That evening, Saloyang Primo was with the cabinet, discussing how to resolve the crisis, when he suddenly received a call from Jing Mingqiu.
Jing Mingqiu was too impatient to play games, and got straight to the point: "Saloyang, you want me to help solve the US nuclear power plant crisis? I can. However, you have to agree to three of my demands."
Hearing that Jing Mingqiu was willing to help, Saloyang Primo breathed a sigh of relief, but he didn't immediately agree. Instead, he cautiously asked, "Jing Mingqiu, what do you want?"
Jing Mingqiu raised one finger: "First, I'm helping you solve such a big problem, it's not unreasonable to ask for some compensation, is it?"
The US had long been accustomed to unlimited quantitative easing and printing money frantically. Upon discovering that the first demand was simply for money, Saloyang Primo immediately agreed without hesitation.
"No problem, go ahead, how much money do you want?"
Jing Mingqiu said unhurriedly: "If the nuclear power plants explode, over 400 million Americans will be affected, even their lives will be in danger. As the saying goes, saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. I'm not asking for much, just one hundred thousand US dollars per person."
Hearing Jing Mingqiu's quote, Saloyang Primo couldn't control his emotions and shouted on the spot.
"Forty trillion, why don't you just go rob a bank!"
Jing Mingqiu spread his hands, "I am robbing you. You don't have to give it, after all, the nuclear power plants aren't exploding here!"
Seeing Jing Mingqiu's arrogance, Saloyang Primo really wanted to curse him out and smash his phone into pieces.
But he didn't dare. Although Saloyang Primo had a lot of assets overseas, most of his industries were within the United States.
If the United States were to disappear, his net worth would inevitably shrink significantly. As for those overseas assets, without the protection of the United States, others could easily find an excuse to swallow them all, and he might even be captured and handed over to the Dragon Country for a reward.
"Hoo hoo!" Saloyang Primo took several deep breaths, managed to control his emotions, and slowly spoke, "Professor Jing, forty trillion is simply too much. You know, the US's total national revenue last year was only eight trillion!"
Jing Mingqiu deliberately feigned ignorance: "Five times eight is forty, it's just five years' revenue, I'm not asking for much."
"Jing Mingqiu," Saloyang Primo gritted his teeth, "How can all this money be given to you? Medical care, education, pensions, civil servant salaries, national infrastructure, all of these cost money!"
Jing Mingqiu raised his eyebrows: "These trivial matters don't require so much money? How about this, you give me all the money, and I'll handle it for you, showing you what it means to be thrifty and to increase income and reduce expenditure."
This was easily said, but who would dare to hand over the financial power of a nation to an outsider, especially to someone with obvious hostility towards you.
"Professor Jing, you jest." Saloyang Primo suppressed his anger, smiling broadly, "You are a busy man, how can we bother you with such minor matters."
"However, forty trillion is really too much, our country cannot afford it at the moment. Could you please be accommodating and offer a slight discount."
Jing Mingqiu sneered: "Cannot afford it at the moment, that's easy. I'll allow you to pay in installments, pay twenty percent first, and the rest can be paid off in forty years with an interest rate of four percent, using tariffs and salt taxes as collateral."
Hearing the archaic term "salt tax," Saloyang Primo couldn't help but freeze for a moment, wondering why Jing Mingqiu brought it up. After all, salt tax revenue didn't even account for one ten-thousandth of the national income now.
Jing Mingqiu didn't give him time to daze, and urged him repeatedly: "Hey, hurry up and reply, agree or not? If not, forget it. I was too lazy to get involved in this mess anyway. It was my little darling who couldn't bear to see suffering, and begged me, so I reluctantly agreed."
Hearing Jing Mingqiu wanted to back out, the others in the conference room couldn't sit still. They forcefully patted Saloyang Primo's shoulder and whispered, "Snap out of it. If Jing Mingqiu doesn't help, and all the nuclear power plants explode, the US disappears, and all the money we have left is useless."
Saloyang Primo finally woke up and quickly nodded vigorously: "Yes, yes, I agree, I will raise the money immediately, immediately."
"Heh heh," Jing Mingqiu sneered, "Who wants those worthless scraps of paper that are too rough to even wipe your backside with? I only want physical goods. Oil, ore, grain, all of those are fine. Don't bring those luxury goods that fool idiots to embarrass yourselves."
Saloyang Primo's face became even more unpleasant, but he didn't dare to retort, and could only continue nodding: "Yes, yes, Professor Jing, what is your second demand?"
"The second one is also very simple," Jing Mingqiu slowly extended his second finger, "I have my eye on this place called Hawaii, I'll buy it for one dollar."
Facing Jing Mingqiu's demand, Saloyang Primo flatly refused: "This is absolutely impossible! In its more than 200 years of existence, the United States has never lost a single piece of territory."
"It hasn't happened before, but that doesn't mean it won't happen in the future," Jing Mingqiu maintained his nonchalant demeanor, "Do you still think the US is the number one power in the world like it used to be? Give me a definite answer, my little darling is calling me to sleep."
Saloyang Primo lowered his head, trying to appease him cautiously: "Professor Jing, this matter is of great importance, and I dare not make a decision alone. Can you give us more time to discuss it?"
"Alright," Jing Mingqiu hugged Morui Xue, who had leaned in, and gently kissed her forehead, "Saloyang, I'll give you three days to discuss it properly."
"However, you'd better make a decision quickly. From what I see, those US nuclear power plants probably won't last for a few more days, hahahahaha."
After the call ended, in the US President's office, Jing Mingqiu's unrestrained laughter continued to echo.
Everyone, including US President Saloyang Primo, sat there stunned with grim faces. The scene was deathly silent.
After an unknown amount of time, a historian suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.
"Mr. President, and all colleagues, I know why Jing Mingqiu insisted on using tariffs and salt taxes as collateral. He is replicating the Treaty of Xinchou, seeking revenge for a century of humiliation!"
Saloyang Primo was bewildered: "Treaty of Xinchou? What is that?"
The historian sighed and roughly explained the content of the "Treaty of Xinchou."
Saloyang Primo suddenly understood: "So that's how it is. When they paid reparations back then, it was calculated as one tael of silver per person, which is why he proposed one hundred thousand US dollars per American!"
"That's right, Mr. President, exactly. Jing Mingqiu is preparing to give them a taste of their own medicine."
The historian's expression grew more grim: "Territory ceded, reparations paid, the third demand is probably to reduce US military strength? To prohibit Americans from participating in anti-Dragon movements? Or to punish the chief culprits and ministers? Perhaps executing a few officials to spice things up!"