Back to the Republic of China to open a department store

The multi-party cooperation "New World Amusement Park" is still in full swing. Modern Department Store has changed its previous policy of keeping a low profile and holding various activities frequently to strengthen publicity and promotion.

Li Tianen imitated the "Tianwaitian Wireless Broadcasting Station" and opened his own broadcasting channel in April of the following year, called "The Voice of East Asia Broadcasting". Various programs are played 24 hours a day, and it is clear that it is a fight with Shimai Department Store.

Regarding Li Tianen's behavior, Luo Xiazhi laughed it off.

His main energy has now been put on the Nanjing Fertilizer Plant which is about to be put into operation and the Shanghai Rubber Plant which is under construction.

Once these two large industrial plants are fully operational, it will not only mean high returns, but also mean that China's industry has taken a long-term step in a key direction.

For a long time, the industrial development in Shanghai and Guangzhou has been limited to the scope of light industry, but there have been few achievements in heavy industries such as chemical industry, steel, and heavy machinery.

Basically, it is still relying on several important industrial towns in Hunan and the north, the old foundation left over from the Westernization Movement in the late Qing Dynasty.

The main reason is the lack of technology and talents, as well as capital investment.The key is the investment of state-owned funds... After all, from the late Qing Dynasty to the present, the entire country is in a state of war, and there is no way to talk about industrial development.

But the country needs heavy industry, and the construction of the country needs cement, steel, tires, and minerals. These are the cornerstones and guarantees of a country's development.This is the weakness that Rorschach most wants to change.

What's more, the department stores and magazines now have Shu Wenfei and sisters, and the Seventh Heaven Hotel is managed by Li Ye.

The two of them have now become his right-hand man, so that he can let go of his hands and feet, and make more plans and plans for this country and the future of this country.

In summer, the "Old Sichuan Hot Pot Restaurant" located opposite Shimai Department Store officially opened.The reason why Luo Xiazhi dared to open a hot pot restaurant in summer - but because this restaurant has the most advanced refrigeration machine in Shanghai!

In this day and age, air conditioning and heating are still rare.

Only high-end department stores, high-end restaurants and high-end dance halls will install air-conditioning and heating.In ordinary restaurants, factories and offices, having a ceiling fan or an oscillating fan to blow the air is considered a very high salary.

A Sichuan restaurant, or a Sichuan restaurant that doesn't look very high-end, is actually equipped with air-conditioning, which immediately aroused the curiosity of Shanghai residents.

The business of this "Old Sichuan Hot Pot" was not very good at the beginning. Although it had a sign of free-flowing soda and cola, the acceptance of spicy hot pot by Shanghainese was not very high.

But with the passage of time, the business of this Sichuan hot pot has become "booming" like their red soup.

Those who come here to try it at first may not be able to get used to the taste that is completely different from the sweet and sweet Shanghai cuisine, but once they taste it, they will become unable to stop.Word of mouth has grown, and passenger flow has also increased. Gradually, it is necessary to queue up to have a bite.

In September, Luo Xiazhi received his old friends, the "Little Feiyan" couple who had returned from studying in Europe, in this very simple and down-to-earth place.

"Third Master, sisters, I really miss you!"

As Xiao Feiyan said, she swallowed the white wine in her glass in one gulp.The liquor scorched her throat, choking her tears out.

Wiping her mouth, Xiao Feiyan readily picked up the wine bottle and drank one after another with her little sisters.These girls from the original "Spring Peach Class" are almost in their 30s now, basically married and married, but they still carry the habits of the world, they are very bold, and Luo Xiazhi will walk around when drinking.

"In the past two years, how has the Xian couple lived? How is the current situation in Europe?"

Luo Xiazhi was not used to baijiu, so he asked someone to warm Shaoxing wine and had a glass with Young Master Sun.

"I don't want to mention it... It was okay when I first arrived in Europe. The war has just ended, and there is nothing to do, but everything is full of vitality."

