Deng Zixuan and Chen Jintang turned into a secluded street, the buildings on both sides of the street were very tall, and the faces of each house were magnificent, and it was obvious that the people living on this street were rich people, because it should be said that this was a rich merchant residential area in Shanghai. The wooden box that Chen Jintang was carrying in his hand was a little heavy, and it contained porcelain. The wooden box contained a pair of vases, worth at least 100,000 taels of silver.

With such haode porcelain to give gifts, Chen Jintang was a little distressed. At the beginning, Deng Zixuan said that he would give a gift to a businessman, Chen Jintang was a little unimpressed, but when he took out the valuable porcelain vase as a gift, Chen Jintang couldn't help but ask: "Deng Gongzi, who is this Hu Xueyan from, Weishenme to give such a valuable gift?" ”

Deng Zixuan said: "This Hu Xueyan is a well-known figure in the Shanghai business community. Hu Qingyutang Chinese medicine store is famous in Jiangnan, and his Fukang money village is even better, I will talk to you slowly on the way. The two walked out of the British and French concessions with gifts and walked towards the Huangpu District, where merchants were concentrated. This kung fu turned into a secluded street, and Deng Zixuan opened the conversation again.

"Brother Chen! At the beginning, Hu Xueyan's family was poor, and he worked as a street runner in a money bank in Hangzhou for 20 years. That year was the most glorious time of the Taiping Army, once Zuo Zongtang's deputy general, raised troops to come to Qianzhuang to borrow silver, at that time the treasurer of Qianzhuang was not there, the Qing soldiers were in a hurry to use the money, and no one dared to be the master of the silver. At that time, Zuo Zongtang, the deputy general, borrowed money and was ready to smash the vault with strength. At this critical moment, Hu Xueyan stepped forward and released silver taels to the Hunan army. Deng Zixuan talked eloquently.

"This Hu Xueyan is bold enough, the shopkeeper will definitely not spare him!" Chen Jintang said. When the shopkeeper came back, he was furious and naturally fired Hu Xueyan. And Hu Xueyan was also a blessing in disguise, because Zuo Zongtang remembered him. At that time, the Huai army and the Taiping army were fighting, and Zuo Zongtang asked Hu Xueyan to help raise grain and grass as a businessman. The so-called wealth and danger are sought, Hu Xueyan put his life on Zuo Zongtang! ”

"Hu Xueyan is not only bold, but also very discerning!" Chen Jintang sighed. "Not bad! Hu Xueyan risked his life to successfully ensure Zuo Zongtang's military supplies, and he also received a rich return. In addition, he also formed a Changjie army for Zuo Zongtang, all with foreign guns and artillery. It can be said that Zuo Zongtang's brilliant achievements are inseparable from Hu Xueyan's support and participation. After Zuo Zongtang became the governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, Hu Xueyan was even more like a fish in water, he opened Fukang Qianzhuang in Shanghai, and prepared to build Hu Qingyutang Chinese medicine store. ”

Hu Xueyan used the government to buy and sell bigger and bigger, and now his Fukang money bank has been opened in the capital. This year, with the help of Zuo Zongtang, he won the favor of Cixi and handed over the tax silver of Suzhou, Fujian and Zhejiang to Hu Xueyan to control. When we came back from Guangzhou and passed through Fuzhou, we saw that Mawei was preparing to build a shipyard, and the Mawei shipyard was supervised by Zuo Zongtang, and Hu Xueyan provided silver support. Right now, Hu Xueyan is in full swing, and it is the time when the spring breeze is proud, and soon his business empire will occupy half of the rivers and mountains! ”

"Now that Hu Xueyan has a lot of money, I'm afraid he won't take us seriously!" Chen Jintang said worriedly. Deng Zixuan said with a smile: "That's why I gave him a gift, you can rest assured that I will not get involved in his business, but have other plans." The tree is big and cool, I have to use Hu Xueyan's big tree to have a plan. Not only that, but in the future, I will also have a relationship with Li Hongzhang, who has already served as the governor of Zhili and the minister of trade this year. An important part of my jihua must be realized in the future with Li Hongzhang. ”

