Back to the Republic of China to open a department store

In this past summer, apart from the two rooftop amusement parks competing for splendor on the main road, the most attractive news is that the foundation of the third fully self-operated Universal Department Store has been laid.

Only this time, the boss is Japanese.

Although it is a department store opened by the Japanese, it was opened in the public concessions of the Americans and the British after all. The Japanese wisely did not hold the foundation laying ceremony with much fanfare.

Luo Xiazhi knew in his heart that these were just superficial phenomena.Last year, Japan took the opportunity to declare war on Germany and gained control of Qingdao, Shandong, revealing its great ambitions for China.

On the day of the foundation stone laying ceremony of Kamemaru Department Store, Luo Xiazhi stood in the Cantonese restaurant on the fifth floor of Shimai and announced that starting from this quarter, the company will officially join the "China Domestic Products Promotion" led by a total of [-] commercial firms in Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. meeting".

Members of the Promotion Committee need to ensure that among the commodities they operate, domestic products manufactured by domestic factories must account for at least 70.00%.The products produced will be marked with the "Chinese domestic product" label as a symbol in a conspicuous place.

Regarding the ratio of 70.00%, many members discussed it for a long time before deciding on it.Some activists said that only manufacturers that produce 100% domestic products can become members.

But the fact is that with the current domestic production level, not to mention the raw materials of paints, matches and other products are already heavily dependent on imports, and it is impossible to ensure that 100% of domestic raw materials are used.Just like Liang Shaolong and Rongjia, the leaders of the textile industry, cannot guarantee that the raw materials such as cotton and silk used are purely domestic.

As early as the Sino-Japanese War of 40.00-5.00, Japan's silk export volume surpassed that of China, which once accounted for [-]% of the world's silk production.Neither the Qing government nor the Beiyang and Nanjing governments paid enough attention to customs tariffs. Even after paying a mere [-]% tariff, foreign goods can enjoy other preferential policies that are exempt from all taxes.

This has led to the fact that domestic manufacturers have to bear the exorbitant taxes of the government of the Republic of China. As a result, the cost of locally produced goods is actually higher than that of imported goods.

This "Chinese Domestic Products Promotion Association" is a mutual aid association of leading domestic enterprises.Members help each other and give each other preferential policies to promote the production of domestic products and the development of domestic industry and commerce.

As the last link in the flow of goods, Shimai Department Store has a huge size and a good reputation. Its participation will undoubtedly give this promotion meeting a shot in the arm.

Contrary to Luo Xiazhi's expectation, it is not surprising that Liang Shaolong participated under his suggestion. After all, Feilong Textile and Feilong Garment Factory have been built with "high-quality domestic products" as their selling point from the very beginning.But the Li family brothers from Modern Department Store not only brought themselves to participate, but also took the lead to lead a group of manufacturers from Guangdong to participate, which surprised him.

"In the eyes of Mr. Luo, is our Li family the lackeys of the British?"

Holding his wine glass, Li Zhaoji laughed loudly at Luo Xiazhi, "Even if I, Li Zhaoji, wanted to be a traitor, my clan would not agree."

"Where is it, Mr. Li was joking."

Rorschach shook his head in embarrassment.

How could he underestimate Guangdong? In this era, countless people who came out of this province have changed China and changed the trend of the world.Even if they are far away from their homeland, the heroic deeds and patriotic feelings of the Nanyang machine workers and patriotic expatriates are also evident.

"No matter how fierce the fight between you and my two families is, it's just a normal business relationship. But we must never give foreigners, especially Japanese, a chance!"

Li Zhaoji stood by the window, signaling Luo Xiazhi to look at the construction site over there.

"The Japanese are aggressive this time. There were department stores opened by foreigners on the main road before, but they basically only do business with foreigners and so-called 'high-level Chinese', which is not worth mentioning."

"How does Master Li know that this 'Kamemaru Department Store' is different from other department stores opened by foreigners?"

Looking at the gun salute on the other side of the road, and his second brother cutting the ribbon with a group of Japanese, Luo Xiazhi asked in a low voice.

"Look, the department stores of yours and mine, and this future bastard...Kamemaru Department Store, present a three-legged confrontation."

Li Zhaoji pointed out Jiangshan in front of the glass window.

I don't know if it was influenced by Liang Shaolong. Recently, more and more people called "Kamemaru Department Store" "Bastard Department Store".

"It turned out to be Zhou's Yangzhou soy sauce garden over there, you know? At the corner of two roads, Shikou alone is better than yours and mine. In order to win this good Shikou... the Japanese made a crime. .”

