Just as Robson predicted, the Austrians who were defeated by the countercharge receded like the ebb tide, and they left a lot of things on the beach when the sea ebbed. They also left a lot of guns and corpses. , and a large number of soldiers who hid in the trenches smartly just now were left behind. But smart people don't always suffer. Most of those guys who hid in the trenches and didn't expect the sudden reversal of the battle also raised their hands very smartly and became prisoners.

What's more terrible is that the collapse in front of Neville's position also infected the Austrians who were still fighting hard in front of other positions, and they also followed suit. Looking at the retreat of the Austrian army throwing away their arms and armor, Neville knows that this battle has finally been won. After such a disastrous defeat, at least within a few days, the Austrians will never have the morale and strength to start again One such attack.

...

"Report the battle situation to His Majesty." General Giule seemed to be ten years old all of a sudden. He knew that after this report was submitted, the only thing waiting for him was to be dismissed. But it’s also good to leave here. In this place, whether it’s those American rifles with ridiculously fast firing speed and long range, or the "Dali Pill" that claims to be able to create miracles, it’s too unscientific. It feels like a dream. Well, maybe His Majesty will personally lead the conquest, which can restore the morale of the army. However, Giule is still not very optimistic about the prospects of this battle. The French would certainly join in, and by then the loss of control of Italy would be almost a foregone conclusion.

...

The results of this battle were quickly spread throughout Europe by various means - carrier pigeons, and cable telegrams. Now, almost all the kings and generals of various countries are talking about a miraculous drug - "Dali Pill". The miraculous effects of this drug have been best demonstrated in the wars between the Sardinians and the Austrians. It can make cowards fight like warriors, and as long as they have it, the combat effectiveness of troops can almost double. Military strategists declared that such drugs are no less important to the army than guns and artillery. They even said that in future wars, whoever does not have this drug is as good as not having rifles and cannons. People inquired where the drug was sold, and the European offices of Scrooge's McDonald Chemical and Pharmaceutical Company were being trampled on.

Now, now that Scrooge is back in the US, his eldest brother Carol has been posted to England as director of McDonald's Chemical & Pharmaceuticals operations in Europe.

This is the first time that Carol has held such an important and independent position. When he went to take up the post, Carol was a little apprehensive, worried that he would mess things up. Still, Scrooge convinced him.

"Brother, the business in Europe is very important to us. In a short period, the income from Europe may account for more than half of the company's income. So there must be a very reliable person there. Who else can help What about me? Should I be running around the Atlantic all the time? Or, John Rockefeller in charge of European affairs?"

Hearing his younger brother say "Let John Rockefeller be in charge of European affairs", Carroll immediately thought of that old neighbor who was decisive and ruthless when dealing with DuPont. If he was alone in Europe, there would be no people staring at him...

Carol shook her head, temporarily shaking those, not-united thoughts out of her head. "Ah, Scrooge, I see. I'm going to Europe, but in case I'm mistaken, can you..."

"Don't worry, brother, we don't have any direct competitors in Europe. As long as you pay attention to your safety, the most you can do is earn more or less. Oh, by the way, brother, the design of our new home is complete. The work will start soon, and when you come back, you might be able to see the prototype of the 'Swan Castle'."

Carol laughed: "Okay, wait to come back and see our 'Duck Castle'."

After Scrooge became rich, it was naturally impossible for them to stay in their old place. Not to mention that the living conditions are too bad, but more importantly, safety is also a problem. So, Scrooge bought a villa in an affluent area of Cleveland, and the family moved there. But now, as Scrooge's business is getting bigger and bigger, even the villas in the rich area are not safe enough.

This principle is easy to understand. This is like if the total savings in your home does not exceed 10 yuan, then even if your home does not even have a door, it is safe. And if your family can earn 10,000 to 20,000 yuan a month, then the anti-theft doors of ordinary communities are enough, but if you are a billionaire, then those desperadoes will have too much motivation to move you. Well, you need a manor and a whole set of security services.

