1928: The rise of giant merchants

Public Settlement, Citibank Building.

Before Ye Luo's Ford V8 came to a stop, several reporters gathered around him with cameras and notebooks.

"Mr. Ye, will you truthfully announce the sales and profits of Chevrolet 490 today?"

"Mr. Ye, some people say that the Chevrolet 490 was stopped for sale because Ye's Automobile Company was not operating well and had begun to make ends meet. In order to stop the loss in time, you reluctantly stopped the sale. Are these reports true?"

"Mr. Ye, I heard that you will continue to be in the car rental business and compete with foreign car dealers. Do you really think that the Chinese car dealers can get some scraps from the foreign car dealers?"

"Mr. Ye will answer these questions one by one in the interview later. Don't be anxious. Please give way and let Mr. Ye enter the bank."

Ma Yongzhen protected Ye Luo with one hand and pushed through the crowd with the other. She answered the questions for Ye Luo in a decent manner, and then protected him into the lobby of Citibank.

In the lobby, President Chen Ruide had been waiting for a long time. When he saw Ye Luo approaching, he quickly called on the employees to stand up and greet him.

"Mr. Ye, you are finally here. The living room on the second floor is almost crowded." Chen Ruide was sweating profusely. After seeing him, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. "I have asked the Finance Department to prepare the voucher you requested yesterday. Shall we go upstairs first?"

"Okay, thank you, Mr. Chen." Ye Luo nodded with a smile and walked side by side towards the second floor with him. Behind the two of them, the group of reporters who had been invited followed and rushed to the reception room.

"President Chen, how is the loan business going?" Ye Luo asked in a low voice.

Since the sale of the Chevrolet 490, the installment payment model has been a major feature of Ye's Motor Company's promotions. The initial deposit has also been adjusted from the original fixed 50% to a floating range of 30%-50%, and the remaining car payment, Customers can work with Citibank to get a personal loan from the bank and repay it in monthly installments.

Installment loans originated in the United States.

At the beginning of the 20th century, cars became an indispensable part of American life, but the price of cars was very high, making it difficult for ordinary families to pay for them in one go.

So car dealers cooperated with banks and began to provide installment payment methods so that more people could afford cars.

The car installment loan offered by Ye's Automobile Shop is the first installment loan to appear in China.

"Okay! Very good!" When he mentioned this, Chen Ruide's face was filled with smiles, "Mr. Ye, this genius idea of ​​yours is so great! I believe everyone will be shocked by the sales volume of the Chevrolet 490."

Chen Ruide is the only foreigner who knows the recent total profit of Chevrolet 490. He watched with his own eyes one dollar after another entering Yeluo's account, and also witnessed the astonishing sight of his bank employees who were all busy with car loans!

He believes that as long as he continues to cooperate with Yip's Automobile Company in Yip, this year, he will surpass the presidents of other regions and become the only shining star of Citibank in China!

Ye Luo smiled and pushed open the door of the living room.

A huge banner was hung above, and the seats below were packed. There were also many people crowded on both sides of the wall, all of them celebrities from all walks of life waiting for Ye Luo to arrive.

At the front are a group of familiar faces.

President Fu Xiaoan, Vice President Yu Qiaqing, and several committee members headed by Zhang Honglu of the General Chamber of Commerce;

The Shanghai tycoons headed by the Three Tycoons and Yu Likui;

Chairman Galt of the Automobile Commerce Association and other foreign business leaders;

Important political figures including Zhang Dingyao, Wu Kaixian, Bai Xiongqi and others;

Xu Zhimo and other cultural celebrities.

Seeing Ye Luo and Chen Ruide approaching, Fu Xiao'an stood up first. Ling Lie's gaze was directed at Ye Luo's cheek, with a particularly obvious look of ridicule.

Ye Luo nodded in response, ignored him, walked straight to the stage, and adjusted the microphone with his hand.

The living room suddenly became quiet, and a group of big shots took their seats, waiting for Ye Luo to speak.

