The work of the Military and Ordnance Committee was finalized in just one day, with all procurement projects settled.
Charles lamented the lack of information at the time, noting that military procurement was basically an internal transaction, but he also had to admit that this form of internal transaction, where everyone followed the capabilities of those in power, was indeed highly efficient.
As soon as the procurement was confirmed, Charles immediately arranged for his personal guard, Bidlee, to make a trip to Pittsburgh to deliver the order so they could start urgent production.
At the same time, he had James-Jonathan prepare to represent his factory in transactions with the Continental army.
This secretary was also very competent, quickly obtaining the official contract and deposit from the committee, finalizing the delivery time.
With the deposit in hand, Charles decided to expedite the establishment of the Pittsburgh Bank branch and the Pittsburgh Coal and Steel Consortium branch.
That same day, he hosted a luncheon at his home, inviting Jefferson under the pretext of thanking him for his help in the property dispute case, with Diana Rogers naturally accompanying them.
"Thomas, I am truly grateful for your help in recovering my property this time."
After lunch, Charles, Jefferson, and Diana chatted on the lawn.
"Charles, this was a victory for justice.
I merely helped file a complaint in court, and besides, countess Rogers has already paid me the litigation fees.
This is actually a compensated service for me," Jefferson said with a smile, making a joke.
"Hahaha! You actually care about compensation.
Are you interested in being my legal advisor?
I can also pay you a corresponding fee."
"Legal advisor? Charles, do you have something else going on?"
At this time, legal affairs were not well-developed; people usually only thought of legal advisors when they encountered problems, and not many were truly willing to pay to hire a lawyer as an advisor long-term.
"When I was in Pittsburgh, I established a bank called Pittsburgh Bank.
This time, returning to Philadelphia, I plan to establish a Philadelphia branch.
Additionally, I'm preparing to establish a Philadelphia branch for my Pittsburgh Coal and Steel Consortium.
I hope I can get your help with the legal issues concerning these two companies," Charles said frankly.
"A bank?" Jefferson was slightly stunned, then readily agreed, "Good, of course, no problem."
He was not only a lawyer but also a politician, and he had a very deep understanding of the role of banks and the conditions for their establishment.
He couldn't help but sigh that this Charles was not only exceptionally talented but also unusually powerful.
He had long heard that he had assets of one hundred thousand acres of land, and he hadn't expected him to be able to open a bank.
As for the Pittsburgh Coal and Steel Consortium branch, he had heard of it and forgotten it.
"It's good that you agree.
I think the compensation should be determined by your work performance.
If the company performs well, I'll give you more compensation; if the company's efficiency is good, I'll give you less compensation," Charles said, subtly hinting at something.
"Then how do you determine good or bad efficiency?"
"How about this: I'll simply give you a ten percent share of the branch's stock.
You won't have the power to use this capital, but you can receive ten percent of the profits based on this ten percent share, and naturally, you can also audit the bank's performance based on this ten percent share."
"A ten percent share that only allows for profit-sharing!" Jefferson repeated softly.
"What if the bank's efficiency isn't good in the future..."
"You are only responsible for maintaining and enjoying the bank's interests.
As for debts, losses, and the like, you are not obliged to bear them and have no right to do so."
"So I only get a fixed percentage share?
The more profit my work brings to the bank, the higher my share, and vice versa?"
"Yes!"
"Good! I agree," Jefferson said with a smile.
This world was still very realistic.
Previously, Jefferson befriended Charles more because he admired his talent, but now that he understood his strength, he naturally had deeper thoughts.
Smiling, he looked at countess Rogers beside him, and Jefferson said to Charles meaningfully:
"Charles, your assets should now exceed one hundred thousand pounds, and you're not young anymore.
Why don't you consider your major life event?
According to the custom here in America, you should be getting married at this age."
At this remark, Charles didn't react much, but Diana next to him suddenly turned completely red, and her gaze towards Charles became particularly shy.
"Hehe!" Charles chuckled awkwardly.
It wasn't that he didn't want to; since he came to this world, the few slightly pretty women he had seen were already married.
As for the unmarried ones, they were basically sixteen or seventeen-year-old girls, and most of them were very ordinary-looking.
The only one Charles found pleasing to the eye and had some interest in was his mixed-race slave, Charlotte.
Unfortunately, even a figure like Jefferson didn't dare to marry his beloved black female slave, so Charles, who was already quite realistic, certainly didn't dare to either.
It was pitiful that he, an adult man with a normal life in the 21st century, had been in this world for several months and still hadn't resolved his physiological needs in this regard.
Of course, he wanted to.
He had already noticed several charming and beautiful married ladies, but unfortunately, they were all in Philadelphia, and he had to run between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, having no time to pursue them.
He had long had those kinds of thoughts.
Now, if it were just Jefferson, Charles might have tacitly asked Jefferson to introduce a few women he could communicate with, but with someone else present, Charles naturally felt too embarrassed to say it in front of the young girl Diana .
He could only deliberately act cool and say, "Alas! The revolution has not yet succeeded; how can comrades establish a home!"
Turning his head to glance at Diana , Charles was startled by her shy expression.
What was wrong with the girl?
Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were watery as she looked at him.
Having seen girls in heat before, Charles naturally wouldn't mistake Diana's expression for her being ill.
However, because he inwardly regarded Diana as a child he cared for, and coupled with her indeed very young age, he merely smiled bitterly at the girl's precociousness, unable to accept it.
He only felt a bit smug about his own ability to affect such a young girl.
"Hahaha! Why would you think that!" Jefferson exclaimed with a laugh.
He certainly didn't truly believe that a young man like Charles would give up pursuing women for the sake of "revolution," but he had understood Charles' intention to refuse discussing it.
He had originally planned to introduce Charles to a few women of suitable status, but since Charles had used such a grand reason to refuse him, he naturally couldn't object much.
However, he inwardly decided that if he had the chance in the future, he would definitely arrange a match for him.
"If your revolution never succeeds, then what about Li?" a crisp voice piped up.
"Uh..." Charles and Jefferson were simultaneously speechless.
They had forgotten that this countess Rogers was actually a royalist, and discussing whether the revolution would succeed in front of her would naturally not elicit her approval.
"Then Charles probably won't ever get married!" Jefferson teased with a smile.
In fact, Jefferson had also somewhat discerned countess Diana's feelings for Charles, and knowing the amount of the countess' fortune, he wouldn't oppose this relationship.
He even wouldn't find anything wrong if Charles married Diana now.
However, Diana's identity as a British noble and a royalist stood in the way, preventing him from actively supporting Diana's and Charles' relationship.
So, after a jibe, he didn't say much more.
"Diana, don't meddle in adult affairs," Charles tried to fulfill his role as a guardian, not prematurely instilling bad adult ideas in the girl.
And Diana, hearing Charles' lecture, didn't retort.
Instead, she smiled sweetly and leaned back happily in her chair.
Charles certainly wouldn't fail to find a wife, but finding a partner in the newly formed America was very troublesome.
The Continental Congress sent Silas Deane to France to seek aid.
France stated that it would only aid America and form an alliance with it if America decisively declared independence.
To help secure French aid, declaring independence was immediately put on the official agenda.
After successfully handling the affairs of the Continental army, drafting the Declaration of Independence and declaring independence had already entered the consideration of the Continental Congress Representatives.
The first to make it clear was the representative from Virginia.
On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia proposed a resolution, declaring:
"We, therefore, the Representatives of the united Colonies of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and by the authority of the good people of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British king, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."