British writer

"So, you refused?"

Wodehouse still couldn't help himself and asked this question.

At this time, he and Lu Shi were sitting in a carriage heading to New York Harbor.

The return journey is about to begin.

In mid-August in New York, the hot weather seemed to evaporate the hustle and bustle of the city into the air.

Around Times Square, which is under construction, the unfinished buildings are like a huge background, making the activities on the square lively and interesting. The workers on the construction site are making all kinds of noise and garbage.

Fortunately, you can feel the slightest breeze near the pier, which brings a little coolness.

Lu Shi opened the car curtain,

"are you buying?"

Wodehouse:? ? ?

"buy what?"

Lu Shi leaned aside and gave way to the window, then pointed at the vendors passing by the carriage.

They are selling cheap tourist souvenirs.

Wodehouse: "..."

"Can you stop talking about him? What I asked you just now...just tell me, have you promised Mr. President to be his staff?"

Lu Shi shook his head,

"No."

A clear answer, no ambiguity.

Wodehouse was happy;

"I knew it! How nice it is to be in London~ Our UK is a beacon of humanity. Freedom, democracy..."

"puff!"

Lu Shi burst out laughing.

Wodehouse said dissatisfied: "What are you doing? I'm serious!"

Lu Shi tried hard to hold back his laughter and turned his face away.

"Yes, yes! I know you are serious. Daying is a beacon of humanity."

Anyone can hear the perfunctoriness in it.

Wodehouse: "(ˉ▽￣~)Tch~~"

Lu Shizhi wanted to laugh, thinking that Britain and the United States really had a conjugated father-son relationship. Even their propaganda campaigns could be inherited from each other. He often said that he was a "beacon of humanity".

He said: "In any case, I did reject Mr. President. Speaking of which, how did you know he invited me?"

Wodehouse muttered: "Because the Americans are cunning!"

Lu Shi was puzzled.

"Why are you talking about people behind their backs all of a sudden?"

Wodehouse sneered,

"Roosevelt... Huh... After interviewing you, Roosevelt Jr. revealed to me that Roosevelt invited you to be his staff. I think he probably wanted to play some provocation, but our love is stronger than gold... "

"Stop! Stop, stop, stop!"

Lu Shi stopped and complained: "Is this how 'love is stronger than gold' is used?"

Wodehouse chuckled.

"In short, we have a good relationship and his provocation failed. Professor Lu, you are an old friend of ours in Daying~"

Lu Shi was speechless for a while.

Wodehouse said: "I know that those Americans are not well-intentioned and want to keep you in the United States. This is true for Eliot and so is Roosevelt."

After speaking, he lowered his voice and said,

"Why did Roosevelt interview you?"

Lu Shi said: "It's just an interview~ The Crimson Newspaper has already written it down."

"Tsk..."

Wodehouse was speechless.

"Is it just that flattering article?"

He took out the "Crimson Newspaper" he carried with him and read aloud:

"

‘We interviewed Professor Lu in a small tool storage room. The area here is not large, but as we communicated with Professor Lu, he seemed to take our souls away from here and swim in the ocean of knowledge...'

"

It's so disgusting that I can't read it anymore.

Both Lu Shi and Wodehouse had goosebumps all over their bodies.

Lu Shi was embarrassed,

"That...can't be considered flattering...it's just a bit exaggerated. I heard that today's "The Crimson" set a sales record at Harvard University. Is it true?"

This is the most outrageous thing!

Wodehouse didn't even know how to complain. He could only say: "How can Harvard University become the top university in the world like this? The students only know how to worship personality one by one. It's so stupid!"

Lu Shi asked back: "Is the London University Alliance any better?"

"Ah this..."

Wodehouse was silenced by a word.

"..."

"..."

"..."

An eerie silence lay between the two of them.

After a long time, Wodehouse opened the carriage curtain, looked at the weather outside and said, "It's a nice day today."

Lu Shi sneered, and then said: "Mr. Roosevelt came to me and mentioned Standard Oil Company."

Wodehouse understood;

"trust?"

Lu Shi nodded seriously,

"Yes, Mr. President seems to be very concerned about this matter. He even asked me to give a way to restrict Rockefeller and Standard Oil. How do I understand this? I can only say a few words casually, just to deal with official business. .”

He laid out his three-step plan.

As Wodehouse stared at the landing,

What the hell is this called "asking the blind"?

If Lu Shi is considered "blind", then all the MPs in the Palace of Westminster can dig out their own eyes!

Wodehouse said: "Based on the strategy you gave, it's not too much for Rockefeller to hire someone to shoot you."

Lu Shi: "..."

"As for it?"

Wodehouse replied: "Not really."

Lu Shi let out a long breath,

"I'll just say it~"

Unexpectedly, Wodehouse said: "After what happened to former President McKinley, the risk of shooting is too high, and it is more feasible to throw it into a sack or tie it with stones and throw it into the sea. So, it is better to come back to London with me. The United States It’s too dangerous~”

Lu Shi's face darkened.

