Dreaming back to 1949, the great powers were there to deceive us

April 4th, Magic City!

Zhao Zhi dragged his tired body back to the Cathay Hotel.

Like Hu Zhenhua, he was a night owl all night.

Unlike Lao Hu, he is tired but happy!

As usual, Zhao Zhi picked up the house price list on the sofa and quickly glanced through it.

"My money seems to have the ability to reproduce, changing every day. It's so annoying. Now I can't even figure out how much money I have!"

Peanut's mouth twitched a few times, and he turned around and said,

"Boss, the chairman sent a telegram, saying you must sell the property before tomorrow!"

As soon as Hu Zhenhua was mentioned, Zhao Zhi instantly became unhappy, especially since Hu Zhenhua used an imperative tone. Zhao Zhi picked up a newspaper, rolled it into a tube, and hit Peanut on the head!

"Hua Ziyuan is in Jinling. How could he possibly understand the situation in the Magic City? I wonder if he heard some gossip and thought that the government officials were selling off their properties?"

Zhao Zhi threw a newspaper over.

"Peanut, take a look for yourself and see how well the experts write: War is precisely an opportunity for Shanghai! Let me tell you, Deputy Mayor Liu, who used to frequent Chinachem, even owns two properties! War? What's there to be afraid of?"

Peanut rolled his eyes. Although he couldn't explain why, he felt scared!

"Boss, even if you don't listen to the chairman, at least sell some first to reduce the risk!"

"What do you know? Fortune and wealth are sought through risk. This kind of opportunity only comes once in a century. I cannot let this era down!"

Seeing that he couldn't persuade her, Peanut simply stopped trying.

"Where are you going this afternoon? So I can make arrangements?"

Zhao Zhi then smiled.

"Peanut, this is what you should be worrying about. We're going to the Yan Mansion for a cocktail party this afternoon. Arrange for someone to wash and wax the car!"

"Yes!"

Zhao Zhi got out of the car and hummed a little tune.

"I regret that I mistakenly killed Brother Zheng while drunk... I will beat you with a steel whip..."

At Huaqi Foreign Company, Morris stared at the newspaper in his hand in a daze!

He has been uneasy for the past two days. On the one hand, it is because he has issued too many banknotes and acceptance bills. On the other hand, the deadline for the peace agreement is approaching and he is worried about the risk of war!

All the major foreign companies were well-informed. In fact, Morris received relevant news on April 4.

Today's newspaper gave him a different perspective.

Maybe it's really as the newspaper said?

Morris rang the desk bell, and when his assistant came in, he immediately ordered,

"Go help me collect information on Shanghai's housing price trends over the past century. The more detailed the better!"

Soon, he got the information.

After the opening of Shanghai as a port in 1843, land and housing prices began to rise successively.

During this period, there were only two declines, one was the Sino-French War, and the other was after the Battle of Shanghai in 1937, when the Japanese pirates occupied Shanghai.

There were different reasons for these two housing price crashes.

After the outbreak of the Sino-French War in December 1883, the Qing government raised funds for the war, and the originally loose financial environment in Shanghai began to change and gradually tightened.

Shortly after the Sino-French War broke out in 1884, the Romantic warships threatened to attack Shanghai. The confidence of Shanghai residents in the economy was shattered, and the foreigners in the concessions sold their properties and fled Shanghai, causing Shanghai housing prices to plummet.

As the Qing government continued to triumph, foreigners in Shanghai sold their properties and fled. However, Sir Arthur Hardung saw this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and invested everything he had in buying houses and land. After the Sino-French War ended with the Qing government's compromise agreement, a large number of foreigners returned to Shanghai, and Shanghai Beach regained its former prosperity. The value of properties in the Nanjing East Road area owned by Sir Arthur Hardung continued to rise, increasing by hundreds of times over the next decade, making him the richest man in Shanghai.

In the last few years of the Qing Dynasty, housing prices in Shanghai reached a new high.

After the establishment of the Republic of China, Shanghai continued to develop, leveraging its capital and locational advantages. By the 1928s, it had become the largest metropolis in the Far East, with its urban population density exceeding, if not exceeding, its current level. Economic prosperity and rapid population growth inevitably led to skyrocketing housing prices. Even some historical figures struggled to afford housing in Shanghai. In 5, Lu Xun and his wife rented a house in Jingyunli, an old Shikumen residence. Buying it outright would have cost 400 yuan. With Lu Xun's monthly income of around yuan, he would have had to live without food or drink for ten years.

In 1937, after the Battle of Shanghai, the Japanese pirates occupied Shanghai and implemented a brutal rule. Supplies were scarce and housing prices once again plummeted.

