Chapter 2 Zuo Zongtang is coming

2. Zuo Zongtang is here

This is not only an era of rewriting modern Chinese history, but also an era of rewriting modern economic history. Rockefeller, Morgan, Mellon, DuPont, Mitsubishi, Sumitomo... These world-class conglomerates have laid their foundation in this era.

First of all, Hu Chuyuan has to thank Hu Xueyan for leaving him a solid foundation.

Unlike many rich people of future generations, Hu Xueyan's wealth is extremely real. All of them are snowflakes of silver. The real fixed assets are only the Hu family compound worth three million taels of silver, more than 60 stores, a mansion, two small gardens, and more than 3,000 mu of mulberry fields and 1,000 mu of paddy fields outside Hangzhou.

In the general account of Fukang Qianzhuang, Hu Xueyan kept 4.25 million taels of private account, and there were 2.57 million taels of silver in Xueji Silk Bank. In early spring, he gave a deposit of 1.62 million taels to Sangnong in Hangzhou, Quzhou, Huzhou and other prefectures. The public pawnshop kept 780,000 taels of silver, Hu Qingyutang kept 700,000 taels of silver, and Yufeng Rice Bank. There are 200,000 taels of silver left, 1.7 million taels of Hunan military loan, and more than 8.7 million taels of goods from several foreign banks have not been issued - the money can only be returned to the Hu family one by one after another after the foreign bank sells the raw silk to foreign textile merchants.

There are still three million taels of "children's money" hidden in the silver cellar of the Hu family's compound. If the children and grandchildren have no money, they can take out the money inside for emergency.

Such money is available to large families in this era.

excluding property, the total capital is 21.52 million taels of silver, and the working capital in hand is 8.5 million taels of silver. The "descible money" of 3 million taels of silver is not easy**, which cannot be regarded as working capital.

In addition, Fukang Qianzhuang has 27 sub-numbers across the country, with more than 20 million silver deposits all year round, with an average of about 800,000 taels per family, 30% of which are official deposits, and 50% are bankers with large mobile surnames.

......

Hu Xueyan has been dead for nearly ten days.

Yesterday, I really couldn't wait for Tan Yiyun, the third shopkeeper. Hu Chuyuan estimated that Zuo Zongtang must have returned to Xinjiang Province, so he asked the second housekeeper Hu Rong to go to Jiangning Mansion to find Shen Baozhen, the governor of Liangjiang.

Although Shen Baozhen is not from Hunan, he has a good relationship with Zuo Zongtang. For Zuo Zongtang's face, he has to take care of him more or less.

As for the funeral for Hu Xueyan, it can't be delayed any longer.

The ancients morgue lasted from three days to seven days. Now it has been ten days, which is not suitable for emotion and reason.

In order to prevent officials and customers from withdraw money from various places, Hu Chuyuan has arranged for the big shopkeeper Chen Xiaobai to withdraw the money from the silk bank first, and the business of the pawnshop and the pharmacy will be collected, so as to avoid accidents.

For the time being, he is not afraid of his opponents waiting for the opportunity to plot, and the things in the officialdom are unclear. Hu Chuyuan can only wait for Shen Baozhen's reply.

In Hu Xueyan's study, Hu Chuyuan and the housekeeper Wang Baotian, the big shopkeeper Chen Xiaobai, the second shopkeeper Liu Chengxiang and the fourth shopkeeper Shen Furong settled the accounts. Even if the father is still a family, it is equivalent to changing the host, and the previous accounts must be clearly explained.

Five people were calculating the details of the assets in the family, and there was a shout from outside the concierge.

"Young master... old lady!" Someone shouted at the main door in the distance and ran eagerly in, and the voice was getting closer and closer.

Hu Chuyuan lived at home for half a year, and as soon as he heard the voice, he knew that Tan Yiyun was back.

He flashed in his heart. According to the time, Tan Yiyun, the third shopkeeper, certainly did not go to Xinjiang Province, so... Zuo Zongtang was in the capital, which was very lucky.

He hurriedly got up and led Wang Baotian and the three big shopkeepers to rush out.

As soon as Hu Chuyuan arrived at the door of the flower hall, Tan Yiyun also ran into the door. When he saw Hu Chuyuan, he hurriedly said, "Young master, Lord Zhongtang... Lord Zuo Zhongtang came in person! It's almost here!"

Hu Chuyuan was extremely surprised. He didn't expect Zuo Zongtang to come in person.

"Quick... Call the old lady and the fourth master to go out to greet them!" Hu Chuyuan hurriedly ordered Wang Baotian, and he went to the main gate of the Hu family compound with Chen Xiaobai and others.

Ten days have passed, and the door of the Hu family has been reopened. The voices of soldiers and horses can be heard in the distance, mixed with the noise of the common people.

Hu Chuyuan quickly walked out of the gate and looked at it. At a glance, there were two long lines at the intersection of Yuanbao Street. Thousands of soldiers were brave, either riding or walking. In the middle was an eight-lift sedan chair with gold and red, leading the front. The two military officers riding the steed horses were all nailed armors of more than a thousand bosses.

