North America 1849, from Gold Rush to Warlord

Chapter 106 I am Abraham Lincoln! (7,000 words!)

"My name is Abraham Lincoln!"

Upon hearing this name, the receptionist's eyes lit up: "You are Mr. Abraham Lincoln, the U.S. House of Representatives, who was a staunch advocate for the abolition of slavery?"

The tall, thin man smiled slightly. He never expected that in this remote west, a mere receptionist would know his name and political views!

But Lincoln was unaware that almost all of Azu's employees had to undergo specialized training.

Hotel staff must remember the names of all the important figures of our time, as well as their main political views, especially in important positions such as front desk reception.

"Yes, I am Abraham Lincoln!"

Lincoln smiled helplessly and said, "But I am no longer a member of the U.S. Congress. I have resigned from my position as a member of Congress!"

Monica, who happened to be passing by the hotel lobby, also heard the name.

So, Monica, wearing a bodycon dress designed by Azu and high heels, walked to the front desk, dismissed the receptionist, and flashed Lincoln her most charming smile: "Mr. Lincoln, I am Monica Mason, the public relations director of the Rosewood Hotel. I will personally receive such a distinguished guest as you!"

Lincoln put down his suitcase: "Beautiful Miss Monica, I think I'm just an ordinary lawyer now, not some distinguished guest!"

Monica's smile widened: "No! Mr. Lincoln, whatever your current status, your strong advocacy for the abolition of slavery makes you our hotel's most distinguished guest!"

Hearing Monica say that, Lincoln felt particularly pleased; his three years as a congressman had not been in vain.

Monica took out a gleaming gold key and handed it to Lincoln with both hands, saying, "Although all the rooms in our hotel are already booked, for a distinguished guest like you, we will always reserve the best presidential suite for you!"

"Presidential Suite?" Lincoln looked at the prestigious golden key but hesitated to take it. "The name of this suite is certainly novel!"

“However…!” Lincoln looked up at Monica: “I think, since I am neither the president nor can I afford the exorbitant cost of a luxury suite!”

Monica still held up the golden key with both hands: "Mr. Lincoln, our hotel owner's reputation for hospitality has spread throughout California. You don't need to worry about any expenses at all. As long as you stay in San Francisco, our Rosewood Hotel's presidential suite will be your warm home!"

"This...!" This sudden special treatment made Lincoln hesitate whether to accept this kindness.

Before Lincoln could agree, Monica said to a nearby waiter, "Take Mr. Lincoln's luggage to the presidential suite!"

"Yes, Miss Monica!"

Lincoln had no choice but to accept that his luggage had been taken away by the waiters.

As soon as Lincoln and his assistant stepped into the presidential suite on the top floor of the hotel, they were immediately stunned by its luxury!

Everywhere you look, there's the opulent Baroque style furniture and decorations from the time of Louis XIV, the "Sun King" of France: gleaming marble floors with elegant patterns, intricate crystal chandeliers, magnificent gilded antique furniture, and giant, precious porcelain pieces from the distant East…!
The entire room, every place that could be decorated with gold, was decorated with pure gold, making it shine brightly!

The candlesticks were made of pure gold, the tableware was made of pure gold, and even the toilet was plated with gold!

A presidential suite is definitely over 300 square meters in size, with four living rooms, six bathrooms, a living room, a dining room, a study, a bar... it has everything!
After touring this unprecedented presidential suite, the assistant couldn't help but exclaim in amazement, "Sir, the entire East Coast has been talking about the sudden wealth and luxury of San Francisco, but after seeing this presidential suite, I realized that the rumors are true!"

The assistant stroked the pure gold decorations on the magnificent antique furniture: "The gold here is practically free!"

"Sir, if we can pry all the gold out of this room, we'll be rich!"

Lincoln was equally astonished by the shock this presidential suite brought him: "I think I understand now why such shocking tragedies and bloodshed occur so frequently in the West, in San Francisco!"

"why?"

Lincoln carefully examined the enormous cloisonné vase, as tall as a person and unlike anything he had ever seen before, from faraway China: "Such astonishing wealth would absolutely drive anyone crazy!"

