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

Chapter 195 Mr. Potter's Counterattack (This short story is 5.8k words long, please vote with monthly tickets and recommendations)

Cecil Rhodes sat in a high-backed chair in the luxury suite of the Astor Hotel, gazing quietly at a 14-carat diamond in the distance.

It is Tuesday evening, April 5th. Cecil Rhodes' room is located on the west side of the hotel, with the window facing west.

This room was personally chosen by Cecil Rhodes so that, as the fiery sunset sets, the slowly receding red glow would provide the perfect moment to admire the diamonds.

At this moment, the indoor light was dim and viscous, like aged brandy.

The room was filled with an expensive, mixed smell:

The rich smoke of expensive Havana cigars, the waxy aroma of heavy mahogany furniture, the slightly astringent scent of leather-bound books, and a wisp of peaty single malt whisky wafting from the glass beside Rhodes.

The air was still, as if news from all over the world had become heavy after reaching this room.

As the sun slowly set, the fiery red sunset and the last rays of the setting sun shone into the dimly lit room, onto the 14-carat GH color, VS clarity, well-cut diamond, giving it a faint, unusual yellow hue.

Rhodes waited quietly, his eyes fixed on the diamond.

Just as the last ray of sunlight was about to disappear, a strange color of crimson and pale yellow flashed from the diamond, as if the brilliance of the sun accumulated throughout the day and rose up at the moment the light disappeared.

It was like a shooting star, or like a strange vertical pupil opening in a diamond!
Only after the light outside the window had completely disappeared did Rhodes let out a long sigh, down his wine glass in one gulp, and loudly order his personal attendant waiting outside to light the gas lamp.

So beautiful! My diamond is so beautiful!
Rhodes kept repeating this to himself, his face flushed with a mixture of pride and excitement.

As he downed the whiskey, Rhodes became even more excited, thinking—many people say they can't see the moment the sunlight dims the diamond's brilliance, they must all be blind!

After the waiters turned on the suite lights and put away the large diamond as Mr. Rhodes had instructed, Rhodes let out a long sigh, tapped his fingers a few times on the armrest of the high-backed chair, and turned to the butler, saying, "Did that idiot fall for the trap?"

The butler smiled and replied in the purest London accent, “As you wish, Mr. Rhodes. Our informants discovered today that a gentleman named Saul Porter visited three tenants in succession. They talked indoors for a long time, presumably to convey your desire to rent the street-front shops at a high price.”

Rhodes smiled and waved his hand, instructing, "Just wait for his call. That idiot will definitely call tonight, or at the latest tomorrow morning. Also, call Filch over; I need to ask him how his talent development plan in New York is going!"

The butler responded and slowly left the room.

"Turn on the phonograph, I want to listen to music!" Rhodes ordered, and two servants accompanying him hurriedly went to the outer room to bring over a phonograph with a large loudspeaker and placed it next to Rhodes.

A waiter took out a row of candle holders filled with songs and asked softly, "Mr. Rhodes, what song would you like to hear..."

Rhodes took a sip of whiskey, a smug smile spreading across his face. "Of course, it has to be a song from the British Empire. Let me think... I'll listen to 'Long Live Britain'!"

The waiter bowed and agreed, then placed the wax cylinder into the phonograph and rested the metal tip with a needle on top of the wax cylinder.

As the candle cylinder spun hoarsely on the axle, the music emanating from the horn was thin and distant, mixed with a rustling sound, as if it came from the other side of time...

Mr. Rhodes closed his eyes, quietly enjoying the majestic melody of "Long Live Britain," which is hailed as the second national anthem of the British Empire.

The first generation of phonographs had very poor sound quality, and the music carried by the wax cylinder could only last for 3 minutes. The melody of "Long Live Britain" disappeared abruptly just as it reached its climax.

Rhodes was initially immersed in the music, but the sudden stop of the melody slightly disappointed him. However, the thought of his upcoming success in the United States excited him again.

The melody still seems to be playing in my ears, and my business empire will expand globally just like the British Empire.

Shortly after, Felch, the manager in charge of the New York retail processing headquarters, arrived. He respectfully reported to Mr. Rhodes on the latest developments in the past two months regarding the high-salary recruitment of jewelry artisans from Europe and the United States. He also reported, "Mr. Rhodes, the De Beers retail business unit that you have been longing for is about to be established. You will be in charge of the entire industry chain, from rough diamonds to downstream retail, which will bring you the most lucrative super profits in the industry."