This momentum is really amazing, and even Hu Chuyuan is a little cold.

Soon, the brave array arrived in front of the door of Hu Mansion, and the sedan chair was parked at the door. As soon as the curtain was lifted, a rich old man in the official uniform of the imperial court came out. His figure was not tall and burly, but his expression was extremely majestic and cold, and the momentum was hidden in his chest. The front of the deep blue official uniform was embroidered with a crane, wearing a huge red ruby on the top, a string of beads of deep and dark beads, mixed with colorful colors.

"Lord Zhongtang!" The two generals quickly unrested and helped.

Just looking at this official uniform and listening to that, Hu Chuyuan also knew who was coming.

Who else can there be except Zuo Zongtang?

The middle hall is a university scholar, with four halls and two pavilions, and only six at most. There are three people from Manchu and Han. Being able to obtain this position has reached the limit of the Qing Dynasty regime.

Hu Chuyuan stepped forward and said, "Lord Zhongtang, the younger generation Hu Chuyuan, my father is Hu Guangyan, the candidate of Jiangxi!"

Zuo Zongtang looked at Hu Chuyuan with arim expression and sighed sadly for a moment: "Take me to visit your father for the last time first!"

"Yes!"

Hu Chuyuan nodded silently and asked the housekeeper Wang Baotian to call Zuo Zongtang's entourage, and led Zuo Zongtang into the ice cellar of the Hu family.

The Hu family's ice cellar is hidden in a tunnel more than six meters deep underground. The four walls are made of thick bluestone, brushed with coal ash powder and mud. It is 16 meters wide and three meters high. It can hide 100 tons of ice, and can be used for ice all year round.

Hu Xueyan's coffin stopped in the middle of the ice cellar. After a long time, the surface of the body was frozen with a layer of frost and the skin was pale.

Walking to the coffin, Zuo Zongtang looked at it. As soon as his eyes were closed, two tears slipped down quietly.

After sighing a few times, Zuo Zongtang sighed: "Xueyan, you have worked really hard these years. Even after your death, you will suffer such grievance again. I... I'm sorry for you!"

Hu Chuyuan hurriedly said, "Lord Zhongtang, it's all Chu Yuan's unfilial piety. I really don't know how much impact this matter is, and I don't dare to be sad...!"

"No...!!!"

Zuo Zongtang raised his hand coldly and refused to let Hu Chuyuan blame himself any more. He said, "You are right. At present, the military affairs of Xinjiang Province have owed more than 6 million taels, most of which are guaranteed in the name of your father. I am discussing with the court about borrowing. At this throt, your father let go. It's really... It has a big impact.

After a pause, he said, "However, since I have returned to the town of Liangjiang, and I am here, you can be saddened. You are still young and there is no other person to rely on at home. Let me preside over the funeral for you.

Hu Chuyuan said, "Thank you, Lord Zhongtang!"

Zuo Zongtang was silent and his thoughts surged. After a while, he said, "Alas... How on earth did your father die?"

Hu Chuyuan said, "Evil poison invasion, heat stroke, dizziness, red blood in the eyes, coughing, so that the limbs are stiff...!"

Before he finished speaking, Zuo Zongtang said coldly, "You remember that your father was unable to pay enough because of the imperial army. He was indebted too much for me, which made it difficult to operate. He was very worried, and his blood cough did not stop. Before leaving, I had guarded the court, chased your father to make up for the position of Anhui's political envoy, received a first grade to wear, awarded the title of cloud cavalry lieutenant, rewarded the yellow horse coat, and gave another 1,000 taels of silver for the funeral. The morning clothes have been brought. Your family pays for it, and all of them use precious stones and beads. Let's use them to make birthday clothes.

Hu Chuyuan is a smart person. Knowing that the causes of death between the two are very different, he replied, "Thank you, Zhongtang. My nephew is very grateful and keeps it in mind!"

Zuo Zongtang nod his head, sighed, stopped talking, and waved to Hu Chuyuan to go out to do business.

When Hu Chuyuan left, he stayed alone in the ice cellar and looked at Hu Xueyan's body silently, as if recalling the time when the two first met.

In that year, he was 50 years old and had just served as the governor of Zhejiang. Hu Xueyan was 39 years old.

Sixteen years have passed in a flash. In these years, since Hu Xueyan's help and care, he has never been short of money, grain and military salary. If he wants to buy foreign firearms and ammunition, Hu Xueyan will buy as much for him. If he wants to buy the Foreign Affairs Bureau, Hu Xueyan will buy machinery for him and recruit craftsmen.

Fuzhou Ship Administration, Lanzhou Manufacturing Bureau, Gansu Weaving Bureau... Hu Xueyan always buys for him.

To put it bluntly, half of all his achievements in the past 16 years are attributed to Hu Xueyan.