January 5, 1677, a sunny day in the southern cone Araucan Port.

In a dock at the Pacific Shipyard of the Nantec Corporation, the maintenance of the "Andes" three-masted sailboat "Andes" has been carried out. Dozens of craftsmen and apprentices have replaced the boards that were severely damaged by sea maggots, and at the same time, they have cleaned up a large number of barnacles, seaweeds and other plankton attached to the bottom of the ship. These things are too fast to the tugboat. If they are not cleared properly, the ship will simply not be able to walk.

The next period of work was to give the bottom of the ship a mixture of tar and sulfur, and then fix some iron nails or glass slag on the surface to increase the difficulty of plankton's attachment. The complete set of processes will cost about a thousand yuan. If the cost of replacing rotten wood, masts, cables and repairing canvas may be higher. From this we can see that sailing in this era is not only a high-risk matter, but also a high-cost matter. The rig industry has always been an enduring industry.

"This ship is only about 500 tons, crossing the entire Pacific Ocean. Is it reliable?" Xu Xiangdong, standing on the balcony of the top floor of a villa outside the shipyard, holding a cigarette in his hand, pointed to the "Andes Vulture" that was being renovated and asked his friend Yu Xingguo.

"This is the third time you asked me today." Yu Xingguo, who was drinking matte, put down his white porcelain teacup helplessly, spread his hands, and said, "It must be safe, well, at least relatively safe. You must know that many of the merchant ships traveling between the New World and the ports of Bordeaux, La Rochelle, Nantes, France, etc., are only 50 tons, one-tenth of the Andes Vulture. The Spanish Manila sailboats crossing the Pacific Ocean are only 200-250 tons. Many of the merchant ships from England to the country trade are less than 200 tons. They are still alive. What are you worried about? If it really doesn't work, don't go this time. Send a trusted subordinate to the Far East, my Vice President."

"The British, the Portuguese merchant ships are not lively and leaping. The crash rate is obviously more than one-third. Haven't you ever heard of a ship being able to travel between China and Europe three times in a row? Although it was the old almanac of the 16th century, now the ship is bigger and the technology is more advanced, but sailing is still a game for the brave. Otherwise, why would a big businessman like Boss Yu, who is full of energy, not willing to experience the great cause of crossing the Pacific Ocean in person?" Xu Xiangdong took a sip of cigarettes and continued to fight with his friends, as if he was to send his inner depression.

"Don't be so irritating me. During my time as I was a 2Jiro, I had crossed the Pacific Ocean more than once. If I hadn't been old and my mother was fiercely opposed, I wouldn't mind being a brave man again. In fact, it's interesting to think about the people who act as pirates in the Galle Sea. You said he would rather give up his identity as a member of the Founder Parliament to his younger brother than to travel freely to the sea. Are you watching us all day long look down on us?" Yu Xingguo leaned against a rocking chair, feeling a little leisurely and fascinated.

"Okay, don't mention those that are missing. The three-masted sailboats of more than 500 tons are OK. Now they have been repaired again. If something happens to sink, then I have nothing to say. It's all fate! I, Xu, don't continue to be rich and prosperous! In short, I have to go to Denglai this time, otherwise why should I be the president of the Nantie Company?" Xu Xiangdong took a deep breath and said with a wry smile: "Don't think that I am the executive vice president. I seem to be the second person in the company, but there are many competitors, which one has no roots? If I don't go to Denglai this time, there will definitely be others willing to go. If they get things done there and lay the foundation for the company's development in the next few decades, then I can only continue to sit in the position of Vice President. The head of the company must be someone else's, and there is no doubt about this."

In fact, to a certain extent, Xu Xiangdong is right. Although he is the executive vice president of the company and the next head of the Nantie Company recognized by many veteran army commanders, all this has not been officially appointed. Moreover, the Army is a group that pays attention to rules after all. Once someone is willing to travel across the ocean to Denglai at this time, negotiate with local officials about the construction of the Gummy Line and Taorong Line Railway, and determine the profit growth point of the Nantie Company in the next few decades, you can imagine how much credit this will be. It is not impossible to jump from the company's senior management to become president. Therefore, Xu Xiangdong, the prince of Nantie, had to take a boat to Yantai to avoid the throne he had booked was intercepted by others.

