All Heavens Pension started from the fiery era

Chapter 720 721. First impression and happiness

Following the guidance of Meng Zhengkun, Yue Wenxuan and his group slowly walked through the streets and alleys of the Magic City.

For Yue Wenxuan, every scene he saw at this time seemed like a living history book, telling him about the glory and vicissitudes of this city.

Cars shuttle through the busy streets, with all kinds of shops and businesses on both sides, including traditional Chinese teahouses and cloth shops as well as European-style cafes and jewelry stores. The fusion of Chinese and Western cultures is displayed here to the fullest.

"Master, the bustling street ahead is Nanjing Road."

Meng Zhengkun pointed to the front, his tone full of pride, "Here is the most complete collection of department store merchandise in the Magic City, whether it's local silk, porcelain, or foreign goods from all over the world, you can find them all here.

Especially at night, under the neon lights, Nanjing Road is even more prosperous and is known as the 'Oriental Night Paris'.

Upon hearing this, Yue Wenxuan looked out the window more intently, and saw shops lining both sides of the street, people flowing through, and all kinds of signs standing in a disorderly manner.

Such a prosperous scene is indeed rare in other places in this era. Only in the vast Shanghai with its many foreign concessions can people feel the modern prosperous atmosphere.

"Shopkeeper Meng, I heard that there are many famous cultural venues in the Magic City. I am quite interested."

For Yue Wenxuan, the prosperity of the Magic City was not enough to shock him, but only made him feel nostalgic. Instead, it was the unique humanistic atmosphere of this era that was more attractive to him.

Meng Zhengkun said slowly: "Young Master is right, the Magic City is not only well-developed in commerce, but also has a long-standing culture.

Take the famous Shenbao newspaper for example. It is not only the largest news organization in China, but also a pioneer in leading public opinion. If you are interested, you may want to take some time to visit it.

In addition, there is the Commercial Press, which houses a large number of excellent books and periodicals from home and abroad. It is a favorite place for literati and students.

If you want to make progress in your studies, the Commercial Press is definitely a good place to go.”

As Meng Zhengkun talked, Yue Wenxuan listened attentively and nodded in agreement from time to time.

The car continued to move forward and soon arrived at a quiet and elegant garden - Yu Garden.

Meng Zhengkun introduced: "Master, this is the famous Yu Garden.

It was first built in the Ming Dynasty and was originally the private garden of the Pan family. It later changed hands several times and was destroyed in wars many times.

In the early years of the Guangxu period, the rebuilt Yu Garden was divided up among twelve industrial and commercial associations, including soybean, rice, and sugar industries.

In the first year of the Republic of China, a primary school was opened in Yu Garden. Today, Yu Garden no longer has the wonderful scenery it once had, which is really a pity. "

"Since we are passing by, let's go down and take a look."

Yue Wenxuan got out of the car and stepped into the garden, where he saw towering ancient trees and canopy of green shade, all displaying the gentleness and elegance of a Jiangnan water town.

The pavilions, towers, rockery and ponds in the garden are arranged in an orderly manner. Although they are dilapidated, they are still worth a visit.

He walked slowly along the winding path, and stopped to admire every scene he passed, as if he had merged into this ancient garden, sharing the tranquility and beauty with the ancients.

For Yue Wenxuan, Yu Garden at this time made him feel more nostalgic, but for others, it was their first time to visit Yu Garden. Although Yu Garden was a little dilapidated, they still lingered and were in high spirits.

Yan Liu asked curiously, "Manager Meng, I see that this Yu Garden is not only beautiful, but also contains a profound cultural heritage. I wonder if there are any allusions or legends in this garden?"

Meng Zhengkun smiled slightly, and then continued, "There are indeed many stories and legends in Yu Garden. For example, the famous Nine-Curve Bridge implies that the road of life is tortuous and changeable, and one must be cautious at every step. And the Deyue Tower is a great place to enjoy the moon. On every Mid-Autumn Festival night, the moonlight is like water, sprinkling all over the pavilion, which is extremely beautiful..."

Yan Liu and others listened to Meng Zhengkun's story and couldn't help but feel a deeper love for this garden.

After visiting Yu Garden, Yue Wenxuan and his party came to the Bund.

The Bund, an iconic area that witnessed the transformation of Shanghai from a fishing village to an international metropolis, now shows its unique charm under the afterglow of the sunset.

