"The white tiger is terrible, the white tiger is terrible..."
This sentence was repeatedly recited in the mouth of the red-topped businessman Hu Xueyan before his death, and the "white tiger" in his mouth refers to the silver of the white flower, and also refers to the raw silk of the white flower.
"Raw silk" is the last thread that entangled Hu Xueyan, and the root of his tragedy is this "line".
Hu Xueyan was not an ordinary businessman, he wore a flower plume on his head, and he was attached to Zuo Zongtang, a heavy minister of the late Qing Dynasty. Compared with other officials in the late Qing Dynasty, Zuo Zongtang had deep patriotic feelings.
People say that "things are clustered in groups", and Hu Xueyan, who has been tied up and moving forward, is also very affectionate like Zuo Zongtang. When Zuo Zongtang led his troops to retake Xinjiang, Hu Xueyan came forward to guarantee the loan to solve the problem of funding. Therefore, he not only won the "Red Top", but also was praised by Zuo Zongtang: "The merit of Xueyan is really the same for a while." ”
Hu Xueyan is a red-top businessman, and he naturally does things differently from ordinary businessmen. The embodiment of this "difference" is that in his later years, he often considered the interests of the Qing government.
He has been waiting for an opportunity that will make him more able to match the "red top" on his head.
Hu Xueyan
Finally, the opportunity came, and this opportunity was the silk! Hu Xueyan found that Huzhou raw silk is a buyer's market, and the price is very constrained by the foreigners who buy raw silk in large quantities. They sell China's high-quality raw silk abroad for ultra-high profits.
Hu Xueyan's eyes lit up, and he thought: If he uses his wealth and influence to raise the price of raw silk in China and fight with foreigners, the initiative of raw silk cannot be in the hands of Chinese businessmen?
"Think of it, do it!" This has always been Hu Xueyan's philosophy of life, and he decided to give it a go!
In 1882, Hu Xueyan opened a silk factory in Shanghai, and he began to hoard raw silk in large quantities. Although Hu Xueyan was 59 years old this year, he was still full of heart.
When he made up his mind, he was in a period of prosperity, so his prediction of the situation was obviously too optimistic, and his estimate was that if he really single-handedly confronted the capital of the great powers, he would not only be able to benefit the nation, but also double his own wealth.
Hu Xueyan, who was in the midst of prosperity, obviously did not expect that his surroundings were already in danger at that time, not to mention that the great powers refused to be slaughtered. The domestic situation alone is very complicated.
Zuo Zongtang, whom Hu Xueyan was attached to, had always been at odds with the famous minister Li Hongzhang, and the struggle between them had been continuous. Li Hongzhang calculated that a year ago, when he was forced to go home to Ding Worried for three years due to the death of his mother, Zuo Zongtang tried to take advantage of the opportunity to take him down several times. In this round of competition, Zuo Zongtang almost brought Li Hongzhang's eldest brother Li Hanzhang to "justice."
Since then, the two have competed in various ways, both overt and covert.
"The big gods fight, the little gods suffer", after Zuo Zongtang and Li Hongzhang wielded a knife and took a stick, Li Hongzhang determined the concept of "turning the left first and turning Hu down", and Hu Xueyan behind Zuo Zongtang fell into a dangerous situation.
Li Hongzhang was brewing to "treat his human body in the way of a man," but Hu Xueyan did not notice it in the slightest. When it had become the bullseye of Li Hongzhang's aim, what he saw was a seductive scene:
"If Li Hongzhang is completely overthrown by Zuo Zongtang and Li Hongzhang's influence in Liangjiang will be completely swept away, then his commercial power in Greater Shanghai and even in Liangjiang will inevitably develop into an ideal situation where no one can be invincible and no one dares to be invincible."
Praying mantises catch cicadas, yellow finches in the back. At the beginning of the commercial war, Hu Xueyan gave the foreigners a knife through the power in Zuo Zongtang's hands: to collect "cocoon donations". After this knife went down, the cost of foreigners increased greatly.
This knife saw blood.
Immediately after, Hu Xueyan officially began to play the main play: hoarding raw silk. He frantically ate raw silk everywhere, and he wanted to monopolize the export of Raw Silk from China in one fell swoop.
