After listening to the suggestions of Chen Shao, Wan Yao-huang and Xu Yuan-quan, Wang Zhen-yu felt a bit dizzy and leaned back in his chair, motionless and silent. Song Hao-min, who had been transferred from the instructor team leader to be Wang Zhen-yu's chief of staff, although young, knew that the brigade commander was not feeling well. He quickly sent over a bottle of wind oil and gently applied it to the two temples of the brigade commander, this stuff can repel mosquitoes, in the territory of Jingzhou Prefecture, it is a necessary medicine for all officers and soldiers.

  After feeling a numbness and coolness, Wang Zhenyu opened his eyes, but was immediately stung by a pungent sensation that made his eyes water. Song Haomin quickly handed over a handkerchief, which Wang Zhenyu used to wipe away the tears already streaming down his face, suddenly feeling much more refreshed.

  I finally feel that I am not doing well in the afterlife, always scolding those in power for being incompetent. In fact, the hardest thing to do is to be a good family leader. Just look at the few things that were just reported, whether it's setting up commercial towns, repairing roads and bridges, or establishing military schools and increasing salaries, which one doesn't require a large amount of silver? Although I took advantage of the Xinhai Revolution to make some money by compromising my conscience, if I continue to squander it like this, not even a billion would be enough.

  So Wang Zhenyu's heart now has only one word: annoyed.

  Ye Zuwen smiled at his future son-in-law, the more he looked, the more satisfied he became. He knew what was bothering Wang Zhenyu now, after all, when the Xinhai Revolution broke out, he himself was even more troubled than Wang Zhenyu was now, and it was all because of money that caused the trouble.

  When it comes to Wang Zhenyu's money, Ye Zuowen is very impressed by his future son-in-law's audacity, daring to make such a fortune.

  Han Kou's single equipment cost 6 million, then invested 2 million in Liu Hongsheng's company, paid 3 million to Huang Zongling of the Nanjing Garrison Command, and obtained a huge sum of 12 million through arms transactions. Except for the expenses of the 9th Brigade over the past few months, Ye Zuowen still had 11 million left.

  But just now, after listening to the report from his future son-in-law's department, Ye Zuowen, an old hand, counted on his fingers and knew that they were all money-eating projects. If it was only going out without coming in, then it wouldn't be good.

  However, this time he came to help his son-in-law make money, so although Wang Zhenyu's eyebrows were furrowed tighter and tighter, Ye Zuwen was still calm and composed, slowly sipping tea while listening.

  "Now it's our old friend's turn to speak: 'Wen Zheng, before I came this time, I met a person and he told me something. I think you'll be interested in this matter.'"

  Wang Zhenyu's eyes lit up and he leaned forward, saying: "Oh, Old Ye, please go on."

  "Cheng Zuofu, this person, Wen Zheng has heard of him before." Ye Zuweng didn't say it directly, but was leading the conversation.

  Wang Zhenyu shook his head somewhat awkwardly, in fact every era has countless celebrities, famous people and accomplished people, but in a China where official positions are the basis of everything, those who can finally appear in history textbooks are extremely few.

  Ye Zuwen seemed to anticipate Wang Zhenyu's ignorance and asked: "What about Zhang Zhidong, the Governor-General?"

  Wang Zhenyu then smiled and said: "Who in the world doesn't know!"

  Ye Zuwen nodded and continued: "When Zhang Zhidong was implementing the new policy in Hubei, he once established a cement factory in Daye County, Hubei (now Huangshi City)."

  In 1907, Zhang Zhidong, the governor of Hubei and Hunan provinces, considered the needs of industrial development and planned to set up a cement plant in Hubei.

  Cement, then known as Semen Da Tu, was essential for road construction, bridge building and factory construction. In 1905, Zhang Zhidong entrusted the cement plant along with papermaking, leather making and wool felt making to merchants for management. He specifically pointed out: "The quality of cement is very rich in Daye. It should be built near the limestone kiln area, purchase machinery and start business, the estimated cost is only 200,000 silver taels." He also predicted that "this industry will surely bring huge profits".

  In 1907, the Qing Guangxu 33 years, Fujian candidate road, Shanghai Qinghua Industrial Company General Manager Cheng Zufu memorialized, willing to recruit shares of silver 300,000 two to undertake Hubei Cement Factory. Hubei Cement Factory is also our fifth cement factory in history, and it is the first cement factory named with cement. The other four are: Macau Tsing Chau Cement Factory (1886), Tangshan Semento Factory (1889), Guangzhou Semento Factory (1905) and Dalian Koyata Cement Factory (1907).

  Unfortunately, for various reasons that can be stated and various reasons that cannot be stated, the Hubei Cement Plant was a freak with congenital defects from the very beginning.

  In short, it is a lack of funds. Cheng Zuofu had the heart to run a factory, but was plagued by insufficient funds, and his efforts to raise capital from all sides were ineffective.

  On May 2, 1909, the first production line of Hubei Cement Plant was completed and put into trial production, with the product trademark "Baota Brand".

  In July 1911, the second production line was completed and put into operation. The main equipment of the factory includes 2 Φ2.1×35m dry-process rotary kilns, 4 Φ1.8×7.8m grinding machines; as well as other auxiliary equipment such as stone grinders, coal mills, steam engines, generators, packaging machines, material transportation machines, lathes, planers, etc. The designed production capacity is 200 tons of cement per day. The factory has departments for stone rolling, raw material drying, raw materials, rotary kilns, coal grinding, cement grinding, packaging, electrical engineering, as well as engine rooms, boiler houses and repair shops, totaling 11 production departments. German technician Kliehm was hired by Cheng Zufu.

