Rise of the 1630s South America

Chapter 1955 Commercial Group ([-])

"Director Yang, has the surveying and mapping been completed?" In a village outside Yuyao County, the sun was setting to the west. After a busy day, Yang Wangzhiyuan and his partners had just finished work and were preparing for dinner.On the way back, they met a wounded and retired veteran of the No.11 mixed battalion of the former army. This person is now the militia director of this village. He often cooperates with them in work and has been very familiar with him for a long time.

"How many times have I said that my surname is Yang Wang, and I am not Yang, why can't you remember it." Yang Wang Zhiyuan agreed angrily, and then said: "What are you eating tonight? I ate in the wild these days It's all dry food, and a bird has faded out of its mouth."

"Hey, you guys made a lot of money tonight! A pig was killed in the village, and some wild goods were collected. The dinner is delicious." The director of the militia stepped forward to help Yang Wang Zhiyuan carry a box, and said with a smile: "The other county There was also a staff member who came down and gave everyone some rice wine, fruit, etc., saying that everyone had worked hard, and came to express condolences on behalf of the Huizhou Merchants Guild."

The village soldier director is also the designated logistics supplier of Yang Wang Zhiyuan and his surveying and mapping team, helping them with the daily expenses of their surveying and mapping team of more than 20 people, the profit is still good.And this is actually a disguised subsidy from the East Coast people to these "own people" who are rooted in the grassroots. Otherwise, why would they go to the food servant opened by the disabled veteran's house to buy food and other daily necessities? other people?

To put it bluntly, it's not that they are doing everything possible to enhance the government's influence on the grassroots!Regardless of their personal characteristics and abilities, the government will try to arrange for these wounded and retired veterans to serve as the director of the militia. With a loyalty, that's enough.At least in the generation they were alive, the government's influence on the countryside was not completely zero.

Of course, some people say that the countryside in the Ningshao area—or the countryside in mainland China—has been very xenophobic since ancient times. The cadres assigned by the superiors may not be able to carry out their work effectively, and they are destined to be squeezed out by the clan.Oh, of course this happens.However, in the Ningshao area, where the pace of life has gradually accelerated after decades of baptism of the new culture, even the clan elders in the countryside are not ignorant fools, and they know a little about the outside world.What's more, just a few years after the people on the east bank defeated the Qing army, it was the time when the momentum was at its peak, who would have the brains to provoke them?It really annoys these militia directors who can be called cadres stationed in the village. They go directly to the government to file a complaint. Can you afford it?Do you really want to go to the thousand islands or even Heixiazigang to be with black bears?

Therefore, these veterans are generally able to live in Ningshao villages, and they can be described as "peace and peace" with the people of the clan. When government officials go to the countryside for business, they will usually contact them first.Just like the surveying and mapping team of the Southern Railway Company, all the daily food purchases are entrusted to the militia director, so that he can also earn some money and maintain his loyalty to the government for a longer period of time.

"A businessman from the Huizhou Gang?" Yang Wanglin took out a pack of Cosmos brand cigarettes from his pocket, struck a match to light the cigarette, and took a puff of smoke comfortably, then asked in surprise: "These guys move fast, it seems I have made up my mind to join the railway board, hehe, I have an idea, I like it."

Yang Wangzhiyuan is the grandson of Yang Wanglin, the former director of the State Administration of Railways on the East Coast. He joined the Southern Railway Company directly after graduation from Meilin Railway College (a special school for training railway talents run by the State Administration of Railways, located in Meilin County). He was born in 1653 and now occupies the position of deputy director. He can also be regarded as young and promising.

Director Yang Wang has been in the Far East for a year, and has been working on the Jiaoyan Railway for the first half of the year. While maintaining the railway, he is also familiar with the local conditions.Later, news came that the plan of the Southern Development Team to build the Shangding Railway had been approved by the local government. The Southern Railway Company began to transfer personnel from within the Jiaoyan Railway system to the south to make preliminary preparations for the construction of the Shangding Railway. It was at this time that Yang Wangzhiyuan came. To Yuyao County.

