Shortly after Timmy left, Chief Secretary Frost pushed the door open and walked in.
He held several newspapers that had just been delivered, his expression still somewhat grave.
The aftermath of Old Morgan's one-million-dollar political poisoning was still festering in the political circles of Washington.
"Boss."
Frost walked over to the desk and set down the newspapers.
"President Ulysses S. Grant's speaking tour has reached Ohio, and our newspapers are still building momentum for him according to the original plan. But..."
Frost paused for a moment.
"According to news sent back by Flynn, although Grant is currently biding his time, he has secretly instructed his aides to start collecting data on the Argyle Family's market monopolies in various states. It looks like he is determined to cause trouble for the family after his re-election."
Felix leaned back in his chair, glanced casually at the newspapers on the desk, and let out a cold laugh.
"Bullshit Grant, let him collect it. What else can these politicians do besides drawing charts on paper?"
"But Boss, this can't go on."
Frost suggested with some concern.
"Should we send a heavyweight representative to Washington? To meet with Grant privately. Even if we don't directly explain the one million dollars, we should at least make a gesture to ease relations. If we completely fall out politically, it will be very troublesome once Congress passes a bill targeting us."
"Bow down?"
Felix's eyes turned dangerous in an instant as he stared at Frost.
"Edward. You've been with me for so long, do you still not understand the underlying logic of that power game in Washington?"
Felix stood up, bracing both hands on the desktop.
"At the political poker table, explaining is equivalent to covering up. Compromising is equivalent to weakness. If I send someone to bow down and explain to Grant now, not only will he not believe it, but he will also think I have a guilty conscience. He will think the Argyle Family is afraid of the power of The White House. Once he has this delusion, he will latch onto us like a leech, demanding more political contributions, or even forcing me to hand over some core assets in exchange for peace."
"I, Felix Argyle, absolutely cannot bow down to a drunkard who can only sit securely in The White House because of my money and newspapers!"
Felix's tone was filled with arrogance and domineering spirit.
This was the confidence of an oligarch.
Frost was shaken by Felix's aura, but he remained rational.
"But Boss. What if, after Grant is re-elected, he really forces through a bill targeting us? The president's executive power is there, after all."
"Heh... Can he actually push it through?"
Felix interrupted Frost with extreme confidence.
Then he walked around the desk, pacing slowly in the office, and began to analyze the cumbersome and loophole-filled political system of checks and balances in America.
"Edward, you overestimate the president's power a bit too much. This is America, not the Winter Palace of the Russian Tsar. Any bill targeting big capital, or any substantive sanction bill, must go through long debates and votes in the Senate and the House of Representatives."
A calculating smile curled at the corners of Felix's mouth.
"Even if Grant really went crazy and had his cronies introduce a bill in the House of Representatives, do you think the bill could successfully pass the Senate?"
Frost paused for a moment, the power structure of Washington flashing quickly through his mind.
Suddenly, he remembered the man they had deliberately kept a low profile, but who occupied the second-most powerful throne in America.
"You mean... the vice president?"
Frost asked tentatively.
"That's right." Felix stopped in his tracks.
Thomas Clark.
The current vice president of the United States of America.
Anna's father, Caesar's grandfather, his—Felix Argyle'—cheap father-in-law.
Although this vice president's administrative power in The White House had been largely hollowed out by Grant, in the constitutional framework of America, the vice president held an extremely critical concurrent position.
That was, President of the Senate!
"Thomas is the nominal supreme ruler of the Senate." Felix sneered repeatedly and walked back to sit in his leather chair.
"As long as Thomas is there, any bill Grant has against us, once it enters the doors of the Senate, Thomas can use his power as the presiding officer to indefinitely shelve its debate schedule. He can even arrange for the legislators we fund to engage in endless filibustering inside."
"Grant wants to use Congress to sanction me? I don't think he can even cross the first threshold. Unless he dares to launch an armed coup on Capitol Hill, he can only watch helplessly as those anti-monopoly bills gather dust in the filing cabinets."
The previous matter regarding the civil servant fund was only successful because both he and Thomas supported it.
Even then, Grant was still constantly being criticized by the Democratic Party.
Upon hearing this, Frost breathed a total sigh of relief.
