Enamel is still very popular in China. This stuff began to be imported into China during the Guangxu period. It was mainly made in Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is a relatively high-end daily commodity.
During World War I, Japan took the opportunity to squeeze out the market share of Germany and Austria and dumped a large number of enamel products into China. Within a few years, it monopolized the Chinese enamel market. Just five or six years ago, several Chinese enamel companies appeared in Shanghai, which revitalized it slightly.
Take a look at the national industry.
At the beginning, Chinese enamel companies had difficulty with inventory, and even glaze powder had to be imported from Japan.
However, with the boycott of foreign products over the years, China's enamel industry has gained opportunities for development. Nowadays, the products of Shanghai's four factories, Zhufeng, Yifeng, Zhonghua, and Zhaofeng, can barely compete with Japanese products, and have successfully broken through the ranks of Japanese enamel manufacturers.
monopoly situation in China.
The Nanjing National Government was still very powerful. As soon as the tariffs were independent, they ordered the import tax on enamel products to be increased from 5% to 12.5% to restrict the import of foreign enamel products.
In addition, the market for enamel supplies has developed maturely along the southeastern coast, and many ordinary households also have enamel spittoons, cups, rice basins, etc. However, they are still relatively rare in the north, south, northeast, northwest and southwest regions, such as Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou.
, Shaanxi, Shanxi and other places, most people do not know what enamel is.
The market potential is huge!
Not only can you make a lot of money, but you can also compete with Japanese goods for the market. It would be best to completely squeeze out enamel Japanese goods from China, making Japan's economic crisis even worse.
Although Zhang Mouzhi was confused about Zhou Hexuan's insistence on building the enamel factory in Chongqing, he did not ask too much. He now trusted his son-in-law very much.
After all the machines were moved to the temporarily rented warehouse and several American engineers were settled, Zhang Mouzhi followed his daughter and son-in-law home. After seeing Meng Xiaodong, Liao Yaquan, Wanrong, Cui Huifu and other daughters, his face became a little ugly.
Because Zhou Hexuan has too many women.
But that's all. During the Republic of China, it was normal to have three wives and four concubines. As the father-in-law, Zhang Mouzhi could only give a few words of warning.
For example, Zhang Mouzhi himself found a mistress in the United States last year, and the American girl was only 15 years old! This old man is quite good at playing.
"Xian son-in-law," Zhang Mouzhi said with a smile, "I received a telegram from the Far West in the United States. He has been appointed mayor of Jiujiang. Thanks to the good son-in-law for speaking kindly in front of Commander-in-Chief Chiang Kai-shek."
Zhou Hexuan said: "I just mentioned it casually."
Zhang Mouzhi has been very proud of himself in the past two years. His eldest son became a student of a top French architect, his second son became the mayor of Jiujiang, and his third son was asked by him to go to the United States to manage the contraceptive condom industry. The strength of the Zhang family can be described as
Thriving.
All of this was thanks to his son-in-law. Now Zhang Mouzhi looked at Zhou Hexuan more and more, and he was very proud of his vision in choosing his son-in-law.
After talking about family matters for a while, Zhang Mouzhi started to talk about the construction of the enamel factory: "Xian son-in-law, I heard that Sichuan has been at war. If we build the factory in Chongqing, will it be affected?"
"There is no need to worry about this," Zhou Hexuan said. "I have already sent someone to inquire. The current mayor of Chongqing is Pan Wenhua. He is a very capable person. He is building Chongqing on a large scale, opening factories, building power stations, and engaging in education. He wants to
Help Liu Xiang build Chongqing into the first city in the southwest. We built the factory in Chongqing, and there is no need to worry about politics at all. Pan Wenhua is eager for someone to invest in building the factory. However, there are some difficulties in transporting raw materials, and some raw materials have to be purchased from Tianjin. Glaze powder
It needs to be purchased from Shanghai, which greatly increases production costs."
Zhang Mouzhi said tactfully: "Actually, I think it is safer to build the factory in Jiujiang, and the transportation of raw materials is much more convenient."
