1928: The rise of giant merchants

Probably he was really pushed into a hurry.

Zhou Longguang can do things faster than those compradors from the chamber of commerce.

Within an hour, documents related to railway construction rights, coal mining rights and mining shares were approved and delivered to Ye Luo's villa one after another.

Chen Zhen, Huo Tingen and others, who had just left the house, returned in less than ten minutes and reported good news to Ye Luo.

After the picket team was disbanded, the original security team has been reorganized, and a large number of patriots imprisoned in the prison are being released in an orderly manner.

When they came back, they brought several people over to express their gratitude. They were all famous scholars and university professors in the north.

Some of these old scholars are pedantic, some are progressive, and some are wavering, but when faced with major right and wrong, they are firmer than ordinary people and their patriotism is stronger.

In the previous plainclothes riots and this time's tram price increase, these people were on the front line, speaking out for the people and angrily criticizing the inaction of the city hall and the arrogance and domineering foreigners.

Ye Luo thanked them one by one, and then sent someone to secretly escort them away.

He himself didn't know if there were people from underground organizations among this group of people, but it was always a good idea to form a good relationship.

Looking at these patriots, Ye Luo felt very emotional.

Who would have thought that a hundred years later, this group of people who are supposed to represent the voice of the people will become the lackeys of the capitalists, so-called public intellectuals, telling nonsense that even they themselves do not believe?

"Second Young Master, everyone from Tianjin City General Chamber of Commerce is here." Shi Jianqiao announced outside.

Ye Luo nodded: "Let them all come in. By the way, call Ling Jun over to listen."

"I know." Shi Jianqiao turned and left.

After a while, Kong Lingjun, who looked reluctant, moved in with a small bench and a pen and paper.

Seeing her look like a student who was given a lot of homework by the teacher during weekends made Ye Luo feel happy.

"Sit tight for a while, watch more, listen more, and think more. I'm going to give you a test after this." Ye Luo rubbed her little head.

Kong Lingjun said "Oh" and his expression became even worse.

Within a few minutes, a group of middle-aged men wearing mandarin jackets, Qing Dynasty clothes and felt hats came one after another.

"I, Wang Zhulin, am honored to be recommended by everyone. I am now the president of the Tianjin City General Chamber of Commerce." The short, middle-aged man with a deer-headed and rat-like eyes cupped his fists towards Ye Luo, looking like a relic of the Qing Dynasty.

He looked around and found that there was no stool, only a twelve or thirteen year old girl sitting obediently on one side. He was very puzzled and looked at Ye Luo again.

The same goes for the others. After saying hello, they didn't see any maids or servants coming to serve, and there was no seat for tea.

"What do you mean, Second Young Master?" Wang Zhulin endured his displeasure and asked again.

Ye Luo picked up the tea cup and took a sip, looking at him sideways.

Wang Zhulin is the number one local Chinese businessman in Tianjin City. Before Ye's investment and settlement, his Wang's Commercial Company was one of the top businessmen in Tianjin City. All merchants must give him face in everything.

He is also one of the compradors who has in-depth cooperation with the Belgians. He has a fortune of tens of millions and is able to call the shots in several nearby cities. He is very capable.

Of course, he has another more famous deed.

After the all-out Anti-Japanese War began in 1937, the city of Tianjin fell. In order to develop his status and power, Wang Zhulin defected to Japan and became a traitor. He participated in the local security maintenance committee of Puppet TJ City organized by Gao Lingfei and served as a member and concurrently as the Tianjin Material Countermeasures Committee. Chairman, he committed treason and surrendered to the enemy.

On December 27, 1938, in front of the Fengzeyuan Restaurant in the French Concession in Tianjin, a bullet of justice took away his sinful soul.

The businessmen who could hang out with Wang Zhulin were either compradors or traitors. How could Ye Luo give them a good look?

"I don't mean anything else. The reason I called Boss Wang here this time is to talk about the tram price increase incident that has been very tense these days."

Ye Luo said calmly.

Wang Zhulin frowned: "This is a conflict between the Belgians and the city hall, and it has nothing to do with us, right?"

"Oh, really? Why did I hear that after I came to Tianjin City, it was Boss Wang who deliberately incited the workers of the tram company to attack the pickets, and that made things worse?" Ye Luo glanced at him, this old dog is quite capable Pack.

Wang Zhulin raised his hand and wanted to slap the table, only to realize that he was standing. He could only hold back his anger and said, "That's nonsense! How can a person like the Second Young Master listen to rumors?"

"I don't believe anyone else's words. I only believe the information sent by my employees at Ye's Investment." Ye Luo chuckled and felt even more comfortable when he saw that the group of people started to sway after standing for a while.

The old dogs usually indulge in drinking and sex, and their bodies are exhausted.

"Haha, when did Ye's investment switch to the intelligence business? The second young master specially asked me to wait here today. There are no seats and no tea. It turns out that this is the hospitality of the number one tycoon in Shanghai. I have experienced it today. , If there is nothing else important, I’ll take my leave now!”

Wang Zhulin thought that this was the boundary of Tianjin City, and no matter how powerful the opponent was, he could not defeat him, he rolled his sleeves and prepared to leave.

"Then it's easy to leave. I hope President Wang won't regret it in the future." Ye Luo smiled and didn't hold back.

"If I come back in the future, I will be just a dog!" Wang Zhulin replied sadly, "I hope the second young master's business in Tianjin City will become more and more prosperous."

Wang Zhulin left with a large number of people.

Kong Lingjun's little head was full of question marks. She originally thought that the teacher had called these compradors over and had some countermeasures to restrain them.

But it looked like they were saying harsh words to each other.

"Lingjun, who do you think is right and who is wrong in this matter?" Ye Luo turned his gaze to Kong Lingjun.

Kong Lingjun knew that the question and answer time had come, and his small body immediately sat up straight: "The increase in tram prices is due to the pure greed of the foreigners. Of course they are wrong, and we are right."

"Now, who has the upper hand?"

"Uh, foreigners." Kong Lingjun scratched his head. Before Ye's investment, the city hall, the people of Tianjin, and the foreigners were at odds with each other. Even a child like her could tell that the situation was not good.

"This is the first lesson I want to teach you." Ye Luo stood up slowly, rubbed her little head vigorously, and said with a smile, "Business struggle is not a military war. We don't pay attention to right and wrong and learn from each other. This is meaningless. The core of business war is to compare who consumes more energy.”

"Why do foreigners dare to be so arrogant? Because they have the support of their own countries behind them, and several governments of the Republic of China are weak in diplomacy. And why the great powers are called great powers is because they are 'rich'. Similarly, Wang Zhulin was in Tianjin City Having been in business for decades, he is a 'powerful person' in Tianjin's business community. Naturally, he is not afraid of the city hall and ordinary people."

"Well, how should we fight with them?" Kong Lingjun asked immediately.

Ye Luo looked at her with a smile: "It's very simple, 'burn money'."

"Burning money?" Kong Lingjun was even more confused as he thought of the ocean and the scene of banknotes going into the brazier.

"Yes. Our goal in doing business is to make money, and the ultimate goal is monopoly. How to monopolize a market is to first eliminate other competitors by burning money."

Ye Luo smiled and nodded,

"You must always keep in mind that as long as you can monopolize, any price is worth it. Because after that, you will be the 'powerful' in the industry, and no one can resist you. At that time, how much money you want to make and how you make it will all matter. It’s you who have the final say, and the previous costs will always come back.” (End of Chapter)