The Joseon Prince Went To America And Didn’t Return – 51



< The Ruler of New York (2) >

Morgan Jr. returned my greeting by gently squeezing my hand and shaking it up and down.

“Prince Lee Kang. If you need anything while you are in this city please come to me at any time. I will do my best to help you to the best of my ability.”

It could just be a casual greeting thrown out for the sake of courtesy.

But looking at Morgan Jr.’s face without any preconceptions what he had just said seemed sincere.

Because honey was dripping from her bright blue eyes.

‘It’s strange. It’s completely different from the information I knew before.’

Apparently the public opinion is that Morgan Jr. is a racist…

Could it be that he was referring to John Pierpont Morgan the father of the interest?

I rolled my eyes hard and checked my memory again wondering if I had made a mistake.

Then for a moment my eyes met with Hearst’s who was watching me from next to Morgan Jr.

“Vice President Morgan Jr. This prince here is said to be second in line to the throne. Unlike the con artists who tried to fool Vice President Morgan he is a real prince.”

Hurst misinterpreted my unspoken signal and began to add to my boasts on the spot.

“Ahem.”

I coughed and turned my head to the other side.

I looked at Giannini.

This is because he stands there blankly like a folding screen.

“Oh this is Amadeo Giannini the president of the bank.”

Hurst read my signals correctly this time.

He approached Giannini and introduced him to Morgan.

“This is also the prince’s party. Let’s greet each other.”

“I’m Giannini who runs the Bank of Italy. I’m from San Francisco which is a long way from New York. I’ve just started working in banking and I have a lot of shortcomings so I’d appreciate some advice.”

Giannini greeted me with a very calm look.

He spoke very slowly perhaps deliberately so as to be careful with his speech in front of Hearst and Morgan.

But a foul word popped out here and there.

There’s nothing I can do.

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Because Giannini’s rough words and actions were already his unchangeable identity.

‘Your face is red.’

This is the first time I’ve seen Giannini this excited.

You said you wanted to go to New York to learn advanced financial techniques but I guess you wanted to meet JP Morgan.

‘That’s right. That’s for sure.’

As a financier just having a conversation with the Morgan family is meaningful in itself.

Why doesn’t everyone want to have a conversation with Warren Buffett even in modern times?

Even if it costs a huge amount of money.

‘In contrast…’

Morgan Jr. was looking at Giannini with a very cold gaze.

I was suspicious that it was the same person who had just spoken to me.

“Nice to meet you.”

After a brief greeting with Giannini Morgan Jr. turned his gaze back to me.

His stiff expression suddenly loosened and he smiled brightly at me.

What is this?

I’m not Count Asura.

It’s a little scary?

“Hey everyone hasn’t eaten yet. Let’s start with dinner. Let’s go to the Bon Voyage restaurant across the street.”

We continued talking with Morgan Jr. and headed to the restaurant.

He continued his conversation exchanging glances with me and Hurst.

It was so obvious that Giannini next to him was a little worried.

‘What’s so funny about Hurst? He’s secretly observing the changes in my and Giannini’s expressions.’

From the first time I saw him at the Bohemian Club I felt that Hearst was a bit of a voyeur.

Hee-hee-hee-

A typical journalist with an antenna on his head who stalks accident scenes to find out what’s funny.

That was exactly what Hearst was like.

“I’ll have a steak made from young veal sirloin. I’ll cook it medium-rare. I’ll order drinks later. Oh your highness. What kind of food would you like to have your highness?”

“I would like to order the main course with lamb ribs just like you. Mr. Gianni you should order that too.”

“I will eat the same thing as the prince.”

As expected from an authentic French restaurant a course meal will be served.

This means you can have a conversation while your food is waiting for you.

“Vice President.”

Hurst opened fire first.

“Speak Representative Hearst.”

“There’s a lot of determination and sharpening of the knife in the White House these days.”

Hearst gave a message of advice to JP Morgan Morgan Jr.’s father.

“I heard that they are considering several bills to regulate monopolies… Please convey this warning to the chairman as well.”

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Morgan Jr. who had taken Hurst’s advice put the freshly prepared salad to his mouth with a cynical expression.

“Teddy (Roosevelt’s nickname) showed off his skills. What’s the point of being afraid of him when you’re giving me high-level information like this all the time?”

Hearst sitting across from me was tightroping between Washington and New York.