Zhang Mouzhi still wants to build his hometown, and his second son has become the mayor of Jiujiang. If he sets up a factory in Jiujiang, he will gain unlimited convenience.
"Dad, in a few years you will know why I set up the factory in Chongqing." Zhou Hexuan couldn't explain much.
Zhang Mouzhi sighed and said, "Well, let's do what you want. Anyway, you have more vision than me."
Zhou Hexuan smiled and said: "In fact, the difficulty in transporting raw materials can be solved gradually. The factory in Shanghai can produce glaze powder by itself, why can't we? Then we can set up a few more supporting upstream factories."
In fact, Zhou Hexuan wanted to build an arsenal in Chongqing to provide ordnance supplies for the future Anti-Japanese War.
But the arsenal is not something ordinary people can do. Even if Liu Xiang doesn't get involved now and Chongqing becomes a companion capital in the future, Chiang Kai-shek will requisition the arsenal.
Zhang Mouzhi said: "I have asked Lao San (Zhang Yuannan) to take over the factory over there in the United States. He is doing a pretty good job, but he is a little lacking in experience. For the enamel factory over there in Chongqing, should I go there alone, or should you work with me?"
Shall I go with you?"
"Let's go together, I will be responsible for clearing up the official troubles," Zhou Hexuan said, "If you want to develop industry in Chongqing, it is best to recruit Lu Zuofu into the group. Firstly, Lu Zuofu is Liu Xiang's confidant, and secondly, Lu Zuofu's Minsheng Shipping Company,
It is very powerful in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River, which can facilitate the transportation of raw materials and products."
Zhang Mouzhi smiled and said: "Since my son-in-law has already made a plan, I can rest assured. You go to Chongqing to establish connections, and I will be responsible for the rest of the specific factory construction and management."
…
New year and new atmosphere.
As soon as the Lunar New Year passed, Zang Qifang's position as mayor of Tianjin was eliminated, and Tianjin Police Chief Zhang Xueming was appointed mayor of Tianjin concurrently.
Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin moved out of the Tianjin Drinking Room and settled in Peking. They began to hold cultural salons every week. The "Madam's Living Room" gradually became famous in Beijing and Tianjin, attracting a large number of cultural celebrities, and Xu Zhimo often attended.
Ba Jin was an erratic prodigal. He had completed the first draft of "Spring Dream" (renamed "Home" when it was revised and published). After finishing the manuscript of "Spring Dream", Ba Jin resigned from his position as editor of the supplement of "Popular" and went south to Suzhou and Hangzhou to visit friends.
travel.
The "Popular" supplement also lost another important figure. The scholar Wu Mi finally resigned from his post as editor-in-chief and went to study in Western Europe, where he worked in research at Oxford University and the University of Paris.
Fortunately, Li Shoumin also resigned from his public position at the telephone station and returned to the "Popular" supplement to take over as editor-in-chief. Otherwise, there would be no one to take charge of the daily affairs of "Popular".
By the way, Li Shoumin's "The Legend of Shushan Swordsman" has achieved unprecedented success. Not only has the sales volume in North China been gratifying, but it has also become famous in Jiangnan, Northeast and Northwest China. It can be said that the current influence of "The Legend of Shushan Swordsman" is not at all.
Weaker than Zhou Hexuan's "The Condor" trilogy.
Because Peking University Press was responsible for publishing "The Legend of Shushan Swordsman" on its behalf, the monthly income was gratifying, which greatly alleviated the difficulty of not having a principal and financial allocation in the previous two years.
After the Lantern Festival, Zhou Hexuan, his wife Zhang Leyi, his son Zhou Weilie, and his father-in-law Zhang Mouzhi went to Jiujiang to visit relatives.
The machines imported from the United States were transported along the Jinpu Line to Pukou, Nanjing, and then transferred to Jiujiang via the Yangtze River waterway.
After staying in the Zhang family in Jiujiang for several days, Zhang Leyi and her son stayed in Jiujiang. Zhou Hexuan and Zhang Mouzhi escorted the machine to Chongqing. At this moment, the history textbook "Global History" written by him was also officially published.