1850 American Gold Tycoon.

Chapter 233

"Then we'll see. Happy shopping, gentlemen and ladies."

Stuart pulled the tie on his collar, put on a top hat to cover his bald head, and left the hat shop.

"Sir, I hope you don't mind, our boss is such an arrogant and rude person."

In the top hat shop, the real store manager spread his hands helplessly at Liang Yao and the others and said.

"It's not good to speak ill of your boss behind his back."

Liang Yao approached the store manager, took out the cigarette case, and handed him a Havana cigar from the case.

The store manager just sniffed the cigar in front of his nose, then carefully put the cigar into his pocket.

"Your cigar is worth half a month's salary of me." The store manager said, "Working in this mall is just a stopgap measure. No one wants to stay in this mall for a long time. Stay here What a waste of life and as soon as I get a new job I'll be out of here."

The store manager made no secret of his distaste for the job, nor did he worry about the conversation being overheard by other employees nearby.

"Your monthly salary for a store manager is only 7 dollars?" Liang Yao was a little surprised.

According to his recent life visits in New York, the average monthly salary of New Yorkers is around $9.

The monthly salary of a store manager in Stewart Mall is only more than 7 US dollars, which is beyond Liang Yao's expectations.

A monthly salary of more than 7 US dollars may be able to barely maintain life in a small city in the United States, but if you want to live on a monthly salary of more than 7 US dollars in New York, you may barely be able to live with austerity in summer, and it is very difficult in winter. Difficult, because heating costs are not a small expense.

"My monthly salary is 7 dollars and 30 cents, sir." The store manager smiled wryly, "Even the 7 dollars and 30 cents is not so easy to get, the boss has established many rules and regulations, and tried every means to deduct our wages .”

"Tell me."

Liang Yao said curiously, he would like to know what innovations capitalists in this era have in exploiting employees.

"Two days off every month, start at 7:8 am and open at 1:60 am. If it goes well, you can get off work at [-]:[-] pm. If you are late and leave early, you will be deducted [-] dollar at a time. There is an hour of lunch time in the middle. The lunch time is too long. A one-time deduction of [-] cents, if you find the wrong change, you will not only have to pay out of your own pocket to make up for the loss of the store, but also pay a fine of the same amount, or you will be fired."

The store manager rubbed his chin in thought.

"There are too many. In short, if you want to get that pitiful salary every month, you have to be like a machine in a factory and keep in a tight state at all times. Otherwise, you may not only not get your salary, but you may have to give it to me." Store money.

Of course, these are not the most uncomfortable things. The most uncomfortable thing is that working here is not respected. As our boss said, we employees are nothing more than simple machines in his eyes. "

"Not being respected, with such a low salary, is there anyone willing to work here?"

Elizabeth was very surprised by this. In her restaurant, the basic salary of ordinary employees is also 6 US dollars, but every month each restaurant has a commission based on its own turnover. Generally, there is still a commission of 3 to 5 US dollars per month. The long base salary is $9.

The most important thing is that although the management of her restaurant is strict, it will not deduct the wages of employees.There is no reason to let the horse run without feeding the horse.

"Hundreds of immigrants flood into New York every day, and New York will never worry about having no cheap employees." Liang Yao said to Elizabeth.

There is a shortage of people in the United States, but that is for the vast and sparsely populated midwestern regions. The developed eastern regions, especially big cities like New York, have never been short of cheap labor.

"Yes, there are a lot of employees who leave our store every month, but there are always new Irish, Italian, German and other people applying for jobs here." The store manager said.

"I plan to save enough money for a boat ticket to California in New York, and then go to California to pan for gold, or reclaim a piece of my own land to grow potatoes, but I heard that there are also many Indians in California, who are worried about their personal safety."

Liang Yao felt dumbfounded, and said, "The Indians are not as scary as your boss who eats people and doesn't spit out bones."

After leaving the hat shop, Elizabeth put a hat on Liang Yao. She adjusted Liang Yao's hat on her toes, looked carefully and said.

"It's a good size."

"But the weather is not suitable." After a while, Liang Yao, who felt the heat on his head, had to take off his top hat and hold it in his hand.

After sending Elizabeth back to the manor, Liang Yao drove to Buckhouse's residence with the birthday gift he had prepared and Fan Daze, and visited Buckhouse, the largest real estate tycoon in New York and also the largest landowner in New York.

"Honestly, I'm very surprised that you came to visit me."

Buckhouse was very surprised by Liang Yao's initiative to visit.

This son of a wealthy family who was born in the No. [-] noble family in New York is undoubtedly lucky. The founder of the family, Old Astor, has four sons. Unfortunately, two of the four sons died early, and the eldest son is mentally ill. The normal son Only Buckhouse was left.

Backhouse is a natural heir to his father's huge inheritance.

It is said that he is a son of a wealthy family, but in fact, Buckhouse, who was born in 1792, is two years older than Vanderbilt.

It’s just that Vanderbilt has been traveling around all the year round, and Buckhouse has been pampered since he was a child. If you look at it from the outside, Buckhouse does look younger than Vanderbilt.