In this unprecedentedly luxurious presidential suite, Lincoln and his assistant spent more than half an hour looking around the entire suite, inside and out.

"Boom...!"

A pleasant knock sounded, and the assistant opened the heavy door to the presidential suite, where two waiters appeared, pushing a food cart.

"I don't think we ordered anything! What's going on?" the assistant asked in surprise.

"Sir, excuse me for disturbing you! This is a welcome light meal that Miss Monica has personally arranged for our two distinguished guests!"

"Oh? This... Miss Monica, you're too kind!"

Two waiters pushed the food cart into the presidential suite and placed the food from the cart one by one on the huge dining table.

Foie gras, black truffles, blue lobster, Gillardeau oysters, French-style baked snails...!
A full twelve dishes, almost filling the entire table! Paired with the finest Margaux red wine…!
Looking at the table full of delicious-looking dishes, the assistant couldn't help but click his tongue and exclaim, "This is the light meal Miss Monica arranged?"

"Yes! This is just a simple twelve-course meal at our hotel!"

"How many dishes are there in a main meal?"

"Our hotel's regular meals consist of twenty-four courses! If it's a banquet, there will be at least thirty-six courses...!"

"Tsk tsk tsk... This is outrageously extravagant!!"

After a long sea voyage, Lincoln, who had just washed up and was still in his pajamas, came out and was shocked to see the delicious food on the table!

"This... I think this meal is simply beyond my means!"

The waiter smiled and replied, "This was arranged personally by Miss Monica. Everything is on the hotel's tab, so Mr. Lincoln, you don't need to pay a single dollar!"

"But... I feel unworthy of it!" Lincoln said, embarrassed.

"No, Mr. Lincoln, your name is renowned throughout the West, and everything you have done is entirely worthy of the VIP treatment offered by our hotel!"

Lincoln thought to himself, "How come everyone at this Rosewood Hotel is so good at talking?"
-
Meanwhile, Azu, who was processing intelligence in a secluded room at the Rosewood Hotel, immediately learned that Abraham Lincoln had appeared at his hotel.

My first reaction was disbelief!
At this point in history, wasn't Abraham Lincoln doing a good job as a member of the House of Representatives?

How could it possibly appear in the remote west? How could it possibly appear in my own hotel?

Could it be that the ripple effect of my tiny butterfly is so enormous?

When it was confirmed that the visitor was indeed Abraham Lincoln, the future greatest president in American history, Azu did not rush to meet him.

Only after he had finished processing the intelligence at hand and calculated the time, and after Lincoln had settled down in the presidential suite, did he have Monica invite Abraham Lincoln to the study on the second floor.

"Dong dong dong...!"

There was a polite knock on the door.

"Please come in!"

The man who pushed open the door was a tall, thin, pale-skinned, long-faced, but imposing middle-aged white man!

It was the Abraham Lincoln that Azu knew so well!
“Mr. Lincoln, I am Li Zunian, the owner of this hotel!”

Welcome to the Rosewood Hotel!

Azu warmly stood up, took a few steps forward, and shook hands firmly with Abraham Lincoln.

“Li…? A Chinese man?” Lincoln was shocked that the owner of this luxury hotel was actually Chinese.

What's even more shocking is that this Chinese man is so young!

"Yes, Mr. Lincoln, I am Chinese, nineteen years old, and have only been in San Francisco for a year!"

"A nineteen-year-old Chinese man? He's only been in San Francisco for a year...?" Abraham Lincoln found Azu's self-introduction even more unbelievable!

Azu accepted the Macallan whiskey from Monica and lightly clinked glasses with Lincoln's.

“Mr. Lincoln, even in the remote and desolate West, your name is known to all!”

"It is an honor for my Rosewood Hotel to host such a distinguished guest as you, and it is also an honor for me personally!"

After the host and guest were seated, Lincoln still felt like he was in a dream. The young Chinese man in front of him had given him a tremendous shock.

"Mr. Li, you've only been in San Francisco for a year? And you already own such a luxurious hotel?"

Monica chimed in, "My master has only been in San Francisco for a year! And he owns not just this hotel, but half of San Francisco and a large part of California...!"

"Shut up!" Azu glared at Monica.

