1928: The rise of giant merchants

Merieux, who was in the center of the crowd, raised his wine glass and said loudly in French: "From all consulates and friends from all walks of life, I would like to thank you for your care and love during my tenure. Let us raise our wine glasses high, for the sake of world peace. cheers!"

"For world peace!" The foreigners raised their glasses and shouted in unison.

Mérieux's eyes drifted this way.

Ye Luo raised his wine glass, smiled faintly, and took a sip to show respect.

For world peace?

Are these foreigners who are only interested in profit and forget their loyalty to others worthy of saying the word "peace"?

After the 1937 Incident, World War II, initiated by the Japanese invaders, swept across the world. Countless ordinary people were involved in it, resulting in millions of casualties. Most of the invaders who launched the war came from these foreign countries.

Their so-called peace is only based on their own citizens.

As for the citizens of other countries, in their eyes they are nothing more than lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

However, this group of foreigners has a very high say in Shanghai. Many Chinese politicians and businessmen are always hanging around behind them, flattering them in all kinds of ways, trying to gain their support and favor.

Warlords befriended foreigners in order to obtain their military support.

Businessmen befriended foreigners in order to get the leftover cake they ate.

Politicians make friends with foreigners in order to gain their political support.

Working together in collusion and collusion are the portrayal of these so-called upper-class people.

And this group of ghost guys who are kneeled and licked by Chinese tycoons every day are now holding a private banquet, but they did not invite any Chinese.

Except Ye Luo.

Every time he went to a banquet, Ye Luo wanted to laugh. Comparing the two, he really looked down on the Chinese who surrounded the foreigners.

"Ye, I will leave for Tianjin tomorrow. We say goodbye this time. I don't know when we will see each other again. Alas." Merieux came over with a wine glass. His cheeks were red. He had obviously drank a lot of foreign wine and was drunk. The words spoken are the truest, "Ye, I have been reviewing your paper these days. Do you really think that a terrible economic crisis will break out in the United States next year?"

"I think so." Ye Luo did not want to hide this matter. As early as when he was in college, he published many papers on the U.S. stock market crisis, including this paper written to George, which mentioned that 1929 might come. huge economic crisis.

Yet it's like throwing a bucket of ice water on someone else's mind.

No matter whether they are university professors, classmates, political and business figures, or celebrities, no one believes this at all.

These foreigners who made a lot of money from his paper also selectively ignored the stock market crash argument at the end of the paper and only focused on the stock market explosion.

"Actually, many people have read the paper you wrote. But everyone has the same view. They think that the latter part of your statement is alarmist and purely academic speculation, which is completely different from the facts." Merieux reminded in a low voice. He said, "Excessive advocacy of the U.S. economic crisis may result in dissatisfaction from the U.S. consulate."

"I understand, that's just my personal academic research, don't worry too much." Ye Luo smiled.

"It's good that you understand. After I leave, if you have any questions, you can consult Verdi. Alas, it's a pity that I didn't get to see you bring down Yongxing Company." Merieux's eyes were full of resentment.

A large part of the reason for his resignation was the lawless Yongxing Company. The three tycoons openly called out that the concession had left them, and many government orders would not be implemented and could only become empty talk.

In order to verify this statement, the Green Gang members were deliberately allowed to cause trouble everywhere, causing troubles for the patrol room and the director, but they were helpless.

In the end, Lu Yusheng came forward to settle the matter easily, thereby establishing prestige in the public affairs bureau.

After Merieux left, Verdy adhered to his philosophy and continued to implement harsh policies against China, especially against the three tycoons of Yongxing Company.

Unfortunately, in 1931, Verdy, who was seriously ill, took a cruise ship to return to Paris for medical treatment. He died in the second half of the year, so Mérieux returned to Shanghai.

"There is always a chance to meet him. Mr. Mérieux need not feel sorry." Ye Luo smiled and reassured him. This was the truth. He had already made up his mind to bring down Yongxing Company.

The two chatted for a few more words, and soon other foreigners came up to chat with Ye Luo.

The topic was nothing more than hoping that he would recommend a few good stocks in the U.S. stock market and his views on the subsequent development of the stock market. Then, he heard from Nia Ivanova that he was going to open a dance club again, and expressed curiosity and advice about this.

They could not imagine that a group of Chinese old-timers, like celebrities like them, were cuddling with dancers in high-end dance halls and dancing to sweet songs.

Similar questions have been heard by Ye Luo since he returned to Shanghai.

He was not surprised at all, and simply talked about people and ghosts. While talking nonsense with foreigners, he also inquired about the business conditions of many foreign companies.

Just as he expected.

The concession is basically still the territory of foreigners. Foreign banks receive too many preferential treatment, and the existence of technical barriers makes it difficult for Chinese business enterprises to move forward. Those who can break out of the tight encirclement must have someone behind them.

At this time, Ye Luo had a good relationship with them because although he did a lot of business, he had few conflicts with foreigners.

Except for the last time it entered the automobile industry and brought down all the foreign automobile companies, it has not been involved in other important industries.

