North America 1849, from Gold Rush to Warlord

Chapter 110 You Shot Me Dead! (5,000 words)
"Could we talk about becoming a distributor of penicillin?"

Henry DuPont felt that since an acquisition was no longer feasible, acquiring the distribution rights would be a good alternative!
The factory price of penicillin is one hundred dollars, but in the East, the price of penicillin has been inflated to over two hundred and fifty dollars.

If you can secure the agency rights, you can also earn huge profits!

Henry DuPont lowered his stance: "Mr. Li, you know that we represent not only New York Telegraph Company and DuPont, but also a powerful conglomerate behind us."

"In the east, we have a fairly extensive sales network, and we can definitely sell a large quantity of penicillin in the shortest amount of time, maximizing your profits!"

"I'm sorry!" Azu replied outright, "I'm not selling the pharmaceutical factory, and I don't want to give the distribution rights to anyone for the time being!"

Henry DuPont was greatly disappointed: "Why? Is it because of our previous attitude? I think I have already sincerely apologized for that!"

“No!” Azu shook his head slightly: “Because you are Freemasons, because the power you represent is too terrifying! To cooperate with you, hehe, to use an old Chinese saying, is no different from asking a tiger for its skin!”

"Besides, I have no trouble selling my penicillin. Everyone is begging me to sell it to them. Why would I hand over such a huge profit from distribution to you?"

Henry DuPont was utterly disappointed: "Mr. Lee, this is truly... a great pity!"

When Schneider, DuPont, and Peterson came out of the study, their faces were unusually grim.

Once on the carriage, Schneider, who could no longer contain himself, gritted his teeth and said fiercely, "That damned Chinese guy, who does he think he is? How dare he refuse us like this?"

Henry DuPont was also in a bad mood: "Schneider, you've seen it all. Our opponent is not the insignificant person we imagined! If we continue to insist on a tough stance, I don't think we'll leave here alive!"

"Hmph, a damned Chinaman, I don't believe he dares to kill us!"

"Heh!" Henry DuPont sneered. "Schneider, my friend, don't forget, this is the Wild West, not the East we know!"

"Here, we could very well be completely wiped out! Our final destination is either the stomachs of sharks or hungry wolves!"

"Don't forget the series of massacres that happened in San Francisco last year! Thousands of people were slaughtered overnight. What are just three of us?"

Hearing DuPont's words, Schneider finally realized something: "What about the penicillin? Are we just going to give up like this?"

“Give up?” Henry DuPont continued with a sneer, “How could we possibly give up such enormous profits!”

“After returning to the East, we split up to lobby the masters of the various chapters, because only they can truly represent Freemasonry!”

"With them stepping in, I don't believe that the Chinese guy and Huamei Industries won't back down!"

Schneider said unwillingly, "But this will greatly dilute the profits we can obtain! The lion's share will definitely go to those guys at higher levels!"

Even so, it's better than getting nothing at all!

After DuPont and his two companions left, Harley, who had brought the militia to the parade, walked up to Azu and whispered, "Boss, do we need to do something with these three guys? Once we get to sea, I can make them disappear completely!"

Azu shook his head: "It's no use making them disappear. The profits from penicillin are too great, which is bound to attract the covetous eyes of countless people. They are just one of them! Do you think we can kill them all?"

"Hehehe!" Harley laughed strangely: "Boss, it's not impossible to wipe them all out. If we do it a few more times, maybe no one will dare to mess with us!"

"Huh?" Azu looked at Harley in surprise: "You brainless idiot, when did you start using your brain?"

Harley scratched his head: "Boss, aren't I now the militia commander and a city councilor? How can I not use my brain?"

Azu laughed and shook his head: "It's useless! If the benefits are big enough, it doesn't matter how many people we kill! Unless, we become so powerful that they don't dare to mess with us!"

"Is it so powerful that they dare not provoke it?" Harley pondered.

Ah Zu continued, "Harley, right now Ah Yan is in charge of the gold mining, so the security of the base camp is entirely in your hands!"

“Our penicillin production will attract more and more covetous people. I think they will use every means to try to get a share of it.”

"Therefore, during this period, you must strengthen the security of the base camp. Double the manpower should be assigned to all security posts, and regular and irregular patrols should be increased. We cannot allow anyone to take advantage of any loopholes!"

"Boss, don't worry! Leave everything to me! If anything goes wrong, just shoot me!"

Harley had long admired his boss, whom he had almost strangled to death, and was even more grateful for Azu's promotion.

Especially at this critical moment, Harley has been on high alert, personally handling everything to ensure that its headquarters is watertight and impregnable.

As Azu had predicted, in the days that followed, people kept coming to his door, asking to buy shares in the pharmaceutical factory or to become agents for the sale of penicillin.

Everyone was turned away by Parker Parker; they couldn't even see Azu.

Meanwhile, around the headquarters of Huamei Company, many people with ulterior motives began to appear, loitering around the area with various purposes.

