1928: The rise of giant merchants

"Crash-"

The audience in front of the radio suddenly became excited.

Although Ye Luo has been active in the south for a long time, the Ye's Charity Foundation has taken root in the north and has been concentrating on doing good deeds for the past three years. The president, Ye Qingqing, even had a golden body made of merit in the temple like a female Bodhisattva.

People in Tianjin are even more familiar with Yip Luo. Yip's Department Store and Yip's Shipping, both owned by Yip's Investment, are rooted here. At least thousands of ordinary people rely on Yip's Investment for their livelihood.

In Tianjin City, when talking about this second young master of the prosperous Republic of China, no one would give a thumbs up and say hello.

"This time it's really worth it. The second young master will be the special guest himself. This radio I bought is worth it!"

"Hey, I heard that the second young master came here this time to punish the arrogant and domineering Belgians. The price of trams has increased? I have been traveling in free taxis these days. We have also become rich for a while."

"Should I say it or not, this taxi is very comfortable to sit in. The seat in the back is as soft as a woman's seat and not bumpy. Oh, it would be great if it was always free."

"It's always free? Then you help the second young master make money even if he's not working? We are doing business, not running a relief hall!"

"."

The conflict between Yello and the Belgians was talked about in the streets and in the houses.

Only to hear his voice coming from the radio again.

"Since the beginning of this year, the price of trams in Tianjin City has been increased three times. This price increase is unreasonable. Now the fare is 12% higher than that of trams in Peiping. This means that for every dollar spent, ordinary people in Tianjin City will pay more than those in Peiping. People pay an extra ten and two cents, and over time, they lose more than ten or twenty yuan a year. For ordinary company employees, it is equivalent to losing one month’s salary.”

It’s not just that I didn’t know this, but I was shocked when I realized the increase in tram prices. Those who were most affected were the office workers and students.

"Second Young Master, I heard that the tram company had to raise fares because it has been operating at a loss all year round. Do you think this is true?" the female anchor asked sweetly.

Ye Luo immediately smiled and said: "It is impossible to lose money. Tianjin Tramway Company was established in 1904 and officially started operations in 2006. The principal was recovered in 1912. Now a full 20 years have passed. If it keeps losing money, do you think the tramway company will lose money?" Can the company still be open?"

"In fact, as far as I know, Tianjin Tram Company's annual profit exceeds 4 million yuan, and the average monthly profit exceeds 300,000 yuan. This level of profit is almost as high as that of Ye's Automobile, which is located in my Shanghai Bund headquarters. ”

"Then what's the reason for them to increase the price? Aren't they still satisfied with such high profits?" The female anchor's voice is sweet and sweet, and her silly voice is very suitable for asking this kind of question.

Ye Luo, who was sitting in the broadcast room, gave her a gentle thumbs up.

When the female anchor saw the second young master boasting about herself in person, her cheeks suddenly turned red.

Ye Luo continued to smile and said: "What else can be done? Of course, we can't make ends meet. Seeing that the company's finances can't balance the accounts, it's natural to increase prices to make up for the shortfall."

"Can't make ends meet? But you just said that they make more than 4 million yuan a year."

"Haha, we businessmen are not saints. We always have some social activities. Of course, the Belgians are backed by the embassy and consulate general, and they are also the younger brothers of the French. They don't have to worry about money. Others should send the money. The tram company I was also curious about why it was still losing money year after year despite such high profits, so I sent someone to investigate.”

The female anchor's heart pounded when she heard Ye Luo's words.

Only the second young master dared to directly say that the Belgians were the younger brothers of the French. Although this was a generally recognized fact, it was contrary to the Belgians. Whoever said so would die.

After being stunned for a few seconds, she immediately answered the question and asked, "Then what are the results of your investigation?"

"The investigation revealed some interesting things. Everyone knows that tram tickets must be purchased with copper coins, so the tram company is the largest copper dollar exchanger and repurchase dealer in Tianjin City. It is no exaggeration to say that their company holds at least 25% of Tianjin City. The above copper dollar inventory.”

"Due to the large accumulation of copper coins, they have sold these copper coins to Japanese banks at high prices since the year before last, and then smuggled them to Japan to manufacture arms. Guess where these arms are now?"

This secret is not a big secret among high-level people, but ordinary people have never heard of it.

The Belgians and the Japanese cooperated to resell copper coins, and Zhou Longguang also knew about it. However, the Jinling National Government and the Northern Government turned a blind eye to it, believing that such a thing should not cause international disputes.

But no matter how you put it, it is a disgraceful thing that loses power and humiliates the country, so the official does not allow people to talk about it.

The north has been captured by the Japanese aggressors. Not long ago, in the Battle of Songhu in Shanghai, thousands of soldiers died trying to stop the Japanese aggressors. Due to the hatred of the family and the country, the people's anti-Japanese sentiment was high, and calls to boycott Japanese goods could be heard everywhere.

At this time, Ye Luo said this, which immediately aroused the public's emotions!

The people listening to the radio were furious. They had originally decided to continue taking the tram after taxis returned to normal prices, but now they were not happy.

"Every copper dollar you pay may turn into bullets and hit our soldiers."

This sentence is too powerful.

Lubeya, who was also waiting by the radio, was stunned when she heard this.

Is this Chinese businessman crazy?

Doesn't he know that instigating the relationship between foreigners and Chinese now will easily lead to international disputes?

France is a top power, so isn't he afraid that the Concession Court will call him to trial?

The broadcast ended that night.

The tram price increase in Tianjin City was no longer a simple conflict of interest, but was elevated to the height of saving the country.

The Chinese patrolmen who had previously arrested those troublemakers in the concession no longer dared to move, and the police officers in the city also stayed indoors, fearing that helping foreigners would anger the public.

Lu Beiya and Wang Zhulin thought that by stopping the operation of the tram and raising funds to help the company tide over the difficulties, Ye Luo would retreat.

Unexpectedly, the money-burning war had just begun.

Throughout May, Tianjin City was filled with the passionate atmosphere of "overthrowing the tram company and overthrowing the traitors". Some people even began to take taxis and pay for them on their own initiative instead of enjoying free services to support Ye Luo's behavior.

500 new cars entered the city, and thousands of rickshaws were in place, filling the vacant market after the tram stopped operating.

Hearing that the Tianjin General Chamber of Commerce headed by Wang Zhulin actually openly supported the tram company and foreigners, the Chinese businessmen of the "Union of Trade Unions" could not sit still and began to strike to fight back against these traitors.

Wang Zhulin originally thought that 10,000 yuan per person was not enough, because their own company's industry was also affected and stagnated. Now the cost per person per month is at least 50,000 yuan!

As soon as May ended, several compradors could not stand this kind of play and found Wang Zhulin one after another, asking to withdraw from the matter.

Their original psychological price was about 50,000 yuan, which was burned out in a month. How dare they continue to play with Ye Luo?

When these people left, the pressure on the remaining people increased a little.

On Ye Luo's side, not only did not mean to stop, but also increased the intensity of burning money. You retreat and I advance, you run and I chase the game is simply a life-threatening game.

In early June, Ye Luo got the financial report from Chen Youde. In May, Ye's Automobile lost about 1.07 million yuan, which was not painful.

"Keep playing with them. I want to see how long they can hold on." Ye Luo was not in a hurry at all. He took advantage of this time to go shopping around. He went to Beijing to visit Lin Huiyin who had just given birth and adopted a godson. (End of this chapter)