America's Road to Wealth

Chapter 77
Q: "Who is the most powerful in America?"

There will be many answers.

Some would say it was Wall Street, others would say it was Ayu who controls the media.

Some people say it's those consortiums, or those blue-blood clans.

But some people will say that it is the military-industrial complex.

In fact, these answers are both right and wrong.

Because to be precise, these forces mentioned above.

They can be transformed into each other, and they are all deeply involved. There is me in you and you in me.

If you copy the Nine Clans, it is estimated that you can catch them all in one go.

But there is no doubt that this country is the most combative.

Or the military-industrial complex, and the military it tamed.

Because of the Civil War that year.

In fact, the southern part of the Federation has always been suppressed in terms of military affairs.

Several backbone states of the Southern Federation at that time have not seen any powerful bosses for so many years.

After entering modern times, this situation is much better.

Since then, several Zhengzhi clans have emerged in Texas.

The most powerful one is without a doubt the family of the candidate for the leadership of the Xiang Party.

Abel even got to know each other.

Because Abe's grandfather, Alex, was one of the opponent's supporters during the revival of the Texas Rangers baseball team in the 90s.

A little share of the Smiths' Rangers baseball team, that's when it came.

Abel's grandfather, who is now nearly 80 years old, has always lived in Houston.

When Abel Yuan was a child, at his grandfather's house, he also received a Rangers baseball cap from him.

Abel is also speculating, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.

The reason why he didn't issue a search warrant against his company was that he didn't find any evidence.

And beyond Caroline's relationship with Mellon.

It might also be related here.

After all, his family was an old Dixie family with roots.

70 years ago, the family of the current party leader candidate.

That's probably all.

It's just that the candidate's family has produced a genius.

Then all of a sudden he got up and climbed to the top of the country.

All in all, Abel is not without roots.

Thinking like this, I thought about it wildly.

Abel smiled and said to Edward and Plimpton:
"Notify you in advance. You just need to be prepared."

"When it's settled, you can bring people to move there."

"Of course. If someone doesn't want to go there, that's okay. You can resign directly."

Seeing the two nodding, Abel stood up directly and said, "Then this matter is decided like this."

While speaking, he walked out of the office.

Edward and Plimpton followed.

"Edward, you have one more day off. Today is still your day off. I'm sorry to waste your morning."

"You don't have to follow me now, just continue to work normally tomorrow."

Edward nodded and said, "Okay, boss, I understand."

There are four personal bodyguards for Abel.

Generally speaking, these four people will have two to three days off a month.

Take turns.

Once Abel leaves New York and wants to go out.

All four people must keep up, and go to the back row on rest days.

And behind these four people, there are several other bodyguards as preparation and logistics staff.

It can be said that in terms of personal safety, he is really cautious and cautious.

Being cautious to this extent can really put him in a dangerous situation.

Probably only natural disasters and accidents, and the means from the government or those behemoths.

Leaving Rock Security, Abe didn't return to Manhattan right away.

He went to a property he had just bought.

It is a property on the side of the coastline of Manhattan in Queens, about 1 km away from the Kaufman Building.

It was originally a medium-sized shopping mall, with an underground parking lot and an outdoor parking lot, which are relatively large in the New York area.

Abel bought it last month.

I plan to renovate and move Smith Capital directly here.

Compared with the central location of Manhattan, which is full of high-rise buildings, Queens is actually close to the East Hudson River, which is the entire coastline across the sea from Manhattan.

It is also full of high-rise buildings, and the CBD of Queens is here.

Just separated by a big river, the housing prices here are more than 30% cheaper than those in Manhattan on average.

It is not far from the company's new address from Rock Security, and it is now around ten o'clock in the morning.

The time of the traffic jam during the rush hour has passed, and it only took about ten minutes by car.

When Abel arrived, he found an otherwise well-decorated mall area.

It has become a small construction site.

The whole building is covered with scaffolding, and the outdoor parking lot with a decent size is also used to store decoration materials.

Seeing all this mess, he gave up the idea of ​​going in to see the situation.

I just took a look outside and asked the driver Dex to drive around.

Then he left without disturbing Melio's work inside.

Then he returned to Manhattan.

Woolworth Building,

Smith Capital.

In the chairman's meeting room, Abel saw Charlie Schaff, whom he hadn't seen for many days.

Charlie Schaaf, a Russian-American in his forties, is the CFO, or chief financial officer, of Merrill Lynch.

Bank of Merrill Lynch is a world-renowned securities retailer and investment bank.

One of the middlemen of Smith Capital in the stock market, foreign exchange market, and futures market, this behemoth is on the list.

The last time Abel met Charlie Schaff was at a Hilton family banquet.

And today is the second meeting between the two.

The purpose of Charlie Schaff's coming here this time is very straightforward.

In the small parlor,

Charlie Scharf cut to the chase:

"Mr. Smith, I'm here this time.

I heard that Smith Capital has launched its first private placement. "

"It just so happens that Merrill Lynch currently has a considerable amount of trust assets, and I'm wondering how to make an arrangement for it."

"The recent capital market is very bad. We hope to entrust this fund to an excellent investor to manage this asset."

"Merrill Lynch has been following Mr. Smith for more than five months, and we think you are the manager Merrill Lynch is looking for."

As the CFO of Merrill Lynch, Charlie Schaff said this.

If those Merrill Lynch investors see it, they will be very surprised.

Merrill Lynch itself is one of the largest securities retailers and investment banks in the world.

Investment and asset management are Merrill Lynch's strengths.

As a result, Merrill Lynch now wants customers' money.

Taking it to another company as a trustee for investment will bring Merrill Lynch's reputation a bit.

If it forms a point of public opinion, it will be brought to the media.

May trigger a decline in Merrill Lynch stock.

But capital, it doesn't really care about these.

It only considers value-added value-added value-added value.

As long as someone can make it multiply, and multiply faster.

Merrill didn't mind the loss of reputation, and neither did most Wall Street titans.

These behemoths, in many cases, actually do nothing more than pool the money of retail investors.

Then give the money to those managers who can make money.

In the end, they take some commissions, and most of the profits they earn are mainly these commissions.

Like Buffett, among his investors.

There is no shortage of giants such as Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs.

Every time Berkshire Hathaway initiates a private equity share, the happiest grabbers are often these giants.

As long as it is guaranteed, or can be observed to be profitable.

Then these giants are willing to take risks and give their money to others for investment.

All in all, being able to make money is what matters.

In the face of Charlie Scharf's slightly flattering attitude,

Abel asked succinctly, "How many?"

Charlie Schaff hesitated for a moment, and then said: "8 million dollars."

"Too much."

Abel shook his head and said, "I'm not saying you have too much money.

It means that the [-] million US dollars accounted for too much of my private equity share this time. "

"This private placement, Smith Capital's goal, my original plan was only one billion dollars."

"Things changed later, and I intend to expand that number to $30 billion."

"But I'm sorry, before you come, Mr. Scharf."

"Mr. John Reid and Mr. Bree Breen, as well as the Bank of New York, Mellon Financial Corporation and other companies, have subscribed for a share of 19 billion U.S. dollars."

Looking at Charlie Schaff who was a little surprised, Abel shrugged and said:
"So if Merrill Lynch wants to subscribe, the share can only be less than US$[-] million."

"Because there are still many gentlemen who want to subscribe for shares."

(End of this chapter)