A century-old wealthy family that rose from Shanghai

Chapter 221 Benefits
Chen Guangliang, Yu Qiaqing, Fang Jiaobo, Zhang Yuanji and other businessmen from the Jiangsu and Zhejiang consortium met with the sugar-making team that was driven back by Guangdong Province in the executive conference room of the Shangri-La Hotel.

Cao Mingxian, Chief Engineer of Sugar Refining Technology, said, "Guangdong Province sent Feng Rui to be the head of sugar production. He immediately seized power and, claiming Guangdong Province had received guarantees from the American Sugar Machinery Company, drove us back to Shanghai."

Zhang Yuanji said anxiously, "How can this be possible? We are shareholders who hold 50% of the shares. If we don't send this person, how can we understand the company's financial situation? This Chen Jitang, is he trying to embezzle our funds?"

Yu Qiaqing waved his hand shrewdly and said, "Impossible! They've built so many sugar factories in Guangdong Province, they must be selling their products in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai. Without the support of our Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai consortium, how can they compete with Yangtang?"

As expected, it’s Brother Ade!

Get to the point.

In the past, Guangdong Province's white sugar industry occupied the market with the support of the Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai financial groups.

Once Guangdong Province confiscates their shares, their reputation will be ruined. At that time, the sugar from Guangdong Province will be directly detained by the court.

Chen Guangliang then asked, "When will the First Sugar Refinery start operations?"

Cao Mingxian replied, "The machinery factory promised to complete the installation and commissioning by early November, and then they will send instructors to teach sugar making."

Chen Guangliang nodded and said, "It just so happens that I'm going to Guangdong Province this month. I'll meet with Chen Jitang there to discuss the subsequent dividend distribution. Don't worry, Guangdong Province won't turn against us for at least the next two years. After all, they want to dominate the market. During this time, we'll regularly send people to check the accounts and strive to distribute dividends on time. We can still do it."

He was not in a hurry because he firmly believed that he could get his capital back.

It just so happened that he was going to Guangzhou Bay (Zhanjiang) in June to register a shipping company and smooth out the relationship with the port, so he went to visit Chen Jitang.

Yu Qiaqing said, "Well, it's a good idea to go. However, right now, with the Ning-Han confrontation, our Jiangsu and Zhejiang consortium is somewhat unpopular. Guangliang, please be a little more restrained in your words. In short, as long as the sugar from Guangdong Province reaches Hohhot, we can seize it through legal means, so they definitely won't dare to do that."

It’s not a question of not helping with sales, but directly withholding white sugar from Guangdong Province.

Everyone felt relieved immediately.

Cao Mingxian and the others were a little anxious at this time and asked, "Mr. Yu, Mr. Chen, how should we arrange for our resettlement now?"

Chen Guangliang said, "Mr. Kong from the Nanjing Industrial Department has always wanted to open another sugarcane mill in Shanghai. He definitely needs you. Go back and have a good rest. I'll pay you. By the way, I have a sugarcane farm on Chongming Island and I'm currently cultivating new varieties. You can go and have a look. Xu Caijin is in charge there."

"Ok"

Afterwards, everyone left with relief.

Yu Qiaqing immediately said, "Kong Xiangxi wants to set up a sugar refinery. He will certainly invest personally. Why don't we also take a share and invest in it?"

Everyone is full of confidence now!
First of all, a set of equipment that can crush 70 tons of sugarcane per day only costs US$20, and only % needs to be paid upfront, and the rest can be paid after it is put into use.

Secondly, tariffs have been introduced, and the price of Yangtang sugar imported into China has risen sharply, leaving a large space for local sugar to survive.

Finally, the channels for sugarcane selection and import have been opened.

Chen Guangliang also supported it, saying, "It's feasible. Investing in a sugar factory now is not a problem, and over three million is not a problem. Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai also have a subtropical monsoon climate, so the growing conditions for sugarcane are good, just slightly worse than Guangdong Province."