Hu Xueyan's movement was so great that it was really difficult for Li Hongzhang not to discover it. He also reacted quickly and began hoarding raw silk. However, he hoarded raw silk not for himself, but to "help" Hu Xueyan hoard.
Of course, Li Hongzhang would not be kind enough to suddenly turn his head to help Hu Xueyan, he was actually digging a grave for Hu Xueyan by doing so.
The scheming Li Hongzhang had long seen Hu Xueyan's intentions, but he saw more of the crisis that Hu Xueyan might face in this business war. And this crisis, for him, is precisely an opportunity.
Li Hongzhang understood: Hu Xueyan's gamble, once he wins, he will immediately go to heaven; but once he loses, he will have the possibility of ruining his family. Li Hongzhang concluded that Hu Xueyan did not know his situation, after all, he was busy hoarding raw silk.
Li Hongzhang was afraid that Hu Xueyan would react and would not continue to hoard raw silk, so he had to help Tun, and he had to let Hu Xueyan have no chance to think.
To keep a person who is doing something from thinking is simple: don't let him be frustrated. For human nature has always been: when things are good, it does not like to think, and only when it is frustrated and painful, it will stop to think. Li Hongzhang was sure that as long as they let Hu Xueyan continue to expand, he would one day explode on his own.
After Li Hongzhang secretly helped Hu Xueyan hoard raw silk, he was really blinded by favorable circumstances, and he even gave birth to the feeling of "Heaven help me". Hu Xueyan obviously forgot: the road that is too smooth is often a trap.
Li
In a very short period of time, Hu Xueyan had hoarded 80,000 bags of raw silk, with a total consumption of 20 million taels of silver. After this money was smashed into it, the funds that Hu Xueyan could use for turnover were very small. With so much raw silk, Hu Xueyan asked someone to turn it over every day, and he had to consume 5 taels of silver.
At this time, Hu Xueyan still did not stop and calmly reflected.
Hu Xueyan continued to swell, and he kept playing games with foreign merchants who could not buy raw silk and could only visit. Foreigners want to use the market price plus high commission to make him "spit silk", Japan's new machine co., Ltd. in order to eat Hu Xueyan's raw silk, even opened the market price plus 10 million two commission total price.
Originally, if Hu Xueyan "received it when he saw it" at this time, he could earn at least two-thirds. But Hu Xueyan really swelled, he proposed: to the market price, plus 12 million commissions.
The business field is full of people, and even if they are people, they are bound to have emotions. Hu Xueyan's behavior completely angered foreign businessmen, but in the face of foreign businessmen's resentment, Hu Xueyan was calm: he knew that he had monopolized raw silk.
Hu Xueyan's road is too smooth, and most people who come from a good situation will overestimate themselves and underestimate others. Hu Xueyan inevitably underestimated the foreign merchants, and also underestimated everything in front of him.
After Hu Xueyan repeatedly argued with foreign businessmen, they were not only concerned about their own business, they began to care: how to make Hu Xueyan lose. They soberly realized that Hu Xueyan can monopolize on raw silk today, and then control the price of raw silk, and tomorrow, they can monopolize others, and at that time, the situation will become more and more unfavorable to them.
Li Hongzhang saw that the time was almost up, so he quickly took action. Soon, the foreign merchants saw Sheng Xuanhuai, a merchant who descended from the sky like a god, and this person was a big businessman supported by Li Hongzhang. He walked up to the foreign merchant and said, "I can get you raw silk, but I have a premise, and you must not enter raw silk from Hu Xueyan from now on." ”
Sheng Xuanhuai
When the foreign merchants heard this, they were immediately excited. Isn't this method of not only getting raw silk, but also bringing down Hu Xueyan, exactly what they dreamed of?
The yellow finches were exposed, and the praying mantis finally reacted, however: it was too late.
After Hu Xueyan found that the foreign merchants had eaten raw silk one after another, he did not realize that behind it was Li Hongzhang and Sheng Xuanhuai who were moving, he just gathered the raw silk merchants together.
After the raw silk merchants came, Hu Xueyan told the merchants: "We should unite against the foreign merchants, so that the price of raw silk can be controlled in our own hands later." That is we make their money, not that they exploit us. ”
Where did Hu Xueyan know that at this time, the raw silk merchants had been overwhelmed by the immediate interests. Who cares about anything else than the visible benefits in front of them?