It turns out that the other party is waiting for me here.

Wodehouse blinked.

"Okay, no kidding. Although the three-step plan you mentioned is simple and simple, it still may not be easy to use. If you want to deal with Standard Oil, you have to have a reason, right?"

Lu Shi spread his hands and said, "Theodore Roosevelt is the President of the United States. Isn't it hard to find the reason?"

Wodehouse raised his eyebrows;

"How to say?"

The corner of Lu Shi's mouth curled up,

"Just keep an eye on it. Soon, monopoly lawsuits against Standard Oil will continue to mount."

Historically, Theodore also did this.

The so-called "blunt knife cuts flesh."

Wodehouse mused,

"Do you mean..."

Lu Shi chuckled,

"I don't mean anything, I'm just stating the facts. You have to know that Standard Oil is now the largest company in the world, accounting for 6% of the market value of all listed stocks in the United States. It cannot be justified without being sued."

Wodehouse was lost in thought;

a long time,

"Indeed. Although the United States is not as economically as the United Kingdom, 6% is still outrageous."

Lu Shi was speechless for a while and said: "Sir, don't put gold on Great Britain's face. In terms of economic scale, the United States has already caught up and surpassed it, and the stock market has also... um... By the way, I didn't trade in two stocks in the United States this time. It’s such a pity.”

Wodehouse rubbed his nose awkwardly;

"Let's continue with the topic just now. Even if they face a lawsuit, the Rockefellers can refuse to execute it, right?"

Lu Shi said: "That's not necessarily true. If Standard Oil is judged to be a monopoly, the company's stock price may be affected, and the shareholders' wealth may shrink. Who can watch their property shrink? What's more, the company's top management Managers may face legal liability and even be sentenced.”

When he said this, there was a hint of sinisterness in Lu Shi's tone.

Wodehouse shuddered,

Vaguely, he understood what Lu Shi was thinking.

"hiss……"

He gasped.

Lu Shi chuckled and said, "Look, as long as the number of lawsuits reaches a certain level, Standard Oil will inevitably declare bankruptcy."

The Rockefeller brothers did exactly that.

Two men were accused of being leaders of the Standard Oil Company, were found guilty and fined,

But their fines were never actually enforced because Standard Oil had declared bankruptcy and was unable to pay the fines.

Therefore, the final outcome is that the Rockefellers retreated, retained their assets, and then used various financial operations to make a comeback, becoming a giant again as a consortium. The monopoly was even worse than that of Standard Oil.

On the contrary, the middle-class assets that invested their money in the stock market were wasted.

Well, very American,

no,

It should be "Well, very Ming".

Wodehouse whispered: "When in contact with Mr. President, he always talks about 'the task of a generation'. I don't know if he can complete his task well."

Lu Shi was curious,

"Sir, why are you still worried about the United States?"

Wodehouse shook his head;

"I'm not worried about the United States. I'm just thinking that if Mr. President succeeds, Britain may be able to follow suit. You know, tobacco, salt production, bleaching and dyeing... In short, in London, trusts have emerged in many industries."

It turned out that I wanted to cross the river by feeling the eagle sauce.

After Lu Shi heard this, he felt that this world was too magical.

At this time, the carriage stopped.

The coachman's voice sounded: "Two gentlemen, here we are."

The two jumped out of the carriage and tipped the coachman to help carry their luggage onto the ship.

Lu Shi stretched and joked: "Sir, we're going back to London soon. Let's have a good meal before we leave."

When it came to food, Wodehouse fell into a depression.

Compared with the United States, the United Kingdom is indeed a food desert.

Just as he was about to respond to Lu Shi's suggestion, a white male about sixty years old suddenly walked from a distance.

Although he is old, his figure is as tall and straight as an iron tower, his eyes are resolute and deep, shining with tenacity and indestructible, as if all difficulties are not difficulties, and people dare not look directly at him easily.

A word popped into Lu Shi's and Wodehouse's minds at the same time -

Steel.

"Professor Lu? Sir Wodehouse?"

The man extended his right hand.

The two looked at each other,

Lu Shi shook hands with the other party and said, "Who are you?"

The man introduced himself: "My name is Andrew Carnegie, and I am an old man living in retirement."

Andrew Carnegie, born in Scotland, is a Scottish-American industrialist, philanthropist, and founder of the Carnegie Steel Company. He is known as the "Steel King" and the "Father of American Philanthropy" by the world.

Lu Shi was surprised,

"What does Mr. Carnegie want from us?"

Carnegie smiled and said, "You two, do you want to have lunch together?"

Naturally, Wodehouse would not refuse a meal.

He looked at Lu Shi,

"Lu, you decide."

