Howard Rothschild was known for his pragmatism. Despite being at the helm of the entire Rothschild family, favonovel.com possessed the flexibility to adapt and accommodate. Howard had a simple principle, anyone, regardless of their background, could earn his favor if they held sufficient value for favonovel.com or the family. Even a beggar, when deemed valuable, would receive Howard’s respect and consideration.
In the current predicament, his primary concern was TikTok’s ability to remove all videos pertaining to the Rothschild family, preventing the scandal from further dissemination. As the patriarch of the Rothschild family, favonovel.com was willing to go to the extent of personally meeting with the head of TikTok in North America.
This divergence in status between the head of a trillion-dollar family and a mere multimillion-dollar business executive was stark. Under normal circumstances, the latter would never have had the opportunity to engage with Matt Rothschild, let alone Edward’s level of discernment, let alone Howard.
However, Howard found himself eager to arrange a meeting with TikTok’s North American head. Furthermore, favonovel.com believed that his lofty status would signify sincerity, possibly fostering deep collaboration, should this matter come to the attention of the Wade family’s leader.
The Rothschild family swiftly reached out to TikTok’s North American representative. Upon revealing his identity to the executive, TikTok’s representative was genuinely taken aback. The notion that this incident would compel the patriarch of the Rothschild family to personally intervene had not crossed their minds.
The executive promptly conveyed the situation to TikTok’s higher-ups, who, in turn, established contact with Charlie through the contact information provided by Butler Thompson.
Charlie, upon receiving a call from the Eastern Suburb of Eastcliff, surmised the situation. He answered the call, and a middle-aged man’s gentle voice emanated from the other end, inquiring, “May I speak with Master Wade?”
Charlie inquired, “Who is this?”
The middle-aged man introduced himself, “Greetings, Master Wade. I am the founder and current CEO of TikTok, Zhang Chishui. Butler Thompson provided me with your contact information a few days ago and instructed me to report major developments directly to you.”
Charlie deduced, “You’re calling me because of the Rothschild family, correct?”
Zhang Chishui affirmed, “Indeed.” He elaborated, “The Rothschild family contacted our North American representative, expressing a desire for Howard, their patriarch, to meet and discuss potential cooperation. He refrained from making unilateral decisions, opting to seek our advice. Given the significant global influence of the Rothschild family, I hesitated to make a decision independently. Therefore, I contacted you for guidance.”
Charlie offered a simple directive, “Kindly inform them that we have no interest in collaborating with the Rothschild family. If they request the deletion of TikTok videos related to their family, the content of which adheres to our guidelines, there is no room for negotiation. They must reconcile with this decision.”
Zhang Chishui, albeit with some hesitation, pointed out, “Young Master, the Rothschild family, and similar plutocrats wield immense influence in the West, capable of shaping government policies and decisions. They boast the world’s most extensive lobbying group. If they lobby the government to impose sanctions on us, it could significantly impact our operations in North America, and possibly…”
Charlie remained resolute, asserting, “That is of no concern. Allow them to proceed as they wish. Even if we must withdraw from the U.S. market at some point, we shall maintain our principles. The people of North America will bear witness. In my view, we can stage a comeback when the timing is right. However, compromising our principles would result in a loss of the public’s support. We, TikTok, serve the people. If we lose their backing, our development foundation crumbles.”
Charlie stressed the essence of their mission, “Remember, in any conflict between the people and the government, we shall consistently side with the people. Their welfare remains our foremost concern.”
Zhang Chishui, relieved of doubt, affirmed his commitment, “Understood, Young Master. I shall communicate this decision to them immediately.”
Meanwhile, within the Rothschild family, members were not idly awaiting TikTok’s response but actively strategizing on how to address Bruce Weinstein.
Bruce had unveiled two significant scandals tied to the Rothschild family, compelling core members to clench their teeth in frustration. They harbored an ardent desire to dispatch someone to Brooklyn Prison and eliminate Bruce.
However, in the current situation, Bruce remained untouchable within the Rothschild family’s ranks. Should anything untoward happen to him, the Rothschild family would inevitably face repercussions. The blame would be placed squarely on their shoulders. Thus, the family had refrained from taking any drastic measures.
