The journey starts from the Titanic

In addition to Zhang Bishi, Hu Guolian is also one of the most famous merchants.He once put forward the grand goal of developing Hainan Island.In 1907, during the New Deal of the late Qing Dynasty, Minister Yang Shiqi, the minister of envoy, went to various countries in Southeast Asia to inspect business, and he was deeply impressed by Hu Guolian's grand mining business.After Yang Shiqi returned to China, he played to the Qing court "Discussing Chinese Businessmen's Creation and Prosperity of Qiongya Land", and gave a detailed report on Hu Guolian's concept and plan for the development of Hainan Island's "One Outline and Ten Eyes".

The so-called "one program" is the establishment of Qiongzhou Quanye General Bank."One outline" means "ten eyes" Zhang.The "ten eyes" are in order: invigorating mining, clearing wasteland, extensive planting, talking about animal husbandry, invigorating salt affairs, growing forests, heavy fishery, building roads, setting up ships, and opening up commercial ports.

After the Qing government considered it, it generally agreed to this plan, and the vigorous Hainan Island development plan began. All of a sudden, it opened banks, invigorated mining, cleared wasteland, expanded planting, talked about animal husbandry, developed salt... It can almost be described as the years of burning passion.

The Qing government rewarded Hu Guolian with the third-grade hat of Qiongya Reclamation Supervisor, and let Hu Guolian let it go.In order to raise funds, Guolian and Ou Zhaoren are offering two million yuan of shares to establish Qiaoxing Headquarters and its subsidiary Qiaofeng Company in Guangzhou. According to the principle of one outline and ten goals, Hainan Island will be developed as a development company.

In order to invest in the development of Hainan Island, Hu Guolian not only IPO in Guangzhou, but also used his relationship in Nanyang to recruit millions of yuan of funds, all invested in Hainan Island development projects.Hu's family is a major developer of Hainan Island, and it has invested the most money, so it also suffered the worst.

Not long after the plan started, Cixi was over, and Guangxu was over. The situation in the late Qing Dynasty became more turbulent, and the Hainan Island project gradually ran aground due to personnel turnover.The major shareholders of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office have also withdrawn their shares, leaving only a hollow shell of failure.

In this seemingly vigorous development of Hainan Island, Hu Guolian's passion had only just started, and the fire was extinguished, and he was really defeated.The passion was gone and the losses were heavy. From then on, the Hu family was no longer enthusiastic about mainland affairs and concentrated on the family's business in Nanyang.

"Oh!" Hu Chunlai sighed, "Things are not humans, and all the hard work has been turned into water. My father always sighed whenever he talked about Hainan. Now Qiaoxing Company has not closed down, but it is almost the same. I heard that only in The big smoke garden, rubber garden, Yulin, and Sanya's salt industry are still encouraging to maintain, and the others are long gone."

Suddenly, Situ Nan's eyes lit up, and he faintly saw a window leading to the mainland-hurriedly said."Does the Hu family still have shares in Qiaoxing Company? Sell it to me!"

Chapter 47 Meihua Wants East India Company?

"What? You want to buy the shares of Qiaoxing Company?" Hu Guolian looked at Situ Nan in surprise, then shook his head, "No, no."

"Why?" Situ Nan wondered.Since the Qiaoxing Company in Hainan is already in a mess, why doesn't Hu Guolian sell it to himself?Although the industries have been corrupted, Qiao Xing is still the master of those industries in name.With the signboard of Qiaoxing Company, it will be easier for Zhigongdang and Meihua Company to control Hainan.

"Lady, it's not that I don't want to sell you, but I can't cheat you!" Hu Guolian said earnestly, "Do you know that there are still frequent bandits in the hinterland of Hainan Island and the warlords have seized control for years? If you invest in Hainan now, you will only lose everything. I transferred Qiaoxing Company to you, did that hurt you?"

"It turns out that this is the case, your old love Situ remembers you. I thought you were not willing to be the old man?" Situ Nan smiled, and did not take Hu Guolian's words to heart, but he was secretly grateful for the old man's care.

He Wenxiu's group was too idle in Nanyang and couldn't make any big moves, so they proposed to go to the mainland to try it. Now it's okay. Going to Hainan to fight bandits is not what the group wants?The Hu family is worthy, and you can turn to the Hu family for more resources in the future.Situ Nan thought to himself.

"You child, how can this be a trifling matter? It's about using swords and guns, not as simple as spending money to do business. If something happens, you will regret it."

Hu Guolian looked at Situ Nan's nonchalant appearance, and was so angry that he knocked on the ground with a cane.Doing business also pay attention to the right time and place.At present, the most lack of investment in the mainland is human beings.After the outbreak of the Hai Revolution, the political situation in the provinces became unstable, and wars occurred from time to time, and the various investments of the Hu family in various parts of China were disillusioned, and the vitality was severely damaged.Hu Guolian, who had suffered from heartache, naturally did not want Situ Nan to jump into the fire pit.

