Volume 2 King of the Northwest Chapter 61 Bidding
Yangdian's release shocked the world, and then the whole of China was plunged into a strange telegraph war.
On August 21, exactly 10 days after Wu Peifu took the lead in issuing a telegram asking Feng Guozhang to order peace, almost all of China's military and political leaders, from north to south and from east to west, except for a few provincial governors and the Kuomintang who had been excluded from politics at that time, sent their own telegrams and put forward their own views during this period.
However, the final result of this telegram war surprised everyone. Duan Qirui, the Prime Minister who had forced the two previous presidents to be at a loss, was actually no match for a small division commander. On August 31, the State Council decided to order the front-line troops to temporarily take a defensive position.
On the same day, Duan sent a telegram announcing that he would retire after the government reorganization.
"Zhixiang, our congressional representative in Beijing sent a secret message."
The so-called Shaanxi congressmen are nothing more than Dai Jiliang's alternative way of giving up military power over a cup of wine.
Except for four disabled officers who were retired from the Shaanxi Army, all the other 21 members were county governors whom Dai Jiliang looked down upon. Dai Jiliang used this best job in the world to gain complete control over Shaanxi.
"The presidential election price is 5,000 per ticket. Do you want to accept it?"
"Take it! It will be theirs if they take it."
Dai Jiliang was drinking water when he answered the phone, and he almost choked on the water when he heard it.
As soon as he heard it, he knew that it was probably the councilors who came from the Shaanxi Army who insisted, otherwise those county magistrates who were greedy for land would have sold themselves out long ago.
"Brother-in-law, tell them by telegram that they don't need to report similar situations in the future."
"I see."
Wang Danping nodded on the phone.
"Just tell them that they can collect when they are asked to, but if anyone dares not to follow the instructions when Shaanxi has an arrangement, they will not be able to collect next time."
"I think so."
Dai Jiliang thought about it and felt that Wang Danping's idea made sense. Although Shaanxi did not need these incompetent guys, he still had to put a tight ring around them.
"By the way, what's our opinion on Cao Zhongshan becoming president?"
"Cao Kun is a stingy person. He only pays 500 to 1,000 yuan for each vote. I heard that Liang Shiyi hopes to postpone the election of the vice president to wait for someone who has made contributions to the unification and peace. But Cao Kun spent so much effort and even betrayed the Zhili clique just for this vice president. I think Beijing will have something interesting to watch again."
Wang Danping is just watching the fire from the other side of the river, gloating over other people's misfortune.
“I think the key is not in Beijing!”
Dai Jiliang was somewhat bored.
"The gun determines everything. Mr. Wu has 30,000 elite soldiers at his disposal."
Speaking of 30,000 elite soldiers, Dai Jiliang couldn't help feeling jealous. He had been managing Shaanxi for many years, but up to now the Shaanxi Army had only a little over 25,000 soldiers. Cao not only supported 30,000 southern expeditionary troops with just Baoda, but also had a guard force of nearly 10,000 in Baoding. How could Dai Jiliang not sigh that they had the same people but different fates?
"Zhixiang, are you saying that the scholars are starting a rebellion?"
Wang Danping's incredible voice came from the phone.
"No way, there are tens of thousands of troops behind Wu Xiucai."
"of course not."
Dai Jiliang smiled. Even Wang Danping, who knew nothing about military affairs, understood that Wu Peifu was in a delicate situation. Dai Jiliang understood the danger even more.
Since he reminded Xu Shuzheng, the Anhui troops deployed behind the Zhili Army have become the supervisory teams for the various units under the Third Division.
His Shaanxi Army's southward-moving troops were also one of the encirclement forces.
"However, it is not impossible to withdraw troops on your own."
"Withdraw on your own initiative?"
Wang Danping clicked her tongue on the other end of the phone.
"I understand, Zhixiang, we can't just hang ourselves on the tree of the Anhui clique!"
It is really not easy for Wang Danping, who is from Anhui, to say this. After all, people at that time had a strong sense of provinciality.