At Theodore Roosevelt’s request he was providing comprehensive coverage of the policies he needed in the Hearst Group newspapers while at the same time delivering news from Washington to New York’s capitalists in real time.

“Power is finite. He will step down in two years. He will soon become a lame duck. How can someone like me regulate us?”

“But just in case be careful. Roosevelt may break his promise from last time and run for a third term.”

“You can’t break a promise made in front of the public so easily? Not someone else but the noble Theodore who always shouts for justice with his own mouth?”

“That’s true.”

The sight of the president being criticized is a common sight in New York.

Because the capitalists of New York today believe in monopoly management.

The process is quite arduous but once you dominate the market you can amass enormous wealth.

But Theodore is a proponent of regulating these monopolies.

The two forces are incompatible.

For a while New York’s capitalists held their breath and watched Roosevelt closely but as Roosevelt’s term drew to a close New York’s capitalists began to raise their heads.

‘There is a saying in Joseon that it is not a crime to curse the king in a place where there is no king.’

but.

Morgan Jr. is saying this without hesitation in front of me a person he is meeting for the first time.

At this point I guess you really hate Theodore Roosevelt.

‘Actually there’s nothing to hide.’

Because it is already widely known to the world.

The relationship between the Morgans and President Roosevelt was said to be the worst.

“Oh Prince what do you think of Roosevelt?”

huh?

Now I guess you’re starting to care a little about my existence.

I’ve already said everything I wanted to say.

“I don’t really think much of it. But I don’t see it in a good light either.”

You went to Theodore right in front of me and here you are taking the president’s side?

What will happen?

The atmosphere will become tense all at once.

So I’m going to say this with a reserved tone but with a bit of a negative note.

“Why do you say that?”

Hurst looks at me with eagle eyes.

Oh my.

Come to think of it that guy was there.

I told them the truth carefully reminding myself to be careful with my words.

“About thirty years ago our country and the United States made an agreement. When our country was in trouble the United States helped us and in return we gave up many interests. But….

I chuckled and drank the wine in front of me in one gulp.

“No matter how much international logic is the logic of power the United States is currently blatantly pushing Japan. It’s acting as if it has completely forgotten its past agreement.”

I pretended to read the surrounding atmosphere and quickly added the following.

“Ah I’ve gone on about boring international diplomacy at length here. Sorry.”

“No I quite enjoyed listening to this story.”

“No. We can’t talk about this in a heavy atmosphere. Let’s move on to another topic.”

The situation isn’t going to change if you complain here.

When I suggested firmly moving on to the next topic Hearst started bringing up New York gossip.

“Ah Vice President Morgan.”

“Please speak Your Majesty.”

When the main course came out I spoke to Morgan Jr. again.

Because I was thinking of making a suggestion for Giannini who was quietly eating next to me.

“The bank president here Giannini is very interested in advanced finance in the East.”

“….”

“If you have the time could you send some of your people to the BOI?”

Morgan put down his fork and asked me.

“Seeing that you are even taking care of it separately I can see that you have invested a lot of money in BOI.”

You have a quick wit.

“Yes. I thought it had a promising future. In fact BOI is a bank that is growing quite quickly in San Francisco.”

A brief description of the business structure of Bank of Italy.

This is because although they are competitors in the same financial industry they make money from different sources so I thought it was okay to reveal this much information.

“You’re lending money to small business owners? Without collateral?”

“Yes that’s right.”

Giannini joined the conversation in my place.

Because the real manager of BOI was Giannini not me.

“Is that worth the money?”

“yes?”

At this Morgan Jr. narrowed his eyes and asked Giannini.

“I asked if I could make money from the swindlers.”

“…Yes. That’s right.”

It’s not surprising since other financiers were thinking this way too.

The nuance is a bit rough.

Giannini clenched his fists and trembled slightly as if he was slightly angry.

But unexpectedly he didn’t curse.

Morgan took his eyes off Giannini and spoke to me.

“Well anyway since this prince has asked me to do this I will accept his request. Yes I will send some of my men.”

Morgan laughed heartily on the spot and then asked me if I was free next week.

“There will be a charity event at the New York Mayor’s Mansion. There will be an auction of valuable items and the Prince will be there. I will send someone to the Mayor.”

Morgan Jr. looks at me again with sparkling eyes.

“You must come. My father will be there too. He will introduce the prince there.”

