Manhattan Reborn 1978

Wall Street.

Stanley fourth floor.

In David's office, after arranging for Black Mike to go home and bringing his family to New York for Halloween, they received two visitors.

"Hey, Mag, Mr. Parker, you guys..."

Odis Parker, and Mag Ludwig, sat opposite David, Mr. Parker smiled.

"The tasks you gave us have some clues~"

"Mission?" David looked at the two people left and right for a few seconds, put down his pen, and asked with a smile.

"So fast? OK, let's talk~"

Mag Ludwig tilted his head to signal Mr. Parker.

Odis Parker sat up straight, put away his smile, and said: "As for who is investigating you, before I told you, people have already been paying attention and searching~"

"Wait...when did you start sending people to pay attention?"

Mr. Parker narrowed his eyes slightly, paused for two seconds, and then smiled: "After our first meeting~"

"..."

David recalled the first meeting between the two and the subsequent contact between the two. He suddenly remembered that they once talked about someone entrusting Mr. Parker to investigate him. .

"You...continue~"

Mr. Parker didn't seem to pay attention to David's thoughtful gaze, shaking his head and smiling.

"There are four waves of people investigating you~"

"They are: Salomon Brothers on Wall Street, a Wells Fargo affiliate in Los Angeles, Princeton University, and the unknown and yet to be identified final wave."

After listening to this, David frowned and picked up a pen to write these down.

"Salomon and Wells Fargo sent people to investigate me, which I can understand..."

"Princeton University, what's going on?"

"What do they... want to do?"

Mr. Parker did not answer directly. He took out a folded piece of paper from his inner pocket and handed it to David.

David opened it and looked at it, and couldn't help but smile. .

"This is from their school...?

"Haha~ That's right."

“In 1967-68, ten years ago, Princeton University’s alumni donations, annual donations, school investment fund income and other income together accounted for 54% of the total income~”

"The remaining tuition income accounts for 17%; research sponsorship accounts for 6%; auxiliary, service, scientific research income, etc. account for 5%, and other income accounts for 8%~"

"But the statistical report in your hand shows that the overall return rate of their university's fund investment in the past five years has always been within single digits, and has never even reached 10%~"

"Coupled with Princeton University, the amount of alumni donations, annual donations and other income has continued to decrease in recent years."

"The number of new students has also dropped again and again, causing Princeton's daily operating budget to run into deficits year after year; the government's financial aid cannot meet the needs of students at all, let alone increase the salaries of faculty and staff."

"Professors and teachers in their schools often complain that their salaries cannot keep up with the rate of inflation."

"There are also some single-earner families who are considering letting their wives leave the house and start looking for jobs again to supplement the family income and pay the loan."

Mr. Parker paused here, and David, who was waiting for the record, continued after more than ten seconds.

"In fact, Princeton University's situation is not unique in China~"

"Due to the large-scale teaching, theoretical research, scientific research, etc. of various universities, huge amounts of funds are needed to support it every year~"

"Therefore, many universities use donation income as one of the main channels for raising funds."

"Therefore, the proportion of endowment funds in the income of domestic universities is very critical."

“The greater the proportion of endowment funds in a university’s funding, the less dependent the school is on government funding, tuition revenue, and other external funds.”

“Thus, we can avoid many unreasonable demands imposed by the outside world, be free from interference from outsiders, conduct academic research independently, and maintain the university’s founding values ​​and educational purposes.”

“Last year, endowment funds accounted for more than 65%, or more than two-thirds, of Princeton University’s daily operating costs~”

"But this year..."

Mr. Parker held out his hands to David and said, "You also know Principal Guy Luther."

"You should have some idea of ​​the current situation in their school, right?"

After David recorded a few key figures, he read them in series and nodded silently.

President Guy Luther did tell him about Princeton University’s dire situation.

He also wanted to give the old man with social twitch syndrome who showed kindness to him the first time they met, some help within his ability~

but!

"Does he know that Pinlingston University is looking for someone to investigate me?" David frowned and asked this question.

Mr. Parker shrugged. "As far as I know, it wasn't his idea."

"Then... you mean, he knows about this?"

"...Yes~!"

"how do you know?"

"I confirmed this from him through some channels last night."

David frowned and looked at Mr. Parker, put down his pen, took a few deep breaths, and spoke softly to the two of them.

"Except for my thoughts, I am almost completely transparent to you~"

"You should also be able to understand that I am a person with very weak control..."