He just wants to invest a small amount, so it’s enough to show his appreciation!

Yu Qiaqing received everyone's support and said, "Okay, I'll go talk to Minister Kong about this."

The January 28 Incident was just over six months away, but the machines certainly wouldn't be arriving in Shanghai by then, as the factory would take at least that long to build. Chen Guangliang wasn't worried about this failing either!
On June 6, Du Yuesheng held the inauguration ceremony of the Du Temple.

The ceremony of enshrining the Lord in the ancestral temple was unprecedented in its scale and grandeur. A guard of honor numbering tens of thousands was formed by six battalions. Plaques presented by Kuomintang dignitaries formed a long procession, with the most prominent being the one from the Commander-in-Chief, "Unfailing Filial Thoughts."

The huge team took a boat across the Huangpu River to Gaoqiao, and erected a five-meter-high colorful archway on the Gaoqiao wharf. Cars drove in a line along the way, taking the newly built Dugao Road, which was six feet wide and more than five miles long, to the Du Family Ancestral Hall in Lujiayan.

During the ceremony, a large band composed of members of the Army, Navy, and Police Station's Western Band played music, and the fortress headquarters fired a 21-gun salute nearby. First, Yang Hu, in his capacity as Lieutenant General of the Nanjing government, offered congratulations on behalf of the Nationalist government and the Commander-in-Chief.

The public memorial ceremony was delivered by representatives of Wu Tiecheng, Liu Zhilu, Song Ziwen, Kong Xiangxi and He Yingqin, and Du Yuesheng and his son responded with greetings.

There were more than 1 Chinese and foreign guests. Those who helped Du Yuesheng prepare were all famous people in Shanghai. The general affairs directors were Yu Qiaqing and Huang Jinrong, the drama director was Zhang Xiaolin, the health directors were Wang Xiaolai and Pang Jingzhou, and the reception director was Yuan Ludeng.

Chen Guangliang also came to congratulate in person and gave him a small gift.

Looking at the lively scene, Chen Guangliang couldn't help but sigh, no wonder men are so eager for power and wealth, it really makes people linger.

In order to build the "Du Family Ancestral Hall", Du Yuesheng spent 50 yuan just to buy the land (after all, they were all neighbors and it was impossible for them to fight over it). The subsequent construction costs, plus the cost of this reception, amounted to 100 to 150 million yuan.

This money can be used to build a building on Chuanshu Road (the Second Financial Street), Jiangxi Middle Road, and Henan Middle Road, three roads parallel to Huangpu Beach Road.

However, Du Yuesheng did not suffer any loss. There were so many guests this time, and the gifts alone might be as high as two million.

However, Chen Guangliang believed that Du Yuesheng's rise to power was bound to lead to conflicts with Huang Jinrong. Huang Jinrong, after seeing the scene today, would probably immediately prepare the Huang Family Ancestral Hall.

More importantly, Huang Jinrong's disciples and Du Yuesheng's disciples naturally engaged in intrigue against each other.

From the 10th to the 12th, the Du Family Ancestral Hall performed a series of wonderful plays, with the "Four Great Dan Actresses" and "Four Great Bearded Actors" all appearing on stage, making it a great success.

The Du Family Ancestral Hall was inaugurated with several days of feasting to entertain guests. The head chef was Sun Bing, a renowned chef in Gaoqiao. Sun was an expert in local cuisine, and Du Yuesheng, a native of Gaoqiao in Pudong, naturally used his hometown dishes to entertain the guests.

Soon, Chen Guangliang brought his men to Guangzhou Bay (Zhanjiang).

This place was leased to France by the Qing government for 1889 years around 99. In fact, France was unable to occupy it after World War II, and the Nationalist government withdrew its troops from North Vietnam in exchange for this leased land.

The French government originally wanted to invest in Guangzhou Bay to allow it to compete with Hong Kong, but the result was the opposite of what they expected.

