Red Fort, Sky Tower

"Dear Earl, your spending on education is too high, hundreds of thousands of pounds a year, and it is likely to exceed a million pounds this year, and I doubt that this is a policy that will not last long, and as your personal financial adviser, I feel it is important to remind you of this." Kestner, director and managing director of Huitong Bank, appeared worried.

Li Fushou, who sat at the top, smiled indifferently, and his hand was the financial report of Huitong Bank for the first quarter of 1881, a thick stack like a dictionary.

Slender fingers tapped on the financial report summary, Li Fushou said; "Dear Mr. Kestner, I have no doubt about your excellent financial skills, and I can understand your apprehension that money is worth only when it is spent, and not in a cellar, but what is the use of amassing a large amount of property?"

"I beg your pardon, I can't understand your view of wealth." Kestner still insisted on his point of view, trying to prove it with facts; "In the history of Europe, kings and lords have gone bankrupt because of poor financial management, the French Bourbons even had to borrow heavily to wage war, and a shaky rule was ruined by the loss of credibility, and London has done a good job in this, and it is obviously a wise decision to have a lot of cash, and of course it is good to reserve gold."

"Huh...... Huitong Bank already has close to 200 tons of gold reserves, isn't that money? ”

"Your Excellency Earl, this money has been issued with Huitong gold bills of the same value, almost all of them have been loaned out, and a lot of them have been overissued, I am very worried that it will cause a run, and that will be the end of Huitong Bank."

"How much has it been overissued so far?" Li Fushou asked.

"As of the end of the first quarter, Huitong Bank's over-issuance of golden bills reached 42%, this matter is like a mountain pressing on my heart, I can't sleep at night, I am really worried that the situation is out of control, so I strongly oppose your policy of continuing to over-issue." Kestner replied worriedly.

42% overissued?

Li Fushou nodded thoughtfully, according to the conservative financial theory of the United Kingdom, how much gold is issued, how much banknotes are issued, currency is equivalent to gold, and over-issuance of gold bills is indeed a big problem in today's era.

42% overissuance is a very simple arithmetic problem, a ton of gold is worth about 136,560 pounds, and 200 tons of gold is overissued by 42%, which is a Huitong gold ticket worth 284 tons of gold, which is equivalent to about 38.7 million pounds.

This loan alone will generate more than £1.3 million in revenue for Huitong Bank every quarter, making it the bank's main source of income.

Not every type of loan is a preferential interest rate of 10% for immigration loans, and some business loans are 20% or more.

Generally speaking, the riskier the loan, the higher the interest rate, which is directly proportional.

Huitong Bank also has an extremely lucrative cross-continent remote exchange business, gold bill business and other financial derivatives business, and its profitability is very strong.

In the first quarter of 1881 alone, the gross profit of the statement reached 1847706 pounds, and after deducting the operating costs, the net profit was 1,515,500 pounds.

Dozens of bank shareholders can make huge profits, including the bank's director, Mr. Kestner, who owns 3.1% of the bank's shares and receives almost £46,600 in a quarter.

Of course, the biggest winner is the Earl of Queensland, who owns 87.6% of Huitong Bank, and pays dividends of more than £1.3 million in a quarter and more than £5 million in a year, which is a staggering figure.

Huitong Bank's profit base comes from more than a million Chinese immigrants, as well as a large number of commercial banks engaged in ocean trading, which contribute an average of one pound per person per quarter.

A trickle of water has quickly become the largest bank in Australia, and it is also the bank with the widest coverage and the largest number of branches, with branches in important cities in Europe and the United States, and a wide range of transcontinental exchange business.

Today, Huitong Bank has opened branches in almost every town in New South Wales and Victoria, and has established banking branches in Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand, which is the strongest and most convenient financial institution in Australia, with a large number of white ranchers, gold mine owners and businessmen.

With the expansion of Australia's trade scale, the promising remote exchange business is gradually becoming a new profit growth point for Huitong Bank, which is an advantage that is difficult for all local Australian banks and large European and American banks to achieve.

As the purse bag of the Earl of Queensland, Huitong Bank is only one of his huge industries.

