The wheels of the private train screeched against the rails, emitting a metallic wail. The Argyle Family private train slowly pulled into Union Station in Washington D.C.
On the solid wood table inside the carriage lay several briefings that had just been received via a private telegraph line.
Felix drained his coffee in one gulp, picked up the documents on the table, and handed them to his chief secretary, Frost, who was sitting opposite him.
"Tell the people outside that we aren't going to Clark Manor. We're heading straight to the Republican Party internal meeting hall on Capitol Hill."
He leaned back against the chair, his voice tinged with exhaustion.
Upon hearing this, Frost glanced at the gray, overcast sky of Washington outside the train window.
"Boss, aren't you going to see Madam Anna and Young Master Caesar? You haven't seen them for several months. Since we've arrived in Washington, if we don't stop by the manor, won't Mr. Thomas feel…"
"Now is not the time to consider that."
Felix interrupted Frost.
"Grant was assassinated in Indiana, and the murder weapon was my gun. The nerves of these politicians in Washington are more fragile than a taut piano wire right now. If I get off the train and go straight to Clark Manor to lock myself away with Thomas for a few hours, what do you think those radicals and Grant's die-hard supporters outside will think?"
Frost immediately understood the implications.
"They would think you and Mr. Thomas are colluding, or even that this is a conspiracy orchestrated by the Argyle Family to push the vice president into the top office."
"Exactly. So, to avoid suspicion, I must appear before all of them immediately."
Felix stood up and picked up his cane from the side.
"I imagine Thomas is waiting there, too. Let's go."
Half an hour later, inside a meeting hall at the Capitol Building in Washington.
The air here was thick with the scent of strong Cuban cigars and the somewhat pungent smell of whiskey. The gas lamps on the walls hissed softly, casting dim, yellowish light onto the faces of the few people seated around the long walnut conference table.
Pushing open the heavy oak door, Felix walked inside.
At a glance, he saw his father-in-law, vice president and President of the Senate Thomas Clark, sitting at the head of the conference table. To his left were Speaker of the House James G. Blaine and secretary of state Hamilton Fish.
These three men represented the massive high-level moderate faction within the Republican Party.
On the right side of the conference table sat the high-level caucus chairman of the Republican Party's radical faction, Henry Wilson, as well as the senior Senator from Massachusetts, Charles Sumner.
Sitting at the very end, with a face so grim it seemed as if it could drip water, was New York Senator Roscoe Conkling.
He was President Grant's loyal die-hard ally in Congress and the most staunch defender of his master.
However, when everyone saw Felix walk in, they didn't display much hostility. Thomas just nodded slightly and pointed to an empty chair opposite the conference table.
"Sit down, Felix. The Secret Service agents outside didn't give you any trouble, did they?" Thomas's voice was very steady.
"Rest assured. They are very professional, Thomas. In fact, we cooperated quite pleasantly."
Felix pulled out the chair and sat down, casually placing his cane on the corner of the table.
Conkling slammed the cigar in his hand into the ashtray, his eyes locked onto Felix.
"Cooperated pleasantly? Mr. Argyle, that is truly an exquisite choice of words."
Conkling's voice was filled with undisguised hostility.
"Our president is currently lying on an operating table in Indiana, and his survival is uncertain. And the bullet that pierced his lung was fired from a rifle produced by Vanguard Military Industry. You are sitting here now, and you actually say you cooperated pleasantly with the Secret Service?"
Turning to look at Conkling, Felix's expression remained unchanged.
"Senator Conkling, I can understand your anger. But anger often clouds reason."
As he spoke, he crossed his hands and placed them on the table.
"You and I both know this is no ordinary murder; this is an extremely clumsy frame-up."
"A frame-up? That's not something you can just clear up by saying a few words!"
Conkling frowned, unwilling to let it slide just like that.
The radical leader Henry Wilson, who had been silent until now, raised his hand to signal Conkling to calm down.
"Felix." Wilson's voice was raspy, carrying the distinct accent of the New England region.
"It hasn't been many years since the Civil War, and it was thanks to you that President Lincoln escaped assassination. Everyone is well aware of your contribution. But this country cannot withstand a second successful assassination of its supreme leader, which would cause turmoil. This matter has touched everyone's sensitive nerves. If, in this era, the struggle for commercial interests is to be resolved by assassination, then who among us sitting here can guarantee that they won't be shot in the head when they step out tomorrow?"
Senator Sumner also nodded, his tone serious.
"Therefore, we need details. What exactly happened regarding your assassination attempt on Fifth Avenue and President Grant's assassination attempt in Indiana? We and the public need a reasonable explanation."
Facing this group of high-level Republican Party officials who controlled the state apparatus, Felix's demeanor remained relaxed.
"Gentlemen, everyone here is a smart person. You should clearly understand what kind of person I am and how the Argyle Family operates." Felix scanned the conference table.
