Seeing that Yi Zhishu stopped to watch people smoking, Yan Shikuan said dissatisfiedly: "It's not a big cigarette, it's worth smoking leaf cigarettes, how many glances do you like?" ”

Leaf cigarettes? Not cigar smoke? Yi Zhishu also took a closer look, it was similar to the appearance of a cigar, I don't know what the difference is between the two, maybe it's just a different name, he asked as he walked, "Have you heard of cigar smoke?" ”

"You mean that foreign merchant and foreign sailor smoked thing?"

"Well, how many people smoke cigars?"

"Who's smoking that? Those who don't have money can't afford to smoke, they all smoke their own cigarettes, and those who have money smoke big cigarettes, who rarely likes that? ”

"Let's learn how to smoke cigars."

"It's not like you haven't smoked." Yan Shikuan said nonchalantly: "Haven't you tried it in Huangpu?" I almost didn't choke to death. As he spoke, he lowered his voice and said, "What's there to smoke about that thing?" Why don't you try Big Smoke? ”

Yi Zhizhi stiffened his face and said: "If you want to live for a few more years, don't touch the big smoke, besides, the imperial court bans smoking, do you think that Xingtai is not chaotic enough, and you want to add more trouble?" ”

"But casually." Yan Shikuan muttered: "It's not that no one smokes the thirteen lines. ”

Yi Zhi was content to ignore him, pretending not to hear, and quickened his pace, Yan Shikuan followed a few steps closely, and said, "For no reason, why do you want to learn to smoke cigars?" ”

Glancing at him, Yi Zhizhi said: "Smoking a cigar is good for dealing with foreigners." ”

Yan Shikuan said a little strangely: "We have a lot of dealings with foreign sailors in Xiguan and Huangpu, why do we have to learn to smoke cigars?" ”

"Love to smoke or not." Yi Zhizhi is also too lazy to explain, he thought of cigarettes from cigar smoke, no one knows better than him, how big the cigarette market is, how high the profits, how fast the popularity is, cigarettes may be one of the earliest and fastest popular commodities all over the world.

Although he smoked, he was not familiar with the manufacture of cigarettes, only knew that tobacco leaves should be fermented, and different formulas of flavors were added, and the more troublesome was the cigarette equipment.

However, no matter how difficult it is, the cigarette factory has to be run, and how can it be let go of a profiteering business that can continue for hundreds of years? It's just that now is not the time, this must be backed by strong capital, otherwise it is to make a wedding dress for others.

The two of them finally arrived at the riverside, and saw the signboard of the Tianhai Pavilion Teahouse, a time-honored brand in Xiguan, Yan Shikuan sighed and said, "It's here, I'm tired to death." ”

This guy chattered all the time, Yi Zhi was lazy to take care of him, and went straight into the teahouse, Xiao Er greeted him with a smile on his face, and before he could speak, Yan Shikuan said: "Is there a seat on the second floor near the river?" ”

"Yes, yes, two old inns, please."

Tianhai Pavilion has an excellent geographical location, and is close to the Thirteen Lines Street and the Foreign Merchants Yi Museum, many people sit here for a morning, enjoy the scenery, drink tea, talk about business or exchange news, easy to be content with the two of them through the lobby on the first floor, and listen to someone mention Xingtai Xing.

The two slowed down and listened, it turned out that the Governor's Office had approved the letter accusing Xingtai Bank, and the Domain, the Division, and the Guangdong Customs would check the accounts of Xingtai Bank together with the Thirteen Banks, and count the exact amount of debts.

Upstairs and sat down, Yi Zhizhi smiled and said: "This Lingzun can rest assured, the debt of more than two million yuan has been as long as seven or eight years, not a month or two, I am afraid that it will not be clear, if it is pulled back and forth, it may not be able to be found out in three or four months." ”

Yan Shikuan diligently poured a cup of tea for him before he spoke: "Third brother, don't relax, the installment repayment plan has to be worked out as soon as possible...... third brother." ”

"Stop." Yi Zhixiang hurriedly said: "No wonder you came to invite me to morning tea early in the morning, it turned out that you were waiting for me here, first of all, I have no problem with the installment repayment plan." ”

"The third brother's words are not authentic, as the saying goes, send the Buddha to the west, what kind of thing is this halfway?"

