Rise of the 1630s South America

Chapter 2111 Xipampa

The wind blows across the plain, driving down a field of tall thistles.

With the support of his sons and nephews, Li Zhengang, who was already very old, carefully inspected the land under his feet.Although it is overgrown with weeds, a tall thistle that was a little tall in the Old World can grow to half a person's height in the New World. It has to be said that this land is really suitable for the growth of plants-including food crops.

The long-established Chuangji Investment Company is still operating today, and its scale has expanded a lot compared to before.At present, the company has leased a lot of land in the Ludang River, Chubut River, and Baoxing River basins in the southern cone, and has spent decades developing them bit by bit, turning them into beautiful and productive orchards for the vast east bank People's consumption.

Chuangji Investment Company has a good relationship with the East Coast government. A few years ago, they signed an agreement with the East Coast government again, agreeing that after the original land lease agreement expires, the contract will be automatically renewed for 30 years.That is to say, those orchards and farms are still operated by Chuangji Investment Company at the cost of doubling the rent and planting [-] mu of windbreaks for the government free of charge.

There is no doubt that this is an extremely cost-effective investment.The economy on the east bank is now developing steadily, and the people have a great demand for all kinds of fresh fruits, dried fruits and fruit deep-processing products, while the southern cone region has a large temperature difference between day and night, sufficient sunshine, and the soil is also suitable for growing fruits. The East Coast has a great reputation and sales are booming.

At present, the state-owned Dafeng Food Company, Pingan Canned Food Factory, the private Mashi Fruit Industry, and the foreign-funded Chuangji Investment Company, etc., are all staking land in the Hecheng Oasis in Nanzhuo, operating large orchards .Without exception, the operating conditions of these orchards are very good, and they have brought rich returns to investors, including Chuangji Investment Company.

The shareholding structure of Chuangji Investment Company is very scattered. The major shareholder is Li Guo, and there are also some military leaders, such as Gao Yigong, Yuan Zongdi, Liu Fangliang, Zhang Neng, Zhang Nai, Dang Shousu, He Zhen, Zhang Guangcui, Zhang Jingchun Wait, there are many people.At that time, such a company was established because no one in the court of Dashun knew where tomorrow would be and whether they would be beaten to death by the Qing army in the next moment. With the help of people from the east coast, he could go into exile at sea, and he would be a rich man.

At that time, Li Zhengang remembered that the East Bank government also gave great help.Not only did they calculate and confirm the funds for the establishment of the company (the capital has been increased several times in succession, about 20 taels, including some real objects) at the fastest speed, but it also gave them great convenience in terms of financial loans.Even, the early Dong'an company also invested 20% of the shares (now it has divested), which undoubtedly gave Chuangji Investment Company a special aura and relieved a lot of development resistance out of thin air.

So far, Chuangji Investment Company has begun to take root on the east coast, operating various industries, such as their orchards in the oasis of the Nanzhui River, such as their pepper, oil palm, and sisal plantations in Xinhuaxia Island, such as their plantations in the Brazilian Plateau farm etc.At that time, Li Zhengang was a figure acceptable to both Dongdong and Shun, so he took office as the helm of the company, and it has been decades since then.

For decades, Chuangji Investment Company has been in contact with the local area intermittently, and many of them are transited by people from the east coast, which is very difficult.However, Li Zhengang worked diligently and managed the original start-up capital in an orderly manner. The company's total assets increased year by year, and its cash flow also increased day by day. It has become an enterprise that cannot be ignored in the East Coast. , Delta Corporation, etc. are listed as the leaders of foreign-funded enterprises.

Chuangji Investment Company is also very political.For example, they often responded to the wasteland reclamation policy of the east bank government, spent a lot of money to clear up a lot of wasteland, and through years of uninterrupted reclamation, they turned it into farms, orchards or plantations, which made the upper echelon of the east bank very satisfied.This time they came to the Pampa Plain, west of the Yanbu Railway, to invest in pastures. Apart from intending to enrich their product lines and enter the dairy industry, another important factor was to respond to the call of the east coast government and to take care of this wild land. place for development.

Li Zhengang is already a bad old man in his seventies and eighties this year, the kind whose neck has been buried in loess.But for such a project, he was still a little uneasy, and accompanied by his nephew, he went to the site to inspect it.In fact, in the past ten years, he has basically gradually faded out of the front-line management of Chuangji Company, and only sits behind the scenes at home with a remote control to control the overall situation.However, the investment in Xipanpa this time was really huge, and there was actually 20 yuan in cash. After all, Li Zhengang was worried, so he braced himself and came out to have a look.

