After finally seeing the hope of success in things, Yu Huizu was overjoyed, stood up and bowed deeply to the ground, and said, "I am so grateful..."

"Thank you, I'm all my fellow countrymen. I'm happy that you can have today's life." Zhu Baosan also laughed at this time and said, "Apart from that, don't mess with Xiangmao, don't always lose money and make a name for yourself. It's better for the two families to find time to negotiate a price. Xiangmao's boss, Bergil, said last year that he would be selected as a director of the Ministry of Industry. Although he was in trouble, he would always be enrolled in a few years. What's the good thing about offending a director of the Ministry of Industry?"

Yu Huizu's Jiangnan Bureau was expected, so he didn't care about fighting with Xiangmao Foreign Company. He said immediately: "It's up to the arrangements of the senior."

Zhu Baosan was happy when he heard this, and felt that something else would be done today.

After the Jiangnan Bureau was arranged, Zhu Baosan was about to see off the guests, but Wang Xiaoxu spoke, "Mr. Baosan, we actually want to set up an iron factory, so I'm here to ask for advice from you."

After struggling for a long time, Zhu Bao Sanben was already a little tired, but suddenly he heard that Wang Xiaoxu was going to run an iron factory, and he suddenly became energetic again. He had been dealing with hardware since he was fourteen years old. After he was thirty, what he did was no longer small hardware, but large hardware, that is, steel, steel plate, and steel pipe base materials. Although he had become famous and started a lot of industries with others, the only one that belonged to him was the Shenyu Hardware Store. The problem happened to hit Zhu Bao Sanyi's itch. He smiled and said, "Xiao Xu, tell me slowly, if I know, I will say everything."

Seeing that he seemed to care about the iron plant, Wang Xiaoxu said seriously: "Today, the price of pig iron in foreign countries is more than 20 taels, and the cheapest steel price is more than 40 taels. The price of steel plates for shipbuilding is even more expensive, with a price of more than 60 taels per ton, and other roads such as steel bars and nails are even higher. Today, China, Jinzhen, Shanghai-Ningxia, Shanghai-Hangzhou, Guangdong-Hangzhou and other roads are about to start construction. Hanyang's output itself is small. Even after it expands, its annual iron production will be only 100,000 tons. It produces 20,000 tons of steel. This output is still insufficient to cope with the domestic situation, let alone sell the sample. It is extremely necessary to set up another large iron plant in China."

Zhu Bao Sanben thought that Wang Xiaoxu was talking about the iron factory outside the pass. Although he knew that Wang Xiaoxu meant to set up another iron factory, he thought: "Xiao Xu, I know you don't have to worry about money. It's not enough to just have money. Iron ore is extremely important, and what is more important than mine is coal. Hanyang suffered losses without coal, and no one could do it. In the past, Hanyang had nearly forty taels of pig iron per ton, which was because of these two. You are right. The price of pig iron in foreign countries was more than twenty taels. Steel is more than forty taels. Do you know that the British pig iron is only 2 pounds and 9 shillings per ton, which is 17 taels per ton of silver; steel embryos and alkaline martin furnaces are 3 pounds and 15 shillings, which is 26 taels of silver; rails, 5 pounds and 12 pounds and 35 liang of silver, and 35 liang of silver and 4 liang of steel plates. Six pounds and 14 shillings and 7 liang of silver, and 47 liang of silver."

Zhu Baosan is worthy of being a hardware company for decades. Not only is he very familiar with the price, but also the cost of foreign iron. After quoting the price, he asked: "Hanzhang, Xiao Xu, if you can reduce this capital lower than the British, then this iron factory can be run. If you can't do it, then you and Hanyang will not be able to get it well after the domestic railway is built."

When Zhu Baosan talked about the price, Wang Xiaoxu compared the cost of the Maanshan Iron Factory according to his own estimate. After all, the pig iron is still about one or five cents less. The prices of other steel embryos, rails, steel plates, etc. are basically the same as those of foreigners. Steel plates are about one or two taels more expensive than those of the British. He knew that it should be a technical difference. If the iron plant runs for a long time, the cost will naturally not be so different. In fact, the cheapest one in the Maanshan Iron Factory is the low price of coal, and a ton of coke will not exceed three taels. However, according to the market price, it is 9 taels to be recorded in the iron plant. Even if Ping coal is used in Hanyang, the price of coke transported to Hanyang is 11 taels; as for iron ore, there are also open-pit iron ore in Maanshan. Although the quality is a little worse, it will not be much more expensive than Daye.

