20 years of the Republic of China

Chapter 443 Vanity Fair

The train was delayed for nearly two hours.

It was not until late in the evening, when the sky was dark and the wind and snow stopped, that Zhao Guoyan finally arrived at Jiangzhai in the north of the city.

Walking into the entrance hall, he rubbed the soles of his shoes on the doormat, took off his woolen coat and handed it to Song Ma. He turned to say hello to Dong Feng and Xifeng in the living room. The coldness in his body had not yet dissipated, so he immediately picked up his suitcase and walked straight to the door. Run to the study on the second floor.

"Shua la - shua la -"

Inside the room, Jiang Lianheng and Zhao Guoyan were sitting on chairs smoking and chatting.

Hu Xiaoyan was at the table and briefly glanced at the account books that were delivered to her.

There are several thick account books, not only about the business of recruiting labor, but also about the branches of Zongheng Insurance Company, Fuchangcheng Terminal Transportation Company, the Jiang family's property rent collection, and several scattered investments.

The account books are neat and clear and can be seen at a glance. Of course, they were not written by Zhao Guoyan and Wang Zhengnan, but were the work of professional accountants.

There was a knock on the door, and Yuan Xinfa's daughter-in-law Yingzi walked in, served tea and water to the three of them, and then left immediately.

Jiang Lianheng was not surprised by this, and then asked: "How is Nanfeng doing over there?"

"Isn't this just being used as a legion to the foreigners!"

"This is a foreigner's business. If you can do it, keep doing it. Even if you don't make much money, it will be worth it if you can make a few friends."

"Then, everyone will know that I have been used as a bastard for the foreigners."

"No, this business must continue." Hu Xiaoyan put down the account book and said in a very firm tone, "If you don't want to lose money, why not do it?"

Jiang Lianheng frowned, instinctively disgusted.

Jiang Lianheng nodded, "I'm used to it."

"It's still the same!" Zhao Guoyan leaned back in his chair and said, "I help foreigners recruit workers all day long. I'm really busy, but I just don't make much money."

"Of course you can't make a profit by doing business at a loss," she said. "However, some businesses are for profit, and some businesses are for fame. Since you are not losing money by recruiting workers for foreigners, there is no reason to give up. "

"Yeah, then we have to keep doing it." Hu Xiaoyan was not only unmoved, but became more determined, "Recruiting workers for foreigners has little profit and many requirements. Apart from officials, not many people are willing to do it. But the Jiang family is willing to do it, and they try their best to do it well, which is called ability. "

"That's too much." Zhao Guoyan shook his head and complained, "Actually, everything else is easy to deal with. For example, we can change the age. The main thing is the physical examination. Some people can clearly see, but it must be that there is something wrong with their eyes. There was also a man from Tieling who was not allowed to board the ship just because of two rotten teeth! "

When Zhao Guoyan saw this, he immediately stood up and said with a smile: "Brother, sister-in-law, how about I go out first and you two can discuss it slowly?"

"It was snowing, and we were about to arrive at the station, but we stopped halfway for more than an hour before starting."

Zhao Guoyan did not dare to make fun of his sister-in-law, and thought for a while before saying: "Sister-in-law, Nanfeng has also said this, and I understand the truth, but the problem is that those foreigners are not here to do business, they are just recruiting workers, and they will leave after recruiting. I will basically never come back.”

Zhao Guoyan hesitated a little, weighed it and said: "The key is that the recruitment of workers is mainly led by the government. Except for those dental shops, the big business people basically don't bother to get involved."

"Sit down, sit down." Jiang Lian waved his hand and immediately looked at Hu Xiaoyan, "Okay, you go ahead."

Zhao Guoyan continued: "Sometimes, after dozens of people are recruited in a day, only six or seven can board the ship. Maozi's side is more lenient and can take almost everyone away, but they recruit less people in Liaonan and give less money. , not many people want to go there. I don’t have the patience to serve those foreign devils anymore.”

Jiang Lianheng sneered and said nothing.

This was put too mildly.

In fact, the profit from recruiting workers is pitifully small, and you can only earn some referral fees from it, which is tantamount to useless for the Jiang family today.

Zhao Guoyan provoked Brother Thumbstone in response, and replied: "He already has power, but last year we helped him out again. Now the boundaries of the old city street and wharf are all subject to the Third Master's decision."

Hu Xiaoyan calmed down for a moment, and then continued: "For foreigners' business and errands, you have to do one today and one tomorrow. Even if it is a boring and boring job, as long as you do it, it will be done over time. , foreigners will continue to look for you if they have other matters."

