Chapter 5: The Great Loan (Part 1)

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  "Master Fang, this is Master Jin Jiu."

  The elegant room of the tea house, Zhou San led in an old man. This old man was obviously a declining member of the Eight Banners, his blue long shirt looked like it was made of good material but unfortunately had been washed until it was somewhat faded, he held a birdcage in his hand and walked with a swaying motion, a picture of someone who was about to fall over but hadn't yet.

  "Master Ji, sorry to trouble you, please sit down." Fang Zida stood up, stretched out his hands and bowed slightly, very politely inviting him to take a seat. He even called over a young servant to bring in some refreshing melon slices and several delicate pastries for Master Ji.

  Looking at the fragrant melon slices and tempting pastries in front of him, Jinjiu couldn't help but swallow his saliva quietly. However, he pretended to be calm and nodded slightly before hanging up the bird cage and sitting down slowly. Only then did he skillfully pick up the teacup.

  "What good tea!" After tasting the tea, Jin Jiu praised and put down his teacup with a sigh: "In those days, my family was also of royal blood, and this kind of good tea was often drunk since childhood. But nowadays... Ah..."

  "Master Jiu, as the saying goes, 'the wheel of fortune turns', thirty years on the east bank and thirty years on the west bank. I think you will definitely revive the family business in the future." Fang Zida was a businessman, always speaking to people in their own language, and to ghosts in theirs. Although he really looked down on this prodigal son in his heart, his words were especially flattering, and his face was full of sincerity.

  These words moved Jin Jiu greatly, and he immediately began to boast about his family's past glories. Fang Zidao was not in a hurry, sitting patiently on the side listening, occasionally asking a few questions, which made Jin Jiu even more excited and enthusiastic.

  After the tea was changed, Fang Zida finally shifted the topic to the house. Jin Jiu, who was in high spirits, readily agreed and even volunteered to give a discount of 100 yuan as a favor among friends. Fang Zida secretly found Jin Jiu's pretentiousness amusing and hastily declined, insisting on the original price they had agreed upon.

  "I heard that Jiuye and Yang Xiazi, Xia Gengfu have a relationship?" Fang Zida asked casually after the transaction was completed.

  "That's right! I think it was the 29th year of Guangxu, Yang Shixi came to Beijing for the imperial examination and got involved in the Kang-Liang case. If my uncle hadn't lent a helping hand, his bones would have turned to ashes by now. As for Xia Gengfu, he was wrongly accused and punished back then, but my uncle helped him out because of his exceptional literary talent, so the court only stripped him of his official position..."

  Jin Jiu heard that Fang Zida mentioned these two people and suddenly laughed, raising his eyebrows to speak. Perhaps there was some exaggeration in his words, but Fang Zida had already figured out Jin Jiu's situation through Zhou Saner over the past few days. Back then, these things were more or less related to Jin Jiu's family. His uncle had served as a military officer and although his power couldn't compare to that of Prince Qing, he was still a close person to the Empress Dowager. As for now, Jin Jiu's uncle had long passed away, the Qing dynasty was gone, and Jin Jiu, who was like a prodigal son, and his brothers divided up the family property and squandered it all, living a life that worsened by the day.

  But all of this doesn't matter, the key is that Jin Jiu and Yang Du, Xia Shoutian have a connection, just this point for Fang Zida is already enough. Otherwise, Fang Zida wouldn't have gone out of his way to buy Jin Jiu's mansion, you know that in Beijing now there are many more descendants of the Eight Banners who have fallen on hard times, and better mansions than Jin Jiu's aren't scarce, let alone Fang Zida deliberately lowering his posture, buying it at the original price, all for the sake of pulling strings with those in power.

  Yang Du is a man Fang Zida still knows something about, this guy is a legendary figure in history, has been a Xiucai, participated in the Gongche Shangshu, served as a fourth-rank official of the Qing dynasty, and was friends with Kang Youwei, Liang Qichao, Huang Xing, and Huang Keqiang, who died at the train station. He also studied with Wang Jingwei, Qi Baishi, and Cai Yuanpei, and encouraged Yuan Shikai to ascend to the throne, while also supporting Sun Yat-sen's republicanism. During the Northern Expedition, he said that Mao Zedong could conquer the world, saved Li Dazhao, was Du Yuesheng's mentor, entered the Buddhist gate and KMT, and more incredibly, finally joined the CP...

