Chapter 3 Hu Xueyan's funeral and the most profitable business

With Zuo Zongtang sitting in the town, the emperor dares to mourn, not to mention a Hu Xueyan?

The Hu family finally released the news... There is no impermeable wall in the world, and the family is not a fuel-efficient lamp. The news has long spread in Hangzhou, but it has not been confirmed.

Next, "Declaration" issued a supplement - the world's richest man, Hu Guangong, died of illness! The news spread to all parts of Jiangnan, Tianjin and Guangzhou in an instant, and the whole country was shocked.

In a few days, officials and businessmen from all over Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui came to mourn. Even He Jing, the governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, and Yulu, the governor of Anhui, sent their staff to mourn. Mei Qizhao, the governor of Zhejiang, and Wu Yuanbing, the governor of Jiangsu, came in person.

No matter in which era, Chinese people should pay attention to the situation and a grand style when holding a funeral.

Zuo Zongtang came back from Yanjing in person and held a funeral in the Hu family compound to give Hu Xueyan the last face. Nearby officials only looked at Zuo Zongtang's face and status to mourn for Hu Xueyan.

The order of the Qing court almost followed Zuo Zongtang. It was only one day later. Zuo Zongtang, a scholar of Dongge University and governor of Liangjiang, ordered the funeral to be held by Zuo Zongtang, and two meritorious shrines were built in Qiantang County, Hangzhou and Jixi County, Huizhou. The rest of the rewards were approved by Zuo Zongtang's memorials.

Among the many rewards, the world post of Captain Yun is the most special. This is the first time that a businessman can be awarded the post after death, although it is only the lowest-level post.

The location of the tomb was chosen by Zuo Zongtang himself, because Hu Xueyan believed in Buddhism and often donated to temples all over Zhejiang, so he chose the cemetery in the Baoguo Temple to build the "Qiantang Jushi Hu Guangong Gongde Temple" in the temple.

In order to facilitate Hu's children to guard the mausoleum, a filial hut was temporarily built in front of the cemetery. On the day of burial, Hu Chuyuan and his two younger brothers were there.

According to the traditional rules of Hu's Jixi Hall, filial piety is not far away for three years, not a relative, no official, and you have to guard the mausoleum in front of the tomb for three months.

If there are several sons in the family and there is something to do at home, you can assign a son to go out to do business in plain clothes after the first seven, which is called foreign filial piety.

On the eighth day, Hu Chuyuan returned to the Hu family's compound in plain clothes in the name of filial piety.

Zuo Zongtang is still living in the house. When he got home, he first met the old lady. Hu Chuyuan went to see Zuo Zongtang to see what Zuo Zongtang had to order.

As soon as he entered the Rongdong courtyard where Zuo Zongtang lived, Yang Changjun, Zuo Zongtang's staff member, hurried out, and the two met.

Yang Changjun was formerly the governor of Zhejiang. Later, he was dismissed and investigated by the court due to the case of "Yang Naiwu and Cabbage" and could only stay under the command of Zuo Zongtang as a staff.

Seeing Hu Chuyuan, Yang Changjun smiled and said, "It's about the same time. You can come back to do business. Lord Zhongtang sent me to call you, but you sent it to the door by yourself. OK, come with me to see the middle hall!"

"Good!"

Hu Chuyuan nodded and thought that he knew that there was something to order.

These days, Hu Chuyuan has been thinking that the work in Xinjiang is not over. Although the land except Yili has been recovered, there is still the possibility of war with the Russians. Zuo Zongtang urgently returned to the governor of Liangjiang at this time. There must be a mystery in it.

Entering the flower hall on the first floor of Rongdong Courtyard, Hu Chuyuan saw that Zuo Zongtang and his staff Hu Ruilan were discussing things. In addition, there was a half-hundred-hundred old man with a yellow and thin face. His clothes were simple clothes. He looked like a poor old scholar who was full of poetry and books. He looked cold and lonely. I don't know who he was.

As soon as he entered the door, Zuo Zongtang looked at him and motioned him to sit in two rows of seats and said, "Chu Yuan, I see that you are reasonable these days. In the face of danger, you are still smart. It's better to stay with me for the time being!"

"Thank you for your help!"

Hu Chuyuan hugged his fist and bowed his head, and then sat down beside Hu Ruilan. He was not only relieved, but also had another calculation.

Hu Xueyan's death completely off guard and disrupted his previous plan. If he wanted to keep his family business, he must become an official and merchant of the Hunan army. Now it is impossible to rely on others. Only the Hunan army and Zuo Zongtang can keep his family business, and even make him and the Hu family richer.

Now it's all right. Hu Chuyuan knows in his heart that he can basically keep the affairs of officials and businessmen in the left forces of the Hunan army. At least he can keep his family business in front of his eyes. As for the future... Then he can only take a step by step, slowly find new forces and support new forces. Of course, he can also invest abroad and transfer assets. But that can't solve what Hu Chuyuan really wants to do in his heart.

In this era, if you want to revitalize China and revitalize China's economy, industry is one aspect. The real key is to do a good job in agriculture, not only the silk and tea industry, but also grain, soybeans, peanuts, cotton, hemp... and so on.

Agricultural exports are too important. The national GDP of the United States exceeded that of the United Kingdom in the 1880s, but it was not until 1894 that the total exports of the United States exceeded the exports of agriculture and raw materials.

Industry, there are only a few people who can really get rich together, and agriculture is different.

After all, China is an agricultural society. When farmers have money, then there will be a broad consumer market. With a consumer market, you can have a national industry.

There is nothing wrong with industry saving the country. The problem is that the big basic disk cannot avalanche.

