I'm incredibly ambitious after being reborn.

Chapter 19: Providing Double Insurance for One's Own Family and Making Empty Promises

Seven million five hundred and fifty thousand—this was the final total figure compiled by the ancestral hall's accountant. A total of 168 households from the second and third branches of the clan contributed money. When divided among them, each household faced some pressure, but it wasn't too much.

It's way too much beyond four million. The people who took the money today are just seeing what Zhang Daxiang has in store for them.

"How about this, with the extra three million or so, let's first take over the remaining fields next to 'Wujiatan,' especially that grove of metasequoia trees and the riverside wharf. We'll negotiate the transfer with 'Wujiatan,' and I'll need everyone's help then."

Once the atmosphere was right, Zhang Daxiang didn't intend to stop at four million; he wanted as much as he could exceed that amount. "Business at 'Shizipo' is good right now, but I can't say how big it will eventually become. Whether we'll open another 'Shizipo' on another provincial or national highway in the future depends on fate. But the gas station business, given the current market conditions, can be a long-term business."

"So what I'm going to talk about next is that when the business of gas stations and their supporting facilities takes off, anyone with the surname Zhang can invest in a newly opened one."

"Elders, please don't rush to speak. I also have my reasons. Please let me finish speaking."

Upon hearing Zhang Daxiang's words, some elders felt that this was a bargain and were immediately unhappy. However, as Zhang Daxiang raised his hand and pressed down, the men all shut up and waited for him to finish speaking.

Zhang Daxiang glanced around slowly and then said, "First, we need to talk about the 'Shizipo' business. Right now, we make about 40,000 to 50,000 a month. Around the end of the year, around the twelfth and first lunar months, it'll be the last busy period. If we estimate for the whole year, we should make about 600,000 to 700,000. So, it's not far off that 'Shizipo' can break even on 7.55 million in ten years, right?"

Inside the ancestral hall, voices rose and fell in response, and amidst the swirling smoke, the heads of each household continued to listen to Zhang Daxiang's story.

"I mentioned 'Shizipo' to reassure everyone that we have the resources to provide a safety net."

"Secondly, these days, let alone the second and third largest businesses, even those that have branched off from the old family line, there aren't many families that have become wealthy. If my family becomes wealthy, that's not a big deal. Whether I have big or good business or not, it doesn't affect me at all."

"However, it's not true wealth if only I get rich. Since I believe we can seize this opportunity, true wealth is when everyone gets rich together. If every household in our Zhang family gets rich, then we won't have to worry about anything going wrong, no matter how big the business we do in the future."

This statement is the bottom line, and the men, though silent, agreed that Zhang Daxiang was right.

Helping Zhang Daxiang get rich is a favor from one's ancestors; if one can also get rich, that's a blessing from one's ancestors.

"In the end, we've only just started. Whether it will succeed or not depends on next year. If the competition is too fierce, then it's better not to do this business. But if it really succeeds, and if we can expand this kind of business like gas stations, it won't be very useful for me to do it all by myself. We still need to use our own family members."

"But I can't possibly earn millions while my family members work at a gas station earning only a thousand or a few hundred a month, can I? That doesn't make sense."

"But if salaries and bonuses are maxed out, reaching several thousand or tens of thousands, then would we still need to hire outsiders?"

“These things are all interconnected. I’m saying this now to make a statement. I, Zhang Xiang, don’t have any grand life ambitions, but if I can have mutton soup, I won’t let my family have to eat cold water.”

The statement also serves as reassurance, creating a double guarantee with the benefits of "Shizipo".

Now that the fundraising has reached a certain scale, some people will definitely regret it after leaving the ancestral hall. After all, when there are many people, there are quite a few who follow the crowd and impulsively spend money.

When he came to his senses, all the money was in Zhang Daxiang's pocket, and all he was holding in his hand was a promissory note that wouldn't even fill him up.

Zhang Daxiang's double insurance plus empty promises were meant to encourage those who weren't present today but still wanted to contribute money to come directly to the ancestral hall and report to the elders. At that time, he would still present them with three copies of the loan contract.

As always, Zhang Daxiang will take as many as he can get; he accepts all comers.

The main branch has 1,400 yuan, and the collateral branches have 1,300 yuan. If each household receives 10,000 yuan, that's 27 million yuan. For the sake of "one person, twelve incense offerings," Zhang Daxiang, who has been acting like a monster with the old man Zhang Qihui, is now determined to emulate Cao Cao. If he needs manpower or money, he will desperately squeeze it from the Cao and Xiahou families.

Liu Xuande had no one in his hometown, relied on his younger brothers for start-up capital, and relied on his wife to accumulate the remaining capital, making his entrepreneurial journey extremely difficult.

However, Zhang Qiding, who had retired and was now guarding the ancestral hall, was speechless when he saw his younger brother's grandson behaving so badly. When the party was over, he specifically pulled Zhang Daxiang aside and gave him a lecture: "You little coffin (kid) are really something else. Seven million isn't enough for you? You're eyeing other people's savings?"

"Oh, Grandpa, don't speak so harshly. What do you mean by 'still eyeing other people's savings'? What other people? They are all our blood relatives, the Zhang family."

"You beast, Zongsang, you really are..."

Principal Zhang Qiding was so shocked his mouth almost twisted. He had even taken out 350,000 yuan of his life savings for his funeral, but he never expected that this little brother's grandson... was really a grandson.

What kind of bullshit statement is that? What kind of idiotic reasoning is that? It might fool others, but it can't fool this schoolteacher.

Zhang Daxiang felt that 7.55 million was too little and wanted more.

If this goes too far, he'll be the biggest scourge of the family.

The last time the Zhang family emerged and ruined most of their wealth... it was his father who did it.

That's fine.

Zhang Qiding was found and saved by his father in Longjishan. At that time, he was not very sensible. After Zhang Zhixu returned to Jiyang after selling old man cloth, Daxing and Erxing used all the gold bars and silver dollars they had painstakingly saved in the city to sponsor the heroes of the Jianghu who were fighting guerrilla warfare.

It almost left Zhangshi Village without enough money for firewood.

"Where's your grandpa?!"

He didn't intend to teach Zhang Daxiang a lesson. Having been Zhang Daxiang's son for decades, Zhang Qiding knew very well that when his father was alive, he always let things go in one ear and out the other, treating everyone's words as farts.

Now that something similar has appeared, he's almost overreacting.

Furthermore, he knew that Zhang Daxiang was capable, but he was still too young and needed someone above him to take care of him. Zhang Qihui, as the grandfather, and the direct grandfather at that, should undoubtedly protect him at all times to prevent this good grandson from causing any trouble in the underworld.

“He said he would help me find a decent wife. He’s been staying at my uncle’s house recently so it’s convenient for him to visit matchmaking agencies in the city.”

"A dog in an old coffin will only bark; it's never reliable!"

“Well, if we don’t say that you’re the eldest and he’s the youngest, then today in the ancestral hall, I felt that I had a great understanding with you, Grandpa.”

"Absolutely..."

A smile suddenly appeared on Zhang Qiding's face. Today, he saw through his grandson's tricks, yet he cooperated without even needing to communicate. It was truly exhilarating to have such a master strategist in mind...

Bah! That little bastard actually flattered me without leaving a trace, I almost fell for it!
(End of this chapter)