Manhattan Reborn 1978

Oxford city.

In the small bar.

David found the bar owner and asked him to accept all the money for tonight's drinks.

The bar owner who originally didn't want to accept the money happily accepted David's drink money after David's enthusiastic "persuasion" and his son, the long-haired guitarist, didn't notice.

Everyone is happy, the song ends and everyone disperses~

After more than 20 minutes.

David and the others walked back to the Old Bank Hotel while chatting and laughing.

Livlin wanted to go up to David to continue "theory" about writing songs, but Elena held her back and whispered in her ear.

"It's men's time now~ Our business, wait a little longer!"

"...Okay~"

Livlin reluctantly went to another room with Elena and the other girls, leaving David, Jellal, and Kanes behind, and returned to David's room.

. . .

in the living room of the room.

Although everyone drank some wine, Jellal drank too~

But he still maintained his British gentleman demeanor, tidied up his appearance, sat down, looked at David and Kanes who were lying on the sofa, and smiled.

"You two are really similar~"

"Oh? Like?"

"Hahaha~"

Karnes smiled and looked at David, who was covering his forehead, kicked him with his foot and asked.

"Do you still need me to apologize to you?"

"roll!"

"Hahaha~ It's best if you don't use it!"

"I hate apologizing to people, especially..."

"what?"

"Ahem!~That David, there are so many women around you, are you really prepared to treat them all as...lovers, do you want to continue?"

"What lover? We are all friends! Good friends!"

"Ouch~hehe~"

Karnes's "sarcastic" laughter made Jellal couldn't help but shake his head and laugh: "You... haven't gotten rid of your bad habit of loving everyone you see?"

"Change what?!"

"Don't the beauties who appear in front of me dress themselves up beautifully in the hope of attracting my attention?"

"Why should I be...blind?"

"fxxxyou, Karnes!"

"Hahaha~"

"David, you just keep pretending...are you stupid?"

"You know nothing~"

David sat up, gave Karnes a middle finger, turned to Jellal and asked.

"Before, we talked about your family's main business in the real estate industry."

"Where is Xiangjiang?"

"Do you have any business over there?"

Jellal smiled helplessly: "It turns out there is..."

"More than ten years ago, my father was not optimistic about the development situation in Xiangjiang, so he sold off a lot of the land and real estate he had saved."

"Now...there are only some shares of HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank left, which have not been sold yet~"

"Oh!"

After hearing these two familiar bank names, David nodded silently and re-entered high-speed thinking mode, analyzing the small amount of information available.

Kanes glanced at David who lowered his head, smiled at Jellal and asked: "Most of the day has passed~"

"What are you thinking about? Do you want to join?"

"Should we continue to wait for news from Holm and the others... to give you more confidence?"

Jellal didn't care about the "sarcasm" in Kanes' words.

He pondered for a moment, looked at David, and asked: "Is Singapore bad? Why do you value Hong Kong so much?"

"Is it...just because of its geographical location?"

"Still... is it still a British colony?"

David looked at Jellal, nodded and gave him a thumbs up, praising: "You hit the point!"

"Hong Kong, it is still a British colony!"

"And Singapore is now an independent and sovereign country~"

"Let you, a British nobleman, make the choice. Where would you invest part of your money so that you would feel more at ease?"

Jellal couldn't help but smile: "Just...this reason??"

"Of course~!"

David turned to look at Kanes and continued: "From a geographical point of view, there are only three cities in Asia that have the most development prospects and are most likely to become Asia's financial centers!"

"Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong!"

"Tokyo is the most important administrative, political, and financial center of the island country, and it is now the largest and most prosperous city in Asia."

"The island country received strong support from the U.S. government after the war. Its technology, economy, industry, and manufacturing have developed rapidly. It is no longer the defeated country it was decades ago~"

"but!"

"Island countries have never relaxed their control over the inflow of foreign capital~"

"They tightly controlled all the channels for foreign banks and international hot money to enter the country, allowing the country's banks and re-united consortiums to safely spend more than 20 years of rapid development."

"This has caused Tokyo to temporarily lose its qualifications as Asia's financial center and become a substitute player."

Karnes sat up straight, quickly found the point of David's words, interrupted him, and asked.

"You mean...for now!?"

"Correct!"

David stood up, walked to the door, thought about it and turned back to the two of them and asked.

"Guys, I want to reiterate this!"

"Tonight, everything I say here only represents my personal views and analysis. Please don't spread it outside. Just understand it in your own heart... ok!?"

Jellal and Kanes looked at each other and nodded: "ok~"

"Haha~ Please wait for me!"