The Earl of Queensland is undoubtedly the richest rancher in Australia, and even if you look at the world, he is also one of the richest lords with the highest income, and there are no more than 50 people who can match him.

Here's the problem

The Earl earns more and spends more fiercely.

More than £370,000 is invested in education in the Red River Valley every year, and more than 50,000 secondary school students are responsible for food, clothing, housing and education.

In addition, funding will be provided for tertiary institutions such as the University of the Red Valley and Brisbane Polytechnic, as well as a number of research institutes and laboratories in Qinglong City.

In addition, nearly 30 Guangji Halls, which have opened on the mainland, have adopted more than 200,000 street children and are responsible for food, clothing, housing, transportation and education, with an annual expenditure of more than 220,000 pounds.

Now, the sudden decision to increase the size of Australian secondary schools and increase the number of students introduced has led to a sharp increase in related expenses.

The first is the cost of traveling all the way to Australia, although Guangjitang has an independently operated passenger ferry, which can reduce the cost to the extreme in the case of large-scale transportation of students, and the cost is still not less than 5.5 pounds per person.

According to the scale of 7,000 people transported across continents every month, each passenger ship transports a round trip every two months, and the shipping company under Guangjitang needs to purchase additional passenger ships to maintain the fleet size of no less than 12 ships, plus coal consumption, ship depreciation and personnel expenses, it will need 38,500 pounds per month, which is a huge expense of more than 460,000 pounds a year, which has not included other expenses.

With the sharp increase in the number of benevolent schools, the number of teaching staff and operating costs are also increasing, which is another large part of the expenditure.

What's more, the Red River Valley has invested in the construction of various towns and villages, spending millions of pounds a month, or tens of millions of pounds a year.

The hot construction of Songjiang Town, Beilun Town, Moresby Town, Jayapura Port, the monthly investment is more than 100,000 pounds, less than 40,000 pounds, the southern pearl chain farming and animal husbandry town is less than thousands of pounds per month, more than 10,000 pounds of investment, and now there are dozens of towns in northeast Queensland need to be invested one after another, Songjiang Reservoir, Twin Cities double-track railway and other large projects need to continue to invest.

According to the statistics, the monthly capital expenditure is at least a million pounds, which cannot be saved.

These territories were either the domain of the Earl of Queensland, or the newly developed sphere of influence, and all the taxes went to the Red River Valley, which of course was paid for by him, the big rancher.

Therefore, the Earl of Queensland is a big moneymaker, very fierce in spending, and is also a big lender, with more than 3 million pounds in Huitong Bank.

Mr. Kestrang privately helped to take stock of the family's wealth, and it was strange to find that the Earl of Queensland could not make ends meet with his annual income of tens of millions of pounds!

The rise and fall of Huitong Bank is really related to Mr. Kestner's own interests.

Therefore, Mr. Kestner finally found an opportunity to report the quarterly report in person, and bitterly exhorted the Earl to spend a little less, at least to save as much as he could, and not to borrow excessively.

Li Fushou could understand his concerns, if Mr. Kestner knew that he had ordered four Seagull II ocean-going cruisers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in England at one time, and spent another 410,000 pounds at one time, it was estimated that he would be able to burp on the spot.

"Ahem...... In fact, I would like to be able to lend some more money to Huitong Bank, because there are some places that are needed urgently. ”

Li Fushou's words shocked Kestner, and asked with some trepidation; "Your Excellency, Your Excellency, the position of Huitong Bank is also very tight, if it does not exceed 2 million pounds......

"Then I'll save a little bit, I almost need to borrow 3.8 million pounds, fortunately, this money is not a one-time loan, you can prepare 1 million pounds for me first, and next month, I will definitely prepare another 1 million pounds......"

Li Fushou continued to talk to himself, but was surprised to find that Mr. Kestner did not respond, turned his head to look over, and found that the Scrooge's lips had begun to tremble.

If Huitong Bank lends another 3.8 million pounds, then the proportion of over-issuance will increase by 10%, which is 52% over-issuance.

Mr. Kestner felt a blackness in front of him, and his heart beat wildly; Oh my God! I dare to say so many words of exhortation today, but the adults didn't even listen to a single word.