Monica stuck out her tongue and winked playfully at Azu.

"Half of San Francisco and a good part of California...?"

Lincoln was once again stunned: "Mr. Li, is this true?"

Azu took a sip of the rich and authentic Macallan whisky and nodded slightly: "Miss Monica is exaggerating a bit, but... it's basically true!"

Hearing this, Lincoln became even more interested in the Chinese man in front of him: "Mr. Li, could you tell me how you did it?"

"I've launched some products, like jeans and Eden Cottage...!"

Lincoln was once again quite surprised: "Levi's jeans, they're actually your product?"

"What? Mr. Lincoln has also heard of my jeans?"

“Yes!” Lincoln nodded. “Now, not only in the West, but also in the East, your Levi’s jeans are becoming popular, and they’re quite expensive, selling for over three dollars!”

Levi's jeans sell for $1.50 in the West, but if shipped to the far East, the price would normally double.

Azu continued, "Mr. Lincoln, as you know, there is countless gold deposits throughout California. I made a small fortune through gold panning, and that's how I acquired all of this!"

Lincoln felt relieved after hearing this.

In Abraham Lincoln's subconscious, only a gold rush tycoon could acquire such enormous wealth in such a short period of time.

After introducing himself, Azu asked, "Mr. Lincoln, you are a distinguished congressman. Why are you in the West, and in my hotel?"

Abraham Lincoln also took a sip and was immediately captivated by the taste of Macallan whisky. He couldn't help but pick up his glass, take a deep look at the amber-colored liquor, and inhale its rich aroma.

Lincoln couldn't help but ask, "Is this... a vintage Macallan whisky?"

“Yes!” Azu exclaimed in surprise, “I didn’t expect Mr. Lincoln to be an expert on whiskey as well?”

“Haha!” Lincoln laughed and replied, “Many people may not know that before becoming a lawyer, I ran a tavern! But that was more than ten years ago. Back then, I was very young, not much older than you, Mr. Li.” Lincoln looked again at the deep amber color of the liquor: “This aged Macallan whisky, even in the East, would sell for over seventy dollars. In the West, I estimate it would cost around one hundred and fifty dollars, right?”

“Yes! Mr. Lincoln, you guessed right!” Azu took the half-full bottle of liquor from Monica and gently shook it, saying, “This 40-year-old Macallan whisky would sell for at least two hundred dollars in the West.”

"Two hundred dollars! Haha, Mr. Li actually treated me to a two-hundred-dollar bottle of whiskey! Even in Washington, I have never been treated like this!"

Lincoln laughed and said, "And that unimaginably luxurious presidential suite, the price per day is probably far beyond my means. Mr. Li, your wealth has once again surpassed my imagination!"

“When I was a member of Congress, my monthly salary was only two hundred dollars. And now that I have resigned from my position as a member of Congress.”

Azu asked curiously, "Mr. Lincoln, why did you resign?"

Abraham Lincoln replied, "Because I offended many people with my vigorous advocacy for the abolitionist movement!"

"Especially the large farm owners in the south, they wish they could blow my head off!"

Lincoln's words have undoubtedly become a self-fulfilling prophecy in later generations!

"The pressure I faced from those who opposed the abolition of slavery, both politically and in terms of public opinion, was so great that I had to resign from my position as a member of Congress."

“So that’s how it is!” Azu recalled his memories from his previous life. Before winning the presidential election, Abraham Lincoln did indeed disappear from the political scene for a period of time.

“Then…!” Azu continued, “Mr. Lincoln, why did you come to the West, to San Francisco?”

Lincoln took another sip of his drink before saying, "Last year, San Francisco was rocked by a series of shocking massacres. The mayor, acting mayor, city council president, chief judge, and thousands of others were slaughtered."

“As a lawyer, from that time on, I developed a strong interest in the entire West, including San Francisco, and wanted to see this land for myself.”

Azu asked curiously, "Just because of this?"

"Of course, that's not the only reason!"

As he spoke, Lincoln took out a small glass bottle from his pocket, which was filled with a clear liquid.

Lincoln held up the small glass bottle and looked at Azu, saying, "What truly brought me to the West was this little thing...!"

