For Mrs. Liu Jiu, Hu Chuyuan admires her, admires her chastity, and hopes that he can find such a woman as a companion to share all the glory and wealth in life and all the pain and setbacks together, and depend on each other.

For Pan Limei, Hu Chuyuan loves it and is full of expectations.

In Pan Limei's near-perfect appearance and body, there is also all the magic that can make men addicted. Inadvertently, just separated for a while, Hu Chuyuan was a little nostalgic.

He even fantasized about what it would be like to have her.

For Wu Shuzhen, Hu Chuyuan appreciates it from the heart, in her elegant temperament and graceful posture, there is clearly a light of wisdom that illuminates a corner of Hu Chuyuan's heart.

If Hu Chuyuan really chooses to take a stake in Qichang Foreign Bank and can only make one request, he will definitely find a way to dig out Wu Shuzhen and keep it by his side.

Pan Limei is tempting and wants to commit crimes, and Wu Shuzhen is elegant and intelligent.

After waiting for a few days, Chen Xiaobai gave Hu Chuyuan a rough verification report, but the situation was not optimistic.

The asset statement submitted to Hu Chuyuan by Qichang Foreign Company must have some water, but it is enough for Hu Chuyuan to understand where the problem lies with Qichang Foreign Company -- the decline of Qichang Foreign Company is not due to the defects and deficiencies in actual operation, but the fact that the US capital side is constantly pumping profits and funds back to the United States for internal investment.

There are two reasons for this: first, due to the rapid development of the U.S. economy, investing in the U.S. does have a high rate of return; Second, the mainstream consciousness in the United States is also encouraging capitalists to invest in China and support the development of the domestic economy.

After the funds and profits were continuously withdrawn, Qichang Foreign Bank was indeed unable to compete with the British-funded foreign banks, and the British economy has also changed from a manufacturing empire to a financial empire, mainly for financial investment, and the capital of the British-funded foreign banks is generally more sufficient, and the willingness to invest abroad is stronger.

To buy or not to buy, this is not a question, and how much to spend on it, it is not a question either.

For Hu Chuyuan, after buying, how to effectively make a profit and how to effectively serve himself is his only problem.

After reading the report submitted by Chen Xiaobai, he invited the elegant Wu Shuzhen to the shore of Xiyuan Lake and enjoyed afternoon tea together in the pavilion.

Hu Chuyuan's afternoon tea is always fixed at 3 p.m., a pot of oolong tea, a small plate of dried fruits, a fruit plate are his favorites, and occasionally a plate of cheese is added.

Pouring tea for Wu Shuzhen, after a little sipping, Hu Chuyuan put down the teacup and said to her: "I can buy the shares of Qichang Foreign Company!" ”

Wu Shuzhen had expected it and said with a light smile: "You have to bid for buying things, what is your price?" ”

Hu Chuyuan replied: "The specific price is not important, but I have a condition, and only if this condition is met, I will contribute." ”

Seeing that he was very serious, Wu Shuzhen also said solemnly: "Please speak!" ”

Hu Chuyuan sorted it out a little in his heart and said, "I want to get at least 40% of the shares of Qichang Foreign Bank; The business of Qichang Foreign Bank in China should be dominated by me, in short, I have the final say; The U.S. side will no longer withdraw funds from Qichang & Co., and all profits will remain in China to continue investing, and I can guarantee that the return on investment of Qichang & Co. will definitely be higher than the average return on investment in the U.S. market. ”

"You clearly have three conditions!" Wu Shuzhen couldn't help laughing, but after thinking for a moment, she said: "With so many requests, it seems that I can't make the decision, and I have to go back to the United States to discuss with the Russell family and my father." ”

Hu Chuyuan also knew, and said: "It doesn't matter, you can go back to the United States and discuss slowly with the Russell family, as well as your father." By the way, I still have a few small conditions, first, Qichang Foreign Bank will be renamed Wanqi Foreign Company, I am not joking, because I really want to do a good job in this foreign company, brand it, and manage it in my own way; Second, Wanqi Bank should open a new Wanqi Bank; Third, Wanqi Foreign Bank should set up a new technical bureau to recruit technical engineers from the United States for me and Jiangnan Commercial Bank, involving iron and steel, textile, machinery, shipbuilding, chemical industry, water conservancy, railway, prospecting, education, finance, military industry, and other aspects, at least 50 or 60 people, and the salaries will be paid by Jiangnan Commercial Bank, and Jiangnan Commercial Bank is willing to give Wanqi Foreign Bank an interest-free loan; Fourth...... I hope you can stay in China for a long time to help me deal with Wanqi and other things...... To be exact, I would like to hire you as my special advisor. ”

"That's what a lot of requests!"

