Year: I had a good time when I was young

Chapter 791: Adding ships, giving away sea view rooms
Previously, Chu Xiangqian and the members of the poker club, Philips, Norton, the Philippines, and the leaders of the Sakura Country garrison had promised that the shipping company's fleet would be able to make three trips back and forth between Hong Kong Island and Sakura Country a month.

With a capacity of 30 tons, 45 ships can make at least $202.5 million in profit just from transporting coal each month.

The shipping company charges $0.5 per ton of coal for freight, but the people in the Hong Kong Island Poker Club don't care.

After all, the operation of a shipping company also requires costs, and they have no share in the company. Members of the poker club such as Ge Bai and Hader naturally focus all their attention on coal exports.

Moreover, the shipping company's profit is actually not high. On average, for 30 ships, the freight for a round trip is only US$7500.

After deducting the fuel and the wages of the sailors, captain, first mate and others for a round trip, the money that can be earned from taking the Neon route is actually not much.

But in a year, $270 million in shipping costs is a lot in this day and age.

It is basically impossible to expand the shipping company with just this little money.

Therefore, the ship charter king was very smart to charter his ships to shipping companies in the Sakura Country from the very beginning of his fortune.

Although the profit is much less, this type of contract is the bank's favorite stable model.

It took less than three years from taking out a loan to buy a second ship to growing the fleet to ten ships.

After that, he caught up with the period of great development of global trade and hit the right opportunity, so it was hard not to get rich.

It took only 7800 years for the fleet's tonnage to increase from the initial 2100 tons to 17 million tons.

In the process of becoming one of the world's seven largest shipping companies, he also gradually became a major shareholder of Standard Chartered.
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Now 26 ships only make 20 trips every 1.5 days or so, earning $58.5. Compared with making three trips a month and earning $202.5 million, the profit is more than half less.

No one can bear it.

Chu Xiangqian didn't even need to ask for help. Lieutenant Colonel Logan, the liaison officer of the Magnesium garrison stationed in Sakura, learned that it would take the fleet 10 days just to transport the coal to Sakura, and another 10 days to return to Hong Kong Island.

He couldn't sit still and contacted Norton.

There is a strong demand to increase and speed up the shipping frequency.

Lieutenant Colonel Logan almost said it clearly on the phone that as long as the owner of the cargo ship hired by the international shipping company, that is, the identity of the owner covered by Chu Xiangqian using an offshore company is legal and compliant, no one on the Neon side will check the source of the coal.

He was even afraid that Chu Xiangqian, the real financial backer behind Norton, would have reservations, and repeatedly hinted to Norton to tell Chu Xiangqian.

Even if someone investigates, the garrison on the Sakura side can guarantee that the people of Sakura Country, even if problems are found, will eventually be forced to compromise under the intervention of the garrison.

If anyone still wants to make trouble, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's Special Investigation Headquarters in Sakura Country will intervene.

This is almost equivalent to saying directly that you just need to go to China to buy coal, and their garrison will take care of the rest.

Chu Xiangqian of course agreed with this matter wholeheartedly. Moreover, he knew that the Special Investigation Headquarters was equivalent to the thugs planted by the Magnesium people in Sakura Country.

If someone disobeys, they will be immediately investigated by the Special Investigation Division.

Although all the people in this department are from Japan, they are all traitors and only listen to the Japanese.

Chu Xiangqian has now obtained a golden ticket to immunity from death. From now on, as long as he can guarantee his profits, he will not encounter any difficulties as long as he sells coal from the Celestial Empire.

Moreover, the first batch of coal was shipped to the Sakura Country, and then the electronic products were shipped back to Hong Kong Island to earn a freight fee. This operation took nearly twenty days and was also something Chu Xiangqian specifically instructed Zheng Shufen to do.

The purpose is to tell the relevant stakeholders behind Philips, Ge Bai and Lieutenant Colonel Logan that if they want to make big money, they have to take the risk to buy coal in China.

Otherwise, if you go to India for procurement, you may not be able to make a round trip once a month.

The result was just as Chu Xiangqian had guessed. He was not anxious yet, but his partners were.

However, in order to appease the partners of the Sakura Country garrison, Chu Xiangqian thought of the 5% stake he had just sold to Philips and Norton Shipping Company, for which he had received 1 million US dollars.

Instead of keeping this money in the Novice Village warehouse, it would be better to use it to purchase a batch of ships.

The previously promised profit of 30 million US dollars per month for the 202.5 ships is only the best case scenario.

But in reality, there are always situations where ships need maintenance, or the sea conditions are bad and they cannot go out to sea.

So if you want to ensure profitability, you have to buy more ships.

Chu Xiangqian called J.P. Morgan and asked for an order for 40 ships at a total price of $1000 million, each costing $25.

He also repeatedly assured that the ship for this order could arrive in Hong Kong Island within one month.