He finally realized what a far-reaching and fatal move it was that his boss had spared no effort to push Thomas Clark onto the throne of the vice president.
"I understand, Boss. With the vice president as our political shield in the Senate, Grant's anger is indeed nothing to fear."
Frost said with genuine admiration.
"A politician's anger is the cheapest thing there is."
Felix picked up his water glass and took a sip.
"Don't worry about Grant's paranoia; just continue to have the newspapers build momentum for him. Once he is successfully re-elected, and once the retirement fund is fully established, he won't dare to do anything to us by then. Because by that time, we will be tied to the entire treasury of America. To touch us is to touch the money bag of the entire country."
"As for the Democratic Party," Felix put down his glass.
"Since Old Morgan paid that one million in sponsorship fees for us, it would be too much of a loss not to take advantage of it. Have Flynn keep an eye on where that money goes in Washington. If the Democratic Party can really elect a few decent people and take a few more seats in Congress, that's a good thing for us. The harder the two parties bite each other, the less energy Washington will have to manage our commercial expansion at the local level."
"Understood, I will instruct Flynn." Frost gathered the newspapers.
"Are there any other arrangements for today, Boss? Hamilton from Federal Realty just called to ask about the site approval for those three hospitals."
"Have Hamilton contact Catherine directly to coordinate on this matter; she is responsible for all matters regarding medical care and education."
Felix glanced at the wall clock; it was already past four in the afternoon.
The high-intensity mental maneuvering over the past few days had kept his nerves in a state of tension.
Business assassinations, political calculations.
It seems he needs a change of environment to let his brain relax a bit more.
"Alright, work for today ends here."
Felix stood up and walked over to the coat rack, taking down the finely textured black overcoat and putting it on.
"Prepare the car," he said to Frost after putting on his top hat.
"Back to the Long Island estate, Boss?"
"Hmm... No."
Faces full of Oriental charm appeared in Felix's mind.
"Go to the villa on Fifth Avenue where the Chinese guests are staying."
A casual smile curled at the corners of Felix's mouth.
The other day was just a rough test, but today he intended to go and inspect the new territory properly.
The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the streets of Manhattan golden.
A black carriage, extremely understated yet fitted with bulletproof steel plating, was pulled by two tall horses as it smoothly entered the quiet neighborhood beside Fifth Avenue.
The carriage stopped in front of the white, Vienna-style villa in the middle of the block.
The security personnel guarding the wrought-iron gate immediately stepped forward and deftly opened the carriage door.
Felix stepped down onto the carriage footboard and casually handed his top hat to the maid who came to greet him.
Inside the villa's living room, the massive crystal chandelier had already been lit, illuminating the entire space as if it were broad daylight.
When Felix pushed open the heavy oak front door and walked in, the faint murmurs of conversation that had been in the living room vanished instantly.
Seven women were gathered in the sofa area of the living room.
Seeing Felix appear suddenly, everyone except Hu Mei, who maintained a relatively composed posture, stood up involuntarily, their eyes filled with nervousness and awe.
Felix took off his overcoat, tossed it onto the back of the sofa, and walked straight to the main seat to sit down.
His gaze swept casually over the group of women.
After several days of rest and adjustment, they looked much better than before. Although they were still wearing those oriental silk garments, the fatigue on their faces had vanished.
Felix's gaze finally landed on Su Ying.
The girl who had endured the storm over the past few days was currently standing behind her mother, Hu Mei, with her eyes lowered.
Her complexion was still somewhat pale, and she even trembled slightly the moment she made contact with Felix's gaze.
Felix did not go to comfort her.
Here, he did not need to play the role of a considerate lover.
"Everyone, sit."
Felix said casually in English.
The women then cautiously sat back down.
"It seems you have adapted well to the new environment here." Felix leaned back on the sofa, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.
"The people Hamilton arranged are quite conscientious. Are you getting used to the food the chef makes?"
Liu Wanqing, being the one in the group with the best English and the most adept at reading the room, immediately took the lead.
"Mr. Argyle, everything here has been arranged very properly. The chef has tried their best to prepare some light meals, and we are very grateful for your care."
Liu Wanqing's tone was neither humble nor arrogant.
