The Tyrant Billionaire

After leaving Princess Margaret's room, Hardy returned to his own. He was also staying in the same hotel, just two rooms away.

However, unlike Princess Margaret, Hardy wasn't as free. Back in his room, he pondered how to handle the matter. Finally, he picked up the phone and called the White House, hoping to meet President Johnson before Princess Margaret's reception.

President Johnson gave Hardy considerable face.

He made a special effort to meet Hardy in the evening.

As the sun set, in the White House's rear garden, Hardy and President Johnson strolled and chatted. The bodyguards kept their distance, and no one knew what the two discussed.

The next day.

When Hardy visited Princess Margaret in the morning, he found that the princess had dark circles under her eyes and looked groggy.

What he didn't know was that the princess hadn't rested properly the previous night. Instead, she had gambled the entire night and lost $20,000.

"Didn't sleep well?" Hardy asked with concern.

"Yes, I hate jet lag," Margaret replied.

She dared not mention her late-night gambling escapade. Not only was she exhausted, but her heart ached—those were hard-earned savings. Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire

"Yesterday, I met President Johnson and discussed many things," Hardy said.

Margaret immediately perked up. "How did it go? What did President Johnson say?"

"President Johnson said he could help delay the repayment, but as for additional aid or loans to Britain, the U.S. currently has no such plans," Hardy explained.

In other words, it was a refusal.

"Britain's situation is dire now. Some of our national bonds have matured, and there's been a wave of sell-offs in the market. If the government doesn't intervene, it could severely damage financial credibility," Margaret said, frowning slightly.

Margaret didn't fully understand these matters; her sister, Princess Elizabeth, had explained them to her. This was another challenge Britain was facing and why they were seeking U.S. assistance.

"Currently, the U.S. is at war, and most funds are directed toward the battlefield. All foreign aid has been suspended, so it's unlikely they'll help Britain now," Hardy said.

Hardy knew the U.S. wasn't flush with cash either. War was always a money pit. The U.S. had already spent $5 billion at the start, with more expected. Loaning money to others would be a stretch—The British were lucky the U.S wasn't collecting debts aggressively.

"At tonight's reception, I'll speak to President Johnson personally again and hope he changes his mind," Margaret said.

Hardy shook his head inwardly.

Negotiation results are often decided outside the negotiation table.

Margaret was a complete novice in politics and didn't understand this principle.

Moreover, Hardy had suggested to Johnson not to provide additional aid to Britain. He had argued that even among allies, constantly meeting demands would embolden them.

As for aid, Hardy had plans to set conditions for Britain in exchange.

The more desperate they were for money, the better his opportunity to profit.

As they spoke, Margaret yawned several times. Observing her fatigue, Hardy stood up and said, "You should rest some more. We'll go to the White House together this evening."

"Alright."

After Hardy left, Margaret, despite her exhaustion, didn't go to bed. Instead, she summoned her steward and instructed them to deposit another $20,000 into her gambling account.

She was fully addicted to gambling.

Fortunately, she still had some sense of priority. After lunch, she napped and regained some energy.

In the evening.

Hardy and Margaret, along with the delegation, arrived at the White House in a car. President Johnson, his wife, and several officials warmly welcomed Princess Margaret. Although the British Empire was in decline, Johnson maintained impeccable courtesy.

The banquet was grand.

During the event, Margaret once again brought up the topics of extending loans and securing additional ones, hoping for a breakthrough. President Johnson smiled and said that delaying the loans was possible but granting new ones was out of the question, as the U.S. was facing its own fiscal constraints.

His response mirrored what Hardy had told her.

This left Margaret a bit disappointed.

Without new loans, her mission was only half completed. The issue of the national bonds remained unresolved. However, she realized that once a decision had been made, persuading them otherwise would be challenging.

After the formal discussions, President Johnson warmly said, "It's a rare honor for Princess Margaret to visit the U.S. If you have time, please visit more places. I'm sure the American people would be delighted by Your Highness's presence."

Margaret nodded gracefully. "I do intend to. I plan to visit New York and then head to Los Angeles to see Hollywood. You know, I have a few friends here in the U.S."

Her trip wasn't just about money. Before she left, Princess Elizabeth had given her a third task: to enhance the influence of the British royal family.

Around the world, there are still several constitutional monarchies. Among them, the British royal family is the most recognized, thanks to Britain's legacy and the royal family's careful maintenance of their image.

Princess Margaret's visit to the U.S. was an opportunity to showcase their presence. Her sister had specifically urged her to visit multiple places, ensuring the British royal family's name resonated widely.@@novelbin@@

Margaret happily agreed to this task.

After all, it gave her a legitimate reason to travel, which was far more interesting than being cooped up in palaces.

The reception ended.

Margaret turned to Hardy and said, "Baron Hardy, why don't you buy those national bonds?"

Hardy immediately shook his head.

"You forgot that I already bought a large batch of British bonds before and even lent a sum to British banks. The returns on bonds are too low, and they tie up capital," Hardy flatly refused Margaret's suggestion.

Although Hardy was keen to negotiate a deal with the British government, he couldn't make his intentions too obvious. He wanted the other side to take the initiative and approach him, ensuring his plans remained hidden.

---