Scrooge bought a large piece of land in New York, where he planned to build a manor, which would be used by the Macdonald family for generations to live. (Although Joseph Sr. was not very happy about moving to New York instead of staying in Cleveland, he did not raise any objections.) When designing this manor, Scrooge required that the manor should first be Safety, secondly, comfortable, and it must also be very beautiful.

The old Joseph, who was used to frugality, didn't take it seriously. He said, "Scrooge, it's enough to be able to live in people. With such a high standard, do you want to build a king's castle?"

This sentence inspired Scrooge, so he suddenly remembered the Neuschwanstein Castle he had seen in later generations. It's pretty much the most beautiful castle in the world, and, um, although it's not an authentic battle castle, safety is not an issue. Of course, in this era, the castle does not yet exist. However, this does not prevent Scrooge from copying it out.

So Scrooge happily ran into his studio and stayed for a while, then took a sketch of the castle, and ran out triumphantly to show his father and elder brother his design.

"Well, isn't it beautiful?" said Scrooge. "I'm going to call it Swan Castle."

"It's beautiful! It's just that it costs a lot of money, right?" Carol, who is used to thrift, said, "If you simplify it, it should be much cheaper."

"As a place for generations to live, it can't be too simple." Scrooge said, "Besides, money is no longer a problem. In the foreseeable future, there will be countless money rolling in like a tide."

Old Joseph glared at Scrooge but said nothing. He slowly put on his reading glasses, took the sketch and looked at it for a long time, and then said to himself: "How beautiful is this? It's just a waste of money! Is it still called Swan Castle? I think it's better called Duck Castle!"

Maybe it's because of the old Joseph's insistence on calling this building the Duck Castle. Anyway, in later generations, the official name of this beautiful castle "Swan Castle" is not used by anyone at all, but the name "Duck Castle" was widely circulated. Later, even the descendants of the Macdonald family called the castle Duck Castle and painted a swaggering duck with a musket in one hand and a medicine box in the other in their family crest.

Of course, what Shi Gaozhi drew was just a sloppy rendering, and it was impossible to directly use it as a drawing. So if you want to turn this castle into reality, you need to find professionals to design it.

Scrooge, who is not short of money, still doesn't think much of American designers, so he simply asked someone to bring this sketch to the UK and asked Lawrence Knight to find a good designer for him to design. And Knight Laurence naturally gave this sketch to Prince Albert, and His Royal Highness then threw it to Cambridge University. Then Cambridge scholars finally completed his entire design.

In the design, this is a beautiful castle that seems to have descended from a fairy tale world. There are more than two hundred rooms in the castle, including bedrooms, servant rooms, offices, small reception rooms, conference rooms, small meeting rooms, large meeting rooms, gymnasiums, ballrooms, and indoor internet. Courts, and even an indoor swimming pool. Underneath the castle, dug deep, there were cellars and vaults. After many years, the descendants of the MacDonald family donated the castle as the office of the Federal Reserve, the de facto real power core of the United States. After the Federal Reserve remodeled and strengthened the underground part of the castle, it Turned into a rather important treasury for the Federal Reserve Bank.

Outside the castle, there are gardens and open-air sports fields, as well as ponds, sculptures, and so on. Before this, there was a circle of tall and thick walls, and 8 guard towers were set up along the walls.

Of course, such a large project cannot be completed in a short period. According to Scrooge's plan, the project will probably be completed around 1865. By that time, Scrooge was already 21 years old, old enough to marry a wife. At that time, the war should almost be over, and his business empire should have taken shape. Then came the oil boom, the tide of the electrical age. Countless opportunities to make money are waiting for him. Oh, by the way, the South is defeated, and those big slave owners who supported the South will have a very difficult time. It would be good to take this opportunity to rob them. For example, there are many large oil fields in Mississippi. Take the opportunity and you should be able to get these lands at the lowest price.

After sending away his eldest brother Carol, it didn't take long for Scrooge to get the news of the expected victory of the Sardinian army. Along with the news, there were also orders from various European countries, including those who were fighting with Sardinia. Ding belligerent Austria. And Scrooge's old friend, Knight Lawrence, once again ran over to seek cooperation with Prince Albert's intention.