"Mr. Baosan, it is estimated that the cost of pig iron is lower than that of the UK, but the steel plate is higher. Moreover, the investment in iron plants is huge, including coal mines, railways, iron ore, and iron plants, which are estimated to be 12 million taels." Wang Xiaoxu said honestly. He didn't know the price of the UK before, and he was very confident about the cost of the iron plant. Now it seems that he is basically a draw.

Although Yu Huizu, the number invested by the iron factory, was still trembling in his heart. However, Zhu Baosan had indeed seen the world. He was not surprised at all when he heard that he said 12 million taels. Instead, he closed his eyes and pondered for a while and asked, "How is the output?"

"In the early stage, 100,000 tons of iron and 50,000 tons of steel were generated." Wang Xiaoxu replied.

"That's not expensive!" Zhu Baosan admitted frankly.

“Not expensive?”

"Yes. Not expensive! Compared to Hanyang, it is not expensive at all. Hanyang Iron Factory spent more than 5 million taels to run a factory. After the commercial operation, it added another 3 million daily dollars. Then, it opened Pingxiang Coal Mine. The mine has been connected to the road. More than 2 million taels have been spent. Including the money to change the factory in the future, it will cost more than 12 million. The same price and different things, this iron factory can be opened." Zhu Baosan has always been concerned about hardware and knows a lot about Hanyang's affairs, but after he paused, he said: "However, once your iron factory is opened, you will offend Lord Shan."

"This is not true. I checked the customs information. Among the 440 million taels of foreign goods imported today, hardware accounts for about 5% of the past years, that is, 22 million taels. Although this hardware also contains copper materials and other metal materials, no matter how much it is, it will not exceed 5 million taels. 17 million taels of foreign iron models. Even if it is all steel materials, it will exceed 300,000 tons that year. Hanyang produces up to 20,000 tons of steel per year, which is a drop in the bucket." Wang Xiaoxu was familiar with customs data under the influence of Yang Rui. He didn't know it before. Once the data was analyzed in depth, there were a lot of things he knew.

Although Zhu Baosan is a hardware business, he has a clear understanding of the price and quality, but if he is asked to tell the national steel consumption in one year, he can't say it. Now seeing Wang Xiaoxu analyzing the data so detailed, he couldn't help laughing, "Xiao Xu is really a good businessman. No wonder Hanzhang can have the scale of today."

It is rare for Zhu Baosan to praise others. Wang Xiaoxu became modest, but after he praised him, "That is, 100,000 tons of iron or 500,000 tons of steel is not enough. It is best for China to have millions of tons of iron and 500,000 tons of steel to drive all the iron materials from foreigners out of the country." Zhu Baosan was a little angry, but after being angry, he said, "Hanzhang and I are fellow villagers, and we are all our own people. If you are useful, you can just say it well."

As soon as he said this, Yu Huizu was overjoyed and said: "The coal mine and the iron mine commerce department have already been approved this month. It has given a two-year prospecting period, but the railway connecting the coal mine and the iron mine has not yet been approved..."

When Yu Huizu said this, Zhu Baosan smiled. "You have a good relationship with your father-in-law in the palace. Bei Zizaizhen of the Ministry of Commerce has shares in your Tianbao Company. Isn't it easy to get a railway?"

"If other railways are said to be fine, but this railway is connected to the Jinzhen Road, which will involve Britain again."

"Are you trying to transport coal by relying on Jinzhen Road?"

"No, the coal mine is in Huainan, Anhui. The railway wanted to connect from Huainan to Bengbu Station on Jinzhen Road, but the coal from the iron mine did not follow the Jinzhen line, but went south from Huainan to Hefei, and then transported from Hefei to the Yangtze River facing Wuhu, and then transported to Dangtu by barge." Yu Huizu did not hide from Zhu Baosan and told the specific route of the railway.

When Zhu Baosan heard Yu Huizu talk about Huainan, Hefei knew what he was going to do. Now the road in Jinzhen belongs to the Chinese. The money for repair was borrowed by foreigners, so it was not difficult to follow up. He said: "How many shares do you plan to occupy in this iron factory? What benefits do you plan to give to those Hui merchants?"

"One thousand two million taels, only six and five million taels are in my hands, and everything else can be released. As for Hui merchants, please give me advice." I am worried that Britain is one, but the one that is more difficult than Britain is the Hui merchants. Now all over the country are taking back the rights of roads and mining rights. If you run a railway from Zhejiang to Anhui, you probably won't be able to acquire land.

