Hearing his father ask about things in Chicago, Flander immediately became confident. "I've taken care of everything in Chicago. ...I asked a representative from the city government to negotiate on my behalf. That kid thought the government really wanted to buy his land, and he sold it without hesitation. Judging from his eagerness, he probably suffered quite a bit in this financial crisis, otherwise, why would he have sold so readily? Besides, the price we offered was very competitive, a full eleven percent higher than the market price! They had no reason not to agree."

"It's excellent that the Chicago city government intervened!" Old Morgan nodded. "After all, our relationship with the Duanmu family has been somewhat strained lately. If we were to negotiate on our own, something bad might happen. We can't accept being extorted or being used as a bargaining chip."

"So you did well in this aspect, showing some seasoned skills. It's good that I haven't wasted all these years training you. If you had been foolish enough to go and confront the Duanmu family head-on, I would have really had to consider changing your position. But you have successfully proven yourself. It seems I can really entrust the company's affairs to you with peace of mind. After working so hard for so many years, it's time for me to enjoy myself. Didn't you recently buy a small island in Canada? Go find me a good designer to build a house there. I want to go fishing."

Flander, who was usually aloof and unapproachable in front of his subordinates, puffed out his chest like a child upon hearing his father's praise. He was overjoyed when he heard that his father seemed to be completely letting go: "I will definitely not let Father down! This business deal can be said to be the most profitable and successful deal our family has made in the 21st century, benefiting our descendants!"

Old Morgan took off his sun hat and placed it on the table next to him. Then he shouted to the caddies in the distance, "Two more whiskeys, please!" After shouting, he turned to Flander and asked, "Why did you contact the media?"

Friend laughed. “Our Morgan family has been dormant for too long, so long that many have forgotten the prestige of this name. They’ve become a bit presumptuous. Last year, when we wanted to invest in an island resort in Virginia, a small, second-rate local family dared to compete with us. They were simply courting death! Such a joke would have been unthinkable twenty years ago! It’s time for the Morgan family to rebuild its reputation!”

Old Morgan nodded with his eyes closed. The caddy placed two glasses of whiskey down and left. "Flander," he said, "you're right. A powerful family can lack dignity, but it cannot lack prestige. Dignified business dealings are something only college graduates fresh out of the ivory tower dream of. But reality will teach them a lesson. Losing a little face for money is nothing. Didn't our ancestors also serve the Rothschilds? There are gains and losses, it's nothing."

"But authority is different, because authority allows us to do many unexpected things. Back in the Middle Ages, the Mongol cavalry, who swept across Eurasia, once reached the Rhine River. Keep in mind they numbered only tens of thousands; any large city-state had a larger population. So why were the Mongols able to advance so far? The reason is that they established authority. Their authority prevented the nobles and lords along the way from resisting, forcing them to humiliatingly bow their noble heads to these barbarians they had always despised. Otherwise, the Mongol cavalry would have been wiped out by these countless city-states long ago. How could they have remained so powerful?"

"This principle applies to business as well. Take the island resort you just mentioned, for example. If the Morgan family has enough prestige, why would we need to compete with others? They would stay far away as soon as they see the name. They wouldn't steal our business. It took me 20 years to understand this principle, and you must remember it."

If Duanmu Ci were here today and heard old Morgan say these words, he would surely suspect that the old man had secretly perused Chinese military texts before going to sleep. And he would have seen them very clearly. Because every word old Morgan spoke hit the nail on the head, directly pointing to the highest principles of Chinese military strategy throughout history—

To subdue the enemy without fighting.

Just as all rivers on earth eventually flow into the sea, and all eagles ultimately soar into the sky, all knowledge in the world, even if it originates from different sources, ultimately leads to the same destination, because ultimate wisdom is universal. This is why ancient sages always revered those who lived even further back in time, for they all spoke of the same truth.

Different paths lead to the same destination.

Flander pondered for a moment upon hearing this, then said seriously, "Father is right. The reason I dared to act so quickly against the Duanmu family is because their dignified patriarch is dead. If Duanmu Qu were still alive, I wouldn't have acted so hastily; I would have at least tested the waters a bit more."

Old Morgan ignored the topic, reached out and opened a newspaper on the table, then glanced at it and said, "Hmm, you've even contacted the newspaper?"

“No, not at all,” Flander explained. “I only contacted the television media; the news in the newspapers and online is published by them themselves and has nothing to do with us.”

"There are so many people joining in the fun." Old Morgan remained noncommittal and put the newspaper back.

"The more people joining in the fun, the better, after all, we're the main characters," Flander laughed. "That way, we'll create a buzz, which will only benefit us."

"I'm afraid they're just here to laugh at us."

"They're not here to laugh at the Morgan family."

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