"Use steel! The price of the steel supply contract for the next seven years will be based on the current price, and the price fluctuation within seven years cannot exceed 5%!"

He put down the knife in his hand, sat up straight, leaned back on the chair, and softly uttered these words. But when he uttered these words, Li Zicheng could feel his heart beating wildly.

Bite the hook and eat! Bite the hook!

Isn't this the moment that I have been waiting for from beginning to end? Waiting for Morgan to bite this fishhook that I carefully prepared for him.

Those who wish take the bait!

When Li Zicheng's heart was beating wildly, waiting for Morgan to take the bait, Morgan fell silent. He did not expect that this young man would actually offer such a condition, a long-term long-term supply contract.

Seven-year supply contract!

Seven years ago, the price of U.S. Steel's steel was US$38.2, and now it is US$39.3. Two years ago, the price was US$58.2, but three years ago, the price was US$28.7. I kept thinking about the price of steel in the past seven years.

price, and at the same time mentally calculating the predictions for the future market and price.

"Should I accept it or reject it?"

I thought about this condition over and over in my heart. This condition seemed very unreasonable, but as a speculator, Morgan understood that the future market was unpredictable.

Steel is a metal, and like all metals it has its own price. This price is basically controlled by two factors: one is the necessity of this metal in certain processes of world industrial improvement, and modern society can

You cannot leave gold without steel. The second reason is the temporary demand of this metal. Steel is a widely used metal, and its price is easily affected by market supply and demand.

The market price of any commodity is closely related to the supply and demand situation, and steel products are no exception. Any market demand issues can make the market turbulent at any time, thus affecting the price of steel. If the market demand for steel surges

If so, then supply may exceed demand, causing prices to skyrocket.

But...will something happen in the next seven years that will cause steel supply to exceed demand? What will it be?

war?

Relating to the rise in steel prices caused by the naval arms race between Britain and Germany for a certain period, Morgan nodded in his heart, but then shook his head. It was only a short-term rise. Although the war required steel, in 7 years

During the Russo-Japanese War, world steel prices fell instead of rising.

Compared with the steel needed for the war, the real market for steel is the private sector, rather railways and construction, especially railways. The fundamental reason for the decline in steel prices in the United States is the saturation of railway construction. In the next seven years, there does not seem to be anything that will lead to

Factors contributing to the rapid and continued rise in steel prices.

Then promise him!

"I accept your conditions! But..."

Taken the bait! Morgan's words almost made Li Zicheng jump. He couldn't jump. He must not show any expression, at least before the contract was signed and the money was received.

He said this, but now his face was already smiling.

"He is a cunning guy, but... he is still a young man after all!"

A few minutes later, looking at Li Zicheng leaving the library, Morgan sneered in his heart. It was not important that the price would not rise more than 10% in seven years. The most important thing was that U.S. Steel did not need to pay interest on this. This is equivalent to

The price of steel has been adjusted by more than 5% without adjustment, plus an expected price increase of 10%. Moreover, it has paid nearly 80 million US dollars less in cash, which is enough for itself to obtain a return of 200-300 million US dollars in the future!

And the most important thing is that this is a one-time buyout! What Carnegie was most proud of back then was the introduction of converter steel production technology, but what he regretted most was paying patent fees based on production volume until the patent expired 7 years ago.

Previously, U.S. Steel had to pay the British Steel Institute US$1.17 for every ton of steel it produced using a converter!

Over the past thirty years, Carnegie Steel and now U.S. Steel have paid more than $200 million in royalties to the British Steel Institute, and U.S. Steel's output now far exceeds that of Carnegie Steel. No matter what

No matter how you calculate it, this is a very successful transaction.

"Pierce! Get me a drink!"

Morgan, who felt that he had finally gained the upper hand over Li Zicheng, ordered his entourage with a proud look on his face.

"I'm smiling proudly...I'm smiling proudly..."

Sitting in the car, I hummed a few tunes, then leaned back against the car and whistled softly.

Li Zicheng felt so happy!

Morgan took the bait! Morgan, who had never let anyone take advantage of him, took the bait! He cheated Morgan! He cheated the famous John Pierpont Morgan!

John Pierpont Morgan was defeated by his own men!

Morgan and everyone else did not know that two years later, in 1914, World War I would break out. The scale of this war would far exceed their imagination, whether it was time, countries involved, or military expenditures.

expenditure. And what is fought for in modern war? It is steel. Guns need steel, warships need steel, and almost nothing can be separated from steel.

During the war, the consumption of steel intensified, and the price of steel skyrocketed like a wild horse. Before the war, steel was worth 20 to 30 US dollars per ton. A few years later, it rose to 200 to 300 US dollars, or even higher, equivalent to the war price.

Ten times as much as before.

Morgan! The most successful speculator in history does not know all this at all. He does not know that the advantage he took today will need to be paid back ten times to himself tomorrow!

Eight hundred million U.S. dollars! Thinking that Morgan saw steel soaring, but he could only sell it to him at the contracted price, and he could get ten times the profit when he resold it, Li Zicheng smiled broadly. Maybe by then

Morgan was so angry that he vomited blood!

