Anna used a pen to fill in the date and a long string of zeros in her personal checkbook without even raising her head.
"If you are proposing, bringing your current girlfriend with you would be too open-minded and unacceptable."
She also switched to French.
"Just for fun, cousin Anna, who of us is not like this? Around us, puritanical rich boys are like zero-calorie chocolate butter cakes or peace-loving extremists. They are completely unfounded. A false proposition."
Oler looked at the girlfriend next to him indifferently. He didn't know who he was this year.
"Unless he is gay, no one you know is so innocent and does not have two female lovers. I am just always very real and do not hide myself in front of you."
"You have been calling me cousin since I was a child, cousin Ole."
Anna smiled carelessly.
"What does it matter? We are only two months apart in age. We grew up close together. Our direct blood relationship is no more direct than that between Princess Diana and the prince. "Closer"
Oler became more and more excited as he talked.
He wanted to look into Miss Elena's eyes and tell his heart.
Unfortunately, the other party kept his head down, processing the information on the large check unhurriedly.
Ole had no choice but to turn his head and look at the sea of clouds and large flower fields outside the window.
The sun slowly begins to set in the west.
The European primrose fields spread from the classic asymmetrical manor garden to the distant lake. The distant sunset lights up the water vapor on the lake surface. Dyeed into a color between blood and rouge, it seemed like a gorgeous crimson gauze lingering over the ancient manor.
Even though Oler has seen the same scene here countless times, every time he feels that this scene has a beautiful and unworldly look.
Just like every time Oler sees his cousin.
How many young people of their generation covet each other’s beauty.
From the moment they first understood what beauty was, Anna undoubtedly became the goddess in their hearts.
"I want to marry Miss Elena"
"No, Countess Elena is mine"
"Go to hell, you are not allowed to steal it" ”
When I was young, little boys in several circles got into a fight with each other because of this kind of thing. This kind of stupid deeds that are so stupid when I think about it now are what happened to their generation when they were growing up. More than once.
Because of the godmother.
Oler has been one of the few people of the opposite sex closest to Anna since he was a child.
The thought of the other person possibly becoming "Mrs. So-and-so" and kissing some damn guy under the walnut grove.
It was as if smoldering coals had been stuffed into his chest.
Unless the title becomes Mrs. Kruger,
then OleI felt refreshed.
"These idiot sluts whose brains are not one-third the size of their breasts cannot even compare to a hair of yours, Cousin Anna, in my heart. I have really liked you since I was a child. As long as you nod, I will kick them all away immediately and become a dedicated husband."
The words that have been brewing in my heart for many years poured out in an instant. Ole felt as light as a swallow, and his whole body became relaxed.
He believed that he and the other party were a perfect match made in heaven.
Both emotions and reasons,
Cousin Anna has no reason to refuse.
Is there any man who can get into Anna’s heart better than him?
“Think about it, Kruger and Irina, these two ancient and glorious surnames are very different. What a grand celebration it will be in our circle. Cousin Anna, your previous mistakes are not worth mentioning. The ancient royal families all over the world will bless us."
"You. Not only is she my cousin, but she is also my wife. The Irina family has only one heir in this generation, Anna. But the Kruger family has always been prosperous, and I have seven brothers and sisters. Strong, smart, and with excellent physical abilities, we should have many children, if you insist, I wouldn’t even mind giving their last name Irina.”
Oler is already immersed in it. In his fantasy, he said in a trance.
"Our children will have blue eyes and black hair as noble as Caesar. They will be as beautiful as you, like elves in the woods. Boys are engaged in finance, and girls are engaged in art. With such nobility With their bloodline and excellent upbringing, even if the empire is gone, they are still the natural rulers of this world. You know our family’s ability in the financial industry, and we may be able to establish an art fund as large as an empire of more than 10 billion euros. "
He looked away from the window, turned his head, and looked at Anna emotionally.
Oler was a little disappointed.
My cousin did not seem to be infected by his passionate speech.
Miss Elena just calmly filled out the name and other information on the checkbook, her thin lips lightly opened, and she softly read a long poem-like text.
“I am not your slave, but your guest. Barren women are like dry rivers. Women have the responsibility to make the dead trees bear fruit and to make the wasteland come alive, just like the Nile nourishes the earth. I My breasts are good at nurturing love and life, and my hips are clear and round. I am the Nile. The goddess Aesus told me through sacrifices that I am good at giving birth to children, and our children will rule all the lands from the Nile to the Mediterranean. ."
Anna slowly recited this classic line in the history of human film by Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra, which seemed to be like a clear spring.
In the movie,
Cleopatra was wrapped in a carpet and smeared with gold powder, and came to the tent of Julius Caesar in Rome.Something was said.
She was obviously seeking pleasure, but she was so ambitious and charming, like a glass of poisonous wine with gold dust floating in it.
A majestic man like Caesar could not avoid drinking it in one gulp, paving the way for the future collapse and division of Rome.
"Miss, did I pronounce this line correctly?"