"We are located in the inland area. Our development depends entirely on the outside world. We must make the right bet!"
"Thank you for the reminder, brother-in-law."
Dai Jiliang was extremely satisfied that Wang Danping could say this. Although his brother-in-law's policy ideas were not completely in line with his own, what was there to be dissatisfied about as he could achieve this?
"Don't worry, I won't risk anything for anyone."
"Why are you taking care of the child? Where's Qi Xiu?"
The weather in early September was still very hot. Dai Jiliang felt stuffy sitting in the office, so he sneaked back home and wanted to take a cold shower.
But unexpectedly, he found that his wife Li Yuan was raising three children alone. Although she was wearing light clothes, her face was still covered with sweat.
"Hush! Don't disturb the children. She is in charge of the shop, and now she is out on patrol."
Although they are an old couple, Li Yuan still feels a little shy when Dai Jiliang takes out a handkerchief to wipe her face.
"The nurse's child is sick, and I'm worried about the girls, so I'm taking care of them temporarily. Don't blame them. Look, how cute the children are when they fall asleep!"
"What's wrong with this mother?"
Dai Jiliang was muttering to himself, but looking at the sweet sleeping faces of the children, a smile appeared on his face.
The eldest son Ji Liu is already five years old, while the second son Sihuai and the eldest daughter Nianwei are just over two years old.
Seeing the eldest brother's right-hand man protecting his two younger siblings, Dai Jiliang's heart was filled with warmth.
"Good Yuan'er, I, Dai Jiliang, have done good deeds in my previous life to have a wife like you."
Dai Jiliang gently kissed his wife's cheek.
"I'll come over tonight."
The woman blushed and hummed in an inaudible voice. Dai Jiliang smiled and walked out.
Qi Xiu was not there, Li Yuan was looking after the children, so what were the others doing? Dai Jiliang suddenly became interested, so he checked each courtyard one by one.
“The world is divided into seven continents and four oceans.
We are now in Asia, and there are also Europe and Africa.
These are the Old Worlds, and there are the New Worlds…”
A strange Western accent came from Qi Xi's yard.
Dai Jiliang walked in. Several maids were about to call out to him when they saw him coming in, but Dai Jiliang waved his hands and the maids obediently retreated.
Dai Jiliang looked inside through the glass window of Xin'an and saw that a Hungarian nun from the Central Realm Church was giving a geography lesson to the fourth lady Qi Xi and the fifth lady Liu Xinfen.
Looking at Xier who was treating Dabin like a guest and Fener who seemed a little relaxed, Dai Jiliang nodded with satisfaction, and without disturbing their studies, he slowly walked out.
According to the agreement between himself and the Central Realm Church, the church would not spread the glory of the Lord to women during the teaching process. Now it is obvious that the other party has abided by this agreement, and Dai Jiliang is very pleased about this.
"Miaozhi, what are you doing?"
When he arrived at Bai's room, Dai Jiliang saw Bai angrily twisting something with an awl. He snatched it and saw that it was a pair of well-sewn children's clothes.
Dai Ji's heart softened and he reached out to embrace Bai Miaozhi, who was in tears.
"Are you stupid? Are you still taking the medicine prescribed by Mr. Jiren? That's good. I'll love you more often, and there will be results."
What responded to him was Bai's constant punches and aggrieved cries.
"Master, I am the one who holds the power in the family, and I have always offended people. I don't know how many people have cursed me behind my back, even if they don't say it to my face. Where can I complain to?"
Bai Miaozhi fell into Dai Jiliang's arms and burst into tears.
"Tell me the truth."
Dai Jiliang turned Bai's head and looked straight into her eyes.
"Since I wanted you, I don't care what happened back then. Ask yourself how I treated you these years. Remember, you are from the Bai family of Daimen . You will be buried after your death. These are the words on your tombstone."
"Master!"
Dai Jiliang's words were not love words, but they moved Bai Shi more than love words. They would sleep together in the same bed and be buried together in the same grave after death. Dai Jiliang made a promise to her, which made her tears, which had stopped, flow again.