  This man's experience is so legendary, it is rare in Chinese history. Nowadays he is one of Yuan Shikai's important advisors and is considered his right-hand man. As for Xia Shoutian, who currently serves as the inner historian of the Presidential Palace, or rather Yuan Shikai's secretary, he has gained even more favor from Yuan Shikai, with many presidential decrees being issued through him, making him a trusted confidant. The importance of these two men's positions goes without saying.

  As Fang Zida is now, it's not difficult to get to know these two people, but he has his own ideas. Although Yuan Shikai and the Southern Parliament have successfully negotiated, Song Jiaoren has also arrived in Beijing, but the contradictions between the two sides still exist, and no one knows how to go on in the future. The sword goes sideways, and setting up several chess pieces is a common tactic in business, which also applies to politics. Today's good relationship with Jin Jiulang may be useful someday, and this deal won't lose money.

  After parting with Tong Jin, Fang Zida went straight back to the Liu Guo restaurant. As soon as he entered the door, Zhou San'r, who had returned early, came up and quietly told Fang Zida that the guest he was waiting for had arrived.

  "Ten minutes later, you take the guest directly to my room." With a slight nod, Fang Zida instructed Zhou Saner and went upstairs alone.

  The door creaked open on time, and when Fang Zidao opened the door, he saw a foreign old man in his fifties with gray hair standing in front of him.

  "Marcos, want something to drink?" Fang Zida casually closed the door and walked towards the wine cabinet in the living room.

  "Brandy, thank you!" Marcos walked quickly into the room, took off his hat and coat, looked around the suite where Fangzi had checked in, nodded and praised: "This place is not bad, it's almost comparable to a luxury hotel in Europe."

  "Of course, this is one of China's best restaurants, aside from Shanghai." Fang Zida walked towards him with two cups of brandy and handed one over with a smile.

  "Thank you." After taking the wine and sitting down, Marcos smiled and asked: "Fang, I heard that as soon as you returned to China, you joined the country's largest party and even became an advisor to the party leader?"

  "Not an advisor, but a private assistant!" Fang Zida corrected with a smile, and then asked back: "Aren't you just arriving in China? You're quite well-informed about the news, aren't you?"

  "If you want your dreams to come true, sleep less and work harder." Marcus smiled slyly, raising the cup in his hand to gesture to Fang Zixuan: "As long as you put your heart into it, you can understand anything, what do you think?"

  "Haha!" Fang Zidao burst out laughing and also raised his wine cup, lightly clinking it against his.

  Marcos is a German Jew and Fang Zida's business partner. Two years ago, Fang Zida inexplicably drifted to Europe, and the first person he met was Marcos. As for Marcos, he once had a medium-sized industry and a happy family, but unfortunately, he made a wrong judgment in a financial investment, and Marcos fell from heaven to hell overnight, with debts piling up and no money left. Just when he lost confidence in his future and was preparing to end his life on the banks of the Danube River, Fang Zida suddenly appeared, like an angel sent by God to save him. In short, Fang Zida saved this failed businessman, changing his fate from then on.

  In these two years, with Marcos' rich experience in the business world and Fang Zidao's keen sense of smell for commerce, as well as his genius-like mind, this company not only got out of trouble but also rose rapidly, its assets quickly surpassing all that Marcos had earned before. The company was still expanding rapidly, with branches gradually extending to several other European countries.

  All these changes came after Fang Zida appeared. From the bottom of his heart, Ma Ke was grateful to Fang Zida and they became best friends and partners.

  "This time back home, I didn't expect the situation to change so much from the original plan." Turning the wine glass in his hand, Fang Zida sighed: "You should know my situation, so our original plan also needs to be changed accordingly. Getting involved in Chinese politics is now unavoidable, you should understand."

  "Of course!" Marcos nodded in agreement, lighting a cigarette: "But this isn't a bad thing, is it? We Jews have a proverb 'Save one person, and you save the entire world', and with your current situation, it's not all bad for us."