Chang Ruiqing hugged his arms and looked at the map hanging on the wall. His eyes were closely watching the location of Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province. He drew it with his fingers and drew it, and a strange smile appeared from time to time on the corner of his mouth.

At this time, the door was gently knocked, and this was Chang Ruiqing's office in the Fuzhou Supervisory Office.

He just returned to Fuzhou last night. This trip to Shanghai was a great reward. Not only did he negotiate the "Big China Bank Plan" with the giants in the Shanghai financial industry, he also reached an agreement to form an alliance and marriage with the Shanghai Guardian Lu Yongxiang. Next month, Chang Laohu and the Chang Wang family met Lu Yongxiang from Beijing to Shanghai, and they could arrange the marriage between Chang Ruiyuan and Miss Lu Si. Even the Chang Lu family would be considered as an alliance and marriage.

Moreover, when Lu Yongxiang sent Chang Ruiqing away from Shanghai, he promised him that when the two companies were married 10% of the time, Zhong** Industrial Group could be established immediately! Everything was handled according to the idea proposed by Chang Ruiqing. The Fujian Manufacturing Bureau and Shanghai Arsenal merged into Zhong** Industrial, and publicly recruited commercial shares, formed a board of directors, and hired professionals to operate and manage according to the model of industrial and commercial enterprises... One of the largest military manufacturing companies in China seems to be about to emerge!

"General Yaoru, it's me, Gangmeng Yanji." The man who knocked on the door saw that there was no movement in the office, so he simply called out his name loudly. It turned out to be Gangmeng, a Japanese military consultant of the Fujian Army!

Chang Ruiqing did not look back, but just said loudly: "Mr. Okamura, right? Please come in, please come in quickly."

With the sound of the door, Okamura's voice sounded again: "What are the plans for General Yaoru looking at the map of Jiangsu so attentively?"

Chang Ruiqing turned around and glanced at Okamura wearing a Chinese long gown, and smiled slightly: "Mr. Okamura, what should I pay attention to?" He sighed: "I just want to fight Jiangsu, but I can't reach it now. Jiangsu is still separated from Fujian by two provinces! My soldiers can't fly even if they have wings... I just want to do some business in Jiangsu now, and save a few small amounts of money. I wonder if Mr. Okamura is interested in participating?"

Okamura Yanji was stunned and asked back, "What kind of business is there in Jiangsu?"

Chang Ruiqing smiled and said, "Nanjing Iron Factory! Didn't your country propose to jointly establish a Pukou Iron Factory in China and Japan?"

Okamura Yasuji burst out laughing: "Yaoru. Jiangsu is not your territory. If China and Japan jointly establish a Nanjing Iron Factory, it should be Jiangsu Governor Li Xiushan (Li Chun) will come forward!"

Chang Ruiqing looked solemn: "Mr. Okamura, I'm not kidding... But this iron factory is not jointly organized by China and Japan. It's just a few friends in Shanghai want to invest together. It's entirely a private investment. I want to ask Mr. Okamura to invest and see if there are any channels to sell steel billets produced by iron factory. As far as I know, Japan's domestic steel industry is developing very fast now, right? But there is a lack of raw materials! I guess there will be a market for the billets in Nanjing factory, right?"

Okamura Yanji looked at Chang Ruiqing quietly. This young Zhongzhang Valve acted more and more difficult, and it was a bit unfathomable. For example, in this matter in front of him, the Anhui faction that Jiangsu Governor Li Chun and Chang Ruiqing were loyal to was a bit incompatible! How dare he build a steel factory on Li Chun's territory? Isn't he afraid of the factory that has been built with great effort. Is it a casual excuse to seal it up? A steel factory, even if it is just the most basic iron smelting and steelmaking, can't be taken down without millions of silver...

Okamura Yasuji was silent for a while and nodded slightly: "Of course there is a market for the steel billets in Pukou and Meishan. There are iron ore in Xuzhou and Shandong. The coal from Xuzhou and Shandong can also be transported continuously through the Jinpu Line. But there is Li Xiushan (Li Chun)..."