"I need a little...help!"

. . .

David found several girls sitting together and chatting happily in Livlin's room.

"What are you talking about?"

Elena stood up with a smile, faced him, and said with a smile: "Of course it's about you writing songs~"

"Ah~hahaha~"

Facing Livlin's "staring" gaze, David shook his head helplessly and smiled.

"Come on~ Jellal and the others are still waiting for me!"

"Woolen cloth??"

"What did you ask us to do?"

"Of course I want you to come over and listen together~"

"I won't go~ The things you men talk about are too mind-consuming and boring~"

David spread his hands with a wry smile and asked, "I came here specifically to find you!"

"you sure?"

"I.."

Livlin stared at David sideways for a few seconds, curled her lips and said nothing~

Elena walked up to her, smiled and whispered a few words to her.

Livlin's eyes turned twice on her and David, frowned slightly and said, "You..."

David waved his hand and said with a smile: "You need to listen more and watch more to understand many truths."

"For example: how did the money come and how did it disappear..."

"I do not!"

"..Hey!!"

David frowned and walked up to Livlin, grabbing her shoulders with both hands. .

"Ah~ let me go! You bastard!"

"Hmph~ If I don't give you some tricks, you still think I'm just bringing you out for fun?"

"Come with me~"

. . .

Under the surprised and gossipy looks of several women, David "gently persuaded" Livlin to leave, who was acting like a young lady. .

After the two of them went out, the women all looked at Elena who was standing there.

At this time, David's voice came from the corridor: "Elena, Maggie, bring paper and pen! Come here too!"

"Oh~ here we come!"

With a faint smile on her lips, Elena quickly found the note paper and pen in the room, grabbed the somewhat confused secretary Maggie, and walked out of the room.

. . .

In David's room.

After a few short exchanges, Jellal and Canes each had more expectations for David~

After a few minutes.

David sat next to Livlin and Elena.

Secretary Maggie brought a chair for herself, put paper and pen on her lap, ready to record at any time~

David waved to Maggie, asked for a piece of paper and pen, and smiled at the two of them.

"Let's start?"

"it is good!"

"cough~"

"Ok!"

David used the pen in his hand to write New York, London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore, the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean on the note paper according to the general geographical location.

Then he connected several arcs and drew a large circle on these place names, and said.

"Just now, we talked about Asia's alternative financial center city, Tokyo!"

"The geographical location of the island country is close to the west side of the Pacific Ocean and across the sea from the United States. It occupies an excellent maritime strategic location!"

"The Vietnam War that has lasted for many years in the United States has given the island countries and Hong Kong an opportunity to make huge war fortunes."

"Coupled with the low labor costs in Asia, it also led to the great transfer of industry and manufacturing in the United States more than ten years ago~"

"This is how the island country, a country with scarce resources but increasing population density year by year, can rely on cheap labor and large sums of war money to expand to what it is today~"

"Then... after the people of the island country have money in their pockets, they will not let their core city, Tokyo~"

“Ambition to become the world’s financial center?”

"Definitely!"

"But this ambition of the island country government, which is very likely to be realized, has touched the big cake of the country's financial groups!"

David handed the note paper to Jellal first, sat back, hugged Elena and Livlin respectively, and said with a smile.

"When Bloomer and I went to San Francisco to attend a Swift conference, we met people from the Sumitomo Foundation."

"They no longer treat Mr. Walton Sr. and the executives of Wells Fargo and Bank of America as respectful and obedient as before."

"Hehe~"

David's right hand found Elena's earlobe again, playing with it with his fingertips, and a disdainful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

"If the island country relaxes the channels for foreign capital inflow, allowing international hot money and foreign banks to flow in as quickly as entering the City of London..."

"It will be a severe test for the strength of the local banks and consortiums in the island country!"

"But~"

"With the collapse of the gold standard, the dollar depreciation crisis triggered."

"Coupled with the fact that the trade surplus between the island country and the United States and Europe continues to increase, even if the consortium of the island country is unwilling to accept the change, they have to hold their noses and admit it~"

"That's why they will be more active in making a lot of preparations for the follow-up, when island countries gradually relax controls on finance and trade."

"Gerard, have you been following and understanding this round of GATT negotiations known as the Nixon round?"

"Um... isn't it called Tokyo Round?"

"Haha~ It all means the same thing."

Jellal lowered his head, silently looked at the note paper in his hand, and frowned: "I haven't paid much attention to its progress~"

"Um.."

"Kanes, what about you?"

"No~ I'm not interested in knowing these things at all!"

