I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 422

As autumn yielded to winter, people once again prepared to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new.

The young man, disembarking from the earliest train into Washington D.C., tightened his coat collar against the biting chill.

Looking back, 1868 was a year destined to be etched in the annals of world history.

Spain’s defeat in the war against the United States signaled the decline of old powers unable to adapt to the changing times, paving the way for a new generation of forces.

Moreover, in Asia, the Qing Dynasty [the last imperial dynasty of China (1644–1912)] was losing face, battered by the two smaller nations of Joseon [ancient Korean kingdom] and Japan.

It’s common for a once-prosperous nation to wane, like the moon reaching its zenith and then diminishing, but Spain’s defeat carried a different significance.

It wasn’t just any nation, but a former world superpower being utterly defeated by a rising power that had been around for less than a century.

The turmoil in Asia mirrored this shift.

Although not many were well-versed in Asian affairs, the Qing Dynasty’s struggles against Japan and Joseon marked a complete transformation of the era.

Beyond the global shifts, 1868 was also a pivotal year for the young man himself.

Convinced that the future of the economy lay in steel, he boldly started a business, which caught the attention of James Group and was acquired outright.

Initially, he suspected they were trying to stifle him with their vast capital, but to his surprise,

they not only bought his company for a substantial sum but also appointed him as the head of the steel division.

From a promising young entrepreneur, he had risen overnight to become the head of a subsidiary of the world’s largest conglomerate.

Of course, it was only a temporary position, but when else would he encounter such an opportunity?

The young man, Andrew Carnegie, was determined to showcase his abilities to the fullest.

Naturally, his primary goal was to gain recognition from Chairman James.

But he never imagined that such an opportunity would actually materialize.

“That I, of all people, would have the honor of an audience with His Majesty the King of Canada… Is this really happening?”

James Group was a corporate conglomerate with a significant presence not only in the United States but also throughout the British Empire and Canada.

Therefore, it wasn’t surprising that Chairman James would have connections with the royal family.

However, he never anticipated being granted the opportunity to meet His Majesty.

“Hoo… damn it, I’m nervous. What if I make a mistake?”

“What do you mean, ‘what if?’ If you mess up, I’ll be the one to curry favor with the Chairman.”

“Tsk, that won’t happen, so don’t get your hopes up.”

The only drawback to this otherwise perfect day was that James hadn’t invited him alone.

John Davison Rockefeller.

The head of James Group’s energy division, who consistently asserted that oil and refining would dominate the future.

Carnegie and Rockefeller were only four years apart in age and had joined the group around the same time, making them unavoidable rivals.

Just as Carnegie was keenly aware of Rockefeller, Rockefeller was likely just as aware of Carnegie.

‘What does the Chairman see in this oilman that warranted summoning him all the way here? Tsk, well, he’s probably more adept at generating profits.’

James had already declared that positions within the group would be filled solely based on merit.

In other words, regardless of age, someone with the requisite skills could ascend to the position of the group’s second-in-command.

To rise to the second-in-command position in a group that had built an empire spanning both Europe and the Americas?

That meant wielding power and influence that rivaled even a royal dynasty.

Moreover, considering James’s age, the person who became the group’s second-in-command would effectively hold the reins to this vast, lucrative empire.

Working within the group, he had already assessed all potential rivals.

And he had reached a conclusion.

The feeling he had when he first saw him was correct.

If he could eliminate Rockefeller, the position of the group’s second-in-command would be his.

The subtle jabs of rivalry only confirmed that the other party felt the same way.

“By the way, Rockefeller, have you ever met His Majesty Killian before?”

“Me? What connections do I have to meet such a distinguished royal? I’m just an ordinary middle-class American.”

“I see. So you were born here? You mentioned New York as your hometown, right?”

“You have a good memory. Yes, I’m from New York.”

Killian, whom they were about to meet, was the Prince Consort of the British Empire and the King of Canada.

Purely in terms of personal connection, this could be considered a victory for the man from Scotland.

Having grown up in the British Empire as a child, Carnegie’s heart still pounded at the prospect of meeting Killian in person.

Establishing connections with a powerful figure in the royal family could yield immense benefits, but such entrepreneurial calculations were absent at this moment.

‘Mother, Father, your son seems to have achieved considerable success.’

Carnegie took a deep breath and followed the waiting guides inside with hesitant steps.