Anna turned her head and asked because she didn't understand French, and was confused about the short conversation between her and Ole. Confused sexy girl.
"That's right, it's just a little too cold, not romantic enough, not charming enough. Sister, if you want to develop in the entertainment industry, it's not suitable for you to take the route of a charming temptress like Cleopatra. . You are not this type. I think your acting style is more like Hepburn than Elizabeth Taylor."
The actress looked at Anna up and down and gave her professional advice.
"No need, there is already someone who is so promiscuous. He can't wait to coat himself with gold powder and climb into my bed right away."
Anna chuckled teasingly, turned her head and said, " Ole, if we go to a stage play one day, it seems that I am more suitable to play Caesar than you."
Her Excellency the Countess does not seem to be interested in continuing to talk about this topic.
"Take your check, I'm going to rest. If you want to stay here tonight, the housekeeper will take you to your room."
Anna looked aside He rang the small bell, preparing to call the caregiver to push him away.
"Cousin Anna, I am serious"
Oler was a little angry
He was obviously so serious and had such an affectionate confession, but he had never been there before It has been expressed by anyone except Cousin Anna.
If Ole looked into the eyes of a girl in a bar and said such love words.
This level of emotional investment is enough for him to sleep with a girl from the enhanced company.
But when faced with his confession, Anna only regarded him as a child performing a stage play, which made Ole very dissatisfied and annoyed.
He grabbed Anna's wrist.
"Mr. Ole von Kluge. You have lost your temper."
Anna slowly raised her head and stared at her cousin beside her.
Even if Miss Elena can stand up, she is still a head shorter than Aole, and her wrists are slender and boneless.
However, when this girl who was only two months older than him called him by his full name. The muscles on Ole's body still shook unconsciously.
At this moment,
Oler seemed to see the soul of his godmother resurrecting in his cousin, without the need to shout, but with dignity and self-sufficiency.
And he became the little boy standing in the garden.
"You know, I have been very angry since I received the oil painting today. Why do I have to talk about it and embarrass each other?"
Anna There was mockery in his eyes, "You are the one who proposes to me.What you mean is what your father means."
"This"
"Am I wrong in what I said?" She said softly.
Every year On their birthdays or Christmas, girls can receive gifts from Ole's father, Mr. Kruger.
It is usually a gold-plated pen, a dress brooch, or a bone china tea set. .
It has never been so valuable this year.
Senior financial bankers like Mr. Kruger are not like the flamboyant cousin Ole, who has a very frugal and serious style in his daily life. It can even be called stingy.
The gifts given to his family are probably these things.
In Anna's memory,
Kruger. The husband is not even willing to repair the holes in the velvet curtains in the study room.
Every time this kind of banker financier makes a big investment, he must see a return, or at least it must be meaningful.
This time is no exception.
The moment Anna unscrewed the aluminum painting barrel, she understood what the other party wanted to express.
A picture from the eighteenth century. Madame Verre Le Brun's oil painting of Princess Teresa is simply a clever metaphor about the rise and fall of the aristocracy, the honor of the family and the fate of the artist.
Mrs. Le Brun because of Queen Marie. She became famous due to her favor, and was exiled due to the fall of the Bourbon dynasty.
The female painter Madame Le Brun lived in exile for a long time in the war-torn times in Europe. Misunderstood as a defender of the monarchy, Russia treated her as a guest of honor because of her close relationship with the Bourbon court, and became the first female "honorary teacher" in the history of the St. Petersburg Academy of Fine Arts.
The owner of the portrait, Princess Teresa, is another part of this metaphor.
Princess Teresa’s mother is Anna’s fellow countryman, Queen Mary, who holds the title of Duchess of Austria. Known for her flamboyance, love of art, and social ignorance
It is known that
she died by guillotine designed by her husband when she was only eleven years old. He also lost his fertility for life due to long-term rape and torture.
From a historical perspective,
The ending of Louis XVI's family was not very innocent, but at least the little girl. Her life destiny was like a vicious joke played by God on her.
When she was born, her mother held her in her arms and cried excitedly, "You are not a son, boys belong." Country, and you belong only to me, you will have everything, peace and joy. ”
This prophecy is only valid for a short period of ten years.
When the Bourbon dynasty existed, Teresa was the eldest princess who had all the peace and joy. She had the best personal life. The teacher taught her etiquette and art.
When the Bourbon dynasty fell, everything she owned was blown away by the rain and wind in an instant, and she fell into the abyss of hell along with the sinking ship.
"Miss Elena. You should understand that family is everything to you, and the rest is just the vines wrapped around this big tree."
With Anna's Smart,
The moment she saw this painting, she could almost hear the mocking voice of the old-fashioned banker with a Prussian mustache through the surface of the oil painting.
Even,
Anna didn’t even think that Oler’s mention of Uncle Kara was a pure coincidence.
Uncle Carla’s attempt to defraud money from the surname Irina may not necessarily be a trap and conspiracy by Mr. Kruger.
That idiot is simply a brainless person.