Holding the small wine cup, Sun Xiaokai shook his head emotionally, "We went to Paris, Milan, Barcelona, ​​and went to many places... Later, my wife wanted to study fashion design, and we returned to Paris. It is really a city like a garden. "

Sun Xiaokai drank too much, and began to ramble about his life in that romantic foreign country for the past two years.

From the colorful flowers at the beginning, it was enthusiastic and unrestrained, and then after the economic crisis broke out, prices soared, and it gradually became impossible to maintain a decent life.In the end, I received a call from my parents, calling them to return home.

"Father means that he wants to further expand the cruise company's business. Let me and my wife go home to help."

Speaking of this, Sun Xiaokai became interested, "In addition to the cruises on the Yangtze River, I want to further expand the cruise business of international shipping. I wonder if you are interested, Mr. Luo?"

"International cruise ship?"

Rorschach put down his wine glass, "Passenger or freight?"

"To tell you the truth, when I was traveling in Europe, I went to Greece several times and visited their so-called 'Ship King'."

Sun Xiaokai was a little excited, "I think that the prosperity of Europeans is not only due to the industrial revolution that started in Britain, but also because of the development of shipping! Water shipping broke the closed traffic, allowing people, goods, and even technology between regions and countries to move forward." Being able to communicate with each other is the key to modernization."

"The reason why the Manchu Dynasty perished was the most important reason. Third Master, I can say with confidence that the world in the future will be a sea world. Whoever can control the sea will be able to stand at the pinnacle of the world! "

This passage, 100 years later, may not be a big deal, but [-] years ago, it would be simply "deafening"!

When Luo Xiazhi heard this, he also slapped his thigh fiercely, wishing to applaud him.

"Now that the European economy is depressed, we can buy cruise ships at a very low price to develop our own shipping business. Mr. Luo, I wonder if you are interested in 'joining the grand event' together?"

"……Can consider it……"

Luo Xiazhi originally wanted to agree immediately, but now that he has several big projects underway at the same time, he is afraid that the capital chain will be stretched.I'm afraid I have to discuss this cooperation project with my eldest brother.

So the words came to his mouth, rolled around, and were swallowed by him again.

"Hey! It's a pity. If our country has its own steel factory and can produce its own large ships, why ask foreign countries to buy them?"

Sun Xiaokai also suppressed his excitement, thought for a while, and told the truth, "If you want to buy a boat, you have to do it as soon as possible, otherwise the price will be hard to say when the Europeans calm down."

After the banquet was over that night, Luo Xiazhi rushed back to the Luo mansion to discuss the deal with Luo Yunze.

Smelling the smell of alcohol on his body and the smell of hot pot on his clothes, Luo Yunze unceremoniously asked him to take a bath before coming down to talk.

Luo Xiazhi scratched his hair in embarrassment and went upstairs. After taking a shower, his excited mood calmed down a little, and he gradually remembered: Although I invited myself to the table of wine today, it seemed that I almost got bored. Someone else's trick...

"Do you think that I didn't see this after I went to Europe for a few months?"

After ordering the servant to cook the hangover soup, Luo Yunze pointed to the bowl on the table and told him to drink it while it was hot.

"Yes, I was negligent."

Picking up the bowl, Luo Xiazhi pouted childishly, "I was so happy to see 'Little Feiyan' come back. I actually forgot that she is her, and her husband is her husband..."

"Little Feiyan" started from the "Spring Peach Class" on Fourth Avenue and followed him all the way, from a little saleswoman in Shimai Department Store to a senior manager of luxury goods on the third floor.

But this Sun family...

The Sun family is also a well-known family in Shanghai. Sun Xiaokai's father came to Shanghai from Ningbo in his early years and started sailing in the Swire Shipping Company established by foreigners.

After accumulating the first pot of gold by virtue of diligence and intelligence, Mr. Sun bought a second-hand merchant ship and began to transport it on the Yangtze River.

Until now, it has owned one of the best cruise companies on the Yangtze River.In addition to operating ordinary passenger and cargo ships, he has also developed the Three Gorges tourist route, which shows that he is forging ahead and is a classic Ningbo merchant.

