Hu Chuyuan really wanted to get "the most favored nation treatment for the import of raw silk and tea" in the United States, and in fact, as long as this clause could be reached, he felt that even if the whole of Shanghai was set up as an American concession, it would be worth it.

After all, the concession can be taken back, and the prosperity of the country and the inflow of silver are all real benefits, especially those that can have a great impact on and suppress the capital.

These days, in the competition for the share capital of Shanghai Steamship China Merchants, Xu Run only got 37% of the shares, and could only choose to completely withdraw from the steamship bureau and give up the steamship bureau he had worked hard to build for six years to Sheng Xuanhuai.

Hu Chuyuan asked Jiangnan Commercial Bank to invest 850,000 taels of silver in the name of the company to buy the 37% shares, and wait for dividends.

He had already conceived a beautiful combination of punches, which would definitely be able to beat Sheng Xuanhuai into a grandson, and this 37% stake in the Shanghai Steamship Bureau was a start.

Not afraid of thieves stealing, just afraid of thieves, he has been thinking about Sheng Xuanhuai for a long time, of course, Sheng Xuanhuai has always been thinking about him.

Shanghai is already in a mess, the collapse of the Nanxun merchant gang is becoming more and more fierce, many money banks in Shanghai have closed down, and even foreign banks have been deeply implicated, while Hu Chuyuan is much more comfortable.

This morning, Pfister Delano came to visit Hu Chuyuan again.

The two of them took a walk in the Jiangnan garden in the West Garden.

Watching the gradual renovation of the garden, Pfister-Delano sighed and said to Hu Chuyuan: "Your garden art is indeed very unique, and I often go to the Yu Garden to have a look, but it is a pity that such an ancient building has fallen into the Shangjing market." ”

Hu Chuyuan smiled and said, "There are too many ancient things, people won't know how to cherish them, it's just some small things, don't care too much." I guess Mr. Delano didn't just come to me to talk about these things, right? ”

Pfister-Delano nodded slightly and said, "I came to you this time mainly to negotiate the issue of the new concession. As far as I know, Mr. Seward, the US Minister to China, is very supportive of the extension of the concession, and in view of his special relationship with the US Secretary of State, I believe that the US political axe will soon formally submit an application for a new concession to negotiate, and you will have to accept the negotiations as soon as we raise it. Of course, the rest is in our plans. ”

Hu Chuyuan didn't like these words very much, although he was planning the matter, Pfister Delano still made him feel a little angry.

He didn't say anything, just listened silently, thinking about something else.

Pfister-Delano continued: "The land price in Shanghai has plummeted very much in the last month, but the land price in the concession has fallen less, and the gap between the land price in the concession and the Chinese sector is getting wider and wider, I think this is a good opportunity, neither I nor Qichang can buy land in the Chinese realm, but you can." If you buy all the land in Yangpu in advance and wait for a new agreement to be negotiated, you can make millions or more of a profit on this alone! ”

Hu Chuyuan nodded slightly, and said: "I am an official and businessman entrusted by the imperial court, and I can't do this, if I do it, others will know that I have done something behind my back and betrayed the interests of the imperial court." However, I will arrange for other merchants to buy the land. ”

Pfister-Delano said: "That's very good. I don't want to hide from you, if you can give you a suitable price, it is indeed possible for us to sell you up to 40% of the shares. As a premise, can you merge the newly purchased land in Yangpu into Qichang & Co., which will serve as a new foundation for the development of the U.S. in China? ”

"Oh?"

Hu Chuyuan thought for a while.

He knew that the Russell family and other partners had the idea of withdrawing money from China and investing it inside the United States.

The financial turmoil of 1873 caused European capital to quickly withdraw from the United States, the American stock market plummeted, and all walks of life fell into a situation of severe shortage of funds, and the United States had to temporarily abandon the gold standard system and switch to a mixed financial standard system of silver and gold.

In this trend, Morgan, Rockefeller, Mellon, Carnegie and other bottom-buying kings have emerged one after another, replacing European capitalists as the controllers of the American economy.

This is the common idea of American capitalists.

Pfister-Delano himself did not want this trend to spread, and once Qichang declined and eventually withdrew from the Chinese market, his political and economic future would have come to an end - in fact, if Hu had not intervened, the Qichang Company, which had been at its peak and ushered in the Qichang era, would finally close in business in 1891.

