Red Dead Redemption: The Great Philanthropist of the West

Two days have passed since the major robbery, and the atmosphere in Blackwater Town has calmed down a bit, with residents gradually returning to their daily lives.

After two days of intensive searching, nothing was found except for one gang member (Sean) who was arrested that night. This has only fueled resentment among residents, who complained about the disruption to their lives. If this continues, it's likely to provoke public anger and even lead to protests.

Although the city-wide searches have ceased, and officers are no longer specifically assigned to search for bandits and hidden valuables, Pinkerton continues to maintain a tight blockade of the area outside the city. All goods leaving Blackwater must be inspected before being allowed to pass, which has caused resentment among merchants, especially those engaged in dry goods, general merchandise transport, and bill of lading sales. They claim that this has disrupted their businesses and affected their profits, and demand that the practice be stopped as soon as possible.

At this moment, a grand banquet is being held at the Quaker Bay Manor.

Today marks the official start of Henry's move into the estate. After William and Megan's efforts in purchasing and decorating, the estate has been completely transformed.

The banquet hall was exquisitely decorated, with a huge crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, illuminating the entire hall. The walls were adorned with valuable oil paintings, and the floor was covered with luxurious carpets. Guests, dressed in their finest attire, gathered in small groups, conversing quietly. Among them were businessmen in suits, ladies in elegant gowns, and generals adorned with medals.

On the large balcony on the second floor, Henry was discussing the construction of a school with Mayor James. Henry planned to acquire a plot of land in the southern suburbs of Blackwater, near Iron Lake, to build a private boarding school, providing a good educational environment for the children of Blackwater and also supplying talent for his future business empire.

Establishing a school is a benevolent act. For Mayor James, it not only raises the level of civility in Blackwater but also reduces uncivilized behavior. Through education, children can learn civilized behavioral norms and moral principles, thus consciously abiding by them in daily life and reducing uncivilized behavior. At the same time, the school can also educate children about laws and regulations, enhancing their legal awareness and reducing illegal and criminal activities, thereby accelerating Blackwater's progress towards a society governed by the rule of law.

Personally, this was implemented during his term, and although the lion's share went to Henry, he could still gain considerable popularity. Plus, there was Henry's friendship; why not? He was even hoping that Henry would run for senator next month and then support him in continuing as mayor.

So, after asking Henry about the area he needed, James practically gave him a large area, encompassing the uninhabited area south of Allen Ranch (Henry's ranch near the South End). It was about 400 acres, twice the size of Quaker Bay Estate, and he only charged Henry $20,000. This was different from Quaker Bay; Quaker Bay was far from Blackwater and inhabited by bandits, which is why it was so cheap after years of neglect.

However, he also had a condition: the land must be used exclusively for education and not for any other commercial purposes.

Henry readily agreed and spent an additional $1 to expand the original Allen Ranch by 50 acres, directly adjacent to the school grounds, extending the ranch's boundaries to Pitt Lake, perfectly aligning with the school.

After talking with James, Henry then spoke with Chief Dunbar about the recent security situation in Blackwater. Dunbar said that things had returned to normal in the town and bars could reopen. However, due to the recent lockdown and search efforts, Henry's Blackwater bar had been closed, leaving officers without free drinks. They complained to Chief Dunbar and hoped to reopen as soon as possible.

In any case, most of the dead were Pinkerton detectives and bounty hunters, along with a small number of officers from Councilor Matthew's faction in the North District. It didn't really affect most officers; they were only concerned with their own interests.

As for the transportation of bootlegging, there's no need to worry. In Blackwater, Pinkerton can only use Councilor Matthew's name to bully ordinary people and merchants. As for someone of Henry's stature, they can't just search him at will.

Furthermore, Congressman Matthew's recent actions have inadvertently offended many people and damaged his reputation. Barring unforeseen circumstances, he is virtually certain to lose the congressional election next month. Although this was not his intention, he bears significant responsibility for the lost $15, and this money did not entirely belong to him; a large portion came from other influential figures.

For this, Director Dunbar specifically thanked Henry, who had given him a warning, allowing him to step down early and prepare in time to quickly suppress the unrest in the city and protect the property of the city's merchants. For this, he not only escaped blame but also received praise from several other councilors, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, his re-election should be no problem.

As for Grant, he successfully became the sheriff of the South District, responsible for a quarter of Blackwater. The original South District sheriff, Bernard Weaver, although he escaped the turmoil, was directly declared guilty of a crime and relieved of his current sheriff position because of the criminal information Grant submitted to Chief Dunbar. After a series of reviews, and given Congressman Matthew's current situation, no one chose to protect him, so he was transferred directly from the hospital to the jail.

Following Dunbar, Henry met with city councilors from the three boroughs of Blackwater (there are four city councilors in total, one for each borough). Everyone was very polite, discussing business collaborations and future plans for Blackwater. With re-elections approaching, they all valued the friendships of powerful businessmen and hoped to gain their support. They also knew that if Henry wanted, the borough seat on the East borough was practically guaranteed.

Even in the South, if Henry gives his full support, Grant or Dr. Jones would have a very good chance of becoming councilors. Since Grant took office, the safety of the South has visibly improved, and just a few days ago, he even wiped out several local gangs, which has earned him a lot of popularity among the residents of the South and changed their attitude towards the police quite a bit.

Dr. Jones was highly respected among the poor in the South District. He had always insisted on providing free medical care to the poor in the South District. After receiving Henry's sponsorship, he came even more frequently, which benefited even more people.