The Joseon Prince Went To America And Didn’t Return – 27



< Sprouts blooming on ashes (2) >

“On my way here I saw the view of the city in flames. It was a heavy feeling in my chest as if a part of me had been suffocated.”

Working as a lobbyist is all about reading the mood and speaking the language.

The atmosphere here now revolved around me so I confidently blurted out the following words to calm the crowd.

“If this is how I feel… how must you feel? I think you know without me having to say it. You must be as miserable as I am.”

The speech began with a reflection.

I told him honestly how I was feeling at the moment.

The next thing we need is empathy.

Because what the wounded need is an emotional exchange that understands their situation.

“The catastrophe tore through San Francisco took our loved ones and took away the wealth we had built.”

He shook his head from side to side and exchanged glances with each person.

“Can’t we just give up like this? I understand that you all came here to find a foothold to get back on your feet.”

I turned my head and looked at Giannini.

He nodded slightly a silent gesture of agreement with what I said.

“I also know that each of you has your own pressing circumstances. You probably want to get back to how things were before quickly. To do that of course you’ll need a lot of money.”

At my next words the crowd that had been quietly listening to me began to open their mouths.

“That’s right.”

“I need a loan!”

“I want to go back to the old days.”

There seemed to be an expectation that I would resume the BOI’s lending business.

‘I’m sorry but that can’t be done.’

But I didn’t come to the podium to represent their plight.

On the contrary I was giving a speech now to help Giannini sort out this mess.

“It would be great if everyone could borrow money. But as Bank President Giannini argues unfortunately the assets available for lending are limited.”

At my next words the faces of the crowd changed in real time.

The face that was full of anticipation changed into one filled with disappointment.

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I quickly added the following because if I continued to delay the situation could get worse.

“I don’t know everything about the circumstances of everyone here like Mr. Giannini the bank manager next to me but I do know one thing. Some of you came here because you really didn’t have enough money to survive the day.”

I raised my right hand and placed it over my chest.

After that he showed it to the public and said this.

“Now let us all put our hands on our hearts and think for ourselves: Do I really need a loan?”

“….”

“….”

“Did I really come here because it was difficult to even make a living from day to day?”

There must be some people who came because they were really in a hurry.

However some people may have stopped by BOI out of anxiety.

‘Some people might want to get their hands on cash before receiving their fire insurance money. Some might want to get additional loans because they think it would be beneficial to have cash at this time.’

At my words the guests who came to BOI began to turn their heads left and right.

I looked at my neighbors’ faces like that.

I don’t know if you came here because it was really difficult or because you were anxious.

Although they did not speak directly they exchanged glances and communicated silently.

“Doesn’t the Bible say to love your neighbor as yourself? Take another look at the person next to you. Ask your conscience and then think about what to do next.”

America began with the migration of Puritans fleeing religious persecution.

Afterwards Catholics also began to cross the Atlantic in search of a new life.

In the Western world Christian (Catholic + Protestant) culture is fundamentally very strong.

That’s why I appealed to them by quoting Bible verses.

“Is it really so desperately needed? If not let’s give in a little for those who are less fortunate than us. If you came here to borrow $500 let’s borrow $300. If you only need $300 let’s take $200. If you come here with anxious hearts please go back. Please give in a little for our neighbors.”

The crowd became quiet.

I was still confused as to whether my words had worked or on the contrary had not worked at all.

“Isn’t everyone having a hard time? At times like these we need to work together to overcome the crisis.”

I quickly added:

“Some may ask me ‘Why do I ask you to make sacrifices when it is difficult to make a living?’ You may ask ‘What have I been doing?’”

Giannini quickly intervened.

“Your Majesty you have been doing relief work and donating a huge amount of money since the first day of the earthquake. How can you ask such a question to such a prince?”

Yeah I set an example.

On the surface I moved to improve the image of Koreans and my own image.

Since they don’t know this I will just look like a good wise man.

Thanks to this my speech was more appealing than I expected.

Because I was practicing noblesse oblige not a passing fad.

I looked at Giannini clenching my fists.

“As I promised President Giannini last time I will deposit all the three hundred thousand dollars in cash I have at home into this bank as of today. I intend to deposit everything here except some cash that I have available.”

The insurance money will be coming in soon.

Since that alone was overflowing I was thinking of depositing as much of the cash I currently had into BOI.

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‘Above all the bigger BOI gets the more the value of the BOI preferred stocks I invested in will inflate. There is still plenty of time until the Great Depression.’

Perhaps even faster than the history of the original bank BOI may grow into the leading commercial bank in the United States.

Even now the assets are growing like crazy and if I add my help it will be like a tiger growing wings.

I kept my mouth shut dreaming of a bright future for BOI that would grow even further than in its original history.

“Wow three hundred thousand dollars?”

“Isn’t it incredible?”

The surroundings began to become noisy.

Some people are excited by the size of my wealth itself.

Some were satisfied that my actions had enabled them to obtain additional loans.

“Doesn’t that mean that if the prince deposits his wealth in this bank today he will be able to get a loan much more easily starting tomorrow?”

“That’s right. Usually banks lend out about ten times the amount of deposits.”

“Wow… awesome.”

I quickly gave my advice before I lost the mood in front of the gossiping crowd.

“So those of you who have money please don’t be greedy and deposit some money in this bank like I did. If you do that you will be helping other needy neighbors without having to donate.”

You don’t have to pay any money.

Even if you just deposit money in the bank.

He emphasized that he could help others.

The interest rate of 25-30% per year is also a bonus.