During this moment, Howard’s eldest son received a call and then delivered somber news, “Father, TikTok has declined our request for a meeting.”
“Declined?” Howard furrowed his brows and inquired, “I’m Howard Rothschild, they were asked to meet me, and they still dared to refuse?”
His eldest son, with a tinge of helplessness, responded, “Indeed… We clearly expressed your desire to meet with them, but they still declined.”
Howard contemplated for a moment before remarking icily, “They didn’t refuse outright, they took a few minutes before declining. It appears they reported the matter to China. It seems the Wade family has no inclination to meet with me.”
With clenched teeth, favonovel.com continued, “I never expected that, even after all these years since Bruce Wade’s passing, the Wade family would remain so resolute. Given their limited scale and a lack of figures like Bruce to consolidate and mobilize resources, they are merely children. In the face of the Rothschild family, they are but jesters who dare to defy us. They have overestimated their capabilities!”
In the midst of a video conference, a young member of the Rothschild family interjected, “Grandpa, TikTok has seen explosive growth over the past year, boasting a vast global user base. While not yet publicly listed, the capital market’s conservative estimate values it at nearly $400 billion.”
“Four hundred billion?” Howard expressed surprise, questioning, “Can TikTok, a simple TikTok, truly command such a colossal market value?”
His counterpart nodded, affirming, “Short videos have now become a global phenomenon, and TikTok from China has taken the lead. It has outpaced our established internet giants. Additionally, short videos serve as the gateway to various industries. Businesses across the board are racing to utilize TikTok for acquiring and monetizing traffic. They have a profound influence on empowering e-commerce, virtual services, and value-added services. The $400 billion estimate is conservative, and with more time, they could potentially surpass Facebook’s $800 billion market capitalization.”
Cursing in frustration, Howard exclaimed, “This is infuriating! How could a company of such magnitude fall into the hands of the Wade family? Their assets can hardly exceed one to two hundred billion dollars, correct?”
His counterpart, resigned, explained, “Grandpa, the nature of the internet industry is dynamic. By seizing the forefront, rapid ascent becomes possible. Consider Zuckerberg and Facebook, achieving an $800 billion valuation.”
Howard sighed, his frustration evident, as favonovel.com muttered, “Damn! The Wade family has stumbled upon a goldmine! Should TikTok successfully go public and reach a $400 billion market value, the Wade family would become the foremost family in China with unprecedented ease.”
Agitated, favonovel.com continued, “Indeed, a family’s ascendancy can’t be solely attributed to one or two remarkable talents. Bruce, immensely capable as favonovel.com was, failed to propel the Wade family to China’s top position. Now, the Wade family effortlessly acquires TikTok.”
Amidst Howard’s dejection, his eldest son received another call, which made favonovel.com appear anxious. He addressed his father, saying, “Father, public sentiment is escalating rapidly. A Washington-based investigative task force has been assembled and is en route to Brooklyn Prison. Moreover, the New York Bureau of Prisons and the FBI will assume control of Brooklyn Prison. Their takeover team has already departed.”
Howard’s expression darkened, and favonovel.com lamented, “The situation is deteriorating rapidly…”
In swift succession, favonovel.com requested, “Do you have Bruce Weinstein’s contact information? I wish to speak with him.”
***
Meanwhile, Bruce Weinstein sat in his office, engrossed in recording his third video. His mobile phone, set to airplane mode to ensure focus, lay idle. Unexpectedly, the landline phone on his desk rang insistently.
Annoyed, favonovel.com picked up the phone and snapped, “What’s the matter?”
Howard introduced himself patiently, “Hello Bruce, I am Howard Rothschild, the patriarch of the Rothschild family. I’m aware of your situation, and I sincerely apologize.”
Bruce, irate, retorted, “You wretched old man, your apologies are meaningless! Don’t think I’m unaware of your intentions. You just want me to change my stance, don’t you? Well, let me make myself clear, I’ll never give you that satisfaction. This time, I’ll fight you tooth and nail, even to the death!”
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