"Is it really up to me?" Yi Zhishu looked at him and said, "How old am I?" I don't understand business, so dare to pin such an important thing on me? Don't come to me. ”

Yan Shikuan said with a sneer: "My father didn't expect you, but I can't trust them, if they have such ability, why did Xingtai Xingxing fall to today's point?" The third brother has had a lot of ideas since he was a child, others don't know, we still don't know? But I used to be playing around, and after this incident, I can be regarded as seeing the true colors of the third brother, and now I only believe in the third brother. ”

"It's in vain that you lift me up to heaven." Yi Zhizhi said with a smile: "If Xingtai Bank wants to make foreign businessmen take the initiative to withdraw their complaints, the repayment period must be controlled within at least five or six years, otherwise it will be difficult to satisfy foreign businessmen, what does this mean?" Do you understand how difficult it is to repay 500,000 yuan a year with interest? ”

"Yes, of course I do." Yan Shikuan nodded again and again: "Isn't this because I understand, so I begged the third brother." ”

Raising his eyes and catching a glimpse of Xiao Ershang coming early, Yi Zhizu waved his hand and said, "I'm afraid of you, don't keep making noise, I will think about this matter carefully, it is the peak season of foreign trade, you accompany me to walk around......." ”

"And- wandering around?" Yan Shikuan said with a sad face: "Is it okay to sit in a sedan chair?" ”

"You think I'm willing to walk? What can you see? Yi Zhizu rolled his eyes and said, "Do you still want a repayment plan?" ”

"Eat early first." Yan Shikuan hurriedly greeted.

A table full of breakfast, the two of them wiped out more than half of them in one go, then stopped, wiped their mouths, Yi Zhizhi continued the previous words and said: "We don't know much about the business of the Thirteen Lines, I will be busy recently, you take the time to sort out a copy of the information on the foreign trade of the Thirteen Lines, and you will need it in the next two days, and there is still ......." ”

After a pause, he continued: "The shopping mall is like a battlefield, we must first know each other and know ourselves, and sort out the information of all the commercial houses of the Thirteen Banks, which should be more detailed, such as origin, grade, founder, history, main trade commodities, trade objects, family children, etc. ”

This matter is not a difficult thing for Yan Shikuan, he nodded happily and said, "Third brother, rest assured, I guarantee that you are satisfied." Saying that, he didn't forget to flatter, "The mall is like a battlefield, this is incisive!" ”

Yi Zhishu got up with a smile and said, "Tea and food are full, let's go shopping?" ”

Still shopping? Yan Shikuan hurriedly smiled and said: "I have to go and arrange the things that the third brother just assigned, or Ming'er will accompany you to continue shopping?" ”

"I'm afraid Ming'er won't have time to shop." Yi Zhizhi said: "It's early to slip away today, and they will inevitably be stuck at home tomorrow, or I'll slip away alone, and you will come over early tomorrow morning to hang out with them." ”

Out of the teahouse, the two parted ways, Yan Shikuan went home in a sedan chair, Yi Zhizhi continued to wander, Yong'an Street, Jingyuan Street, Tong'an Street, he walked street after street, but rarely went into the store to buy things, Li Wang, who followed him, only carried two boxes of Luzon cigars in his hands.

Walking to Tongwen Street, seeing a magnificently decorated watch shop, Yi Zhi's eyes lit up, and he paced in, to say that he is the most familiar with the world, I am afraid that it is none other than clocks, in his previous life, although he was not a watch collector, but he had a grandfather who repaired clocks.

When he was a child, his grandfather repaired watches, and later, electronic watches, quartz clocks were popular, his grandfather began to turn to repair antique clocks, when the national collection was hot, antique clocks and watches were popular, and his grandfather's business was also booming, under the influence of his grandfather, he was interested in clocks since he was a child, and naturally he also learned a good craft.

There are not many clocks on display in the store, most of them are beautifully shaped table clocks, which are placed in a staggered manner, and Yi Zhizhi is like a child who has walked into a candy store.

18K gold enamel, kicking gold, enamel, tortoiseshell, sterling silver, all of them are exquisite, only look at his eyes shining, ask the price, but it scared him, expensive thousands of oceans, the cheapest are above a hundred oceans.

He couldn't help but sigh to himself, the pocket watch is a real luxury, you know, this year, the income of ordinary people is only ten or twenty oceans, how many years do you have to save without eating or drinking to buy a pocket watch? This is definitely not something that small families can afford.

The shopkeeper in the store is a veteran who observes words and colors, and when he saw that the other party only asked the price without saying a word, he smiled and said: "These are all authentic Western goods, the price is a little old, but you get what you pay for, and it is definitely worth the price." ”

The clock is easy to be content with the room, he has the heart to buy a pocket watch, when he goes out, it is too inconvenient to have no watch, but this price really makes him have a toothache, buy a cheap one, some lose the price, the children of the thirteen lines, especially the children of small business houses, especially can not be shabby, this is not a matter of their own face, but about the face of the business house.

But buy an expensive one, he really can't afford it, this price is too dark, and the black one can't see his five fingers!