She knew deep down that acting too cowardly in front of this man would not earn her respect; she had to demonstrate her own value.
"There is no need for gratitude." Felix looked at Liu Wanqing.
"You are called Wan Qing, right? I heard you are the daughter of a salt merchant?"
"Yes, sir."
"In this country, nothing is given for free. Since you have moved into this villa, you should understand the rules here."
"I do not care what your status was in China. Whether you were a noble official's daughter or the descendant of a disgraced official, here, you have only one identity: you are my women. Your food, clothing, expenses, and even your safety on this continent are provided by me."
Felix's words were very direct, one could even say crude.
He wanted to completely shatter those unrealistic oriental fantasies in their hearts right from the beginning.
"Of course... if you perform well, I will give you a life of luxury beyond your imagination. But if anyone wants to stir up trouble here or tries to challenge my bottom line, I would not mind having the security team throw her back to the docks of San Francisco to wash clothes for those Irish coolies."
Hearing this warning, Liu Wanqing and the others felt a layer of cold sweat break out on their backs.
Yun Yan and Yun Meng were so frightened they pressed tightly against each other.
As for Amur, she bit her lip, a flash of defiance in her eyes, but in the end, she lowered her head.
Although Hu Mei did not understand the full extent of the conversation, from the expressions of the five women and Felix's tone, she had completely understood what this man meant.
She tugged on her daughter Su Ying's sleeve, signaling that she must show absolute submission.
"We understand your rules, sir." Liu Wanqing spoke on behalf of everyone, "We will behave ourselves."
Felix nodded with satisfaction.
Having dealt the warning, it was only natural to offer a little sweetness.
"That is good." Felix stood up.
"Is dinner ready? I intend to stay here for dinner today."
Liu Wanqing nodded immediately: "Aunt Shen Yue went to the kitchen this afternoon to instruct the chef, and they have prepared some dishes with an oriental flavor. If you do not mind..."
"I am not a picky eater."
Felix interrupted her and walked toward the dining room.
To be honest, it had been quite a while since he had eaten food like that.
In the dining room, the long table was laden with a sumptuous meal. Although the utensils were still Western-style knives and forks, the taste of the dishes did indeed have some of the refinement of the Jiangnan water towns.
The atmosphere of this dinner was a bit livelier than it had been in previous days.
After confirming that Felix was in a good mood today, Liu Wanqing began to grow bold, using her accented English to introduce the customs and traditions of China to Felix.
Felix ate while occasionally responding with a few words.
However, his gaze was secretly observing the subtle movements of these women.
Although Hu Mei could not understand, she was very clever.
She did not try to steal the spotlight; she simply watched Felix's wine glass silently. Whenever Felix's glass was empty, she would always, before the maid could step forward, pick up the wine bottle in an extremely natural manner and pour wine for Felix with an extremely elegant and mature grace.
She was using this silent service to assert her presence.
As for that Western Regions girl, Amur, although she tried her best to remain quiet, her movements while eating meat were clearly much more uninhibited than those of the other Southern girls.
After the meal was finished, Felix had more or less figured out the personalities of these women.
The butler brought out the after-dinner black tea.
Felix held his teacup, his gaze suddenly turning to the tall man standing in the corner of the dining room.
Batu.
This Western Regions man who had been as silent as an invisible person from beginning to end.
"I heard your name is Batu?" Felix set down his teacup and asked in English.
Liu Wanqing translated quickly.
Batu stepped forward. He did not kneel like the people of the Qing Empire, but instead placed his right hand over his chest and performed a Western Regions greeting. His wolf-like eyes stared directly at Felix without any evasion.
"Yes, Boss, I am Batu."
Batu replied in extremely stiff English; these were a few words he had memorized through rote learning over the past few days.
"You are a warrior?"
Felix looked at the muscles that were almost bursting through his clothes, as well as the thick calluses on his hands.
After Liu Wanqing translated, Batu nodded.
"Back in China, I was a slave. I was also the most ruthless enforcer."
Batu's tone revealed a ferocity that was deep in his bones.
Felix smiled.
He liked this kind of guy who did not hide his wild nature.
"Very good. I do not keep idlers in my factories. Tomorrow, I will have Hamilton take you to the Brooklyn branch of Lex Steel. Go report to the security team there."
