Chapter 913: The Four Consortia Behind the Scenes

Although the ball at the Washington Convention Center officially began at 7:00 pm tonight, Xia Yu knew very well that there were actually two parties, or two levels of parties, tonight.

The largest conference hall of the Washington Convention Center is large enough to accommodate 20,000 to 30,000 people. Although the ball held in this conference hall is one of the three major balls officially prepared to celebrate the inauguration of the president, it is open to a wide range of people. The threshold for participation is not low, but it is not the highest either. It is mainly for middle and high-level forces that support Ronald Reagan.

According to past conventions, the new president would usually just show up for a few minutes at this ball, probably dance with his wife once, give a few words, and then disappear, led by other senior White House staff or senior Republican Party members.

Xia Yu certainly wasn't here for this kind of ball.

He attended the heavyweight ball held in the medium-sized internal conference room. Those who could get an invitation to that ball were almost at the top of the United States, such as the super-rich behind Ronald Reagan or the heads of major supergroups.

Facing these people, even Ronald Reagan had to accompany them attentively, and he would be here for most of the night.

Other people with political ambitions also wanted to squeeze into this ball. If they could establish relationships with a few super tycoons and heads of consortia, or further communicate, then when they wanted to exert their political ambitions in the future, they would have more help and be more likely to succeed.

When Xia Yu's car pulled up outside the Washington Convention Center, he saw a long line of people exiting the entrance. The ball had already started, but not everyone had entered yet.

Xia Yu's car didn't stop. Amid the envious stares of the people in line, it drove to another barrier and, facing the security guard who had stopped them at the intersection, Xia Yu rolled down the window and handed over the invitation. After verifying it, the security guard bowed slightly to Xia Yu and then respectfully opened the barrier, allowing Xia Yu's car to enter through the special lane.

Only guests like Xia Yu are eligible to park in the Washington Convention Center's garage.

After presenting his invitation to the security guard at the entrance to the Washington Convention Center for verification, Xia Yu walked in.

Following the VIP passage, Xia Yu arrived at the medium-sized meeting room on the inner level.

As soon as he entered, he immediately noticed that some people were observing him either subtly or openly.

Xia Yu kept his composure and walked unhurriedly towards the back, his gaze quickly scanning the meeting room.

People were either dancing or chatting, but the purpose was the same: to make the most of the opportunity to expand their social network.

Most of the people chatting with wine glasses in their hands were middle-aged or elderly, and there weren't many young people dancing. But it was certain that each of them was an outstanding heir of a large family, and their parents had brought them along to expand their social network and see the world with this platform.

It was just that these people were either white or black, and the white people were in the vast majority.

Besides, Xia Yu, with black hair and yellow skin, was the only one of his kind!

Not that no one recognised Xia Yu, but either out of amusement or resistance, no one except the waiters took the initiative to approach and talk to Xia Yu.

At that moment, Ronald Reagan, who was talking to someone, felt something unusual. When he saw Xia Yu, he immediately apologised to the person next to him, then took his wife's arm, wearing a warm smile, and walked quickly towards Xia Yu, to the surprise of many people.

'Mr. Xia, good evening, welcome!'

'Good evening, Mr. President!'

'Mrs. Nancy, congratulations on becoming First Lady!'

Xia Yu said with a smile.

'Thank you!'

Nancy Davis Reagan said with a kind smile.

Ronald Reagan then gave Xia Yu a hug and let go, a gesture of intimacy between acquaintances and friends. Many people present were surprised by this gesture, which was used on this occasion, and adjusted their mental image of Xia Yu, secretly speculating about the relationship between this Asian and Ronald Reagan.

'Mr Xia, don't you have a date?'

Ronald Reagan asked, a little puzzled.

Generally speaking, when attending a ball in a formal setting, one would bring a female companion, and this could be anyone, not necessarily a wife, relative or friend.

It was rare to come alone. Of course, just because it was rare didn't mean it didn't happen, and as the host of the ball, one needed to avoid as much as possible having guests who came alone.

Xia Yu smiled and said, 'Yes, I don't have many female friends in the United States. I came in a hurry, so I came alone. Do you mind?'

Ronald Reagan shook his head and laughed, 'Of course I don't mind.'

Then he turned to his wife, Nancy Davis, and said, 'Honey, there are young ladies here tonight with their parents. To avoid our closest friends being lonely, you need to pay attention.'

