The so-called various bills, of course, are all kinds of money bills, silver bills, bank bills, promissory notes, bills of exchange, etc., issued by Yuanqi, these bills are collectively referred to as 'private bills' in the market, and Xie Xiuyuan, who listened to it, proposed to suspend the cashing of private bills, and without waiting for Yi Zhizhi to speak, Kong Jian'an and Liang Jiemin objected in unison: "No." ”

The two glanced at each other, and Liang Jiemin said slowly: "Private banknotes are the most important reputation, if the payment is delayed, even if Yuanqi can survive this run, it will be discredited, and it must be a last resort." ”

Yi Zhishu glanced at a few people and said, "The issuance of private banknotes can break through the proportion?" ”

Yuanqi has a strong principal, the scale of issuing private banknotes is quite large, but the proportion is not high, has been strictly controlled at about one to one, that is, 10,000 of the bank, 10,000 private banknotes, to ensure that the issued private banknotes have the ability to pay, this ratio, compared with the proportion of those money banks in Xiguan in the past, can be said to be quite conservative and cautious.

Kong Jian'an hurriedly bowed and said: "Back to the big shopkeeper, the distribution of private banknotes has always strictly followed the ratio of one to one, with occasional fluctuations, and they are all short-term, and overall, it has been maintained at this ratio." After a pause, he continued: "The reason why the amount of private banknotes withdrawn is large is because a considerable part of the private banknotes issued by the branches of the prefectures and counties below are stranded in Guangzhou. ”

Hearing this, Yi Zhicontent's heart sank, and he realized that there was a big trouble, he didn't expect that the private banknotes of the following prefectures and counties would be concentrated in Guangzhou to cash, how big would this amount be? Once Guangzhou can not be cashed, it will cause panic, will quickly spread to the following prefecture and county branches, now it is not the end of the year, the loans of each branch have not been recovered, deposits and private banknotes run together, can not hold at all! If this happens, the entire Yuan Qi may be in just over a month. The whole collapse.

Seeing that Yi Zhizhi was silent, Xie Xiuyuan said in a deep voice: "If the head office in Guangzhou and the surrounding branches are run on and cannot cash in cash, it will inevitably cause a large-scale panic, and the consequences will be unimaginable. Yuanqi is in a special situation, which is to monopolize the money industry of a province and suspend the exchange of private banknotes. Although it will damage credibility, as long as it survives, it can be slowly restored. ”

Liang Jiemin glanced at him and said in a deep voice: "Suspending the exchange of private banknotes will also cause panic, and once there is a panic, the run will intensify, and the consequences will be equally unimaginable." ”

Yi Zhizu waved his hand, looked at Kong Jian'an and said, "How much silver is estimated to be needed?" ”

This can knock Kong Jian'an down. After a slight sigh, he spoke: "There are 79 counties in the nine prefectures and fifteen prefectures of Guangdong Province, and the Yuanqi semicolon has spread all over the towns, with a total of more than 1,200 large and small semicolons, and the total number of private banknotes issued is about 70 million, and it is conservatively estimated that at least forty percent of them are in Guangzhou, and since the Battle of Kowloon, more than 10 million have been cashed out one after another. It is estimated that there will be at least 20 million. to cope with this run. ”

That is, thirteen million? After a little groaning, Yi Zhizhi said: "It's all scattered, and I will ensure that all the semicolons can't be broken in the past two days." ”

Kong Jian'an, Liang Jiemin, and Tang Jingyuan retreated, but Xie Xiuyuan stayed, and Yi Zhizhi glanced at him. Said: "Suspend the exchange of private banknotes, and observe it for two days first." ”

Xie Xiuyuan said with a smile: "Big shopkeeper, I heard that the big shopkeeper of the Guangzhou branch of the Rishengchang ticket number came to visit yesterday, can we use the West Ticket to disperse the pressure?" ”

Using the Shanxi ticket number to share the pressure, Wang Dechang took the initiative to mention this matter yesterday. The main business of Shanxi ticket number is to exchange money in different places, and the branch of Yuanqi County will remit the silver to Guangzhou through the Shanxi ticket number, so that you can use the bill of exchange issued by the Shanxi ticket number to share part of the pressure, however, Yi Zhizhi is very simply declined, this favor is great, and it is rare to return it in the future.