Hearing that Hu Chuyuan was going to keep her, Wu Shuzhen smiled interestingly, some invitations were indeed difficult to refuse, and she was happy to accept such invitations.

She slowly put down the teacup warmly, and said to Hu Chuyuan: "If I personally look at it, in addition to getting at least 40% of the equity, I don't think other requirements are difficult to accept." So, I'll be back to the U.S. in the near future, and I'll take care of the technical bureau as well, but before that, I'm curious to know how you plan to turn the tide of the situation? ”

Hu Chuyuan smiled and replied very easily: "I can use the position of Jiangnan Commercial Bank in China's silk tea industry to support Qichang Foreign Company, and you are responsible for selling raw silk and tea in the United States, if possible, we can control the export of raw silk and tea in the entire American market within three years." With the further enrichment of funds, I will let Qichang Bank carry out large-scale expansion in the four industries of international shipping, banking, textile and real estate, based in Shanghai and Hong Kong, and become bigger and stronger. ”

Wu Shuzhen was skeptical, but said: "It sounds easy, but it doesn't seem easy to do." ”

Hu Chuyuan still smiled lightly and said, "Then let's take a look." ”

He knew that not only Wu Shuzhen, but everyone else also doubted that he could regain control of the raw silk industry in the entire south of the Yangtze River, half of the country that Hu Xueyan had beaten down had been easily given up by him, and now he wanted to recover it, how easy was it to say?

But he had a way.

All he can do is to let Jiangsu and Zhejiang raw silk first choose to land in the American market, and then consider the needs of the European market.

One of the problems is the tariffs imposed by the United States on the export of Chinese silk, and the "US-China Trade Treaty" signed between Ben and the United States stipulates that Bensheng Silk enjoys the most favored treatment in the silk industry in the United States, and if it wants to compete with Bensheng Silk, China Raw Silk must also obtain this clause.

Soon, Wu Shuzhen invited Pfister Delano III over to discuss the issue with him.

At this stage, the interests of the United States in China mainly depend on the interests of Qichang in China, and if Qichang and the Russell-Delano family behind it decide to let the US government adjust the import tariffs on Huasheng silk, it will not be too much of a problem.

Pfister-Delano thinks that it is possible, because the United States has a low demand for China's interests, not to mention that it already has the most-favored-nation status in China, and it is not difficult to give China some advantages, and if the Qing court agrees to expand the American concession in Shanghai, this supplementary agreement on Qing-American trade will be easily signed.

Hu Chuyuan wrote a letter to Zuo Zongtang, discussing in detail the pros and cons, expanding the concession area may be detrimental to the national prestige, but the benefits are real, and the impact is far-reaching, it will be of great help to the export of raw silk in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and the impact on the raw silk industry will be greater.

Soon, Zuo Zongtang wrote back to Hu Chuyuan, meaning that Hu Chuyuan should not come forward, let the Americans put it forward themselves, and then Yang Changjun would bargain for a most-favored-nation treatment of raw silk and tea.

In this way, they are passive negotiators, and "in the final analysis" it is the greed of the Americans, and they also fight for the maximum gain and face for the imperial court...... Yang Changjun can also make a contribution to this.

A politician is a politician.

Zuo Zongtang's strategy is the most feasible surname and the most profitable.

In the late Qing Dynasty, it is okay to do great things, the key is strategy, we must be good at taking advantage of the fear of foreigners in the late Qing Dynasty.

As an intermediary, Hu Chuyuan secretly discussed with Pfister-Delano several times, and finally decided that Pfister-Delano should apply to the U.S. political axe for negotiations, demanding an increase in the area of the concession on the grounds that the Shanghai concession could no longer meet the interests of American businessmen.

In consideration of the Far East balance policy between the Qing and Qing dynasties, the Qing court was willing to accept the request for a new concession on the condition of "most-favored-nation treatment for the import of raw silk and tea."

After confirming these matters, Wu Shuzhen left for the United States to inform Wu Zhenbang and the Russell family and negotiate a more detailed share transfer agreement, and Yung Hong also left with her.