Reborn in America, I am a legendary short seller on Wall Street.

Chapter 113 Partners (5.8K long chapter, please vote!)
Before long, a modestly decorated carriage arrived before Larry and Mr. Ford, with a coachman dressed in a tailcoat and wearing a top hat.

"Please get in, gentlemen!" the coachman said to the two men with a smile.

Henry Ford glanced at Larry and took a half step back.

Larry shook his head slightly and comforted him, "Let's go. Judging from how the senator handled the bar explosion, he doesn't want to make a big deal out of this."

As they were talking, Larry got into the carriage first, and Henry Ford glanced at the policeman standing far away at the bar entrance staring at him, swallowed hard, and also got into the carriage.

After the two were seated, the coachman gently shook the reins, and the carriage made a huge turn in the street, starting to head east of Boston.

Larry remained silent throughout the journey, wondering why Mr. Kennedy had invited him.

Henry Ford, meanwhile, was completely bewildered and still felt uneasy about bumping into the senator.

The carriage traveled for about 25 minutes and arrived at the Nantaki Island Marina District, in front of a 6-acre estate.

The bodyguards at the gate checked the carriage, took a couple of steps to look at Larry and Henry Ford inside, and then let the carriage enter the manor.

The carriage slowly ascended the not-too-steep stone road and soon arrived at the three-story Victorian timber and brick building at the heart of the manor.

"We've arrived, gentlemen, please alight!" the coachman said with a smile to the two men inside the carriage again.

Larry and Henry Ford stepped down from the carriage and stood in front of the enormous building.

This three-story building features white wainscoting and a dark gray pitched roof. The steep roof, towering high, is adapted to the rainy climate, and the rooftop tower serves as both a viewpoint and a weather vane.

The porch at the entrance to the main hall features Doric columns, whose simple lines reveal the owner's subtle consideration for mainstream American aesthetics.

Larry didn't rush inside. Instead, he stood atop the villa on the hilltop and looked out.

Across from this building lies the vast sea fog of the Atlantic Ocean. In the lingering winter of February, the granite breakwater is constantly battered by the violent, gray-blue waves, and the splashing ice spray permeates the damp, cold air.

The door faces the sea, but spring never comes...

Larry raised his eyebrows before stepping into the villa first, amidst Henry Ford's bewildered gaze.

A servant in a black tailcoat stood at the entrance of the villa, but he only bowed slightly and waited for the two to enter.

Larry strode forward, with Henry Ford jogging behind him into the house.

The main living room features a four-meter-high ceiling and a double-sided stone fireplace with a carved anchor and wave pattern on the top. Velvet curtains keep out the cold wind, a Persian rug covers the floor, and a few copies of the Boston Globe and a small cigar cutter are scattered on the mahogany coffee table.

Larry noticed a badge with a gold background and a green clover on the front wall, wondering what it meant.

Below the badge is an elegantly designed image of the Virgin Mary—a symbol of devout Catholics.

As the two were observing from the living room, the sound of a child humming a lullaby came from the inner room. Soon after, the little red-haired boy that Larry had seen in the United Oyster House slowly walked out.

Larry glanced at the boy subconsciously, but the boy had clearly forgotten about him. He merely gave Larry a quick look before turning and going into another room to rest.

A short while later, Patrick Kennedy emerged from the inner room where the boy had left, striding confidently. He glanced at Larry and Henry Ford, a warm smile spreading across his face.

"Come, gentlemen. It's too cold. Come to my study and have a cigar to warm up."

As he spoke, Mr. Kennedy turned and went back to his study.

Larry didn't stand on ceremony and followed him into Mr. Kennedy's study. Henry Ford was looking around when he saw that Larry was already far away, so he quickly took a few steps and followed him into the study.

Larry entered the study and found Patrick Kennedy fiddling with an oak barrel. A short while later, he personally poured two glasses of pale yellow whiskey from the barrel and handed one to each of them.

"Please sit down, gentlemen, don't be shy!"

Larry and Henry Ford, each holding a wine glass, sat down on the small sofa as instructed.

Mr. Kennedy poured himself another glass of whiskey, placed it on the table, and then took three cigars from his cigar box, handing them to the two men in turn.

After all three men had lit their cigars, Mr. Kennedy leaned back on his desk, smiled, and said to the two men,

"That thing is called a car, right?"