Ningbo people and Shaoxing people are the first batch of immigrants who came to Shanghai to develop. They are generally good at calculation and pay attention to the education of their children.

Sun Xiaokai's father had engraved the diligence and shrewdness of Ningbo people into his bones. If the Sun family really planned to start planning to open up ocean routes, how could it be possible for their youngest son to reach an agreement with Luo Xiazhi at the wine table of the hot pot restaurant... …

"The Sun family stumbled on overseas routes in the first half of the year, and lost a lot of money. We have an employee in Roche Commercial Bank, who was originally from Swire Bank. You know the relationship between Swire Bank and Swire Shipping. "

Luo Yunze opened the drawer, took out a box of cigars and a pair of scissors, and began to cut the cigars slowly.

Smoking cigars has been his hobby for more than ten years, but Luo Xiazhi always persuaded him to smoke less. In the past two years, the eldest brother has been coughing non-stop, which is probably related to smoking.

"I know, Sun Xiaokai's cruise company cooperates with Swire Bank."

The British Swire Group is a veteran capital crocodile. Swire Bank, Swire Pacific and Swire Shipping rely on each other and guarantee each other.Together with Jardine Matheson, which is also a British business, it has occupied more than [-]% of the world's shipping ships at this time, and is a well-deserved shipping hegemony.

"At the beginning of the year, Taikoo opened a sea route in North Korea. It was in cooperation with the Sun family, and the preliminary work was almost completed. Who knew that the Japanese military department had a hand in it, and the military department wanted to build a military port there."

"Now the two Japanese forces are intertwined over there. The port is half built, and there is nothing left to do. Although the Sun family has also received part of the compensation from Taikoo, they are still not reconciled. They want to attract more forces. Take back the port and continue to do business.”

Unlike China, which has regained control of Shandong and Northeast China, the entire Korean peninsula is still under Japanese colonial rule and has no sovereignty at all.

After the fall of the Lee Dynasty, the short-lived Korean Empire was completely annexed by Japan.Japan began to continuously plunder various forests, minerals and even food resources from North Korea and transport them back to Japan.The shipping between Japan and North Korea is very developed, and Otsubaki Trading Co., Ltd. got rich by relying on the trade between Japan and North Korea.

After thinking about it, Luo Xiazhi took out the rolled up world map from the bookcase and spread it on the desk.

"North Korean port? Which one?"

Luo Yunze put down the scissors, lit the cut cigar, walked to his side, stretched out his hand, and clicked on the map.

"Rozin?"

Luo Xiazhi squinted his eyes for a long time, then slowly raised his head, "Here...the Japanese are 'Sima Zhao's heart'!"

Although this Rajin Port is located on the coast of North Korea, it is also at the intersection of Russia, China and North Korea.

From the map, it is only less than 500 kilometers away from Hunchun, an important city in Northeast China, and only [-] nautical miles away from Niigata County in Japan, which can be reached by a fast boat in one day.

If a military port is built here, it is equivalent to holding the necks of China and Russia at the same time!At that time, with this port as the center, land will directly lead to Dandong in the northeast, go north to Russia, and go south to all coastal ports in China... The Japanese are going to use this place as a springboard to eat up the Northeast Asian continent!

Taikoo and the Sun family took a fancy to this place called "Golden Triangle", it can be said that they have no vision.They finally spent huge sums of money to complete the dredging and paving work here, but now they can't establish a port, no wonder they have to jump in a hurry.

"This port was jointly developed by them and Dachun Trading Company. They originally thought that they could operate in North Korea with peace of mind because of the guarantee of Japanese businessmen. Who knew that the military department also took a fancy to it."

Luo Yunze shook the cigarette ash, "So the British, Chinese, and Japanese are involved in this transaction. The Japanese are also divided into two factions. If you go to this muddy water now, you will suffer a big loss."

After Luo Xiazhi listened to his analysis, his body broke out in a cold sweat just after taking a shower.

Sun Xiaokai is so insignificant that he actually took advantage of his lack of guard against "Xiao Feiyan" to plot against him at the reception banquet right after he came back!

