Chapter 121: Rothschild’s Friendship
Chapter 121 Rothschild’s Friendship
City of Finance, London.
Arthur sat in the neat and clean trading floor and looked up at the company’s signboard above the ancient mahogany counter in front of him – London Property Home Buyers Consultants.
While savoring the black tea used to treat the guests, Dumas commented pertinently, “This tea tastes much better than the one sold in the English restaurant, the meal I ate with you guys at noon today simply made me vomit, and the meat used in that restaurant is definitely not fresh, for which I dare to assure you with the honor of being a Frenchman.”
Elder returned with a lack of interest, “That’s no guarantee, is it? Buying a house can be so troublesome, after seeing the house, both buyers and sellers agree, is not it enough? Still have to get two lawyers to verify the contract, and then have to go to the Ministry of Finance under the Land Trade Commission to apply for verification of property rights information, this back and forth how long? We are still stuffed with money to take the fast track it, if not to give them a sweet deal, it is estimated that half a month may not be done down.”
Darwin sniffed, “But wouldn’t it be better if we continue to look at a few more houses? We’ve been looking at those three all morning, and if we buy them all with one lift of the hand, we don’t know if we’re buying expensively or cheaply. I’ve heard there are quite a few crooks in the real estate agent business, what if he’s planning to screw Arthur over?”
“He dares to screw Arthur?” Elder raised an eyebrow, “Unless he hasn’t got a brain and doesn’t want to be in London anymore. Doesn’t he realize that sitting here is the most promising police officer in Scotland Yard?”
Arthur raised his eyes and looked out down the hall, and across the street sat the very place he would have loved to work more than half a year ago – the London Stock Exchange, where people came and went, traffic flowed, and a breath of air reeked of copper.
He spoke, “That’s hard to say, and even if he does plan to screw me over, there’s not really much I can do about it. After all, the policing of the financial city is not under the responsibility of Scotland Yard.”
“Huh?” Elder sat up from the sofa with a sniff, “Then you know that he is likely to pit you, and you are still prepared to sign a contract with him? Arthur, is there something wrong with your little head? In the past, you were much more savvy than this.”
Arthur sniffed and inhaled slightly, “You don’t understand, Elder, this money of mine comes in uncleanly, and I always feel uneasy if I don’t spend it as soon as possible. Besides, you don’t understand the attraction that an apartment building plus a grocery store and a small second-story detached cottage really has for an Eastern soul. It’s been my dream for years, and a little loss of money is all I need, so you should at least let me live it.”
Elder frowned and asked, “What strange words are you saying again? You guy, every other day you have to make some kind of mistake. I can’t agree if you want to do a loss-making business, this is what my brother killed with a knife, why should it be cheaper for that dog? You have more money than you can spend, you can invite me to watch a few plays, if not, we can still have a little night of amateur activities.”
At the end of the sentence, Elder took a look around, and then pulled Darwin, who was reading a book, out of the door together.
At the time of parting, he also did not forget to urge Dumas: “Fatty! You keep an eye on him for me. I just saw several real estate agents on my way here, I’ll ask around over there, and you can never let Arthur sign the contract before I get back.”
Dumas shook his head contemptuously at Elder and looked at him as he walked out of the trading floor.
He muttered to himself, “The English are just petty, we French men are never too lazy to care about this small profit. Money, spend it and earn it again, what’s the big deal?”
At the end of his speech, he also couldn’t help but poke his elbow at Arthur who was lost in thought, and nodded appreciatively at him, “Arthur, I have to say, your character is really like an old Frenchman lurking among the English.”
Arthur woke up as if in a dream, he froze for a moment when he heard Dumas’s words, and then asked with his teacup in his hand, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention just now, did I offend you in some way?”
Dumas heard the words, the tea cup that was sent to his mouth paused for half a day, he looked at Arthur for a long while before he spoke, “I think that the words you said to me before are right, in order to live in England permanently, I still really need a good temper.”
Arthur looked around and opened his mouth to inquire, “Where have Elder and Charles gone?”
Dumas grunted, “The two little rats are out looking for breadcrumbs, so you don’t need to worry about them. You sign the contract early, let’s find a nice restaurant and get some good wine to congratulate you on your new home.”
As soon as Dumas’ words fell, the smiling real estate agent came over with the notary lawyer.
He placed the land title transfer documents, which were filled with more than ten pages, on the coffee table and rushed to Arthur with extreme politeness.
“All the documents have been checked by Mr. Lawyer, all the information is in order, after you have a look through them, if you have no doubts, you can now sign on the blank part below. From the moment your name falls on the document, all the houses on the parcels A-25 to A-27 on Central Street in Greenwich District will all be surnamed Hastings.”
Arthur picked up the title document and turned page after page, he couldn’t quite make out exactly what it said, but the standard words ‘freehold’ on it still got him a bit worked up.
Just as Arthur picked up the quill from the ink bottle with the intention of signing it, suddenly, he heard a flurry of rising voices in the trading hall.
