The communication with Xiang Yingxin came to an end, and it was almost time. Xu Rui immediately got up and came to the conference living room of the regiment headquarters.
When Xu Rui walked into the living room of the league headquarters, the top shopkeepers or financial owners of more than a hundred large businesses, including Qiaojia Fu and Hou Jiawei, were already there. Not only did Xu Rui attach great importance to this dinner, but he also Shopkeepers and wealthy business owners in Baotou also attach great importance to it. To put it bluntly, no one has trouble with money.
"I'm really sorry for keeping you Caidong shopkeepers waiting for so long." As soon as Xu Rui came in, he clasped his fists and apologized, "I will punish myself with three cups later." Xu Rui's posture was very low, which made Caidong, the shop owner present, Or maybe the shopkeepers have calmed down a bit, at least this is a good start, right
To be honest, until just now, these business owners and shopkeepers were still a little worried.
There was no way, who let Xu Rui hold the handle of the gun in his hand? Youdao is when a scholar meets a soldier, you can't explain it clearly. When a wealthy businessman meets a soldier, there is no way to explain it. He will only be slaughtered! This has been the case since ancient times! Even with the support of Yao Dahai, a member of the Central Supervisory Committee, these Caidong shopkeepers were unsure.
But seeing Xu Rui lowering his attitude at this moment, these financial owners and shopkeepers finally breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed that even if the conditions could not be agreed, they would not fall out. At that moment, almost all the financial owners and shopkeepers stood up one after another, saying they were afraid while returning gifts to Xu Rui. The atmosphere was very harmonious.
As expected, Xu Rui punished himself with three cups and then got straight to the point.
"Today we specially invited all the financial owners and shopkeepers here for two things." Xu Rui said with a lick of his lips, "The first is about the compensation for various businesses, and the second is about the reduction of commercial taxes."
The rich man and the shopkeeper present all immediately pricked up their ears.
Xu Rui continued: "Yes, in this battle of Wuyuan, our Chahar Independent Regiment did win the battle with the full cooperation of the Sui Army. After Baotou was captured, some supplies were indeed seized. I admit that the seizure Most of these supplies are illegal gains taken by the Japanese from various shops."
After a pause, Xu Rui continued: "If there is a batch of money, the Japs' account books directly indicate that it was taken away from the Fuzihao Bank in the name of war tax. There is also a batch of grain. The Japs are also very clear about it. It has been noted that it was collected from the Wei Zihao grain store, and there are many others, so I won’t list them again.”
"Ordinarily, soldiers fight to protect the common people."
"Every business in Baotou is also the property of the people of Baotou, and we should protect it."
The financial owner and shopkeeper present applauded vigorously, because everything is developing in a good direction.
Xu Rui pressed his hands to signal everyone to be quiet, and then said: "So it stands to reason that the materials we seized from the Japs should indeed be returned in full. Whose money should be returned? The grain should be returned to Wei Zihao, and that is the way it should be."
Hearing this, all the financial owners and shopkeepers present paused in their hearts, and it was time to give up.
"But." As expected, Xu Rui then said, "I have a better suggestion here. I wonder if all the financial owners and shopkeepers here would like to hear it?"
The wealthy owners and shopkeepers present looked at each other and smiled bitterly.
Xu Rui asked them if they wanted to hear it. Do they dare to say they didn't want to hear it
At that moment, Ma Gongfu, the chief shopkeeper of Fu Sheng Gong, stood up and clasped his fists and asked, "Please give me your instructions, Mr. Xu Tuan."
"Don't you dare. Shopkeeper Mada is too polite." Xu Rui quickly bowed in return and said, "That's it. Since the Japanese invaders invaded Suiyuan, Baotou's trade routes have been completely cut off, and Suiyuan's business environment has deteriorated even more. Everyone here Life is not easy for you all, and the little money and goods we have taken back from the Japanese will not last long."
Ma Gongfu sighed, shook his head and said: "It's okay to recover a little bit, but it's not too strong."
More than a hundred other wealthy people and shopkeepers nodded in agreement, wanting to get their money back.
However, Xu Rui was not angry and said with a smile: "Have you not thought about re-opening the trade routes in Suiyuan Province and improving the business environment in Baotou?"
Ma Gongfu said: "Reopening the trade routes? Easier said than done."
"It all depends on the manpower!" Xu Rui said loudly, "If you, the rich people and shopkeepers, can trust me and are willing to hand over the money and materials you deserve to me, I can use these money and materials to manage things, unclog the Soviets, and do my best. By clearing up the Baotou Tea Road, I dare not say that it will definitely return to its previous heyday, but it is possible to restore it from ten stops to three or four stops!"
As soon as Xu Rui said these words, the entire conference room suddenly became deathly silent, and you could hear a pin drop.
It is pitiful to say that after the tea road declined, the people of the Baotou Chamber of Commerce did not fail to work hard. They even raised money to manage the Russians, but in the end, the green mountains could not cover it, and the rain and wind blew it away, because they had no monopoly on Vladivostok tea. In terms of road profits, the benefits given by the Baotou Chamber of Commerce are simply drizzle.
