RPAGF Chapter 7 Angel Investors and the Bet
Chapter 7 Angel Investors and the Bet
Having navigated the turbulent waters of the business world for decades and achieved considerable success, Yu Wendou certainly wouldn't blindly worship Lu Xingzhou as a great hero who would save China just because of a few words.
They were willing to treat him so well.
It was also because Grandpa Yu was tired of ordinary business that he embarked on the path that top businessmen throughout history had inevitably taken—
In modern terms, being a talent scout is equivalent to being an angel investor.
The same applies to Lü Buwei and Qin Yiren, Wei Zi and Cao Cao, Hu Xueyan and Zuo Zongtang.
As for the Yu Wendou, it refers to Zhang Zuolin and Wu Junsheng.
With his wealth, earning an extra or less 100 million dollars wouldn't cause him much emotional fluctuation.
His real interest lies in creating a second Zhang Zuolin or a Wu Junsheng plus.
The amount of land and resources given to him was a drop in the ocean.
If even one or two tenths of Lu Xingzhou's grand ambitions could be realized, Yu Wendou, who was both wealthy and benevolent, would feel that he could die without regrets.
Because he has become addicted to being an angel investor, he has been observing and recruiting a lot of talent over the years, and the top candidate for the stockbroker is also one he has his eye on.
Unfortunately, he was a stubborn and inflexible person, so the task was simply assigned to Lu Xingzhou to test whether he was a true hero who practiced what he preached, or a hypocrite who was all talk and no action.
Half an hour later.
A short, stocky middle-aged man, dressed in a gray cotton-padded jacket with a sheepskin vest and wùla shoes, strode into the living room with a powerful presence and a strong, resilient aura.
Before he could even stand still, his eyes widened and his hoarse voice boomed:
"What's going on? I heard Boss Yu is going to find me some half-grown kid who's barely grown up to be my boss!?"
Upon seeing this handsome young man, famous throughout the surrounding area, Lu Xingzhou roughly guessed his identity and stood up with a fist and palm salute in delight.
"Junior Lu Xingzhou greets you, sir."
"Stop nitpicking! I, Zhu Kaishan, am a common man and can't stand such sour talk! A little kid trying to farm?! Can't he even tell the difference between rice and weeds? He has a bit of money, he should just squander it!"
If it were anyone else, Lu Xingzhou would definitely lose his temper if he were spoken to so harshly.
But he is Zhu Kaishan, so it's different!
The protagonist of the national drama "Crossing the Guandong" was a first-rate commoner hero. He participated in the Boxer Rebellion to fight against foreign devils, and was a successful rich peasant, ran a restaurant and a coal mine. In the end, he embarked on the path of resisting Japanese aggression. He was a first-rate commoner hero in terms of character and ability.
Having his assistance is better than getting 100,000 acres of good land for free!
"Uncle Yu said you're an expert among farmers, but don't underestimate me. Although I'm young, I'm quite knowledgeable about agriculture; otherwise, buying land back in my hometown would be child's play."
I dare not say anything else, but the agricultural knowledge he has accumulated over the years is absolutely unmatched in the world.
These words were spoken with sincerity and an undeniable confidence, causing a hint of hesitation to flash in Zhu Kaishan's eyes.
But he quickly reverted to his previous disdain.
"My goodness! You're really good at spouting academic nonsense, even agricultural science! Your hands are so smooth and delicate, you don't even have a single callus. Saying you know how to farm is just a lie! You insist on going to the remote Liaohe River source area to reclaim wasteland. This isn't child's play, it's practically playing with your life!"
Although Grandpa Yu was surprised that Zhu Kaishan started cursing wildly as soon as he arrived, he didn't intend to mediate. Instead, he chuckled, lit his pipe, and watched the show while puffing on his cigarette.
Moreover, although what they said was harsh, it wasn't wrong.
Lu Xingzhou's skin was whiter than a woman's. If it weren't for his natural heroic spirit and roguish charm, and Wu Junsheng's statement in the letter that he was a fierce man who could take on ten men, Yu Wendou would have suspected that he was some famous opera singer.
Lu Xingzhou was also helpless in this regard.
He has naturally good skin, and after studying for sixteen years and working in an office after graduation, he didn't have the chance to get tanned. Now that he has obtained the [Yi Yang Ding] which can repair his body, he probably won't become a rough man in the future.
But through Zhu Kaishan's words, he understood why the other party had spoken ill of him despite never having met him.
Reflecting on his understanding of Zhu Kaishan, he posed a thought-provoking question:
"Mr. Zhu said that going to the source of the Liao River to develop land is suicidal, and I cannot agree with the idea of sailing. Nowadays, the Japanese invaders are rampant in Northeast China, and gangs are everywhere. May I ask, where can you settle down without risking your life? And where can you settle down and live a peaceful life?"
"this,,,"
Zhu Kaishan was speechless, and his momentum greatly diminished.
He said those harsh words only to provoke Lu Xingzhou, so that he wouldn't bring his whole family to their deaths with him; he didn't mean any harm.
Lu Xingzhou naturally took control of the conversation: "Where did Mr. Zhu originally intend to go, and what business did he plan to pursue?"
"My eldest son just got married a few days ago when a plague broke out in town. I originally planned to take the whole family to Qiqihar to do some small business and escape the disaster. But you are right, young man. I'm afraid that even if we escape the plague in Qiqihar, we can't escape the bearded devils and the Japanese devils. We will not have a peaceful life from now on."