While talking, the two came to the door of Hufu, and Deng Zixuan stepped forward and pulled the knocker. After a while, a housekeeper showed his head, "Excuse me!" Who are you looking for? The family asked alertly. In Xia Deng Zixuan, I made a special trip to give Mr. Hu a gift! Deng Zixuan got straight to the point. At this time, Hu Xueyan was sitting in the mansion and was depressed. This time I went to Beijing to mediate for Zuo Zongtang, but I didn't know what to send to Cixi?

In his 40s, he is the age when you are in full strength, Hu Xueyan is well maintained, and I saw him with a red face and a lofty spirit. At present, in addition to the original wife, he has married 5 aunts. There are two aunts in Hangzhou, two aunts in Shanghai, and one aunt in Beijing. Hu Xueyan is not only proud of the mall, but also like a fish in water in the fat powder pile. Under his careful care, the housework is handled in an orderly manner, and the backyard is always calm and undisturbed.

Not long ago, he had just returned from Fuzhou, and Zuo Zongtang wrote to him to go to the capital. At present, the northwest is unstable, and Zuo Zongtang wants to go to the northwest to sit in the town. But Hu Xueyan didn't know that this was Li Hongzhang's plan to divert the tiger from the mountain, and Li Hongzhang felt pressure on Director Zuo Zongtang, the governor of Fujian and Zhejiang. In particular, the tax revenue of Jiangsu, Fujian and Zhejiang provinces is controlled by Zuo Zongtang, and Li Hongzhang is even more in his throat. It happened that the northwest was unstable, and Li Hongzhang lobbied the iron hat Gong to advise Cixi that the overall stability of the northwest was only Zuo Zongtang.

The current situation is like this, Hu Xueyan, as a shrewd businessman, sees it very clearly, and on this trip to the capital, Hu Xueyan naturally wants to shout for Zuo Zongtang. But when faced with what gift to give Cixi, he was in a dilemma. "Mr. Hu! The Xuande furnace that was given to Li Lianying last time later returned to the antique shop, indicating that Cixi was not in the eyes of the law at all, so that Li Lianying picked it up twice as cheap! The subordinate spoke.

"Li Lianying is clearly in cahoots with the owner of the antique shop, he asked the owner of the antique shop to recommend it, we bought it and gave it to him, and the gift was returned to the antique shop, he made it at both ends!" Hu Xueyan shook his head helplessly. At this time, the subordinate hurriedly entered and said: "Mr. Hu, there is a scholar who claims to be Deng Zixuan who wants to see you!" "Deng Zixuan? I don't know him, I don't see him! Hu Xueyan refused.

"Mr. Hu! This young scholar said that he had come to give a gift! "The next man said carefully." haha！ Give me gifts, I am a businessman, it is my nature to seek profits, and it is interesting to give me gifts. Okay, let him in, and see what gift this descendant can give me in my eyes, what do you ask me for? "Deng Zixuan and Chen Jintang were introduced." The juniors came to see Mr. Hu, and the juniors came to disturb him suddenly, please forgive Mr. Hu! Deng Zixuan clenched his hands into fists and behaved very humblely.

Hu Xueyan didn't stand up at all, and he didn't mean to give up his seat. He stroked his beard and looked at the visitors with a pair of shrewd eyes, the young man standing in front of him looked too immature, but with his experience, he quickly found that the young man in front of him seemed to be inconsistent with his actual age, and the other party's demeanor was not humble or silent, and his eyes showed a calm gaze. Hu Xueyan was a little secretly surprised: "I want to know what gift you gave me for no reason?" ”

Deng Zixuan smiled: "I know that Mr. Hu will not be interested in ordinary gifts, but Mr. Hu will not refuse the gift I gave?" ”“haha！ Young people, don't be too arrogant, what gift can you give as a nobody? Hu Xueyan was dismissive. Deng Zixuan signaled, Chen Jintang had already held his stomach, and quickly opened the box and put the two blue and white porcelain vases in front of Hu Xueyan. "Isn't it just two ・・・・・・," Hu Xueyan stared at the porcelain vase with two eyes and was taken aback.