"Listen to my explanation, old man." Situ Nan looked at Hu Guolian a little angry, and quickly said with a serious face, "I know you are for my good. The situation on Hainan Island is indeed a lot of problems. Bandits are in trouble, warlords are fighting, and Li Han conflicts. It happens from time to time, and I have considered all of these. It’s just that Meihua’s situation is a bit special, and we are able to resolve the situations you mentioned."

"It can be solved, how can it be solved? If I don't say why, even if I let the Qiaoxing Company continue to rot, I will never give it to you." Hu Guo said rudely, Lian scowled. Stubborn look.

Situ Nan had a headache when facing such an old man, and the other party was kind, and it seemed that it would be impossible not to disclose some things.Thinking of this, he looked around and motioned to the other side to step back.

Well, this is in the Hu's mansion in Bencheng.In order to obtain Hainan’s Qiaoxing Company from Hu Guolian, Situ Nan had to visit Hu Guolian personally.

After Hu Guolian retired, only Situ Nan, Hu Guolian and Hu Maoqing remained in the study.

"Okay! You can say it." Hu Guolian glanced at Situ Nan. He didn't have a good temper. He really didn't understand that this kid was so shrewd, but he insisted on going to Hainan. Isn't this messy?

"The next thing I want to talk about is the biggest secret of Meihua Company. I hope that the father and Maoqing will keep it secret. Otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Situ Nan straightened his face and looked at the already serious Hu Guolian and his sons and solemnly said: "In fact, Meihua is not only a company, but also a huge consortium, and even an East India company!"

"What?! East India Company?" Hu Guolian and his son were stunned by Situ Nan's words.Although the East India Company has become history, no one in Nanyang does not know the East India Company.

Hundreds of years ago, it was the Dutch East India Company that began its colonial history in South Asia. In order to plunder resources, there was nothing the East India Company dared to do.The East India Company is not only a company, but also a group of brutal and powerful bandits.Thanks to them, the descendants of the East India Company are now ruling Nanyang.The Dutch, the British, and the French each have their own East India Company, but they have now changed their names to the colonial government.

Meihua is the East India Company?This gentle, gentle and young Situ Nan in front of you is the person who speaks to the East India Company?

Hu Guolian felt that this was the funniest joke he had heard, and even Hu Maoqing, who was on the side, stared at Situ Nan with wide eyes.

"Young man, do you know what the East India Company is?" Hu Guolian asked patiently.

"Master, Maoqing, I'm serious. After listening to me, I will prove it to you." Situ Nan knew that he was a bit arrogant, but in his heart he thought of Meihua Company in this way.

"In the past few years, a consortium has emerged in the western United States. This consortium made a fortune in World War I. As for how much there is, I think it is more than the total number of Chinese businessmen in Southeast Asia combined.

But this is not the point. The point is that the boss of the consortium is a Chinese. He has made a lot of money, but he cannot help his motherland change the situation of being bullied.Of course, seeing the unequal treatment of Chinese in the United States made me very frustrated, and later I wanted to use my financial resources to find a place for the Chinese people overseas.So he chose Nanyang and began to organize some like-minded people.

While investing in industry in the United States, he formed a security company while using the security company to build a small army.Many of the security companies are Chinese.

There were more and more security companies. In order to avoid suspicion, before the end of the First World War, he began to separate the security companies, and some were sent to Latin America and other regions to organize Chinese people to cultivate and emigrate in the name of the company.

Some people were sent back to Nanyang, also under the cover of the company, to open farms, build immigrant settlements, train militias, and slowly secretly save their strength.

This is Meihua Company!Meihua company not only has a lot of money, industry, but also the army!Isn't this the East India Company?But we are different from the Dutch who burned, killed and looted. We are a group of helpless people struggling to survive!The purpose of Shimeihua is to seek a resting place for thousands of Chinese in Nanyang."

Situ Nan nodded and bowed slightly to Hu Guolian.It is not only to respect the elderly, but also to show respect to the patriots.In a sense, Meihua and Hu Guolian have made the same endeavors.

If we study Hu Guolian’s life carefully, we will find that, not to mention asking for his own pockets to develop Hainan, he donated 3 million taels of silver to the Qing Dynasty to build the navy to resist foreign enemies. At the same time, he built railways and opened Qiong mines. The establishment of nine primary and secondary schools, including Zhonghua School, Chinese Women's School, Yongding Normal School, and Youxing School, cost millions of dollars!It is no exaggeration to describe it as ruining the home for the country!This kind of deficit heart is obvious!