The country has fallen to such a state; if the Japanese invaders decide to occupy the city one day, life in the city will probably be worse than in the remote countryside.
Seeing that his attitude had softened, Lu Xingzhou continued, "How much money do you think is appropriate to earn in a year to make a successful business?"
"After deducting expenses for food, clothing, and other necessities, I should be able to save at least 200 yuan!"
Unlike the original storyline, the Zhu family left Yuanbao Town not because bandits burned down their houses, but to escape the plague.
Zhu Kaishan, who had some capital but was unsure of his own business acumen, gave what he thought was a substantial figure.
Lu Xingzhou forcibly suppressed the smile on his lips.
"Here's the deal: I'll give you 50 silver dollars a month, covering all your family's food and clothing. If you're unhappy working for me for a few years, you can always start your own business and save up some more capital. What do you think?"
Yu Wendou, who was smoking a pipe, raised an eyebrow and secretly praised him for his courage, saying that he was really willing to spend the money.
An ordinary farmer's annual salary would not exceed 70 silver dollars.
600 dollars!
Even a small landlord couldn't save this much after a year of hard work.
Zhu Kaishan was moved by his sincerity.
He narrowly escaped death in Laojingou for over a year, but the gold he brought out was only worth 700 silver dollars.
Compared to the risks there, reclaiming land at the source of the Liao River is nothing.
But he clearly had other concerns.
"You've given me quite a bit, but I'm a stubborn person and don't like listening to laymen give me bad advice. It wouldn't be good to rebel against the landlord in front of the villagers. You'd better find someone more capable!"
Lu Xingzhou smiled upon hearing this.
The deal is basically done.
A hero like Zhu Kaishan, as long as he doesn't act like a ruthless landlord like Huang Shiren or Zhou Bapi, certainly won't bully him. However, the implication is clear—he needs to have the ability to keep others in check.
This was not difficult for Lu Xingzhou at all.
In terms of practical farming skills, Zhu Kaishan is ten times better than him.
However, in terms of agricultural theoretical knowledge, market control, agricultural and sideline product processing, and agricultural development planning, Lu Xingzhou is at least several hundred times better than Zhu Kaishan.
However, their verbal debate was rather cliché and it was difficult to verify who was right or wrong.
If the cycle is too long, it will delay spring plowing, which would be terrible. Let's use the [Yi Yang Ding] instead.
To put it bluntly, with the [Yi Yang Ding] as his blessing, Lu Xingzhou is confident that he is the ProMax of this era's Grandpa Yuan!
He glanced at the peanuts in the snack box and said:
"Mr. Zhu need not worry. He is by no means an amateur when it comes to farming, and his ability to select and breed seeds is unparalleled! It's just that he lacks a practical understanding of the soil and climate of Northeast China, and it is difficult for him to accurately grasp field management. He needs the help of an expert like himself."
This amused Zhu Kaishan so much that he grinned, revealing his yellowed teeth stained from smoking.
"Young man, you're really making a fool of yourself! A delicate-skinned, fine-looking fellow among the farmers, how much sorghum liquor have you drunk, and yet you're spouting nonsense?!"
Lu Xingzhou wanted him to disbelieve it:
"Mr. Zhu, would you be willing to make a bet?"
When Zhu Kaishan gets stubborn, how could he be afraid of him?
"How do we gamble?!"
"Sir, could you please find me some peanuts and bring me a flowerpot with soil?"
Yu Wendou ordered his servants to fetch it, watching his performance with great interest.
Lu Xingzhou spread the peanuts out on the ground, picked out a few of good quality ones, broke off the shells and soaked them in warm tea. After a while, he wiped them half dry with a cloth.
Then, with his back to the two men, he pretended to fiddle with the plants for a while, planted the peanuts in a flowerpot, and placed it in front of Zhu Kaishan.
"I can't verify the yield of the seeds I chose right now, but the seeds I cultivate are set to germinate on a specific time. I'll bet you these peanuts will sprout green shoots by tomorrow morning!"
"Impossible, absolutely impossible!"
Zhu Kaishan's hometown, Zhangqiu in Shandong, is a traditional peanut-growing area. In all his years, he has never heard of anyone's peanuts sprouting within 5 days.
Sprouting overnight?
What unrealistic dreams are you having?!
Lu Xingzhou laughed and said, "That's perfect! It's a sure win for us, sir. Shall we take the bet?"
Yu Wendou thought that such an absurd bet would surely cause the stubborn Zhu Kaishan to turn his back on the spot.
But after observing Lu Xingzhou's expression, he not only did not lose his temper, but instead picked up the flowerpot.
"Alright, I'll take the bet! If it sprouts tomorrow, all my effort is yours! But I want to take the flowerpot back and watch over it myself!"
Full of confidence, Lu Xingzhou made a gesture of "I'll do as you please," and Zhu Kaishan turned and left.
The two men's words and actions were quite unexpected, which aroused a great deal of curiosity in Yu Wendou's heart.
But didn't ask much.
If someone truly possessed such miraculous skills, they would surely pass them down even to their own son on their deathbed; asking too many questions would only strain the relationship.
After Zhu Kaishan left, he talked to Lu Xingzhou about his plans for that area, so that they could prepare manpower and tools.
Regardless of the outcome of the bet, he has made his word and will not go back on it.
After making a rough calculation, Lu Xingzhou explained his plan for that piece of land.