"My commercial competition has always been conducted out in the open. Financial leverage, stock market sniping, technological monopolies, and even the blockade of railway freight rates. These are my weapons."
Felix spread his hands, looking quite disdainful.
"If I really wanted to eliminate a competitor using physical means, or clear away political obstacles, do you think I would leave behind such an obvious handle?"
Everyone fell silent.
They had to admit that Felix was telling the truth.
If the Intelligence Department of the Argyle Family—back before it was split up—and that fearsome Operations Department established during the Western Expansion in recent years had truly let loose with assassinations, those businessmen and politicians in the country would have long since been wiped out, without even the chance to do business.
"But this doesn't explain why the murder weapon was your custom-made firearm."
Conkling still wouldn't let it go.
"Because someone is fanning the flames from the shadows, wanting to use the state's hand to wipe me off the map of America."
The smile faded from the corners of his mouth, and Felix's gaze turned cold.
"I have roughly locked onto the real suspect. The mastermind behind all this is the old madman hiding in London, Junius Morgan."
When Old Morgan's name was mentioned by Felix, the expressions of those present didn't change much.
After all, everyone knew about the feud between the Argyle Family and Old Morgan, so it was highly probable that Old Morgan would retaliate against Felix in this way.
Speaker Blaine frowned and tapped the table with his knuckles.
"So, Felix, do you have concrete evidence? Accusing a multinational banker of orchestrating the assassination of the President of the United States is no joking matter."
Felix looked at him, his expression calm.
"Of course, there is some evidence. Although it is not comprehensive, I have already dispatched my most elite intelligence personnel, and they are fully cooperating with the Secret Service led by Agent Higgins. They are currently in Brooklyn, apprehending the specific planner and financial executor for Old Morgan here in America—a guy named David Burke."
"Two days ago, my men captured Old Morgan's financial agent in Philadelphia, Cavendish. He has confessed to all the fund flows. As long as we catch that man, with his testimony and the financial vouchers, this case will be airtight. Believe me, with the information provided by Cavendish, plus the professionalism of the Secret Service and my intelligence network, this arrest absolutely will not go wrong."
Hearing this, the expressions on everyone's faces varied.
But clearly, the emergence of Old Morgan as an external enemy, confirmed to a certain extent, allowed them to breathe a slight sigh of relief.
After all, if it was a conspiracy of foreign capital, then the internal conflicts within the Republican Party could be temporarily set aside.
secretary of state Fish coughed and steered the topic toward another, even more sensitive direction.
"Regarding the investigation into Old Morgan, we can wait for the final report from the Secret Service," Fish said, looking at Felix.
"But now, we must discuss another matter that has made us somewhat uneasy. Felix. We have heard that your people have recently had contact with members of the Democratic Party?"
The electric lights in the council chamber flickered for a moment.
All the senior members of the Republican Party present turned their gaze toward Felix.
Although the assassination attempt on Grant was a disaster for the moderates.
But if the Argyle Family, that super financier, were to turn to the Democratic Party, it would be a massive loss for the entire Republican Party.
If a president dies, another can be elected.
But if they lost Felix's comprehensive support in funding, railway transportation, and public media, no one could say for sure whether the Republican Party would fare as well in the upcoming elections.
Even though they had been suppressing the Democratic Party for the past few years, the opposition was not without a base, holding nearly a third of the seats in Congress.
Conkling's expression turned ugly, and he squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth.
"Mr. Argyle, I think you need to give everyone a reasonable explanation. If you are enjoying the policy conveniences we provide while secretly using dollars to feed the remnants of those Southern slave owners and the corrupt officials of Tammany Hall, then don't blame us for what happens in Congress."
Felix looked at Conkling's ferocious expression, sighed helplessly, and then spread his hands with extreme naturalness.
"Look~ It seems there is indeed a big misunderstanding. Gentlemen, for God's sake, your imagination is far too vivid. Do you really think I would be stupid enough to support an opposition party at this critical moment that doesn't even hold a third of the seats in Congress?"
"Oh? Then how do you explain that political contribution amounting to over a million dollars? Our informant within the Democratic Party clearly stated that someone, using the name of the Argyle Family, sent a million dollars to the Democratic Party."
Speaker Brian stared at Felix, pressing him relentlessly.
"This is the second thing I want to talk about, and it is the most vicious part of Old Morgan's chain of conspiracies."
Felix's tone was filled with the indignation of a victim.
"According to Cavendish. That killer broker named David Burke not only took Old Morgan's money to hire Western gunmen to rob my arsenal. Before that, he also disguised himself as someone from the Argyle Family and brought a huge amount of cash to contact the Democratic Party. He even told the Democratic Party leadership that as long as they could launch an antitrust investigation into my industries in Congress, the Argyle Family would secretly support them."
Henry Wilson frowned; as a seasoned politician, he immediately sensed the logical paradox in this.
