save the bachelors

Chapter 4242 [Betting Everything]

By checking the information, Xiang Nan also understood why Rose disliked Carl so much but still wanted to get engaged and married him.

  It turns out that in the late 19th century and early 20th century, with the outbreak of the Second Industrial Revolution, wealth gradually moved to the emerging bourgeoisie and emerging capitalist countries.

For example, the heroine Rose's fiancé, Carl Hockley, comes from a steel mill in the United States.

Traditional European aristocrats still made a living by collecting rent, but the land on which they depended was gradually losing its value, resulting in a massive loss of wealth.

In addition, inheritance tax in Europe is also very high, for example, in the UK, inheritance tax is as high as 40%. Therefore, if you inherit a million-dollar fortune, you will have to pay 400,000 in inheritance tax alone.

But be aware that inherited wealth is mostly land, real estate, etc., which may not be convertible into cash. And even if it is worth millions, once it is converted into cash, it is likely that you will not get back half of it.

In the movie, Rose's father has passed away. Even if he left behind some wealth, there may be nothing left after paying the inheritance tax.

So at that time, she and her mother were probably penniless except for their hereditary noble titles.

In order to elevate their status, the emerging bourgeoisie often chose to marry into the nobility. One side provided money, the other side provided titles, and they hit it off.

After all, it can be seen in the movie that although the old aristocrats have no money, they still maintain an arrogant, distant and contemptuous attitude towards the emerging bourgeoisie.

For example, Rose's mother looked down on Mrs. Margaret Brown, who made her fortune by gold mining, and thought she was just a vulgar, rude and impolite upstart. She didn't even want to talk to her.

It was for this reason that Carl Hockley married Rose DeWitt Bookett, so that his family would also have a noble title and bloodline.

The well-known British TV series "Downton Abbey" is set in the same era as "Titanic" and depicts the life of the British upper class at that time in a more comprehensive way.

The owner of the manor, Robert Crawley, married Clara, the daughter of an American steel tycoon, and used her generous dowry to support the operation of Downton Abbey.

Downton Abbey's original industry was the farmland near the manor, which relied on renting. However, despite this, renting still could not meet the needs of the manor's operation.

That's why the eldest son-in-law Matthew Crowley discussed with Robert about building a factory and carrying out reforms...

……

After making some preparations, Xiang Nan immediately clicked on the task bar and officially took over Jack Dawson's task.

A door of light appeared out of thin air, and Xiang Nan stepped into it.

“My name is Jack Dawson. I was born in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, USA. After my parents died when I was fifteen, I started to travel around the world.

I have fished on a fishing boat in Montreal, painted portraits on the Santa Monica Pier, worked as a bartender in a New York bar, carried luggage at a station in Paris, and set up a stall at a flea market in London...

I like this kind of wandering life, which allows me to see different scenery and enjoy different lives every day..."

A memory flooded into Xiang Nan's mind, and then he opened his eyes.

"Hey, what are you doing? Have you thought it through? Do you want to continue?" A ferocious-looking man stared at Xiang Nan unhappily.

Xiang Nan was stunned for a moment, then came to his senses.

He is currently playing cards with his friend Fabrizio at the Harbour Bar in Southampton.

Each of them staked everything on this gamble.

The two people on the opposite side even bet on third-class tickets for the Titanic.

At that time, it was like putting one's own future on the line.

  Because the U.S. economy was changing with each passing day and full of vitality,

From 1891 to 1910, in the twenty years, the per capita real GDP growth rate in the United States reached 40%, with an average annual growth rate of more than 2%.

In contrast, economic development in continental Europe in the early 20th century generally stagnated. For example, in the United Kingdom, from 1891 to 1910, the growth rate of real GDP per capita was only 15%, with an average annual growth rate of less than 0.75%.

The rapidly growing American economy, on the one hand, requires a large number of immigrants to work in factories, and on the other hand, it also brings unlimited business opportunities to immigrants.

At that time, many people seized the opportunity, immigrated to the United States, received rich rewards, and realized their dreams of getting rich.

Therefore, inspired by these successful people, more and more immigrants choose to go to the United States.

This is also the reason why the White Star Line was willing to invest huge amounts of money to build the Titanic.

……

"Of course I've thought about it. All in!" Xiang Nan took a look at the cards in his hand, then pushed all the money out.

"Jack, if we lose, we will be out of money." Fabrizio reminded quickly upon seeing this.

Fabrizio is Italian. He and Jack met on the streets of London. They set up stalls together, carried goods, drank and smoked together, and they are good friends.

"Don't worry, when we have nothing, it means we are free from constraints." Xiang Nan said with a smile.

"You idiot, you actually put our subpoenas at stake." Seeing Xiang Nan's confident look, the villain opposite shouted at his partner.

"Don't worry, he can't win." His partner still said stubbornly.

"Okay, let's open the cards. Some people's lives are about to change." Xiang Nan said with a smile, "Fabrizio~"

"I have nothing." Fabrizio threw away the cards in his hand in frustration.

They were playing stud poker, and according to the rules, a straight flush is greater than four of a kind, greater than a full house, greater than a flush, greater than a straight, greater than three of a kind, greater than two pairs, greater than one pair, and greater than any other hand.

Fabrizio had a hand of mixed cards, without a single pair.

"Olaf~" Xiang Nan looked at the villain opposite.

The villain also threw away the cards in his hand with a helpless look on his face. He also got a hand of miscellaneous cards.

"Civile~" Xiang Nan looked at the villain's companion again.

The villain's partner smiled slightly and proudly spread out the cards in his hand, which were exactly two pairs.

"Yeah!" Olaf was overjoyed when he saw it.

Fabrizio looked frustrated.

Two pairs are already big cards in Stud Poker. The probability of getting hands like three of a kind, straight, flush, full house, four of a kind, and straight flush is really low.

"Jack~" He looked at Xiang Nan angrily. If it weren't for him, he wouldn't have been impulsive and bet all his chips.

"Fabrizio, I'm sorry~" Xiang Nan shook his head at him.

"I'm not sorry, fuck you, we bet all our money and we have nothing left." Fabrizio couldn't help but shout.

Olaf and Sven looked gloating when they saw this.

At this moment, Xiang Nan spread out his cards and said, "I mean, you have to say goodbye to your mother because we are going to America."

"Full House?! Oh my god!" As soon as Fabrizio saw Xiang Nan's cards, he jumped up on the spot excitedly.