"I have always adhered to the principle that waste is the biggest crime."

“As is the food, so is the talent!”

"Let the right people do what they are good at..."

"This is what I do now, and I will do the same in the future~"

"So, Otis!"

"Do what you have to do, okay!"

"But don't make any more decisions, let me fall into passivity, and become the one... who finally knows the truth."

When Otis Parker heard David's words, he pursed his lips and showed a frank smile.

"Okay ~ next time..."

"No, there will be no next time!"

"I will inform you in advance when I do anything from now on, boss!"

David rolled his eyes helplessly, turned to Mag Ludwig and said, "Don't imitate him!"

"Haha~ Don't worry, I can't!"

"Hahaha~"

. . .

The atmosphere between the three of them seemed to be lightened by David's few playful complaints.

"Bell bell~"

The phone rang suddenly.

David and Otis Parker looked at each other, reached out and pressed the phone, and waited for it to ring twice more before picking up the phone.

"Hello~"

"David?"

"It's me, you are...Old Mr. Morgan?"

"Are you busy?"

"No, I'm not busy, just tell me! Is there something wrong?"

"Well... Seamus and I are going to London in a few days and would like to invite you to accompany us."

"London?" David glanced at Odis Parker, who was smiling even more, and asked.

"You want me to go...?"

"Haha~" Old Morgan on the other end of the phone chuckled twice, paused for a few seconds, and then said.

"There are a bunch of stubborn old guys who need to talk to me in person~"

"If you want to go, just ask Pine to get your passport in the next few days~ I'm waiting for your good news."

"...Okay~"

"Well, let's do this first~hang up!"

"Goodbye, sir!"

Put down the phone.

David pondered for a while, tilted his head to look at Austin Parker, and said, "You guessed it right again!"

"London.."

He leaned back, and the various conjectures and thoughts in his mind gradually became clear.

Mr. Parker gestured to Mag Ludwig with his eyes and smiled.

"I'm here today, and I have another news for you~"

"There is something wrong with the choice of Fed President..."

"There was a lot of quarrel in Congress over this matter, and President Warren White decided to shelve the appointment of the Fed chairman until next year."

"...Look again??"

"Look at what?"

"Look at the data, look at inflation, and see...whether his policies can reverse some of the current economic difficulties~"

"Of course, it also depends on the various aspects of the game between members of the two houses of Congress~!"

David shook his head speechlessly, looking at the ceiling. A person's name popped into his mind, and he said it without thinking.

"Where's Paul Walker?"

"Is he the person nominated by President White?"

Mager asked with some uncertainty: "Are you talking about the President of the New York Fed?"

"He has not been in the United States recently, and the person nominated by President White is not him~"

"Huh? Oh..."

"President of the New York Fed...?"

"How tall is he?"

"...?"

Odis Parker and Mag Ludwig both have question marks on their faces.

"Nearly two meters...right? Almost~"

"Um.."

David responded expressionlessly, but in his heart, he put a √ behind the name!

it's him!

Later, he was known as Paul Volcker, one of the most influential economic thinkers in the world.

(Actually, his name is Paul Volcker... I did it on purpose!)

After he took over the position of chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of America, he implemented a series of technical measures that changed the Federal Reserve Bank of America's long-term behavioral approach of controlling interest rates to one aimed at controlling the money supply. .

Moreover, Paul Volcker believes that inflation is a public hazard to the economic development of the United States, and the implementation of new policies can more effectively control and solve this public hazard in a targeted manner.

Later facts proved that this two-meter-tall old man indeed used his skills and persistence to gradually alleviate stagflation and inflation in the United States, and slowly moved towards the stage of economic recovery, making the United States more than ten years old after the 80s. years of rapid economic growth.

However, he used the great power in his hands to continuously ask the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates to address inflation. Decades later, he also received mixed reviews from the economic community.

. . .

David was able to learn about Paul Volcker's deeds thanks to the fact that the old man was still active in American politics and economics until about 2010. .

He once reversed the past record of stagflation and inflation. When faced with inflation and financial crisis again, many people thought of him again and asked him to come back.

The result. .

cough~

Times have changed, and so have people’s hearts!

Policies such as the Volcker Rule, calls for "we have to raise taxes", and strict implementation of financial supervision have quickly come to an end and come to nothing~

. . .

The thoughts in David's mind kept flashing, and it seemed that he could vaguely see a figure on another line from the matter of the candidate for the new Fed chairman being shelved. .