More importantly, the raw silk merchants can figure out the account: if they really go in and out with Hu Xueyan, even if they are good, most of them will be earned by Hu Xueyan, and they will not make much. And once it's not good, they have a lot to lose.
The purpose of hu xueyan and the merchants of raw silk is to unite them, but unity has always had a foundation, and this foundation can only be interests. Hu Xueyan can no longer guarantee their interests, and such "unity" can naturally only be an empty phrase.
Hu Xueyan continued to play, but the longer this front was drawn, the more unfavorable the war would be to him. After all, he has no money to circulate, and once he needs money, he will be in danger.
Just at this time, the Sino-French War broke out, Zuo Zongtang was the main battle, and Li Hongzhang was the main peace. At the juncture, Zuo Zongtang, who was unable to raise military salaries for the time being, had to think of an old way to let Hu Xueyan raise money.
Zuo Zongtang and Hu Xueyan did not ask for much money, only 400,000 taels. Originally, Hu Xueyan could refuse, but he had always been stronger, so he could never say a "no" word in front of his benefactor. Not to say "no", it is also Hu Xueyan's consistent attitude towards Zuo Zongtang for decades.
"Please rest assured that Lord Zuo will try my best to find a way." This sentence is what Hu Xueyan often said. This time, he said it with a straight face.
When Hu Xueyan was worried about the 400,000 taels of money, a large net was approaching him step by step, and the controller of this big net was still Li Hongzhang.
Hu QingyuTang
Li Hongzhang already knew that a foreign sum of money borrowed by Hu Xueyan for the Qing government guarantee was about to reach the repayment date, and the amount of the money was 800,000 taels. The money had already been remitted, but Li Hongzhang said hello, so Hu Xueyan was informed that he would have to wait another twenty days before he could get the money.
The reason for their delay in repayment was that the beijiang customs salary had not arrived. At this time, Hu Xueyan could clearly explain the reason to Zuo Zongtang, and Zuo Zongtang could also come forward to order the relevant personnel to "not postpone".
Hu Xueyan couldn't imagine this layer? Of course not, the reason why he refused to ask Zuo Zongtang to come forward was that he had an idea in his heart. Hu Xueyan felt that he was raising money for Zuo Zongtang, and letting him take action for money at this time would make Zuo Daren feel that he was complaining to him.
To be strong is not a bad thing, but if everything is strong, it is really bad. Hu Xueyan, who couldn't get money everywhere and refused to pull down his face, moved the idea of "selling silk". And this step is exactly what Li Hongzhang wants.
Hu Xueyan took the initiative to find foreigners, in the business field, once you become passive, everything is not easy to say, not to mention, Hu Xueyan has also "hard bar" with them before.
The foreign merchants were very tough, and they told him that they could sell silk, but they could only get 60% off, otherwise they wouldn't buy one. Hu Xueyan spent 20 million taels of silk to buy, 60% off can only sell 12 million taels, Hu Xueyan heart is like dead ash.
Why are foreign merchants so tough? Because: They don't need raw silk so much anymore. It turned out that just when Hu Xueyan joined forces with sericulture farmers to boycott foreign businessmen, the West was experiencing an economic crisis, and its production capacity was rapidly declining. It is precisely on this basis that the foreigner agents have calmed down: within a year or two, they have not bought a single piece of silk from Hu Xueyan's hand.
This round, Hu Xueyan suffered an ill-informed loss. If transportation and communications had developed at that time, Hu Xueyan would have known this news in advance and made plans early, and he would not have suffered such a big loss.
The news that Hu Xueyan took the initiative to find foreigners was soon known to Li Hongzhang, who judged that the time was ripe. Li Hongzhang keenly believed that Hu Xueyan could no longer come up with money, and that he had reached the end of his rope. At this time, as long as he opens an opening, he will be doomed.
As for how to tear this hole open, it is very easy -
Li Hongzhang stepped on the spot and sent people to the market at the best time to spread rumors: Hu Xueyan has gone bankrupt and Qianzhuang is about to go out of business.
Early the next morning, Hu Xueyan lined up at the entrance of Fukang Qianzhuang in Shanghai to withdraw money, and after raising most of the money for half a day, by three o'clock in the afternoon, Fukang Qianzhuang collapsed. Subsequently, The Fukang Qianzhuang in Hangzhou was also squeezed.