Pfister-Delano's proposal made Hu Chuyuan realize that the time was ripe to buy Shanghai real estate.

He smiled, but said very indifferently: "Why not?" ”

Hearing this, Pfister Delano was particularly happy and exclaimed: "You really deserve to be the second generation of the Hu family, yes, that's what I mean." After all, I am still the chief partner of Qichang & Co. in China, and even if the headquarters wants to withdraw funds, I still hope that the business here can flourish. Unlike other Westerners in the Shanghai Concession, I am willing to cooperate with you and regard you as my first collaborator in your country. In fact, we don't need to take them into account. ”

Hu Chuyuan understood what Pfister Delano meant.

In Pfister-Delaenau's view, the white people who exalted white race theory in Shanghai were just second-class traffickers, and the Delano family had risen from second-class traffickers to the elite class in the United States.

Hu Chuyuan thought for a while and said, "Let's not talk about these small issues for the time being, I want to ask you, Mr. Pfister Delano, what is your goal in life?" ”

Pfister-Delano thought for a moment and said, "Of course, my life is to serve the interests and money of the United States, there is no doubt about that, and in fact there is no more tangible goal than this." ”

Hu Chuyuan thought to himself, well, he is really a very practical person.

He smiled and said, "That's true, but rather, considering where you are at the moment, you're serving U.S. interests in China and your personal assets in China, right?" ”

Pfister-Delano nodded slightly and said, "Yes, so to speak!" ”

Hu Chuyuan said: "Then it is very simple, only an open, developed, and rich China can meet the needs of the United States, and the United States can sell us more machinery and chemical products, warships, and ships, and our raw silk and tea continue to expand sales to the United States, so that your interests can be protected and increased." Isn't that the truth? ”

Pfister-Delano said: "That's true. ”

Hu Chuyuan said with a smile: "As long as we reach an agreement on this point, our follow-up cooperation will be easy, and you may not have thought it through step by step, I have a complete plan here, do you want to hear it?" ”

Pfister-Delano couldn't help but be a little curious, and asked, "Just say it!" ”

Hu Chuyuan said: "In my plan, when the Wanqi Bank belonging to Qichang Foreign Bank is established, I will also open a CITIC Bank in Shanghai, so that we will establish a financial channel composed of Fukang Qianzhuang, China CITIC Bank, Wanqi Bank and Hanhua Bank, so that our capital can flow freely between China and the United States." At the end of the day, we will achieve two goals; First, we will build Shanghai into the largest industrial city and financial center in China, and we are the king of Shanghai; Second, we will make San Francisco the largest industrial city and financial center in the western United States, and we are the king of San Francisco. ”

At this point, Pfister Delano felt like someone had punched him hard.

He had to admit...... Hu Chuyuan is a true business genius, more talented, more intelligent, and more astute than him, and this financial channel flowing with gold and silver is completely a financial bridge across the Pacific Ocean.

With this bridge, they will be able to use their money perfectly everywhere, like using a giant crowbar.

Pfister Delano reluctantly praised: "As long as we establish this financial channel, the flow of funds will become extremely smooth." At that point, we will be able to do pretty much whatever we want. My father said that if you find yourself able to do whatever you want, then you are not far from success. ”

Hu Chuyuan nodded and said: "Hanhua Bank is already a bank with the right to issue US dollar notes, if China CITIC Bank can also strive to become the bank-issuing bank in the five provinces south of the Yangtze River, we can leverage a larger market." ”

Pfister-Delano said, "Yes, then we'll decide. As a Chinese-American-controlled bank, GCA is largely constrained, and we are currently trying to take control of a larger eastern bank through GCA and make it the largest bank in the United States. ”

Hu Chuyuan said: "This may be better." ”

This is a very unique time, and if you want to become richer, the first option is to open a bank.

In this regard, Hu Chuyuan knows very well that for others, the speed of Jiangnan Commercial Bank is fast, for him, this is not enough, and it is only the beginning.

After having lunch, the two discussed some details further before Hu Chuyuan sent him away.

In fact, Pfister-Delano III completely underestimated Hu Chuyuan's financial resources, ambitions, and guts.

Once Hu Chuyuan decides to set foot in Shanghai's real estate industry, the impact will be extremely far-reaching, and when he wants to buy land in Yangpu, the amount he can buy will also leave Pfister-Delano speechless.