"That's okay, let's talk about it another day." Jiang Lianheng leaned over and put out the cigarette butt, then turned around and asked, "How is Tong San'er doing now? Is he standing up?"

"Hey, I asked you to say this!" Jiang Lianheng lit a cigarette, turned around and said teasingly, "Guo Yan, how are you? Did you see, this is our old Buddha!"

Hu Xiaoyan stood up, moved her wheelchair forward and came to the coffee table.

As soon as he finished speaking, Hu Xiaoyan suddenly spoke up from the side.

"Can you hear me out?"

Zhao Guoyan picked up the hot tea and had been freezing outside for a whole day. Suddenly it warmed up, and he felt his hands and feet itchy, and even his ears were scratching.

"What do they want?" Jiang Lianheng asked.

"It's a waste of time! If you have this kind of energy, why don't you put it somewhere else?"

Hu Xiaoyan's face turned red and she couldn't help but glare at Jiang Lianheng.

Jiang Lianheng pondered for a long time and muttered to himself, "I don't think there is much difference."

Hu Xiaoyan rolled her eyes and teased: "If you say that, then everyone in the world is a loser, even the president. He nods and bows to foreigners, and glares at his own people. Are you better than the president?"

"Otherwise... this business will be shut down!" Jiang Lianheng muttered.

I saw her flipping through the account books and saying without raising her head: "I just took a look at it twice. Isn't the recruitment business always profitable? A little less. Since Nanfeng wants to do it, let him Let him keep doing it!”

"You can't think like that. This is called word of mouth. It spreads from one to ten, and from ten to a hundred——"

Zhao Guoyan said: "Sister-in-law, it's not that I'm greedy, but that these foreigners are really difficult to serve. Recruiting workers for them is more laborious than trying to find matchmakers, especially the British and French, who are too picky to recruit. Ten people, if they can like two, that’s too much.”

"Even if they leave, our Jiang family can still have a good reputation."

"Brother, God is acting like a monster today, why don't you stop bothering me and let the family deal with him and knock him down in one go!"

"Sister-in-law——"

"Yes, it's just a habit, and habits become natural." Hu Xiaoyan said, "The best case scenario is that when foreigners come to Fengtian to do business in the future, if they encounter any trouble, the first thing that comes to mind is the Jiang family. By then, the Jiang family will He is no longer their bitch.”

"Tsk! What kind of argument are you making?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the knock on the door rang again.

"Come in!" Jiang Lianheng shouted.

Yingzi opened the door in response and said respectfully: "Master, grandma, that shopkeeper Xue is here, have you seen him?"

"Who is coming?" Zhao Guoyan immediately became alert.

"Shopkeeper Xue, that's the very good-looking guy." Yingzi didn't understand why he had such a big reaction.

"Did she come alone?" Yingzi nodded and said, "Grandma said that my old Yuan didn't need to stop Shopkeeper Xue. She is sitting in the living room downstairs, but there is a carriage at the door. "

Zhao Guoyan was worried and turned his head with a troubled face, "Brother, sister-in-law, I won't go down now. You guys are nagging you. I'll find a room to rest for a while. By the way, if Dong Erniang comes, don't say I'm here." this."

Jiang Lianheng picked up the cigarette case and stood up, patted his shoulder and said comfortingly: "Don't worry, I can't say."

"Thank you, boss!"

"Don't look at an unmarried daughter-in-law, it's unlucky."

…………

Walking along the stairs towards the living room, before seeing anyone, I heard a burst of children's laughter.

Turning a corner, I saw Xue Yingqing wearing a sable fur coat, the tip of his nose and earlobes were slightly red, and there seemed to be a little tears in the corners of his eyes. He was standing in the middle of the living room, breathing into his palms and looking at the two people with a smile. A child.

Xue Yingqing never comes empty-handed and brings some toys and snacks to the two children every time.

Jiang Ya got a big matryoshka doll today and was kneeling beside the coffee table, stacking them one by one in a straight line.

Jiang Chengye received two small wooden soldiers, all painted with colorful paint. One was in red uniform and the other was in white uniform. He was holding it in his hand at the moment and "fighting" in the air. He also said the voiceover: "Bang! Da da." Da...ah, please forgive me, my lord, I was wrong...ta da da..."

Looking up out of the window, Dongfeng and Xifeng were clearing snow with a few brothers.

"Did you say thank you when you took someone else's things?" Jiang Lianheng walked into the living room and asked casually.

The two children immediately turned to look at Xue Yingqing.

"Thank you godmother!"

"Thank you, aunt!"

"Okay, okay, let's go and play!" Jiang Lianheng sat down on the single sofa and waved his hand.