Looking at Okamura with a question-like face, Chang Ruiqing laughed and finally said seriously: "Mr. Okamura. Don't worry! This iron plant will have shares of Bank of China. Construction funds will also lend to Bank of China. Bank of China has now absorbed a large amount of funds from Jiangsu's wealthy families, and even Zhang Jilao from Nantong and Zhang Jinghu (Zhang Renkui) from Yangzhou have invested shares. And it is a great thing to open a steel plant and save the country in industry. Why would Li Xiushan not support it? Besides, the iron plant is run on his territory. If it is controlled by others, it is also the supervision of me, Fujian!"

Okamura Yasuji thought about it and thought that Chang Ruiqing's words made sense. And even if Chang Ruiqing and Li Chun finally fought for the iron factory, Japan's interests would definitely not be damaged... Nanjing is under the muzzle of Japanese warships!

He smiled slightly: "Yaoru, since you are not worried that Li Xiushan will use the iron plant to threaten you, I can contact Japan's sales. Two years ago, Hachiman Iron and Steel Factory discussed with you the matter of co-organizing the Uraguchi Iron and Steel Factory with you. The purpose is to reprocess the billets refined by the Uraguchi Iron and Steel Factory in China. So don't worry about sales. I can tell you through the military route and you can definitely sign a supply contract. By the way, the engineers and machinery and equipment needed to build the iron plant can also be provided by Hachiman Iron and Steel Factory. What do you think?"

Chang Ruiqing waved his hand: "Mr. Okamura, you have some misunderstandings. I am just one of the shareholders of the proposed iron plant, and I am not the largest shareholder, and I will not participate in the actual operation... After all, my brother is not a businessman! The manager of the iron plant is now scheduled to be Zhang Jiabao, the boss of the Shanghai Cotton Oil Factory, so the specific business should be discussed with him. A soldier like us is just a line." As he said that, he smiled at Okamura again: "Now the matter is settled, brothers have prepared a banquet here. Can Mr. Okamura be a favor? Let's get together?"

When Okamura Nishi left Chang Ruiqing's Supervisor's Office in the car of the Japanese Consulate, it was already dark. He put politeness on his head, and his thoughts were a little complicated.

His achievements in working with Chang Ruiqing seemed to be greater than Aoki Ryuchun's greatest expectations! But he felt a little uneasy in his heart, because Chang Ruiqing's actions were becoming less and less like a Beiyang warlord! Moreover, he could not see through every move Chang Ruiqing made now.

First it was Bank of China, China** Industrial Group, and now it wanted to invest in a steel plant in Jiangsu... How did Chang Ruiqing spend money on other people's territory to run an industry?

...

It was also this night, in one of the most luxurious mansions in the county town of Nantong County, Jiangsu Province, a banquet had just begun.

The lobby where the banquet is located is extremely large, with exquisitely made Western-style glass chandeliers hanging around, illuminating the hall like daytime. Dozens of servants and maids bowed their heads to serve. When they saw someone's glass was empty, they would diligently go up and fill it.

There were ten people sitting on the main table in the middle of the hall, one of whom was wearing a brocade robe, with white hair and a kind smile on his face, the owner of Nantong Dasheng Capital Group. Zhang Jian, the top scholar of the late Qing Dynasty, and Zhang Jizhi!

The two middle-aged men in suits and ties were accompanied by Zhang Jian, and their every move was like a complete Western business elite. They were the two brothers Zhang Jiabao and Zhang Gongquan who came from Shanghai to convince Zhang Jian, the top scholar who had always advocated industrial saving, to strongly support the plan to build a steel plant in Nanjing, Jiangsu.

To be honest, Zhang Jiabao and Zhang Gongquan are not particularly optimistic about this "Nanjing Iron Factory" plan!

Steel mills are no better than textile mills, flour mills, match mills, and grey mills (cement). They have less investment. They are fast-built, have low technical content, and have guaranteed returns. Steel mills are the kind of industry with large investment, long construction cycle and very high technical content! The Hanyang Iron Factory in Hanyang, opened by Zhang Zhidong, a famous official in the late Qing Dynasty, has been a money-burning machine since its completion! It has only now been barely profitable by selling Daye iron ore to Japan.

Even Japan's steel industry was full of ups and downs in its early stages of development! The blast furnace introduced by Hachiman Ironmaking Institute from Germany was unable to produce molten iron on the day it was put into operation! It took several years to rework before it was put into use in 1904...

