Chapter 20: Andre's Arrangement

Driving at full speed, Zhou Ming and Caitlyn returned to Harrogate at 8:30 in the morning, just in time for the morning meeting.

'This TGV train is really fast. I can't believe that we were in Paris one minute ago and we're back in Harburg an hour and a half later!' Caitlin exclaimed.

'Yes! The most intuitive feeling about this high-speed train is that it is fast and convenient. If Harrodsburg was not a distance from the city centre and we needed to drive ourselves, I'm afraid we could have saved even more time,' said Ming Zhou.

Compared to the Kaitlyn, Zhou Ming's feelings about the high-speed railway are even greater. After all, he knows very well that in another twenty years, the future development of the Chinese high-speed railway will become the best in the world. He still remembers that he was still living in Linyang with his mother at the time, but often had to go to the provincial capital, Tanzhou. The high-speed railway took just 40 minutes, which was about the same as the commute time on the subway in a first-tier city.

Of course, the high-speed rail fare is undoubtedly very expensive, but at that time, in order to take care of my mother, who had already gone blind, I still insisted on living at home in Linyang for nearly half a month. Fortunately, my work had improved at that time, and I had reached the position of deputy sales director. I had a certain amount of travel allowance, and my salary and bonuses were very considerable. Otherwise, I really couldn't afford the high-speed rail fare back and forth.

Zhou Ming and Caitlyn's car pulled up to the entrance of Harrods, but they were stopped again. Zhou Ming rolled down the window and saw it was the same security guard from yesterday. Zhou Ming laughed, 'What? Do we still need to show an invitation today?'

Faced with this question, the security guard's face turned a bright red, obviously embarrassed by the topic.

Seeing his reaction, Zhou Ming had to sigh and say on his behalf, 'Friend, was it because of what happened yesterday that you were reprimanded by your superior? You're not willing to let me in like this today, and you're always trying to make things difficult for us, aren't you?'

'Of course not! Do you think I'm as dirty-minded as you are?' the security guard angrily said.

Zhou Ming shook his head helplessly. He had obviously confessed without realising it: 'Look, my friend, I have 10,000 francs here. How about I give it to you as compensation for what happened yesterday?

Seeing the stack of banknotes that Zhou Ming took out, the security guard immediately went wide-eyed, unable to believe it: 'Is this...really for me? Why would you be so kind? You can't be up to something else, can you? I'll tell you, I definitely won't betray any Harburg interests!'

Zhou Ming couldn't help but feel a little amused as he listened to the security guard's righteous declaration, so he said, 'Of course, I believe that, and I don't have any ulterior motives either. I just don't want you to keep trying to stop my car, that's all. As for money, believe it or not, I don't lack it.'

Zhou Ming said, and then took out 10,000 francs and said to him, 'You and your friends must have worked very hard for the safety of Harburg. In addition, this 10,000 francs, you and your friends can use it to buy more wine to drink. Just consider it as if I had already paid for you in advance.'

Upon hearing Zhou Ming's words, without waiting for the security guard to speak, his colleague behind him couldn't help but come forward and bow, saying, 'Sir, you are really very generous. We will pray to God to bless you, and I promise that the gates of Harburg will always be open to you in the future!'

Just kidding, you know no one wants to mess with money. These security guards are not particularly loyal to the Harburg family or Andre. Now someone has suddenly offered to pay them several months' bonus, and they're not being asked to do anything. They would be damned if they didn't take it.

Zhou Ming smiled and said thank you, then rolled up the window and drove into Harrogate.

'Is this why you took money from Joross yesterday? I don't feel that these people are worth buying,' Caitlin asked.

'Maybe they're not important, and it doesn't seem like they'll be of much help to us, but it's a habit. I don't want to be hassled by them every time I go in and out of Harrogate. Wouldn't that be embarrassing?' Zhou Ming said, 'Of course, the most important thing is that I didn't have to pay a lot. If you have a millionaire with a million in his hands, do you think it's still a waste of money to make him spend a dollar?'

Caitlin shrugged and said it didn't matter. She didn't know yet that this seemingly impulsive move by Zhou Ming would turn out to be the highlight of their later recapture of Harrogate.

After parking the car in the parking lot behind the castle, where the castle servants were waiting, Ming and Caitlin followed the castle servants to the hall of the castle after getting out of the car. The hall was the same as yesterday's, but since everyone was not yet here, it looked a bit more empty, and there was an extra seat.

'Your Highness Caitlyn, this is your seat, which His Excellency Andre has specially created for you,' the servant explained to them.