Everyone in Shanghai knew that Luo Xiazhi and Dachun Trading Co. had been fighting each other for so many years, and the Sun family still wanted to drag him into the water!

Who did Xiao Feiyan marry...

"This is business."

Luo Yunze patted him on the shoulder, "Interests come first."

Luo Xiazhi nodded and let out a long sigh.

"Brother, are you also interested in this shipping business?"

Luo Yunze had returned from his European inspection for several months, yet he hadn't moved for so long, Luo Xiazhi still felt strange.Now that he heard his analysis of the situation on the sea route in a logical manner, he knew that his elder brother should have already made a set of actions secretly.

"That Sun Xiaokai is young and very scheming. But he is right about one thing - if you want to buy European Cruises, now is the best time, and it will not be the price if it is too late."

Luo Yunze chuckled, "With such a good business, there is no reason for our Luo family to just look at it on shore. His Sun family has united with Taikoo, and our Luo family has also cooperated with Jardine for more than ten years."

For so many years of international business, Luo's firm has cooperated with the old British shipping company Jardine, and even has its own cargo ship.

It's just that Luo Yunze doesn't like publicity when doing business.When mentioning the Luo family, the first thing outsiders think of is Luo Xiazhi's department store, but they don't know that this Luo's firm is the root of the Luo family.

Rorschach has invested and built factories everywhere for so many years, but what he built was an industrial industry with huge initial investment, long production cycle, and cost recovery for many years.How can it be possible to rely solely on the profits of the department store and Liang Shaolong's shareholding, the bulk is actually the funds provided by Roche Trading Company.

"The Japanese don't want to see us, but they still want to show face to the Europeans and Americans. If this is the case, then we have full power to let the Europeans show up."

After taking his last puff of cigarette, Luo Yunze put the cigar out in the ashtray and stood up.

"Don't say no to the Sun family. The domestic market, the economy still needs to be built after the war, and your rubber tires and fertilizers need to be transported to all parts of the country."

"I see. I will find an appropriate opportunity to discuss cooperation matters with Sun Xiaokai in detail."

Seeing that the time was almost up, Luo Xiazhi also stood up.

He didn't want to get involved in the muddy waters of the Japanese in North Korea, but it didn't prevent him from cooperating with the Sun family in other areas.

The Yangtze River is so wide and the coastline is so long. If we only do tourism business, there is not enough.

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"Third Master, I received a letter for you at the door."

Early the next morning, Luo Xiazhi was about to go to work by car when the housekeeper stopped him at the door.

"Aren't the letters in the morning delivered by the postman together with the newspaper? This is not sent."

Li Ye reached out to take the letter and asked vigilantly.

It was a very ordinary Chinese-style kraft paper envelope, with only the words "Rorschach's best friend" written on it, even the sender was not written, and there was no postage stamp.

Every morning, the housekeeper and Li Ye would deal with the newspapers and letters received in the morning before the owners of the Luo family came down for dinner.

It was usually the housekeeper who ironed the newspaper, ironing out the ink to keep his fingers from getting it when turning the paper.In addition to sorting the letters, Li Ye also had to open each envelope in advance to prevent people from putting things that shouldn't be put in them—for example, poison.

He glanced at the envelope to the sun, squeezed it again, and found that it was not letter paper, but something that looked like a Chinese knot.

The porter at one side brought scissors, and Li Ye carefully cut it open, and pulled it out—a safety knot.

A peace knot woven of wicker leaves that have been plucked.It looks very delicate, and the person who weaves must be an ingenious woman.

"Third Master?"

Li Ye spread the Ping'an Knot in his hands, and looked back at Luo Xiazhi who was smiling with a clear expression on his face.

"Okay, just hang it on the car. Safe knot, keep safe."

"Ok."

As smart as Li Ye, he naturally understood the meaning of this peace knot.

The butler and the concierge looked at them puzzled, and they didn't dare to ask any more questions, and stepped aside.

"It seems that Miss Yang has arrived in the United States."