But if you are not optimistic, you are not optimistic. Now Chang Ruiqing is willing to invest in the name of Bank of China, and the two brothers of the Zhang family should do their best to help Zhang. How can we say that Chang Dashui is now relying on their Zhang family to the extreme. It is a bit of a sense of entrusting financial power. If Chang Dashui can go further in the future, the Minister of Finance, the Governor of the Central Bank, and even the Prime Minister should have their share, right?

So the two brothers of the Zhang family were talking about the benefits of Nanjing Iron Factory they were not optimistic about.

However, Zhang Ji Lao, the person they lobbying, was nodding frequently with a smile on his face, as if he was quite moved.

The Zhang brothers finished speaking. Zhang Jian suddenly slapped the table: "I think this can be done! The Hanyang Iron Factory in Xiangshuai (Zhang Zhidong) does not make money, which does not mean that this Nanjing Iron Factory cannot be built... The Hanyang Factory is an iron ore, and the coal mine is not nearby. The transportation cost is extremely high, and the wrong blast furnace was used in the early stage of construction. The investment cost is too high, so I have lost all the way to the present! This Nanjing Iron Factory is right next to the iron ore. The coal transported from Xuzhou is not too far away. It is convenient for the Jinpu Railway, and the cost will not be very high. If the sales of the product is guaranteed and the technology of building the factory is guaranteed, then the Nanjing Iron Factory should be able to do it! Let's do this, I will also invest 100,000 yuan to invest a share, and I will also say hello to Li Xiushan."

The two brothers of the Zhang family looked at each other and both breathed a sigh of relief. Zhang Jian's support was as expected. After all, this man had been calling for industry to save the country for almost 20 years! Now someone wants to start an industry in Jiangsu, and it is not a yarn mill that competes for business with him. Why does Zhang Jizhi have any reason to not support him? However, Zhang Jian did not take the opportunity to ask the Bank of China to lend money to his industries in Nantong, which is a bit surprising. It seems that the operating conditions of Dasheng Shining Mill have been really good in the past two years, and there is no shortage of capital turnover.

At this time, Zhang Jian picked up a glass of wine and said to the two brothers of the Zhang family with a smile: "Two Mr. Zhang, the person behind them is Chang Yaoru, the Fujian Military Supervisor, right? Is it his idea to set up an iron factory in Nanjing this time?"

Zhang Jiabao and Zhang Gongquan nodded silently. Zhang Jian smiled and said, "I have always had some experience in seeing people. This is not a simple role for the general manager... In just over a year, he climbed to the position of the lord of a province! Every move of his chess seems to be extremely clever. He will never do a loser business, right?"

Zhang Gongquan smiled when he heard this: "Look at what Mr. Ji said, this loss-making business is not something I, Zhang Jiayu (Zhang Gongquan is famous as Jiayu)."

Zhang Jian touched his beard and smiled and said, "There are two types of losses. One is that he really lost his old capital; the other is that his capital is still there, but he did not make enough profits, or he did not invest money to the place where he made the most and fastest. This is also a loss-making transaction! I often supervise and take out millions to build a steel factory. In my opinion, it is a loss-making transaction... Although it will not lose the principal, it has wasted a lot of money-making opportunities at present! I wonder what you two think?"

Zhang Gongquan smiled awkwardly: "Old Ji, Chang Supervisor is not a businessman after all, so it is inevitable that he is not careful in considering business issues."

Zhang Jian smiled coldly: "But you, Zhang Gongquan, is an extremely smart businessman. Didn't you make suggestions to General Chang? And the steel mill is opened on Li Xiushan's territory. It is equivalent to letting Li Xiushan take the handle... In the future, once the Zhi and Anhui families broke up, Li Xiushan wouldn't have brought the Nanjing Iron Factory to death? Chang Yaoru wouldn't he understand these principles, right?"

Zhang Gongquan and Zhang Jiabao nodded with a wry smile. They had already told Chang Ruiqing about these principles. But the other party didn't care at all, as if they didn't take those millions seriously!

After saying these words, Zhang Jian swallowed the wine in the glass, and his tone became deeper: "Although I can't figure out what to sell in Chang Yaoru's gourd for a while, it is always good for the country to run a steel factory. I have been advocating industry to save the country all my life, and I will definitely do my best to fulfill this matter. But there is an ugly saying that I want to say in front of it. The Japanese have been coveting Pukou and Meishan iron ore for many years! It is well known that he is a pro-Japanese faction. He sells the interests of Fujian, but if he wants to sell the interests of Jiangsu to the Japanese! Don't blame me for turning against others!"