Unfortunately, when he learned that Cixi had moved the donated silver to build a palace, Hu Guolian, who was extremely disappointed, began to fund the Tongmenghui again and resolutely opposed the Qing.

The subsequent decline of the Hu family is not so much related to the current situation as it is that Hu Guolian's almost unreserved patriotic act caused the Hu family to transfuse too much blood and gradually withered.The Hu family, which is now cooperating with Situ Nan, has declined a lot since it was at its peak.

Situ Nan is not Hu Guolian. He knows that relying on people is worse than relying on himself. It is impossible to succeed by donating to the revolution. Only by own organization and participation can it make a fucking change in the current situation.Therefore, he will not give another penny to the KMT, but leave it to Meihua to complete its mission.

"Father, I don't sound right. We can only stand out overseas by our own efforts. Only by the blood and sacrifice of our children can we find a place for our nation. Only when we stand up can we turn our heads back to feed the motherland. .Otherwise, no matter how many warships are donated to Beiyang, the mud will not be able to support the wall. I think you should have a deep understanding." Situ Nan said with emotion.

He knew that Hu Guolian would not betray him, so he assured the other party to confess the secret behind Meihua Company.Taking a step back, betraying Meihua will not do any good to the Hu family, and it will even be destroyed!So even if the Hu family hated Meihua, they didn't dare to inform.Otherwise, in the late Qing Dynasty, there would not be so many royalists in Nanyang, so many revolutionaries, in fact, most of them were the same people, just betting on both ends.

"What you said is true?" Hu Guolian stared at Situ Nan, holding the crutches tightly in one hand. He didn't expect to hear such news of surprise, panic, and excitement before he was about to die.

"Yeah. Actually, our friends and brothers have done more than I said. Because the time is not yet ripe, we have to continue to dormant and accumulate our strength. This time I want to get Qiaoxing Company in order to expand our strength. It is also to train our soldiers and horses to prepare for the future." Situ Nan said earnestly, looking at Hu Maoqing who was a little excited, and said, "If Maoqing is interested, I can let people take you to visit our base. I know what I said is true."

Listening to Situ Nan's words, although Hu Guolian tried his best to keep calm, his heart was already turbulent. He couldn't help but squinted. He calmed down after a while, and said hoarsely: "This matter is indeed very important. , Nanyang will change the sky, the weather will change, like thunder in nine days. Maoqing, absolutely can’t divulge a word."

Hu Guolian turned to Hu Maoqing. Although he knew his son was prudent, he couldn't help but warn him.

Hu Maoqing nodded solemnly, and then said, "Mr. Situ, take the liberty to ask, we Chinese are in a disadvantaged position in Nanyang, and if something happens unexpectedly, we may be involved in many ways. What you are planning is most dependent on force. I want to ask. Sentence, are you really sure?"

This is what Hu Guolian wanted to ask, and he looked at Situ Nan expectantly.

"There is no absolute success, only absolute confidence. As for the use of force, it is inconvenient to disclose. You can say something boldly. If you are not afraid of the British, we can take care of them at any time. The place we are seeking is on the South Bank. , So I won’t get too involved here."

Situ Nan pointed to the Strait of Malacca, and the meaning was very clear, that is to say, to deal with the Dutch, not to compete with the British, so the Chinese families in Malaya would not be wary of extinction.

Chapter 48

Situ Nan looked at the Hu Guolian and his son indifferently, with a sneer expression in his eyes, as if to say, rest assured, it won't hurt you, you guys will be burdened.

"Haha." Hu Guolian seemed to understand the expression in Situ Nan's eyes, his old face was a little hot, and everyone had opened up the secret to you. It seemed that he shouldn't worry that others would hurt him.

"Situ, don't worry! The Hu family is definitely not a betrayer of friends. They are always upright Chinese. Such big things are worthy of the country and the people. Our Hu family is not to be left behind." The Hu Guolian made a loud noise. Tao, the muddy old eyes burst out with a firmness.

"Okay! From now on, the Hu family is our Meihua's friend, and our Zhi Gong Dang's ally. We have always been sincere to our friends." Situ Nan smiled, feeling relieved, having lost so much saliva. Finally let this old man relax.However, there is no proof in saying that, in order to gain the trust of the Hu family, you have to show your true strength.

"Zhi Gong Dang? What does it have to do with Zhi Gong Tang in North America?" Hu Guolian responded.

"The predecessor of the Zhi Gong Party was the Zhi Gong Tang in the United States, but in recent years, after our reorganization, the court in the United States has been formalized and corporatized, and it is no longer the same as before...

Situ Nan smiled and said, "It just so happens that my two elders, Situ Meideng or Huang Sande, have also arrived in Nanyang recently. I think you can meet soon."