After a slight groan, he said: "I rejected the kindness of the shopkeeper Wang, and we will solve this matter by ourselves." ”

Solve it yourself? Xie Xiuyuan was stunned, then his eyes rolled, and he said tentatively: "Yesterday, Yuanqi suffered a run, and there was a lot of discussion in the market, but a topic suddenly popped up - if Yuanqi goes out of business, is this deliberately released by the big shopkeeper?" ”

Yi Zhishu took out a cigar, lit it slowly, and said noncommittally: "What's the matter, the shopkeeper thinks that this topic can alleviate the pressure of running on Yuanqi?" ”

"There should be some relief." Xie Xiuyuan said with a smile: "However, the effect may not be great, even if you know that the collapse of Yuanqi will have a great impact, but no one will take risks for Yuanqi, who doesn't worry about the hard-earned silver being wasted?" ”

This topic, it is indeed easy to be content with people deliberately put it out, of course, the run is not a good thing, but there is a small-scale run at this stage, but it is a good thing for Yuan Qi, he hopes that through the extensive discussion of this topic, to guide public opinion, continue to ferment, repeatedly guide, in order to reduce crows. The pressure of the run that occurred when the war really broke out.

Now it seems that this idle move has to be used as a straight move, and now he can't afford to find 13 million to fill this gap, and after a little muttering, he said: "Everyone has a herd mentality, and a run is a good demonstration of herd mentality." ”

"Herd mentality?" Xie Xiuyuan said with a puzzled expression.

"The herd effect, have you ever heard of it?" Yi Zhifen smiled and said: "Sheep temperament docile, have a strong gregariousness, under normal circumstances, a flock of 200-400 sheep, the shepherd as long as training a leader can be well managed, when the sheep out, into the circle, across the bridge, across the river or through the narrow place, as long as there is a leader first, the rest of the sheep will follow."

Put a wooden stick on the road ahead of a group of sheep, the leader sheep jumps over, and the second and third sheep behind will also jump over, at this time, the stick is removed, and the sheep behind come here, although the stick blocking the road is no longer there, they still jump up like the sheep in front, this is the so-called "herd effect" also known as "herd mentality".

"And such interesting things?" Xie Xiuyuan glanced at him suspiciously, and said, "People are much smarter than sheep." ”

Yi Zhixiang shook his head and said: "Not necessarily, you might as well wait and see." ”

Hearing this, Xie Xiuyuan's eyes lit up, and he said with great interest: "What is the dispatch of the big treasurer, just give orders." As he spoke, he smiled, "The big shopkeeper doesn't want to let him be the leader, right?" ”

"Of course you've got to be a sheep." Yi Zhizhi smiled: "However, the run is so bad. One leader is not enough. ”

Leaving Rong Yuan, Yi Zhizhi took a sedan chair to Tianhai Pavilion Teahouse, he originally made an appointment with Wu Changqing to visit Zhang Weiyun in Huadi, but now he naturally can't go, and Wu Changqing had morning tea in Tianhai Pavilion and Wu Changqing, and the two went to the American Pavilion of the Thirteen Merchant Pavilion.

Snow, the U.S. consul in Guangzhou, who had received the news in advance, was already waiting at the door. As soon as they met, he didn't say hello, and said directly with concern: "I heard that Yuan Qi had a little accident, can the American businessman do anything for Yuan Qi?" ”

"Yuan Qi is indeed in a little trouble." Yi Zhixiang said bluntly: "I need the help of my friends. ”

"It's our honor to help Yuanqi." Snow smiled and stretched out his hand to salute: "Mr. Yi, Mr. Wu, please inside." ”

After going to the office on the second floor and taking a seat, Yi Zhizhi said straight to the point: "Yuanqi has encountered a run and needs a lot of silver. ”

Snow shrugged. With a helpless expression, he said regretfully: "Mr. Yi, it's not that American businessmen are unwilling to help, the problem is that our silver has been brought back to China, and Mr. Yi also knows that the United States is in special need of gold and silver now." ”

"I know." Yi Zhisuff said with a smile: "You don't have any silver, Mr. Wu will lend it to you." The silver ships are all ready for you, and His Excellency the Consul only needs to lead the American merchants to escort the silver ships to the Yuanqi General with great fanfare. ”

"Oh. No problem. Snow hurriedly smiled and said, "Thank you very much Mr. Yi for giving American businessmen the opportunity to serve Yuanqi, we will be very honored." As he spoke, he turned his head and said with concern: "Is your country really going to war with England?" ”

"If England dares to come to the door, our emperor will definitely declare war without hesitation." Yi Zhixiang said with a smile, "I have to congratulate Your Excellency in advance." Congratulations to the United States for becoming the Qing Empire's largest foreign trading partner. ”

Joining forces with the United States and France to kick England out of the East-West trade circle was a bold idea put forward by Yi Zhifu back then, and Snow never dreamed that in just two or three years, this idea would become a reality. He couldn't sleep for several nights when he was excited about this, and he had been in a state of euphoria since the outbreak of the Battle of Kowloon and Piercing Nose.