Others approached Huamei Company employees for various reasons, especially the pharmaceutical factory workers, who were the targets of many people trying to get close to them.

Even in San Francisco, on the black market, a vial of penicillin now costs over two hundred dollars.

Even petty thugs tried every means to get close to the pharmaceutical factory, hoping to make a fortune if they could get their hands on a few vials of penicillin.

If it weren't for the ever-higher and thicker walls of Huamei Industrial's headquarters; if it weren't for the ubiquitous militia security; if it weren't for the fact that most of the workers in the pharmaceutical factory were Chinese, unable to communicate in English, and under almost complete closed management; if it weren't for the Chinese underworld, which would have been subdued by Ah Zu long ago... there might have been a massive loss of penicillin!
Even so, a small amount of penicillin still managed to leak into the market through various shady channels.

After several months of production, approximately 300,000 vials of penicillin have been stockpiled. Apart from releasing small batches to the market for efficacy testing, Azu has not yet sold them on a large scale.

With these 300,000 doses of penicillin, Azu plans to make some minor adjustments.

So he paid a visit to Bishop Even, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.

It was still in the Spanish colonial-style Dolores Church, in the bishop's reception room.

"Your Excellency, it's been a long time!" Azu, along with Vivian and Peter Parker, met the spirited Bishop Evan once again.

"Oh! Boyard, Vivian, and Lee, you've finally remembered this lonely old man!"

Bishop Evan smiled and embraced each of the three men.

“Hehe, Uncle Evan, you don’t look old at all! You look younger and younger!” Vivian chuckled.

Bishop Evan looked his niece, whom he hadn't seen for a while, up and down, his brow furrowing slightly. "Vivian, my dearest niece, you... you look a little different now?"

Upon hearing this, Vivian suddenly became a little shy: "Uncle Evan, what nonsense are you talking about? How am I any different!"

Of course things will be different when a girl becomes a woman!
Bishop Evan keenly noticed this, but he lacked similar experience and couldn't quite put his finger on what was different.

Parker Parker interjected, "Evan, Vivian, and Azu are getting engaged!"

"Engaged? Haha, my dear Boyar, have you finally come to your senses?" Bishop Evan beamed with joy. "That's wonderful! When? I will personally bless you both!"

Ever since Azu solved his big problem, Bishop Evan's opinion of this young Chinese man has completely changed.

Although he did not approve of the young man's ruthless methods, this did not affect Bishop Evan's approval and goodwill towards Azu.

"Ahem!" Azu quickly coughed twice: "Your Excellency, the date hasn't been set yet. We'll discuss it after we've finished this busy period!"

"Busy these past few days? Li, when are you ever not busy?" Bishop Evan asked, displeased. "Hehe!" Azu chuckled, "I've really been busy lately. That's why we've come to see Your Excellency the Bishop—it's about something very important!"

"What's the big deal? Sit down and tell me!"

Bishop Evan personally poured several glasses of his treasured Margaux wine, one for each person, and handed them to them.

When Ah Zu first tasted this red wine, he was quite amazed.

But now, this kind of red wine is almost a standard feature in its own "Rosewood Hotel" for entertaining VIPs, so it no longer has that amazing feeling of the first time.

After taking a small sip, Azu calmly asked, "Bishop Evan, are you interested in becoming the Archbishop of California?"

"Pfft...!" Bishop Evan spat out the wine he had just drunk!
"I'm sorry...!" Bishop Evan, who almost never lost his composure, quickly wiped the wine stains off his clothes and asked in surprise, "Li, I'm sorry, could you say that again?"

"I say, Your Excellency, are you interested in becoming the Archbishop of California?"

Bishop Evan is currently the Bishop of the Bay Area, overseeing only that one diocese. His next step up would be to become Archbishop of California, governing several dioceses, including the Bay Area!
Above the archbishop is the cardinal, who is eligible to wear the red robes. After the old pope passes away, cardinals are eligible to be candidates for the next pope.

Azu's sudden remark shocked Bishop Even and caused him to lose his composure.

"Ahem!" Slightly embarrassed, Bishop Evan composed himself a little: "Li, why are the things you say always so astonishing!"

“I have only been the Bishop of the Bay Area for two years. My qualifications and achievements are far from sufficient for promotion to Archbishop!”

“Normally, I would have to stay in my position as the bishop of the Bay Area for at least another three to five years before I could have a chance for promotion!”

"Even if you have enough seniority to go from bishop to archbishop, it is entirely possible that you will never be promoted if you do not have enough achievements and connections."

Azu nodded: "Ultimately, promotion within the church still depends on connections and achievements. Seniority isn't that important, is it?"

"Uh...you could say that!"

Azu added, "So-called connections are roughly equivalent to financial resources! With my current financial resources, it should be enough to support Your Excellency in making any connections you need!"

"Uh... well!" Bishop Evan, though feeling somewhat embarrassed, nodded slightly. "What you're saying should... barely apply within the Church!"