In fact, despite his age, it seems that his brain is not as bright as before.But for some of the thoughts of the juniors, they are actually quite clear.Just like this time, the juniors decided to invest a huge amount of money in the ranch in Xipampa. It seems unbelievable (the investment is too high), but if you consider that they plan to build a dairy processing plant next to the ranch and sign a long-term contract with the ranch In terms of the supply agreement, then this is not difficult to understand at all.What's more, the money needed for the construction of this dairy processing plant was loaned from United Industrial Credit Bank and guaranteed by Chuangji Investment Company.

Li Zhengang is a veteran figure, and he is undoubtedly loyal to the Dashun court.But how much of this kind of loyalty can be left after decades of time wears away is really a question.Just like now, his children and nephews are blatantly poaching corners of the company to make profits for their own small business. In the past, he would never allow this to happen, but after living on the east coast for decades, the current But he can't control so much anymore, he can only turn a blind eye.

I believe that after Li Zhengang passes away, Chuangji Investment Company will experience a major earthquake, and the current very scattered shareholding structure will be greatly changed. The Li family may leap from a small shareholder holding less than 5% of the shares to a large one. shareholder.After all, among the dozen or so shareholders when the company was founded, in the past few decades, some were imprisoned and killed, some died in battle, and only one-third of them are still on the stage with descendants.Therefore, who are the current specific shareholders of Chuangji Investment Company is already a mess!In addition, the relationship between the East Coast Republic and Shun State is not as harmonious as it used to be, and Li Zhengang's descendants have basically become East Coast Citizens. This business has been managed by their family for decades, so it is inevitable The land has the idea of ​​embezzling its property and taking it for itself.Even if that doesn't work, they can still use it as a source of benefits. Just like this time, Chuangji Investment Company spent a lot of money to build a pasture, and then sold the milk and other commodities it produced to a designated company, so that it could Low-cost production of milk powder, cheese, cream, etc., to obtain profits.

Li Zhengang no longer intends to take care of these matters.He's numbered a few days, and the kids don't listen to him much, so let him have his way.All he can do is to take this major investment of Chuangji Investment Company - and it is also the last investment in his decades of business life - a good check, and strive to become the company's future long-term profit growth point, provided that this The company that entrusted him with too many things has not been hollowed out and embezzled by his descendants.He is old, but he is not confused. He clearly understands the virtues of his descendants. At the same time, he also knows that even the East Coast government is more happy to see Chuangji Investment Company controlled by East Coast people-note, it is an East Coast nationality hands of people.

"Staking land, what a staking land! What the Manchurians did in the past, now the people on the east coast are doing it again in Spain. Fortunately, the land here is sparsely populated, and you may not see it even if you run for an hour. One person can do less and do more evil." Tired of walking, Li Zhengang motioned to his nephew to help him into the carriage next to him, and said at the same time: "Are there many people who come here to enclose land?"

"A lot." His nephew replied softly: "Yesterday I saw Kurlanders nearby. They are Kurlanders from the Congo River across the sea. They plan to set up one or two farms here to grow food. The farm, they tried to get it from Poland, and the tools must have been purchased locally. It is really good to grow tobacco and sugar cane in their place, but it is not so good to grow food, especially their favorite wheat and rye , basically impossible. So it is best to come here to set up some farms, which will help ensure their food security.”

Li Zhengang nodded upon hearing this.This approach of the Courlandians is also what the East Coast government is happy to see. If you set up a farm, it is tantamount to helping the East Coast government develop wasteland. At the same time, the farm workers you recruit will also become East Coast nationals after the seven-year period expires. .You see, the government can receive rent and taxes, get people, and develop wasteland. Is there anything better than this?

"Last month, I saw a lot of Italians. They also came to investigate, but I don't know which countries they are." His nephew continued: "Maybe there are all of them. But compared to the urgency of New Courland , these Italians are pure investments, after all, their homeland is far away from here.”

"Italians? Why are they here to join in the fun? These guys are not able to farm in a down-to-earth manner. A bunch of profiteers and speculators, what kind of land are they farming?" Li Zhengang was a little puzzled, so he asked: "Is it to avoid danger?" capital?"

