As the most famous red-top businessman in the late Qing Dynasty, Hu Xueyan's life can be described as ups and downs. He went from an ordinary money man to empress dowager Cixi giving him a yellow coat and an official residence, completing a magnificent counterattack in his life. However, Hu Xueyan, who had no real power, eventually became a victim of political struggle. The end of a family that is broken is really sighing-
Success is also Xiao He defeated also Xiao He
In 1823, Hu Xueyan was born in Anhui. Although he was poor in his childhood, he had the strength to fight hard and dare to break through. At a young age, he had his own career. Throughout Hu Xueyan's life, it seems that he is inseparable from the word "official". It can be said that success is also in the official, and defeat is also in the official.
He first made good friends with King Youling of Zhejiang Yanshi and opened up channels for doing business. With Wang Youling's promotion all the way, Hu Xueyan's business has also become bigger and bigger. With the help of Wang Youling, he soon became the richest man in Hangzhou and was known as the "God of Living Wealth" by the world.
Since Wang Youling committed suicide in defeat in 1861, Hu Xueyan temporarily lost his political backing. In 1881, when Zuo Zongtang regained Xinjiang, the money could not be turned around. After Hu Xueyan knew about it, he almost poured out his money to help, which solved the problem of the army's money, food and salaries, and helped him win the victory.
After the great victory, Zuo Zongtang thanked Hu Xueyan for his righteous help, and not only exchanged words with him, but also recommended him to Empress Dowager Cixi. Hu Xueyan was awarded the title of Erpin Official and given the Imperial Yellow Horse Coat. "Business officials are uneasy, officials are not rich", Hu Xueyan's whole life has been practicing this sentence.
But it was also this sentence that eventually made Hu Xueyan go to extinction. Before Zeng Guofan died, he had many frictions with his protégé Li Hongzhang. Zuo Zongtang was hand-picked by Zeng Guofan and naturally stood in opposition to Li Hongzhang. On March 12, 1872, Zeng Guofan died of illness. Zuo Zongtang and Li Hongzhang completely tore their faces, and the two were incompatible.
Although they were also one of the "four famous ministers of the late Qing Dynasty", they all wanted each other to die. With the help of Hu Xueyan, Zuo Zongtang was politically powerful. In Li Hongzhang's camp, there was a man named Sheng Xuanhuai, who proposed that if he wanted to overthrow Zuo Zongtang, he must first kill Hu Xueyan.
Li Hongzhang was deeply impressed. In 1882, Hu Xueyan united several merchants. Almost all of his wealth was spent, and a large amount of raw silk was purchased in an attempt to hoard and break the situation in which foreigners manipulated the domestic market. As a result, that year's European silk harvest was abundant, and Hu Xueyan's idea was shattered.
Sheng Xuanhuai saw the opportunity and immediately found many silk merchants to lower the price of silk. Hu Xueyan had no choice but to "sell at a low price". One after another, he actually lost 10 million taels of silver. In order to work capital, Hu Xueyan had to take money from major businesses.
Sheng Xuanhuai also sent people to spread rumors that Hu Xueyan's money house had no money, and the people demanded withdrawals one after another. Suddenly, where did Hu Xueyan get so much money? He could only sell his wealth, and in just three days, he lost tens of millions of dollars and finally declared bankruptcy.
Li Hongzhang was not idle, and he reported to Empress Dowager Cixi that he took kickbacks when he borrowed foreign debt. As a result, Hu Xueyan was dismissed from his post and investigated, and demanded that the money owed be recovered. But before the imperial court passed, Hu Xueyan died of depression in hunger and cold, at the age of 63.
Before Hu Xueyan's death, he had 12 concubine rooms, known as the "Twelve Golden Nobles". Before he died, these concubines heard the wind and fled with money. Only Mrs. Luo Si was always by Hu Xueyan's side. Before his death, he left three last words:
"One is not to engage in business; the second is not to go near official eunuchs; and the third is that Hu and Li have not intermarried for generations." On the day of his funeral, a nun came to see him and left in a hurry shortly after. Who is this nun? Speaking of which, it's another story —
Obsessed with a woman with a negative heart
Hu Xueyan was lustful for women before his death, and had a special love for widows. Once, he met a nearly 30-year-old widow in the Qinglou- Ah Qiao. After Hu Xueyan redeemed her from the Qinglou, he was very fond of her. Later, Hu Xueyan gave a gift to He Guiqing, who was then a student in Jiangsu, and also brought her with him.
As a result, He Guiqing took a fancy to Ah Qiao at a glance. Knock on the side, suggesting that Hu Xueyan left her behind. Although Hu Xueyan did not give up, he did not dare to bury his future, and finally gave Ah Qiao to He Guiqing. Since then, Ah Qiao and Hu Xueyan have been slashed and killed, and hate him as a negative heart.
Later, He Guiqing died in prison. After Ah Qiao regained his freedom, he no longer had any attachment to the matter of red dust and chose to become a nun. After Hu Xueyan's death, the first person to come to mourn was a nun named Jing'an. And Jing'an was exactly the Ah Qiao of that year. Can't help but sigh, this world's women, after all, can not escape a love word!
"It's like eating birds and throwing themselves into the forest, and the land is really clean when it is white." Hu Xueyan's dismal ending is actually a historical inevitability. Since ancient times, businessmen have played politics, from Lü Buwei, Shen Wansan to Hu Xueyan, it seems that there is no good end.
Even Du Yuesheng, who is known for "being a man", was hidden as a "night pot" after helping Mr. Jiang resist the war. Therefore, I would like to say that in the chaotic world, it takes not only wisdom but also a lot of luck to cut the two sides of the tofu with a knife.
Hu Xueyan's death was a major stain on his life. But the business myth he created is still a topic of conversation. His people and deeds are also more and more legendary because of the fog of history.
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