My Lord, you need to stand up!

Chapter 628 Lessons from the Past Can Be Used to Grind Ink and Begin Writing
What made Wei Dong think of was to send Wu Shengyun to Pengzhen for an inspection.

“You’ve worked in shipping companies before. This time, I’ve swapped my shares in the West Coast Ocean Terminal and Container Company. Go and get involved, see how you can connect with our fleet.”

In fact, it was Wu Shengyun who had encouraged and suggested early on that Weidong should build his own dock.

Hearing that they had ventured into large deep-water ports, he was overjoyed: "Great! I'll take people over there right away to investigate. This business definitely needs to expand outwards to have more potential. The merchant from the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region that you mentioned, my brother, made a hundred million US dollars!"

This surprised Wei Dong.

He returned to the era with his "Sky Eye" and amassed a fortune of over 100 million yuan in three years, which made him quite proud.

He's practically the richest man in the world, by all accounts.

All they could think about was how to suppress the ostentation of getting rich, so that they would have the chance to enjoy the good things to come.

I never imagined there were mountains beyond mountains.

Wu Shengyun investigated even more thoroughly than the sales representatives from that province: "They started in 82, trading agricultural products in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. After accumulating capital, in 84 they seized the opportunity presented by the policy allowing local enterprises to export on their own. They partnered with the provincial foreign trade development company to export soybeans and textiles, exchanging them for fertilizers and steel from Suzhou and Lianzhou. The profits from this trade were enormous."

Wei Dong was once again inwardly cursing, "Isn't this the same tactic You Qili used later, exchanging canned goods and textiles for airplanes?"

Brilliant people are everywhere: "The most ingenious part is the barter system, because the Sulian region doesn't have much US dollars in foreign exchange, and their rubles are useless to them. They are desperately short of light industrial products, and fertilizers and steel are scarce commodities in China. Do they pay taxes when they enter the country?"

Wu Shengyun didn't have his tax instincts: "It seems not. They must be doing this to circumvent foreign exchange controls."

Wei Dong confirmed: "They're going to run into trouble. Last time, the salesman said he had foreign exchange held on the black market. The official rate was 1:5.7, but now it's 1:8 on the black market. The profits have skyrocketed. Plus, fertilizers should be subject to agricultural input monopoly tax. If we take action against them, it's smuggling, and they'll be in big trouble in no time!"

In the southwestern inland region, the concept of smuggling is still rarely encountered.

Wu Shengyun was startled: "It's that serious?"

Wei Dong was very clear in his mind: "At this stage, everyone is exploring. Any model may cause problems, but we will let everyone try their own methods. In the end, those who fail will be eliminated, and those who succeed... hehe."

Wu Shengyun understood: "Yes, brother, you know that 'Fool's Melon Seeds' guy, right? Back in 1979, right after the reform and opening up, he made over a million yuan. He was also from around here."

Wei Dong chuckled, thinking, "Why don't I have such good luck selling melon seeds?" He replied, "I've heard of it, so what?"

Wu Shengyun explained: "A few years ago, there were reports that he had hired more than 20 people, exceeding the national regulations on the number of employees, which had a negative impact on state-owned and collective businesses. His development should be restricted, and it was considered a capitalist restoration and exploitation, just as you told me back then. In the end, the higher-ups said to observe for two years, and they felt they had a shield. This year, they launched a nationwide sales promotion with prizes, the grand prize being a Shanghai-branded car. Just ask me if that gimmick is attractive enough? People all over the country are rushing to buy them!"

Wei Dong laughed again: "This is the greed of capitalists. Why not just do business the proper way? Why do they have to resort to these tricks? Just you wait, this will cause trouble again."

As everyone knows, aside from the major national lottery prizes, it seems that all lotteries are limited to a maximum of 5,000 yuan; there are regulations on this.

This is to curb the practice of using big prizes as a gimmick for promotion.

Wu Shengyun immediately showered him with flattery: "Brother, you're amazing! I didn't even notice anything wrong with this, but after just over half a month, the policy called for a halt to all prize-winning sales, and this sunflower seed king almost went bankrupt. Your intuition is truly accurate. I'm so lucky to be working with you..."

Wei Dong laughed and told him to shut up: "Stop trying to fool me with this nonsense. Maybe a single sentence can make all our efforts vanish. So, when weighing whether or not to let us become nothing, what indispensable contributions have we made to this society? Maybe that's the key to our existence."

Wu Shengyun thought hard: "So that's why you went into the computer business, even though computers don't make much money, and you also got involved in the automotive industry, and from the very beginning you were involved in so many restructuring efforts at third-tier factories?"

Wei Dong was very clear: "I think that apart from a very few big shots who change the world order, everyone else is dispensable, especially businessmen. No matter how big a real estate or shipping magnate is, they can disappear in an instant. There are plenty of people who can take their place. So it depends on what contribution we can make to this society, whether it is beneficial or harmful, and whether it is worth staying. There are reasons that can be found."

Wu Shengyun didn't dare to be so jubilant: "Yes, only you, elder brother, can see things so clearly. I will definitely keep it in mind."

Wei Dong was also pondering: "You should go and see more of the craze that's sweeping through Shenzhen, but don't get caught up in it yourself. Look at it from an outsider's perspective."

Wu Shengyun quickly asked in detail, "Everyone says that Shenzhen is at the forefront of reform. Do you mean you don't quite agree?"