Henry Ford paused, then quickly nodded, "Yes, Senator, that was my invention, the automobile..." He then pointed to Larry...
"The name 'car' was invented by Mr. Livingston, isn't it very fitting?"

Mr. Kennedy nodded, exhaled a puff of smoke, and smiled as if chatting casually with an acquaintance.
“You know what? I actually noticed your car a while ago. This morning at 10 o'clock, after I arrived at the bar, I asked my buddy what that thing parked in front of our bar was. My buddy consulted your assistant for a while before telling me that it’s called a car. What’s really amazing is that even without horses, that thing can move on its own, isn’t that right?”

Henry Ford nodded quickly and replied, "Yes, sir. My car uses an internal combustion engine, which propels the vehicle forward. This is just a preliminary prototype; in the future, I will design cars that can carry people and even cargo..."

When talking about his inventions, Henry Ford had already forgotten his earlier restraint and began to recount them with great enthusiasm.
"Sir, you must believe that this is a great invention. Sooner or later, the automobile will change the entire United States and our era!"

Mr. Kennedy nodded, picked up his glass, took a small sip, and asked, "What's this stuff burning? Alcohol or kerosene?"

“Gasoline!” Henry Ford replied.

"What is gasoline?" Mr. Kennedy frowned.

Hearing this, Larry's lips slowly curved into a smile. He thought to himself that even the most knowledgeable people these days might not know what gasoline is, because kerosene is used all over the world.

Henry Ford, upon hearing Mr. Kennedy's question, quickly replied,

"Gasoline, a waste product from petroleum refining, is highly flammable and prone to explosion. Oil companies typically dump it directly into rivers to prevent fires. But for my improved internal combustion engine, gasoline is a rare and stable fuel..."

Is it waste from oil refining? Is it dumped directly into the river?
This time it was Larry's turn to be surprised. He never imagined that before the invention of the automobile, precious gasoline would be treated this way.

Mr. Kennedy nodded, though he seemed not to have understood at all, but he turned to Larry and asked,

"I heard from Mr. Ford's assistant that Mr. Ford is looking for suitable investors through you? Do you have a specific target at the moment?"

Larry was startled, thinking to himself that there was more to this than met the eye. Could it be that Mr. Kennedy was very interested in the car project?
"Yes, sir. Mr. Ford needs money to improve his invention and intends to bring the car to market."

Larry carefully chose his words, then changed the subject and continued, "If you're talking about investor targets, then putting aside everyone else, I'm very interested in this project, and I've already decided to invest in Mr. Ford's cars."

Mr. Kennedy nodded emphatically, turned to Henry Ford, and said with a smile,
“That’s wonderful! Since Mr. Livingston has invested, I would also like to invest in your car project. Would you welcome that?”

Henry Ford took a deep breath, hardly believing his ears.

When I first walked in, I was worried that the senator would sue me or demand huge compensation. But in the blink of an eye, things have turned out well; the senator is actually planning to invest in my car?
“Great, great! Senator… how much are you planning to invest?” Ford unconsciously clutched the hem of his suit jacket.

Kennedy then looked at Larry, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "How much are you planning to invest? I don't know much about investing, but I'll follow the insider's lead. I'll invest whatever you invest..."

Larry wasn't quite sure what Kennedy really meant, so he just smiled and brushed it off.
"It's not decided yet. We need to find lawyers and accountants to calculate exactly what Mr. Ford's planned factory will look like, how much land it will need, how big the factory buildings will be, and how much machinery it will require. Only after we've settled these details can we know roughly how much financing this car project will need..."

Kennedy nodded, smiling as he tapped Larry with his cigar. "Alright, let the professionals handle these professional matters. You help with the calculations first, and once you're done, I'll make the investment based on the situation."

Larry nodded, smiled, and asked, "Do you have a limit on your investment? Approximately how much?"

"10, or at most 20 US dollars, is the spare cash I have, and it's the right amount I think to take a risky investment. Is that okay?"

“Okay!” Larry nodded. Kennedy turned to Ford, who was so excited he almost jumped off the sofa, and said with a smile, “Great, sir. You won’t be disappointed!”

Kennedy smiled and nodded, but then, as if remembering something, he said seriously, "But I have a condition... You must agree, otherwise I cannot invest in your car company."

"What are the conditions?" Ford asked hastily.