Lu Shi pondered for a moment, nodded and said, "Then I'll trouble Mr. Carnegie."

The smile on Carnegie's face became even brighter,

"It's a great honor for me to be honored by both of you."

After saying that, he led the way, leading Shi Shi and Wodehouse along the port, and took them to the private yacht at a small boarding port.

Miraculously, there were no service staff on board.

A long table is placed there,

The table is piled with rich food,

Staple food, vegetarian food, seafood, soup, dessert, drink...

Everything is available.

Among them, the most eye-catching ones are all kinds of desserts. Cakes, cookies, puddings and other desserts are dazzling.

It can be seen that Carnegie is a connoisseur of desserts.

He said: "You two, please help yourself."

Lu Shi chuckled,

"Mr. Carnegie, you don't have sleeping tea or anything like that here, do you? Make me unconscious, then throw me into a sack, tie a stone and throw me into the sea."

Carnegie was stunned for a moment, then laughed loudly and said, "I have long heard that Professor Lu is a humorous person. I was lucky enough to meet him today, and I realized that those rumors are not as good as the reality. You are much funnier than the rumors say!"

He picked up the black teapot, poured himself a cup, and took a sip.

"Look, no problem."

As he said that, he pointed to the armchair next to him.

"You two are invited."

Lu Shi and Wodehouse took their seats.

Carnegie was in good spirits. He put on the gloves used for serving food and tore a chicken leg for Lu Shi. Then he said: "When it comes to food, Britain is really bad."

Lu Shi smiled and said, "You are of Scottish descent, so you must be very impressed by this."

Carnegie shrugged,

"My dislike of British food really does not come from living in the ancient capital of Dunfermline when I was young. At that time, our family's life was very difficult. Some of the food we ate were good, so how could we be picky about the taste? ?”

It was precisely because life was too difficult that Carnegie and his family came to New York Harbor on the east coast of the United States, and then to Pittsburgh.

The beginning of his immigrant life was also the beginning of his money-making experience.

Lu Shi asked: "Where does that bad feeling come from?"

Carnegie ate a piece of cake and sucked his fingers,

"In 1865, after I resigned, I returned to England and inspected the Iron and Steel Research Institute in London. During that time, I realized how terrible the food in my hometown was. Even if I had money, I couldn't buy the dishes I wanted."

Lu Shi laughed,

"But it was also at that time that you bought a patent for steel invented by the Doats brothers, and also bought a patent for the coke washing and reduction method."

Carnegie showed a shocked expression,

Indeed, in 1865, he co-founded the Carnegie Coleman Union Steel Works in Pennsylvania.

But why would a Chinese be so familiar with this kind of thing?

His eyes became serious,

"No wonder...no wonder Professor Lu is so favored by Mr. President."

Lu Shi asked the other party: "Mr. Carnegie, it seems that you also have some influence in the White House."

Carnegie waved his hand and said: "'Influence'... Professor Lu said it politely. Of course, it is normal for a capitalist like me to have influence in the White House. Sometimes, I can even control the president's decisions."

The tone is frank,

What he said was also frank and honest.

Lu Shi said: "That's why I'm worried that you will sink me into the sea."

Carnegie was amused again,

"Professor Lu, please stay in the United States! I can hire you as my consultant at a high salary."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wodehouse retorted: "Mr. Carnegie, it is better for Professor Lu to stay in academia and education. Otherwise, it will be a loss for all mankind."

Carnegie lowered his head and thought for a moment,

"Yeah, that's right. Professor Lu, are you interested in going to Pittsburgh? I have a school there."

He's talking about Carnegie Technical School,

In 1912, it was renamed Carnegie Mellon University.

Wodehouse's face darkened.

"you……"

Carnegie was puzzled;

"What's wrong? What's the problem, Jazz?"

Wodehouse couldn't explain it clearly, so he could only sulk and slap the steak on the plate harshly.

Lu Shi refused: "Mr. Carnegie, I have no plans to leave LSE for the time being. Moreover, Carnegie Technical School is an engineering school, so it is not suitable for me to go there."

As soon as these words came out, Wodehouse's expression immediately changed from gloomy to clear.

The action of cutting the steak becomes gentle.

Carnegie sighed,

"I also expected that Professor Lu would not agree."

He changed the topic and said, "Professor Lu just joked with me like that. You should be able to guess my purpose, right?"

Lu Shi nodded,

"You can probably guess it."

Although Carnegie Steel is not as complete a monopoly as Standard Oil, it is not far behind.

No one wants to see the industry they built dismantled.

Carnegie said: "So, does Professor Lu have any solution?"

Lu Shi was curious,

"Even if you ask me how to do it, you still...uh..."

For a moment, he couldn't find the right words.

Carnegie thought that Lu Shi did not recognize his strength, so he sat up straight and said solemnly: "Professor Lu, it's the same sentence: It's normal for a capitalist like me to have influence in the White House."