Once, he asked old Morgan when the new president of the Federal Reserve Bank of America would take office.

Now, Morgan Sr. has chosen to leave the United States. .Does it have anything to do with this?

. .never mind!

Guessing is never as refreshing as going directly to find the answer.

David rubbed his forehead vigorously, looked at the two people waiting opposite, and asked.

"And... any good news?"

"Hehe~"

Mr. Parker chuckled twice and said, "The good news is that Salomon and Wells Fargo are investigating you, all because of mbs~"

"The bad news is...the fourth wave of unknown investigators disappeared last night."

"Ha~ This should be good news, right?"

Mr. Parker shrugged: "You say yes, that's it~"

"However, the people around you need to be more vigilant in the future!"

"The last stalker disappeared unexpectedly. I think...it's a little weird~!"

David picked up the pen and wrote down the matter, preparing to go back and give instructions to the four bodyguards.

Four bodyguards. .

David held up the pen and paused on the paper for a few seconds, and suddenly thought of a "good idea"!

He wrote down the record first, then looked up at Mr. Parker and said with a smile, "Can you...can find the whereabouts of Principal Guy Luther?"

Mr. Parker nodded without hesitation: "Yes!"

"That's good~!"

"The blind boxes we are selling today... you can help me send him one as a Halloween gift."

"Also...if your people can find him before noon, tell me to make an appointment with him and meet him at the restaurant where we first met."

"I'll treat him to lunch!"

Mr. Parker raised his head in surprise and said with a smile: "No problem, I'll do it right away~"

After saying that, he stood up and walked out of the office.

After David watched the door close, he said to Mag Ludweis: "I helped you fight for a few minutes."

Mag shook his head in amusement and said, "You have something and you want to ask me behind Mr. Parker's back?"

"Ok!"

"In comparison, I trust you more~"

"Why?" Mag asked, pretending to be curious.

David made two gestures with his index finger at his temple and said mysteriously.

"Because he...has something wrong with his brain~!"

"Uh...hahaha~" Mag was so amused by this answer that he burst into laughter.

He pointed at David, suppressed his laughter, and said, "You...hahaha~"

"You're right! Haha~"

"He's just a psycho! I...I'm too embarrassed to say anything about him...hahaha~"

David spread his hands with an embarrassed look on his face and said with a wry smile: "Man, time is limited!"

"Tell me the main reason why you came to see me today~!"

"Okay. Okay~"

Mager reluctantly suppressed his smile and said: "Lynch will have a showdown with Hardman, Matthews, Auston and FBI New York Director Harold Stone in the morning~"

"He will clearly inform these people that we will form an alliance in the next few years... or even longer~!"

"Moreover, after he is successfully elected as governor, he will set up the New York Governor's Office and openly work, socialize and carry out activities in New York."

David is not interested in Mayor Lynch making his office public.

He looked at Mager curiously and asked: "Hardman, Matthews, Auston, I can understand them..."

"Harold Stone...why would he be involved in this alliance?"

Mag Ludwig looked directly at David, raised his chin and said: "Because of you!"

"Because your existence has become a link of interest between them!"

"After I left your place yesterday, I went to find Lynch and let him understand who brought him and them today's good luck!"

"Uh... is it me?"

"Correct!"

Ma Ge adjusted his sitting posture, leaned forward, and said in a low voice: "Without you... How could Morgan or those big shots who only care about profit take a fancy to Lynch and Hardman?"

"They have no interest in who is the mayor of New York."

"All they care about is the wealth and status in their hands!"

"So...your appearance, lucky boy~"

"Give them a chance to open up room for improvement!"

David nodded with some vague understanding and muttered: "Many things are just accidents~"

Mag raised his eyebrows playfully, leaned back, and said with a smile: "The life God has arranged for us... is always full of surprises and accidents~"

"But none of them can deny that since they met you, their life development has undergone subtle changes."

David scratched his nose with his hand, smacked his lips and said with a smile, "Including you?"

"...Including me!"

The smile on Mag's lips grew wider and he continued: "Of course, you don't have to think too much about this matter."

"Although this small group of them is gathered because of you, you don't need to pay any excessive price or bear responsibility for them."

"What you have to do is occasionally give them some attention and...help wherever you can~"

"Help? You want me...how to help?"

"Haha~ The days are long!"

"When you encounter an opportunity by chance, you will naturally understand!"

"Hmm~" David tilted his head and thought about it, then wrote it down.

