A Man of Science and Engineering in Troubled Times Wandering in the Late Qing Dynasty

Chapter 28 The Record Company
Cui Laosan was a little embarrassed when he said it badly: "But the price is also cheap! Besides, it is a house that has been the number one scholar, so you can be happy no matter what."

"Is that good luck? It's almost the same as bad luck!" Old Yu said.

In fact, Li Yu didn't care too much about these things. Although his family had died, they died as martyrs for the country.

It's just that people at that time didn't think so, and they were very taboo. It would be fine if one or two died. It's really shocking that a family of more than a dozen died.

Fortunately, Li Yu, as a staunch atheist, is not afraid of these things. Ghosts and gods are all nonsense to him.

"I rent this house! But the price must be negotiated!" Li Yu said.

"No problem!" Cui Laosan replied very simply, "You make an offer!"

Li Yu tried to say, "20 hangs?"

"make a deal!"

Li Yu's heart skipped a beat: I'll go, talk high!

Cui Laosan quickly took out the rental discount: "The rent is 20 yuan, and if you pay 6 yuan, you will pay another [-] percent, which is [-] yuan as the middle fee. The extra money for tea and running errands will not be counted. I will also pay for the house. You take care of it."

— Immediately drop the hammer without asking three times!

"Two percent breaks three", it should be 6% for renters, and [-]% for renters as intermediary fees.But at that time, the intermediary also charged fees such as tea money and rent, and these fees often exceeded one month's rent, so [-] yuan is not too high.

Cui Laosan filled out the rental form, "I forgot to ask, how many months are you renting for?"

Li Yu smiled wryly in his heart, you are really afraid of losing the deal, "let's rent for three months first."

"Come here!" Cui Laosan quickly filled it in, and handed it over in duplicate.

Cui Laosan let out a long sigh of relief. The previous family had kept the house in his hands for more than half a year, and finally found the next family.According to Fa Liang, the only surviving descendant of the Chongqi family, as long as it can be rented out, an extra 5 dong will be given as middle fee.

Cui Laosan has not rented out a house with such a high price for a long time, it really does not open in March, it will only open in March!

There were a total of 66 taels, equivalent to 44 taels of silver. Li Yu spent nearly half of the 100 taels all over his body.

Renting a house in Beijing more than 100 years ago was also a big expense!
"Sign it!"

Cui Laosan smiled all over his face, and unexpectedly handed over the gel pen that Li Yu had given him back then.

"Sign and sign!"

Li Yu picked up the pen and wrote down his name, we still have the spirit of the contract.

Cui Laosan said: "You pay a deposit first, 10 taels of silver will be enough. I will clean the house today, and then you can come over at any time tomorrow. I will wait in the house for your house inspection."

It seems that they didn't immediately pack their bags and move in.

After paying the money, Li Yu prepared to go to the British Embassy to find Pu Lande.Lao Yu sent Li Yu out of the teahouse: "Brother Xiao Li, go slowly!"

Li Yu suddenly remembered to ask him: "By the way, I forgot to ask you something. Do you know where the Tongqing class is staying?"

Old Yu thought for a while: "You're asking about Jia Gou'er's celebration class?"

"Exactly."

"Go to the Jingzhong Temple and have a look, it's probably there." Old Yu said.

"Thank you, Uncle Yu, you continue to drink tea, and don't forget to become a naval commander in the future."

Li Yu turned and left, not forgetting to tease him.

Lao Yu was stunned: "Marine commander? What navy commander?"

In the office of the British Embassy, ​​Pu Lande was in a good mood, holding a cigar in one hand, and complacently holding the telegrams from Tianjin and Shanghai in the other. His report this time was very successful.

"Bang bang bang!"

Li Yu knocked on the office door, and Pu Lande said inside, "Please come in!"

Li Yu came in and said hello, and then continued, "Mr. Reporter, I'm here to discuss with you about recording records."

Pu Lande took a puff on his cigar and said, "I've already made arrangements." He pointed to a middle-aged foreigner next to him, "Let me introduce you, this is Carlos, the manager of Victory Records in China."

Then he pointed to Li Yu and said, "Mr. Carlos, this is Li Yu, a rising star in the technology world."

"Hello!"

"Hello there!"

Li Yu and Carlos shook hands and sat on the sofa together.

Pu Lande said: "Mr. Carlos is trying to open up the record market in the Qing Dynasty. When I mentioned that I want to record Beijing opera, he immediately agreed."

Phonographs only entered China four or five years ago, and are currently only seen in concessions in Shanghai, Tianjin and other places.

Since Carlos' company also has this need, it can save a lot of recording costs.

Li Yu then said: "Mr. Carlos has a good eye. The dignitaries in the capital love to listen to Beijing opera, so there will definitely be a market."

"Yes, but we don't know Chinese people's preferences, let alone Beijing opera." Carlos's Chinese was much more blunt than Pu Lande's.

Li Yu said: "This is easy to handle. I know Liyuan Da Na, and I will introduce you to you when the time comes."

"It's so good, it's because the Chinese understand Beijing opera." Carlos said.

Li Yu waved his hand: "I don't understand Beijing opera, I just know people who understand."

Pu Lande smiled and said to Carlos: "Now even the Empress Dowager of the Qing Dynasty likes to listen to operas. If you can make her like your records, I'm afraid the whole company can move to the capital."

"Then I'm not developed!" Carlos laughed.

Each of the three parties takes what they want: Li Yu wants to help Yang Xiaolou's troupe get out of trouble; Carlos wants to sell his own record; Pu Lande wants to use this new gadget to win Cixi's favor and make up for the deadlock between the two because of the Kang Liang incident. relation.

So things can be done as soon as they are filmed. Carlos immediately said that he would go to the theater with Li Yu.

Pu Lande gave Carlos thousands of instructions: "This matter must be done well. Whether the market can be opened depends on what the Empress Dowager Cixi said."

Carlos patted his chest and assured: "Don't worry, there is absolutely no problem with our company's products."

Pu Lande said to Li Yu again: "One more thing, I will organize a salon tonight, at my residence in Dongjiaomin Lane."

"Sharon?" Li Yu asked in surprise.

Pu Lande nodded and said, "Yes, both Shenbao and Zilinxi News want to contact you for an interview, and Ms. Alice Smith, the editor-in-chief of The Beijing-Tianjin Times, also wants to meet you in person. So many people Together, I have no choice but to organize a salon."

Well, I suddenly became the favorite of the press, but it came too fast!
"Zi Lin Xi Bao" is an English-language newspaper, mainly for foreigners in the concession, including diplomats, missionaries, businessmen, etc., so although the circulation is not too large, the influence is not small.

"Shenbao" is much more famous, and it has been published for a long time, basically spanning the entire modern era, and can be called an encyclopedia of modern history.The news reports were also fair and objective, and officials of the Qing court at that time would also read this newspaper.

(End of this chapter)