Super dictator.

It's not dark yet, the sunset is still there.

The gate of the Haicheng government office was already full of traffic, and there was a din of people. Countless landlords, gentry and businessmen in silk jackets came in a hurry. Some of them had worried faces, and some had indifferent expressions on their faces.

At the gate of the yamen, Yan Dunyuan and Zhang Zuolin stood with smiles on their faces to greet the guests. In addition, there were several sergeants standing beside them with expressionless faces, which seemed to complement each other.

Zhang Zuolin's business is getting bigger and bigger now. Changfeng Escort Agency is no longer an Escort Agency in the original sense. There is a trend towards the integration of security companies and logistics companies. It not only escorts precious goods, but also charges low prices for ordinary goods. Shipping is also guaranteed delivery.

Some smart people knew about Zhang Zuolin's background and knew that he had worked in Wei Zijun before, so he must have the support of this general behind him, and he stood at the door today to welcome guests, which showed this point even more.

Ever since Wei Jichen sent every letter of invitation to landlords, gentry, and businessmen from all over the place three days ago, each of them was worried, unable to sleep at night, unable to eat, for fear that the Liaodong general was hosting a Hongmen banquet. Without money, I'm going to start robbing wool.

Therefore, they all had smiles on their faces that were uglier than crying.

"Mr. Zhang, you are here, please go inside." Yan Dunyuan greeted people with a smile and invited people inside.

One of the landlords, Laocai, snorted softly when he passed by Zhang Zuolin. Zhang Zuolin's face was slightly embarrassed, because this person was his Taishan Zhao Zhanyuan. The invitation card from Wei Jichen came only after the list.

"Mom, let me go, why are you so slow." Not long after, more than 20 sturdy men in fur coats came to the door on horseback.

Seeing this, the other squires frowned, disdain to argue with them, and stepped aside to make way for them. Pearl and gold panning for their livelihood. Although these industries are huge profits in the Northeast, they are also very dangerous, so these people spontaneously formed an organization. These twenty men are the leaders of each organization, and they have No small armament.

Yan Dunyuan invited these people in without changing his face.

"Brother, why do you think Wei Jichen sent us invitations this time?" One of the planners asked softly.

The leader no longer had the arrogant expression he had when he was outside, and he said helplessly: "I don't know what's going on, there is a lot of tax that should be paid, and there is also a lot of silver that should be filial. I don't know what this lord means."

"Let's take a look first, if it doesn't work, we'll spend money and eliminate the disaster." Several other people also shook their heads helplessly. Every time a new official takes office, everyone will be more filial.

And Wei Jichen ignored them these days, making everyone think he was different from others, but now it seems that he wants to do it all at once.

The people who came to the banquet at this time more or less prepared some silver taels, ready to bleed once.

When these planners walked into the hall with their heads in their hands, they were secretly startled. They saw that the hall was already filled with no less than 500 to [-] people from all walks of life. The atmosphere was a bit depressing, and they would certainly be happy to talk, but at this time, most of them were silent or whispering.

Zhao Zhanyuan was so depressed. He didn't expect his son-in-law to bend his elbow. In Zhao Zhanyuan's mind, as long as it is a matter of the government, it must be a bad thing. He saw Zhang Zuolin's work in Wei Zijun before he married his daughter. Thinking about it, I can't help at all now.

Everyone was in no mood to drink tea, and waited anxiously for Wei Jichen's appearance until it was just dark.

First, Yan Dunyuan and Zhang Zuolin walked in with a smile, but there was no one at the door anymore.

Then there was a thick shout: "General Wei is here!"

I saw Wei Jichen wearing a yellow mandarin jacket and double-eyed feathers, walking in through the side door at a leisurely pace.

Followed by a few ruthless personal soldiers.

"Everyone, everyone, thank you for being able to come to the banquet in time." Wei Jichen had already cupped his fists to express his gratitude when he walked to the door.

Wei Jichen's spring-like smile made everyone relax a little.

"From the general's point of view, it is our good fortune to meet the general."

"That's right, I've wanted to visit the general for a long time, but unfortunately I haven't been able to."

"The general is very powerful, and he is trying his best to protect my land in Liaodong. The old man is full of admiration."

Hundreds of people in the hall immediately stood up, hurriedly returned the salute, and praised at the same time, making the scene very lively for a while.

Wei Jichen bowed his head and bowed his hands all the way in return, until he reached the front desk, and then stopped.

"Everyone!" Wei Jichen's sharp eyes glanced over hundreds of people, and he spoke slowly, speaking loudly.

The crowd suddenly became silent, and everyone looked at Wei Jichen cautiously, wanting to know why he summoned so many people this time.

"China is worrisome!" Wei Jichen first sighed heavily, causing everyone to follow his emotions, and the expression on his face changed from cautious to dignified.

"The Treaty of Shimonoseki allowed Japan to invest in and set up factories in China. Now, the great powers have cited the clause of equalization of interests and are already scrambling to open factories in various parts of our country."

Wei Jichen paused slightly to give everyone some time to think.

Then he continued to say heavily: "The opening of a large number of treaty ports and the exemption of all miscellaneous taxes on the products of various countries have enabled the countries of the great powers to seize a lot of wealth from our country through trade and economic aggression. People must know that the great powers occupy the convenience of machinery, making their commodity production costs low, and gradually crowding out our Chinese own things.”