“Please spread the word about this to those around you. Then those who are truly struggling will be able to return to their normal lives one by one thanks to your concessions.”

I emphasized it one last time in a confident voice.

“Please give us some strength. Shouldn’t we all overcome this crisis together?”

As soon as I finished my speech

Clap clap clap-

Suddenly a thunderous roar erupted.

“you’re right.”

“We must overcome this crisis together.”

“I too will join your proposal Prince.”

“Wow… Prince.”

Giannini came to me and whispered.

“Fuck. I’m a little touched. If I were a woman I would have fallen in love at first sight.”

Oh my….

What do you mean by falling in love?

‘Even if her looks are like that she’s a bit of a talker.’

I made a face of disgust then answered Giannini in a small voice.

“I’ve somehow managed to sort things out so let’s get the people out in an orderly manner.”

“Yes I will do that.”

“And tonight… send someone to my house. I will leave the cash and gold with you as I promised.”

“Oh thank you.”

* * *

“majesty.”

Three days later Woo Hyun-sik came into my room in a hurry and told me that a guest had come to our house.

“President Giannini has arrived.”

As I motioned for him to come in Giannini quickly came to my side.

He loosened his tie slightly and took off his coat making a face that suggested he was going to die.

“Thank you Prince. Thanks to you I can breathe a sigh of relief.”

Is it because of the deposit I made three days ago?

but.

If you deposit 300000 dollars you could probably borrow an additional 3 million dollars if you use it well.

“What? Customers are voluntarily reducing their loan amounts?”

“Yes. I think the prince’s speech was well-received then.”

thank god.

The on-site response was good but I didn’t expect the results to be that good.

“Thanks to this we can now accommodate more new customers.”

I made a pleased expression.

Giannini then shared another piece of good news.

“In addition there are quite a few people who want to make new deposits at BOI. I don’t know how word of mouth spread but the number of new customers coming to deposit money has increased significantly.”

Giannini held my hand tightly and looked moved.

“I keep being so indebted to you Prince. How can I repay you…?”

How can I repay it?

If you work hard to grow the bank and increase my assets that is repaying the favor.

I smiled inwardly and patted Giannini on the shoulder.

“Ugh… Get up. Leave the bank business to your subordinates and go downtown for a bit.”

“Huh? What is that?”

Giannini looked at me with wide eyes as if to ask what I meant.

The bank manager had a look in his eyes as if he was asking where he was going when he should be at the bank.

“Don’t you have fire insurance?”

“Yes it was.”

“Then I should go and collect my insurance money. I heard that Commercial Union Insurance Company is opening today.”

“aha!”

Giannini’s mouth fell open.

I was momentarily out of my mind because of the insurance money I was about to receive.

“Aren’t you moving? Are you going to go next?”

“Of course we should go FXXX. Our bank was also reduced to ashes by the looters. We need money right away to rebuild the building.”

Giannini hurriedly gathered his coat and prepared to go out.

I chuckled and urged him on.

“Then let’s go quickly. It would be good to get the money as soon as possible.”

* * *

The Commercial Union was a British insurance company that had established itself in the United States and was a fairly large fire insurance company with branches throughout the New World.

“Oh shit! I think I’m a step too late.”

“Yes. That’s what I see too.”

As soon as I arrived it was full of people waiting.

Giannini and I barely managed to get into the insurance building by pushing through the crowd.

“No I just went to check out the house over there that was on fire… When I looked closely my house was on fire. I started crying the moment I saw it…”

The insurance company’s claims counter was like a flea market.

Because it was full of people complaining about the damage.

“So when can I get the insurance money? It’s urgent. I told you I don’t have any money on hand.”

San Francisco residents who lost their homes complained to insurance company employees and asked for quicker payments.

The employees’ faces turned pale as they looked at the citizens who were surging in like a tidal wave.

“Damn the line seems longer than I thought Prince. What should I do?”

Giannini looked at me with a worried face.

That was when.

People around him began to react to the word prince.

“Are you… the prince?”

“That’s right.”

“It’s an honor to see the hero of Sausalito here.”

Hey.

It’s nice to be known for good things.

A stranger greets me and congratulates me.

“No. I just did what I had to do. I deserve the honor.”

“Are you the prince?”

“That guy from Japan?”

“It’s not Japan it’s the Korean Empire. Look how confused this guy is.”

“Those Asians who helped with the rescue operation with the soldiers this time?”

“okay.”

“Oh anyway. Oh my! It’s nice to meet you Your Highness.”

When one guy reacts the ones around him react in succession.

As I greeted that guy another guy approached me.

‘Is this the image improvement effect?’

It was the first time in a long time since I had greeted strangers without any ill will since I came in the 1900s.

As time goes by.

Or maybe you’ll hear it again if you move to another city.

At this moment no one has made any racist remarks like “ching-chang-chong” toward me.

“Your Majesty come in.”

A man dressed neatly in a suit approached me leading a group of people.

Giannini took a half step forward and called the man’s name.

“Madrid branch manager?”

“Oh! Giannini you were here too.”

“What the hell you’re so unlucky. Why are you so noisy today? Madri act like you usually do.”

The two seemed friendly.

But this is strictly a public place.

The Madri branch manager frowned slightly at Giannini.

“Your clothes are still shabby.”

“What does it matter to others whether my mouth is open or not?”

He looked at Giannini and clicked his tongue.

After that he turned his head towards me and greeted me politely.

“Your Highness. It’s been a while.”

He bowed his head and took me to his office on the second floor.

“Today I will be helping you with the prince’s claim process. This way.”

< Sprouts blooming on the ashes (2) > End