"Actually, the Southern Railway has basically determined to shift its focus to mainland China. You are traveling across the ocean to Denglai, which is the right thing to do. Go, go, build a team there, and draw more benefits. In the future, the company will not be able to escape your palms." Yu Xingguo said softly: "My 'Antarctic Wolf' has been departing for two years and has not come back yet. This time the 'Andes' Vulture' sends you to Denglai. It will take more than half a year to talk about some things and do some work. I guess I won't see you within three years, right? Thinking about it, it's really a bit missed. Otherwise, I'll go out and go like you, how about it? You know, I'm also a senior captain, registered in Port Araucan, a serious navigator."

"Three years? You are too optimistic, Xiaoyu!" Xu Xiangdong dusted the ashes and said with a smile: "I can't come back without four or five years. The way I go will take one year. If I am lucky enough to arrive in Yantai alive, then I will handle various affairs, run for the railway line, negotiate conditions with local governments, ask for land, money, supplies, and then participate in the planning of the specific railway route and other preliminary work, and finally personally supervise the railway construction for some time. It's good that I can come back before the New Year in 1681, so how could I return home in three years? Hehe, that's all I can think about in my dream! So, Xiaoyu, sometimes I really envy you, free and not too much pressure, how good! "

"Haha, every family has a difficult sutra, but I rarely recite it in front of you." Yu Xingguo smiled and lay on the rocking chair and waved his hand, saying, "Go, go, anyway, the franchise monopoly of Peru trade will expire at the end of next year, and your company's business volume should shrink to a certain extent. Even though it still occupied the largest trade share at the beginning, it was inevitable that it would decline over time. Now it is time to find new profit growth points.

To be honest, you may never be able to find a business like the Nanci Railway. You know what I mean. What I mean is not the freight earned by railway transportation, but the benefits brought by the accompanying trade monopoly. Even if you repair it in the future, what's the name? By the way, it's called the two railways, called the Guyan Line and Taorong Line. I guess they can only earn some freight. If you have to die, there are some profits from the railway affiliated areas. The benefits of Peru's trade are simply a witch."

"This is inevitable. We have monopolized Peru's trade for so many years and have made the business to the five major trade intentions of Maolin, Lima, Guayaquil, Panama and Acapulco. We do business worth millions of yuan every year. I don't know how many people are jealous. Therefore, the trade monopoly expires at the end of next year, and the railway will be transferred ten years later, and there is really nothing left. You also see that in the past two years, local government affairs have basically been handed over to the group of guys from the Government Council. Many counties have been separated from the jurisdiction of the Nantik Line, which is a serious national land. The Nantik Line's power has shrunk greatly." Xu Xiangdong sat back in the house, lit a cigarette for himself, frowned and said, "So this time, President Mao Desheng and Mao fought his life and finally asked the Executive Committee to agree to build a railway in the Denlai area of ​​the Far East. Otherwise, the Nantik Line's future would not be optimistic."

In the past one or two years, Nantie Company has begun to transform consciously. For example, some unimportant assets have begun to be gradually cleaned up and cashed out to obtain enough funds to purchase various types of railway equipment. Strictly speaking, Nantie Company is not short of money, but this time they want to build the Gum Smoke Line and Taorong Line Railway at the same time. This is to make big news. The financial burden has suddenly become heavier. The more eye-catching asset sales include the sale of Nantie Transportation Company, the sale of Nantie Flour Factory, the sale of Nantie tannery factory, the sale of Nantie oil pressing factory, the sale of Nantie brick kiln, and the sale of several scattered logging yards and timber processing plants.