"Deng Gongzi, if I didn't look away, this is a blue and white porcelain vase from the Southern Song Dynasty, which is the best in the official kiln." Hu Xueyan gained knowledge of Song Dynasty porcelain in the capital. "Mr. Hu, good eyesight is the blue and white porcelain vase of the Southern Song Dynasty, which is the ancestral porcelain of the family, which is currently worth 100,000 taels of silver on the market." Deng Zixuan lied, his face did not change, and his heart did not beat.

Hu Xueyan's head turned quickly, and he decided that this pair of Southern Song Dynasty porcelain vases was not a fake and said: "Deng Gongzi, since it is an ancestral treasure, why do you want to give it to me?" Do you want me? But even if you ask me, the gift is too valuable! Deng Zixuan flattered: "Mr. Hu, as the saying goes, a good horse deserves a good saddle, and only Mr. Hu deserves to have this pair of precious porcelain!" ”

"Deng Gongzi, tell me straight, what do you want?" Hu Xueyan regained his demeanor! "Mr. Hu is worthy of the elite of the business world, he is really sharp-eyed, and the younger generation is ashamed. Tell the truth. The younger generation was originally a business family, and my father wanted me to gain fame. Last year, the younger generation Chun Yu fell to Sun Shan, and he was discouraged and decided to enter the business. My brother has a small business and operates tea, and he is struggling to have more than enough food and clothing. The younger generation thought twice and decided to find another way to do a vigorous cause. Mr. Hu is my role model, so I want to lean my back against your big tree to enjoy the shade. ”

“haha！ It's terrifying, but I want to know how you can cool off against a tree! "Hu Xueyan is curious." Mr. Hu, the younger generation has the courage to speak up. At present, the opening of Shanghai's port is becoming more and more prosperous, so the younger generation wants to build a comprehensive trading market at Pudong Linjiang Wharf, where raw silk, grain, cotton, cloth, livestock and other goods are traded in a centralized manner. "Trading place, what's so difficult about this, Deng Gongzi can do it himself. Profound! I see, you're trying to use my banner? "That's exactly what I mean, I hope Mr. Hu will be fulfilled?" Deng Zixuan bowed.

"Deng Gongzi! In business, you should know the rules! Hu Xueyan opened his mouth to talk about the benefits, and the businessman's face was exposed, in fact, Hu Xueyan was not interested in any trading market at all, but did not sweep the interest of the immature child in front of him, after all, he accepted such a precious gift. Mr. Hu! After the completion of the comprehensive trading market, I will contribute 20% of the total profit, but I also have the conditions to ・・・・・・. ”

“haha！ Deng Gongzi is happy, worthy of being young and promising, and has an unlimited future. Okay, I promise you, tomorrow you go to my Fukang Qianzhuang and find Shen Ruisheng, the shopkeeper of the bank, who will cooperate with you on my behalf. Hu Xueyan was not very interested, obviously he gave an eviction order, and Deng Zixuan Bingxue was smart and naturally accepted it when he saw it. After the guest left, his subordinate said: "Mr. Hu, you Weishenme promised such an unreliable business?" Hu Xueyan smiled: "We don't invest a penny, we just show our signboard, I don't do that?" Besides, this kid's ideas are unbelievable and imaginative. If this kid does it, it's a twenty percent profit. Go get Latham & Watkins! ”

Before going out, his subordinates said happily: "Mr. Hu, what do you really want, is this the will of God?" It seems that the trip to the capital will be smooth sailing. Hu Xueyan turned his gaze to the porcelain vase, and a smile appeared on his face.