff on his cigar.

He knows too well what the members of Congress are.

Other factors aside, even if the president does agree with his plan, the people in Congress may have to argue for a long time.

Those Republican lawmakers won't miss an opportunity to disgust Cleveland.

Even if the president wants to add an extra toilet in the White House, I'm afraid these people will find a reason to veto.

"Let's go to the White House, we're going to see Cleveland." Morgan suddenly realizes that he seems to have made a mistake.

This matter should be directly told to Cleveland, and it is pointless to entangle with the Treasury Department.

Morgan and Belmont walked out of the reception room.

They were going to say hello to Secretary Wright's office, only to find that the minister and the other two Treasury chiefs were not in the office.

"Do these people even know what they're facing?" Belmont was a little angry.

"Leave it alone, let's go, it's not far from here to the White House." Morgan walked downstairs.

However, when they reached the lobby on the first floor, they suddenly found that the few Englishmen who had been waiting here were gone.

These Britons are naturally also arranged by the Belmont and Rothschild consortium.

"What about the Britons who came over and demanded the payment of the national debt?" Belmont walked over to the staff member who had been in charge of reception.

"Oh, they paid the gold and left." The clerk replied lightly.

"What? You repeat! Belmont's eyes widened when he didn't care about his gentlemanly image, "How did they pay for the 12 million dollars?" ”

"O gold! Nearly twenty tons of gold were brought in from outside. The clerk pointed out the door, "It's been a long time since the removal was counted." ”

But then, he looked Belmont and Morgan up and down with suspicious eyes:

"Who are you? How do you know so much about the amount of the national debt? I don't think I've seen you before. The clerk asked warily.

Belmont, however, ignored him.

He rushed out the door in a gaffe, looking around to find out where the gold came from.

But the ground at the door did not leave any valuable clues except for many deep ruts.

"Impossible! When pigs fly! Belmont muttered.

He turned his head to look at Morgan, who had come out of the hall with a blank face, and asked:

"Morgan, are we going to be wrong? The Ministry of Finance actually still has a stock of gold, haven't they been forced to do it yet?"

Morgan held his cigar in his right hand, looked in the direction of the harbor, and thought for a long time before speaking:

"We, we may have been taken first."

Belmont simply could not accept Morgan's judgment.

"It's impossible, Mr. Morgan, you don't understand, no one has been able to raise so much gold in such a short time! No one knows these rich people in the United States better than you and me, and even Rockefeller didn't have so much gold for a while! ”

Morgan shook his head:

In his mind just now, he went through the Americans who had crossed paths with him, and even the chaebol giants of other countries.

Eventually, only one person's face came to his mind.

"It's Chen, only he has the ability and courage."

(End of chapter)