"Okay, stop crying."
Dai Jiliang licked Bai's tears with his tongue. The rubbing of Bai's ears in his arms just now had already made Dai Jiliang react.
He didn't care that he was sweating profusely, and immediately carried Bai horizontally. He didn't even bother to close the door and fell directly on the mat. Soon, the exciting sound was heard.
"Today, the companies participating in the Yaozhou coal mining bidding include Shanghai Meihua Trading Company, Japan Inao Trading Company, Sweden Hills Trading Company, Shaanxi Dasheng Company, and Shaanxi Qinzhong Company."
Sima took off his military uniform and put on a suit, and he still looked very handsome.
"Everyone knows what they should know before the auction, right?"
Sima looked at the five representatives with a smile. There was no need to mention the American company Meihua and the Japanese company Inosuke. The Swedish company Hills & Co. was a disguise of DuPont, and Dasheng was the capital of the Manchurian aristocrats brought in by Qihua. As for Qinzhong, although it claimed to be a company composed of local businessmen from Shaanxi, it also included funds from warlords from various provinces introduced by Shanxi merchants and Jincheng.
"We all understand."
Davitt, who represents Hills, shrugged.
"Isn't it just that your Shanfu Company must hold 10% of the shares of Yaozhou Mining Company for free? I don't think anyone will mind this. Gentlemen, let's hurry up, shall we? Let's start now."
Of course no one would object, so Sima continued his hosting.
"The Yaozhou mine is currently divided into four mining areas. The production is expected to be 40,000 metric tons in the first year, 150,000 metric tons in the second year, 350,000 metric tons in the third year, and 800,000 metric tons in the fourth year."
These data were familiar to those present, but no one raised any objections.
"The Yaozhou Mine mainly produces thermal coal and lean coal, which can be widely used for power generation, coking and other purposes."
Looking at the faces of the people present, Sima smiled.
“I won’t waste any more time talking nonsense, let’s start bidding now.
15% of the shares of Yaozhou Mine will be auctioned as one of the items, with a total of five groups being auctioned. The remaining 15% will be publicly offered to the entire Shaanxi business community, but the public offering price will not be lower than the average price of the entire auction.
Okay, now we will start auctioning the first set, the starting price is 150,000, please write your bids in the bidding book, I will send someone to pick them up in five minutes. "
"The highest bid in the first group was from Dasheng Company, which was 350,000 yuan."
The first group of bids was certainly a test, but Dasheng Company's offer, which far exceeded Shaanxi's psychological reserve price of 250,000 yuan, still gave those present a slight surprise.
"The highest bid in the second group went to Japanese Inaohiro, who bid 430,000 yuan."
Following Sima's words, the Japanese business representative Nishida Shuigoro looked complacently at the British and American monsters around him, needless to say, his smug look.
"The third group of bidders won the bid of 390,000 yuan from Sweden's Hills & Co."
When Nishida heard that the Swede had offered a price much lower than his own to obtain the same equity as his, his face suddenly fell.
"The fourth group is Inao Foreign Company, 520,000 yuan."
The Japanese were indeed determined to win, and no one expected that they would put such a high price on this set, which made everyone present shake their heads in agreement.
"The fifth group is the American company Meihua Foreign Trade Co., Ltd., with a total of 440,000 yuan
In this way, only Qinzhong Company will get nothing.
However, they are not worried because all successful bidders are not allowed to bid in the remaining public offerings, so they still have a chance given their financial resources.
"Successful bidders please remit funds to Jincheng Bank Xi'an Branch within 15 days. If the funds are not in place within 15 days, their bid will be cancelled and their shares will continue to be bid among those who have already won."
Sima said coldly.
"In addition, those who have obtained equity are strictly prohibited from participating in the public offering. Once it is found that they are treated the same as the former, a shareholders' meeting and a board of directors will be held immediately after the public offering is completed. The establishment of Yaozhou Mining Company will be completed before the end of the year. Shanfu Company will send supervisors to enter, and mining operations will officially begin at the beginning of next year!"