Looking at the safety knot attached to the rearview mirror, which was constantly swaying with the body, Luo Xiazhi said with relief, "Miss Yang is really a caring person."

Yang Liuxu, a weak woman, was able to break through the net laid by Boss Huang and disappear without a sound. Of course she couldn't do it by herself.

She had stood at the counter in Shimai Department Store before, and knew that Luo Xiazhi was a kind and righteous person.Before deciding to frame Boss Huang and Hiroshi Nagi, he sent a request to Luo Xiazhi for help.

Luo Xiazhi immediately asked Liang Shaolong to find a way to arrange her retreat.Here Nogi Hiroshi and the others have just arrived at her boudoir, while the ship leaving for Shanghai has already parked at the small pier closest to her.

Originally, Ms. Yang didn't want to leave China, but Toshiya Miyamoto looked stupid, and he was quite good at film marketing. The "Feng Shen Bang" has become popular all over the country, and it has even been released in Japan and Singapore.

The banner of "Su Daji" has spread all over Asia, and the face of Yang Liuxu is basically known to everyone in Chinese, Nanyang and Japanese circles.Forced her to go far away.

Yang Liuxu was first sent to Hong Kong by Luo Xiazhi, and then Liang Shaolong managed to get a complete set of identity certificates.After several twists and turns, Ms. Yang finally arrived in the United States and started a new life.

She dared not send a telegram directly, nor did she dare to write to Luo Xiazhi.Relying on the peace knot, one is to report safety to Luo Xia Zhi, and the other is to offer deep blessings.

The old country looks east and the road is long, and the beauty wipes away her tears and quits.

If you want to send a thousand words without pen and paper, a branch of willow will report your safety.

----------------

As soon as he arrived at the company, Luo Xiazhi started his weekly routine patrol work, and before he reached the third floor, he heard a commotion from below.

"what happened?"

Shu Wenfei ran down quickly on small high heels, and then ran back with a worried expression on his face.

"It's your former capable subordinate—'Xiao Feiyan' and their husband and wife came to visit their old colleagues."

"The door just opened, it's not too early for the two of them."

Luo Xiazhi glanced at his watch and sneered.

He told Sun Xiaokai yesterday that he would consider cooperation, and today he couldn't wait to bring his wife to the company.Judging by the urgency, it seems that the Sun family really lost a lot of money in North Korea.

"This early in the morning, the people at the counter didn't clean up anymore, and they weren't ready to welcome customers. They all huffed and chatted around. What does it look like..."

Shu Wenfei complained softly, "Obviously we just got together yesterday."

Seeing Luo Xiazhi bring a group of managers to the pen counter on the third floor, the current manager on the third floor, Ms. Zhao, greeted him with some embarrassment and said hello to Luo Xiazhi.

She was not from the "Xiantao Class", but was recruited after graduating from university, and she was considered the most educated group of elites among the female staff.

After "Little Feiyan" left, she was transferred from another department and became the manager of the third floor.

At this time, the female staff members are now divided into three forces.One is the people in the original "Xiantao Class". These people are the oldest and most cuddly; the second is the middle school graduates who graduated from the Charity Girls School and went to work in Shimai Department Store. They are the most loyal to Luo Xiazhi; the last is The salesgirls, secretaries, and managers who are recruited generally have higher education and strong working ability, but they don't get along well with the other two groups of girls.

Where there are people, there are rivers and lakes. When these girls were young and competitive, Luo Xiazhi also knew that they were competing with each other in private.First of all, the girls in the "Xiantao Class" were the ones who were most unconvinced by the college students.

In the past, they had the support of "Little Feiyan".As the most outstanding girl in the "Xiantao Class", she was once the veritable "Sales King" and "Queen of Kanban" of Shimai Department Store.After she left, Miss Shimai changed groups again and again, and the third floor was no longer the floor with the highest sales in Shimai. Coupled with personnel changes, girls with higher education gradually occupied the peak.

All the saleswomen of the "Xiantao Class" took a deep breath. Seeing "Little Feiyan" come back today, they immediately regained their confidence. This was to embarrass Miss Zhao on purpose.