Yue Wenxuan and his party passed through the tranquility of Yu Garden and stepped into the hustle and bustle of the Bund, as if they had traveled through a tunnel of time and space and came to a strange intersection that was both ancient and modern, both Eastern and Western.

"Master, the Bund is the symbol of the great foreign city." Meng Zhengkun stood by the river, his tone full of emotion, "Every brick and stone here is engraved with traces of history, and every building is a witness to the changes of the times."

Yue Wenxuan gazed at the winding Huangpu River in front of him. The water surface was sparkling and golden, as if it was flowing with the endless prosperity and dreams of this city.

Meng Zhengkun gave a particularly detailed introduction to the iconic buildings on the Bund.

Among them, what shocked and impressed everyone the most was the HSBC Building.

Although the HSBC Building at that time was not the iconic building on the Bund that was rebuilt seven years later, its scale at that time was enough to shock Yan Liu and others.

By the beginning of the 20th century, HSBC's business in Shanghai had far surpassed that of Hong Kong Island and had become a hub for its business with China.

Up to now, a large number of buildings on the Bund have been rebuilt, and the HSBC Building can no longer demonstrate its dominant image.

Five years later, HSBC bought the nearby plots of land at No. 10 and No. 11 The Bund at a high price, demolished the original buildings and rebuilt the HSBC Building.

The rebuilt building was designed by the famous Gonghe & Co. and built by the Drozd & Co. The construction started in May 1921 and was completed in June 5. The completed building cost 1923 million silver dollars, which was equivalent to the total profit of HSBC for two years.

The rebuilt HSBC Building will be one of the important symbols of the Bund for decades to come.

Although the HSBC building at this time is far smaller than its rebuilt scale, it is still one of the most important symbols of the Bund due to its wealth.

Following Meng Zhengkun's guidance, Yue Wenxuan's eyes swept across these towering buildings one by one. Each one seemed to be the starting point of a story, sparking imagination.

"Manager Meng, these tall buildings do look impressive, but unfortunately only a small part of them belongs to us Chinese. I hope that in the near future, everything we see will belong to us Chinese."

“I also hope that this day will come soon, but I don’t know how long I have to wait.

These buildings in front of us have witnessed the glorious development of the Magic City from a small fishing village to the largest metropolis in the Far East, and have also witnessed the rise and fall of countless families. "

Meng Zhengkun didn't want this topic to disturb the young master's interest, so he changed the subject and said:
"Master, do you know that the night view of the Bund is the most charming?

When night falls and the lights come on, the entire Bund seems to be lit up, and the modern buildings in front of you become extremely dazzling under the lights.

After the young master is settled, he will experience the night view of the Bund in person, and he will definitely have a deeper feeling. "Yue Wenxuan said: "There will be a chance."

The car crossed the Bund and drove straight to the French Concession, and stopped in front of a quiet small Western-style building.

This is a small Western-style building hidden among lush French plane trees. Yue Wenxuan was attracted by its unique architectural style.

This small Western-style building is undoubtedly a shining pearl among the many European-style buildings in the French Concession. Although it is not large in scale, every detail demonstrates exquisiteness and luxury.

"Master, this small western-style building was bought by the boss three years ago for 24,000 yuan.

The owner must have a good eye. Spending a huge amount of money to buy this small western-style building is undoubtedly a very cost-effective investment. If it is sold now, there is no need to negotiate without 30,000 yuan. "

Yue Wenxuan agreed with this point.

Real estate in Shanghai, especially in the concessions, will always be one of the most valuable investment projects in the next 20 to 30 years.

Meng Zhengkun respectfully opened the car door and led Yue Wenxuan into the exotic little building.

The exterior of the small building adopts typical French Baroque style. The walls are mainly beige, matched with exquisite reliefs and delicate lines, which makes it look solemn and romantic.

The lintel is carved with intricate patterns, with a badge in the center symbolizing aristocratic status, highlighting the extraordinary status of the previous owner.

As you step through the door, a faint lavender scent hits your nose, which is the aroma emitted from the French aromatherapy burner placed in the corner of the living room.

After smelling this fragrance, people instantly feel relaxed and happy, and even the fatigue in the body is reduced a lot.

The living room is spacious and bright, with tall floor-to-ceiling windows that almost occupy the entire wall. Outside the window is a carefully trimmed garden with colorful flowers competing for beauty, which complements the interior decoration.

There are several Impressionist-style oil paintings hanging on the walls of the living room, adding a touch of artistic atmosphere to the space.