Azu continued, "Even high-ranking clergy are still human! Humans have emotions and desires, and they have their own hobbies!"

“Your Excellency, as far as I know, the Cardinal who is in charge of the whole of America has the power to recommend archbishops to the Holy See.”

"The power to appoint archbishops rests with the archbishops of the Vatican and His Holiness the Pope."

"So, all it takes is to get in touch with these three people to sit on the throne of the Archbishop of California, is that right?"

Bishop Evan's forehead broke out in a fine sweat from Azu's words, whether from excitement or fear was hard to tell.

"Theoretically, that's true! However, these three people around them will also exert a crucial influence...!"

Azu smiled slightly: "Whether it's these three people or the people around them, those who love money will be given money, those who love wine will be given wine, those who love collecting antiques will be given antiques, and those who love art will be given famous paintings and sculptures... As long as it can be solved with money, it's not a problem for me!"

“This…!” Bishop Evan quickly took a big gulp of wine to calm his wildly beating heart.

"As for the achievement...!" Azu took out a vial of penicillin from his pocket, shook it slightly in his hand, and smiled, "That's even easier!"

"This is... penicillin?" Bishop Evan asked in surprise.

Being in San Francisco, Bishop Evan was certainly aware of this miraculous drug that had just appeared, and several church hospitals under his jurisdiction were now frantically searching for more penicillin to treat patients.

Moreover, Bishop Evan also knew from Peter Parker that penicillin originated from Huamei Industrial, and was produced by this young Chinese man. If Azu didn't come to see him, Bishop Evan was prepared to find a time to meet with Azu.

"Yes, this is penicillin!"

Azu handed the vial of penicillin to Bishop Evan and said calmly, "If, through you, Bishop, I can provide a continuous supply of penicillin to the countless hospitals belonging to the Holy See, thereby saving countless precious lives, wouldn't that be considered an achievement for you, Bishop?"

“This…this!” Bishop Evan’s hand holding the penicillin trembled slightly. “This…of course it’s an achievement, and an achievement beyond imagination!”

Azu continued, "Furthermore, if the penicillin I provide to the entire church through you, Bishop, is 30% cheaper than the market price, wouldn't that be enough to push you to the position of Archbishop of California?"

"This...I think...it should be...more than enough!"

“But…!” Bishop Evan couldn’t help but retort, “Lee, why are you doing this? Why are you so determined to push me into the position of Bishop of California?”

Azu smiled faintly: "Who told you to be Vivian's maternal uncle? Vivian's maternal uncle is my maternal uncle. If I don't push you up, who else should I push up?"

“No, no, no!” Bishop Evan shook his head. “Although I am Vivian’s uncle, that is not enough to explain your motives. You must have other purposes for pushing me to be the Archbishop of California.”

“Of course, I also have some other trivial thoughts!” Azu replied, “Bishop Evan, you have helped me a lot in your position as Bishop of the Bay Area. Especially in the last election, you were a great help to us. The Church’s attitude has indeed influenced many voters.”

"At the end of this year, California will hold formal elections for governor and state legislature, and I think this time we should put our own people in power."

"Therefore, I need the position of Archbishop of California to be held by one of my own people, so that I can influence the voters of the entire state."

Bishop Evan took another large gulp of wine: "But we clergy shouldn't be involved in politics...!"

"Hehe!" Azu laughed, "Your Excellency, we're all family here, so let's not talk about the separation of church and state."

"After the Middle Ages in the West, there was only a superficial separation of church and state. In reality, politics influenced religion, and religion also had a significant impact on politics."

“Even if the positions of Bishop of the Bay Area and Archbishop of California were held by someone else, it would still have a political impact.”

"We're simply trying to find a way to take control of this influence and better serve the people of California!"

“So…!” Azuch took a briefcase from Peter Parker and handed it to Bishop Evan.

"So, there's five hundred thousand dollars in here. I think that should be enough for His Excellency the Bishop to pull some strings, right?"

"How much...? Five...five hundred thousand US dollars?"

Bishop Evan was shocked once again!
"If that's not enough, just let me know anytime. As long as we can get in touch with His Excellency the Bishop, money is just a number!"

"That's enough...that's more than enough!"

Bishop Evan carefully put the suitcase into the safe behind the bookshelf.

He didn't refuse. Everyone in the room was one of his own, so there was no need for him to put on airs or feign reluctance!
Azu continued, "Starting this month, I will provide His Excellency the Bishop with unlimited quantities of penicillin at a 30% discount from the market price!"

“Any other diocese that needs penicillin can only obtain it from His Excellency the Bishop.”

"In less than two months, Bishop Evan's name should resound throughout the entire church, and may even reach the Vatican and His Holiness the Pope!"

"I think that with such a strong impetus, His Excellency the Archbishop of California should be able to secure his position by October of this year, right?"

(End of this chapter)