Luo Xiazhi understands her situation, but she won't give face to "Little Feiyan". After all, she is a veteran for many years, so she can't let people feel cold.

"My sister came to the department store so early, do you want to come back and stand at the counter again, and experience the old days?"

Luo Xiazhi reached out and patted Manager Zhao on the shoulder, then took big steps and walked towards the crowd.

"Third Master~"

"Xiao Feiyan", who was reminiscing with her sisters, turned her head and smiled embarrassedly, "No, no, I'm getting old. In the past, it was no problem to stand for more than ten hours a day, but now it is estimated that I can't stand for two or three hours gone."

Now she is the young mistress of a rich family, and she has drank foreign ink in Europe, and she has developed a delicate body, which is naturally different from the past.

"Haha, then go upstairs quickly, let's sit down and talk slowly."

He said, walked between Sun Xiaokai and "Xiao Feiyan", and asked Sun Xiaokai half-truthfully, "Brother-in-law, do you mind if I hold sister's hand?"

"You're welcome, third master, you're welcome..."

Sun Xiaokai is also a well-known person in the social arena. Seeing Luo Xiazhi's complexion, he didn't dare to say anything, so he smiled awkwardly.

As we all know, Luo Xiazhi's "pro" brothers-in-law did not end well...

"Master, I want to rent a storefront in a department store and open a women's clothing store."

Returning to the office on the sixth floor and receiving the coffee handed over by Shu Wenfei himself, "Little Feiyan" looked at this familiar yet unfamiliar room with great emotion.

After the fire, the original furniture could no longer be used. All the desks and cabinets in this room were specially built by the third master.The shapes are all weird, and the materials used are not mahogany, but ordinary solid wood, and there is not much decoration, just apply varnish once and it will be fine, and what is called "Nordic minimalist style".Almost every guest who comes to the office will be taken aback by the furniture that is so simple that only lines are left.

She has been here more than once, but every time she stands up to report work, or accompany Luo Xiazhi to entertain guests.Sitting on this sofa now, enjoying the treatment of a VIP, and being served tea and water by a secretary who is less than one person but more than a hundred people, that is really something that was unimaginable in the past.

"Okay, I've heard that my sister studied fashion design in Paris, and she must have accomplished something. Our company has recently absorbed a lot of shops opened by independent designers, including jewelry and leather goods. , my sister can come to open the shop, it's for my face."

These words are not perfunctory, Luo Xiazhi said it sincerely.

Modern Department Store and Sakura Department Store have recently frequently adopted low-price strategies, engaged in price wars, and besieged Shimai Department Store together.

At Shimai Department Store, in addition to launching the "Jiu Mao Special Counter" special sale counter, which sells high-quality and cheap products all year round, it also introduced some independent brands, relying on distinctive designs and high quality to attract mavericks. Young petty customers.

"I want to open a wedding dress design shop. It's next door to that photography shop."

"Xiao Feiyan" put down the coffee cup, and pulled Luo Xiazhi's arm coquettishly, "Third Master, you have to give me a discount on the rent."

"It's natural. My sister opened a shop, so my younger brother will naturally help."

Luo Xiazhi patted the back of her hand, looked back at Sun Xiaokai who had been smiling cheerfully and silently, "Is brother-in-law free in the future? We talked about half of the shipping business yesterday, so why don't we make another deal today?"

"Naturally, naturally!"

Sun Xiaokai breathed a sigh of relief and stretched his arms and legs.

At the hot pot restaurant yesterday, Mr. Luo was perfunctory.He went back to report to his father, and his father was worried that the Luo family brothers would see their plan and would not invest in shipping, so he brought Xiao Feiyan to inquire about the news early in the morning.

Now it seems that this "madame's strategy" should be used even if it should be used!

The author has something to say: I went to the interview yesterday, went home tired and went straight to bed, didn’t eat any food, and woke up this morning, so confused. . .

Wearing a mask to ride the subway during peak hours is really uncomfortable. I can't breathe at all, and I feel like I almost died on the subway.Winter is here, everyone should pay attention to safety~~