Kanes answered very simply and calmly~

David couldn't help but smile, and found Livlin's small earlobe with his left hand. He ignored her "resistance" and started to rub it gently.

"Then let me talk briefly about the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade~"

"After the outbreak of World War II, the global economy and trade fell into crisis again~"

"Except for the United States, most industrial powers suffered unprecedented serious blows during World War II."

"The war has prompted all countries to further realize the tragic consequences of intensifying economic and trade conflicts between countries."

"So, even before the end of World War II...countries have begun to discuss the establishment of an international economic organization to regulate economic and trade relations between countries and promote post-war economic revitalization."

"In July 1944, at a conference held in the town of Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, the United States, various countries established the International Monetary Fund (imf) with the goal of stabilizing the international financial development situation and promoting world trade, as well as the national development Bank (ibrd), referred to as the World Bank."

David watched Jellal hand the note in his hand to Canes and continued with a smile.

"At that meeting, countries began to consider setting up an international organization to deal with international trade and tariff issues."

"It will work with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to form a new system for regulating world economic and trade relations."

“In February 1946, the United States initiated the Conference on International Trade and Employment, invited 2 countries in the world, jointly established the Preparatory Committee of the International Trade Organization, drafted the Charter of the United Nations International Trade Organization, and began preparations. Hold world-wide tariff concession negotiations.”

"The Charter was adopted at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Employment in Havana, Cuba, in November 1947."

"Because the charter of this international trade organization was finally drafted and signed in Havana, Cuba, it is also called the "Havana Charter."

“While the charter was being drafted and adopted, tariff concessions were negotiated and an agreement was reached among the countries.”

“These agreements, combined with the trade policy provisions of the Havana Charter, form the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.”

David looked at Kanes, and after receiving his nod, he took a deep breath and continued in a more relaxed mood.

"So far, the negotiations on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade have reached the seventh round~"

"The last time, the sixth round of negotiations from 1964 to 1967, was also called the Kennedy Round."

“During the Kennedy Round negotiations, an important new part of the General Agreement was added, namely Part IV of the General Agreement: Trade and Development!”

“This part was approved by all participating countries in 1964~”

"And it officially came into effect in June 1966!"

"Among them, mutual tariff reductions between member states, and..." ([-] words omitted here)

"Next, I have to mention the paragraph I just said."

"In 1971, the collapse of the rice-dollar gold standard and the serious domestic trade deficit prompted President Nixon to hold many talks and negotiations with the island government in order to get out of trouble."

"In 1972, the statement signed by the two countries proposed that starting in 73, the multilateral comprehensive trade negotiations of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade would be held again."

"This seventh round of GATT negotiations initiated by President Nixon has modified and supplemented the basic provisions of the GATT based on the information I have collected."

"This round of negotiations is the biggest improvement over the previous six rounds of negotiations~"

In addition to the member states of the General Agreement participating in this negotiation, the participation seats in this negotiation are also open to non-member states of the General Agreement.

"99 countries around the world participated in the negotiations (including 29 non-member countries), once again taking a huge step towards the goal of global free trade!"

"At the same time, in this round of negotiations, developed countries unilaterally grant developing countries, and developing countries grant preferential treatment to each other, which will be an important sign of changing the world trade system!"

(Five hundred words are omitted here again)

. . .

David put away the smile on his face, sat up straight with a serious expression, retracted his hands, and stared at Jellal with burning eyes.

"If...I mean if!"

"If this round of negotiations can achieve these epoch-making negotiation results..."

"What do you think it means?"

Jellal frowned, clasped his hands together, and his mind was racing: "Will... change the current trade status of the world?"

"Let the trade of countries around the world enter an era of lower costs and faster circulation?"

"Hahaha~ That's right!"

“I gave it a name: Global Trade Integration!”

Jellal: "..."

David smiled and turned to look at Carnes, and continued: "The Swift meeting in San Francisco, I think, was a major breakthrough for this round of GATT negotiations!"

"The large-scale popularization of computers has an impact that is absolutely no less than that of humans creating nuclear bombs that destroy the world."

"With the rapid development of computer technology, the financial settlement of global trade will usher in a faster and faster era!"

“The conclusion of a new round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and the arrival of a new era of global trade will definitely stimulate and promote countries to accelerate the relaxation of control over the domestic financial industry!”

"So, I think ~ after the realization of global trade integration, global financial integration, and even... global economic integration, will also come soon!"

David took back the note paper from Carnes and placed it on the small table.

"Why did I choose Xiangjiang?"

"There are three main reasons!"

"20. The development speed of Xiangjiang in the past [-] years is not much inferior to that of Tokyo!"

