People may have heard of Sheng Xuanhuai, the richest man in the late Qing Dynasty, but not necessarily of Hu Xueyan, in fact, Hu Xueyan and Sheng Xuanhuai are equal figures, but after the death of his Bole Zuo Zongtang, the family road began to decline. Before his death, Hu Xueyan repeatedly told his descendants not to enter the White Tiger. What does "white tiger" refer to?
Hu Xueyan, born in 1823 in a poor family, when he was young, he could only help people herd cattle to give some subsidies to the family, and when he was 12 years old, his father died of illness, Hu Xueyan deeply felt the pain of no wealth in the family, so he went out alone, initially he did everything in order to be able to eat, sweeping the floor, pouring urine pots, etc.
After Hu Xueyan was an apprentice in Hangzhou Fukang Qianzhuang, the treasurer of the Qianzhuang surnamed Yu, no son, saw the diligent and earnest big and small partner Hu Xueyan, he regarded it as his own child, entrusted this small money estate to Hu Xueyan before the treasurer died, before the age of 30, Hu Xueyan was still in the money house left to him by the treasurer.
During this period, he knew and helped Wang Youling, after Wang Youling became an official in Hangzhou, Zhi'en Tu bao also helped Hu Xueyan, and Hu Xueyan was able to make his business bigger, but when it comes to his future great deeds, he also has to talk about his Bole Zuo Zongtang, Zuo Zongtang was a heavy minister in the late Qing Dynasty, and in the first year of the Qing Dynasty, Hu Xueyan helped Zuo Zongtang solve the problem of military salary, won the trust of Zuo Zongtang, and embarked on the road of official business.
Hu Xueyan was not alarmed, calm in his work, by the third year of Qing Tongzhi, his family property had exceeded 10 million, Hu Xueyan not only specially prepared military salaries and arms for Zuo Zongtang, but also did business in medicinal materials and silk tea, almost controlled the commerce of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and became the "richest man in China" at that time.
The biggest difference between Sheng Xuanhuai and Hu Xueyan is that there are not so many twists and turns on the road to growing up, there is no need for money, in 1870, he was appreciated by Li Hongzhang, a heavy minister of the late Qing Dynasty, went to his career, and then stepped into the business world, Sheng Xuanhuai and Hu Xueyan's identities are naturally different, Sheng Xuanhuai did not look at this "businessman" Hu Xueyan.
Sheng Xuanhuai did not have great achievements as an official, but he was also a good hand in business, but he could still hear Hu Xueyan's name, and his heart was increasingly dissatisfied, when Hu Xueyan's business lost its capital turnover due to the war, he hoped to be able to work through HSBC, but was rejected.
Sheng Xuanhuai had already learned of Hu Xueyan's situation, and secretly asked HSBC to reject Hu Xueyan in the name of Li Hongzhang, at this time Zuo Zongtang was also old and could not say a few words for him, those bureaucrats did not do anything in ordinary days, but they were very jealous of starting from scratch, and when Hu Xueyan sold his property to pay off debts, he also took the opportunity to extort money.
Hu Xueyan was hit one after another, and the family property he had accumulated was gone for a moment, so he was depressed, and before he died, he repeatedly warned his descendants: Do not enter the white tiger, this "white tiger" refers to the silver two of the white flowers, money can bring a lot, but also will end because of money.