"Oh. This Hui merchant is actually just like Li Zhongtang. Although he has been there for several years, his airs are still there. Besides, they have always been in a tight group, so I am afraid that it is even harder to talk to than our Ningbo merchants." Although Zhu Baosan is famous in Shanghai, he still has a headache when he hears Hui merchants and starts to think.

Looking at the merchant gangs in the late Qing Dynasty, the small ones were the Shanxi merchants, Hui merchants, Guangdong merchants, and Zhejiang merchants. The Shanxi merchants had a court background. Without this Shanxi merchants, the world was afraid that they would not be full of people. However, after the Boxer, the capital account was robbed, which transferred the national financial affairs to the Shanghai Money Industry Association with a foreign money house background. The Shanxi merchants were officials and businessmen. During the dynasties and generations of Hui merchants, most of them were from merchants and long-distance trafficking, mainly engaged in salt, rituals, tea, wood, and capital. After making money, they paid attention to the inheritance of poetry and books.

It should be considered a gentry merchant. It was the most prosperous during the Qianlong period of Jiaqing period, and then the Qing court rectified Huaiyan, which caused it to be severely damaged. When Hong and Yang were in chaos, it completely damaged its vitality. In the end, it was defeated by foreigners by Hu Xueyan, which was completely declining. However, Guangdong merchants, Zhejiang merchants were different from the official Shanxi merchants and the literary Hui merchants. Most of them were born in grassroots, and both of them were near the sea, so they started with foreign trade compradors and respected foreigners, which was not the same as Shanxi merchants and Hui merchants. Although the iron factory did not choose Shanxi, it was very troublesome to run it in Anhui.

"Hanzhang, aren't you going to buy Huai salt on your land-based chlor-alkali factory? Why don't you start with salt merchants? There are many Hui merchants in Lianghuai." Zhu Baosan said.

"This, because he wanted to start a Changxing Coal Mine with Mr. Zhang Si, Mr. Zhang Si himself opened a salt farm, so he used his salt. The salt merchants he had discussed before were cut off." Yu Huizu said. At that time, he insisted on this matter. After all, it would be worthy of being able to do business with the top scholar.

"Then I can only go to Wang Houzhuang." Zhu Baosan couldn't think of others.

"Ah. He is also a Hui merchant? Didn't he sell local cloth?" Yu Huizu remembered that Wang Houzhuang was the owner of Xiangtai Clothing. His cloth shop sold local cotton cloth well in Shanghai, but he didn't expect that he was a Hui merchant.

"He sells local cloth and pawnshops. He has opened several big pawnshops in Shanghai, including Hongxing and Hongshun. The Shanxi merchants' bills, Hui merchants' pawnshops, our money shops, and ah, there are foreign banks. Don't you open a bank in Hanzhang? I don't know how your business is done." Zhu Baosan taught Yu Huizu a lesson. He is really not a material for doing business.

"The railway is not busy in advance, and I will discuss with them another day. What if they want to build this railway by themselves?"

"This..." Yu Huizu didn't know much about the details inside, so he only looked at Xiang Wang Xiaoxu.

"No! They can participate in shares, but they cannot control shares, and they cannot monopolize them." Wang Xiaoxu said, "Once they monopolize or control shares, then they are very likely to not repair the road at all. They just want to occupy the road construction funds and put them in the money house for interest. Although there is their money here, it is more money from small shareholders."

"Then how many shares can they participate in? Is it less than half?"

"Yes. We just want the railway to be built as soon as possible and put into operation as soon as possible. The holding company is afraid that they will not start construction in the name of the name. Coal mines, iron ore, iron plants, and railways must be planned. If the shooting is messy, even if three are built, it will still not be used. At that time, the investment will be greatly lost. This risk cannot be taken." Wang Xiaoxu said.

"Okay! I understand. Railways are of great importance. It's better not to spread the word." Zhu Baosan said.

"What sir said is reasonable." Wang Xiaoxu said.

"There are also people who want to tell him well, otherwise if he misunderstood, things will be difficult to handle." After saying so many words, Zhu Baosan remained unabashed.

The two nodded quickly and said yes. But they had finished all the things they should say. Now they had to wait for the Jiangnan Bureau to explode, and wait for Zhu Baosan and Hui merchants to discuss the results. So the two stood up and said goodbye.

Just when I went back to the scientific instrument tube, I heard from the guy Zhang that Mr. Zhang was looking for it. When he entered the living room, he saw that Zhang Meiyi was sitting inside. He turned out to be Sheng Xuanhuai's copywriting, but now it is the Nanyang Public School's recommendation and is from Ningbo. When Zhong Tourism used to apply for a MSG patent, he made a lot of efforts.