Rhodes sniffed, gave a cold snort, and said indifferently,

“Those damn dealers and processors take rough diamonds from me, go back to Amsterdam or London, and after just a little polishing, they can sell them for several times the price. It’s so unfair! You know, our mining work in South Africa is very hard. I support a large group of mercenaries and have to keep an eye on the harassment from blacks and Boers all the time.”

Rhodes took a sip of his drink and continued, "It's not fair that they get the huge profits from the diamonds we work so hard to dig out!"

Filch lowered his head and agreed, “It is indeed unfair! In fact, as you said, we only need to find more jewelry craftsmen to dominate the retail industry! But... I am very curious, why do you have your eye on New York? For many European jewelry craftsmen, moving their families to the New World would greatly increase your company's operating costs.”

Rhodes squinted and said,
“You don’t understand. My competitors are in Europe. If I were to set up this company in London, it would be easy to alert them. But in the New World, especially New York, people are naive and rich. Once I start making a name for myself, I will receive a steady stream of orders. After I scale up my business, I can sell back to Europe, and then they won’t have a chance to fight back!”

Filch bowed and nodded, taking the opportunity to praise his boss once again.

Just then, the butler pushed open the door and entered the room. He walked to Mr. Rhodes' side and whispered, "Saul Porter called and wants to meet you at the street-front shop tomorrow afternoon at four o'clock to discuss the lease agreement and pay the deposit!"

Rhodes smiled and nodded. "Okay! I'll go there tomorrow afternoon."

The butler said, "For someone of your status, it would be too beneath you to go in person. Perhaps we should send someone else to sign the contract."

Rhodes, a cruel smile on his face, continued, "You don't understand. I love watching those idiots fall into my traps. I love seeing them being sold out and then forced to count their money for me. When the truth is finally revealed, their faces turn as red as if they've drunk strong liquor. I love seeing the Boers and Americans make fools of themselves!"
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On Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Potter had arranged the business department's affairs well in advance. Wearing a top hat and holding a cane, he sat in the empty shop chairs.

Beside him were two young reporters, both carrying cameras and notebooks.

At this moment, however, they were Mr. Potter's subordinates, responsible for miscellaneous tasks such as serving tea and water.

Mr. Potter remained silent, staring intently out the window. Only when Cecil Rhodes alighted from the carriage at the street corner and hurried to the shop across the street with two waiters/security guards did he stand up with a smile and mutter something to the two reporters in a low voice.

"He's here! Get ready."

The two reporters nodded and stood up, watching Mr. Rhodes walk into the house.
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Mr. Rhodes strode into the shop, first looking around at the two newly vacated combined shops, nodding in satisfaction, then smiling at Mr. Potter.

"Oh, Mr. Saul Porter, I didn't expect you to move so quickly, already ready to sign a contract with me! I thought it would be delayed until Friday!"

Mr. Potter smiled and said calmly, "I was just worried about disrupting your trip to England."

Rhodes nodded and said, “Oh, I haven’t been to London in a long time, you know? London is still the most bustling city in the world, even the light mist there has a sweet fragrance. After being away for a while, I miss it very much. Your New York… although it’s not bad, like Cape Town, it still has a lot to do with London!”

Mr. Potter smiled, did not answer the question, and instead raised his cane to point to the two shops next door, saying...
“Mr. Rhodes, I have informed the owners of the three shops next door of your generous terms. They all acknowledge your kindness and strength and plan to move out within a week, provided that you can pay them the agreed-upon $1000 relocation compensation.”

Rhodes nodded emphatically. "Alright! Then tell them to move out as soon as possible. Also, I regret to inform you that although the international remittance I transferred to your bank account has been credited, it cannot be cashed immediately due to the inefficiency of American banks, so I cannot write the check right now."

"...How about this, I suggest you pay the $3000 on my behalf first, and we'll send them away. That way, I won't be delayed in my move-in time."

As he spoke, Rhodes glanced at Mr. Porter and said in a nonchalant tone, “You want me to move in as soon as possible, don’t you? The sooner you vacate this place, the sooner I can pay you the rent.”

Mr. Potter frowned slightly and shook his head. "It wouldn't do me any good, I can't do that."

