The importance of the Panama Canal to the United States cannot be overstated, and if the Pacific Railroad was the first time that the East and West of the United States were connected, then the Panama Canal served as the equivalent of merging the East and West of the United States.

Before the Panama Canal was dug up, it took about a week to travel from New York to San Francisco by train, which was limited to manpower, and if it was to transport goods, it would take at least half a month to get from New York to San Francisco, and sometimes even 20 days.

Once the Panama Canal is successfully opened, the time from New York to San Francisco will be shortened to 10 days, which is already an advantage over the direct rail connection, and if you count the transfer time, then the sea freight will have an advantage.

Think about it, before the Panama Canal was dredged, if it was to get from New York to San Francisco, either by train or by steamer to bypass South America, the process would take at least a month.

If you only consider domestic transportation in the United States, it is fine to take the railroad, but if it is a ship from Europe to San Francisco, the efficiency is slow and people want to hang themselves.

Generally speaking, such a large project as the Panama Canal, must require the large-scale use of construction machinery, in this regard, Junma Group has a unique advantage, as long as Li Mu wants, whether it is an excavator or a bulldozer, it is not difficult to study it.

Ulysses also took this into account, so he hoped that Li Mu could take over the Panama Canal.

Last year alone, the U.S. Senate held at least three hearings on whether to start the Panama Canal project, each of which failed because of cost.

Since it is impossible to start by relying on the power of the state, it is imperative for private forces to intervene, in this case, the effect of handing over the project to the Horse Construction Company or to other construction companies is the same, and Ulysses Grant still trusts the Horse Construction Group more.

In other words, Ulysses Grant still trusts Li Mu more.

Of course, trust is trust, implementation is implementation, after all, the Panama Canal is a project involving $3 billion in funds, it can be said that since the founding of the United States, the Panama Canal project is the largest project in the United States, and Ulysses Grant is still cautious enough on this issue.

After ending the conversation with Ulysses Grant, Li Mu thought about it again and again, and still found William Vanderbilt.

The Vanderbilt family is currently the giant of the railroad industry in the United States, and before receiving this title, the Vanderbilt family occupied a monopoly position in the shipping industry in the United States, so in just a dozen years, the Vanderbilt family has accumulated such a huge wealth.

Although the current Vanderbilt family has successfully "landed", in Washington, the Vanderbilt family still has a huge influence, so Li Mu needs the help of the Vanderbilt family.

"Aha, Reim, Reem, it's finally time for you to ask me, last time I just preemptively registered a few patents, and you treated me like that, so this time, what price are you prepared to pay?" William Vanderbilt, whose eyes were still black, finally waited for a chance to take revenge, so he didn't let Li Mu go easily.

"Stupid, that's not a matter of a few patents at all, you've made a bad start with this, and it's starting to make competition bottomless, if I'm like you, and buy your subordinates with a lot of money, then what will happen to the end?" When is the time for retribution, Li Mu does not want to put his limited energy on dealing with William Vanderbilt.

Li Mu can send someone to kill Owen Hart, William Vanderbilt can send someone to kill Martin Robinson, these are all right, this is a declaration of war by one interest group against another interest group, and no one is to blame.

But if there is mutual penetration between the Horse Motor Company and the Vanderbilt Automobile Company, then the problem is more serious, strictly speaking, this is an internal contradiction among the people, and it should be resolved in coordination behind closed doors, and if it really comes, for the sake of mutual hostility, then it will be a situation that no one wants to see.

Including Li Mu.

Obviously, relatively speaking, William Vanderbilt was more worried that Li Mu would ignore it and take risks, so as soon as Li Mu's words fell, William Vanderbilt immediately put away his hippie smile, and the expression on his face was extremely solemn.

"Well, seriously, if the Vanderbilt family cooperates with your Stallion Group to get the right to dig the Panama Canal, then what can we get?" This sentence is the truth, everything else is hypocritical and polite, and only real money can move people's hearts.

"What you Vanderbilt family will gain will be a further increase in social status, and at the same time, you will earn more impression points for yourself, so I don't need to say much about where to go, you should have your own decision." Li Mu didn't want to talk nonsense, the benefits of digging the Panama Canal were there, and Li Mu didn't believe that William Vanderbilt couldn't see it.

Although Li Mu wants to swallow the Panama Canal in one bite, it is obvious that although Junma Construction Company has the best engineering team in the United States, the Panama Canal project is too large and beyond the ability of Junma Construction Group.

Now Li Mu is indeed politically mature, and the combination of vertical and horizontal is superb, and the money in the world is endless, and the formation of a stronger alliance through the process of making money is the goal pursued by Li Mu.

So in order to take the Panama Canal, Li Mu is ready to pull the Vanderbilt family to do it together, and at the same time, there is also Rockefeller J. P. Morgan, Li Mu must use all the power at his disposal.

"If you could talk about Rockefeller and J. J. P. Morgan, then our Vanderbilt family will definitely join in. "William Vanderbilt is a rabbit and an eagle.

"I really doubt that with your kind of decision, can your father trust you to lead the Vanderbilt family?" Li Mu fanned the flames with ill intentions and quietly planted a thorn in William Vanderbilt's heart.

Regarding inheritance, this is indeed a big issue that all families dare not ignore.

The so-called poor can't be poor for three generations, and rich can't be rich for three generations, which fully illustrates this problem, people like William Vanderbilt have lived in a honeypot since childhood, and there are no challenges around them.

"It's my business, I don't need you to worry about it." William Vanderbilt's expression was gloomy, obviously because of Li Mu's words.