“Build your factory in Boston! This is very important,” Kennedy said solemnly.

Henry Ford glanced at Larry instinctively; Larry had said the same thing before.

Why do Bostonians want to build their factories in Boston?

"What? Is it inconvenient?" Kennedy asked, raising an eyebrow.

Henry Ford quickly replied, “That’s convenient… Mr. Livingston requested the same thing before.”

“Oh, we’re on the same page now.” Kennedy looked at Larry with a smile.

Larry smiled in response, but he always felt that Kennedy's request must have a deeper meaning.

With the joint investment in the automobile project finalized, the atmosphere in the study became relaxed. Henry Ford, who had been so nervous that he didn't even dare to smoke a cigar before, was now chatting and laughing with great interest, taking a puff of cigarette and a sip of wine.

Larry didn't say much; he just watched the two talk quietly, occasionally interjecting.

The three talked for nearly half an hour, covering every aspect of the car project, before Mr. Kennedy smiled and nodded, then turned to Henry Ford and said...
"How about this, Mr. Ford? You can develop a comprehensive improvement plan for your car project, and Mr. Livingston and I will hire lawyers and accountants. We can then set aside some time next week to calculate the total cost of the project. Does that sound acceptable to you?"

“Yes!” Mr. Ford straightened his back and answered loudly.

"I'll work on improving the car project as soon as I get back to the hotel. Next Wednesday... no! Next Tuesday, I'll have a further improvement plan ready. You two can look forward to my good news then!"

“Great!” Mr. Kennedy raised his glass and said with a smile, “Then I wish our investment project a speedy success!”

Henry Ford and Larry also raised their glasses knowingly and clinked them heavily with Mr. Kennedy's.

Mr. Kennedy then arranged for a carriage to take Henry Ford back to downtown, leaving Larry behind alone.

After Henry Ford left, Kennedy's previously enthusiastic expression vanished.

He still leaned against the corner of the table, disregarding his image, but remained silent, quietly puffing on the remaining half of his cigar...

Larry didn't say anything either; he knew Kennedy must have had a deeper meaning in keeping him by himself.

After a few seconds, Mr. Kennedy sighed deeply, turned his gaze to Larry, and said slowly,
“Mr. Livingston, since you are Logan Stone’s friend, you should know that the explosion at my bar just now was not an accident…”

Larry stiffened, paused for two seconds, and nodded, saying, "Yes... I suppose it's similar in nature to Logan's assassination attempt."

Mr. Kennedy nodded heavily and said softly, "The old money in Boston hates us very much. They hate not only our red hair, but also that we are slowly disrupting their once solid Boston financial groups and power structures."

After saying that, he looked up at the ceiling and said slowly,
"This afternoon, I was sitting in my bar when I received a phone call. The person on the other end said he had planted a bomb in the bar and that I had five minutes to escape, or it would be too late... and sure enough, it happened!"

Larry understood; this was also a threat from the old money, telling him he might be assassinated, then letting him go, with the ultimate goal of forcing Mr. Kennedy to submit.

After a few seconds of silence, Larry replied frankly, "Mr. Kennedy, I feel very sorry for you. But I'm just a junior employee at a brokerage firm, and there's nothing I can do to help you with the threats you've been threatened."

Kennedy waved his hand, "I'm not worried about myself. I started working at the docks when I was 15. I've seen all the bloodshed at the North Harbor docks. I worked my way up from dockworker to where I am now. I'm fearless... But I'm worried about my wife and children. I don't want them to worry and be afraid too."

Larry nodded, but thought to himself, "What does this have to do with me?"
Kennedy gazed out the window and continued, "I have my own methods... but I don't want to use them, because if I draw my knife, it's a fight to the death. I know those people; they're not as ruthless as they seem. They have more to consider than I do. Giving them a lesson will suffice..."

As he spoke, Kennedy turned his gaze to Larry and continued, "But I'm desperately lacking a gentle approach that can both hurt them and maintain harmony... You need to give me an idea!"

Larry smiled faintly, raised his hand slightly, and asked, "Why do you think that? Like I said, I'm just a junior employee in the sales department."

Kennedy gave a mysterious smile, stood up, walked a few steps to the seat that had been in front of Henry Ford, sat down calmly, and sat shoulder to shoulder with Larry.