Flash lights were crackling all around, and reporters were eagerly anticipating it.

"Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to attend this press conference." Ye Luo cleared his throat, smiled, and opened the white envelope in his hand. "On May 8, Ye's Charitable Foundation When it was established, I said that I would donate 20% of the total profits of the Chevrolet 490 as donations. At that time, many people questioned this."

"I believe everyone present is very curious. In just 10 days, Chevrolet 490 stopped selling. Did this car generate profits? I said before that I would make Huashang Automobile Co., Ltd. bigger and stronger. Is it nonsense to boast about Haikou? Where is the talk?"

"I know that all words are pale and powerless. Data is the best answer."

When he said this, everyone below clearly became energetic. They straightened their backs, pricked up their ears, and stared at the torn white envelope in his hand.

"Since the arrival of 500 Chevrolet 490s in Shanghai on April 30, and the temporary suspension of sales as of May 10, Ye's Automobile Company's eight storefronts have sold a total of 439 Chevrolet 490s."

"Wow——"

The crowd below was commotion and in an uproar.

Zhang Wanlin's eyes widened and he looked to the side in disbelief.

The third child, Lu Yusheng, also looked surprised and shocked. This number was much higher than he expected!

Apparently the two major concessions didn’t see much of the Chevrolet 490!

Huo Tianhong, who was sitting next to Yu Qiaqing, had a big belly and was holding a teacup in his hands. He kept exerting force with his hands. Countless veins were prominent, which showed how surprised he was.

In the automobile industry monopolized by foreigners, when Chinese businessmen are almost unable to even continue to do business, who dares to believe that an automobile dealer run by a Chinese can steal meat from foreigners!

This is not the leftovers from someone else’s meal!

A year ago, the US-based Yunfei Automobile Company was at its peak, but its total sales of Ford cars last year did not exceed 400!

What is the concept of a total of 439 vehicles sold?

In just ten days, Ye's Automobile Company almost sold out the 500 Chevrolet 490s that arrived in Shanghai!

Think about the shocking scene on the day the car arrived in Shanghai on the 30th.

Countless people stretched their heads to look around as the driver drove away from the dock one after another, unable to see the traffic at the end!

So many cars were sold out in ten days?

"Nonsense!"

A voice suddenly sounded in the living room.

Zhang Honglu, who was over seventy years old, was leaning on a cane. He stood up shakily and slammed the cane in his hand on the ground. His face was extremely ugly.

He is a representative of the old-school merchants in Shanghai. Like Sheng Xuanhuai and others, he relied on the "Westernization Movement" to make his fortune. After accumulating a large amount of capital, he monopolized various industries during the Republic of China. Although he was doing business in the new era, he was still imprinted with the old style. The flavor of the times.

This group of people believe in tradition and adhere to feudal ideas. Some old people even secretly keep their pigtails and call themselves the "Braid Gang". They stubbornly believe that the former Qing Dynasty was the unification and the current New Deal is all evil heretics.

Ye Luo does not hate these "pre-Qing veterans" in the business world. When he looks at them, most of his eyes show "pity".

Just a bunch of wretches who have been eliminated by the times.

"Your cars! You can't even see them in the concession! 439 of them were sold! Why don't I see any of them? Young man, the people sitting here are all big shots in the Chinese business community in Shanghai. With your little business experience, Who can’t see through it?”

Zhang Honglu was spitting and talking more and more energetically, as if he wanted to go on stage to debate with Ye Luo.

"Since you said you sold 439 cars, I want to ask you, where did these cars go? How many people in Shanghai can afford a car worth more than 1,000 yuan each?"

"Boss Ye, I actually have similar doubts. Please answer them now." Fu Xiao'an stood up and echoed Zhang Honglu, "In addition to our bosses from the Chinese business community, there are also bosses and consuls from major concessions, as well as Mayor Zhang Dingyao and Mayor Zhang of Shanghai Special City have certain things that we cannot say nonsense."