Mag looked at him taking notes seriously, waited for a while, and said with a smile: "I have another suggestion~"

"Well~ you tell me!"

"If you want to gain a foothold on Wall Street, relying on Morgan is a good choice!"

"However, you also need your own think tank team to help you clear up the fog and make suggestions~"

"Indeed.. Do you already have a plan or a candidate?"

"Have!"

Mag took the pen from David, wrote a name on the paper, and said.

"Deventius von Spencer, I've met him a few times."

"I think he will be of great help to you!"

David looked at the name on the paper. After reading it twice, he asked doubtfully: "Spencer? This is... the surname from the UK, right?"

"Haha~ That's right."

"He is a sideline of the Spencer family. He came to the United States with his parents decades ago. He has basically lost contact with the Spencer family in the UK."

"Oh~"

David tapped the word "Spencer" on the paper with his pen, thought for a moment and said, "Tell me, when is the best time for me to see him?"

"After you come back from London~!"

Mag saw the fire of gossip flashing in David's eyes, and explained: "The Spencer family has never recognized him as a member of the family, and has even sent people to the United States many times to ask him to change his surname and not allow him to do so. Then declare the surname Spencer to the outside world..."

"If you go to London this time...if you have a chance to help him solve this problem, I think he will definitely appreciate it and sincerely try his best to help you~!"

"Um... just for a last name?"

"Correct!"

"...Okay~"

David winked at Mag and nodded, smiling strangely: "Sorry, I don't understand the behavior of old nobles like them..."

"Their way of thinking is too different, isn't it?"

Ma Ge also shared the same sentiment and smiled: "Old-fashioned and old-fashioned, I am proud of my surname and cannot let it be violated in the slightest."

“I can’t understand the way of thinking of the British aristocrats and gentlemen~”

"Hahaha~"

Both laughed.

. . .

Amid their laughter, Mr. Odis Parker knocked on the door and stepped aside to make way for David to see the people who came behind him.

"Um...are you? Elena...?"

Elena Mesa, who followed Mr. Parker in, raised her hand to adjust the black-rimmed glasses that covered less than half of her face, shrugged and smiled.

"I thought you had forgotten me a long time ago~"

"Haha~ How could I forget... Where are you, a little goblin?"

Mr. Parker felt so funny that he gave his position to Elena.

He moved a chair for himself and sat down, ready to watch the show happily. .

David looked at Alina Mesa, who was wearing an old-fashioned women's brown professional uniform, with no trace of skin exposed except her neck and hands, and smiled bitterly.

"What...what do you want to do?"

"I'll go to London with you~"

David blinked, turned around and waited for Mr. Parker to ask: "Did you arrange it?"

"Yeah~yesterday...didn't you agree?"

"I didn't, it wasn't me, I didn't agree~!!"

David used three consecutive denials to express his resistance to this little goblin accompanying him. .

Mag Ludwig, seeing Mr. Parker's actions, also closed his mouth with interest, folded his arms and happily prepared to watch the show. .

Elena Mesa, who used to dress charmingly, now had a stiff smile on her lips and whispered.

"I'm very familiar with London, and even more familiar with those so-called aristocrats~"

"They won't look down on you just because you hang around old Morgan and act close to him."

"Those gentlemen who dress like a dog will treat you politely, but in their hearts they will only regard you as a muddy man who got lucky..."

"So, I am by your side and can help you avoid those people who will waste your time and find the key people who can help you!"

After hearing this explanation, David felt like. .There is some truth to that. .

He thought for a moment, looked at Mr. Parker and asked, "No... are there any other candidates?"

"..No!"

"Actually, strictly speaking, Elena is different from Brotney Mejia and Herris Schultz."

"She has never been a formal member of the Cardinal Organization, she can only be regarded as a... collaborator~"

"Of course, there are only a handful of people in the whole of Europe who can cooperate with Cardinal."

"Not to mention a beautiful woman like Elena Mesa~"

Mr. Parker leaned forward with an evil look on his face and asked seductively in his voice: "Don't you like Elena's beauty?"

David shook his head like a rattle and denied, "I don't like it!"

"Haha~ You lied!"

"I do not have.."

David looked at Mr. Parker sincerely and explained: "Who wouldn't like to see a beautiful woman like her?"

"I love watching it too!"

"but!!!"

"There are too many women around me... I can't look at her anymore... That would make a mistake!"

"Hahaha~"

Mr. Parker laughed triumphantly.

Elena was also amused by David's ridiculous excuse. .

. . .

After half an hour.