But after the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, housing prices experienced a retaliatory rise until now!

Morris looked through countless cases.

During the Zhi-An War (1920), housing prices in Shanghai are rising!

During the First Zhi-Feng War (1922), housing prices in Shanghai were rising!

During the Second Zhi-Feng War (1924), housing prices in Shanghai were rising!

During the Zhejiang-Fengtian War (1925), housing prices in Shanghai are rising!

During the Guo Songling Anti-Fengtian War (1925), housing prices in Shanghai are rising!

During the Guofeng War (1926), housing prices in Shanghai are rising!

During the Chiang-Gui War (1929), housing prices in Shanghai are rising!

During the Chiang-Feng War (1929), housing prices in Shanghai were rising!

Central Plains War (1930), housing prices in Shanghai are rising!

During Shi Yousan's Anti-Fengtian War (1931), housing prices in Shanghai are rising!

North China Incident (1935), housing prices in Shanghai are rising!

Facts have proved that as long as there is no war involving foreign interference, housing prices in Shanghai are rising!

Morris rubbed his brows, unable to make a decision for a moment.

Suddenly, the assistant came in again.

"Mr. Morris, TA Insurance has issued an announcement requiring all policyholders to go to Chinachem to process a refund within the 15-day cooling-off period. If you need to convert your policy into a boat ticket, you must also go to Chinachem to register immediately!"

Morris suddenly stood up and shouted,

"Let's go and have a look!"

Hundreds of people had gathered at the Cathay Hotel, holding newspapers and shouting loudly.

"No retreat! No retreat! No retreat!"

Wang Mo was already frightened and tore the notice in his hand into pieces, shouting,

"Who made the announcement? Who is it?"

He suddenly saw Guo Da Chong approaching slowly and shouted,

"Guo Dachong, did you do this?"

Lao Guo's face darkened and he retorted,

"Wang Mo, Levi Company only owns 30% of TA Insurance's shares. How dare you issue a refund announcement without convening a board meeting? I'm reporting this to the chairman and removing you from your position as general manager!"

"Bullshit, you are framing me!"

"You're talking bullshit! The company's licenses are all in your hands. How dare you do it but not take responsibility for it!"

Wang Mo was stunned by the retort!

Guo Dachong was not willing to give in. He pointed at the scraps of paper on the ground and shouted,

"Wang Mo, are you trying to destroy the body?"

Wang Mo looked at the ground and felt dizzy!

"Old Guo, it really wasn't you who did it?"

"If I did it, what good would it do me?"

Wang Mo sat on the sofa, feeling angry. He thought for a long time and asked,

"Now what?"

Guo Dachong just kept smoking and said unhappily,

"How would I know what to do? If all else fails, let's notify the chairman to come back and take charge!"

Wang Mo felt more and more that this was done by Guo Dachong, because recalling Hu Zhenhua would be beneficial to him!

As for the official seal on the announcement, it is very easy to solve.

A carrot seal, or perhaps, before handing over the official seal, Guo Dachong would find some blank paper to stamp it on!

"Old Guo, we can't just go to the chairman every time something goes wrong. What are we going to do then?"

"Then how do you solve it?"

Wang Mo rolled his eyes and said with a smile,

"Drag it out, send someone out and tell them they'll pay double when it's due!"

Guo Dachong sneered,

"How do we explain the announcement? Someone is impersonating us? If we make another announcement, will anyone still believe it?"

"Then what do you think we should do?"

Guo Dachong started smoking again. After a long while, he said,

"Find a scapegoat and say we were just registering the number of people who bought tickets, and the guy who wrote the announcement was drunk and just made up something!"

Wang Mo stared at Guo Dachong and asked coldly,

"Who do you think should be pushed out?"

"Whoever wrote the announcement will be kicked out!"

Wang Mo's chest was filled with anger. The only ones who had the power to write the announcement were Wang Mo and his assistant!

He slammed the table and shouted,

"impossible!"

Lao Guo glanced at him and said expressionlessly,

"Pushing Assistant Wang out doesn't mean he'll die. Just scold him, fine him, and the matter will be over!"

Wang Mo slapped his head and realized that he had misunderstood.

The scapegoats he had found in the past were real scapegoats!

This is pure mental inertia!

He opened his mouth.

"Mr. Guo, I was rude just now, I hope you don't mind!"

Guo Da Chong snorted coldly.

"Manager Wang, I hope you can control your subordinates and not write everything in the announcement. If something like this happens again, I will report it to the board of directors and demand serious action!"

Wang Mo looked at Lao Guo's back as he left, gritting his teeth. He clenched his fists and waved them in the air!

……

On the fifth floor, