Loan

Fifty million dollars—even for JP Morgan, that was no small sum.

He was indeed very wealthy, with an estimated total asset value of over twelve billion dollars in 1912. However, he didn't have that much money now; his current total net worth was at most six or seven billion dollars, and that included the value of all his companies.

In reality, his available liquid capital probably didn't exceed three hundred million dollars. His final rise would come during the 1907 American financial crisis.

And now, fifty million dollars, if paid from liquid funds, would be a considerable amount for the Morgan Group.

"Mr. Matthews, your so-called laws are utterly ridiculous. Such bandit-like laws will not convince anyone to believe in you or invest in you!

Especially after today's treatment, I believe no one will ever cooperate with you again!

So, carry your arrogance and rot in this sh*t! Mr. Matthews, I hope you truly are as fearless of everyone's hostility as you claim!

From now on, the Morgan Group officially severs ties with you. You must compensate us for all our investment expenditures within one month. All the workers and mechanical equipment we brought will be moved out within one month! Capital from the entire East will blockade you, letting you rot completely in this sewer-like West!"

Ms. Camille's words were cold and full of confidence, the arrogance in her tone almost palpable.

She stood in front of the sofa, looking down with a sneer and disdain on her face.

As the leader of Wall Street in the United States, the Morgan Consortium could certainly make good on her words! In fact, they could do even more than she said.

For instance, they would definitely pressure the United States Government, using the United States Government to pressure the Van der Linde Gang, making it impossible for them to move!

Of course, a direct attack was impossible because the United States is a federal country, and the United States Government has no right to attack any state unless it directly rebels.

As for changes in the Governor or government within a state, these are matters for the individual states themselves. The United States Government cannot use this to attack its own states; otherwise, other states would not be pleased.

However, even so, directly blockading all access to the West and all resource trade would be enough to overwhelm the entire Van der Linde Gang.

What is the true manifestation of wealth and status? This is it.

The entire country operating under the will of a consortium, enforcing a blockade—this is the true power of the Morgan Consortium!

However, such threats held little meaning for the Van der Linde Gang at this stage.

Hosea chuckled, then raised a hand and said, "Of course, Mrs. Morgan, you are welcome to impose a blockade, and even pressure the United States Government to send troops to Saint Denis to apprehend our Van der Linde Gang. It's fine, it's all fine!

Let's see whether we can open your trade channels with gun barrels, or whether you can force us to bow down with blockades and pressure!"

"As for your talk of divestment and compensation, that is absolutely impossible! What comes to us is ours entirely. As for these fifty million dollars, you will lend it whether you want to or not!

And as for you, Ms. Camille, I think you will need to stay here for some time until these fifty million dollars arrive.

I believe your old friend Ms. Dorothea has been missing you for a while."

Hosea stood up from the sofa. Without even a gesture from him, the surrounding gunmen stepped forward, aiming their muzzles directly at Ms. Camille and her bodyguards' heads, forcibly pushing her and her bodyguards out, like herding two little chicks.

"Sh*t! Matthews, you are a bunch of damned bandits, a bunch of incorrigible bandits! No matter how luxurious your clothes, no matter how noble your status, you are still a bunch of damned, uncouth desperadoes! The entire East of the United States will blockade you, and the entire world will have no place for you!!!"

Ms. Camille was going crazy. She felt the cold muzzle against her head, terrified and astonished. Even now, she couldn't understand why these damned people immediately changed their attitude once the money was in place!

She also couldn't understand why these people weren't afraid of the United States Government's blockade and the hostility of Eastern capital!

Was it because they hadn't seen the sheer scale of Eastern capital?

"Hahaha, Ms. Camille, we are all bandits. It's just that you rob the American people, and we rob you." Hosea smiled and waved at Ms. Camille, who was being dragged further and further away.

"F*ck! F*ck! You will regret this, you will regret this!"

Ms. Camille was dragged by a dozen gunmen towards Bronte Manor, where Ms. Dorothea and others were held.

She would also be imprisoned there, and the Van der Linde Gang's gunmen would use some methods to make her compliant.

Fifty million dollars was not important; money was just waste paper. Only when it could be exchanged for resources could it be called money. Therefore, Ms. Camille would not be able to leave the cage in Saint Denis until her remaining value was fully exploited.

"Oh, sh*t, Hosea, how did I not know you had such... such a domineering side?" Davey sat on a nearby sofa, looking at Hosea in front of him with emotion.

In his impression, Hosea had always been a good-natured old fox. How could his words just now be so utterly domineering!

"Hahaha, don't tease me, child. I'm just a clumsy imitator of Dutch!

Oh, right, you two, take this ten million dollars and, in the name of the Saint Denis Government, contact the British Navy stationed around Mexico. Use this ten million dollars as a down payment, and arrange installment payments in the name of the Saint Denis Government to purchase ten British warships." Hosea chuckled, shaking his head, and pulled out a red-covered book from under the table. Then he put on his gold-rimmed glasses, opened the book, and began to read.

The cover of this red book featured a bust photo of Mr. Dutch Van der Linde, and the title was extremely conspicuous: "My Dream."

This book had already begun to be copied and sold, and with the added fame of Mr. Van der Linde, its sales were exceptionally brisk.

Elsewhere, one couldn't say for sure, but now in Saint Denis, anyone who hadn't read this red book, anyone who couldn't quote two profound sayings written by Mr. Van der Linde, would be looked down upon!

Now, walking on the streets of Saint Denis, everyone knew a saying upon meeting: "The highest masters and the lowest bandits in the United States are of no use to society. They are all bandits; one makes rules to rob, the other breaks rules to rob.

All the misfortunes of American citizens can be attributed to them."

As the saying goes, a single spark can start a prairie fire. Currently, Dutch was preparing this spark.

And as the gang's second-in-command, Hosea would naturally set aside some time to study Dutch's ideology and theories.

Only then could he help his old comrade.