1928: The rise of giant merchants

July 10, the 17th year of the Republic of China (1928).

Last night, Ivanova and her daughter spent the whole night studying the upper and lower structure of the word "kun". Early in the morning, Ye Luo drove back to Ye Mansion with Shi Jianqiao.

Xiaoli was explaining the family rules of Ye Mansion to the new servants. When she saw Ye Luo approaching with a smile, she quickly waved and shouted: "Second Young Master, you are back! The master is having breakfast with Boss Zhang."

"That's just right, I have something to see Zhang Shibo." Ye Luo patted Xiaoli's little head, pushed the door open, and came face to face with Bi Yunxia carrying breakfast and wearing a pink apron.

When Bi Yunxia saw Ye Luo, her cheeks turned crimson and she whispered "Second Young Master" before leaving.

Ye Luo reached out and snatched the breakfast from her hand: "Mom, I'm hungry, get me some milk and bread."

"Ah, okay!" Bi Yunxia ran away.

Ye Luo walked to the restaurant while eating the breakfast he had grabbed. He happened to see Ye Qingqing and Lin Yuan walking out together with Zhang Anyi after finishing their meal. Several people called out "Second Brother" in unison. Ye Luo asked casually and found out who they were. Getting ready to go to a Chinese and Western girls' school.

It turns out that today is the last day of martial law clearance. Shi Zhongcheng and others will lead their troops to leave tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. Shanghai, which has restored peace, will also usher in the resumption of classes in various schools.

Lin Yuan and Ye Qingqing's honeymoon lasted for three months, and they were tired of staying at home. Ye Qingqing applied for a job as a home economics teacher at a Chinese and Western girls' school, and was going to report in the next few days.

Zhang Anyi had a sad face. She had already enjoyed all kinds of luxurious life in the Ye family, and she couldn't get excited when she thought about going to school soon.

After chatting with a few people, Ye Luo took the dinner plate and sat down. There were only three people at the table, Ye Yuqiao, Zhang Mouzhi, and Zhang Yuanbei. Ye Hao didn't come back last night, and Li Shuzhen took Li Wenting to find Zhang Dingyao early in the morning. The aunts and wives were playing mahjong.

"Zhang Shibo, I have reached an agreement with Mr. Mérieux, the French Consul General, and we want to open a cinema and amusement park at the intersection of Edoya Road and Mintinyin Road, covering an area of ​​about 14,700 square meters. As for the engineering team, I want to entrust it to you. What do you think of my Ye’s Construction Company?”

Ye Luo has provided delicious food and drinks to Song Ziwen's father-in-law and brother-in-law's family these days. Zhang Mouzhi is living quite comfortably, but he is becoming more and more curious about Ye Luo's business situation. Now that he hears that he is ready to start work, he naturally nods in agreement.

Zhang Yuanbei asked curiously: "Second brother, is this amusement park planning to compete with Zhang Wanlin's New World? I secretly visited the New World Amusement Park some time ago. Their renovation technology is very good. It can be seen that Zhang Wanlin I’ve spent a lot of money, and there’s this, second brother, look at it.”

He pulled out a few pre-sold celebration tickets and handed them to Ye Luo.

Ye Luo picked it up and looked at it. It said that with the ticket, you can watch the Pear Garden Feast on the big stage for free for seven days and seven nights. The performers on the stage include Lu Lanchun, Yu Louchun and other famous actors, which almost cost Yongxing Company's capital. .

"I heard that you graduated from the architecture department of a prestigious university in Yuanbei. You are not inferior to your two brothers in architecture. I drew a design drawing of the playground. Take a look. If it works, you and I will Invite the chief engineer to be responsible for the construction of this amusement park and cinema. How about you name yourself a deputy chief engineer?"

Ye Luo is determined to promote Zhang Mouzhi's favorite youngest son. If his big world becomes popular, Zhang Yuanbei, who is the deputy chief engineer, will naturally make his debut and occupy a place in the construction industry.

Zhang Yuanbei was full of joy, but he was a little unconvinced when he heard that he was only the deputy chief engineer. He asked with a smile: "Second brother, who is the chief engineer you invited?"

"The couple should go to Shanghai this afternoon, so you and I can pick them up together." Ye Luo smiled mysteriously.

Seeing that he didn't speak directly, Zhang Yuanbei became even more curious, but he still picked up the drawing and looked at it first.

The more he looked at it, the more he felt that Ye Luo was also an amazing wizard in architectural design. The playground covering an area of ​​14,700 square meters was improved and built based on the prototypes of the buildings at the junction. It was not completely demolished and rebuilt. Ye Luo was Luo's playground design is far more innovative and advanced than the new world he has seen.