“Penicillin!” Azu exclaimed in surprise.

"Huh!" Lincoln exclaimed in surprise, "Mr. Li, you also know about penicillin?"

"Of course, I do know about it!"

He had no idea whatsoever!

This was created entirely by myself!

Lincoln continued, "More than two months ago, a friend of mine who was engaged in medical research, Keynes, came to me with penicillin and introduced me to this miraculous drug."

"Keynes told me that penicillin was the most miraculous and effective drug he had ever seen in his medical research career. It had incredible and miraculous effects on most diseases, including severe external wound infections, pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis, scarlet fever, diphtheria, tetanus, and so on!"

"This penicillin, which has just appeared on the market, is extremely rare and extremely expensive! In the East, each vial of penicillin sells for a sky-high price of over two hundred and fifty US dollars!"

"Even though it's so expensive, countless people are still eager to get penicillin, and you can't buy it even if you have the money! After all, one vial of penicillin could potentially save a life!"

"Moreover, Keynes told me that this miraculous penicillin actually came from the remote and desolate West, from San Francisco, which was just a small town until last year!"

Abraham Lincoln remarked, "After witnessing firsthand the miraculous effects of penicillin, my interest in the West and in San Francisco only grew stronger!"

"So, after resigning as a member of Congress, I boarded the ship, wanting to see for myself what this legendary land was all about!"

Lincoln looked at Azu, his voice steady and powerful: "If possible, I would prefer to have a good talk with the gentleman who created penicillin!"

"Oh?" Azu smiled and said, "Mr. Lincoln, what would you like to talk to him about?"

Lincoln replied, "That gentleman created penicillin, a miraculous drug that can save countless lives. He is undoubtedly an extremely great man!"

“However…!” Lincoln’s tone shifted: “Penicillin is currently far too expensive!”

"Except for a very small number of powerful and wealthy people, ordinary people simply cannot afford such expensive drugs!"

"In fact, compared to the powerful and wealthy, ordinary people and even the poor are more in need of penicillin, this miraculous drug, to save their lives!"

"Moreover, even if ordinary people have money, it's very difficult for them to buy this miraculous drug! Penicillin is extremely rare and precious!"

"Therefore, I hope to have a good talk with the gentleman who created penicillin, and hope that he can bring down the price of this drug so that it can bring good news to ordinary people and the poor, and save countless lives!"

Azu never imagined that his creation of penicillin would attract Abraham Lincoln, the greatest god in the future of America!
Azu smiled and said, "Mr. Lincoln, isn't it a coincidence? I happen to know the man you mentioned who invented penicillin, and we're even somewhat acquainted...!"

"Pfft!" Monica couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Azu turned and glared at her, and Monica quickly covered her bright red mouth.

Azu continued, “Mr. Lincoln, that gentleman, well… how should I put it, he generally doesn’t like meeting strangers. If possible, Mr. Lincoln, you might as well treat me as him, and I will relay everything to him.”

"Mr. Li, do you think of him...?" Lincoln fell silent, unsure how to begin.

Azu added, “As far as I know, penicillin production is extremely difficult, and the output simply cannot be increased in the short term! The ex-factory price of penicillin should currently be one hundred US dollars per vial, but it has been speculated to be more than two hundred and fifty US dollars. I think this is something that gentleman would not want to see.”

Lincoln said in a deep voice, "Mr. Li, a wealthy person like you may not realize that even at one hundred dollars a vial, it represents two or three months' worth of income for an ordinary family! After deducting normal expenses, even if an ordinary family saves up for a year, it would be difficult to afford one vial of penicillin!"

Azu pondered for a moment and said, "Then, according to Mr. Lincoln, what should we do?"

After a moment's thought, Lincoln replied, "I hope that gentleman can bring down the price of penicillin as soon as possible so that more people can afford it!"

"Of course, I know this request is excessive, after all, I have never met that gentleman before!"

Lincoln continued, "If possible, I will give that gentleman all the help he can to lower the price of penicillin."

“Although I am no longer a member of parliament, I still have many friends and some influence. I believe I can help that gentleman!”

Upon hearing this, Azu silently took a sip of wine and pondered for a long time.