Now, he has lived in this small southern county where the environment is very different from that of Denglai in the north for almost half a year.The surveying and mapping work is progressing smoothly, and the raising of railway funds is also very smooth, and it is said that many railway equipment have been produced locally, and it is almost time to ship and leave the port. Equipment produced on credit by Tieling Heavy Industry Consortium, Railway Machinery Processing Plant and other units-if all goes well, civil construction work can begin around this time next year.

Before that, in fact, what they were most worried about was the issue of raising funds.Regardless of everyone's inventory of Ningbo's strong private capital, no one can guarantee whether the money will flow into the railway. After all, this is a new thing, and it is normal for everyone to be cautious.However, it seems that the merchant group in Ningshao is more enlightened than imagined. After they were given the right to participate in the scheduled railway, they quickly subscribed for a total of 300 million yuan in construction funds, giving people a sense of their financial resources. A whole new realization.

The businessmen who came to visit Yang Wang Zhiyuan today were representatives of the Huizhou Merchants Guild who subscribed for 60 yuan in construction funds.This gentleman who runs a pawn shop in Yuyao County is obviously here to make connections. After all, the daily operation of the railway after the completion of the railway depends on the cadres and staff of the Southern Railway, such as Yang Wangzhiyuan. There will be disadvantages.

Yang Wangzhiyuan soon met this "Lin Yuanwai" at the home of the militia director. After exchanging pleasantries, they talked about business in Ningshao area instead of railway.

"Ningbo's business can develop to the point where it is today, and your association's financial support is really crucial." For the sake of the large number of gifts sent by others, Yang Wang Zhiyuan vigorously praised the contribution of Huizhou to help businessmen, which made The Lin member beamed with joy.

Of course, although he blows, it is not completely aimless.In fact, it is well known that the financial sector plays a huge role in economic operation and import and export trade that Ningbo's business can develop to such an astonishing scale.And the composition of this financial circle, in addition to the new type of banks (i.e., the Northwest Reclamation Bank, the Bank of Taiwan), various names of non-governmental private operations such as money houses, ticket offices, money shops, silver furnace houses, public appraisal bureaus, and pawn shops Such financial institutions are also an important part—even the most important part, because although there are no exact figures, it is agreed that their total turnover exceeds that of the new government-run banks.

Among these private financial institutions, those run by local businessmen in Ningbo are extremely strong, but those run by foreign businessmen (mainly Qing Dynasty businessmen) should not be underestimated.Take the Xinyi Bank established by merchants in Huizhou as an example. Tea from Huizhou and southern Anhui is picked, processed, and then transported to Ningbo for sale. Xinyi Bank provides one-stop financial services throughout the whole process. This greatly stimulates the production of tea in Huizhou and exports it to Ningbo every year. The number is increasing steadily, which is evident.

Now the financial services of these Huizhou merchants have gradually penetrated into the Ningshao area, especially in the newly occupied Yuyao, Shangyu, and Sheng counties, where the Huizhou merchants focus on their operations and have achieved considerable results.It was against this background that Lin Yuanwai came to Yuyao County to open a pawn shop. In Yin County, Dinghai, Fenghua, Cixi and other former Ningbo prefectures, they were at a disadvantage when competing with local businessmen in Ningbo. , Shengxian and other places to open up the situation, and then find ways to achieve further development in Ningbo and other places.

"Finance to modern industry and commerce is like a blood bank. It is of extraordinary significance. Yuyao's silk textiles, tea production and sales, etc., rely on money houses and banks nine out of ten, which can be said to be the key. I have heard of You, your family has already been naturalized in the East Coast, right? That's good, Ansheng will develop in Ningshao in the future, if there are any relatives and friends in my hometown, you can call them." Yang Wang Zhiyuan said with a smile.

He knew that Lin Yuanwai was one of the shareholders of Xinyi Bank, and this bank was well-known in the Huizhou area. "Small banks were set up in various places, and most of the official funds in southern Anhui passed through him."If such a person can be brought over, it will definitely be a lucrative business, just like some Qing businessmen who have been naturalized on the east coast before.