Caitlyn was very surprised by this explanation, and she asked Zhou Ming, 'What's going on?'

Zhou Ming also shook his head in response, saying, 'I can't figure it out for now, but it definitely isn't as good as it seems. Anyway, since he offered us a seat, let's just sit down and talk. We can't keep fighting for a seat like we did yesterday.'

Caitlin thought that was indeed the case, and this seat was near the front of the podium, similar to the seat Yifangman had taken yesterday, and the chair was similar to the others. So he sat down here with peace of mind. As time passed, groups of people arrived at Harrogate for the conference, making the hall even more crowded.

Louise was still the last to arrive, which showed her status in Harrogate.

Louise greeted Ming-Kate Lin and Zhou Ming-Kate warmly as soon as she entered, and told them to do their best today.

When she sat back down, Caitlin said a little strangely, 'Why was my aunt acting so strangely? But it seems that there is nothing strange about it.'

'She was acting too obviously, and I don't think it's a good sign,' Ming said clearly.

When everyone had arrived, Andre entered the hall. Unlike the others, he entered through the side door of the hall. Once inside, Andre walked directly up to the podium. Of course, Ming noticed that he was holding a microphone in his hand.

'Hello, everyone from the Harburg family. I'm very happy to be here with you again today. Let's work together for the future of the Harburg family!' Andre seemed to remember something here and said, 'Oh yes, and our Lady Caitlin and Mr. Zhou Ming from Huaxia, you are also very welcome!'

At the end, Andre deliberately added, 'If Mr. Zhou Ming is looking for something, he can look next to your seat. I have also prepared a microphone for you there. In fact, I have placed microphones at every seat so that everyone can hear important words clearly.'

Caitlin reached out and found a microphone in the chair, but it was much smaller than the one Andre was holding.

'Thank you very much, Mr Andre, you've thought of everything,' Caitlin said to the small microphone in her hand.

Caitlyn said this on purpose to see if the little microphone really had sound. When she heard her own voice really coming out of came out of the loudspeaker, she was very surprised. She looked at Zhou Ming with confusion, and Zhou Ming also shook his head, not understanding Andre's meaning for the time being.

At this point Andre said, 'My beautiful lady, please do not doubt my sincerity. Since I have prepared these microphones, they are of course usable.'

'We have no doubts about that,' said Zhou Ming, 'and I think the start of the meeting will be more important than that.'

'I agree very much with what Mr. Huaxia said. Our meeting is the only purpose for everyone to gather here! So now, I think we can officially begin this meeting.'

After a brief opening speech, Andre quickly got to the point: 'The Harburg family is a very wealthy family with a long history. We are all proud to have been born into such a family, but our family has not been doing well in recent times. I don't want to say whose responsibility it is, but as members of the Harburg family, we all have a mission to bear for the family!

'My name is Franz-Andreas Carl von Harburg, and I now also own 35% of the shares in the Fugger Bank. In addition, I family properties in the Netherlands and Venice, including the business you are currently running. It can be said that I am in the same business as all of you.'

As Andrea spoke, the others below kept nodding their heads, because they were all members of the Harburg family. They all knew that the Fugger Bank, which Andrea referred to, was actually the largest bank completely controlled by the family, and it could be said to be the core of the family's finances.

At this point, Andre suddenly changed the subject: 'Now, since I control the Fugger Bank and own your business, after this meeting, I shall inherit the family. I am fully confident that I can lead the family to an even more glorious future! I will also definitely recover all the territory that the previous clan leader lost. As long as you all support me, let me inherit...'

Hearing Andre's increasingly outrageous words, Caitlin anxiously picked up the microphone, but before she could say half a word, her microphone went silent.

This was embarrassing, and everyone else started laughing. Caitlin was ashamed and angry, but then Zhou Ming pointed to Andre on the stage. Caitlin immediately looked up and saw Andre just withdraw his hand.

'That bastard Andre did this!' Caitlin scolded.

Zhou Ming nodded and told her, 'So that's why he deliberately arranged for the microphone. With this, he can completely control our right to speak. As long as he feels that we will say something against him, he will immediately cut off our communication.'

'That's despicable!' Caitlyn said angrily. 'It seems that we'll just have to ask our aunt to help us.'

'I don't think we should even think about that, because your aunt is not going to help us,' Zhou Ming thought about it and said in a different way, 'Or she won't do anything until we really manage to mess with Andre.'

'Just as you said, Zhou Ming, unless we can gain an advantage ourselves, right?' Caitlyn asked again.

Zhou Ming nodded affirmatively: 'I think so.'