The Tyrant Billionaire

After all, he was married to a British princess.

People in his position usually paid close attention to matters of propriety regarding relationships.

But Hardy didn't care at all. He was still surrounded by a large group of women, many of whom had borne his children. Strangely enough, Princess Margaret didn't seem to mind.

Who knows what kind of magic Hardy had worked on her.

"And what about you? When do you plan to get married?" Hardy asked.

Andy had met Haji Maryam in Penang. Shortly afterward, she went to study in the United States. Taking advantage of proximity, Andy occasionally invited her out. Their mutual affection quickly blossomed into a relationship.

The two had been dating for more than two years.

"I plan to get married after Maryam graduates," Andy said, his face filled with happiness. He was very satisfied with his current girlfriend.

Andy wasn't particularly outgoing, so Haji Maryam's reserved demeanor suited him well. They felt very comfortable together.

"Let me know before the wedding," Hardy said.

"Why?"

"To prepare a gift for you—a private yacht or a private jet. You can choose one," Hardy replied.

"Wow, wow, wow~ Boss is being generous! Then I'll take the yacht. Yachts are more expensive than jets. Something similar to yours would be great," Andy joked.

Hardy clutched his chest, pretending to be in pain. "Alright, since I promised, I won't back out."

The plane landed in Perth, Australia. Hardy and Andy were there to inspect the operations of their mining company.

Over the past two years, Hardy Group had gradually increased its investments in mining. Hardy owned vast tracts of land in Australia, rich in mineral resources. Currently, Hardy Group had established large-scale operations in iron, coal, and copper mining.

Additionally, they had discovered three gold mines, varying in size but collectively worth several hundred million dollars.

The current stock value of Hardy Mining exceeded $2 billion, making it one of the largest publicly traded companies in the United States.

While expanding in Australia, Hardy also explored resources in other countries and regions, such as gold, aluminum, and tungsten mines in Canada, and iron and coal mines in Brazil. The company even extended its reach to Peru, Chile, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.

Yes, even Indonesia.

Indonesia owed Hardy money. With no cash to pay, they used mineral resources to settle their debts.

Today, Hardy Mining was one of the top three global mining companies, boasting vast reserves, extensive output, and strong production and R&D capabilities. Its untapped reserves provided the company with a robust foundation.

The mayor of Perth personally welcomed Hardy at the airport. As a super-rich businessman and the husband of a British princess—Count Hardy—he was an honored guest.

Though Australia was independent, it remained a member of the Commonwealth, where the British monarch served as the symbolic head of state. Titles like Hardy's were still held in high regard.

The Hardy Group's Perth branch had its local headquarters, and its mining operations spanned hundreds of square kilometers.

The president of the mining company, Matthew, and a longtime Hardy associate, Columbus, who served as a vice president, briefed Hardy and Andy in the company's research office using maps to illustrate their operations.

After spending a day in Perth for the report, Hardy and Andy didn't linger. They took a private jet to Penang.

This trip was essentially a routine inspection of their businesses. The Australian mining company was just one of the stops.

If Saudi Arabia weren't so far out of the way, they might have considered checking on their oil operations there as well.

Western Petroleum was thriving. With Saudi Arabian oil fields generating massive profits, Hardy reinvested the earnings to boost production and search for new oil fields elsewhere.

In the 1950s, many large oil fields had yet to be discovered. The Middle Eastern nations of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, and Qatar, as well as Venezuela, Brazil, and Ecuador in South America, still held vast untapped resources. Hardy, with his excellent relationship with the Rockefeller family, had successfully integrated into their oil network.

Western Petroleum was already ranked among the top ten oil companies in the United States and showed great promise for the future.

On the flight to Penang, Hardy and Andy discussed the development of Penang's industries. The Hardy Group had become a massive, all-encompassing conglomerate, involved in numerous sectors with a remarkably wide-ranging industrial chain.

This came with both advantages and disadvantages.

The advantage was the diversification of income streams. The downside was the significant strain on resources and attention. If certain areas were not managed well, they could lead to losses.

Fortunately, Hardy, with his unique insights, kept the overall strategy on track.

"Andy," Hardy said, "I've thought of another business idea."

"What kind of business?" Andy asked with interest. Whenever Hardy brought up a new idea, it was usually something big.

"Malaya, Indonesia, and India are major spice producers. I think we can venture into the spice industry."

"For instance, we could establish a dedicated spice company, producing standardized spices for global distribution. We could even set the standards for spice usage, teaching people how to cook and use spices."

"Additionally, our group owns KFC. We could create corporate-level spice and sauce standards, supplying them to these chains while also offering specialty spices to other restaurant businesses worldwide."

"This business has great potential," Hardy said confidently.

Hardy was well aware that in the future, some spice companies would make hundreds of billions annually. On a global scale, the spice industry generated profits in the billions of dollars each year. Though not glamorous, it was highly lucrative.

Andy, having no prior concept of the spice industry, thought for a moment and said, "I'll note this down and have someone analyze the market."

...

AN: These guys in the spices industry are low-key rich AF. I didn't even know spices were still this profitable in 2024.
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