  However, all this was built on the basis of debt. To set up the factory, Cheng Zufu first obtained approval from the Hubei Governor's Office and borrowed a total of 130,000 taels of silver from the Hubei Official Silver Bank in February, August, and October 1908. He then used company stocks and his own property in Shanghai as collateral to borrow 680,000 taels of silver from the Jilin Official Silver Bank. Next, he used the machinery, factory buildings, and land of the Hubei Cement Factory as security to borrow 720,000 yen from the Mitsubishi Company twice in 1910 and 1911. The total amount borrowed was 1.5 million taels of silver. Adding the 420,000 taels of silver raised by Cheng Zufu, the company's investment had reached nearly 2 million taels of silver by 1911, with loans accounting for more than three-quarters of this amount. In the first two years after the Hubei factory was built, the company was still able to pay interest on its debts.

  According to Cheng Zuofu's idea, in a few more years, the company's debt is expected to be compressed to less than half of its capital.

  However, the outbreak of the Xinhai Revolution shattered Cheng Zufu's dreams. At that time, due to the intense war in Wuhan and its surroundings, coupled with the turmoil caused by the market downturn, the Hubei Cement Plant was unable to operate normally. By 1912, due to "financial stagnation, industrial crisis, slow sales, and increased costs", the company's losses had exceeded 400,000 yuan, and it was unable to repay its debts.

  At this time, the factory attracted the interest of Ri Ben Mitsubishi Corporation and Xinxin Cement Company under Zhou Xuehe, the new Minister of Finance.

  Cheng Zufu was not willing to give up the business he had worked hard to establish, so after some thought, he decided to go find help from Ye Zuwen, also known as "Xi Ye" of Hankou, who was already famous throughout the land. Due to Liu Hongsheng's relationship with him, Ye Zuwen had earned a reputation in the business world for being quick to help those in need and being a man of his word.

  Ye Zuwen's mind is currently focused on the preparation of the shipping company, and he was somewhat surprised by the sudden visit of Cheng Zufu, who had some reputation in the three towns of Wuhan. However, his eldest son Ye Guoxuan was more attentive to business information and was quite clear about Cheng Zufu's recent situation, and roughly guessed the other party's intention.

  Ye Zuwen listened to the eldest son's analysis and still decided to meet this entrepreneur. Although he did not respond on the spot, he agreed to consider it and then brought his eldest son to Jingzhou.

  "Wen Zheng, you don't know this, but Cheng Gong is a pragmatic person. However, the Mitsubishi Corporation has already registered in Hubei Province and is planning to seal off the factory. What do you think we should do about this?"

  The cement plant is a good thing, and Wang Zhenyu was moved after hearing it.

  In fact, making cement is not difficult. The main raw materials are limestone and sand. These two things, Wang Zhenyu from the future knows that Jingzhou has them, and they have sufficient reserves. His distant relative in Jingzhou had set up a cement factory and made a fortune.

  Wang Zhenyu suddenly became interested and said after a slight thought: "Ye Gong, this factory is good, but it has too much debt. You just mentioned 15 million yuan, which is enough for us to build a larger new cement plant."

  Ye Zuwen nodded and said: "What you say is not wrong, but Wen Zheng, these skilled workers and technicians are not something that can be bought with money. They need to be cultivated over time."

  Wang Zhenyu smiled: "Ye Gong, what's difficult about this? Let's get in touch with Cheng Gong and play a game of Golden Cicada Shedding Its Shell, and it'll be settled."

  Sitting next to him, Ye Guoxuan was slightly stunned, but saw his father reveal an appreciative expression: "Wen Zheng, you, not doing business is indeed a pity. In that case, I'll send a letter tonight and invite Lord Cheng over for a meeting, how about that?"

  Wang Zhenyu grasped Ye Zuwen's hand and said, "Mr. Ye, it's not that I invited you to have a talk, but rather to take a look at the resource situation here. Everyone is investing together to set up a factory here, no matter what, 50% of the shares must be given away. As long as you can bring in workers and technicians, I am willing to spend money to introduce a batch of new equipment."

  Ye Zuwen looked at Wang Zhenyu with a confident chest and said: "Wen Zheng's momentum is great, I am not as good as him".

  After saying this, Ye Zuwen suddenly patted the armrest and said: "Right, look at my memory, I still have a letter here that Mr. Hong Jiang Zhu asked me to forward, Guo Xuan, take it out and let Wen Zheng take a look."

  Ye Guoxuan bowed his head and left, leaving behind a bewildered Wang Zhenyu, Mr. Zhu of Hongjiang? A letter to himself?

  Wang Zhenyu took the letter from Ye Guoxuan's hand and didn't rush to open it. Instead, he carefully looked at the envelope.

  At this time, Song Haomin brought over a pot of tea and refilled everyone's cups. Ye Zuowen took a sip with a somewhat leisurely air, then leaned back in his chair and began to rub his hands together without saying a word.

  Wang Zhenyu asked while opening the package, "But that Zhu Zhida, Zhu Lao, who is inferior to me and wants money for what?"

  Ye Zuwen nodded slightly: "It's him, on this Yangtze River waterway, he's a veteran known to all."

  Wang Zhenyu also nodded in agreement: "I was also amazed when Chairman Chen first mentioned this person, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder. Ah, yes, Ye Weng, what's the history behind the Hongjiang Chamber of Commerce?"

  Ye Zuwen has been traveling all over the country for many years, so he naturally knows some stories about Hongjiang. Since his future son-in-law asked him, he was happy to tell them.

  As a result of this conversation, Wang Zhenyu even forgot to read his letter.