After speaking, he looked specifically at Zhang Dingyao who was sitting next to him.

Zhang Dingyao was an important political figure sent by Jinling to manage Shanghai. He also served as the commander of the Second Division and the Fourteenth Division. Previously, due to the power of the Beiyang warlords, he, the mayor, was somewhat invisible.

But now the Northern Expedition is coming to an end, and the defeat of the Beiyang warlords is just around the corner.

Zhang Dingyao has also begun to become active in all walks of life in Shanghai. There are countless tycoons visiting him these days.

He didn't say anything, just nodded slightly, waiting for Ye Luo's explanation.

"I think you may have some misunderstandings about the Chevrolet 490." Ye Luo calmly glanced at Chen Ruide who was not far away. The latter nodded slightly, adjusted his clothes, and walked slowly onto the stage.

"When we launched this car, the main customer group we originally targeted was not in the concession. You didn't see it much in the concession. That's normal." Ye Luo said, stepping aside half of his body to allow Chen Ruide to stand up easily, "Because Its main consumer groups are concentrated in the county area, mainly the middle class. Most of these customers are not active in the concessions, and cars will naturally not drive into the concessions. As for whether the numbers I mentioned are true, President Chen Ruide next to me can provide some advice. I bear witness."

"Everyone, car sales can be deceived, but the money earned from sales cannot be deceived, right? In other words, do you think Citibank will help me deceive everyone despite the credit risk?" Ye Luo glanced at the crowd and faced the reporters. The shooting was as steady as a rock, directly pointing the hat at the foreigners.

"That's definitely not possible." If it were another Chinese commercial bank, Fu Xiao'an would dare to be tough.

But not Citibank.

This is one of the two largest foreign-funded banks in Shanghai today, and the people behind it are the Stillman family and the Rockefeller family, both of which are famous in the United States!

Foreigners helped the Chinese to make false accounts. Even the dung pickers wouldn't believe it if I told you about it!

Seeing Chen Ruide taking the microphone with a smile on his face, Fu Xiaoan and others' hearts gradually sank to the bottom.

"Citibank reached a partnership with Ye's Automobile Company on April 30 to provide installment car loans to all customers who purchase Chevrolet 490s. I, Chen Ruide, personally guarantee that Mr. Ye did sell 439 Chevrolet 490s in ten days!"

Chen Ruide's voice was powerful, and before he finished speaking, the entire living room began to boil.

Because this is really a big event beyond their imagination!

439 cars were sold in 10 days.

What a sales miracle in the automobile industry!

"According to calculations by our bank's financial staff, the Chevrolet 490 has brought Mr. Ye a net income of approximately 210,000 yuan! According to Mr. Ye's request, yesterday our bank deposited 44,000 yuan to the Citibank general account of the Ye Charitable Foundation on behalf of Mr. Ye. Twelve thousand oceans!”

"As of this morning, Ye's Charitable Foundation has raised NT$283,700 in donations, which will be transferred by our bank to Citibank of Shandong Province in the afternoon and will be delivered to the capital of Shandong Province as soon as possible! According to Mr. Ye As entrusted, the subsequent profits generated by the Chevrolet 490 will also be continuously remitted to Shandong Province, and the financial status will be announced at the end of each month. Anyone who has doubts about this can come to Citibank at any time to check the details!"

After saying this, Chen Ruide bowed deeply, then stood up and said,

"Mr. Ye is the most outstanding, youngest, and most talented businessman I have ever seen! If you question his business ability, I, Citibank, can unconditionally guarantee it!"

As soon as these words came out, the atmosphere in the living room reached its climax.

Citibank was so supportive of Ye Luo, how dare Fu Xiaoan continue to attack. He helped Zhang Honglu sit down and sighed as he felt the trembling and shaking of the old man's body.

"Mr. Zhang, you sold so many cars in ten days. Mr. Zhang? Mr. Zhang?"

Fu Xiao'an was just about to comfort Zhang Honglu, but found that his pupils suddenly dilated and he fell backwards!