Now he is obsessed with the entertainment industry, which is a small business that Chinese business bosses look down on. If he is in the opera industry, he may have conflicts with Yongxing Company. Dance halls, movie theaters and amusement parks are among the categories where even if he wins, others will not. An industry that will fight you over this.

This is also the reason why Ye Luoxian chose these industries to make money.

First, do not conflict with foreigners.

Second, conflicts with Chinese businessmen are limited.

Third, the potential market and benefits are huge.

After the banquet, Ye Luo did not stay too long at the consulate, but left the hall with Nia Ivanova, got in the car and returned to her residence at No. 13 Maiyang Road.

On the Ford V8, Ye Luo continued to communicate with Nia about the preparations for the ballroom.

Recently, Nia has received many dancers from various countries, but they are the only ones interested in the new dance hall that will be built soon.

Everyone else who knew that Ye's Investment Company was going to open a dance hall basically had a negative attitude.

The most famous dance halls in Shanghai are all in the Grand Hotel. A dance in the Dahua Ballroom costs 40 cents, and you have to pay 50 cents for tea.

When you go to Yip's Guangming Cinema to watch a movie, the worst seat is only 40 cents for a movie ticket, but you can watch the movie for more than an hour!

"Second Young Master, I also think this dance club business is too weird." Ding Li complained as he drove, "I can understand that you want to do movies and amusement parks. After all, this is a business that has existed before, but it just hasn't taken off yet. But. This dance hall. I’m a rough guy and have never danced. It’s not as fun for me to dance with the girls from Fengming Tower as I am drinking and playing with them.”

In his opinion, a dance hall is similar to a brothel, but not as direct and interesting as a brothel. Who would go dancing with such spare money?

It's even better to go to Hualiu Lane and find a random prostitute to have sex with a few cents. If you get a set of prostitutes with average looks, sometimes just paying a dime is enough!

If she were the kind of woman who was sold to Hualiu Lane by her husband at a low price, she would only need five or six cents to survive.

"Hmph, how can you, people with your head full of lustful thoughts, understand the Second Young Master's thinking!" Shi Jianqiao snorted coldly.

Ye Luo didn't refute, just smiled.

This is like telling people in the 1990s that everyone will have a mobile phone in the future, and it will be more useful and convenient than a mobile phone!

So now it’s time to start a mobile phone business.

Others will just think you are a fool.

After all, the big brother at that time was worth tens of thousands of yuan per unit, but his monthly salary was less than one hundred.

On the way back to Maiyang Road, Ye Luo suddenly got excited and asked Ding Li to drive to the branch of Ye's Advertising Company in the county. Lin Zhenbin and Lin Zhenbin have been extremely busy since they began to undertake all advertising projects of Ye's Investment Company. , opened three branches, and also invested in the development of five small printing factories in the county.

Ye Luo once advised him to move the company to the concession, but he felt that people should not forget their roots, so he insisted on leaving the original Chinese Advertising Company at its old location.

The headquarters of Ye's Advertising Company was moved to the public concession, with Ye Luo as the general manager, and Lin Zhenbin and Lu Meiseng as deputy general managers.

From the French Concession to the county town.

Nia was shocked by the scene of old Shanghai outside the car window.

She rarely comes to areas where civilians gather like this, for fear of being in danger.

The prosperity here cannot be compared with the concession.

It’s just one sky and one earth.

Men and women wearing shabby cloth can be seen everywhere. Most of the children are short in stature, with yellow and thin skin and earthy faces.

Many people are like zombies, just working numbly and surviving.

This is a true portrayal of the Republic of China.

This is also the current situation of most Chinese people.

Movies and TV series made in later generations always loved to reflect the prosperity and extravagance of the Republic of China, but they never mentioned the rural conditions in the Republic of China that were more rural than those in later generations.

If Ye Luo had to describe it, it would be like a classic anti-Japanese drama he had watched in his previous life - "Bright Sword".

"The population in the county seems to have increased a lot." Ye Luo said thoughtfully.

"Yes, Second Young Master. Nowadays, there are various natural and man-made disasters in Lu Province, Henan Province and other places, either severe droughts or floods. Although the reports are decreasing day by day, the disasters are becoming more and more serious. I heard that there are many people in the north every day. Starve to death." Ding Li is very familiar with some employees of Ye's Charitable Foundation and understands this better. "Basically all the people who can escape to the south have come here. Except for a few rich people, most people can only live temporarily in the county or town. Rural suburbs.”

"I also heard that all the rental houses in the county are fully booked, and many people are looking for jobs in the concessions." Shi Jianqiao agreed. This situation reminded her of her childhood in the north.

After staying in the Ye family for so long, she almost forgot that this world and this country were still in such a miserable situation.

"Well, Northern Disaster Relief, Ali, please inform the foundation that all profits generated from the Winter Emperor's appearance will be donated to the disaster area free of charge." Ye Luo sighed, then rolled down the window and suddenly said,

"Now that people have come, we can almost build our first dance hall."