Of course, there are Qing businessmen who are willing to naturalize on the east coast, and naturally there are those who are unwilling.After operating in Ningbo for several years, some people still retain their original identities, and eagerly collect all kinds of knowledge and books from the east coast, and try their best to pass them back to their hometown.These people objectively played the role of propagating new ideas, new knowledge, and new culture, with progressive attributes, and injected a stream of freshness into the somewhat stagnant intellectual circles of the Qing Dynasty.

These new things from the outside world are especially valued by those newly rising civil and military officials of the Han nationality, because they especially want to know why they are repeatedly defeated by the East Bank.Although the Manchu and Qing courts were somewhat dissatisfied with this, they had to rely more and more on Han officials when they were surrounded by enemies, so it was not easy to explicitly ban these new ideas, and had to accept them selectively.That is to say, those that are beneficial to its rule or national strength should be vigorously promoted nationwide, and those that advocate republican ideas and new political systems are naturally banned, and of course things related to the black history of the Manchu Qing Dynasty cannot be included.

All in all, after so many years of direct and indirect influences—especially after the peace talks with the East Bank, the two sides fully opened trade and borders—the Qing Dynasty is very different from decades ago!Although the range of change is not as drastic as that of Shunguo, it is still considerable.Compared with them, the most backward and decadent power in mainland China today is the Nanming court, which is quite interesting to say.

"Director Yang Wang is right. Last time, the little old man sent a letter to his home, so more than ten people from his nephew and nephew came to Yuyao. Most of them are veterans who have been engaged in the pawn, ink and tea industry for many years. They have rich experience and will surely serve Ningbo. Add bricks and tiles to the industry and commerce." Lin Yuanwai replied with a smile: "Dadong'an has created a good business environment for our businessmen since ancient times. Everyone cherishes it very much and wants to come to Ningshao to develop. They don't need Yang Wang to deal with it." After a long reminder, I ran here by myself, ha ha."

Yang Wanglin nodded after hearing this, and smiled without saying a word.Of course he knew that Lin Yuanwai's words were not true. Although there were many people in Huizhou who helped businessmen get naturalized on the East Coast, there were not a few who refused to be naturalized. The imperial court requested the establishment of silver dollar bureaus and copper dollar bureaus to mint coins with machines to reform the currency system, which was adopted by the imperial court.Because of this, in the territory of the Qing Dynasty at that time, due to various reasons, there were all kinds of currencies in circulation in the market, which were extremely chaotic. Among them were silver dollars and copper coins from the east bank, as well as original silver taels (but the sizes were different, all depended on weighing, and the fineness was also very complicated. ), privately minted coins and silver coins from European countries from foreign trade are even more abundant, which greatly affects the development of commerce, and "the people suffer a lot".

Therefore, after seeing the exquisite appearance and uniform currency minted by the machines of the East Bank people, the businessman suggested to buy hydraulic stamping minting machines from the East Bank people to dredge the currency system in the market: the initial plan is to cast large silver dollars (heavy seven coins) Two cents), two silver dollars (three cents and six cents), five cents (four cents and four cents), and ten silver dollars (seven cents and two cents), all of which are used as silver coins throughout the country.In addition, the Tongyuan Bureau will also use machines to cast ten copper coins and two copper coins for smooth circulation across the country. Make money tickets to facilitate daily use and promote business development.

Undoubtedly, the above-mentioned measures can greatly increase the fiscal revenue of the Qing government. This is not only the revenue from seigniorage, but also the huge dividends brought about by the great development of industry and commerce in the country after the unification of the currency system, and the dividends of the latter are almost times the former.These merchant groups chose their hometown and chose to cooperate with the Manchu Qing government. It still made Yang Wanglin quite unhappy to say that, but he didn't mind too much.People on the east coast pay attention to coming and going freely and free trade, so naturally they will not pick up their own brands.

But no matter what, the merchant groups in Ningbo began to affect all aspects of society more and more deeply. After seeing many new things overseas, the merchant groups in the Qing Dynasty also began to indirectly influence national policies through letters written by Han officials to the court.And with the continuous wind and baptism of new ideas from outside, the increasing strength of business groups and the increasing voice power of Han officials, this influence will definitely become deeper and deeper. As for whether the final quantitative change will lead to qualitative change, it depends on the later stage. This is something no one can tell clearly.

(End of this chapter)