However, this time, Hu Xueyan finally met someone who came to help. Dexin, who was then the zhejiang clan secretary, had always been friendly with Hu Xueyan, and he went to the treasury for the first time to take out 20,000 taels of silver and posted documents in front of the Fukang Qianzhuang.
After this operation, Hu Xueyan's Qianzhuang in Hangzhou was finally stabilized. However, the building will fall, and no one will be able to stop it.
Portrait of Hu Xueyan
After this round, Hu Xueyan's leak became bigger and bigger: 800,000 taels of foreign money had to be repaid, plus the 400,000 taels that had been cashed in three days and promised to Zuo Zongtang, and he needed two million taels of silver to stop it.
Dexin made a wishful thinking: ask Lord Zuo to come forward and sell Hu Xueyan's silk to the government at a 10% discount. Hu Xueyan listened and said straightly: "Not to say nine folds, it is a seven folds, with fourteen million taels of cash silver, the panic in front of you can also be suppressed." ”
But as soon as the words fell, Hu Xueyan shook his head first, and only then did he suddenly think: In the imperial court, some people want him to die quickly.
Indeed, this time, Li Hongzhang wanted to kill Hu Xueyan, and under his control, the foreign merchants even formed a "alliance that does not buy Hu Xueyan's raw silk" later.
Hu Xueyan had reached the point where he could only rely on a single silk to maintain it, but this "silk" could not be sold. Forced to be helpless, Hu Xueyan finally sold the raw silk in his hand for two million taels. Hu Xueyan thought that his loophole could finally be stabilized by this "silk".
Hu Xueyan did not know that it was precisely because he was selling raw silk cheaply that the rumors from the outside world that he had gone bankrupt intensified. Soon, the run on the major money banks intensified. At this time, Hu Xueyan was facing a situation in which people took money everywhere, and the money he lent out did not get back at all.
Zuo Zongtang also got the news, he wanted to help, but this loophole was already too big.
After the matter got into trouble, because many officials had deposited money in Hu Xueyan's money bank. As a result, the interests of the majority of the people were unanimous, and they were all convinced that only by raiding Hu Xueyan's family property as soon as possible could some losses be recovered.
Hu Xueyan went bankrupt at an alarming rate, and was ordered to raid at an alarming speed. Zuo Zongtang had only one thing he could do: the request for deferral was processed.
Zuo Zongtang personally went to The Fukang Qianzhuang in Hangzhou to sit in the town, and the reason why it was this one was because of the unified calculation, large deposits must be taken from the Hangzhou Qianzhuang. And those who deposit large sums of money are nine times out of ten, and they are all provincial officials.
Before that, the ledger had been disposed of by Dexin, and he had hooked up the public funds and private funds in it. After his strokes, the public and private amounts owed by Hu Xueyan were reduced by more than 60%.
After Zuo Zongtang got this account book, he knew in his heart: the account book had been touched. Zuo Zongtang immediately took the account book and reconciled with the officials one by one on the spot on the grounds that there was a problem with the account book. When the officials saw Zuo Zongtang, they all beat drums in their hearts: This amount is too much, which will cause Zuo Zongtang to severely question the source of the deposit. As a result, every official can only bear to make the amount of the deposit smaller.
After Zuo Zongtang took such a trip, the millions of arrears were all settled with only three hundred thousand.
Real photo of Zuo Zongtang
When Dexin disposed of Hu Xueyan's remaining property, he once again helped, he used the Qingyutang house as collateral, sold more than 200,000 taels of silver, he calculated seven and eight, and left Hu Xueyan 100,000 taels to support his family.
Hu Xueyan, who was once rich and invincible, had been depressed since bankruptcy, and he dismissed all the concubines in the family, leaving only Lady Luo Si and Aunt Jiu.
After struggling for a year in poverty and illness, Hu Xueyan, who knew that his time was short, left a will to his descendants: "First, do not engage in business, second, do not go near official eunuchs, and third, Hu Li will not marry for generations!" ”
From Hu Xueyan's third will, it can be seen that he hated Li Hongzhang who made the knife behind his back.
Soon after leaving the instructions, Hu Xueyan died sadly, and when he died, he kept muttering in his mouth, "The white tiger is terrible..."
However, the real horror is not the "white tiger", but the human heart!