Rise of the 1630s South America

Chapter 2240 Appearance ([-])

"Don't play anymore, it's boring." Xiao Guang, who has been officially promoted to a major in the army, pushed the mahjong in front of him and said in a dispirited manner.After playing cards all afternoon, I either fired or got cut off. I lost almost 20 yuan because of this, which is really annoying.

"Brothers, this store is doing well, and the business is pretty good." After lighting a cigarette, Xiao Guang looked up at the resplendently decorated clubhouse, and smiled self-deprecatingly: "Boss Xu really has all eyes and hands. Our country Gambling and whoring are prohibited, anyone who wants to do this business will take huge risks. Only Boss Xu, it is really amazing to make such a big scene."

"Haha, Brother Guang, can things like gambling and prostitution really be banned? The people have needs, and Boss Xu is meeting the needs of the people. Just say Brother Guang, your army, the military discipline is strict enough, but Going out to fight, rape and gambling are still unavoidable, right? Our Gendarmerie Command has captured many such big soldiers, even officers. Damn, your gang is too ruthless, and the Gendarmerie has been beaten Black gun." A man with a large pile of silver dollars spread out in front of him said with a smile.

"Hey, you're just a scum in the army, you're so rare! The people in the navy are outrageous. Last year, dozens of people were found to have syphilis. When they were quarantined, they all looked like concubines." Xiao Guang said disdainfully: " The navy is a fucking calf. These people will not be sent to South Africa for labor reform. The Mei agency can’t do anything about them, so they are locked in isolation prisons and wait in line for treatment. You also know the medicine produced by the northern pharmaceutical factory, which is more expensive than gold. , the death rate is still extremely high, and the Admiralty is also troubled by this matter now. They are all strong and strong young men who go to sea for a year or two, and it is indeed a problem."

"Hey, if you talk about the navy, isn't that the navy? The kid from Qian Qing's family, the second lieutenant of the navy, was my neighbor when I was young. Fuck, he will change into plain clothes and wear a hat to think that I don't know him? Damn, this kid I'm going to go whoring." Another young man who was collecting money looked at a handsome young man in the corner in front of him in surprise and said.

Hearing this, Xiao Guang looked over and saw a well-dressed young man whispering something to an old man.Within a minute, the two left the poker field together.Xiao Guang reckoned that the two had negotiated a price and then went out to have fun.This kind of brothel is not accepted by non-acquaintances, and they are all opened in very hidden places, and there is no abnormality on the outside, so they can survive.Otherwise, I'm afraid he would have been taken down countless times - no matter how much the police protect him, they can't go too far.

"I heard that this kid never got married, and his family was worried. They thought there was something wrong with him. Now it seems that he is living in style." Xiao Guang smiled, and threw the last few silver dollars in front of him to a person who came over. The little girl who brought him some tea stood up and said, "I'm not playing anymore! I'm going back to the ministry to report on my work tomorrow, so go back early and rest."

"I stayed in the valley for a few years, but I didn't expect the capital to be so smoky—well, it's bustling, but you are still comfortable. What? Didn't the brothers think about going out to do something? You're so blind all day long It's not a way to mess around, and in the end, you won't earn much money, and you won't be able to find good girls, is this really good?" Xiao Guang walked to the hanger, picked up his woolen coat and top hat, and asked with a smile : "Xiao Wang, you failed to chase Xiao Yu before, do you know why?"

"Hmph! It's not that bastard Gao Shiguang stealing love." The young man said with some embarrassment.

"Xiao Wang, I grew up with your elder brother as a child. It is a fateful friendship. Some words are not pleasant, but I still want to say it. Gao Shiguang graduated with honors from the Military Academy and fought bayonets with natives in South Africa. , with two wounds on his body, he is already a lieutenant at a young age. Xiao Yu is from a good background, he is beautiful, and he is not short of money. Why should he like you? Think about it, you have the same level of education. Not low, go out and do something, let others take a good look at it.”

"Brother Guang, you are always such a disappointment." Several poker players said helplessly.