"Second, Xiangjiang is a British colony - behind it, there is the support of the British government!"

"Third, the most important point is that before Tokyo fully opened its financial market, people in the City of London had already noticed the rapidly developing Asian market and reached out to Hong Kong!"

David looked at Jellal and began a more detailed analysis: "You may not be willing to go deep into the financial investment game."

"Then, I suggest! You can invest more energy in the real estate industry on this small island in Xiangjiang!"

"Hong Kong, like island countries, has extremely limited land resources!"

"In recent years, its population growth rate is almost the same as that of island countries~"

"If you entered the real estate industry before the demand for residential housing in Hong Kong skyrocketed..."

"In the next ten years, you will reap a harvest that is several times, or even more than ten times, the amount of money you invested!"

"Of course~"

"If you are investing and consider recovering your investment due to political, economic and other factors, I can take over all your investments in Xiangjiang!"

"Since I have given you advice on investing in the real estate industry in Xiangjiang, I will never let you go and never come back!"

Jellal, a little surprised by David's "bold words", smiled and shook his head and said: "If I decide to invest, I will not give up lightly~"

"You can rest assured about this!"

"Hehe~"

David smiled and shrugged, with a big exclamation mark in his heart!

Jellal, still too young~

have no idea. .Things are changing rapidly, so don’t open Haikou lightly!

. . .

After temporarily dealing with Jellal, David turned to look at Canes, who was frowning and remaining silent, and asked.

"Talk about our cooperation?"

"Ok!"

"What do you think about investing in the gold market?"

Kanes took a breath and smiled in his eyes: "You explained the cause and effect... so clearly~"

"Of course I won't change my mind!"

"Done!"

"Hahaha~"

David shook hands with Karnes happily and asked.

"How long do you need to prepare?"

"Yeah...within a month!"

"Ok!"

"When the time comes, will you come to New York to find me?"

Kanes thought for a while, shook his head and said: "I will find another ally that I can trust~"

"After I have handled the preliminary financial preparations myself~"

"In the next year, I will stay in Hong Kong, keep in touch with you in New York and friends in London, and jointly invest in us."

at the moment~

Jellal suddenly said: "You don't need to find a collaborator anymore!"

"Holm and Andrew are very interested in this matter. You can talk to them first!"

Karnes couldn't help but reveal a hint of ridicule: "I can still believe that Holm can spend some money to invest."

"Andrew??"

"Did he spend all his money on his lovers?"

"Does he still have money??"

Jellal rolled his eyes: "He didn't! His wife Deborah did!"

"Hehe~"

Carnes seems to be trying hard to hide his opinion. .Duke Andrew of Devonshire shook his head in disgust.

"Deborah's money... where will it come from?"

"Aren't you going to mortgage your ancestral property?"

"Uh..." Jellal was a little speechless~

Karnes is right!

This generation of the Devonshire Duke family, despite the painstaking management of their virtuous wife Deborah, has preserved the family's ancestral property and many of its original fiefdoms.

However, they have almost no cash on hand at any time~

If they want to join this investment, in addition to the mortgage assets. .

. . .

Seeing Jellal's silence, David couldn't help but smile at Karnes and asked.

"Who do you want to join us?"

Karnes replied without hesitation: "Little Peter or little Marcus~"

"Um...who are they?"

"Tsk~"

"You don't know him~"

"I forgot about this~"

"Hahaha~Sorry!"

David smiled and shook his head, indicating that he was listening and waiting for Karnes' explanation~

Karnes pondered for a moment and asked, "Have you heard of the Wallenberg family?"

"First time I heard it!"

"Okay~"

"Hmm...how can I explain it to you?"

"Haha~ Man, you don't need to explain!"

"I just need to know, are they trustworthy?"

Karnes put away his smile and promised seriously: "Before I came to you, the first person I thought of and could trust was little Peter!"

"Secondly, it's little Marcus!"

"Ok!"

David extended his right hand to Carnes again and said with a smile: "When I go back, I will find a way to conquer the New York and Chicago markets!"

Carnes was stunned for a moment, looked at David for a few seconds, and then stretched out his right hand to shake it: "I will take care of Xiangjiang, and Little Peter and Holm will take care of London!"

"it is good!"

David laughed heartily and said, "We should have a drink!"

"Elena, can you help us..."

"Ok!"

. . .

Kanes glanced at Elena who stood up to pour them drinks, then turned to look at Livlin, frowning and asked.

"David, I don't mean anything else~ I'm just curious about your plans in New York and Chicago?"

"What are you going to do?"

David smiled and hugged Livlin and said, "Man, do you know?"