There are many reasons why Guangzhou Bay has never been able to reach the level of Hong Kong. In addition to rampant smuggling and the lack of authority of the currency, the fact that it is far away from the commercial area, the level of officials controlling Guangzhou Bay is far lower than that of Hong Kong, and the backward industrial base are also key factors.

Especially the difference in administrative level. The head of Guangzhou Bay is just a subordinate of the French Indochina region, which is equivalent to the city level; while the Governor of Hong Kong is directly under the British central government, which is equivalent to a municipality, and can obtain much more support and mobilize much more resources.

However, the reason why Chen Guangliang took a fancy to this Feng Shui treasure land was that during the Anti-Japanese War, Guangzhou Bay was the French Concession, and a large amount of supplies could be transported to the southwestern provinces. At that time, the fortune would not be made in China.

Moreover, Guangzhou Bay is also a major transportation route in the southwest and has a good geographical location.

"Mr. Chen"

In an office building in Guangzhou Bay, employees who arrived early were already waiting for Chen Guangliang.

"Well, are the local staff already in place?"

"This is him. He used to be a customs officer at Guangzhou Bay. His name is Chen Zengtao." "Hello, boss."

Chen Guangliang immediately switched to Cantonese: "Nei Hou, it seems that we are still family. I need you to help me with the company procedures in the next few days!"

Chen Zengtao didn't expect Chen Guangliang to be so polite, and immediately said, "It's my responsibility. We've almost finished preparing the procedures and so on. We will definitely not waste your precious time."

Can talk.

Afterwards, Chen Guangliang called everyone to a meeting.

He said:
"The newly established Jinshan Shipping will have two ships, both with a deadweight of 4000 to 5000 tons. They are large cargo ships and are relatively new. Therefore, the scale of our company is also very large."

"Whether you're from Jiangnan or Guangdong, we're all southerners, so we must unite. After all, we're here to make money."

"Also, the manager in charge here is Wu Hao, and the assistant manager is Chen Zengtao. We will continue to recruit local staff, and our headquarters will no longer send anyone here."

He only needs to send accountants and finance staff over, and the rest can all be local employees. Of course, Manager Wu Hao was originally the manager of Global Trade, and now he also serves as the manager here.

As for the seafarers, they are naturally trained at the headquarters before joining the ship, and basically never go ashore.

At this time, Chen Zengtao said, "Boss, I've studied Jinshan Company's two routes. I think the Hong Kong to Guangzhou Bay (Zhanjiang) route is very busy, so we can open a fixed route. Then we can expand from Guangzhou Bay to the southwestern provinces, and later consider expanding to Southeast Asia. This way, we can be more reliable."

After hearing this, Chen Guangliang immediately asked, "Can you tell me more about it?"

He and his subordinates finalized the four routes based on the policies of the Nanjing government and the shipping knowledge in Shanghai.

But if the local employee can come up with better suggestions, they should naturally be adopted!
Afterwards, Chen Zengtao gave a detailed introduction to the "business between Zhanjiang and Hong Kong" and the "business between Zhanjiang and the southwestern provinces". In his words, his experience in working in the customs immediately highlighted his advantages.

The route has only changed slightly.

Fortunately, Chen Guangliang knew from the beginning that the most advantageous place for shipping was customs, so he asked his subordinates to go to customs for high salary recruitment.

"Okay, I'll think about it. After all, the ship won't be officially operational for some time. Everyone, get ready first!"

"Ok"

If we refer to Chen Zengtao's routes, then Chen Guangliang is also at the level of "shipping king" among the routes across the country.

One is based in Shanghai and the other is based in Guangzhou Bay. They are developing at the same time and expanding very quickly.

In the next few days, Chen Guangliang quickly handled the formalities of "Jinshan Shipping" and presented generous gifts to French colonial officials.

