"It is said that the prices in San Francisco are extremely high and life is inconvenient, but I don't think so. Maybe we have caught up with a good time. I think life here is quite convenient. This sandwich is delicious and convenient."
Ge Wen sat at the stall, ordered a sandwich and a cup of black tea, and took out a silver coin to buy a newspaper.
"The newspaper is free sir."
In order to earn a little more money to support his family, little Allen worked as a newspaper boy while taking care of the store.
"Consider this as your tip. Since it's free, give one to the gentleman next to you as well."
"Yes, thank you sir."
Little Alan thanked Ge Wen and took out a newspaper from his bag.
"You've been giving away newspapers for free for several days. Don't newspaper companies consider making a profit?"
Ge Wen had been getting newspapers for free for several days, which made him puzzled.
"The newspaper is Mr. Liang's business. Mr. Liang has his own considerations when doing things. We just need to do our work and not ask too many questions. We don't need to worry about things that we shouldn't worry about." Little Allen looked at Ge Wen, who was well-dressed and had a civilized cane under his armpit, and said, "Sir, you are well-dressed. I guess you are a noble from the East?"
Although the Industrial Revolution was in full swing in the United States at this time, its economic level and international status were no longer comparable to those of the United States more than a hundred years later.
Now the center of world civilization is in Europe, and America is just the periphery of civilization. In the eyes of the European powers, especially the arrogant British, Americans are just a group of uncultured former colonial countrymen.
Americans feel quite inferior about this. They have a special fondness for the identity of aristocracy because there are many aristocrats in Europe who they consider to be very noble.
These are things that money can't buy.
Ge Wen was quite pleased to hear the word "noble". Seeing that the newsboy was smart and spoke well, he invited him to have breakfast with him.
"So, you are also working for Mr. Liang."
Little Alan took a bite of his burger and said while chewing, "Yes sir, I have seen Mr. Liang with my own eyes. Mr. Liang is a kind young gentleman. I heard that he also has a noble family, but his family fell into decline, so he came to California to pan for gold."
"So who do you think is going to win this battle going on in California right now?"
"Of course it's Mr. Liang."
Little Alan said without hesitation that he and Brannan had a grudge for murdering their father, so he naturally stood on Liang Yao's side.
"Brannan is a villain. He committed lynching and killed my father. He will not have a good end."
Thinking of his father John Jenkins being hanged by Brannan for no reason, little Allen's eyes were a little red.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned these sad things and made you cry." Ge Wen gently took out a handkerchief to wipe away little Allen's tears.
"Thank you sir."
Little Alan picked up the burger, which he had only taken a few bites of, broke it into several pieces and gave them to a few newsboys with long braids on the back of their heads, and left the stall with them.
"Maybe I should reconsider my partners. It seems that Brannan is not someone worth cooperating with, my friend." Gwen said to the young man next to him.
The young man was called Leland Stanford. He was the governor of California in 1861 and one of the ten great tycoons of the Gilded Age. In later generations, the university he founded, Stanford University, became more well-known. But now it is 1850, and Stanford's era has not yet arrived.
Stanford was also one of the gold diggers at this time. He was one of the few gold diggers with better luck and made a small fortune in gold panning.
Although not as wealthy as Brannan and Liang Yao, Stanford is also well-known among gold diggers.
"People always make mistakes. Brannan and Liang Yao are two completely different people. My father once told me that if you can become a politician in the future, you must learn to be flexible," said Stanford.
"Brannan is an American citizen, and Liang Yao is also an American citizen. It would be harmless to invite him to meet, and perhaps we could gain something from it.
Mr. Gwen, thank you for your hospitality."
"Maybe I should also pay a visit to this gentleman from the East. I am particularly interested in him now and look forward to meeting him." Ge Wen developed a strong interest in Liang Yao.
The business war between Brannan and Liang Yao has entered a white-hot stage, and Brannan suffers huge financial losses every day.
Brannan felt heartbroken as he watched the gold he had accumulated being consumed bit by bit in the price war.
"Brother, we have already earned more wealth than we can spend in several lifetimes in this gold rush. It's time to stop. If we continue like this, I'm afraid our family will be left with nothing."
Brannan's younger brother, Brannan Jr., persuaded Brannan to give up this meaningless fight.
Brannan is now a little confused. He can no longer figure out how much gold Liang Yao has.
In just a few days of the price war, he suffered a loss of nearly 10,000 ounces of gold, or $320,000.
This amount was not a small sum for him. Liang Yao's loss should be equal to his. He thought that his financial resources were stronger than Liang Yao's. However, Liang Yao acted as if nothing had happened these days, which was puzzling.
All of Liang Yao's industries are still operating as usual. In addition to the large-scale construction of a commercial street in San Francisco, he even has the spare capacity to build a dam on the American River.
"How much gold does Liang Yao have? Could it be that those gold diggers deposited all the gold in Liang Yao's bank?"
Brannan felt a little chest tightness. He covered his chest with his hands and looked very painful. His mental state was much worse than before, and he was even a little depressed.
"Stop it, brother. It's not too late to make peace with Liang Yao. California is big enough to accommodate two millionaires."
Little Brannan hopes that his brother can extricate himself from the quagmire of price war, as Liang Yao is obviously not that easy to deal with.
"But there can only be one King of California!
Tom, in a few months, the big financial groups from the East will be here. They are hypocritical vampires. Once they arrive in California, we will no longer have the opportunity to make a fortune like we do now, do you understand? These lands are our last chance to make a fortune. Don't you want our Brannan family to become stronger?
They looked down on us when we had no money before, and now that we have money, they still look down on us! They secretly laugh at us and call us nouveau riche and bumpkins! Why is this?! Why?!
This is because we are not strong enough! Without enough power, I will now support Mr. Gwen in his campaign for the future California Senator! We will use this as a springboard to enter politics and infiltrate our influence into Congress!
California has great development prospects. It will be the richest state in the United States in the future, and our Brannan family will become the most influential family in the country, just like those aristocratic families in the East! By then, everyone will have to look up to our people and be in awe of us. Do you understand, Tom? "
"Brother! Wake up! Mr. Ge Wen is leaving for Sacramento today. Don't you understand? If we continue like this, we will fall into an endless abyss!"
Little Brannan shook Brannan's shoulders in grief, hoping that Brannan would wake up.