"Wait... Felix. You mean someone impersonated your people to pay the Democratic Party to investigate your own industries? This sounds absolutely ridiculous. Are the people in the Democratic Party all brainless idiots?"
"That is exactly where Burke's brilliance lies."
Felix said, mixing nine parts truth with one part lie.
"He told the Democratic Party that there was a serious rift within the Argyle Family. He hinted that this money was provided by a faction under my name that wanted to seize power. The goal was to use the congressional investigation to create chaos within the family. Those guys in the Democratic Party who are desperate for money—as long as they see real cash, who cares about the infighting in the Republican Party or my family? They will just bite like mad dogs."
Felix paused here, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.
"Of course~ Since this fire has already started, I cannot just sit by and watch. You all know that New York is the base of the Democratic Party, and Tammany Hall has extremely deep roots there. My Imperial Bank and industrial zones all rely on the port of New York. I can't just fall out with the Democratic Party in New York over some inexplicable scapegoating, right?"
Felix picked up the coffee cup in front of him and toyed with it.
"So I did send people to have a brief contact with the Democratic Party leadership. But it was only to clarify the misunderstanding, to tell them that the money had nothing to do with me. If this counts as me betraying our alliance, then you can go ahead and strip me of all the railway franchises under my name right now."
"But I need to tell you all. We are allies, not in a master-servant relationship. You can ask questions if you have them, but do not stand on high and tell me what to do."
As he said this, Felix narrowed his eyes.
"No one can tell me what to do."
The conference room fell into a brief silence.
The few of them looked at each other for a moment, understanding that Felix was getting annoyed.
The fact that he was willing to come to Washington to explain things to them was already a very good attitude. There was no need to add cracks between each other.
Moreover, Felix's explanation could be said to be perfect, fitting the criminal motive of'sowing discord' attributed to Old Morgan perfectly.
"Felix, you're overthinking it. No one here is telling you what to do. Everyone is just worried that you might be deceived by that group of people in the Democratic Party."
As Felix's father-in-law, Thomas quickly chimed in when he saw the atmosphere was a bit awkward.
"That's right, Felix, you're overthinking it."
"The Democratic Party is very evil."
"Everyone is just worried about you."
These senior members also chimed in one after another.
But among these big shots sitting here, which one wasn't an old fox who had been struggling in the political arena for half a lifetime?
They knew the truth as clearly as a mirror in their hearts.
As for the matter of contacting the Democratic Party, at most, half of Felix's words could be believed.
In fact, the true core reason was something everyone understood tacitly.
Wasn't it just because of that self-righteous guy, Grant!
Before the assassination attempt, in order to demonstrate his absolute authority as president, Grant had suspended the Argyle Family's personnel in the intelligence agency and even threatened to support others in policy to suppress Felix and put a collar on the Argyle Family.
Who was Felix?
He was a giant crocodile that had killed and waded through blood in Wall Street and European capital markets.
Grant had made him feel a political survival crisis; how could he sit still and wait for death?
The so-called 'contacting the Democratic Party to clarify the misunderstanding' was merely Felix showing his muscles to the Republican Party, releasing a very clear signal: Do not push me, otherwise I have the ability to flip the table at any time. He was also preparing to diversify his political investments.
Even Conkling, who was protecting his master, could not find a reason to refute this at the moment.
After all, it was Grant who kicked Felix under the table first. The fact that Felix didn't flip the table directly was already giving the Republican Party enough face.
Thomas Clark broke the silence at just the right time.
"Alright, Gentlemen. Felix's explanation is indeed very reasonable. That David Burke is indeed a dangerous troublemaker. Since this is all Old Morgan's conspiracy, we shouldn't be suspicious of each other internally. The most urgent thing now is to stabilize the situation in Washington."
Senator Sumner sighed and rubbed his throbbing temples.
"Stabilize the situation? That's easy to say, Thomas. Now that the president is seriously injured and in a coma, our entire Republican Party is the biggest victim. Public panic is spreading, and the stock market on Wall Street is also fluctuating. Without strong, positive news to support us, what can we use to answer to the voters in the upcoming midterm elections?"
This was the real bargaining stage.
Everyone knew that whether Grant would wake up was still uncertain.
What the Republican Party needed now was real compensation in terms of interests to make up for the huge political losses caused by this assassination attempt. And this compensation could currently only be provided by the wealthy Mr. Argyle sitting before them.
Felix put the coffee cup back on the table; it seemed it was time to play his trump card.
"Senator Sumner, I am very clear about the current situation of the Republican Party. As an ally, I certainly won't stand idly by. In fact, I came to Washington this time to bring you all some news that will absolutely inspire everyone."
Felix took out several thick technical documents from his coat and pushed them to the center of the conference table.
Everyone's eyes were focused on those drawings and documents that were still smelling of ink.
"Gentlemen..."
Felix's voice became highly infectious.
"Let's not dwell on those bloody assassinations for now. Let's talk about the future of America, and how to tie everyone's names to the greatest technological revolution of this country."