This transaction will definitely be written into "The Biography of Morgan" and will definitely be known to the world. Thinking of it, decades later, every Morgan biography will mention that Morgan was so angry that he vomited blood. The transaction was regarded by Morgan as a lifelong shame.

In the scene, Li Zicheng was so proud!

Morgan! Morgan!

Sighing in his heart, Li Zicheng also understood that America! He definitely couldn't stay in this place any longer. If he stayed there for two years at most, he would be done with it! Morgan, who could be angered to death by him, would definitely want to kill him.

.

We must go! Leave the United States quickly!

Yes! As soon as the contract is signed and the money is received, he will leave the United States immediately!

Exactly three weeks later, on this day, in the rooftop office of Morgan Bank on Wall Street, Morgan and representatives from U.S. Steel sat on one side of the long table. He glanced at Li Zicheng sitting in front of him and said softly.

"According to your request! I have invited Mr. Franklin Roosevelt, Senator of New York State, to be a witness between you and me this time!"

Li Zicheng nodded, and at the same time cast his eyes on Roosevelt who was sitting aside. At this time, Roosevelt was young and handsome. He was sitting there wearing a pair of glasses and smiled at himself.

"Hello, Mr. Li!"

When greeting the "richest Chinese" in the world once the contract is signed and takes effect, Roosevelt, as a senator, did not know why Mr. Li would ask him to be a witness. Could it be that

Because he was once the legal advisor of the "Anliang General Hall" in Chinatown?

While serving as the legal adviser of the "Anliang General Hall", Roosevelt knew that to some extent, the Chinese did not believe in so-called contracts. They always liked to bring in some well-known witnesses, if it were not for the fact that his uncle was the president of the United States.

, perhaps it is impossible for them to hire themselves, and Mr. Li, who is also qualified as a New York lawyer, is also difficult to avoid.

"Hello, Mr. Roosevelt!"

When shaking hands with Roosevelt, Li Zicheng tried to calm himself down. The person standing in front of him now was a great man! Why did he choose him as a witness to the contract? On the one hand, he wanted to borrow the influence of the Roosevelt family in the United States. In this case,

When Morgan refuses to supply goods in a few years, in France, Roosevelt will have to win the lawsuit for the sake of his own reputation and that of his family. On the other hand, take advantage of the opportunity now to cultivate a relationship with the President of the United States twenty years later.

“Emotional” is not bad either.

With the early negotiations with Morgan, everything that followed became very simple. The contract was drawn up according to what the two people agreed on. The only thing needed now is to review every clause in the contract to check whether it is consistent with the two people.

The finalized draft was unanimous, and during this process, Roosevelt, who was also a lawyer but a senator, examined it even more carefully than Li Zicheng, and occasionally raised a few questions.

An hour later, as Charlie Swaber signed his name on the contract, Li Zicheng also signed his name on the contract. At the same time as the contract was signed, a Morgan Bank certificate issued by Morgan himself

The promissory note was delivered to Li Zicheng.

"Mr. Morgan, I hope our cooperation will be pleasant!"

After suppressing the urge to yell in his heart and taking the huge cashier's check, Li Zicheng smiled at Morgan.

Will it be happy? At least I am very happy!

"Trust me, you will never regret this deal!"

Facing Morgan's answer, Li Zicheng laughed it off. I won't regret it, but what about you? Who laughs last, God knows, I know!

"Senator Roosevelt, I'm so sorry!"

After leaving the conference room and taking the elevator with Roosevelt, Li Zicheng apologized to Roosevelt.

"Originally, to express my gratitude, according to Chinese custom, I should treat you to a meal. However, because I wasted time here, I have already bought a train ticket and also ordered a cruise ticket to return home.

, because of time constraints...so, I hope that one day, I can have the opportunity to make up for today's rudeness!"

He said he was sorry, but in fact, only Li Zicheng himself knew that he wanted to lay a foundation for the future. If Roosevelt promised him, maybe in more than twenty years, he would come to the United States to "fulfill today's promise!"

”.

"Mr. Li, I think you have this opportunity. I am very happy to accept your invitation at any time and at any place!"

Roosevelt said politely, while looking at the young man in front of him who was both an inventor and a lawyer. Now he is the richest Chinese in the world.

"Mr. Li, I think tomorrow, the whole world will know that Morgan bought your patent for US$150 million. This may be the most expensive patent in the world. I believe that when you return to China, many people will be interested in you."

pride!"

(Haha, when I saw it today, I was very moved. When it was put on the shelves yesterday, I received a big reward. First it was the newcomer, um, the old man. I was very moved. Then there was Brother Xin Fei Stubborn, and then there was Brother Ying Sheng Bai Xiao.

, I have no words to say thank you!

Jingchun Cun'er reminds me that New Era doesn't have a cover yet. I wonder who can help me make a suitable cover. Here are the requirements for the cover: 1. JPG pictures of less than 20k with a limit of 120x150 pixels. 2. Cover picture
Chapter completed!