After the first batch of 25 ships given to Chu Xiangqian were overhauled and transported to Hong Kong Island, Morgan Jr. had already instructed his men to tow the second batch of 30 ships used to exchange for 20 thoroughbred horses into the dock for overhaul and maintenance in advance.

As soon as Chu Xiangqian heard this, he guessed that Morgan Jr. might want to get involved in the horse racing business.

Otherwise, the agreement to exchange these 20 racehorses for 30 ships would not be completed until next year according to the contract.

But if Morgan Jr. was in such a hurry to inspect and maintain it, then that would certainly mean that once it was fixed, it would waste another half a year lying vacant in the dock.

So no matter what Morgan Jr. said, Chu Xiangqian insisted that it would take time to collect 20 thoroughbred horses.

This transaction is cash only and only 25 pieces are purchased.

Although Morgan was disappointed, he felt more relieved. After all, the quality of the horses that were temporarily assembled could not be guaranteed.

As for buying a second racehorse with the potential to win the Triple Crown from Chu Xiangqian, Morgan Jr. thought about it and still felt that his relationship with Chu Xiangqian was not yet at the point where he could ask for it directly.

Besides, the third stop of this year's Magnesium Triple Crown has not yet started, and it would be too hasty to look for Chu Xiangqian at this time.

Considering how unscrupulous Chu Xiangqian was in having already offered a price of 1500 million US dollars, he would definitely bid as much as he could if he got the chance again.
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After reaching a verbal agreement, Chu Xiangqian simply made a phone call to the Wilson Wong Law Firm and Standard Chartered Bank in Hong Kong Island and paid US$300 million as a deposit.

Wait until these 25 ships arrive at Hong Kong Island and then settle the balance.

Chu Xiangqian's move immediately satisfied Sakura and the officers of the Philippine garrison.

The shipping company has 25 more ships, even if the fleet takes 20 days to transport coal to the Sakura Country and then bring the goods back to Hong Kong Island.

It also makes more money than the previous 30 ships making three round trips.

As long as their own interests are guaranteed, there is no reason for these collaborators to blame Chu Xiangqian.

Not to mention, if among these 55 ships, except for 2 refrigerated ships and 2 cattle and sheep ships, the remaining 51 ships take the route from Tianjin to Yinghua, the money earned will suddenly increase by 6%.

This means that the money you get is 6% more.

However, Chu Xiangqian will not use all these ships to transport coal. He will keep 30 ships to transport coal, and the other 21 ships will be used to transport iron ore from Hong Kong Island to Neon.
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The shipping business was temporarily settled. Chu Xiangqian was unable to return to Hong Kong Island as his nephew had just been born, so he had to leave all matters to Zheng Shufen.

This made Zheng Shufen both excited and stressed.

But this woman does have talent and experience in management, although there were bound to be mistakes at the beginning. But her experience in hotel management and helping Chu Xiangqian run his business over the past two years also allowed her to get started quickly.

Moreover, Chu Xiangqian asked her to form a team and sent lawyers and accountants from the law firm, as well as members of the poker club to assist her. The shipping business soon got on track.

Chu Xiangqian would only stay in Beijing for ten days or half a month at most before returning to Hong Kong to keep an eye on things, so although everyone in the shipping company was busy, there wasn't any major chaos.

The boy born to Ai Min and Qin Jingru is naturally the eldest grandson of the third house, the second boy in three generations of the Chu family, and he will be no less favored than Chu Jingrong, the eldest grandson of the eldest house.

Uncle San and Aiyuan treasured their grandson and nephew very much. They gave Aimin and Jingru a silver longevity lock, a silver necklace, a gold bell bracelet, small clothes, toys and a stroller.

If houses could no longer be bought and sold in the capital, a courtyard house worth a few thousand yuan would be a small amount of money for Ehime.

Aiyuan could only be happy and directly rewarded Qin Jingru with 1 yuan, which made the Qin family members who came from outside the city to see their daughter jealous and proud.

Last year, Chu Xiangqian would have advised his uncle and Aiyuan to keep a low profile.

But since this year, the country has gotten rid of drought, and now that people can have enough food to eat, Chu Xiangqian has relaxed his guard a lot.

He also planned to wait until the storm came and take his family to live in Hong Kong Island for two or three years.

After the most severe first few years have passed, we will see whether to allow my second uncle, third uncle’s families, my master, his wife, Yi Xiantian, and Lao Jiang to return to live in the capital.

If someone is like Jin Yitang and Lou Xiao'e's father who doesn't want to leave his hometown, then they will be arranged to go to the forest farm.

Away from the vortex in the city, safety is basically guaranteed.

Now that he was ready to leave, Chu Xiangqian naturally had fewer concerns.
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After seeing off the Qin family's relatives, the Chu family naturally gathered in the two houses in the back yard of the front courtyard of the Siheyuan in Luoguxiang.