"Mr. Lincoln, are you a Freemason?"

"Freemasonry?" Lincoln was taken aback. What did Freemasonry have to do with the conversation they were having?
But Lincoln answered honestly: "I am certainly not a Freemason! On the contrary, the Freemasons are one of my main political opponents!"

"Although the Freemasons have not openly opposed abolition, many Freemasons are large plantation owners in the South, and they are the main behind-the-scenes forces opposing abolition."

"Besides…!" Lincoln sneered, "Elite organizations like the Freemasons wouldn't even look down on someone like me who came from a poor background!"

Azu nodded in agreement: "That's true! Freemasonry has strayed from its original purpose and become a place for the powerful to band together and exchange benefits."

When Freemasonry was founded more than a hundred years ago, it was just a mutual aid organization formed by low-level stonemasons, similar to fraternities or labor unions.

After more than a hundred years of evolution, the Freemasons of today are mostly capitalists, large plantation owners, tycoons, politicians, and mid- to high-ranking military officers, among other powerful figures.

Azu continued, "From what I understand, there are two main reasons why penicillin is so expensive."

"First, large-scale production of penicillin is difficult, requiring extremely stringent conditions and incurring very high production costs."

"Secondly, the gentleman who created penicillin is not yet willing to launch it on a large scale. The small batches of penicillin released so far are only for verifying the efficacy of the drug."

Lincoln was astonished: "Why? Sir, why not mass-market penicillin, this miraculous drug that can save countless lives?"

Ah Zu replied, “That gentleman is afraid of being targeted, especially by a behemoth like the Freemasons!”

"If penicillin falls into the hands of an organization as powerful as the Freemasons, that gentleman might not be able to protect his secret formula, or even his life!"

Upon hearing this, Abraham Lincoln fell into a long silence once again.

Having served as a congressman for three years in the political center of America, Lincoln was well aware of the immense power of organizations like the Freemasons, and also how shameless and terrifying their methods could be!
The concerns expressed by the young Chinese man opposite me are indeed possible, and very likely.

It's important to know that the Freemasons are a massive organization with hundreds of thousands of members, a diverse mix of all sorts of people.

Revolutionary and miraculous drugs like penicillin can not only save countless lives, but also bring endless wealth.

Once penicillin gains influence and people truly recognize its immense value, Freemasons will undoubtedly set their sights on this huge pie.

If a high-ranking Freemason were to target them and unleash the Freemasons' immense power, few in the entire United States could withstand it!

Therefore, Lincoln fell into a long silence.

Finally, Azu broke the silence: "If we can provide that gentleman with sufficient guarantees, I believe he should be able to find a way to mass-produce penicillin and completely drive down the price."

Lincoln replied, "I wonder what kind of protection that gentleman requires?"

Azu replied, “That gentleman would need a friend with such great influence as Mr. Lincoln! Of course, one Abraham Lincoln is far from enough; a powerful force capable of rivaling the Freemasons is needed to provide security for Penicillin and that gentleman!”

After a moment of contemplation, Lincoln replied, "That gentleman was able to create penicillin, saving countless lives. Of course, I would like to become his true friend! But...!"

"However, the Freemasons' power is simply too great!"

Lincoln sighed, “The current President of the United States is a Freemason! About 30% of the members of Congress on Capitol Hill are Freemasons! Many high-ranking officials in the U.S. government are also Freemasons!”

"Besides those in politics, half of America's generals are Freemasons! Most big capitalists and large plantation owners are also Freemasons!"

"The power of Freemasonry has long since permeated every corner of America; Freemasonry is deeply intertwined with the entire nation!"

"To deal with the Freemasons is to deal with America!"

"To be an enemy of the Freemasons is to be an enemy of the entire United States!"

Lincoln's expression was grim: "One of the reasons I resigned from my position as a member of the House of Representatives was because of the Freemasons!"

"Although I have some influence and many friends like me on Capitol Hill, even if we combine our strength, we cannot fight against the Freemasons!"

After listening to Lincoln's account, Azu remained silent for a moment before suddenly speaking.

"Mr. Lincoln, did you ever dream of becoming president?!"

(End of this chapter)