"Then forget it," Duke Grosvenor quickly backed off. He could accept his son crying or getting injured, but the thought of his only child disappearing for a whole month was something he absolutely couldn't tolerate. Who knows if the boy coming back after a month would still be his real son? Besides, William's expression clearly showed that he intended to vent his frustrations on his son. Sure enough, before Grosvenor could say anything else, William sighed and turned to Prince Charles. "Your Highness, how about letting Wilson train with me for a month instead? He's already learned quite a bit from me, but that's just superficial. I guarantee he'll be a changed man in a month."
"Thank you, but I won't trouble you. I plan to send him for military training with the Army," Prince Charles politely declined.
"Does England even have an Army? No offense, but what can he learn there? He might even get laughed at or bullied. With me, it's different—I'll push him hard, so that when he hits the bed at night, all he'll think about is sleeping. I promise he'll stop getting into petty fights or tattling on others."
Just as Prince Charles was about to refuse again, King Philip, who was sitting on the couch, grumbled, "Enough. How long are you all planning to chat? Letting an old man who's almost eighty wait this long—don't you feel guilty? Finish your business quickly, so I can go home and rest."
"Come on, gentlemen," King Philip beckoned everyone into the private room, gesturing for William to sit closer. "This way, William, so I don't have to strain to hear you."
"Good evening, Your Majesty."
"Good evening, William. Sit down. Let's talk," Philip smiled.
"Thank you," William nodded and, without a trace of formality, took a seat on the nearby sofa. He knew that Philip had something to discuss, which explained his unusually friendly demeanor. Despite his advanced age, the king's hearing was perfectly fine—otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to overhear their conversation from more than ten meters away.
As soon as he sat down, William offered his congratulations. "I heard you recently had a new grandson. Congratulations, Your Majesty."
"Haha, yes, that's something to be happy about. Thank you."
After some light-hearted conversation, Wilson, noticing his father's signal, took advantage of a lull to speak up. "William, it's getting late. We should move on to business. Staying too late isn't good for my grandfather's health."
Amused, William glanced at Wilson before turning to King Philip. "Your Majesty, if there's something you need from me, feel free to say it. If I can help, I won't refuse."
"Alright, let's get down to business then," Philip said. "William, I've heard you've been dealing in Chinese antiques with Duke Devon. Can you tell me more about that?"
"Unfortunately, I can't give you the details," William said, shaking his head apologetically. "But I can tell you that Duke Devon and his associates have traded $1 billion worth of antiques with me in exchange for some lucrative business opportunities, at a 30% discount. They seem quite satisfied with the deal."
"You didn't pay cash?" Duke Grosvenor interjected. "I thought they were out of their minds, selling antiques at a 30% discount, even if they were short on cash. But now I see they were trading for a way to make more money."
Prince Charles, who had been quiet until now, chimed in. "William, knowing your nature and Duke Devon's shrewdness, I'm guessing this money-making opportunity is something quite special?"
"Haha, of course. It's a way to earn over $500 million a year. If you're lucky or ruthless enough, even $1 billion isn't out of reach. But that's all I'm saying, gentlemen. If you want more details, you'll have to ask Duke Devon."
"A billion dollars a year, huh?" Philip laughed. "No wonder Duke Devon has been dodging me lately. It seems he wants to keep all the profits within the Devonshire aristocracy."
"No, Your Majesty, I don't think that's entirely true," Wilson said. "Recently, several other major aristocrats close to Duke Devon have been quietly buying Chinese antiques from some cash-strapped nobles. If it weren't for someone asking me if I was interested in buying Chinese antiques, we might not have found out about this until after William and Duke Devon completed their deals."
"So, we've been excluded," Wilson said, surprised.
"Well, it's not that strange," Philip explained to his grandson. "A billion dollars sounds like a lot, but it's not going to be divided between just one or two people. Naturally, those involved would keep it quiet. If you were in their position, you'd do the same."
Philip then turned to William. "Since you're already buying Chinese antiques, would you be interested in purchasing some from us as well?"
William understood Philip's intentions. "Of course, I wouldn't mind. But the new business I have is reserved for settling my deal with Duke Devon. Any transactions with you will have to wait until next time."
"You should know," Duke Grosvenor said with a smile, "that the antiques valued at $1 billion probably aren't all high-quality items. There are bound to be some ordinary pieces mixed in. You're a smart man, William. You should understand the benefits of competition and comparing prices."
Everyone knows that. But William also knew that double-dealing wasn't a good move. Not only would it offend his existing clients like Duke Devon, but Philip and the others wouldn't necessarily appreciate it either. The relationships between English aristocrats were intricate and delicate. Today's adversary could become tomorrow's ally over shared interests, and maintaining trust was crucial.
"As much as I'd love to see what antiques you have, I have to stick to my business ethics. So, I'll have to pass this time."
"Alright, we're the latecomers, after all," Philip waved his hand, stopping Grosvenor from arguing further. He knew that, like William, Grosvenor didn't put much stock in aristocratic agreements, especially since he had been targeted by powerful nobles when he first inherited his title. But as the leader of the aristocracy, Philip had to maintain a balance and preserve fragile relationships.
"Now, about that new company of yours," Philip said, shifting gears. "Any interest in letting us invest?"
Philip's question instantly silenced Grosvenor, and both Prince Charles and Wilson's eyes lit up.
The new bulletproof products company was a promising venture, something that was both tangible and valuable. As a matter of fact, all five men in the room were wearing the new bulletproof suits, each costing £5 million—a hefty price.
But if they could get in on the company's shares, the pain of the price would turn into joy.
Philip knew that getting in on the ground floor wasn't easy. He was prepared to be squeezed for a hefty sum. But to his surprise, William smiled and said, "I remember, Your Majesty, that you once promised to help persuade the Oxford City Council to sell me the nearly 30,000 acres of land surrounding the Devonshire Castle. Can you tell me how that's going?"
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