Hearing Yi Zhi's contented words, he couldn't help but feel overjoyed, he knew too well that those British, cutting off trade, was definitely unbearable for the arrogant British, they would definitely declare war on the Qing Empire! He immediately said: "If Mr. Yi has any needs, even if he puts them forward, we will do everything we can to meet Mr. Yi's needs." ”

"Thank you." Yi Zhizhi said and stood up, he didn't have time to talk about this now, as long as Qi Changxing, Weitmo, and Olifinxing would bring the machinery and equipment for making guns and ammunition before the end of this year, he didn't have any additional requirements, he politely stretched out his hand and said with a smile: "After finishing Yuanqi's affairs, I will definitely come to visit Your Excellency." ”

Walking out of the American Business Pavilion, Wu Changqing smiled and said, "Who is the next sheep?" ”

"Naturally, it is the government of Guangzhou." Yi Zhizhi smiled as he spoke, and said: "I will go to the Governor's Mansion and the Governor's Department by myself, and my sister-in-law is the Huo family of Foshan iron merchants, and I am tired of Changqing asking her to tell me that Yuan Qi still has 40,000 tons of English iron on hand." ”

"You're a threat!"

"I said this as a threat, and Changqing said it as a kind reminder."

"Okay, I'll go as soon as I've arranged for the silver boat."

Ma Shacang Street, Tianbao Watch Factory.

The large living room was full of people, all of whom were the middle and high-level backbones of Tianbao and some high-paid craftsmen and craftsmen with top stocks, the factory director Jiang Shentong glanced at everyone, coughed lightly, and said loudly: "Everyone, since the implementation of mechanical standardized assembly production in Tianbao Watch Factory, the annual output of pocket watches has exceeded 40,000 pieces, what does this mean?" This means that there will be more than 400,000 yuan of profit every year in the future! You are all the top stocks, the backbone of Tianbao, and the owner of Tianbao.

Who owns Trimble Watchworks? Everyone knows that the two owners, Yi Gongzi, the big shopkeeper of Yuanqi, and the young son of the Wu family, are all shareholders of Yuanqi. ”

Wang Changsheng, deputy director of the factory, took over the conversation and said: "Yuanqi has suffered a run, and the big guys are also worried, but our ability is limited, so we can only be in a hurry, if Director Jiang has any good ideas, you might as well say it, as long as it is within our ability, we will not hesitate." ”

"I don't understand economics, and I don't understand the business of money banks." Jiang Shen channel: "But I heard one thing, yesterday, Yuanqi had a run in Guangzhou, but the various branches of Yuanqi Shunde not only did not appear in the run, but there was a queue for deposits, who is queuing up for deposits?" Female workers in the machine silk reeling factory! All female workers!

Hearing this news, I didn't dare to go out, I didn't have the face to see people, our Tianbao masters are not as good as the girls of Shunde Silk Reeling Factory! As the old saying goes, gather sand into a tower, gather armpits into a fur, each of us has a limited ability, but when we gather together, our ability is not weak!

Mobilize all the apprentices and craftsmen of Tianbao, let's also go to Yuanqi to deposit, how much to save! None of us can believe it, but we can't believe the big shopkeeper! People say, isn't it? ”

"Well said!" Tang Shigui stood up and said loudly: "How many staff members are under Yuan Qi's name?" Yuanqi's shopkeepers, silk merchants and silk reeling women in Shunde, Changle Machinery Factory, Changzhou Shipyard, add up to at least tens of thousands of people, if they all do their best to save money and support Yuanqi, Yuanqi will not collapse at all! ”

As soon as the words fell, the pot suddenly exploded below, and the female silk reeling workers in Shunde went to deposit, if they didn't go, they would not have the face to stay in Tianbao in the future, and they would not have the face to see the big shopkeeper and the big owner.

At the same time, Changle Machinery Factory, Luoxi Ammunition Bureau, Changzhou Shipyard, Yuanqi Yixue, various resettlement villages, and various construction sites under Yuanqi's name are almost all staging a scene similar to Tianbao.

In the afternoon, a group of blond and blue-eyed Citi merchants escorted a silver boat to dock at the dock near the Yuanqi Headquarters, the silver boats were already attractive plus a large group of strange-looking, strangely dressed Citi merchants, which attracted the attention of everyone nearby, many people came forward to watch, when they heard that these Citi merchants were going to the Yuanqi General Number to deposit silver, everyone couldn't help but let out a burst of laughter, these Citi merchants are missing tendons or less strings? At this juncture, everyone was busy withdrawing silver from Yuanqi, but these Citi merchants went to Yuanqi to deposit silver.

Seeing the laughter of the crowd, Bo drove in strange Chinese and said slowly: "Yuan Qi has a run, as a trading partner of Yuan Qi and the Thirteen Lines, we don't stand by and do our best to help Yuan Qi, is this funny?" ”

Hearing this, the smiles of the onlookers froze on their faces, silently watching them move the silver sheaths off the silver ship one by one, and at this moment, someone shouted: "Come and see, there is a long queue of deposits in front of the Yuanqi semicolon!" What the hell is weird, there are as many deposits as withdrawals! ”

Hearing this, everyone was very curious, and they all rushed to the nearby Yuanqi branch to witness this rare scene. (To be continued.) )