There are flaws all over his body, and doing such stupid things is totally Uncle Kara’s style.
Mr. Kruger only added fuel to the flames at the right time, and then quietly eliminated the Irina family's reputation crisis like a savior.
People are telling you clearly.
Miss Elena, you are just a simple and brainless child, and you have no ability to take care of such a large family business.
How about marrying my son?
Marrying my son will solve all your problems.
"Cousin said honestly, my father expressed relevant hints to me on the way here, but my feelings for you are sincere."
Oler said sarcastically explained.
It was indeed on his way to the manor that he received a call from his father, suggesting that he could unleash his manly charm on him.
Otherwise,
he would not have foolishly brought his female companion with him.
Perhaps in Mr. Kruger's eyes, it doesn't matter whether his son is single-minded or romantic.
The marriage of families like theirs is mainly to show the benefits that each other can bring.
That was true centuries ago,
and it will be true centuries later.
At most, they can play their own roles after getting married.
This makes it seem less hypocritical and pretentious.
“Moreover, please think about it, art and money have always been two sides of the same coin. How great benefits can bloom from the combination of the two. Soon, the name Irina will become harmonious. "Barnes is as famous as Rockefeller"
"No, in the field of art, she has already been as famous as Barnes and Rockefeller, less than twenty years ago"
Oller looked yearning and full of pride, "In less than twenty years, she will become the next Medici. The Medici family of the 21st century."
The phone on the plane,
< p>Dad Mr. Kruger just briefly mentioned his financial idea to him, and Ole felt that his heart was surging uncontrollably.Art funds are not as well-known as Bitcoin and the Metaverse.
It may be Wall Street’s biggest success story in the past decadeThis type of investment is one of the most popular and popular investment concepts among financial investment banks.
Because art trading inherently has an operating range for tax avoidance and anonymous trading.
It is often used as the subject of speculation by various large trust funds.
In addition, the prices in the art market have become increasingly crazy in recent years.
Before 2010, any piece of art that exceeded US$50 million at auction was big news worthy of follow-up coverage by major mainstream media around the world.
In recent years, I can’t wait to sell one piece at a sky-high price of hundreds of millions of dollars every year.
He refers to the Barnes Foundation for the Arts, the Rockefeller Family Foundation for the Arts, and the similar Guggenheim Family Foundation for the Arts.
They are all art investment funds founded by the richest families on the planet.
Not only the scale of large art funds with a century-old history is rising.
Even the open-end sovereign funds of European countries, which are truly super giants like the French National Pension Fund, have begun to consider investing in the art market.
Mr. Krueger realized the business opportunity.
More than just a business opportunity, this was a gold mine.
Speculating in art and speculating in precious metals are essentially the same.
To explain the principles in depth is enough to invite several Nobel Prize winners in economics to analyze it for three days and three nights. To put it bluntly, it is nothing more than the simple truth of the four words "hoarding and hoarding".
When going short or long on silver or gold, you must have a large enough amount of physical precious metals in your hands.
If you want to be a banker in the art industry, you must also hold a famous painting with enough weight in your hand, so that you can raise the price when you want and smash the market when you want to.
On the number of collections.
Where in the world is there a richer collector than Miss Elena?
Even in terms of the scale of the Rockefeller Art Foundation’s collection, it may not be as large as the collection of the Elena family. How many.
"Unfortunately, I don't want to."
Anna's voice was as cold as ice.
"A financial empire with an art fund worth tens of billions of euros"
She sneered at the corner of her mouth.
"What is the essential difference between you and Uncle Carla? It's just that you are more ambitious and more professional. What Uncle Carla wants is just an interest-free loan of several million euros, but you want Wanting everything that Irina’s family has inherited for hundreds of years is like Queen Cleopatra who wants to annex Rome to Egypt.”
Anna shook her head.
Except for aunt, everyone has interests in their eyes.
No one has ever really cared about what she thinks or what she really needs.
“I don’t need anyone to teach me how to do things, whether it’s you or Mr. Kruger. Honor and money decay faster. This is the family motto I have been taught since I was a child. The family’s Because of the limitations of the times, elders also have problems with many things.All made irreparable mistakes. The only thing is, we never profit by speculating on art. Art shines only because of its lasting artistic value. ”
“I am a servant of the Muses, not a profit-seeking businessman. We are patrons of artists, and when our ancestors bought these paintings, they never thought of profiting from the whip they wielded, and neither would I. ”
“We are not trying to teach you how to do things, but your views are too outdated. "Oler was a little angry. "What's the use of putting art in a warehouse? The National Gallery also has government-funded maintenance and repair subsidies, and you get nothing. ”
“This is no longer the case, cousin. "Oler said half helplessly, half mockingly, "Do you still want to discover the next Van Gogh? This is really too naive. "
"It doesn't matter. "
Anna said coldly, "Although I am not Caesar, I can also control my own destiny. "
"If this set is destined to be eliminated by the world, then I am ready to sink with it. "Please remember to bookmark, the latest and fastest website without anti-theft and free reading