"There are no permanent friends, only eternal interests. We have always maintained a stalemate relationship, which will only benefit others. I think there is a little misunderstanding between us." Liang Yao picked up the birthday cake gift box and put it on the table in the living room , said to Backhouse, "Happy birthday to you, Mr. Backhouse."

As he said that, Liang Yao seemed to suddenly remember something, took an exquisite wooden gift box from the servant behind him, and walked to the lady next to Buckhouse.

"You must be Mrs. Astor. Oh, my God, you look so beautiful and young. This is a small gift I prepared for you. I hope you like it."

In this era, free love and free marriage are not only extravagant expectations in the East, but also in the West. Arranged marriages are also prevalent among wealthy and noble families in the West.

Backhouse's marriage was one of the most famous arranged marriages in New York at the time.

The lady in front of Liang Yao was the New York State Senator at the time, the daughter of General Armstrong, a typical political and business marriage.

Mrs. Astor opened the gift box and took a look. There were some Chinese jewelry and jade articles inside. She closed the gift box with a smile and said to Liang Yao: "Thank you, Mr. Liang, I like these gifts of yours very much, but in Astor The Te family has always been decided by men, and these gifts of yours need to be nodded by my husband before I can do it."

As she spoke, Mrs. Astor looked at Backhouse who was on the side.

The status of women in the Astor family is very low, whether it is a daughter-in-law or a daughter.

Old Astor was not very willing to contribute too much wealth to his wife's family in exchange for political capital, so he set up a treaty for this marriage that would become the tradition of the Astor family in the future.

The treaty is very simple, that is, a daughter-in-law who marries into the Astor family will give up her husband's right to distribute the estate, but she will get a fixed sum of money accordingly.

The treatment of daughters is similar to that of daughters-in-law. The Astor family established the earliest family trust in the world. In order to prevent property from falling into the hands of outsiders, it was stipulated that the family wealth should be passed on from male to female. Get a fixed monthly living allowance.

Liang Yao clapped his hands, and the servant behind him came up holding the Hang Luo Shu brocade.

"My God, these silk brocades are so beautiful. I have seen many Chinese silk brocades, but I have never seen such exquisite silk brocades with such a good hand feeling. This is simply a work of art!"

Seeing this, Backhouse couldn't help standing up from the sofa, holding a pipe in his hand, and went up to examine the silk carefully. The Astor family had traded with China, and silk was among them, but he also I have to admit that Liang Yao's silk as a gift is indeed of better quality, and he has never seen such a good quality silk brocade before.

"Of course, these are not for sale." Liang Yao said in a mysterious way.

"Not for sale?" Mrs. Astor's face was full of confusion.

"This is not for sale exclusively for the royal family, not those vulgar trade items. I know some friends of the imperial merchants and got them from them. Only nobles like you are worthy of royal supplies, so I am sending them to you I hope you like it." Liang Yao said with a smile.

"Using these silk brocades to make clothes for you, it must be very suitable, and it will surely surprise other ladies in New York."

At this time, the Qing royal family was still very mysterious in the eyes of Westerners, and ordinary gifts could not impress the well-informed Astor family.

After hearing that it was a royal item, Mrs. Astor, who had always maintained a dignified posture, swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

The upper class in New York prides themselves on being aristocrats, advocating aristocratic culture, and being able to enjoy royal supplies is what these vanity-loving upper-class people dream of.

"I really like these gifts of yours." Mrs. Astor glanced at Backhouse, "my dear, Mr. Liang came to visit us so sincerely, if we don't accept Mr. Zhiyi treats Mr. Liang well, because he will be ridiculed and gossiped by other families in New York."

Backhouse signaled the servant to accept Liang Yao's gift, and Mrs. Astor made tea for Liang Yao herself with a smile on her face.

The Astor family started as a trader in China in the early years, so members of the Astor family have the habit of drinking tea.

Of course, Backhouse would not believe the nonsense that Liang Yao and the Astor family must have some misunderstanding.

He sent John to mine gold in California, but was obstructed by Liang Yao and their gold was confiscated. Backhouse kept these things in mind.

"Your Chinese culture is extensive and profound. I remember a saying that goes, if you don't have anything to show your courtesy, you're either rape or steal." Buckhouse said after inviting Liang Yao to sit down.

"It seems that you have a good understanding of Chinese culture. There is a saying in China, which is called turning hostility into friendship." Liang Yao said after sitting down.

"That depends on how much treasure you can come up with, and whether the treasure you take out can impress me and stop the fighting between us." Buckhouse said.

To be honest, Liang Yao's sudden visit on his birthday made him very surprised. Apart from the surprise, he couldn't help raising his own opinion of Liang Yao.

Besides buying land, Liang Yao took the initiative to find him, and Buckhouse couldn't think of any other reasons.

Backhouse took a puff of cigarette, exhaled slowly from his mouth and nose, and said.

"If I'm not mistaken, you want to buy my land, and this land is likely to be in New York. I am a businessman, and a businessman will do business. As long as these lands are not for sale by the Astor family, I can't sell them. , but in view of the conflicts between us before, if you want to buy it, you have to pay more!"

(End of this chapter)