If the big basic disk collapses, nothing can save the country, and we can only wait for GCD... Because 40,000 compatriots have become poor among the poor, and there is no market at all. The country is poor and there is a mess. There is no export, only import. So what industry and capitalism?

Hu Chuyuan's other idea at this moment is to see if he can do a good job in China's agriculture with the help of his official and business identity and Zuo Zongtang's power. Even if he just do a good job in agriculture in the two rivers and three provinces and stabilize the silk industry and tea, it's okay.

Of course, giving Zuo Zongtang as a staff member is not only the first step in his official career, but also a member of joining the army and rushing to the front line of politics... This is really unwise. Unfortunately, Hu Chuyuan has no choice.

Since there is no choice, there is a countermeasure to use force.

When he sat down, Zuo Zongtang said, "You have the achievements left by your father. It's easy to become an official, but I hope you can take care of some miscellaneous matters about grain and tax for me first!"

Hu Chuyuan hummed, and he had expected it for a long time.

He asked Zuo Zongtang cautiously, "I don't know what kind of food and salary affairs Mr. Zhongtang has to take care of by his subordinates!"

Zuo Zongtang got up and sighed, "When your father dies, no one can help me raise military pay in the south of the Yangtze River. He can't even raise military pay. What's the battle? I am so eager to return to the two rivers to serve as the governor, just to prepare the army's salary for the Hunan army. As for the war in Xinjiang, as far as I can see, the Russians should not feel that there is a chance of winning, otherwise, they would have fought with us in Ili long ago. At present, as long as they stick to it and slowly consume money and food, they should have a meeting.

Hu Chuyuan asked curiously, "Who will take care of the affairs of Xinjiang Province?"

Zuo Zongtang said, "I have been with the court that I have temporarily left the military affairs on the grounds of recuperating from illness. The current situation is enough for Yanzhuang. What's more, Liu Jintang, Xu Zhanbiao and Zhang Yao are all there. As long as there is enough food and salary, nothing will happen."

Liu Kunyi, also named Yanzhuang, is now the third boss in the Hunan faction and is serving as the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi.

Hu Chuyuan nodded and said, "Lord Zhongtang, I don't know anything about the army's food and salary military affairs. Can you tell me about the current situation?"

Zuo Zongtang nodded slightly and sat down again. He ordered a bag of hookah, and his staff, Hu Ruilan, the predecessor of Zhejiang Xuezheng, who was abolished because of the "Yang Naiwu and Cabbage" case, talked about it in detail with Hu Chuyuan.

Zuo Zongtang has gone to Xinjiang Province since the first year of Guangxu. In the past four years, he has spent more than 27 million taels of silver. The five provinces of Shanxi, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shaanxi and Anhui have paid more than 8 million taels of military pay. In addition, he borrowed foreign debts from Standard Chartered Bank four times, accumulating more than 12 million taels of silver.

At present, the Xiang army in Xinjiang Province has owed 2.44 million taels of silver for the Dadefeng ticket number under Qiao Zhiyong's name, as well as the total debt of various warehouses and rice banks, and another 8,000 taels of arms for German Lixin Yangxing and Zenchen Yangxing.

When Hu Ruilan finished speaking, Zuo Zongtang put down the hookah with a cold look and said to Hu Chuyuan, "For the debt of the foreign bank, I originally asked Shen Baozhen to guarantee me with the salt tax of the two rivers. Shen Baozhen also agreed, but Li Hefei inserted a bar from it and insisted on using the salt tax to guarantee the Beiyang army's pay. I was still in Xinjiang Province at that time, and there was no way to argue with him. I could only let your father use his personal name as a guarantee to borrow money from the foreigners to pay the military pay for the Xiang army. Now that your father has left, the foreign bank will definitely come to collect the money. The Jianghuai salt tax is not under my control. How can I pay it back?

Hearing these words, Hu Chuyuan didn't understand.

No wonder Zuo Zongtang put down his military affairs and rushed back to serve as the governor of the two rivers. For nothing else, just for the salt tax of Jianghuai, he also wanted to compete with Li Hongzhang for a huge amount of money and leave the money in the account of the Xiang army.

Without this money, I'm afraid the Hunan army will not be able to fight, and they can only let the Russians occupy Ili.

In this way, Wu Yuanbing, the governor of Jiangsu, who Li Hongzhang installed on the opportunity, had to leave. Shen Baozhen was transferred to the minister of the military department of the capital division. Liu Kun was transferred from the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi to the governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, with general jurisdiction over the military affairs of Xinjiang. Zeng Guochuen served as the governor of Shanxi to raise supplies, grain and salary for the Hunan army.

This game of chess... In today's late Qing Dynasty political situation, that is, Zuo Zongtang and Li Hongzhang can afford it.

Zuo Zongtang and Hu Chuyuan said, "I still need a little time to rectify the salt business. Before that, you go to Shanghai to talk with Standard Chartered Bank and two foreign banks, and continue to guarantee in your name... I hope it will be useful. Not only that, you have to continue to raise 5.44 million taels of silver, pay off the debts of the Qiao family first, and then give Liu Kun 13,000 taels of silver for military expenses. Mr. Qiao is also a Jin merchant who is eager for justice, but after all, he is an outsider, and he also wants to do business. This money has to be repaid first, and your family's debt is not urgent. If you can have half of your father's ability, I plan to take care of Jianghuai's salt industry to you!"

Hu Chuyuan took a breath.

Jianghuai's salt industry... If it is handed over to the Hu family to take care of it, the annual revenue will definitely not be less than 5 million taels of silver.

Based on the price of gold, today's 1 million taels of silver is equivalent to 1.185 billion RMB after 130 years. If the average purchasing power is calculated, it can be at least 500 million RMB.

6 billion RMB a year, or 2.5 billion RMB.

This is obviously not a small business, but the most profitable business in this era.