Zhang Yuanbei is sure that if this amusement park is officially opened, it will become popular all over Shanghai!

"If we had to completely overturn it and redo it, I'm afraid it would take more than half a year. But according to the second brother's design, and because our family and the engineering team of Ye's Construction Company are all our own people, we can rush to the schedule and have a chance to complete it within a month. of."

Ye Luo felt quite satisfied after hearing this, but he still wanted to hear the opinions of the architect who came from afar.

Zhang Mouzhi knew nothing about these things, but he had countless resources at his disposal. Seeing that Ye Luo was interested in promoting Zhang Yuanbei as deputy chief engineer, he naturally gave his all and wished he could move all the Zhang family's construction companies in Jiujiang here to operate!

Because the cinema is relatively easy to build and has a small area, this project was completely entrusted to Zhang Mouzhi and his son, who were happy to have an independent project.

This cinema has a big origin. Ye Luo is based on the prototype of the Grand Guangming Cinema, which was originally to be established in the second half of this year by a joint venture between Gao Yongqing, a wealthy Chaozhou businessman, and American Albert Warner (the founder of Warner Brothers, the world's largest film company). .

Independent cinemas are supporting industries for their own film companies, and Ye Luo's focus is still on acquiring film companies.

Today there are two giants in the Shanghai film industry: Tianyi and Mingxing.

Tianyi Film Company is the predecessor of Hong Kong Shaw Brothers Company. The bosses are the four Shaw brothers. The company is located at Yokohama Bridge in Hongkou. Now its leading actress is Ruan Lingyu, who has just taken over the crown of Hu Die.

However, Tianyi relied on the three tycoons of Yongxing Company, and the four Shaw Brothers had an irreconcilable relationship with Huo Tianhong. It is said that in order to assist Lu Yusheng in forcing Ruan Lingyu and Hu Die, they also deliberately lowered Ruan Lingyu's salary and forced her to film erotic films (unsuccessfully) ), and often indulged Yu Likui's people to cause trouble on the set.

Recently they have been threatening Hu Die to come back and work for Tianyi.

As for Star Film Company, its boss, Zhang Shichuan, is Jing Ruishan’s nephew. He had founded a film company called Asia in Shanghai in the early years. In September 1913, "The Difficult Man" was written by Zheng Zhengqiu and directed by Zhang Shichuan. "The Difficult Wife" was released on New Stage and did well at the box office.

Unfortunately, when World War I broke out in 1914, foreign films were cut off, and Asia Film Company closed down. Zhang Shichuan returned to work under Jing Ruishan. In 1920, Lin Ruxian funded him, and he opened Huanxian Film Company, but the funds It was too weak and went bankrupt the next year.

In 1920, with the help of Ye Luo, the New World Amusement Park opened. After Ruishan made a lot of money, Zhang Shichuan worked in the New World, met the fur goods tycoon He Yongchang, and married his daughter He Xiujun. With the support of his uncle and aunt, he finally established Star Film Company in March 1922!

However, Jing Ruishan and He Yongchang had deep conflicts with the three Yongxing tycoons. Huo Tianhong had been coveting everything from Jing Ruishan for a long time. In 1924, He Yongchang was arrested on the trumped-up charge of hiding cigarettes in leather goods and was tortured for three times in the patrol room of the French Concession. Three days and three nights, he died accidentally.

The He family's business was completely taken over by Lu Yusheng, and in order to let the three Yongxing tycoons let go of her husband, He Xiujun recommended himself to a pillow and slept with the three tycoons for three days and three nights before Zhang Shichuan escaped.

In 1925, Jing Ruishan was poisoned and died suddenly in Lin Rushian's boudoir.

Star Film Company, which lost its two major backers, plummeted. Although it is still nominally one of the two giants, it is already declining and no one is willing to cooperate with it.

Ye Luo entrusted the cinema business to Lin Ruxian, hoping that she could revive Zhang Shichuan's line.

Regarding Mingxing Film Company, Zhang Mouzhi and others had the same view. They believed that it would be difficult for Mingxing Film Company to compete with Tianyi Film Company, which had a group of popular stars such as Ruan Lingyu, and they did not approve of Ye Luo doing this business.

"It's difficult without a good script or good actors." Zhang Mouzhi was unwilling to criticize Ye Luoxing and just commented lightly.

Anyway, they don’t have much money to be a film company and movie theater, so their focus is entirely on the amusement park.

Looking at the new amusement park called Big World, Zhang Mouzhi was looking forward to it.