Bab 350: Chapter 350: The Pit Is Getting Bigger
Fangjiro Abe was a prominent figure in the Japanese textile industry and had a deep appreciation for cultural relics. Though Japan had never officially recognized these artifacts, the influence of their culture was undeniable, especially among the upper class who valued these relics.
During World War II, Abe capitalized on numerous military orders, amassing substantial profits. Through his connections, he acquired a vast collection of art and antiques, including renowned calligraphy and paintings, golden Buddhas from Jingxinzhai Wanfo Building in Beihai, items from Prince Gong's residence, and exquisite porcelain, gold, and ivory carvings.
The end of the war, however, brought misfortune. Abe's factory teetered on the brink of bankruptcy, unable to sustain its workforce. With over 3,000 employees laid off and operations suspended, the situation grew dire. Eventually, Hardy, along with seven consortiums, acquired Abe's factory. Despite retaining 15% ownership, Abe lost control over the business, which was now managed by Americans.
Now nearing 70, Abe found himself idle at home. The sight of an antique mortgage investment advertisement in the newspaper stirred him. Determined not to let the Americans dominate the Japanese economy, he saw an opportunity to leverage his collection for financial gain. He hoped to reinvest the profits into a new business to revive the Abe family's fortunes.
Abe instructed his son, Kojiro, to find an antique mortgage investment company. Impressed by the extensive collection, a company representative quickly arrived. Abe's collection included high-quality items in specialized rooms. Despite his poor health and reliance on a cane, Abe proudly showcased his artifacts.
"This painting is by Su Shi, a renowned writer from the Song Dynasty," Abe said. "I bought it for 40,000 yen."
The business manager had it appraised and remarked, "We can value this at $2,500."
Abe was taken aback. "Converted to yen, that's only 10,000. I paid much more for this piece."
The manager explained, "The value of antiques peaks during stable periods. Market prices have dropped significantly. Many are selling antiques just to cover basic needs, and buyers are scarce."
Chinese relics were not in demand in Europe, where European art was preferred, and Americans showed little interest in Eastern artifacts. With a flooded market and few buyers, the value of Chinese antiques had plummeted.
"Alright," Abe conceded, though reluctantly. "I don't have the resources to argue."
He continued, introducing more pieces: "This is Wang Wei's 'Fu Sheng Jia Jing Tu,' a painting from the Tang Dynasty, valued at $3,000."
The business manager, unimpressed by the age of the artwork, countered, "We'll offer $3,000."
Abe's frustration grew. "What about Zhang Sengyou's 'Five Stars and Twenty-Eight Places of Gods'? He was a prominent painter from the Southern and Northern Dynasties."
The manager responded, "That's worth $2,000."
Abe handed over the negotiation to Kojiro, who continued to discuss pricing with the manager. The collection was extensive, including over 180 paintings and calligraphy works, precious porcelains from various kilns, and numerous carvings and rare books. The total valuation reached $2.3 million.
The business manager, accustomed to large sums, stated, "Your collection is valued at $2.3 million. According to our mortgage rules, you can receive 70% of that—$1.61 million."
Abe inquired, "Can I receive the funds directly? I have other plans."
The manager shook his head. "We negotiate with the bank to deposit cash, not provide direct loans. No bank will use these artifacts as collateral, not even local ones."
The reality was stark. Banks, controlled by major consortia, avoided such risky investments. Only Wells Fargo Bank dealt with such transactions.
"Fine, mortgage them to your company," Abe agreed.
The manager presented the contract. Abe noticed a clause requiring a two-year investment period before cash withdrawal.
"Isn't this term excessive?" Abe questioned.
"It's necessary to prevent misuse," the manager explained. "We need to ensure the antiques aren't abandoned for cash."
Reluctantly, Abe signed the contract. His collection was carefully stored and transported to Wells Fargo Bank, completing the mortgage process.
Back home, Abe stared at the now-empty rooms, feeling a pang of loss. "I hope this investment succeeds. It could help revive the Abe family."
"Don't worry, Father," Kojiro reassured him. "I've confirmed that the investment company is strong, and Wells Fargo is reliable. There shouldn't be any issues."
Many wealthy individuals, collectors, and even members of the Japanese royal family, who had acquired Chinese antiques during the war, also sought to mortgage their collections. With the current economic situation, many saw this as an opportunity to invest in the booming U.S. stock market.
Despite their varying reasons—whether to make money or to safeguard their assets from potential future scrutiny—these individuals were making the most of the opportunity, guided by the belief that cash now was more valuable than antiques.
Hardy observed their actions with understanding.
Bab 351: Chapter 351: Sudden Circumstances, Opportunities Arise
Antique mortgage investment has become increasingly popular, though the identities of those mortgaging their antiques remain confidential. However, the figures are publicly shared, and the company is capitalizing on this by running a new advertisement campaign.
The advertisement states:
"Our company has processed 856 mortgages, totaling $16.52 million in funds, all of which have been invested in the U.S. stock market futures. Over the past week, we've achieved a 6.3% profit. Given the strong economic outlook in the U.S. and the recovery in Europe, our experts predict this year's returns will surpass last year's, potentially reaching over 80%."
"If you invest $1,000, we will repay you $1,800. For $10,000, we'll repay $18,000. A $1 million investment will yield $1.8 million."
"The company has a professional investment team to ensure the safety of your capital and profitability. Even if the minimum promised profit is 10%, it is more cost-effective than any other investment. So, what are you waiting for? If you have antiques at home, contact us at xxxxxx."
"Participate, and you will become an investor in American companies. Miss it, and you will regret it forever."