Li Zhaoji shook his head and said.

"Didn't you say that Young Master Zhou was danced by a fairy? The family sold the sauce garden in order to pay off the debt."

Because the young lady of the Zhou family was Xiaoxiao's former classmate, Luo Xiazhi still had a fresh memory of this case.

"The Japanese have taken a fancy to this piece of land for a long time. They have already mentioned to the Zhou family that they want to replace the location of the store. However, the Zhou family signed a 30-year contract with that old fox Sha Tong, and now they have only done ten years. A few years, very early."

Li Zhaoji said angrily.

"The Japanese are so fancy about this piece of land, why are they willing to let it go? The so-called 'Immortal Jump' is a trick set up by the Japanese to force the Zhou family away. But they probably didn't expect that Master Zhou would commit suicide...but so what What? The death of a Chinese, no matter whether the person is a beggar or a young master of a family, is no different to them than the death of a dog. Isn’t it, Mr. Luo?”

Hearing that there was something in Li Zhaoji's words, Luo Xiazhi turned around and said seriously.

"I am me, and my second brother is my second brother. Whether he goes to Japan or becomes the general manager of a Japanese department store, it has nothing to do with our Luo family or Shimai department store. Ashamed, I wouldn’t drag everyone from the Shanghai business community to participate in this ‘promotion meeting’.”

The behavior of the second elder brother of the Luo family has already had a very bad impact.

When the clan heads of the Luo family heard the news, they did not hesitate to send telegrams to Shanghai to scold them, spewing hundreds of words, and they did not know how much it cost.

There are also some moralists who don't care about 21 and [-], and go to department stores when they write articles in newspapers to scold them.It is said that their department store has disrupted the original business ecology and does not allow small stores to survive.Things like rooftops and magazines corrupt people's hearts, confuse impulsive consumption, and make the already poor people indulge in the world of flowers and flowers.

The worst thing is to hold some kind of fashion exhibition, a group of men and women dressed in gaudy clothes show up in public, it is simply unsightly, insulting to the gentlemen, and it is a sign of national subjugation and so on.

After going around in a circle, the final conclusion is that Shimai Department Store is so miserable that it is only natural for someone in the family to be the manager of a Japanese company, because it is a place of moral corruption!

Luo Xiazhi was so angry after reading the newspaper that he couldn't tell for a long time. It turned out that the business empire he had spent five years building was a "moral place" in the eyes of these old people.Liang Shaolong was so angry that he went to the newspaper office to arrest the editor-in-chief and asked him to hand over the real name and address of the guy whose pen name is "Guhan".

To say that the literati in the Republic of China also had strong bones, no matter how intimidating Liang Shaolong was, the editor-in-chief refused to reveal any news.

Unexpectedly, within two days, a masterpiece "Refuting the Harmful Theory of 'Guhan' Department Store" appeared on the same newspaper as the declaration, and the eloquent article took up the entire page.

On the one hand, he refuted the remarks of "Lonely Cold", satirizing that his idea of ​​a small country with few people should be buried in the Qing Dynasty, which is no different from closing the country.The strength of the Western powers today is because the circulation of commodities has stimulated the development of productive forces, and they have become so powerful today.

On the other hand, they trumpeted the beauty of the department store, saying that it "learns from others' strengths", "gathers talents", "transports the world", and is a real "integration of great beauty and great success".

In the end, he changed his pen and actually put forward the "consumer patriotism theory".Proposing consumption is not a sin, but a good deed to support the country and its industry!

Patriotic citizens buy domestic products, stimulate patriotic manufacturers to produce more domestic products, pay taxes to the treasury, buy strong ships and cannons, and use them to revitalize the city. This is simply a great charity for the family and the country!

The conclusion is: there is no need to say much about patriotism, and there is no need to do much to be patriotic, just buy domestic products!

This remark was earth-shattering, and it complemented the news on the front page of the newspaper that "'China Domestic Products Promotion Association' was established, merchants from all over the country joined the association enthusiastically, and their patriotism was beyond words", which gave "Lonely Han" a heavy blow!

"Gu Hanlin, just say, is it you! This pseudonym is 'Qun Li', is it you!"

On the day when he read this article, Luo Xiazhi jumped into the car and went to the principal's office of Nanyang Boys' High School, waving the newspaper excitedly and said.

"Master Luo, what are you doing so excitedly? Do you want to pay me for publishing the manuscript?"

Principal Gu Shi Shiran, who was reviewing documents, stood up, got up and walked to the door, and locked the door of the office.

