Liuhe Road, Yuchen Gauze Factory.

The word "morning" in Yuchen has been hard to see clearly due to the wind and rain.

When your factory has been prosperous and purchased the most advanced machinery from Hong Kong, the boss and shareholders have rolled up their sleeves and are ready to do something big.

But not long after, under the impact of foreign goods with better quality and cheaper prices, Yuchen finally couldn't stand it anymore, retreated steadily, and finally closed down.

There is no way, this is the tragedy of China's national industry.

There is a group of ambitious Chinese businessmen who want to save the country through industry through their own efforts. They open new factories, purchase large quantities of machinery and recruit workers, and they are extremely ambitious.

Unfortunately, they were defeated one after another in the end.

It's not that they don't work hard enough, it's that the living environment is too difficult.

Foreigners who set up factories and companies in Shanghai are protected everywhere and receive preferential treatment. These are benefits that Chinese businessmen cannot enjoy.

Even those gangsters dare to go to the factories of Chinese businessmen every two days to cause trouble and extort money.

Not to mention patrol officers, Green Gang leaders, etc.

And the heavy taxes also made them breathless.

There is a flour mill that is prospering through its own efforts.

But at this time, foreign flour from the United States arrived.

The company produces locally, the labor is cheap, and there are no transportation costs.

It cost a lot of money for a family to transport it from the distant United States across the ocean.

Originally it was clear who won and who lost.

But the reality is not like this.

For a bag of flour, this Chinese factory, from production to delivery to sale, must pay fifty-three kinds of taxes.

That's right, just a lot more.

This is the result of the National Government's vigorous rectification of various exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes in 1934.

Before 1934, ordinary people had to pay taxes to the government when using scales, rulers, and buckets; taxes were required when the ship was not sailing, and taxes were also paid on the springboard used to get on and off the ship; taxes were paid on straw mats and bags;

There is a tax on pigs, a tax on the rope used to tie the pig, and even a tax on killing a chicken.

After the rectification, the situation has improved somewhat, but it is not much better.

Taxes are divided into regular taxes and miscellaneous taxes.

Regular taxes are collected by the government. Miscellaneous taxes are set by local governments themselves.

In terms of miscellaneous taxes, there are deed registration fees, deed paper surcharges, deed tuition fees, deed paper surcharge construction fees, deed paper donations, deed paper foundations, supervisors’ charity donations, stove class surcharges, stove class surplus, and petition donations.

…

Crosstalk talkers who can recite "names of vegetables" may not be able to recite all these tax items.

Killing a pig or a cow is the same as selling a bag of flour, and there are fifty-three taxes.

Among them are "pork donation, fat pig pot mouth donation, cooked meat donation".

This means that if I kill a pig, I have to pay the tax on the pork first, then I have to pay the tax on the pot in which the pork is cooked, and I still have to pay the tax after the meat is cooked.

Therefore, under such circumstances, the cost of a bag of flour at the local Chinese flour mill far exceeds that of foreign flour.

Under the impact of the roaring and low-priced foreign flour, this flour mill collapsed and declared bankruptcy after less than half a year of resistance.

The same is true for Yuchen Gauze Factory.

Meng Shaoyuan could even imagine how tragic and helpless the owners and shareholders of this gauze factory felt when they declared bankruptcy.

"Hey, this is a factory, private, please leave!"

A foreigner appeared behind the iron gate of the gauze factory and shouted loudly in blunt Chinese.

Meng Shaoyuan smiled.

In Shanghai, all the janitors employed in various factories are Chinese. When have you ever seen foreigners come to janitor?

"Go away, go away." The foreigner kept waving his hands.

"Shut up!"

Meng Shaoyuan's voice was not loud, but the foreigner actually shut up.

Of course what he was afraid of was not Meng Shaoyuan, what he was afraid of was the gun in Meng Shaoyuan's hand!

"Go tell Hawes that his friend Charles Meng is here!"

"Okay, okay."

The foreigner quickly ran in, rolling and crawling.

This is fucking cheap.

Meng Shaoyuan cursed and put away the gun.

Not long after waiting there, I saw Hawes Beckett hurriedly walked out of the factory: "Hey, Meng, why are you so angry and needing a gun?"

Meng Shaoyuan smiled: "Because your people won't let me in."

"That was a little misunderstanding." Hawes asked someone to open the iron door and said with a smile: "It's great that you're here. Come on, let's go have coffee and find the best cafe."

"No need." Meng Shaoyuan pointed behind him: "Just right here."

"Here?" Hawes hesitated: "I took over this factory not long ago, and it's very messy and dirty inside. It's better to find a clean place, my dear friend."

"I've been to even dirtier and messier places." Meng Shaoyuan seemed particularly stubborn: "It's right here, Yuchen Factory, in your office."

Hawes shrugged: "Well, since you must be so insistent."

The moment he turned around, Meng Shaoyuan clearly saw him wink at the doorman...