These two back rooms had previously belonged to Aiyuan, but after Aiguo and Yushui got married, Aimin, who had previously lived with Aiguo in a single room in the backyard, had to move to the back room in the front yard.

Later, Aimin and Jingru got married, and the two back rooms became their home.

After Aiyuan returned to the capital, she either lived in Chu Xiangqian's home in the Qianmen courtyard.

Or you could just live in the south room of the east wing in the front yard of the Siheyuan in Luoguxiang.

Anyway, Chu Xiangqian no longer lives in Luoguxiang, so the master bedroom in the east wing has been empty. However, after cleaning up the utility room in the south wing, it will be much more comfortable than living in the back wing.

Chu Xiangqian and Xue Jinglan didn't care, which meant that Aiyuan lived alone in the big house in the east wing.
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As an uncle, Chu Xiangqian would definitely give a good gift to his nephew.

A 120-square-meter sea view apartment in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island, instantly shocked Uncle San, Ai Min and Qin Jingru, and then surprised them.

I heard from Ehime that if this house was sold two or three years ago, it would probably only cost 70,000 or 80,000 Hong Kong dollars.

But over the past year or almost two years, the housing price in Hong Kong Island has remained the same every three to five months.

With many people taking out loans to speculate in real estate, this kind of high-rise sea view apartment is now worth at least hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong dollars.

Uncle San and the others were so frightened that their minds were a little confused.

Aiguo, He Yushui and Second Aunt, who were standing by, couldn't help but look at Chu Xiangqian with expectation in their eyes.

Chu Xiangqian didn't say anything more, and said to Aiguo and Yushui with a smile, "Don't worry, your brother has also made some money in Hong Kong Island.

In the past few years, I bought several houses at low prices as investments, since Ai Min and Jing Ru have children.

Then when you and Yu Shui have a child, you will be rewarded with the same house if the child is a boy.

For a girl, I can only give her a small house of 5 or 60 square meters.”

Everyone was stunned, thinking that 5 or 60 square meters was already very large, as the courtyard house they lived in now was only about 20 square meters at most.

For example, the single room in the backyard where Aiguo and Yushui live is only a dozen square meters in size.

All of a sudden, Yu Shui's desire to have a child exploded.

Even Qin Jingru, who had just given birth to the Chu family's second third-generation boy, was thinking about getting pregnant again after she finished her confinement.

Otherwise, the houses my eldest brother bought would be gone after receiving the rewards a few times.

The second uncle, second aunt, and third uncle were naturally all smiling. Firstly, their nephew Chu Xiangqian was generous, and of course, they, the relatives, were the ones who benefited.

Secondly, once this reward is given, the two daughters-in-law will definitely want children one after another.

Only Aiyuan curled her lips secretly after looking at Chu Xiangqian.

My eldest brother is very low-key. What's the big deal about several houses? The houses under my eldest brother's name are now counted as one building at a time.

There are two buildings under construction at the racecourse, and over at Chai Wan Pier, there are dozens of warehouses and industrial buildings for rent.

Not long ago, I heard that my eldest brother bought a new building in Central.

As for stores, there are dozens or even hundreds of them.

But Aiyuan would not say such things casually. After all, while Aiyuan was nice to her younger sister-in-law, she was also on guard in her heart like Chu Xiangqian.

Xue Jinglan, Gangsheng and Feifei were even less talkative.

Chu Xiangqian did this because he really had no short of money, so houses in Hong Kong Island were not expensive in his eyes at that time.

I also thought of using this method to give two houses, one to each of my second and third uncles.

After two or three years, both families moved to Hong Kong Island, so there was no need for me, their nephew, to prepare houses for them.

Not all of them live in mountaintop villas.

Apart from parents, even close relatives such as brothers, sisters, and uncles are sometimes better not to live together.

Moreover, if you want to love your country and the people, after you go to Hong Kong Island, you can go and work at Youguqi or Tan’s Restaurant.

After four or five years of training and becoming a master, they will have enough money to open their own restaurant.

If all else fails, I can rent a shop on Tsim Sha Tsui’s food street to them and let them start their own business.

In a word, giving them houses is to give them a place to settle down, but it is impossible for them to be a playboy.

Chu Xiangqian would not even support them brothers.

Even the three elders, my second uncle, second aunt and third uncle, only fulfilled their duties as nephews instead of providing them with care and support until the end of their lives.

This is the duty of the five children, Aiyuan, Aiguo, Aimin, Ailin and Aiqiu, not Chu Xiangqian's.

On the contrary, it is Chu Xiangqian who has to take care of his master, his mistress, Yixiantian and Lao Jiang in their old age.

Of course, giving gifts to my second uncle, second aunt and third uncle is a must during festivals.

Moreover, the house is actually under the child’s name, not Aimin and Jingru’s.

But this made Ailin unhappy.

Because this kid is stuck in the middle, his parents occasionally ignore him, and his eldest brother pays the least attention to him.

It felt aggrieved in my heart.

(End of this chapter)