Nancy Davis Reagan nodded with a smile, and winked at Xia Yu, saying, "Mr. Xia, I'll introduce you later.'

Faced with such kindness, Xia Yu could only shake his head and shrug, saying, "Well, I guess I can't refuse your kindness.'

'Hahaha...'

Ronald Reagan laughed softly.

'Mr Xia, please follow us, I'll introduce you to some friends.'

After saying this, Ronald Reagan took his wife by the arm and walked with Xia Yu in the crowd.

'Let me introduce you. This is my friend, Mr Xia Yu Xia.'

'Good evening, Mr Xia!'

'Nice to meet you!'

...

Looking around at the people around him, Xia Yu immediately took out his business card, which printed the name of the chairman of Polaris Capital, and handed it out to the people around him. The others also handed their business cards to Xia Yu with a kind attitude and introduced themselves.

During the process of receiving the business cards, Xia Yu quickly memorised their names, and then showed his strong interpersonal skills, mingling with the crowd and laughing and chatting with everyone, and without making a sound, he closed the distance with the others.

However, Xia Yu lightly and casually avoided the other people's probing questions and traps, neither embarrassing anyone nor revealing any information.

He knew very well that after meeting Ronald Reagan, who had treated him so seriously, many people wanted to know his real background and his relationship with Ronald Reagan.

But he was under no obligation to satisfy their curiosity.

Those who need to know will naturally know, just like David Rockefeller, a big shot among big shots.

Those who don't have the power to know don't need to know.

Just then, Xia Yu noticed some commotion in the conference room and quickly glanced around. He discovered that most people were looking at the few people entering the door, while Ronald Reagan and his wife, who were socialising elsewhere, and a few other guests quickly stepped forward to greet them.

It was David Rockefeller!

Xia Yu recognised him immediately when she saw the face of the man in the middle. He had just thought that David Rockefeller had not arrived yet, but he had just finished saying that when he arrived.

It can be said that with David Rockefeller's entrance, the most important figure at this ball arrived!

The big boss behind the Republican Party, the figure at the top of the American pyramid!

As for the person next to him, Xia Yu also recognised him as the couple Richard Rockefeller, his youngest son.

The arrival of such heavyweights could be said to have attracted the attention of everyone at the ball, and almost everyone wanted to get close to them, especially those aspiring to a political career.

Of course, if there was someone at this ball who didn't want to get close to them, it would only be Xia Yu.

Xia Yu hid in the crowd, calmly observing the various people with his eyes.

David Rockefeller was surrounded by people, and after asking Ronald Reagan a few questions, he was escorted into the centre of the ball, so he didn't see Xia Yu.

After David Rockefeller arrived, half a minute later, two small groups of people entered successively, also attracting a great deal of attention. Ronald Reagan accompanied David Rockefeller, so Vice President George Herbert Walker Bush took on the task of greeting the VIP guests.

The current head of the Mellon family, Richard King Mellon, and several of his descendants.

The fifth generation head of the DuPont family, Lamot DuPont Copeland, and his wife and eldest son, Roy DuPont.

All of a sudden, three of the heads of the four traditional powers behind the Republican Party arrived.

As for the representatives of the other Texas consortium behind the Republican Party, two of them had already arrived before.

One of them was George Herbert Walker Bush, head of the Bush family.

Of course, although the Bush family is one of the core families in the Texas consortium, they joined later and their status within the consortium is relatively low. However, after all, the Bush family has the most outstanding achievements in the political field among the Texas consortium, so naturally their status is more special and they can mobilise the influence of the entire Texas consortium in the political field.

As for the other person who can truly represent the Texas consortium, he is the head of the McKesson family, the strongest of the five founding families – Cody Moore McKesson.

However, the McKissons are not the real power behind the Texas Consortium, as the Rockefellers, Mellons and DuPonts generally are. Therefore, the McKissons are much weaker than these three families.

But on this occasion, the McKissons came on behalf of the Texas Consortium, and there was no problem standing together with Richard King Mellon, Lamot DuPont Copeland and David Rockefeller.

These four people, together with President Ronald Reagan, Vice President George Herbert Walker Bush and Republican Party leader Benjamin Karl, made a total of seven people.

After the seven people gathered in the centre of the ball, they instantly became the focus of the entire ball.

At this time, everyone at the ball knew that all the heavyweights who were supposed to come had arrived, and those who entered later were not worth paying attention to.

The atmosphere at the ball rapidly heated up, quickly approaching a climax.