"The design of this house is so clever. It retains the classical beauty of Europe while retaining modern comfort." Yue Wenxuan looked around and praised it highly. He was very satisfied with his new home.

Meng Zhengkun smiled and said, "Young Master is right. This small western-style building was designed by a French architect who has traveled to many European countries and skillfully integrated the architectural essence of various places here.

Look at the plaster carvings on the ceiling and the stained glass on the wall. They were all custom-made from France.”

Following Meng Zhengkun's introduction, Yue Wenxuan's sight was guided to these details one by one. Each detail revealed the designer's ingenuity and the owner's elegant taste.

Especially the spiral staircase, with its handrails carved with delicate vine patterns, you can seem to hear the echo of history with every step you take.

"This small western-style building not only has an exquisite appearance, but also has an extremely sophisticated internal layout." Meng Zhengkun continued to introduce, "There are study rooms, bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs, each equipped with the most advanced facilities, striving to make the young master live comfortably and conveniently.

Yue Wenxuan nodded slightly, and felt even more fond of this small Western-style building.

"Manager Meng, you are so thoughtful. You must have spent a lot of money to buy so many new decorations and small items, right?" Yue Wenxuan asked.

Meng Zhengkun smiled modestly and said, “It is my honor to serve the young master.

My employer approved a budget of up to 10,000 dollars for me to redecorate and renovate this small western-style building. Unfortunately, my ability and vision were not enough, and despite all my efforts, I only spent 7,000 dollars.

I am already very satisfied to receive a compliment from you. I hope that Young Master can live comfortably and have fun during his time in the Magic City. "

Given Yue Wenxuan's vision, it is indeed not an easy task to satisfy him, and Shopkeeper Meng must have put a lot of thought into it.

The other maids and servants did not have as advanced vision as Yue Wenxuan. After a brief tour, they were all shocked and happy at the same time.

They will also live in this small western-style building in the future, although the conditions in the servants' room are slightly worse, but such good conditions have completely exceeded their imagination and expectations.

Under Huang Youjin's arrangement, everyone was assigned tasks and everyone got busy.

Yue Wenxuan and Meng Zhengkun came to the study together and asked Huang Youjin to move a suitcase in.

"Youjin, open the suitcase and take out the things inside so that Manager Meng can have a look."

There were seven or eight boxes of various sizes in the suitcase. Seeing the puzzled look on Meng Zhengkun's face, Yue Wenxuan said:
"I'm sure you've heard about the sale of precious medicinal materials in Wuzhou recently.

The suitcase contains several hundred-year-old ginseng and ten kilograms of top-quality bezoar.

If I wasn't worried about the safety of the road, I would have sent someone to deliver these precious herbs to you a long time ago."

The precious medicinal materials that Yue Wenxuan brought out were only sold in the two Baicaotang stores in Wuzhou during this period, and were never supplied to the branches in Shanghai and Jinling.

The reason why we don’t supply branches in both locations is because we are concerned about the safety of transportation.

Just like Yue Wenxuan’s experience of encountering robbers this time, although it only happens occasionally, if you are unlucky enough to encounter it once, it will undoubtedly be a huge loss.

Such precious medicinal materials are not suitable for large-scale sales, so Yue Wenxuan did not further expand the scale of sales.

This time he came to the Magic City in person, so he doesn't have to worry about safety issues in the future. The two precious medicinal materials he took out will of course be sold in Baicaotang in the Magic City.

After all, Shanghai is the most prosperous city in the country at this time, where wealthy businessmen gather. As long as the supply is sufficient, the sales volume of Baicaotang here is probably enough to match the total of the other three.

After Yue Wenxuan went to the United States, he planned to make a move in the financial market. Before that, he first had to prepare the next initial capital.

If you want to make waves in the financial market, it is better to prepare sufficient initial capital.

For the time being, he still has to rely on Baicaotang to accumulate his first pot of gold quickly.

Baicaotang in Shanghai is too close to Wuzhou, and it needs to purchase goods and settle accounts frequently. Of course, Meng Zhengkun knows everything about any movement at the Wuzhou headquarters.

Recently, Wuzhou Baicaotang's business has been booming, and Meng Zhengkun has already found out the details clearly.

The bonuses of these big shopkeepers are closely related to the turnover. After knowing the situation at the headquarters, Meng Zhengkun was extremely envious and had been looking forward to this day for a long time.

He had long guessed that the eldest young master might bring him these two precious medicinal herbs. Now that they were finally placed in front of him, Meng Zhengkun immediately smiled and was extremely happy.