"I knew it was you! I knew you were good at being the principal, but I didn't know your pen was so good too."

Luo Xiazhi stepped forward and hugged his waist, looked up with a smile, "You writers are indeed murderous, that 'Guhan' saw it, and insisted on spitting old blood out of anger."

Although the remarks made by Guhan before did not have any negative impact on Shimai's flow of people and sales, after all, daily necessities are available to everyone, and it is impossible to really boycott just because of an article.

But after Gu Hanlin's pseudonym "Qun Li" article appeared in the newspaper this morning, the department store's flow of people increased significantly!

Many housewives and students really want to contribute to the country, but they have no channels. After the "group force" in the newspaper, they found that buying domestic products is the easiest way to patriotize, so they joined this movement with their own hands. The movement of "If you love your country, you must buy domestic products" has come.

"Tell me, how do you want me to thank you?"

If we don't occupy the position of public opinion, the enemy will.Gu Hanlin's pen is easier to use than his promotional advertisements, so how can Luo Xiazhi not be excited?

"Really?"

Gu Hanlin lowered his head and took off his glasses, "Then I'm here to get 'reward'..."

"This...in broad daylight..."

Luo Xiazhi let out a low cry and was just about to escape when he felt his waist being gently pinched by this guy.

This guy from a family of traditional Chinese medicine didn't know what acupuncture point he pressed, and he collapsed into Gu Hanlin's arms weakly, as soft as a ball of cotton.

Gu Hanlin bent down, put his arms around his waist, kissed him lightly on the lips, and then smiled, "I got the reward..."

Luo Xiazhi felt the wet touch on his lips, looked at the wicked smile of the guy in front of him, and then realized that he was tricked by him again...

hateful!

He turned against the guest, stood on tiptoe and quickly "pecked" Gu Hanlin's lips fiercely.

"Have you received the 'reward'? It's okay, I'll give you some 'bonus' now!"

The little lover is so cute and active, Director Gu is naturally happy, the two quarreled in the office for a long time before going out together reluctantly.

At the end of the corridor, there was a two-meter-high full-length mirror donated by previous graduates. Luo Xiazhi walked to this "□□□mirror", twisted his crumpled collar, wiped his red lips with the back of his hand, He turned his head and gave Gu Hanlin a hard look.

"Master, you are here."

As soon as the two walked downstairs of the office building, they saw Ale running over in a panic.

"The family sent someone to tell you to go home quickly. I called the department store just now and found no one. I went around and found the school."

"What? Something happened at home? My elder brother fell ill again?"

Seeing his flustered expression, Luo Xiazhi secretly thought about the things that Luo Minmin sent recently, and turned his head and dumped them into the slop bucket, what could happen to the elder brother?Could it be that something happened to mom?

"Sister-in-law... sister-in-law is here."

A Le said with a face of embarrassment.

"Sister-in-law? What sister-in-law? My sister-in-law or cousin-in-law, came from the countryside of Shaoxing?"

So why not panic, at night, you can either have a table at home or go to a restaurant to have a banquet.

"Second sister-in-law, second sister-in-law is here."

Ah Le swallowed, "Your second brother's wife, second grandma, is here."

"My second sister-in-law? Does my second brother have a wife?"

Luo Xiazhi was really taken aback this time.

----------------

Luo Muze has a wife, a Japanese wife.

When Luo Xiazhi hurried home, he saw a woman in a purple Japanese kimono with a high bun sitting in the living room of their home.

Looking from his angle, he could only see the back of the woman and a small piece of white skin exposed behind the collar of the kimono.

Sitting across from the second sister-in-law was Bai Fenghuang who looked calm.

Today, she was wearing a dark green autumn half-length cheongsam embroidered with white gardenias, paired with the most popular half-moon short hair in Shanghai at present, which formed a sharp contrast with the Japanese woman's dress opposite.

"Ah, Xiao Xia is back!"

Seeing his son appearing at the gate, Bai Fenghuang half stood up excitedly - it could be seen that he was overwhelmed just now.

Luo Xiazhi also coughed uncomfortably, the woman turned around and turned towards him.

"Second sister-in-law, hello..."

Luo Xiazhi didn't know if this woman could understand Chinese, and felt that speaking English at home was a bit pretentious, so he decided to just speak Chinese after going around for a long time.

"Hi, uncle."

Good guy, this second sister-in-law not only speaks Chinese, she also speaks Shanghainese!

The second sister-in-law bent down slowly, then gracefully raised her head, half-slanted her white face as thin as Korean paper, and said softly to Luo Xiazhi, "I am Tsubaki Yingko, this is the first time we meet, please take care of me .”