Rhodes thought for a moment before saying, "Then how about this? If you pay the $3000 upfront for me, I'll give you double the amount when I rent it later, how about that?" "$6000?" Mr. Potter smiled faintly.

“Yes, consider it compensation for using your funds!” Rhodes smiled sincerely.

“Well, well, who told you to be Mr. Cecil Rhodes, the biggest mine owner in South Africa!” Mr. Potter smiled, his expression gradually becoming serious, and then asked,
“What are you going to do with the shop you're renting? I need to know that; it's a right of New York property owners.”

"Retail! I want to do retail of gold jewelry and diamonds!" This struck a nerve with Rhodes, who raised his hand and continued.
“I want to build the best jewelry retail store in the United States in your five street-front shops. Craftsmen from Europe will gather here, and we will assemble the finest diamonds and gold from South Africa in a dreamlike way, making them worthy of the necks and fingers of the most noble and beautiful ladies!”

Mr. Porter nodded and said with a smile, "Oh, I am extremely honored to be De Beers' flagship store in New York!"

“Yes, it’s a win-win deal,” Mr. Rhodes said again with a smile.

Mr. Potter smiled at him, remained silent for a few seconds, and only spoke again when Mr. Rhodes began to suspect something was amiss.
“Mr. Cecil Rhodes, I have something to inform you. Unfortunately, we have to raise the rent... not $1 a year, but $2.5 a year, and it will have to be paid in gold coins! If you really want to rent these five street-front shops.”

Upon hearing Mr. Potter's words, Rhodes' face instantly turned cold, and he frowned, saying, "You can't be so untrustworthy. I clearly stated before that $1 a year is already higher than the rent for ordinary shops in Midtown Manhattan. How can you add 1.5 times the rent on top of my leniency? And you even require some gold coins? That's utter nonsense."

Throughout Mr. Rhodes's rant, Mr. Potter watched him quietly until Rhodes finished, at which point he slowly spoke.

"First of all, the five adjacent street-front shops you need are, as far as I know, only we have them on Fifth Avenue and Broadway; other places either don't have such a large space or such a good location. If your New York headquarters is willing to squeeze into those three or four-story office buildings, then please feel free to do so."
Secondly, the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, which will soon rise here, will be the best luxury hotel in all of New York. When it opens, wealthy and influential people from all over the United States, Europe, and even the world will gather here. Your presence here is like having the best advertising signboard. I even suspect that your decision to choose my shop and rent a store here is precisely because of this: this location will become the most internationally influential prime location in all of New York City.”

Rhodes frowned but remained silent.

To be honest, Rhodes had a very keen eye. He had long foreseen that the value of the area would skyrocket after the Waldorf Hotel was built on Fifth Avenue and 34th Street, which is why he personally went to the property to try and rent it.

After a few seconds, Rhodes shook his head and said, "But your price is too unfair. I can understand if you ask for an extra $5000 in rent considering the upgraded location. But to raise it by $1.5 at once is just outrageous."

Mr. Potter smiled at Rhodes and continued,

"To compensate you, there's a third option. We can sign a long-term contract, a contract for ten or twenty years! This way, you'll lock in your costs, and no matter how much the surrounding properties appreciate in value, we'll only charge you $25,000 a year, not a single cent more!"

Upon hearing this, Rhodes' eyes narrowed sharply, and he lowered his head to think seriously.

Mr. Potter's third condition is too tempting. Where is this place?
It's New York! It's Manhattan!
Not to mention that the Waldorf Astoria, the most luxurious hotel in the United States, is about to be built here, and the rental prices of nearby properties will soon appreciate. Even if that doesn't happen, the rental prices here will most likely increase by more than 100% in the next 10 years, because the increase in rental prices in New York City in the previous 10 years exceeded 120%.

However, if we look at the long term of 20 years, the increase in land prices will inevitably exceed 100%. In other words, if you sign a 20-year long-term contract, you will actually lock in the cost of long-term property leasing, which will be much cheaper.

Furthermore, with this long-term contract, I can also make long-term investments here with real money.

Rhodes thought for a long time, then looked up and asked, "I have a question: why are you willing to sign a 20-year long-term contract?"