The three of Mr. Parker and David left the office after confirming their trip to London.

David was left alone, standing by the window in a daze.

They had just agreed that Elena Mesa would go to London alone and in advance, pretend to meet David and the others by chance, and then follow him back to New York.

This arrangement is partly because Elena is in London and there are many people who covet her beauty and body. .acquaintance ~

On the other hand, Elena herself can stay in London for a few days to help David find out more interesting and important information.

For example: Spencer. .

Another example: Bute, Medici, Howard, Cavendish, Capet, Rothschild and other famous families and nobles.

----

new York.

The Queen.

Old Malkin was on the phone at home, reading the newspaper in his hand.

Suddenly I heard a knock on the door outside on the street.

He glanced at the clock in the living room, took off his glasses, walked to the door, and opened it.

Outside the door, stood Ludy and Rosenlow.

Old Malkin asked in surprise: "Aren't you supposed to be here..."

Lu Di explained: "Yeah, I'll just say a few words and tell you the good news, and I'll go back right away~"

"Oh~ come in and talk."

Old Malkin let the two of them into the house, and the three of them sat down. Ludy poured himself a glass of water and smiled.

“David’s blind box sales plan is going very smoothly~”

"Polly heard someone's idea, so she hired a lot of cars, installed recorded slogans on them, and played them all over the street in circles, letting many people know that this year's Halloween parade in Manhattan will have surprise gift boxes. sell at a low price.."

"Haha~ Isn't it that boy's clever idea?"

"Probably... no~"

"Hmm... Is this why you came here?"

"No~"

Lu Di shook his head, put away his smile, and motioned to Rosenlow beside him.

Rosenlow organized his thoughts and explained: "We received two messages."

"The FBI, together with the police, carried out large-scale arrest operations last night and this morning."

"It is said that many dangerous people on their list have been included in the arrest scope~"

"However, they don't have those characters who look more dangerous from our perspective~"

Old Malkin raised his eyebrows and asked with a smile: "What about?"

Rosenlow said with a serious expression: "Last night, our people were in an adult club near No. 12th Avenue and 47th Street. They overheard a few unfamiliar foreigners who drank too much and said they were going to join us. Something big is happening in Manhattan..."

"Big deal?"

When Old Malkin heard this word, he couldn't help but think of the various bizarre bombings that occurred frequently on the streets of New York in the past two years~

In 1975 alone, the year when the New York government went bankrupt, more than 20 bombings of various kinds occurred on the streets of New York.

Among them, some were caused by car explosions caused by demonstrators, and some were caused by homemade bombs planted by certain people in public places, etc.

That. .What about this time?

Who is it that the nerves in the brain are miswired and want to jump out and cause trouble?

Old Malkin pondered for a while, frowned and asked, "Where are they?"

"We arrested him, locked him up and questioned him for several hours."

"They said they overheard someone talking about it accidentally. They didn't know who it was or what they were going to do."

"Then do you think they were bragging after drinking too much?"

"Yes~ I think they didn't lie."

"This.."

"Where did they hear about this?"

Rosenluo frowned even more tightly and whispered, "In a bar a few streets away, near here."

"..."

Old Malkin glanced at the clock in the living room, waved to Ludy and said, "Go and do your work~"

"Rosenlow, I'll call the bar, you go check on this now."

"Call me whether you have any news or not."

"I'll wait for you here."

"Ok~"

Ludy and Rosenlow left.

After Old Malkin called the bar he was familiar with, he let out a sigh of relief and began to make calculations in his mind.

accident?

Hope it won't really happen~

----

Manhattan.

In front of a small theater near Sixth Avenue.

Thomas (Tom) Hanks, who was pulled to help along with his colleagues, stared at the five latest Cadillac cars and five Chevrolet cars parked on the roadside not far away, and looked at his colleagues. asked.

"They are?"

"Haha~ They are one of the grand prizes in the blind box!"

"A prize...?"

Hanks scratched his head and joked: "We...can we do some tricks in those boxes and get ourselves a new car?"

The colleague looked squinting at Hanks up and down, shook his head and said with a smile: "You can try~"

"Uh...ah haha~"

"I was just joking~"

"If it weren't for the lack of manpower, you..."

"Hmph~ Come to work quickly!"

"ok~ok~"

Hanks raised his hands to the colleague, looked at the brand-new, shiny cars again, and turned to look for his supervisor.

A daydream of unexpectedly winning the jackpot? .

Hanks never expected it~