“I present myself before His Majesty, the Prince Consort of the great British Empire and the King of Canada! It is an honor to have an audience with Your Majesty! My name is Andrew Carnegie. My family immigrated to America from Scotland, and we have always deeply admired Your Majesty’s name! Now that I have the opportunity to meet you in person, I have no regrets even if I die!”

“You mustn’t die, so calm down a bit. Carnegie and Rockefeller, was it? I’ve heard stories about you two from Chairman James from time to time. He says there are very promising young men in the group.”

He knew that Chairman James and Killian were acquainted, but were they close enough to share such anecdotes?

The thought that this meeting could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity made Carnegie’s eyes light up.

“Your Majesty! We are constantly learning new things under Chairman James’s guidance and finding fulfillment in our work. Although I have become a citizen of the United States, my roots are in Scotland. I will never forget those roots and aspire to become a businessman who can positively impact both the British Empire and the United States.”

“A young man with great ambition. I hear you possess remarkable abilities and a clear vision, so you will undoubtedly continue to grow. Since we’ve met like this, why don’t we have a conversation? I have a few questions for you.”

Was he going to inquire about businesses related to the British Empire or Canada, given his position as Prince Consort?

But unexpectedly, Killian posed insightful questions about the future of industry.

And not just superficial inquiries, but incisive questions that gave Carnegie and Rockefeller pause.

The two, who had been anticipating the chance to forge connections with the royal family or meet a revered royal, felt their mouths dry with apprehension.

The king questioned, and the young men answered.

The hour-long interrogation resembled an intense interview.

Even when they met Chairman James, the atmosphere wasn’t this intense. What was happening?

Someone lacking deeper knowledge might have suspected the true nature of the relationship between James and Killian.

However, Carnegie and Rockefeller were too rational and pragmatic for such speculation.

They couldn’t even fathom that they were being assessed by the true owner of the group.

* * *

“How did it go?”

“Just as I expected. Ah, Carnegie was a bit of a surprise, though.”

As soon as the two departed, James immediately expressed keen interest in the interview’s outcome.

Of course, from the outset, I had a general idea of their potential, so this was more of a confirmation than a genuine test.

Individuals who have left such indelible marks on history are unlikely to be incompetent, but there are instances where they have achieved greater success than their abilities warranted by capitalizing on opportune moments and circumstances.

“These men aren’t scholars capable of dominating the scientific realm; they’re simply businessmen. Therefore, they need to possess a vision for the overall trends in the industry and how to expand the company, and they demonstrated that without difficulty.”

“I agree. In my opinion, if we had simply left them to their own devices, they would have displayed exceptional talent in steel and oil refining. We’re fortunate to have brought them into the fold before that happened.”

“The challenge lies in how to nurture them now…”

Since they are so driven by financial gain, they will pledge unwavering loyalty if we enable them to amass considerable wealth now, but as individuals become more astute, their perspectives tend to evolve.

Especially while James remains in power, things are manageable, but when James retires and their positions within the group become more elevated, internal friction will inevitably arise.

Before that transpires, I’m contemplating dividing the company and gradually transferring ownership to the royal family, but… it’s becoming increasingly difficult to do so with companies in the United States.

It’s not a significant issue if companies in the British Empire and Canada are owned by the royal family, but the same doesn’t hold true in the United States.

For instance, if the steel and energy companies that virtually monopolize the US market were owned by a foreign royal family, how would the citizens here react?

“Your Majesty, Carnegie seemed to hold Your Majesty in high regard. Couldn’t we leverage that?”

“Respect… it sounds promising, but isn’t it a rather ambiguous sentiment? For now, I need to contemplate how to manage these two while addressing this matter.”

For now, let’s be content with having secured a reliable asset to dominate the US market.

We’ll need to determine when and how to deploy this asset after further observation.

And the primary focus at the moment wasn’t that.

-Friedrich Engels, a shameless plagiarist who stole his friend’s research!

-The true author of Engelsism finally revealed! The originator is Karl Marx, a distinguished scholar of the British Empire!

-Why was the truth concealed until now? Marx: “Even if he appropriated my research, a friend is a friend. I didn’t want to speak ill of a friend.”

-Does someone who plagiarized other people’s research and masqueraded as a revolutionary have the right to be the Secretary-General?

-Who is Karl Marx? Let’s examine him more closely!

“Good, good. It’s escalating nicely.”

As Marx’s name, which had been intentionally withheld until now, began to surface, the articles attacking Engels intensified even further.

And, conveniently, Karl Marx himself arrived in New York to attend a conference.

Upon his arrival, all the media outlets and scholars in the North swarmed him, bombarding him with questions.