"Well... take care of each other, take care of each other."

As Luo Xiazhi answered, he looked at this "second sister-in-law" carefully.

If there is such a thing as a "husband and wife look", the second sister-in-law Yingzi and the second brother Luo Muze really look quite similar.With slender eyebrows and eyes, a small cherry mouth, and a petite and soft body wrapped in a kimono, it really looks like tiny cherry blossom petals fluttering in the wind in April.

"Tsubaki...Sakurako. Could it be the 'Tsubaki' from the 'Dai Chun Trading Company'?"

That "Datsubaki Trading Company" that monopolizes the Japanese textile export business and even has its own independent building on the Bund?

"Yes, the president of Dachun Trading Company is my father. I am her only daughter."

The woman raised her head, looked straight into Luo Xiazhi's eyes, and said neither humble nor humble.

She is actually the eldest lady of the Otsubaki Trading Company!

Luo Xiazhi doesn't know how to evaluate his second brother now.

Wait, if he remembered correctly, Japanese women will take their husband's surname after marriage.But just now when the second sister-in-law introduced herself, she said that her surname was still "Chun" and did not change her surname.

So that means...

His second brother became the door-to-door son-in-law of the Japanese.

According to Japanese rules, his second brother's official name is not "Luo Muze" but "Chun Muze" now!

Even after seeing the big world, Luo Xiazhi felt a little dizzy.

If Luo Zhenhua knew about this, he would crawl out of the coffin angrily.

"Brother, doesn't he know that the second sister-in-law is here?"

Embarrassedly bowing to the Japanese woman, Luo Xiaze walked up to Bai Fenghuang and asked.

Tsk, this woman can actually speak Shanghainese!Even if he wanted to whisper to his mother in front of her openly, he couldn't do it.

"I sent a message to your elder brother early in the morning. It is said that he lost his temper at that time and scolded the manager who was in the meeting at that time. Later, he said he was busy. He had a meeting all day long, and he had an appointment for dinner at night, so he won't go home for dinner today. gone."

Bai Fenghuang also had a face full of tears.

"Xiao Xia, you can't leave, Mom doesn't want to face a Japanese woman alone."

The men all hid out under the pretext of work, leaving her as a woman with nowhere to escape.

Don't look at this Japanese woman's gentleness and gentleness, she respects her "mother-in-law" very much.But after sitting for a whole morning, he asked a few questions all around the current distribution of power in the Luo family.Asking her, an honest and unsociable person, made me want to cry.

During the time before Luo Xiazhi came back, she felt like she was sitting on pins and needles sitting on the sofa.

"Well... the second sister-in-law is back. We are supposed to reunite with the whole family. How about this, I will send someone to call and book a banquet now. I don't know if the second sister-in-law is used to Shanghai cuisine? Or can she only eat Japanese food? Then I'm sending someone to book a Japanese restaurant right now."

The elder brother doesn't want to see her, so he can only face the difficulties by himself.

"I heard that Chinese people attach great importance to family relationships. Now that my husband and I have returned to China, according to Chinese rules, shouldn't we have a 'reunion dinner' at home?"

The woman spoke softly, but every word in the sentence seemed to have needles, "Don't mother-in-law, uncle, and uncle welcome me?"

"How come...it's not...it's all my second brother's fault!"

Luo Xia patted his thigh anxiously, "He came back a long time ago, and he didn't tell us that his second sister-in-law is coming. And he moved to Hongkou a few months ago, and he didn't tell his family that he got married! Yes, It's all his fault!"

Book that!This Luo Muze probably did it on purpose, and quietly wanted to surprise them.

Luo Xiazhi cursed in his heart angrily.

"My husband is sometimes not very careful when doing things...I came to visit without notifying everyone before. I was indeed abrupt."

This woman was very flexible, when she heard what Luo Xiazhi said, she stood up again and bowed to him and Bai Fenghuang.

"That being the case, next time I will visit with my husband. I hope that the whole family can have a good reunion dinner. So that's it for today, and I won't disturb my mother-in-law's rest."

"Okay... okay."

After the woman finished speaking, she actually took her leave and left, leaving the mother and son with a dazed look at each other.

"This woman...is unusual."

The next afternoon, Luo Xiazhi sighed and told Gu Hanlin what happened at home yesterday.

"It seems that you, 'Second Brother', have really become a pawn of the Japanese."

Gu Hanlin sighed.

The author has something to say: The second elder brother is here, will the second sister-in-law be far behind?

Teaser for the next chapter "The Building is on Fire"