When Yu Huizu saw that he was sitting alone in the living room, it was probably because of the important matter, he hurried forward and said, "Oh, it's really a death sentence, I've been waiting for the three ministers for a long time."

Zhang Meiyi has indeed been sitting for a long time, but he has nothing important to do. After he was polite, he said, "Hanzhang. This time I came here to spread some news to you. Ying Shang Xiangmao Foreign Company went to Beijing to find connections. I guess he wanted the Ministry of Commerce to teach you salt tax."

"Ah!" Yu Huizu and Wang Xiaoxu said in unison. This trick can be thought of by foreigners. Caustic soda requires caustic soda, while caustic soda needs salt. Now, the land travel is a big trust, and the oil and caustic soda used for soda are all their own. Soda has also started to grow soda, and the coal that generates electricity is from its own coal mine, and salt needs to be purchased from outside. However, the price of salt is extremely low. Double taxation will not affect much cost. Foreigners are not planning, but demonstrations.

"My mother, the little red man just can't negotiate peace, so he still has to give them some colors. I will cut the price tomorrow!" King Yu was angry immediately, but Wang Xiaoxu calmed down. He asked, "Let the third duke, what do you say in the capital?"

"Haha, what else can I say? Zai Zhen, the Minister of Commerce, isn't all your people?" Seeing Yu Huizu angry, Zhang Meiyi felt it was quite interesting and smiled when she touched her beard. He didn't like serious people. After staying in the school for a long time, he often came to the scientific instrument tube to have tea with Yu Huizu.

When he heard Zhang Meiyi talk about Zai Zhen, Yu Huizu was helpless when he smiled. There are several people in the company who are good at filial piety, and there are also various reimbursements. They always have to go out for 700,000 or 800,000 a year. It's really annoying. He remembered that Yang Rui seemed to have said before that it was easy to do business under the Qing Dynasty, which was really nonsense.

"It doesn't matter if you let the third master. Are you here... Lord Shan has no money?" Yu Huizu said.

"Mr. Shan is rich, but after Li Weige went abroad to inspect, he took out the rectification method of the iron plant. He needed a lot of money. Mr. Shan wants to order a machine, but he is afraid that you will..." Zhang Meiyi asked.

"Isn't this May yet? I will definitely pay the money to Hanyang in July." Yu Huizu said, "Let the three masters, to be honest, there is not much money in the railway company's account, and even the Tianzi account has no money. All the money has been borrowed. You can turn it back in July. At that time, you must transfer the money to Shanda."

Wang Xiaoxu knew that Yang Rui's purpose was not to borrow money from the Japanese. Seeing that he was urging money again, he added: "Let the three officials, July is the latest estimate, and it is possible that they will come back in mid-June."

Zhang Meiyi was just spreading messages on behalf of Sheng Xuanhuai, and nothing else was used. He sat for a while and left. After Zhang Meiyi left, Yu Huizu said, "It seems that Lord Sheng is a little anxious. Xiao Xu, tell me the truth, can the money be back at the end of July?"

"Okay, Brother Han, don't worry." Wang Xiaoxu said affirmatively, but he didn't think so. Although he heard Yang Rui say that after the Japanese-Russia naval battle, there would be nothing to keep in the bond market, and all funds would be withdrawn by then, not only the white money earned in London, but also the black money earned by India will flow back to Shanghai. But he didn't know what the Japanese-Russia naval battle would be like. Now it's May, and the Russian fleet has arrived in Cam Ran Bay, Vietnam. It's unclear when it will go to Sea Cucumber Wei, and it's unclear what the result of the naval battle will be. He originally wanted to withdraw some of the money, especially the principal of two million pounds, and use the money earned to make a profit, but Yang Rui disagreed and said that he was completely sure that Russia would be defeated. He also said that this battle could not be as unexpected as the Battle of Fengtian, but there was still some oil and water to make some money.

"How much money can we have then?" Although Yu Huizu is the boss of Tianzi, he is also confused in many things, especially when he saw the zeros in the telegram before, he spent all his eyes. Making money is a blessing, but he is always a little uneasy if he doesn't get it.

"At that time, if the profit is good, you can get five million pounds." Wang Xiaoxu only talked about the profits in London, and as for India, there was no Count at all.

"If you ask Ade, the money you borrowed was enough to build the railway outside the pass. If the remaining amount is less than the expenses of the Jiangnan Bureau, the iron plant will be much worse." Yu Huizu calculated carefully and felt that the money was not enough.
Chapter completed!