With his head leaning closer, Kennedy spoke sincerely, “I didn’t notice your abilities at first, until I investigated why Logan managed to evade their first assassination attempt… Later, I gradually learned about your great achievements in the betting industry… To be honest, I was amazed.”

Larry's heart skipped a beat, and he glanced at Patrick Kennedy. "...Logan told you?"

“No…” Mr. Kennedy smiled and said calmly,

"...That kid is pretty loyal; he didn't say a word about what happened to you. But he's still too young, and there are many things he can't hide from you... After his first attack, I found out that he withdrew $7200 from a casino in the Metropolitan and deposited $2.2 in a bank. The key point is that $2.2 of that $1.8 belongs to you; Logan just made a small fortune off you. This discovery really shocked me..."

Larry nodded slowly. With Logan's father and Senator Kennedy's abilities, investigating these matters should have been a piece of cake.

Kennedy continued, "...Then I naturally discovered that Logan was working for you. And as I investigated further, I was truly astonished by you, Mr. Larry Livingston. You had accomplished so much in the betting industry, using your intelligence and cunning to almost bring down the pyramid scheme. To be honest, I admire you immensely, not only for your intellect but also for your age. At your age, all I could do was throw punches."

Larry understood that Kennedy definitely wanted him to help him stir up trouble; in other words, he was Kennedy's means of retaliating against the old money.

"What do you want me to do? But let me make it clear beforehand, I can only do my assigned tasks." Larry was straightforward and honest.

Mr. Kennedy smiled faintly and said directly, “The Rothschild gang is a group of old money’s cronies; the Metropolitan Gaming House is their most profitable business. I want to teach them a lesson. Don’t worry, you don’t need to lift a finger. You just need to operate behind the scenes, or give me some advice… as long as it works. Whatever you want, if I have it, I’ll give it to you with both hands!”

Larry frowned and said calmly, "But I don't think I need anything in particular!"

“No, you do!” Mr. Kennedy smiled and said calmly to Larry.

“Mr. Livingston, becoming rich before you are successful is a very dangerous thing. As your name becomes known, covetous eyes will follow you like a shadow, won't they? If you help me with this favor, I can guarantee your safety as long as you are in Boston, until you also become successful.”

Larry felt a chill run down his spine, knowing that this was a warning, but also contained a hint of threat.

After a few seconds of contemplation, Larry suddenly smiled and changed the subject, asking, "Senator, I'm curious, when you mentioned investing in Mr. Ford, why did you insist on having him build a factory in Boston?"

Kennedy exhaled the smoke from his cigar, stubbed out the last bit of smoke in the ashtray, and said calmly,
"After all these years of hard work, I've come to understand one thing:"
Making money in business and being able to support others—that's what makes a capitalist; but if the business you're doing can't be openly discussed, yet still supports others, that's what makes a gangster; if you have a lot of money and people and gain recognition from others, you can also gain a status in high society—that's what makes a member of parliament or a politician.
But if... I have both money and a good reputation among the people of the nation, and I can win over the hearts of the majority by any means necessary, then I am the President of the United States of America. You agree, don't you?"

Larry nodded and asked with a smile, "So, you think Ford Motor Company is a good business because it has money and manpower!"

Kennedy raised an eyebrow and said, “Of course, how many districts can I control through those workers? With these voters, Boston will always be my stronghold, and even my son, my son’s son… will benefit! The immigrant communities I have now are still too small…”

Larry laughed and said, "If we follow your plan, would you believe me if I said I could extend your influence throughout the entire eastern United States?"

Upon hearing Larry's words, Mr. Kennedy sat bolt upright, staring intently at Larry. "If anyone else said this, I wouldn't believe it, but since you're saying it, I believe it. What should I do?"

Larry smiled faintly, waved his hand and said, "Let's take it one step at a time. I'll take this commission. Give me some time, and I'll go back to the Metropolitan Casino to take another look."

Mr. Kennedy pondered for a few seconds, then nodded emphatically and said, “Alright! I await your good news, but you must give me a definite answer within two weeks, otherwise I should head to Washington.”

“No problem!” Larry laughed and raised his glass. “After all, we’re both shareholders of Ford Motor Company.”

“Yes, we are partners!” Mr. Kennedy smiled and clinked his glass heavily against the table.

"Clang!" The crisp sound of glasses clinking echoed from the study.

(End of this chapter)