The Tyrant Billionaire

"Participate, and you will become an investor in American enterprises."

"Miss this opportunity, and you'll regret it for life."

The advertisement was highly persuasive.

Even Emperor Hirohito was tempted. As the Emperor, he acquired numerous treasures, including not only antiques and artworks but also gold, during the invasion of China.

In the past, the imperial family had to bribe MacArthur with stolen gold and pay protection fees to the U.S. to maintain the family's status.

However, most assets previously belonging to the imperial family were confiscated. In 1949, the imperial family received only around $500,000 for living expenses, palace expenses, and imperial family costs. Though this was far better than what ordinary citizens could hope for, it barely covered the imperial family's expenses.

A royal family member visited Emperor Hirohito, mentioning the profits from investing in antique mortgages. Though their assets were mostly confiscated, they retained some valuable artworks. Hirohito's brother suggested that they could invest as well.

"I checked. Wells Fargo, owned by envoy Hardy, ranks among the top U.S. banks with assets over $5 billion. They promise confidentiality, so those artworks are even safer in their hands."

"We would only mortgage our artworks to them and receive steady returns, which could cover the imperial family's expenses."

"Also, the money earned through Hardy's investments is legitimate and legal. No one in the U.S. can question this. You may also have noticed that MacArthur seems rather wary of Hardy. I doubt anyone would pursue us for this."

Emperor Hirohito was convinced.

"I entrust this matter to you. Don't mention these as imperial family antiques; it would be highly upsetting if the public found out."

"And choose only Chinese, Malizian and Portugais artworks to mortgage, not Japanese ones, so no one will suspect they belong to the imperial family."

Thus, a batch of royal treasures was secretly mortgaged to Wells Fargo. This amount was substantial, totaling over $8 million, all of which eventually went into the U.S. stock market.

The Antique Mortgage Company flourished, as did the business of Golden House Finance, which specialized in gold mortgages, accepting investments for over 100 grams of gold.

Gold mortgages offered even higher value than antiques, reaching up to 90%, as gold itself holds significant value.

Japan was impoverished at the time, though this primarily affected ordinary citizens. Some former nobility, military officers, and business tycoons held large amounts of silver and gold but hesitated to expose it.

However, they saw this as an opportunity.

By investing in the U.S. stock market through these companies that promised confidentiality—and even offered compensation in case of information leaks—many felt reassured, it was like Whitewashing their money.

Rather than leaving gold stored in basements, investing it made more sense. It could earn profits, be safeguarded, and remain out of MacArthur's reach if he attempted to track their assets.

In recent days, Golden House discreetly served several prominent clients, with investments ranging from tens to hundreds of kilograms of gold. The largest investment reached two tons.

This gold was all mortgaged through Wells Fargo, with investment management by financial companies.

...

Christmas passed.

New Year's also came and went.

The year officially entered 1950—the 1950s had begun.

Hardy had yet to go to Japan, focusing on his American business foundation. He began the New Year by reviewing and planning the company's development.

The heads of all group companies gathered as Hardy prepared to host a group meeting. Before entering the conference room, Henry updated him on the situation in Japan.

Hardy had initially conceptualized the Antique Mortgage Financial Investment Company and Golden House Investment Company during his time in Hong Kong, instructing Henry to find suitable personnel to establish these companies. Surprisingly, within a month, they had achieved such great success.

Hardy reflected.

"To avoid any future retaliation from these people, we must be ruthless. If we're going to exploit, we should go all in. Ensure it's done thoroughly; the more bankrupt they are by the end, the fewer people will be left to chase after us."

"Expand mortgage financial investment company branches in other major cities, and open another option: real estate mortgages."

Henry looked at his boss.

Antiques.

Gold.

Real estate.
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This was a full-scale operation to drain the Japanese wealthy class entirely.

"Understood. I'll arrange for a real estate mortgage financial investment company," Henry responded.

"Also, transport all mortgaged antiques and gold to Hong Kong in complete secrecy. Keep them highly confidential, hidden in secure vaults," Hardy instructed.

Henry nodded resolutely.

In Hardy Group's conference room, executives, including Armand Hammer from Occidental Petroleum, had gathered. Hammer had returned from Saudi Arabia to the U.S. for Christmas, coinciding with the meeting.

Following standard procedures, each company reported on the past year's operations and plans for future development. Afterward, Hardy would offer his comments and guidance for the coming year.

For example, Hardy's supermarket chain, which launched three stores in 1949, had established a reliable model and planned to expand. In addition to new stores in San Francisco and Los Angeles, the company aimed to enter New York, Houston, Atlanta, and Boston, expecting a total of 20 locations.

Last year, the dog and horse racing tracks were completed, both performing well. Two Las Vegas casinos, Caesar's Palace and the Venetian, were set to open, each with over a billion in investment. Their success was vital for Las Vegas's future growth.

Now, with over 30 Hardy Group subsidiaries, the conference lasted two days before concluding. Overall, Hardy Group had expanded rapidly over the past year, with promising profitability.

On the final day, Hardy summarized the company's status, with one final crucial announcement—a decision he had carefully discussed with Andy over the past two days.

"Here's the final matter, and it's very important. Since the subsidiaries have contributed profits to the group, and everyone has put in effort, they deserve rewards."

"The company has established a reward mechanism. Some may hold shares or equity, but this doesn't conflict with the bonus system. Each manager will receive a bonus based on this year's performance and the profits they helped generate for the company."

The faces of the executives lit up with smiles.

Whether wealthy or not, everyone is happy to receive a bonus.