Li Fushou couldn't help frowning and said; "What's wrong, are you having trouble?"

Mr. Kestner replied in an astringent tone, feeling his throat dry; "Lord Earl, can't you really use it less?"

"Well, next year, try to break even next year, this year will definitely not work, and you have to prepare this money for me as soon as possible, I have an important use."

Li Fushou didn't elaborate on what it was for, but just ordered casually.

Understand and execute, and if you don't understand, you must also execute, otherwise please roll up and get out.

"As you wish, Lord Earl, Huitong Bank will prepare the funds as soon as possible." Mr. Kestner replied in a difficult tone.

"That's good."

Li Fushou picked up the teacup to send off the guests, and watched Kestner's somewhat rickety figure leave, and couldn't help but laugh secretly in his heart.

The meat is buried in the bowl, there is no need to let you know.

The interests of the two sides are closely linked, but never forget that Kestner is British, otherwise he will die an ugly death.

Those who are not of my race will have different hearts.

Kestner is only the manager of Huitong Bank, and he only knows about the business of Huitong Bank, and he does not know how much money the Earl of Queensland has. How much does it earn each year, openly and secretly?

This account is only clear to Li Fushou, who has in his hands the taxes of cities and towns, the profits intercepted by the Honghe Reservoir, the profits of Huitong Bank, the profits of various factories and mining enterprises under his command (including gold fields), leasing income (the privilege of city bosses), international trade profits and other large incomes, and the annual income is not more than 10 million pounds?

He needs to create an illusion to the outside world, although the Earl of Queensland is very profitable, but he also spends money like water, is in debt, and is a nouveau riche who does not know how to manage money. The difference is a millimeter, and the error is a thousand miles.

There is no need for Li Fushou to explain to Kestner, no matter how he understands it, the 3.8 million pounds will be taken out anyway

The warships ordered in the UK need to be partially funded, the Shangri-La Marine District needs to be financed for the expansion of the army, the preparation of guns, ammunition and artillery needs funds, and in the event of a conflict, a steady stream of funds is needed.

As soon as the so-called cannon sounds, there are ten thousand taels of gold.

In the event of a conflict or a skirmish, the soldiers need to have bullets in their rifles, the battleship needs a sufficient supply of shells, and a sufficient logistical baggage, and the weapons and equipment required to consume are a bottomless pit and must be prepared in advance.

Of course, it is best not to fight, and the weapons and ammunition that have been hoarded at great cost are turned into reserves on the spot and become the accumulated heritage of the Red River Valley, which cannot be regarded as a waste.

As a superior person, you must not have the slightest luck mentality.

Pin all their hopes on the intervention of London, perhaps the Dutch colonists would not dare to use force, or the Dutch themselves would be instigated, or perhaps everything would be unfounded and nothing would happen.

In the unlikely event that the conflict broke out, the soldiers would have lost not only a war, but perhaps the Red River Valley pastures on Shangri-La Island.

The wall fell and everyone pushed it

Li Fushou could not afford to lose on the major issue of right and wrong, and he not only had to watch out against the Dutch, French, Germans, and Americans, but also had to be careful against the British to prevent the British from sticking a knife in the back at a critical time.

The Chinese forces in the Red River Valley are in full swing in Australia, and those stubborn British conservatives can't see it at all? Will events be allowed to move in favour of the immigrant community? Will the title of nobility of the Earl of Queensland really be taken into account? Will the Chinese be allowed to grow bigger?

Maybe they're just waiting for an opportunity to fall into the ground.

Great Britain is an expert in intrigue and intrigues, and its reputation as a "European-stirring stick" is by no means in vain, mixed with the blood and tears of countless European powers such as France, Germany, Russia, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Austria-Hungary.

As soon as the Earl of Queensland showed his weak lower abdomen, he rushed up and stabbed him with a fatal blow.

Li Fushou is convinced of this.

Perhaps a trap should be devised for those hiding in the shadows to jump out and be exposed to the sun like Speaker Edward.

The slender fingers tapped lightly on the table, and a mysterious smile appeared on the corner of Li Fushou's mouth......

"Bookmark for easy reading"