The advertisement was compelling enough to tempt even Hirohito. As the emperor, he had amassed a vast collection of treasures during Japan's war of aggression, including antiques and a significant amount of gold. Most of the royal family's assets were confiscated, leaving the emperor and his family reliant on a meager annual stipend from the government, which amounted to only $500,000 in 1949.
When a royal family member visited Hirohito, they mentioned the profits from antique mortgage investments. Despite the confiscation of royal assets, Hirohito had retained part of the art collection. His brother urged him to consider investing.
"I've checked. Wells Fargo is linked to Hardy's special envoy and is among the top U.S. banks, with assets exceeding $5 billion. They've assured us of confidentiality, so our artworks will be safer with them."
"We can mortgage the artwork, and the annual returns will help cover the royal family's expenses. The profits from Hardy's investments are legal, which means Americans won't pursue us. Also, MacArthur seems intimidated by Hardy, so we'll likely face no repercussions."
Hirohito was persuaded. "You handle this. But remember, these are royal antiques. If word gets out, it would be deeply embarrassing. Also, only mortgage Chinese antiques, not Japanese ones, so no one will suspect they belong to the royal family."
With that, a large portion of royal treasures was secretly mortgaged to Wells Fargo Bank, amounting to over $8 million, all of which was funneled into the U.S. stock market.
The Antique Mortgage Financial Investment Company thrived, and Golden House Financial Company, specializing in gold as collateral, followed suit. In a time of widespread poverty in Japan, some nobles, warlords, and chaebols, who had hidden their gold and silver treasures, saw this as an opportunity to safely invest their assets in the U.S. stock market.
Golden House received many large customers, some mortgaging tens of kilograms of gold, others hundreds, with the largest investment being two tons. All this gold was mortgaged with Wells Fargo Bank, and the financial companies managed the investments.
...
As the new year began in 1950, Hardy focused on his U.S. ventures. The heads of all Hardy Group companies gathered for a meeting to review the past year and plan for the future. Before the meeting, Henry briefed Hardy on the situation in Japan. The success of the Antique Mortgage Financial Investment Company and Golden House exceeded expectations.
Hardy pondered for a moment. "If we're going to squeeze the Japanese people, we might as well do it thoroughly."
He instructed Henry to expand the mortgage financial investment companies to other major cities and to introduce real estate as another mortgage option. "Also, have all mortgaged antiques and gold secretly shipped to Hong Kong and stored in a vault with the utmost confidentiality," Hardy added.
...
During the group meeting, company presidents reported on their annual operations and plans for the coming year. Hardy provided feedback and guidance. For instance, the Hardy supermarket chain, which opened three supermarkets in 1949, planned a large-scale expansion, aiming for 20 locations in major cities across the U.S.
The dog and horse farms established last year were doing well, and the two casinos in Las Vegas, Caesars Palace and The Venetian, were set to open, each with over $100 million invested. Their successful operation would be crucial to Las Vegas's future.
With over 30 branches, the meeting lasted two days. The Hardy Group's rapid development and profitability over the past year were evident.
On the final day, Hardy delivered a closing speech, highlighting a crucial decision made after two days of discussions with Andy.
"The last point is very important. The company has established a reward mechanism. Those with shares or equity are not excluded from this; the company heads will receive bonuses based on the year's performance and profits."
The executives smiled, pleased with the prospect of bonuses.
"The group has opened an account with Wells Fargo Bank in the Cayman Islands. Group Finance will send you a digital account. The biggest advantage of this is that the money is tax-free."
The room filled with laughter, as the executives appreciated avoiding the U.S. personal income tax.
"However, 30% of these bonuses can be freely used, while 70% will be placed in a trust fund. As long as you remain with the Hardy Group, you'll receive annual injections into this fund. Upon retirement, you can live off the trust fund."
"The Cayman Islands has no inheritance tax, so even if you pass away, your families can continue to benefit from the trust fund."
The executives felt valued and appreciated Hardy's foresight. He understood that in business, financial rewards and a sense of loyalty were key to maintaining a motivated workforce.
Hardy emphasized the importance of establishing a reasonable bonus system for all employees across the group's many branches. "Submit your bonus systems to the group headquarters by early February."
With over 20,000 employees, including more than 9,000 in the security company and thousands more in Wells Fargo, Global Times, ABC TV, supermarket chains, express companies, and shipping companies, distributing bonuses was no small task. But Hardy believed in rewarding those who contributed to the company's success.
The meeting concluded, and Hardy returned to his manor, where a red Rolls Royce Silver Spirit, a gift for Monroe, awaited him.
Monroe, dressed in workout clothes and glistening with sweat, was in the gym when Hardy found her. Despite her public persona, Monroe was highly disciplined, dedicating herself to her craft, exercising regularly, and continuously improving her skills.
Monroe invited Hardy to spar with her in the boxing ring. Hardy, ever the gentleman, focused on defense. After some playful wrestling, they both laughed, enjoying the moment.
Monroe mentioned her impending return to New York to resume filming. Hardy offered to accompany her, but she declined, understanding his busy schedule.
As they prepared to shower, Hardy received a call from Major General Williams. Lieutenant General Jason, the head of the Logistics Administration, had suffered a sudden brain hemorrhage and was unlikely to fully recover. Williams subtly hinted at an opportunity for Hardy.
Hardy quickly grasped the situation. "I'll visit General Johnson in Washington tomorrow," he replied, understanding the implications without needing further explanation.
As Hardy entered the bathroom, Monroe playfully pulled him inside, ready for another round of fun.
---
Status Power Mingguan
200+ Peringkat
Power 
3 Power
stone Anda mungkin juga menyukai
Komentar Paragraf