Xue Yingqing handed the mink coat to Song Ma, and then sat down on the sofa next to him. He came up and asked, "Have you heard?"

"You have?"

"Fart, no matter how big or small, how can you talk to your aunt like this!"

There was no one else in the living room, so Xue Yingqing started arguing with her seniority again.

"Nonsense!" Jiang Lianheng retorted, "How could you ask that? I've heard a lot about it. Who knows what you're talking about?"

"You're talking nonsense! Do I need to say this clearly, you don't read the newspaper every day?" Xue Yingqing rolled his eyes, but said, "Maozi's side is in chaos, there is a civil war, don't you know?"

Jiang Lianheng glanced at Jiang Chengye, who was concentrating on playing with his toys.

The Maoist Civil War is indeed the most important news in recent times. Whether it is foreign newspapers or Chinese newspapers, they are all publishing relevant reports at length. Even the war situation in Europe has become a minor news, which people cannot ignore at all. .

There is no need to test the time. Even at this moment, many knowledgeable people have already concluded that this will be one of the most important events in history.

"I know about this, let them fight!" Jiang Lianheng asked with some confusion, "On this snowy day, you came from Daxiguan just to tell me about this?"

Xue Yingqing hurriedly said: "You idiot! There is business to be done here!"

"Business?" Jiang Lianheng frowned, "Boar bristles? Horsetails? Food? Arms? Don't tell me that you are helping Maozi recruit workers. I'm worried about it! There are a lot of demands and not much profit, just to earn fame. ”

"What are you talking about? Who would do a business without profit?"

At this time, Jiang Ya took out all the matryoshka dolls. From big to small, the colorful dolls with square scarves on their heads were neatly stacked on the coffee table.

"one two three four……"

Jiang Ya turned around and patted Xue Yingqing's leg, and said excitedly: "Godmother, there are ten, ten nesting dolls!"

"Is there a lot?" Xue Yingqing smiled and touched the girl's head, "Godmother specially picked the biggest one for you."

Jiang Lianheng glanced at the table and asked, "What business?"

"The scumbag business is the international scumbag business." Xue Yingqing caressed Jiang Ya's hair and said with a smile, "Of course, I'm not asking you to abduct, but I'm asking you to buy and add some gimmicks to the business."

"A frivolous bitch?" Jiang Lianheng asked in surprise.

"Yes!"

"That's still old? You're not that old!"

"It's not that we are old, it's that those kiln sisters are old and have no new tricks. Maozi's civil war, a woman in prosperous times is worth a thousand gold, but a woman in troubled times is worth a bag of rice. This is an opportunity. Don't you plan to add a few foreigners to Huifang? If you are not interested, then I will find a way on my own. When the port opens in the future, I will also open a place. Don’t say that I will steal your business!”

"No, no, no, no, I'm interested, quite interested. Huifangli should have been in line with international standards long ago!"

Although Fengtian has long had Oriental kilns, Korean kilns and Maozi kilns, the business of the Western kilns was all run by foreigners, and Chinese were always prohibited from entering, which made those bad guys anxious and worried about not getting what they wanted.

If Huifangli can create a new world, it will definitely make a profit without losing money.

Jiang Lianheng hurriedly asked with a smile: "Sister-in-law, do you have a way?"

"What's the point of asking? Why would I come to you if I have no other way?"

"Hey! I thought you missed me!"

"I thought about it yesterday, but when I went out and saw a pile of smelly dog ​​poop, I stopped thinking about it."

"Hahaha! My sister-in-law is so witty. She has sung duets at the entrance of the village before, right?"

"I even cried over your family's grave!" Xue Yingqing stared and asked, "Are you done yet?"

"It's over!" Jiang Lianheng waved his hand hurriedly, "We are all veterans of quarreling and exterminating others, so stop killing each other and get down to business! What's the deal with you? Isn't it reliable? ?”

"It's reliable, but it's best to go there in person." Xue Yingqing suggested, "If you are free, we will take a few people with us in two days and go directly to the north to negotiate the business first."

"In two days?" Jiang Lianheng asked, "Are we in such a hurry? The New Year is almost here."

"You're not in a hurry, and neither are they, but Sister Yangyao doesn't have to worry about the buyer. It's best to hurry up sooner rather than later. Once the business is settled, if there is a good one in the future, they can still keep it for you."

"That's right, that's right!" Jiang Lianheng nodded, "But this trip should be quite far, right? Are you going to Manzhouli?"

Xue Yingqing waved his hand, but said: "There is no need to go so far, we are in Jilin, Harbin, right?"

(End of this chapter)