Rang Weidong denied: "Who would deny the significance of Pengzhen's reform? But nominally it is a special economic zone open to the outside world. In reality, it is still people from all provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions across the country who are pouring in. Where are all these overseas investments coming from? Various units from all over the country are pouring in funds openly and secretly, all wanting to make a profit on this newly opened table."

Wu Shengyun immediately understood: "Just like the districts and counties around Jiangzhou, they all want to come to the city to look for opportunities. Pengzhen certainly has the most opportunities, but most of them are just speculation, trying to make a quick buck?"

Wei Dong had been observing Pengzhen quite a bit these past few days: "Pengzhen City itself has eight major economic groups, and under them are a whole bunch of various secondary companies, which are affiliated with or jointly operated with companies all over the country. No matter what system they belong to, they can do anything. They just say it's a new look for the special economic zone." Jin Zhuoqun dares to flaunt his calligraphy everywhere, and this place is covered with calligraphy. Isn't he going to be incredibly arrogant?

"So all the explorations are absolutely eye-opening, but if you want to nitpick, there are problems everywhere. It's like smart people from all over the country are crowding together and scheming against each other. My approach in the port development zone has many loopholes, but at this stage, Lao Fang can still help us bear a lot of pressure. He is also someone who can accept new situations. You should go there and study it carefully."

Wu Shengyun's interpersonal skills were honed since he was a teenager, and he accepted the order and left.

Dong Xueqing watched as her husband hung up the phone, then leaned back in the wicker chair by the window, deep in thought about the strategies and tactics of various reform factions. Her expression naturally became mature and profound.

There's also a lazy baby lying on my chest.

How could she not love it? She struggled to her feet, picked up the teacup, and tried to sit on his lap.

Wei Dong was startled awake and quickly caught her, almost dropping Xiao Die on the ground. The startled child frantically clung to her father's collar, glaring at her aunt who was taking up a seat.

Fengchu chuckled, curling up in her niece's arms like a little girl: "I love watching you talk to people about these things. What are you thinking about?"

Wei Dong was now surrounded by women: "Thinking about the current social atmosphere, it's really spreading from the special economic zone to all parts of the country. Anyone with a bit of a brain will go to eastern Guangdong to buy goods to take back. Setting up a stall as a self-employed individual may not have much social status, but it's definitely a way to get rich quickly."

When Xiaodie listens to her father talking about serious matters, she can quiet down and lean against him.

Dong Xueqing reached out to tease her: "Everyone's going into business, everyone's jumping on the bandwagon, that's the hottest topic right now, bro. Look at this building... the rooms are full every day!"

This is what Wei Dong saw: "Just like the old leader from Shangzhou discussed with me, reform is definitely necessary, but such a large-scale reform will inevitably cause a huge upheaval. If this giant dragon of the whole country is awakening and running wildly, the difficulty of controlling it is unimaginable. That's why he was so disgusted with You Qili's radical short selling and repeatedly emphasized that production-oriented investment should be the main focus."

The views of the old leader and Lao Fang were highly consistent with the "Sky Eye" choice for Weidong to develop productivity, so he naturally thrived in both places.

Shanghai goes without saying.

If the eastern Guangdong region and Shenzhen are considered the southern gateway, adjacent to Hong Kong and at the forefront of opening up and development, then Shanghai has a century-old international tradition and has always been the economic leader of the country.

People of all backgrounds are hidden in the streets and alleys, and with the wave of reform, they are beginning to emerge and eager to participate.

Who would have thought that Wei Dong, a country bumpkin who came to Shanghai three years ago with money tied to his thigh, would actually build a glass pyramid on the Bund, rent Building No. 5 to create a mixed space for commercial offices, product displays, galleries, and upscale restaurants, and now he's starting to build the Pudong Building across the street.

In comparison, his previous actions of "instructing" branch managers to participate in the country's first stock trading and trying to purchase real estate seem insignificant.

The city is more focused on Wei-tung's investment in the Apple computer manufacturing plant and a series of supporting factories in the electronics industrial park. The subsequent investment from Hong Kong real estate developers is not as anticipated as the international community planning he is promoting.

Of course, this unique Pudong scenic route has won high praise from the people of Shanghai.

Under the effective control of Shanghai, the development of Pudong was far less frenzied than that of Pengzhen. The worldly-wise people of Shanghai only wanted legitimate foreign investment from Hong Kong and Taiwan, as well as strong domestic enterprises to invest.

So when there were still doubts about attracting international investment, Wei Dong really led Hong Kong businessmen to the forefront.

This was the first modern building constructed on the opposite bank of the Bund in the entire Lujiazui area.

So, in just over half a year, with only ten or so floors, it already stands out from the crowd, and the "Onia" lettering on the superstructure is very eye-catching.

The city government buildings are located in the Bund's collection of international buildings, and seeing this view every day must be quite pleasing.

This is the change they hoped Wei Dong would bring when they gave Building No. 5, not to mention the various art parties and cultural exchange activities that Building No. 5 brought.

But after all, it was 1986, and the ostentatious advertising across the river was bound to make some people unhappy.

According to Wu Shengyun, the "Fool's Melon Seeds" business only hired a few dozen people, yet they were accused of capitalist restoration.

Having been to prison, Wei Dong absolutely did not want to suffer that ordeal again, and he certainly did not want Feng Chu, who had given birth to a child, to go through the same ordeal.

(End of this chapter)