His identity and status in the Shanghai Stock Exchange also played a very good role, making it very convenient for him to meet people.

Of course, Guangzhou Bay was a mixed bag, and aside from befriending the foreigners, the rest required gradual adaptation. Chen Guangliang also planned to have Zhou Xinggao come here to train a security team.

Before returning to Shanghai, Chen Guangliang visited Chen Jitang at the Guangdong Provincial Government.

Chen Jitang also gave Chen Guangliang a banquet out of respect, and the person who accompanied him was Feng Rui, the director of the Agriculture and Forestry Bureau and the person in charge of sugar production.

"Don't worry, Mr. Chen. Your Jiangsu-Zhejiang consortium's investment has laid the foundation for our Guangdong sugar industry. I will never forget this. So you can start receiving dividends from the First Sugar Refinery next year. I guarantee you will make a profit!" Chen Jitang said the most polite words.

Chen Guangliang nodded and said, "Of course we trust Marshal Chen. I'm not here for this matter."

"Oh?" Chen Jitang asked with a smile, "What's that about?"

Chen Guangliang first said: "I set up a shipping company in Guangzhou Bay!"

Chen Jitang immediately said generously: "I don't think it's a big deal. Although Guangzhou Bay is the French Concession, if anyone dares to cause trouble for you, just come to me."

That being said, these warlords wouldn't help without a reason. In a previous life, Rong Zongjing was kidnapped, and the kidnappers demanded $60. Southern Whale intervened and rescued him, but the various departments demanded a "fleeing fee" from Rong Zongjing, totaling $.

Tell me, who is darker?

Therefore, in the late 1940s, the smart capitalists did not want to stay in either side and went to Hong Kong or the United States.

Chen Guangliang raised his glass and said, "Then I'll toast to the Marshal and wish him a better future for Guangdong Province."

This sentence touched Chen Jitang's heart. He raised his glass happily and said, "Okay, I still need the support of you businessmen!"

After putting down his wine glass, Chen Guangliang took the opportunity to say, "The shipping company I founded in Guangzhou Bay has two ships of 4000 to 5000 tons. As far as I know, the first sugar refinery will be able to start operations in November, and it will also need to import sugarcane from Southeast Asia. Please take care of it, Marshal!"

He has made such a great contribution to the sugar industry in Guangdong Province, so it’s not too much to ask for some benefits, right?

Chen Jitang realized that Chen Guangliang was waiting for this. He said directly, "I thought it was something important that I asked you to come here. I agree to this. After all, you are the one who suggested the sugar production in Guangdong Province and have made contributions. Director Feng, did you hear this? I will leave it to you!"

Feng Rui immediately said, "I heard you. I'll definitely ship it to Mr. Chen's shipping company when the time comes!"

The goal was achieved. With this business alone, Chen Guangliang believed that he could get back the investment from Guangdong Province.

Of course, he also knew that Feng Rui liked money, so he asked people from Jinshan Shipping to give Feng Rui some gifts later.

"Thank you, Marshal, thank you, Director Feng"

Feng Rui immediately said, "Mr. Chen, you're too polite. You've helped us a lot in sugar production in Guangdong Province!"

After the banquet, Chen Guangliang took the opportunity to give Chen Jitang a famous calligraphy and painting to please him.

afterwards.

Chen Jitang said to Feng Rui, "Mr. Chen is a man of integrity. You must give the people the benefits they deserve!"

During this meeting, Chen Guangliang did not mention anything like "sending more people" or "supervising finances", which immediately impressed Chen Jitang.

Feng Rui nodded and said, "Indeed, he has made contributions to our Guangdong sugar industry and is very sensible of current affairs. Moreover, when we sell our sugar in Shanghai, we have to go through these Jiangsu and Zhejiang financial groups."

Chen Jitang said, "So, we should agree to transport the sugarcane, but we can't give it all to him. We also have to take care of local shipping."

"Ok"

(End of this chapter)