บท 425: Chapter 425: I Want to Give You a Baby
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The conflict between Hardy and Indonesia continued without escalating into a full-scale war, but tensions remained high. Hardy's mercenary ships patrolled the Strait of Malacca daily, and warplanes regularly flew over Indonesia.
In August 1953, a car accident occurred in Jakarta. An officer named Suhart was hit by a large truck while on his way home from work. The truck fled the scene, and Suhart was found with fatal injuries.
Suhart was a mid-level officer in the Indonesian Military Staff. He had studied at the Royal Dutch-Indian Army Cadre School in Gobang, Central Java, and later served in the Japanese "Guardian Army" headquarters. After Japan's surrender in 1945, Suhart joined the People's Security Army and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Army Staff.
Initially, Suhart's death was not seen as significant, and his family quickly buried him. However, Hardy took note of the news and was satisfied with the outcome. Although Hardy was uncertain if Suhart would have risen further in rank or become more influential, he decided that eliminating him was the simplest solution. He was not concerned about potential future complications.
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During this period, Hardy returned to the United States to focus on his American business ventures. He delegated responsibilities for Penang and Malacca to his subordinates while concentrating on increasing his revenue to support his troops.
Not long after, Hardy received a call from the White House. President Eisenhower requested a meeting to discuss the situation in Indonesia. Given Hardy's multifaceted roles as an American businessman, the husband of a British princess, the Governor of the Cayman Islands, and the Governor of the Hardy Dominion, Eisenhower had to approach him with diplomatic respect.
At the White House, Hardy and Eisenhower had dinner and then walked and talked in the garden. They discussed various topics including the situation in Southeast Asia, the Malayan issue, economic investments in the Hardy Dominion, regional control, and political orientation.
Eisenhower mentioned that someone was attempting to mediate between Hardy and Indonesia and asked for Hardy's opinion. The think tank had already considered these issues and recognized that a prolonged conflict was unsustainable. The war had showcased the Hardy Dominion's strength and resolve, serving as a warning to Indonesia.
Hardy's demands were straightforward: punish all involved in violence and vandalism, issue apologies and compensation for the dead and injured, cease unreasonable trade regulations, and compensate his company with $500 million. Indonesia was enraged by these demands, viewing them as extortion. While the first two demands were somewhat acceptable, the third seemed to interfere with their internal affairs, and the compensation amount was deemed excessive.
The mediation process stalled. Hardy was patient, focusing on his business and allowing his army to continue training.
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In September, Elena, a French woman, happily informed Hardy that she was pregnant. Hardy was thrilled and kissed her in celebration. He valued having children, whether through marriage or otherwise, and had already arranged a family fund in the Cayman Islands to support them.
Elena was advised by her doctor to avoid high-intensity exercise during the early months of pregnancy. Hardy reassured her, emphasizing the importance of the child's well-being.
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Princess Margaret of Great Britain was enjoying her newfound freedom after marrying Hardy. No longer constrained by royal duties, she found fulfillment in managing the global luxury goods sector of the Hardy Group. Despite having a professional team, Margaret's involvement added significant value, leveraging her royal status and expertise in luxury goods to promote the brand.
Hardy's strategy for managing his women involved keeping them busy to prevent idle behavior and potential issues. By engaging them in meaningful work, he ensured their focus was on their responsibilities rather than on his personal life.
Margaret's work included managing the Hardy Group's luxury goods magazine, which was gaining prominence. The latest issue featured her at a jewelry conference, holding Hardy's child, David Hardy.
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Hardy visited Santa Clara Valley in San Francisco, a location already home to several research laboratories and technology factories. His goal was to acquire land and establish a high-tech venture capital company, recognizing the area as a future tech hub—Silicon Valley.
In 1933, the region had become a naval research base, and after its relocation, it had attracted technology companies. The presence of nearby universities, such as Stanford and UC Berkeley, contributed to the area's reputation for talent concentration.
Hardy planned to purchase land and set up "Hardy Technology Investment" to support technology research and development.
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William Shockley, a researcher at Bell Labs, had invented the transistor and was known as the father of the transistor. He was seeking additional funds to further his research.
Shockley saw an advertisement for Hardy's new venture capital company and, intrigued, contacted them. After discussions, Hardy's investment company provided Shockley with $1.6 million to establish the Shockley Laboratory.
Shockley retained 40% of the laboratory's research results and patent profits, while Hardy's company held management control. The laboratory attracted many talented individuals, including future founders of Fairchild, Intel, and AMD. They focused on advancing transistor technology and exploring silicon wafers.
Hardy was pleased with the investment, knowing that early involvement in Silicon Valley would yield significant future returns. The establishment of Shockley Laboratory marked the beginning of a technological revolution that would shape the future.
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By 1955, under international mediation, the Hardy Dominion and Indonesia reached a settlement. Indonesia, unable to endure the continued harassment, agreed to investigate the violence, make compensation payments, and address issues affecting foreign investments. Although Indonesia resisted the full $500 million compensation, they eventually agreed to pay $120 million in installments.
Hardy's demands were met, and the conflict with Indonesia was resolved. Despite Indonesia's ongoing economic and political repression of the Chinese, the Hardy Dominion had preemptively eliminated potential threats and welcomed Chinese immigrants, leading to significant population growth and wealth accumulation in Penang, Malacca, and Singapore.
In March 1955, Elena gave birth to a daughter named Anna, who resembled a porcelain doll with blond hair and sky-blue eyes. Hardy was delighted and looked forward to a future with his growing family. Anna's birth was registered in the Cayman Islands, where Hardy had arranged for her and Elena's accounts to be managed.
Elizabeth Taylor, having learned of Elena's child, playfully demanded Hardy's attention. Despite Hardy's concerns about her youth and career impact, Elizabeth insisted on having children, adding a touch of humor and warmth to their relationship.
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