When he looked up, he realized that all the businessmen in the original hall stood up and looked at the position in front of the hall door in unison.
Even the real estate agent who was originally sitting in front of him bowed slightly with a fawning face and saluted towards the door with his hat off, “Good afternoon, Mr. Rothschild.”
Arthur twisted his head to see that the person who was called Mr. Rothschild was actually a familiar face that he knew.
It was none other than Lionel Rothschild, the eldest young master of the London branch of the Rothschild family, whom he had befriended at the Duke of Sussex.
Lionel smiled and nodded his head one by one to the many eyes in the hall, but when he looked to Arthur’s side, he could not avoid a natural pause.
He turned around, smiled and took off his hat, “Mr. Hastings, it’s been a long time. Have you come to see me today for investment advice, or do you want to get me out for a hunting trip?” It was then that Arthur remembered the business card Lionel had left him earlier, and he pulled out his wallet to take out the card and glance at it.
The business card clearly reads – Lionel Rothschild, Consultant to Rothschild Bank, Chairman of the Board of Directors of London Real Estate Property Consultants.
Arthur couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at this.
How could he have forgotten Mammon’s earthly incarnation when he’d been pondering what to do about investing in home ownership for most of the day?
Lionel walked over to Arthur’s side and suddenly saw a large pile of documents on the coffee table, he couldn’t help but smile, “It seems that you have already accepted our company’s investment and home ownership advice, I wonder where you are planning to buy a house this time?”
As soon as Lionel’s words left his mouth, the real estate agent next to him turned green in the face.
He stammered and spoke, “Mr. Rothschild, this gentleman wants to purchase some property in the Greenwich District, and we are still reviewing the specific value of the property.”
“Yes?” Lionel nodded slightly and smiled as he rushed at Arthur, “Do you mind if I review it for you?”
Arthur glanced at the expression on the real estate agent’s face, and roughly knew what was going on, although he didn’t mind taking a small loss, but why not if he could make more money?
He smiled and handed over the papers on the coffee table, “I’d be honored then.”
Lionel took the documents and just scanned them up and down, his smile soon became slightly stiff, he still maintained his smile, but the tone of his voice was already slowly getting a bit off.
He rushed to the agent and asked, “Have the prices in the Greenwich District risen too rapidly recently?”
The intermediary understood, and with a sweaty forehead, he responded, “I also feel that it is rising a bit too quickly, but Mr. Hastings works in Greenwich, so I can only try to satisfy his needs and pick the right house for him over there.”
Lionel shook his head as he spoke, “You’re not well informed, from the information I’ve received, Mr. Hastings is expected to rise high soon. He should mainly be working at the Greater London Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Street in the future, you have to recommend him some properties close to there. This house price appraisal report is not suitable for Mr. Hastings, you take it back to me and redo it.”
The major shareholder had already given his word, so how could the housing agent dare to say a word.
He tentatively asked the boss, “Mr. Rothschild, then where do you think is a more suitable property for Mr. Hastings?”
Lionel thought for a moment and opened his mouth to ask, “Near Knightsbridge, there are two 4-bedroom suites at Ennismore that I remember, and that house across Hyde Park isn’t sold, is it? There’s also the one in Regent’s Crescent ……”
The intermediary heard this and couldn’t help but remind, “Mr. Rothschild, the first few are even, but the one in Hyde Park and the Regent’s Crescent …… I forgot to tell you that Mr. Hastings’ budget is 1,500 pounds.”
Hearing this, Lionel first shook his head slightly at the intermediary, then lifted the corners of his mouth and smiled.
“That’s right, the ones I’ve just mentioned, all of them meet the criteria of up to 1500 pounds, even those two suites in Ennismore can be handled for 300-400 pounds, and the detached one in Hyde Park is a bit more expensive, but it can be picked up for 1000 pounds, and they’re all perfect for a single, solitary male like Mr. Hastings.”
It was only then that the agent realized the true intentions of his boss, who was planning to lose money on friendship.
Lionel looked at his dumbfounded face and couldn’t help but raise his cane in dissatisfaction and tap the floor.
“What are you still frozen here for? Why don’t you still bring the information of these houses to Mr. Hastings for his eyes?”
“Whoops!” The intermediary sniffed and busily put away the documents, then hurriedly bowed towards Arthur, then rushed towards the back room in a fiery hurry, “I’m sorry, Mr. Hastings, I’ll be right back.”
Seeing him gone, Lionel raised his hand and pointed to the sofa opposite Arthur and asked, “May I sit here?”
“Of course, if you please.”
Lionel smiled and sat down, then spoke with apologies, “Mr. Hastings, if you want to seek home ownership services next time, just come to me directly, you don’t need to communicate with them. As you know, some of the newer employees are always lacking in business skills.
But as compensation for their mistakes, I can offer you some other investment suggestions, such as stocks and bonds. Betting all your assets on real estate actually seems slightly less reasonable.”
(End of chapter)