Having lived on the east coast for decades, Li Zhengang didn't hang around all day. He actually learned a lot of the latest business and financial knowledge, and he knew the trend of the international economy and the general situation of various countries. It is strange why people come to this West Pampa enclosure to grow food.However, if one thinks that the European continent is now in the midst of war, northern Italy has been invaded by the French, and the Principality of Savoy has suffered a crushing defeat, then you can be relieved. It is indeed possible for safe-haven capital to choose to come here, of course not Excluding the east coast puts pressure on them to pay for the development of the wastelands of West Pampa.

Of course, Li Zhengang didn't understand the plan for the Northern Italian Confederation that is being vigorously promoted by the foreign affairs department on the east coast.In order to cooperate with this plan, the East Coast government is trying every means to promote the economic alliance between several major forces in Northern Italy, which naturally includes very important overseas investment.Their investment in the West Pampa Plain is actually not large. The investment in East Brazil, Xinhua Island and Huaiyuan Island (Trinidad) is huge. If there is nothing to do in the future If you make a big mistake, you will definitely be able to obtain stable profits, and economic interests have always been a very good lubricant. It will play a big role in eliminating the contradictions between the states and eventually leading to the establishment of the Confederacy.

It is worth mentioning that among the Italians who came to investigate and invest, there were businessmen from Milan and Parma, two areas still under the rule of the Kingdom of Spain.Before the Kingdom of Spain officially ceded the West Pampa Plain, they couldn't wait to follow in the footsteps of the people on the east coast, came to invest in the Spanish American colonies, and signed a package agreement with the east coast government. It has to be said that they are really not very Put the court of Madrid in your eyes.And this is actually a scene that people on the east coast are willing to see. To promote the establishment of the Northern Italian Confederation, not only will France and Austria have to send pressure, Spain is also one of the obstacles in the way, and it must be eliminated. Things are undoubtedly one of the best ways to break its prestige and influence in northern Italy.

"Except for the Courlandians and Italians, most of the others are domestic investors, and there are quite a few of them. For example, the Renjun Trading Company, which mainly deals in grain, timber and black slave trade, will invest a lot of money. funds." The nephew continued to introduce: "But compared to these private investors, the state is the real big deal! 5 people will be relocated within one year, and 15 people will be relocated within two years. Make a big move and do your best. Quickly develop this sleepy fertile land. This kind of determination, this kind of perseverance, this kind of organizational power, and this kind of economic strength, I think no one on this planet can match it. At the same time, it also shows that, The country attaches great importance to the development of this land, and it is built as the foundation of the future. Uncle, our Li family’s investment in West Pampa is actually in line with the country’s major policies, so basically we will be invincible , the difference is just a matter of earning more and earning less.”

Li Zhengang glanced at this able nephew, didn't say anything, but sighed in his heart.This nephew is similar to his other descendants, he must be called Dong'an, and he regards himself as a real Dong'an from the inside out, and he has thrown Dashun thousands of miles away.I haven't had a good life for a few days. If I die in the future, the East Coast government will definitely support someone I like to take charge of the record.

Chuangji Investment Company is not an ordinary company.It is a company specially approved by the East Coast government, and since it is specially approved, it must be subject to many restrictions, such as the change of the actual controller of the company and so on.Li Zhengang was recognized by the East Bank at the beginning. After his death, the second actual controller of the company also needs to be approved by the East Bank government, otherwise he will not be able to take office.With the current relationship between Dong'an and Shun, Dashun probably would have a hard time getting Dong'an's permission to send someone over to rectify the company.In that case, the most important route for Dashun to purchase goods from the east coast would be cut off, which would be quite troublesome for them.

"I can't control that much anymore! In the future, Chuangji will depend on his own fortune, and Dashun will also depend on his own fortune. I have maintained Chuangji for half my life, and I have helped Dashun buy no less than ten boats. I am already worthy of the court and Daxing The emperor's kindness. No matter how much, I can't help it, really I can't help it..." Li Zhengang rested his head on the soft cushion, thinking silently.

Outside the carriage, a group of jubilant cavalry roared by.These people are all soldiers from the garrison west of the Yanbu Railway, and they came here in groups, probably on patrol.Patrols—hehe, patrols have been normalized before the land is negotiated. What is the Spaniard still insisting on?

(End of this chapter)