Chapter 22: Eternal Friendship

In this era, family businesses were all the rage. Take, for example, the DuPont brothers or the Rockefeller siblings—though the latter hadn't yet been born. The current heir of the Rockefeller family, like Sheffield, came from a lineage with fewer members.

However, having fewer family members had its advantages. At least Sheffield didn't have to worry about competition, and Anna Bell wasn't clinging tightly to power, sparing him from lamenting, "Who can sit as crown prince for forty years?"

The downside was that he lacked the support of close brothers or father-son partnerships. He had to establish a network of relationships—but in reality, it wasn't something he needed to build from scratch. The Sheffield family already had an extensive network; he simply needed to avoid alienating it and integrate himself into it.

He didn't need harmonious relationships with his companions. It was enough to clarify the stakes and leave it at that. Tying interests together was far more effective than any friendship or sentiment. In fact, wherever Sheffield went across the thirteen states of the Union, he was always treated as an honored guest simply by announcing his family name.

As for walking his dog on the grounds of an all-girls school, it had long since become a familiar sight. Aside from drawing some curious or disapproving glances due to his presence as a boy in an all-female environment, there was nothing particularly amiss. Men's fashion had grown increasingly standardized—not because of any single nation's promotion but because suits were far more practical than many traditional garments, gradually unifying European dress codes before spreading worldwide.

Women's clothing, on the other hand, remained diverse. The South, being agriculturally focused, had experienced less disruption than the North, so the attire of the girls at the school varied widely. This was one reason Sheffield chose to walk his dog here rather than listen to rumors circulating among boys' schools about how he'd taken advantage of a few poor but beautiful students.

Texas was known for its conservative customs within the United States—though it couldn't compare to East Asia or regions under Islamic rule. This was still a patriarchal society, so it was best not to speak out of turn. However, Sheffield could always try visiting Yankee territory.

"If only photography technology weren't so poor, taking a few pictures would be nice," Sheffield mused. He had developed a knack for identifying someone's immigrant origins based on their clothing and couldn't help but sigh.

Photography in this era was notoriously unflattering, making people appear uglier than they were in real life. This was evident in late Qing dynasty photographs, and the same applied in the United States, albeit to varying degrees. Most women couldn't withstand the ravages of early photographic techniques unless they possessed extraordinary natural beauty that transcended the limitations of the time.

Sheffield strolled through the campus with his German Shepherd, stopping to sit on a bench and take in the scenery. Pulling out his pocket watch, he noted the time and decided it was time to head back. First, he needed to resolve the matter of graduation.

Establishing a persona and marketing oneself were crucial. At the outset, one had to go all out to craft a solid image. Look at Rockefeller—he had swindled countless oil merchants in Pennsylvania and even called in state police to suppress worker uprisings. Yet, what most people remembered was that Rockefeller was a generous philanthropist and a kind man.

This was because Rockefeller's misdeeds never spread far. This wasn't the internet age, where information could be suppressed just as easily, albeit at a higher cost due to the speed of dissemination.

Even in the later Republic of China, establishing a persona and marketing oneself remained vital. However, appearing too frequently carried the risk of being contradicted. For instance, a certain tech giant once declared that Tencent derived half its profits from gaming while conveniently forgetting that 90% of its own revenue came from e-commerce. Jack Ma vowed never to enter the gaming industry, only to launch a gaming division shortly thereafter—how ironic!

Thus, the fast-paced nature of the internet age wasn't entirely friendly to persona-building. Without constant marketing, people would quickly forget you, but over-marketing risked self-contradiction. In 1895, however, sources of information were limited, making it an ideal time to establish a persona. With the right connections, one could ensure everyone remembered them without constantly seeking attention—a highly profitable endeavor that minimized future embarrassment.

"This isn't going to be easy," Sheffield muttered as he picked up his pen. He wanted to write an essay that appeared noble and high-minded but, upon closer inspection, said nothing substantial. Most importantly, it shouldn't offend any factions. Otherwise, he could simply revise *Das Kapital* and call it a day.

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At the Arlington Sheffield estate, everything remained serene and picturesque, seemingly untouched by the turmoil both within and outside the United States—though this was only surface-level calm.

"In truth, Great Britain has always been very interested in American agricultural products, Madam. You know as well as I do that some heavyweight senators don't oppose free trade. This aligns with the Democratic Party's views and is undoubtedly beneficial for the South. Both sides should maintain harmonious relations, much like the decades-long friendship between the Sheffields and Britain."

"Hypocritical Britons!" Anna Bell suddenly recalled her late husband's words. Before the South's confrontation with the North, she, like most plantation owners in the Confederacy, believed the British wouldn't abandon them. After all, the Confederacy had long been a reliable source of raw materials for Great Britain.

Only her husband, Edward Sheffield, had never trusted the British. "I'd sooner trust the Slavs you smuggled over than the British," he had said.

Now, as someone spoke of the longstanding friendship between Britain and the Sheffield family, Anna Bell could only think of one thing: Britain's refusal to aid the Confederacy during the Civil War. Her husband had suffered a gunshot wound during the war, leading to lead poisoning.

Had her husband not been shot, the Confederacy might not have fallen. And if he hadn't left behind a dying wish to bide their time and seek revenge, she might not have agreed to reconciliation.

"Mr. Bogood, I appreciate your sincerity, but perhaps your long voyage has kept you unaware of recent developments. The President of Venezuela has hired Scruggs, the U.S. ambassador to Venezuela, to lobby Congress. The situation has spiraled out of control, and many in the U.S. public are now aware of it." Anna Bell maintained her composed demeanor, shrugging as if to say there was nothing she could do. "By now, both the Democrats and Republicans have reached a consensus, and with elections approaching, neither party will back down."

Indeed, less than a week ago, both houses of Congress had passed a resolution urging the U.S. government to intervene on behalf of Venezuela, with bipartisan agreement and overwhelming support.

"Madam, forgive me for speaking frankly, but the United States is no match for Great Britain," Bogood said gravely after a pause.

"I know! I hope this doesn't affect the friendship between the Sheffields and Britain. Our friendship will endure." Anna Bell's response was curt but calm. In her mind, the Venezuelan crisis paled in comparison to her heir's upcoming university graduation.

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(End of Chapter)