I agreed to this.

I can date people and Morgan just accepted my offer.

“Okay. I’ll make sure to go.”

I looked at Giannini who was quietly keeping his mouth shut next to me and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Oh can I go with President Giannini? President Giannini is also interested in the New York financial circle.”

“ah!”

Morgan Jr. glanced briefly at Giannini then turned his gaze back to me.

“If Your Majesty wishes then so be it. Hmm it has been quite some time. May I rise first?”

“I know.”

Hurst escorted Morgan Jr. out of the building.

I looked at Morgan’s back and reviewed today’s conversation.

‘I can kind of understand why you’re rumored to be a racist.’

When I think about it Morgan Jr. is not a racist.

A little different he seemed more like a classist.

‘They don’t treat people who are inferior to them as human beings. On the other hand they treat those who are superior to them or whom they deem useful with respect.’

If you think about it most people who are poor are people of color so they could be seen as racist.

‘It’s also like deliberately ignoring Giannini.’

The upper class in America today are all Puritans.

They considered Catholicism to be heresy and hated it greatly.

Ironically however Morgan was also the administrator of the Vatican’s property.

It’s funny.

‘Does Giannini still think he’s not on the same level as you?’

Giannini was a rising star in the West but a relative unknown in the East.

So it seems like Morgan Jr. is intentionally ignoring Giannini.

Again he was a thorough classist.

I talked to Giannini who was left alone about the stories I hadn’t been able to share today.

“You. You must have felt quite bad. You held it together well.”

“FXXX I feel like shit. A lot.”

Giannini clenched his fists and trembled in anger.

“But isn’t that Morgan Jr.? How can you be angry at him?”

New York is to put it a bit more bluntly JP Morgan’s empire.

The financial crisis that will come in the future will also be resolved entirely by JP Morgan’s personal capabilities.

He came forward and rescued us from what even the government could not do.

To that extent JP Morgan’s influence was currently unparalleled.

“I still have a lot to learn from him. And the prince is here too.”

I wanted to make a fuss dozens of times in my mind but I held back because I was in the right place.

Above all else.

“Thank you for thinking of me.”

I continued to comfort Giannini.

“Take today’s experience and grow further. Grow your bank so that Morgan doesn’t ignore you.”

If you just tremble you’re a real loser.

If you want to truly take revenge on someone who is strong and weak you have to become a truly strong person.

I gave Giannini my sincere advice.

“Yes. I will take what you just said to heart.”

Giannini’s eyes burned.

It was so hot that it burned down the restaurant I was in.

* * *

As time passed I headed to the New York City mayoral residence.

To attend a charity event.

“Welcome Your Royal Highness. I am George B. McClellan Jr. the mayor of New York City who is hosting this event.”

Here and junior.

Junior there too.

It’s a bumper crop for juniors.

‘It’s a characteristic of people from Europe.’

While Asian immigrants do not well-established European aristocratic families pass on their first name as well as surname to their eldest son.

So we call the father senior and the son junior.

Because it’s confusing.

“This prince.”

I had just shaken hands and chatted with the mayor of New York when a familiar face approached me.

“You’re here. Mayor McClellan can we take Prince Lee Kang away now? My father is waiting.”

“Oh I see.”

“Father. As I told you last time…”

“Ah! Prince Lee Kang from far away. Nice to meet you. My name is JP Morgan.”

As expected of a charity event held at the New York residence many famous figures participated in the event.

I was able to meet various figures from the political and business world in addition to JP Morgan.

“Prince nice to meet you. Do you remember my face?”

“Isn’t that Dr. King?”

“Haha. You remember.”

“Of course. How could I forget you Doctor?”

I also met with Franklin King who is the director of the Bureau of Land Management at the federal Department of Agriculture.

The person I saw on my social debut stage a long time ago.

I could tell his name right away because I never forget a face or a name once I see it.

“I will be visiting the Korean Empire and Japan on business soon.”

“Why do you go so far away?”

“It’s complicated so to speak… Anyway how is New York? By the way have you met any other Asians?”

Other Asians?

Who are you talking about?

“This prince. Over there…..”

I turned my gaze to where Giannini was pointing.

There are actually two Asians.

Because they were unfamiliar faces I felt happy but also wary.

After receiving a glass of champagne from the server I slowly walked towards the two Asians.

< The Ruler of New York (2) > End