Felix stared into Batu's eyes.
"The workers there have very short tempers. If you can use your fists to make them obediently follow orders, you will be qualified to stay in my security system. If you cannot, then pack your bags and get out."
Hearing this, Amur nervously gripped the armrest of her chair.
She knew this was her brother's only chance.
After hearing the translation, Batu did not hesitate at all, nor did he say any words of thanks. He simply hammered his chest forcefully.
"I will crush their bones, Boss."
This sentence, filled with the scent of blood, made the few Jiangnan girls in the dining room gasp in fright.
But Felix laughed out loud.
"I look forward to your performance, but learn English as soon as possible."
The night grew deeper, and the wind outside the villa gradually picked up.
Felix stood up and swept his gaze over the seven women sitting at the dining table.
"It is getting late; everyone go back to your rooms to rest."
His gaze lingered briefly on Liu Wanqing and Hu Mei.
Finally, he turned around and walked toward the hallway on the second floor.
The seven women left on the first floor looked at each other.
Their heartbeats accelerated once more; a silent competition quietly unfolded within their exchanged glances.
Tonight, whose door would this tyrant push open?
The hot water in the brass bathtub released thick steam.
Felix leaned against the edge of the tub, letting the scalding water wash away the fatigue that had been tightening his muscles for days. He held a glass of single malt whiskey in his hand, the ice cubes clinking crisply against the glass.
After his bath, Felix put on a silk robe and walked barefoot into the adjoining private study, throwing himself into a large armchair.
The electric lights were on in the study, and the fire in the fireplace was dancing.
Felix contentedly lit a cigar and took a puff, the smoke swirling in the darkness. His mind was replaying today's conversation with Frost.
In the office, he had told Frost that the president's power wasn't that great.
That rhetoric was, in the end, meant to stabilize morale.
As the helmsman of a business empire, he absolutely could not show any fear of political power in front of his subordinates.
But at this moment, in this study where he was alone, Felix's gaze became cold and clear-headed.
"That drunkard Ulysses holds power that is not so simple," Felix calculated to himself.
The president of America certainly couldn't confiscate a businessman's property with a single word like the Russian Tsar, but if Grant was truly determined to suppress the Argyle Family, the cards in his hand were still lethal enough.
The Department of Justice could launch endless antitrust investigations, the Department of the Treasury could block the Imperial Bank's federal settlement channels, and the Department of the Interior could cancel those Western railway land Grants at any time.
Although the Department of the Treasury and the Department of the Interior might not listen to Grant completely, no one could stop him if he was determined to act alone.
As long as Grant could "unite" enough opposition lawmakers in Congress, the Argyle Family would fall into an endless political quagmire.
"Take him down directly?"
Felix exhaled smoke, this extremely tempting idea flashing through his mind.
Let Grant lose in this election year, then use the power of capital to push his own father-in-law, the current vice president Thomas Clark, directly onto the presidential throne.
In this way, The White House would completely become the back garden of the Argyle Family.
But he quickly dismissed this plan.
It was too hasty.
It would look too ugly and provoke a backlash.
Although Thomas was currently the vice president, his foundation within the Republican Party was not yet enough to directly replace Grant, the hero of the Civil War.
If he forcibly threw money around to pull Grant down, it would inevitably trigger a serious split within the Republican Party.
Those generals and Northern veterans who followed Grant would regard the Argyle Family as traitors, and such friction would be detrimental to his current overall plan of integrating the national railway network.
"Forget it, let that old thing serve for another four years." Felix flicked the ash from his cigar.
"Wait until he finishes these two terms. By that time, his aura in the hearts of the public will have long been exhausted by the corruption in his cabinet. And Thomas's accumulated prestige in the Senate, along with my financial support, will be enough to give him an overwhelming advantage within the party. It would be most secure to let him enter The White House in a logical and natural way then."
As for the tricks Grant might pull in these four years, Felix really wasn't that worried.
If Grant wanted to cause trouble in Congress, he would first have to ask those lawmakers in Congress if they agreed.
In these past few years, Anna hadn't been idle in Washington.