"Actually...everyone has a scale in their heart that measures all things!"

"Everyone has a voting machine in their hand~"

"When a crisis comes, we just need to go with the flow, let the scales in people's hearts slowly tilt in our favor, and let them make their own decisions and press the voting machines in their hands~"

"We won!"

Kanes's eyes widened, he spread his hands and asked, "That's it?"

"Yes~"

"Hahaha~"

"The more complex the plan, the more problems we need to consider and face~"

"When we can use a simple plan to achieve our goals, why bother planning a plan that is half the result with twice the result?"

Kanes stared at David silently, took the wine glass handed by Elena, and slowly showed a clear smile.

"Simple plan!?"

"David, I understand why... you will show up at the Whistler Manor reception!"

"Hahaha~"

"This simple plan of yours is not simple at all!"

David also smiled and took the wine glass handed by Elena, shrugged and said: "I never thought about being in the limelight at the reception..."

"I was forced!"

"Hahaha~"

"If it were me, I would also stimulate you severely! You will never be a hedgehog!"

"Hedgehog? Hahaha~"

David raised his glass and signaled to Carnes and Gerald: "Cheers, guys!"

"I wish us a happy cooperation!"

"cheers!"

. . .

Put down the wine glass.

Kanes looked at the silent Jellal and said with some dissatisfaction: "Hey~ What are you thinking about?"

Jellal shook the wine glass in his hand and said: "I'll think of a way... to help Deborah raise 1000 million pounds to invest in gold~"

"What do you think?"

Karnes asked with some confusion: "Why?"

"..."

Jellal did not answer immediately. He turned to look at David and hesitated for a moment before saying: "My cousin Andrew likes to be merciful and his private life is a mess... He is not worthy of my help at all~"

"But his wife, Deborah, is different!"

"Deborah is one of the most wise women I know!"

"David, 1000 million pounds is the largest investment Deborah can make~"

"so.."

"I understand!"

David frowned, thought for a moment, nodded slowly: "Okay!"

"If Deborah wants to guarantee her principal and make a safe investment, in addition to gold, I also have some very low-risk investments to introduce to her~"

"Okay, thank you!"

"Haha~ If you continue to be so polite, we'd better not meet again~ It's too tiring!"

"Hahaha~"

Jellal raised his glass and laughed and said, "Then we go visit her tomorrow, how about?"

"tomorrow?"

"Yeah~ Do you have any other plans?"

"That's not true..."

"Ok!"

"Just in time, you can stay in London for a few more days this time~"

"When Carnes contacts little Peter, you can sit down together and discuss the details~"

"Then, how about I take you to the royal party?"

"Royal party?"

"Cut~"

Karnes sneered, shook his head and said, "Are you talking about Charles' birthday party?"

"What did you ask David to do?"

"Want to see their poor performance?"

Jellal spread his hands and asked David, "Are you interested?"

"Forehead.."

David put down his wine glass and smiled curiously: "Whose birthday party are you talking about?"

"Yes~ the 14th is Prince Charles's 30th birthday."

"So, the royal family is planning to hold a large birthday party for him at Windsor Castle~"

"Oh~then...can I go?"

"Of course!" Jellal nodded.

"I advise you not to go, you will definitely come back disappointed!" Karnes complained on the side.

David smiled, looked at Livlin and Elena, and asked Jellal.

"Can I take them with me?"

Jellal smiled meaningfully and nodded: "Okay!"

"But... Charles is not married yet, and many young people attending the birthday party are not married either~"

"Are you sure you want to bring two beautiful ladies to attend...?"

"go with!"

"why are you not going!?"

Livlin suddenly spoke. .

David, who was startled by her, suppressed his laughter and said, "What are you doing? You already have a boyfriend! Are you going to get married?"

"Cut~"

Livlin raised her head arrogantly: "What am I afraid of? I...wuwu~"

David quickly covered her mouth with his hand and smiled at Jellal and Kanes.

"How about... let's do this for today?"

"Hahaha~ good!"

"You guys are busy first~ Let's say goodbye first!" Jellal stood up happily and walked towards the door.

"Hahaha~"

Carnes laughed and stood up, waved to David and said, "I'll go back to London tomorrow morning~"

"Little Peter is here, I'll contact you!"

"Okay ~ Goodbye ~"

. . .

Sent them both away.

David let go of his hand and let out a long breath. His ears automatically blocked Livlin's "verbal harassment" and he frowned and thought.

Charles' birthday party? ?

He is still unmarried!

Where is Diana?

Will she go too?

If she also goes, David will have the opportunity to see with his own eyes the still young girl, the future Princess Diana!

hehe~