At this time, Chinese businesses were still dominated by small workshops and handicrafts. Only some big comprador merchants in a few coastal cities used modern machines. Naturally, these small workshop-style factories could not withstand the dumping of goods from various countries, and there were countless bankrupts. , This is also one of the reasons that led to the outbreak of the Boxer Movement.

Hearing that Wei Jichen's words were reasonable, some gentlemen and merchants below nodded in agreement.

Wei Jichen continued: "The imperial court has realized that if things go on like this, foreign goods will become popular, and China will become a place for foreign countries to dump goods and obtain raw materials and minerals. Foreigners only need a set of machines, and they can use Chinese labor and Chinese resources. Raw materials, and then seize the wealth of the Chinese people and take away the gold and silver. The wealth accumulated in China for thousands of years will be swept away by foreigners like the autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves, and the ore and coal left by our ancestors will also be wiped out by foreigners. Dig it out."

Wei Jichen first talked about the big truth, then changed the subject, his face turned brighter, and he said, "Fortunately, the imperial court issued an edict: the source is to benefit merchants and workers."

Afraid that everyone would not understand the meaning, Wei Jichen explained a little bit: "It means to encourage us Chinese to start our own companies and build factories, and engage in business wars with foreigners, but how to conduct business wars specifically?"

Wei Jichen asked a question, looked at the crowd slowly, saw that some of them also looked thinking, and couldn't help but feel better.

"Presumably everyone has no idea. The slogan of learning from the barbarians to control the barbarians has been shouted for decades. Now I, Wei Jichen, repeat the same old tune. That is to buy advanced machines from foreigners, reduce commercial production costs, and produce high-quality goods at a good price. cheap goods, and then drive foreign investment out of China to revitalize the Chinese industry in the country.”

Only then did everyone suddenly realize that it turned out that we were asked to buy machines and start a factory.

Some people were still skeptical, and after Wei Jichen had finished speaking, a gentleman businessman stood up and asked, "General, although we have only a half-knowledge of what you said, we can hear it. It is to compete with foreigners for profit. It is only our funds. If you don’t, you can’t afford machines at all, and you can’t resist the oppression of foreign business forces.”

Some other people also looked helpless like him.

Wei Jichen smiled slightly, glanced at the people below, and then said sonorously and forcefully: "That's why I called you here to discuss the establishment of my Fengtian Chamber of Commerce. Through the Chamber of Commerce, everyone will be organized. The form of a complete business operation allows everyone to organize, raise funds to participate in the establishment of a factory, and together resist the economic aggression of foreigners."

There was a lot of discussion below, how to pool everyone's funds together, and the government was involved, how to protect their own interests, became the focus of everyone's worries.

It is not uncommon for many businessmen to be swallowed by officials with their belts and bones.

Wei Jichen's trustee stood up again, and spoke out the hearts of the crowd: "I know the general is clean, but I can't guarantee that other people will be selfish and steal everyone's money."

Wei Jichen smiled lightly, and said calmly: "This old man's concerns are very reasonable, so the role of the Fengtian Chamber of Commerce came out. The Chamber of Commerce is only semi-official in nature. Everyone has the right to speak in the Chamber of Commerce, and the government It will only guide everyone to set up factories and mines. As for the specific business matters, it will be completely handed over to you. Of course, in view of the lack of experience of some people, new companies and factories can hire professional consultants from the chamber of commerce. These consultants only provide professional advice. Help everyone get the company's factory on the right track, without any other real power."

When some people heard what Wei Jichen said, their eyes lit up, and they began to consider gains and losses.

"Everyone, stay safe and live in your own home with three acres of land. It's not feasible in this era, and you will only be defeated by foreigners one by one. Therefore, I took the lead and let us Chinese businessmen unite and make a concerted effort to speak out. , and please trust me, Wei Jichen, if you have any selfishness, you will tell me to die." Wei Jichen even swore a poisonous oath. In fact, he really did not have much selfishness in doing this. He can also start these factories and mines himself, because he has a system to buy machines, and he doesn't have to worry about capital at all.

However, this will only make him a wealthy businessman and monopoly comprador, which will not have much effect on the rise of national capitalism as a whole.

Wei Jichen thought in his heart that he only needed to be a few leading enterprises.

"Moreover, in order to encourage the establishment of industries, General Yiketang'a of Shengjing has already discussed with me. In view of the confusion of taxation, a unified taxation will be formulated, miscellaneous donations will be reduced, and we will escort everyone to open factories." Wei Jichen threw down again heavy bomb.

What you are most afraid of when you start a company and run a factory is not that there is no market, but that you are afraid of being exploited by the government. Various miscellaneous donations and filial piety discourage many people. When Wei Jichen said this, everyone was shocked.

Tuo spoke again, and this time he asked: "General, what you said made me so excited that I just want to invest all my wealth and property in starting a factory, but I don't know much. The bought machines are old things."

"Everyone don't have to worry about this." Wei Jichen smiled and said calmly: "The purchase of the machine can be handed over to us for unified handling, and in order to make everyone feel at ease, all machines will be used only after they pass your verification. If you are not satisfied with the payment, you can return it on the spot, and the cost will be borne by the government.”

Yan Dunyuan explained that Wei Jichen saved the life of the British princess in a timely manner, and now he can buy the machine through the British princess.