"Brother Guang is also for your own good." After Xiao Guang finished dressing, he took out his pocket watch to check the time, then nodded to several people, and strode out.

The streets are bustling with people.Today is the weekend, and there are quite a lot of people out shopping.The east bank now legally works six days a week, one day off, and the capital has a large middle class, so the market is very prosperous, and the merchants are happy.Xiao Guang enjoyed wandering the streets, breathing the bustling air, and felt that the years of hard work outside were totally worth it.The predecessors in the National Power Alliance are right. Soldiers are the shield of the country, protecting the people from wind and rain, and creating a safe living environment.At the same time, soldiers are also the sharp sword of the country, opening up the living space under the sun for the nation, and bringing various overseas commodities and benefits to the people.Of course, there are more important things. Soldiers are also the supervisors of the country. Once the government has problems, corruption, corruption, lack of fighting spirit, and no desire to make progress, the soldiers also need to stand up to clean up the demon atmosphere, set things right, and re-establish order for the country—— Well, some people out there will disagree on this point, but it doesn't matter.

Xiao Guang was very proud to be born in such a country.The industry and commerce are booming, and the unemployment rate is the lowest in history-although it sounds unbelievable, the unemployment rate always exists. Of course, these workers who are fired or laid off will not be out of work for a long time. I will pack my bags, and under the organization of the State Development Bureau, I will take one caravan after another to the frontier of the motherland, and then gradually turn it into the hinterland, and so on.

When Xiao Guang led various expeditions and prospecting teams, he talked with many scholars and knew a lot of data.For example, in the whole of last year, there were 20 tons of ships of various types on the east coast—including ocean-going sailing ships, ships, inland/offshore small steamers, special ships, warships, barges, tugboats, etc.—in Zhenhai, The docks in Ping An, Shanghai, Qingdao, Liucheng and other places were launched, and at least [-]% of them used steel in large quantities.

Now grain can be shipped to overseas colonies and even other countries continuously all year round.There is no longer a clear distinction between pre-harvest and post-harvest prices, and barns built across the country effectively regulate prices.If iron ships become popular in the future, grain shipments in bulk will become the mainstream, and they will not be caught in the tide. Although the east coast can only use wooden boats to carry grain in bags in a semi-humid state, in the era of continuous wars in the northern hemisphere There is still a lot of profit to speak of, and these have greatly safeguarded the interests of the farmers, enabling them to have a certain ability to consume various commodities.

Xiao Guang also knew that the machinery manufacturing industry, the heavy metal industry (smelting and processing of gold, silver, copper, iron, and tin), and the military industry were booming unprecedentedly. A large number of commodities were produced and shipped to various places (some even overseas), and unemployment The rate is even only about 1%.After Chairman Shao came to power, the drastic reforms have achieved initial results. Everyone has a stable income, prices are falling slowly but firmly, all kinds of enterprises are running at full capacity, and the number of bankruptcies has even dropped to less than a hundred figures. Miracle.

Of course, he also knew that in the middle of last year, there was another coal shortage on the east coast after many years.A large number of coal dealers gathered in Ping'an, Tieling, Heishan and other coal producing areas, queuing up to buy coal.Even the frigid Heijin Island, under the strong market demand, extended the production time in winter and started production at full capacity. Large merchant ships waited in the port, and then sailed through the stormy sea with a full load of coal to major commercial ports across the country.

Deepening overseas trade also supported these economic gains.The merchant fleet on the east coast spread all over the world, ensuring that the income from overseas trade has remained stable at a considerable level.If the timing of the Indian monsoon temporarily weakens India's purchasing power, there may be a coffee and cocoa crop in Brazil, or an improved trade off China's coast, and a realignment of export commodities would be beneficial to a mature commercial system on the east coast. It's a trivial thing to say, that the banks' discount rate for these industries has never exceeded 5%, which is enough for people to realize the investment value in them, and then flock to them.

The prosperity of the real economy has given birth to the progress of the service industry.In today's east coast, various dramas and concerts are held one after another, the audience is always full, and the income of actors has skyrocketed, so that many children have been affected. The sales of Haidiao Musical Instrument Factory have increased greatly, and various art teachers have followed suit Popularity, the culture of the whole society is in a state of blooming.