Those who take over these companies, local wealthy families (usually they need to join forces to eat one), foreign investors, or state-owned enterprises (such as the Nanhai Group that swallows Nanhai Transportation Company), provide Nan Railway Company with nearly one million yuan in cash, which is enough for them to build more than 60 kilometers of railways in the Far East, so it is considered that all parties will get what they need.

Of course, companies under Nantie that are currently more profitable, such as Nantie Trading Company, Nantie Brewery, Nantie Fishery Company, Nantie Machinery Processing Factory, Pacific Shipyard, etc., are still in control and have no intention of selling them for the time being. In addition, institutions such as Nantie Weekly Newspaper, Nantie Sanitary Institute, Nantie Medical Research Institute, Nantie Maternal and Child Hospital, Nantie Guesthouse, etc. still have many functions, and will not be sold for the time being and will continue to be retained in the company's hands.

In short, after obtaining the permission of the Executive Committee to build railways overseas, Nantec Corporation has now been determined to start selling some unnecessary assets on the east coast, so that it can have greater strength to start investing in the construction of the Kagami Line and Taorong Line Railway. After all, that is the future of Nantec Corporation.

As the company's executive vice president, Xu Xiangdong has reviewed many items and checked many accounts. He knows that the company has communicated with shareholders several years in advance, which has greatly reduced dividends. Now the company has accumulated more than one million yuan in undistributed profits in the account of United Industrial Credit Bank. If we calculate that the small amount of cash raised by selling all kinds of assets under our name is now 2 million yuan in cash, it is not an exaggeration to describe it as "wealthy and powerful", because this money can really do too many things!

According to the plan of the Nanhai Railway Company, all the 2 million yuan of funds will be spent locally, used to purchase and hoard a large amount of railway equipment, recruit qualified technicians and rent transportation ships. As for the labor costs of leveling the foundation, laying the railway tracks, and the food, accommodation and medical expenses of workers, then I will find a way to find a way to recruit them to build the railway, so how can I not lose a penny and not give up any benefits? At the very least, they have to find a way to requisition a large amount of labor to reduce the labor costs of the railway construction department. In addition, it is appropriate to seek a certain amount of low-interest loan from companies such as Taiwan Banks. Otherwise, why should the Nanhai Railway Company go there to build the railway?

This time, Xu Xiangdong took a boat to Denglai. One of his main tasks was to negotiate details such as personnel requisition, food supply, bank loans, etc. with local officials. In addition, technical issues related to railway construction will be involved. It can even be said that the speed of the construction progress of the Gua Smoke Line and Taorong Line railway is directly determined by the support of the Denglai Development Team's government for their Nan Railway Company. Originally, the Nan Railway had already talked with Liao Xiaoyao, the commander of the Denglai Development Team, and Commander Liao was very supportive of this and had allocated some materials and food to their project preparation department. At the same time, he also promised to recruit manpower in the local area in the future to assist them in building the railway.

However, when the Nan Railway Company learned that Commander Liao Xiaoyao had boarded the ship and returned to the east coast (the current position of captain of the Denglai Development Team is represented by Liu Jianguo, while the captain of the Blackwater Development Team is transferred by Chen Ke, who was transferred to the local area), they realized that all this might be variable, so they finally decided to send a senior figure to the Far East in person to deal with the relatively complicated situation there.

So, under such a background, Xu Xiangdong finally volunteered and, after obtaining the approval of the company's president Mao Desheng, decided to set off for Denglai and run for the future of the Nantec Corporation. Today is January 1677. He and about a dozen members have been waiting in the Port of Araucan for several days. According to the current work progress of the Pacific Shipyard, it will take about another week to finish the maintenance of the ship, then load the cargo and personnel, and set off through the Turtle Islands, Tahiti, and Rabaul to arrive at Yantai Port under the jurisdiction of the Denlai Development Team. Calculate the time, it almost happened to arrive in Shandong in the summer and autumn when the wind blows in the southeast of the country's coast. The whole journey will take about half a year.
Chapter completed!