…

Hawes's office is not as ugly as he imagined, but is quite neat. Even the sofa looks new, and bottles of wine are placed on one side where the bookcase used to be.

"This was originally the general manager's office, but I renovated it after I took it over." Hawes explained: "What would you like to drink?"

"Anything is fine." Meng Shaoyuan smiled: "I'm in a good mood today and just want to drink something."

"Ah, it looks like you succeeded." Hawes took out a bottle of wine, poured two glasses, and handed one to Meng Shaoyuan: "I think Qin Fuyu must have been successfully rescued by you?"

"Yes, that cost you a fortune, Mr. Beckett."

Hawes shrugged: "That's okay. Qin is my friend. No matter how much money you spend for your friends, it's right. Thank God, he doesn't have to be tortured by the Japanese anymore. Congratulations on your success, Meng."

Meng Shaoyuan raised the cup and took a sip: "Don't you ask where Qin Fuyu is now?"

"Anyway, he is safe after being rescued by you." Hawes said confidently: "He must have suffered huge physical and mental trauma. He should make a good adjustment, and then he will come to me.

"

"He won't come to you."

"Why?"

"Have you forgotten that I am an agent? He was detained by me."

"What's the meaning?"

Hawes was obviously startled.

Meng Shaoyuan said calmly: "In this matter, I took a lot of risks and worked very hard. I think, Mr. Beckett, aren't you ready to express your gratitude?"

Ah, this Chinese guy is here to ask for money.

If that's the case, it's easy to handle.

Hawes was relieved: "Of course, without you, Qin would still be suffering. Meng, please don't worry, we are friends or allies, and I will give you a sum of money."

"How much?" Meng Shaoyuan asked.

"How much do you want?"

"I have a huge appetite."

"Don't worry, I will try my best to satisfy you within my ability."

"real?"

"real!"

Meng Shaoyuan thought for a moment: "One hundred million!"

"What?" Hawes, who was sitting there calmly, suddenly stood up: "Is there something wrong with my ears? How much do you want?"

"One hundred million dollars!"

"You are crazy, Meng, you are really crazy." Hawes was not angry, but laughed: "Meng, do you understand the value of money? Can you do the most basic mathematics? One hundred million? US dollars? Last year

, your National Government’s national budget is 1.2 billion French currency. Japan, which is at war with the National Government, last year’s national budget was 2.28 billion yen, 100 million U.S. dollars? After conversion, it is 350 million yen.

If you want more, who do you think is worth the money?"

Meng Shaoyuan was still smiling: "Qin Fuyu!"

"Qin Fuyu? Is he worth 100 million US dollars?" Hawes was really sure that Meng Shaoyuan was crazy: "Even the President of the United States is not worth 100 million US dollars!"

"Well, that makes sense." Meng Shaoyuan nodded seriously: "Maybe you really can't come up with 100 million U.S. dollars, but you can give me the equivalent in French currency or Japanese yen."

"Meng, you are hopeless." Hawes didn't even know what to say.

"Oh, the legal currency is depreciating, should I accept it?" Meng Shaoyuan seemed to be lost in thought: "No way, Mr. Beckett, when will you give me the money?"

Not only was Meng Shaoyuan crazy, but Hawes was about to be driven crazy by him: "I tell you for the last time, I don't have it! I don't have 100 million U.S. dollars, nor the equivalent legal currency or Japanese yen!"

"You have it, Mr. Beckett." Meng Shaoyuan said slowly: "You have it as soon as you turn on the machine!"

Hawes was stunned and couldn't say a word.

"Some people's machines are running to make flour, and some people's machines are printing cloth." Meng Shaoyuan shook the wine glass in his hand: "Mr. Beckett, your machine is different from others. What you print is banknotes!"

Hawes's face turned ugly: "I don't understand what you are talking about, Meng."

"I regard you as a friend, Mr. Beckett. We are members of the Shanghai Public Mutual Aid Association. We are allies. Have you forgotten so quickly? It chills me to treat an ally like this." Meng Shaoyuan sighed:

"Do you have to make it clear? Well, then, I can tell you clearly that you, Mr. Hawes Beckett, are printing counterfeit money in the Yuchen Gauze Factory in the public concession!"

"That's nonsense, that's nonsense!" Hawes calmed down, put down his wine glass, and sat down again: "You are really good at joking, Meng. I am a decent person and there is no way I would do such a thing."

Suddenly, he opened the drawer suddenly, took out a pistol from it, and pointed the gun at Meng Shaoyuan: "Tell me, Mr. Meng, how did you know? I regret to inform you that you may not be able to leave alive today.

It’s here.”

"Knights Hospitaller, President of Leonard Charity Relief Organization, you are amazing." Meng Shaoyuan didn't look panicked at all: "Mr. Beckett, how dare you point a gun at me? How dare you point a gun at me, Meng Shaoyuan
Chapter completed!