That shrewd woman, under the banner of the Clark Family and using the funds of the Argyle Family, had long ago woven an extremely vast web of interests using railway stocks, inside information, and direct political contributions.
Throughout Capitol Hill, whether in the Senate or the House of Representatives, at least half of those Republican lawmakers had their ledgers bound to the Imperial Bank.
"Want to bite me? I'm afraid your teeth will be smashed by those lawmakers."
Felix sneered and crushed the cigar in his hand into the ashtray.
Political calculations were always a headache, and they were full of compromise and waiting.
Felix decided not to think about these annoying matters anymore.
He stood up and walked to the door of the study.
Now was the time to enjoy the privileges of a capitalist; it was all about having fun first.
He pushed the door open, and the hallway was quiet.
Felix's gaze swept over the several closed guest room doors.
Su Ying's room was at the far east end, and Felix did not walk in that direction.
For the past few days, he had been continuously demanding from that fragile girl, and that young lady from the Qing Dynasty clearly hadn't fully adapted to his American-style violent rhythm.
When he left this morning, Su Ying still didn't even have the strength to get out of bed.
Felix was a businessman who valued sustainable utilization, so he didn't plan to wear her out again tonight.
He walked to Liu Wanqing's door and paused for a moment.
A faint light shone from under the crack of the door; clearly, that smart salt merchant's daughter hadn't gone to sleep yet.
Felix knew Liu Wanqing was waiting for him.
That woman treated everything as a transaction; she was eager to prove her value in bed in order to gain a say in this villa.
So, Felix simply turned and left.
"The more shrewd a woman is, and the more she wants to climb up, the more she needs to be left to cool off. Only by polishing away that merchant's calculation on her can she recognize who the master here is."
Felix's footsteps finally stopped in front of a door in the middle.
This was Yun Yan's room.
That twin sister from Jiangnan who was always like a frightened rabbit.
Felix didn't knock; he directly gripped the brass handle, turned it, and pushed the door open to walk in.
Yun Yan was sitting in front of the vanity, holding a wooden comb in her hand.
Hearing the door open, she turned around as if electrocuted, and the wooden comb in her hand dropped directly onto the thick carpet.
She was completely unprepared.
For the past few days, every time Felix came, he went directly to Su Ying's room.
She thought tonight would be the same.
"Mr.... Mr. Argyle..."
Yun Yan stammered these words in English, her face instantly turning somewhat pale.
Felix locked the door behind him and walked toward her with an extremely relaxed gait.
"Don't be nervous."
Felix walked up to her, his tone very light.
For this kind of Jiangnan woman made of water, one couldn't be that rough.
He reached out and gently pinched Yun Yan's chin to make her look up. Her eyes were filled with helplessness and panic, looking exactly like a little deer ready to run away at any moment.
A smile curled at the corners of Felix's mouth.
He lowered his head directly and gently kissed her on the forehead.
Yun Yan stiffened, closing her eyes tightly.
Felix took the opportunity to wrap his arms around her slender waist, pulled her up from the chair in front of the vanity, and brought her directly into his broad embrace.
His palms pressed against the thin silk nightgown, feeling the trembling of her body, and he began to grope her.
Where had Yun Yan ever experienced such a scene?
A girl who grew up under the traditional dogmas of the East, faced with such straightforward and highly aggressive teasing, saw her defenses crumble extremely quickly.
In less than a few minutes, her originally somewhat pale cheeks flushed with an extremely vivid crimson.
Her breathing became rapid, and her body went limp in Felix's arms; those eyes that had just been full of fear were now shimmering, revealing a passionate gaze.
Felix looked at this perfect work of art in his arms, and the desire in his eyes burned completely.
He lowered his head and kissed her slightly parted lips directly.
This was an extremely aggressive wet kiss; Felix's tongue mercilessly pried open her teeth, plundering her breath.
Yun Yan let out a weak whimper, her hands grabbing weakly at the edge of Felix's robe.
While greedily kissing her, Felix roughly tore open the annoying silk nightgown on her body.
The slight sound of fabric tearing seemed particularly harsh in the quiet room.
Her fair skin was exposed to the dim light.
Felix was just preparing to pick her up and throw her onto the large bed to proceed to the next substantive action.
Just at this moment.