Having the right to inherit and not having the right to inherit are really two different things, such as William Vanderbilt, as long as he can be recognized by the old Vanderbilt, then William Vanderbilt will have a huge amount of money and will have almost unlimited human resources.

And if he doesn't get the recognition of Vanderbilt Sr., then William Vanderbilt, like his other dozen younger siblings, will have a certain monthly routine, although enough food and clothing to worry-free, but if he wants to return to the center of the stage, it will be even more difficult.

Of course, John Vanderbilt also understands this, so when Li Mu talked about inheritance, John Vanderbilt's expression was a little excited, his eyebrows jumped several times in a row, and the roots of his ears were a little red, obviously, this was moved by Li Mu's words.

"I'll talk to Rockefeller later, J. Brown. P. Morgan further communicated, if we can, I hope that we can put aside our past suspicions, regardless of personal gains and losses in one place and one place, and jointly win the Panama Canal project, this is our real opportunity. Li Mu cheered up John Vanderbilt, which is not a boast, but a fact.

According to the Senate resolution, the Panama Canal can introduce private capital to join, but the prerequisite for joining is that the construction party must raise its own funds and complete it in just two years, which can further exaggerate the advantages of Li Mu's team.

Of course, compared with "self-financing", for the Panama Canal, the Washington government still has a huge amount of dollar compensation, and after the Panama Canal is completed in the later stage, the construction party will have the right to benefit from the Panama Canal for 20 years, which is more important, comparable to the "talisman".

"I, I need to think about it..."William Vanderbilt has been forced into a corner in the face of Li Mu's pressing step by step.

"Of course you can..."When you need to be graceful, Li Mu is always so personable, without the slightest fireworks: "But I want to remind you that it's not just us who are thinking about the Panama Canal project, so it's better to have less time for you, um... Is an hour enough? Li Mu thought he was very generous, but in the eyes of William Vanderbilt, this kind of words were more akin to coercion.

Unlike the indecisive William Vanderbilt, Rockefeller and J. Browner were not the same. P. Morgan is much easier to communicate, or Rockefeller and Morgan also trust Li Mu more, so Li Mu just got a head, and he got a positive response from Rockefeller and Morgan.

"Yes, if what you say can be realized, then no one can shake the position of the Horse Group before the new century." Rockefeller's words were still sour.

Until now, Rockefeller has not understood why the equipment of the laboratory is comparable, and the annual equipment is almost the same, but the Horse Research Institute has a steady stream of patent projects, while the Rockefeller Laboratory has few achievements.

That's the role of the leader, but Rockefeller will never be able to achieve this.

"20 years is still too little, I hope we can get more compensation, like 50 years, what do you think?" J· P. Morgan didn't want to pass up the opportunity, and at the same time had a bigger appetite. , which made Li Mu feel a little stunned.

50 years of use rights is not a lot, if you can really get the authorization, then within ten years, all investors can recover their costs, and the next few decades will be a net profit.

Anyone wants to do this kind of business, J· P. Morgan is certainly no exception.

"Then let's not hesitate, determine the ratio first, and then we will PR together." Li Mu wants to strike while the iron is hot, and the project can be established one day earlier to make money. P. Morgan, Li Mu believes that obtaining the Senate's permission is not a problem at all.

During the whole wedding process, there was an endless stream of people who came to visit Li Mu, and Li Mu did not refuse to come, and talked cordially with everyone, even if there was no business contact for the time being, it was very good to have a good relationship.

In the main banquet hall, Will and a group of soldiers began to drink again, they didn't use wine glasses at all, they opened the bottle and blew on the bottle, and dozens of people were dancing around, it was hard to imagine that several of these people were active generals.

Later, Li Mu personally arranged the residence of the guests, and in order to start and finish well, Li Mu chartered the entire north building of the Clinton Castle Hotel.

It sounds like a lot of money, but the airport, with more than 160 suites, simply can't meet the needs of guests.

Fortunately, most of these people have their own properties in New York, so Li Mu settled all the guests.

At the end of the day, although Li Mu didn't stand for too long, he still felt that his legs were weak.

Marriage is indeed a very tiring thing, and engagement is the same, mainly depending on whether the parties want to toss, if they want to toss...

Well, the end is the same as Li Mu.

Back on Governor's Island, Li Mu was finally able to sit down and chat with Will.

"Today is the happiest day of my life, finally someone to love my little baby instead of me, I hope you don't forget your career." Will still didn't like Li Mu's eyes.

However, Li Mu didn't care, everyone in the world was the same, always worried that his little padded jacket would be abused: "Don't worry, Will, I will love Gloria like I love my eyes, she is my angel, I can't extricate myself..."

It is indeed an angel, today's Gloria is overwhelming the audience, I don't know how many young people should be beaten, so Li Mu should feel lucky, if it wasn't for Will being too idle and bored to take Li Mu in, then there would be no fate like today.

"I'm going back to New York after the New Year, I hope you can speed up a little faster, the money in the world is endless, and the people who really deserve your attention are often around you." It's really rare, Will's words are actually a bit philosophical, which makes Li Mu also want to buy a few books to read.

"When I get back from Washington, it shouldn't take long." Li Mu couldn't give a promise, and it was not easy to do this.

Will had been leading the military in Pennsylvania during this time, in large part to ensure the smooth running of the election, and then there was the dirty affair between blacks and whites.

Although slavery has been abolished in the United States, in fact, the social status of blacks has not really improved, and the reason why Will went to Pennsylvania was to encourage blacks in Pennsylvania to take the initiative to go out of their homes and cast their sacred vote.