Zhang Jiabao, the manager of Nanjing Iron Factory, heard this and his eyebrows were tightly twisted: "Old Mr. Ji, I wonder if selling products to Japan is considered a country?"

Zhang Jian sneered and waved his hand: "Brother Zhang is a stubborn man who is unreasonable?"

Zhang Jiabao hurriedly bowed with a panic look on his face: "Forgive me, Mr. Ji, I don't mean that."

Zhang Jian smiled slightly: "Don't worry, brothers Zhang, as long as it is a normal business operation, there is no reason why I don't support it. I am also a shareholder of the Iron Factory! By the way, I heard that Chang Yaoru's younger brother and the fourth lady in Lu Zijia's family were going to get married, and I also want to go to Shanghai for a wedding banquet. Is he not welcomed him, right?"

...

"Sakanishi, Doihirahara...What do you think this Chang Ruiqing wants to do?"

In Dongjiaomin Lane, Beijing, Aoki Ryutsu was kneeling in the Kawai room, holding the secret telegram from Okamura, and carefully looking at it. The ones sitting opposite him were Sakashiri Hachiro and Doihara Kenji.

With the silence inside, it was only a while before Sakasai Hachiro broke the silence: "Your Excellency, this Chang Ruiqing is probably trying to save the country in industry, right? In China, the slogan of saving the country in industry is very loud. Perhaps it has also affected his thinking."

Aoki Ryutsu frowned and looked at Kenji Dohihara: "Dohihara, what do you think?"

Kenji Doihara just shook his head: "I don't understand, really don't understand... Lord Aoki, this matter is indeed very strange, but it seems that there is no harm to the empire. The steel billets produced by the Nanjing Iron Factory are also sold to the Hachiman Ironmaking Institute... This is much cheaper than the steel billets and scrap iron imported from the United States, and the cost of transporting them back to China for smelting is lower. Otherwise, we suggest that the military headquarters support this matter?"

Aoki said coldly: "I know there is something wrong and I don't find out. I still have to support the other party in a confused manner. Is this what we should do?"

Sakashiri Hachiro smiled bitterly and reminded: "Grand of Aoki, Chang Ruiqing's investment in the iron factory in Nanjing does not require the approval of the empire! And it does not necessarily require the capital and technical support of the empire... And Chang Ruiqing is a pro-Japanese faction after all. If we block this matter, it will probably cause misunderstandings between the two sides. This is completely unnecessary! After all, even if the other party has any conspiracy on the issue of Nanjing Iron Factory, it must be targeting Li Chun, the governor of Jiangsu."

Aoki Ritsu stood up, looked at the pair of "masters and apprentices" in front of him, and said in a deep voice: "This is a steel plant with an annual output of 80,000 tons! The output is twice as large as the Hanyang Iron Factory in China! If we count the China** Industrial Group that Chang Ruiqing and Lu Yongxiang have created, China's heavy industry will suddenly reach a higher level! What does this mean for the Japanese Empire? Haven't you ever thought about it?"

Sakasai Hachiro whispered: "China is just a piece of loose sand. Even if there is a steel factory, a larger arsenal will not threaten the hegemony of the empire..."

Ryutsu Aoki stamped his feet: "Don't you know the reason to eliminate danger in the bud?"

Kenji Doihara said aloud: "Grandma Aoki, the best way to kill the revival of China in the bud is to let them continue to consume internally! Now Chang Ruiqing's layout in the southeast must be to expand his territory and power, and he will definitely have conflicts with the local warlords and the Beijing government! At that time, as long as the empire operates a little, the war will be stalemate. If it drags on for a few years, the vitality of China will naturally be greatly damaged. Those factories will either be abandoned or destroyed by war. What threat can it pose to the empire?"

Aoki Ryuchun was silent for a while, and finally sighed: "Okay, I'll give back to the country and suggest that they support Nanjing Iron Factory..." As he said that, he smiled bitterly: "Even if we oppose it, the domestic chaebols will probably support it, right? As long as they have money in front of them, how can they care about the future like this?"!~!
Chapter completed!