I became a son-in-law in the United States

After he finished speaking, old Joseph glanced at his daughter but didn't say anything. His already solemn expression only grew more somber.

From his perspective, there were reasons why the wedding had to take place.

Because in Boston, the WASPs, or white Anglo-Saxon Protestants, always hold the power of discourse, while Irish Catholics like Kennedy seem to be inherently inferior.

Even though old Joseph has made a fortune, and the accumulation of two generations has made him a well-known tycoon, so what?

His name is still not on the Boston Rich Club; he doesn't deserve it.

In light of this, old Joseph took a desperate gamble and married into a Bavarian noble family in an effort to improve the family's image.

After all, being constantly associated with labels like "nouveau riche," "gangster," and "opportunist" is detrimental to one's family business and also to the future of one's children.

He's not one to be content with solitude. You see, the Kennedy family has worked hard for three generations to achieve their current wealth, and he certainly won't be satisfied with just being a rich man.

In fact, Joseph Sr. had even greater ambitions, such as entering politics and becoming part of the country's inner circle.

These things cannot be achieved with money alone.

The United States may seem free, but it is actually more feudal than any other country.

Bloodline, endorsement, money—to reach the top, you can't do without any of these.

However, Joseph was also a pragmatic and shrewd man. After some calculations, he concluded that the old German aristocracy offered the best value for money.

After all, Germany in 1927 was in dire straits, with two-thirds of the country bankrupt and old nobles selling their possessions just to preserve the last shred of dignity.

In order to pay off its debts, the Weimar government has been printing money like crazy in recent years, completely disregarding the lives of the people.

For the same price, you could buy a villa when you leave in the morning, but when you come back in the evening, it would only be worth a loaf of bread.

If Luther were still in Germany, he would probably be shouting, "I'm coming to Hebrew province!"

The economic situation was deteriorating rapidly, the unemployment rate was skyrocketing, Britain and France were closing in, and foreign powers were frantically annexing Germany from the rear. Germany was slowly sliding into the abyss.

The old nobles were caught between life and death, and had no choice but to flee. Ludwig was one of them.

And speaking of Ludwig, his background and appearance were exactly what old Joseph had his eye on.

The Bavarian aristocracy, whose lineage can be traced back to the 12th century, monopolized the postal system of the Holy Roman Empire from the 15th century onwards, making them the first "multinational logistics giant" in European history.

As Imperial Privy Councillors, the head of the Luther family held the title of "Hereditary Prince".

Even after the fall of the German Empire, this title remained a symbol of the highest nobility.

At its peak, the family owned tens of thousands of hectares of forests and land, countless art collections, and castles throughout Europe. The income from its postal business made the family incredibly wealthy.

However, with the arrival of the war in 1914, everything vanished into thin air.

The war took everything from him, except for his noble title, which he had no reason to keep, so Luther planned to sell it for a good price.

Just then, a middleman appeared. He was a shrewd New York lawyer employed by Joseph Kennedy Sr., who was in Europe looking for a "suitable" marriage partner for his eldest daughter, Gia.

Thus, a "marriage in name only" was formed.

After the two sides reached an agreement, Ludwig packed his bags, crossed the ocean, and became the son-in-law of the Kennedy family in Boston.

Inside the church, the wedding ceremony continued, even though both parties knew it was just a charade, they still had to put on a show.

After that came the exchange of rings, wedding blessings, signing of the marriage certificate, and so on—Luther can't remember the details.

After finishing their business at the church, the guests moved on to the Kennedy family mansion, where there was a cake-cutting ceremony, a dinner party, and a ball.

By midnight, the ball had ended, the guests had finally left, and the mansion at 51 Abbotsford Road finally quieted down.

The house was large, in typical Victorian style, with a magnificent design and exquisite decoration. Including the servants' quarters, it had more than twenty rooms, and this was just one of the Kennedy family's many residences.

Luther was new to the place and everything was new to him: the shy maid, the serious driver, the overweight cook—everyone seemed friendly, at least on the surface.

"Mr. Feng, you've worked hard."

A middle-aged man dressed in a black tailcoat with a neatly tied bow tie suddenly appeared out of nowhere. His voice was deep and steady, like a well-calibrated cello.

He was in his early fifties, with a few strands of white hair at his temples, and his face was expressionless.

"I am Benson, the butler here. Please feel free to ask if you need anything."

"Okay, thanks."

If it were truly the original owner, as an old nobleman with a private castle, he certainly wouldn't have any designs on the Kennedy family's villa; the two are completely different things.

However, for a young person from later generations, the Kennedy family in 1927 was still too extravagant.

He roughly calculated that, not to mention anything else, there were more than thirty servants in this large family.

These servants were divided into several groups, such as those for cleaning, cooking, and laundry. Among them, the cooking group even had French chefs and Greek chefs, which was incredibly impressive.

Of course, there are even more impressive ones. For example, Joseph Sr. even had a personal barber, and Mrs. Rose (Joseph Sr.'s wife) also had her own personal tailor, serving only them.

For the wealthy, the best way to flaunt their wealth is not through houses and cars, nor through fashion and jewelry, but through their servants.

The United States in 1927 was experiencing a golden age of prosperity, a period of great prosperity and prosperity.

No one thought the sky would fall in two years.

Young Luther, filled with curiosity, cautiously walked forward. The south-facing room on the second floor was his new home, where his bride, Gia, had been waiting for a long time.

Actually, to be honest, this was only the second time Luther had met Gia. The two had met once before, when they were negotiating terms.

The two barely interacted throughout the entire process, exchanging only a few glances at each other before going through a simplified blind date procedure.

To be fair, Luther neither particularly liked nor disliked the bride; on the contrary, he felt that she had a difficult life.

Despite being born into a wealthy family, she enjoys nothing; even her marriage becomes a tool to pave the way for her family.

They soon arrived at the door, which was open, and Luther easily walked in.

In the soft light, a beautiful figure appeared at the window; it was Jia.

She had already taken off her wedding dress and put on a trendy fringed skirt, with a single layer of clothing on her upper body, and she looked quite elegant.

Upon meeting, before Luther could even speak, Gia cut to the chase:

"Mr. Luther, you know this is a transaction, not based on love, so... I hope we can make the rules of this marriage clear."

Luther leaned against the door frame, his hands in his pockets, and didn't rush to approach.

He glanced at his nominal "wife," who was seventeen or eighteen years old, but spoke with the maturity of her father.

But she was really beautiful. Even with just a little dressing up, she was stunningly beautiful, somewhat like Audrey Hepburn later on.

However, Luther wasn't the type to fawn over someone who wouldn't do that.

Daughters from wealthy families are often precocious, possessing a clarity and maturity that is difficult for ordinary girls to comprehend.

"Please speak," he said.

Gia finally turned around, her light brown eyes looking at Luther with a hint of distance in them.

"First, from now on, we will be husband and wife in public. I will cooperate with the charade. Our family needs your reputation and your help."

She spoke without any emotional fluctuation, as if she were talking about something completely unrelated to herself.

"No problem, just remember to settle the bill on time." Luther nodded.

"Secondly, in our daily lives, we each live our own separate lives. You sleep in this bed, and I'll go to the next room. Anyway, there are plenty of rooms in this house."

Luther raised an eyebrow: "Just these two?"

"And another thing," Jia looked at him, a hint of scrutiny in her eyes, "don't fall in love with me, and I won't fall in love with you either."