America 1881: Legend of the West

"According to reliable information, the army of the Kingdom of Great Britain recently invaded Cairo, and Arabi and other Egyptian generals were captured. The United States Federation has not yet expressed its position on this matter."

"Recent news came from Lima, the capital of Peru, that Peruvian General Cáceres is planning a counterattack against the Chilean army, and the local fighting may relapse."

In a manor in Delaware, an old man in military uniform tried to get off a pureblood horse.

Every week, he would ride his beloved horse around the estate.

The attendant who had been waiting for a long time walked up quickly and wanted to help the old man, but the old man waved his hand decisively and refused.

The entourage had to wait quietly for the old man to dismount and lead the horse away.

The old man took off his white gloves and adjusted the corners and collar of his military uniform. His eyes were firm, sharp, and profound.

His name is Henry Dupont, and he is the current leader of the Dupont family and the contemporary head of the family.

This French family moved to the United States after being unable to survive in their home country due to the Revolution.

Through their relationship with the then US President Jefferson, they entered into the gunpowder business for the federal army and gradually grew and prospered.

When it was passed down to Henry, this soldier who graduated from the West Point Military Academy had extraordinary courage. He used a military model to manage the entire family industry.

During the Civil War, he stood with Lincoln again.

So in the 19s and s, the DuPont family established and dominated the Gunpowder Association, almost monopolizing the entire American gunpowder industry.

But Henry Dupont now feels a little more and more powerless.

Years of fatigue have made his body worse than before.

For example, I could ride a horse for half a day before, but now my back is sore after two laps.

And he also faced almost the same problem as Old Pinkerton:

The two sons are obsessed with fighting for power and trying to undermine each other.

The only nephew who seemed capable of taking the family forward was always at odds with him in all aspects.

The Gunpowder Association is not monolithic. When he was there, he could still control it firmly with his reputation and skills.

What about yourself a hundred years from now?

Henry didn't dare think.

He held the gloves in his hands and walked along the avenue with his hands behind his back.

As he walked, he listened to a manager in a black suit beside him, reporting various information to him, including but not limited to business.

As an arms dealer, he must be well aware of the wars taking place in the world.

"Does the president have any plans to intervene between Peru and Chile?" Henry asked.

"No, President Arthur thinks that is a matter of the previous government and has nothing to do with him." The manager said.

Henry was silent.

As we all know, the cause of this war was the Atacama Desert, the world's largest saltpeter mine.

Saltpeter is the main raw material for the production of gunpowder.

If Chile completely wins, the Kingdom of Great Britain behind them will completely control the saltpeter market there.

As for the interests of the American businessmen represented by themselves, it is hard to say.

Seeing that Henry remained silent, the manager knew it was time to move on to the next topic.

"This is our company's sales report for each state in the country this month." He handed the old man a document.

Henry took the file and glanced at it, but was attracted by a few dazzling numbers on the report.

He pointed to the sales data behind several western states such as California, Kansas, and Colorado:

"Why did sales in these states drop so sharply last month?" Henry frowned.

"Well, it's because a new model of gun is on sale there recently." The manager quickly replied.

"What does the new model of gun have to do with us? Isn't that a matter of the gun association?" Henry still didn't quite understand.

"Because new guns can only use new bullets, and this new bullet is different from our previous products." The manager explained.

Henry's expression suddenly became uncertain.

His first reaction was that someone from the Gunpowder Association had stabbed him in the back.

But managers who have followed him for many years can tell what the boss is thinking just by looking at his expression.

"The company that produces this bullet is not a member of the association," he said.

"Our engineers studied those bullets and found that the filler inside was not black powder."

"It's a smokeless gunpowder, more powerful than black powder."

"Ha, uncle, I have said before that the future will definitely be a world of yellow explosives and smokeless gunpowder!"

An energetic young man walked over from not far away. He walked as if he was carrying the wind, and quickly came to Henry's side.

This young man is Henry Dupont's nephew and the person most likely to inherit the DuPont family business, Ramon Dupont.

"I'm really curious about how they successfully developed smokeless gunpowder. Can you help me contact that company?" Ramon walked up to the manager and asked.

The manager's eyes were wandering between the uncle and nephew.

Henry looked unhappy.

"Ramon, I remember I once said that DuPont will not get involved in business other than black powder. The testing and production of yellow explosives are not allowed within DuPont."

He looked directly at Ramon, his sharp eyes lighting up the young man's back: "The same goes for smokeless gunpowder."

Ramon didn't say anything, but lowered his head and continued to follow Henry.

Forbearance!

Henry walked in front. He said nothing, and the manager and Ramon did not dare to say a word.

The old man thought for a moment and hooked his fingers back.

The manager immediately came over.

"Find the company that produces smokeless gunpowder, talk to them, and then bring them into the Gunpowder Association." Henry touched his beard.

Although I don’t know how such things could have slipped through the cracks when associations were used to reshuffle the industry a few years ago.

But the fish that can slip through the net must be small fish.

Henry wasn't worried at all.

He thinks his temper has improved a lot over the years.

Since he wanted to make money, he had no objection as long as he played under the rules he set.

After joining the association, he would not mind sharing a mouthful of soup with anyone who was honest and obedient.

"We, we talked to them." The manager stuttered, "The boss is a Chinese businessman, but he has American citizenship."

The old man stopped.

"and then?"

"He, he refused, saying that the requirements were too harsh. You can also want him to join the association, but it must be on his terms." The manager finished his words tremblingly.

A roar suddenly appeared over the manor.

"He! Think! Who! Who is he?!"

Henry was furious, just like ten years ago.

The manager did not dare to speak, while his nephew Ramon looked on with cold eyes.

The old man's face turned red.

He turned around and walked slowly to the manager, staring blankly at the manager.

The manager didn't dare to show his anger.

"Then use the old method," Henry said.

"Let them fly in a dirt plane!"

Ramon beside him almost laughed out loud, but he still managed to hold it back.

So, it makes his expression look very weird.

Ramon despised the way his uncle solved his problems.

Despite his age, he is still very angry, and he still thinks about his airplane all day long.

The future was in yellow dynamite and smokeless gunpowder, Ramon never doubted it.

The old man stuck to his old ways and asked him to go to the grave with his own black powder. He had already set up a factory of his own in New Jersey.

The difference between large companies and small workshops lies in the strength of funds and the ability to mobilize resources.

Small workshops may have innovations and inventions, but they will no longer belong to them soon.

patent? Patents are nothing in front of the DuPont family!

If you are willing to sell, you are a smart person. You will naturally buy the patent mercifully. If you are in a good mood, you will take the company with you;

Don't want to sell? That's shameless. Is it okay to poach your technical staff? Can I find a way to get your information?

steal? Can what happens to a big company be called stealing?

Real patents can only be put into use when they are in the hands of big companies! Only then can we have a future!

After Henry left with a gloomy expression.

Ramon pulled the manager aside: "Help me contact that company, or you can go directly to them to recruit people for me!"