At that moment, Ma Gongfu said: "Xu Tuanzuo can put himself in the shoes of our business community in Baotou. I would like to express my gratitude to you on behalf of the entire business community in Baotou. However, it is better not to deal with and smooth over the Soviets, because we in Baotou are similar to the Vladivostok Tea Road." This tea road is really not competitive anymore, so let’s not waste this money.”
"Shopkeeper Mada is wrong." Xu Rui said, "The Vladivostok tea road has been cut off!"
"Well, the Vladivostok tea road has been cut off?" Ma Gongfu was stunned for a moment when he heard this.
The more than 100 business owners and shopkeepers present here also looked at each other with strange expressions. In fact, they knew that the Soviet Red Army and the Japanese Kwantung Army were fighting fiercely near Chita. However, no one related this matter to the tea in Vladivostok. I connected it with the road, or even if I thought of it, I had no idea.
Because it is absolutely impossible to change the decision-making at the national level by relying on one person's power.
If it was during the heyday of Baotou's business community, it might still be possible, but now, Baotou's business community has long declined, and even if it tries its best, it will be unable to do so. But with the support of the Communist Party, it may be possible. After all, the Communist Party and the Soviet Union In theory, we are a family.
What's more, there's no need to spend real money.
Xu Ruike said just now that he would take the property seized from the Japanese and should have been returned to them, and go to sort things out and get rid of the Soviets. In this case, it might really be worth a try. After all, it is considered a failure and a loss. It's just a little bit of property that no longer belongs to them, but if it goes through, the business community in Baotou will benefit the most!
Ma Gongfu was a little moved, but he couldn't decide this matter alone. He immediately said to Xu Rui: "Xu Tuanzuo, can we discuss it first? And then I will reply to you?"
"No problem." Xu Rui said calmly, "Then I'll come back later."
After saying that, Xu Rui turned around and walked away. As soon as Xu Rui left, the entire conference room exploded in an instant. The financial owners and shopkeepers present began to argue fiercely. Obviously, not every financial owner or shopkeeper can With Ma Gongfu's foresight and sagacity, many people only have immediate interests in their eyes.
…
Guisui, North Route Army Headquarters in the World War II Zone.
"What did you say?" Fu Zuoyi stared at Ye Qijie and said in disbelief, "Xu Rui plans to use the money seized from Guisui and Baotou to attack the Soviets in order to clear the Baotou tea road?"
"Yeah." Ye Qijie nodded and said, "This Xu Rui really dares to think."
"What dare you think? This is whimsical! This is a waste of money!" Fu Zuoyi said angrily, "He only weighs a few pounds, dares to think about negotiating with the Soviets? It's strange that the Soviets will pay attention to him! No, you can't Let him help us, let him do whatever he wants with the money in Baotou, not what he stole from Guisui! We have to get it back as soon as possible."
Ye Qijie smiled bitterly and shook his head: "This money has already fallen into Xu Rui's belly, how can we get it out?"
Fu Zuoyi sighed and said helplessly: "This Xu Rui is really a waste of money."
"That's not necessarily the case." Ye Qijie shook his head and said, "Maybe Xu Rui can really clear the Baotou Tea Road. After all, the Siberian Railway has been cut off by the Japs, and the Vladivostok Tea Road has also been cut off, but the Soviets and the Mongols have Tea is indispensable for a day. In the short term, tea merchants in the Soviet Union and Mongolia can barely support themselves with inventory. But as time goes by, they will definitely have to find ways to import it from Europe at high prices. This way, Baotou Tea Road has an opportunity. .”
"It's too natural." Fu Zuoyi shook his head and said, "How can it be so easy to clear the tea road? Brother Xinwu, you don't know that when the Nationalist Government signed a military aid agreement with the Soviet government, they proposed to open a northwest tea road through the Northwest Highway. Exporting tea to the Soviet Union to compensate for the equipment the Soviet Union provided to us was finally rejected by the Soviets."
"Maintain, one moment and another moment." Ye Qijie still felt that there was something wrong and shook his head and said, "The Siberian Railway had not been cut off at that time. Of course the Soviets were not willing to open another tea road, because the Northwest Tea Road was within the country and would inevitably be cut off. Along the way, Rika collected a large amount of commercial taxes, which invisibly damaged the interests of the Soviet Union."
After a pause, Ye Qijie continued: "But now that the Vladivostok tea road is cut off, the Soviet government's first consideration is not the loss of commercial tax, but the availability of goods, because the tea road in the Far East is not dredged for one day, which means that the Soviet Union Tea must be imported from Europe at high prices, and the Soviet Union will suffer even greater losses!”
Fu Zuoyi was still not optimistic and shook his head and said: "After all, it's still just talk."
"Okay, let's not talk about that." Ye Qijie had no intention of arguing with Fu Zuoyi over this matter, so he changed the subject and said, "The equipment promised to the Chahar Independent Regiment has been accounted for. When will it be given?"
Fu Zuoyi immediately asked: "What weapons and equipment are there?"
Ye Qijie said: "There are more than a thousand three-eight lids, but they are all damaged."
"Too much." Fu Zuoyi shook his head and said, "Half is enough."
Ye Qijie said helplessly: "Okay, give me half."
/bk