Mr. Potter replied calmly,

“Long-term partnerships are very stable, so I don’t have to worry about tenants moving out or rent reductions due to economic turmoil… You know, once April is over in New York, tenants have already found places, and it’s troublesome to find suitable tenants at that time! And coming here several times a year, the time spent just looking for tenants makes us miss a month’s rent every year, it’s too much trouble!”

Rhodes nodded, but then a troubled look appeared on his face. He spread out his palms and said, "But as you know, my account can't transfer money yet, so I can't transfer the deposit to you!"

"If you can promise to move in within 10 days and sign a lease, I can not only advance you $3000 as compensation to those three businesses, but I can also waive your deposit. I personally think..."

As Mr. Potter spoke, he pointed to the large South African diamond-encrusted signet ring on Mr. Rhodes' hand, and continued,

“I believe that your name, Mr. Cecil Rhodes, and the prestigious reputation of De Beers are far more valuable than that deposit of a few thousand dollars!”

Cecil Rhodes' eyes lit up when he heard Mr. Potter's last condition, thinking to himself, "Is there really such a good thing?"

Since no deposit is required, the cost of breach of contract is zero! I can look for suitable properties nearby that can rival these five shops while slowly stalling them until the rental season is over in May, and then come back to reduce their annual rent!
If they don't agree, their five street-front shops will lose at least three months' rent.

Anyway, I can turn my back and leave at any time, leaving them helpless. I have enough initiative!
Mr. Rhodes thought for a long time but couldn't find any loopholes for himself here, because even considering the worst-case scenario, if he didn't manage to get the price down in May, a long-term lease of $25,000 would still be reasonable!

No matter how you calculate it, you won't lose out!

Mr. Rhodes made up his mind.

Mr. Rhodes then looked up at Mr. Potter and said, “Very well! Since you are so generous, I am equally happy to oblige! You can inform your lawyer now, and I will also inform my own lawyer, and we can sign the contract today!”

“Okay! I’ll call the lawyer right now!” Mr. Potter also stood up abruptly.
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Three hours later, at the White Shoes Realty Law Firm, Mr. Porter, representing the actual property owner Larry Livingston, signed a long-term lease agreement with Mr. Cecil Rhodes for a term of 20 years.

Mr. Rhodes had his lawyers repeatedly check the contract to see if there were any subtle legal loopholes or ambiguous clauses.

Neither the newly hired full-time real estate lawyer in New York nor the lawyer Mr. Rhodes had been representing for three years found any traps in the contract.

This contract is a 20-year lease, which means that Cecil Rhodes is not required to pay any deposit.

The annual rent of $2.5 in gold coins is clearly stated in black and white.

Aside from the penalty of $125,000 in gold coins, which Mr. Rhodes would have to pay to the other party if he withdrew midway, the contract was otherwise unremarkable.

Cerci Rhodes was very satisfied. He readily signed the contract and used his own seal ring to prove that he was indeed Cerci Rhodes, the chairman of De Beers and the colonial officer of the Cape Colony in South Africa.

After the contract was signed, Cecil Rhodes and Mr. Porter took a group photo.
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Just one hour after Mr. Porter and Cecil Rhodes signed the contract, a middle-aged man in a tailored suit entered a magnificent mansion in Upper Manhattan with a serious expression.

He handed his clothes, hat, and cane to the maid and hurried to the master bedroom in the backyard of the villa.

In this enormous room, which could easily house an ordinary person, the middle-aged man walked around the four-poster bed and stood quietly beside it.

Lying on the bed was an old man with a full head of white hair, his face covered with wrinkles, but his eyes were still bright and alert, showing that he was quick-witted.

The white-haired old man waved away the nurses and family doctor at his bedside. After everyone had left the room and closed the door, he frowned and said to the middle-aged man,

"Did you see clearly? Was it Cecil Rhodes himself?"

The middle-aged man nodded and said in a deep voice, "It was him. I saw it with my own eyes!"

The old man gave a cold smile and waved his hand at the middle-aged man, saying, "He actually came! Very well!"

After saying "okay" three times, the old man was silent for a moment. He looked at the ceiling, slowly nodded, and said, "...Then let's do it as we agreed before. Make the arrangements! Oh, and send Mr. Saul Porter a reward of $2000. Tell him that I thank him for the information, and that he can ask me for help if he needs it in the future!"

The middle-aged man nodded hurriedly and said, "Yes, Father."

(End of this chapter)