Of course, the growth of the service industry does not only come from these art industries. In fact, in some relatively "old" industries, their development speed may be even faster.Just like the place where Xiao Guang played cards just now, to be honest, the traffic is very large, and the clubhouse can be said to be making money every day.The mahjong they played for tens of dollars was really very small, that is, they were born noble, otherwise how could the manager of the clubhouse give them a good room for an afternoon?

Xiao Guang actually has no major opinions on the development of this deformed industry. It is always the demand of the society, and pressure cannot be suppressed.Of course, he also disagrees with legalizing it, because the damage to the spiritual level of society is very huge and far-reaching, and it will easily lead to the degradation of social atmosphere.It is best to turn a blind eye and close one eye like now. The state occasionally investigates and punishes it a few times to rectify it, so as to give the public the impression that the government does not approve of these underground economies, and then it doesn’t matter if everything goes on as usual. The people on the east coast are not so noble that they have no desires or desires.

Of course, there are still some underground economies that deceive people in society.For example, many small-scale brothels run by Italians have always been the targets of the government's severe crackdown, because they have caused many social problems, including health, and people have to pay attention to them.Now the east coast government is trying to guide those Italians to make money with their own hands and ingenuity, which will help improve their overall image.But it seems to have little effect. After learning that there is a treasure between her legs, it is difficult for any Italian woman to settle down to work again, because it is too hard and the income is too low.

"Forget it, I can't control too much, the most important thing is to do my own thing well." Major Xiao Guang sighed.After returning to the ministry to report on his duties tomorrow, if there are no major accidents, he will go north to Brazil again to serve as the security commander of the Tuanjiehe gold mining area.This is an important position. Although it is not his ideal to return to the army as a military leader, but since the superior has arranged it like this, he has no choice but to obey.

It is said that the sources of gold on the east coast are becoming more and more diversified.In addition to the gold regularly collected from the African continent, New China, the Far East and Tieling, more and more prospectors are flooding the wilderness of Tuanjie River, South Africa and Australia.As one financial reporter wrote: "Gold mines with considerable production potential have been discovered in South Africa, but I must warn the illegal gold miners who are about to move around the country that the gold mines in South Africa are not easy to mine. any reckless action could lead to financial ruin and loss of liberty."

His warning is justified, but rampant speculation is still prevalent. South Africa has now become a catharsis for domestic surplus capital. A "new world of work".

This is the case in South Africa, especially in the Tuanjie River Basin, so that the government asked domestic mineralogists to come out and publish a soft article, pointing out that "there is no reason to worry that the gold in the Tuanjie River will be easily mined", while increasing the military and police forces in the Tuanjie River Basin Investment, based on the greater autonomy of the local police commander and the East Coast Gold Company, so that they can rest assured to combat rampant illegal gold mining.In addition, the State Administration of Precious Metals has repeatedly announced in a high-profile manner that there is no "reason to use the gold standard in a short period of time" to cool down this gold boom, but only God knows how effective it will be. Illegal gold miners are fanatical Emotions may only be slightly cooled by hunger and bullets.

Therefore, Major Xiao Guang is actually facing a very complicated situation when he goes north to take up his post.His work tasks are very heavy, and he can't tell who is the enemy and who is the friend. After all, last year, more than a dozen employees of the East Coast Gold Company were arrested on the grounds that they colluded with illegal gold mining groups and harmed the national interest.As for the local police being corrupted by bribes, let alone, everyone is human, and not everyone is able to remain sober and rational when faced with the temptation of gold.

Major Xiao Guang had served in the Tuanjie River Basin for many years before and knew the local conditions very well.Therefore, he has made full psychological preparations when he takes office this time, and plans to severely stop the bad atmosphere in the local area.The secret is also very simple, that is, use heavy codes in troubled times, and cut through the mess quickly, so that the Tuanjie River can become a stable source of gold on the east bank and minimize the loss of national property.

Gold is the foundation of the gold standard system, and Xiao Guang is well aware of this.

(End of this chapter)