Washington, D.C.
The young capital was bustling with activity.
The panic of war and the frenzy of speculation intertwined here in a bizarre duet.
Under the porticos of every hotel stood merchants hoping to hawk arms, horses, and uniforms; the entrances of every government department were crowded with brokers seeking appointments and contracts.
Catherine O'Brien, in this power arena filled with male hormones and the smell of cigars, was a distinctly different sight.
Her suite at the Willard Hotel had become a somewhat prominent social hub in Washington.
Although the tasting event she hosted had ended, the legend of "Williams Lead-Free Canned Food" was just beginning to ferment in the corridors of Capitol Hill.
At 9:30 AM, Catherine, accompanied by Davis, a local assistant she had temporarily hired, arrived at Capitol Hill in an elegant carriage.
"Miss O'Brien, are you really not nervous?"
Young Assistant Davis nervously adjusted his tie.
"That's Senator Clark! Everyone says the Department of the Army can't even buy a single bullet without his approval."
"Mr. Davis," Catherine said with a reassuring smile.
"When you hold a trump card that your opponent cannot refuse, you don't need to be nervous. You just need to consider how to play that card in the most dignified way."
"A trump card?"
"Of course, our canned food is the trump card."
In the solemn office of the Senate Military Committee chairman, Catherine first met the legendary figure who commanded influence in the newspapers—Senator Thomas Clark.
He looked older and sharper than his portraits in the newspaper.
His silver hair was meticulously combed, and his eyes, like a hawk's, seemed to penetrate people's hearts.
"Miss O'Brien, welcome to Washington."
Senator Clark's voice was devoid of much emotion as he gestured to the chair opposite him.
"Please sit. I don't have much time; you only have fifteen minutes. Tell me, what brings the young 'Canned Food Hero' from New York to send his most capable assistant here?"
"Senator, I am here precisely to save your time."
Catherine took out a beautifully packaged golden-label can from her handbag and gently placed it on the large desk.
"My employer, Mr. Allen Williams, sent me to present a solution to you, to Congress, and to the entire Federation."
"A solution?"
Senator Clark's lips curled into a sneer.
"Every day, hundreds of people come to my office, pitching their so-called 'solutions.' From rifles that never misfire to steam armored vehicles that can run faster than horses. Tell me, what can your little tin can solve?"
"It can solve a critical, yet easily overlooked, problem for our future army—logistical attrition and soldier health."
"According to public military reports, in the last Mexican-American War, non-combat casualties in our army due to illness, especially from food spoilage and malnutrition, were almost twice the number of combat casualties. Senator, this means that for every soldier we lose on the battlefield, two soldiers fall due to our own terrible logistics."
These words made Senator Clark's expression turn serious.
"And this little tin can," Catherine continued.
"It can significantly narrow that terrible ratio. Because it is completely sealed and specially treated, it has a shelf life of over two years, eliminating almost all food spoilage. It is nutritionally balanced, providing soldiers with the calories they need most. Most importantly, its production process uses no lead solder whatsoever, fundamentally eliminating the hidden danger of heavy metal poisoning."
"These are just its superficial advantages."
Catherine changed tack, elevating the topic to a higher dimension.
"Sir, imagine that federal generals will no longer be constrained by the distance of traditional supply lines when planning operations. An army carrying enough canned rations can conduct longer-distance infiltrations and longer periods of stealth. You understand better than I what this means in future warfare."
Senator Clark fell silent.
He looked at the small can on the table, his eyes shifting.
As a seasoned chairman of the Senate Military Committee, he naturally understood the profound meaning in Catherine's words.
Catherine was not selling canned food, but a new strategic possibility.
"It sounds perfect, Miss O'Brien."
He finally spoke after a long period of thought, but still had some reservations.
"But perfect things are usually expensive. I guess this little item isn't cheap, is it?"
"Yes, its unit price is indeed higher than a hard biscuit and a slice of salted meat."
Catherine frankly admitted this, as canned goods were not uncommon after all.
"But Senator, you are the overseer of the national treasury; you should not look at the unit price but the comprehensive cost."
She handed over a document she had already prepared.
"This is a cost analysis model our company developed based on public data. We calculated the spoilage rate of traditional military rations, transportation weight, the cost of setting up field kitchens and fuel, and the medical costs incurred by soldiers due to intestinal diseases. The conclusion is that by adopting our canned rations, the 'comprehensive logistical cost' for supplying a fully-equipped division of ten thousand men will be reduced by at least twenty percent compared to the traditional model."
"We are not bringing you higher expenses. On the contrary, we are bringing higher efficiency and lower costs."
These words and data completely swayed Senator Clark.
Just then, the office door gently opened, and a young lady in a splendid long gown with an elegant demeanor walked in.
"Father, I'm sorry, am I interrupting you? I just came to retrieve the opera invitation you left on your desk."
"Anna, my darling."
Senator Clark's face broke into a loving smile when he saw her.
"Come in quickly, I'll introduce you to a guest. This is Miss O'Brien from New York."
He then introduced her to Catherine:
"This is my daughter, Anna Clark."
"Miss O'Brien, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Anna's face held a perfectly appropriate social smile.
But when she heard Catherine's company name, her eyes lit up.
"Williams Food Company?" she exclaimed in surprise.
"I know it! It's the brand Mr. Tilford raves about. I even bought your golden-label canned food at his store last week, and the taste was absolutely delicious! Father, you should try it too; it's much better than what our chef makes."
Her daughter's heartfelt and direct affirmation from the consumer market was several times more convincing than all the data Catherine had just presented.
Senator Clark looked at his daughter, then at Catherine, and finally burst into laughter.
"Well, it seems my daughter has already made the market judgment for me."
He stood up and extended his hand to Catherine.
"Miss O'Brien, you performed exceptionally well. Your boss, Mr. Williams, is also a young man I admire."
"So, Senator, regarding our proposal…"
Catherine asked cautiously.
"I cannot promise you anything."
Senator Clark's reply was filled with a politician's precision.
"But I can tell you that soon, I will personally write to the Secretary of the Department of the Army. In the letter, I will strongly recommend that the Department of the Army lead a top-level, priority, and comprehensive evaluation of the new individual ration system proposed by your company."
Although these words contained no mention of a contract, the power behind them was far greater than any contract!
"Thank you very much, Senator!" Catherine said excitedly.
"Don't thank me." Senator Clark picked up the golden-label can from the desk and weighed it in his hand.
"Thank your excellent product and your visionary boss. Tell him I very much look forward to meeting him in person in Washington in the future."
When Catherine walked out of the office and was once again bathed in the Washington sunlight, she smiled, feeling that she had not failed Allen's trust.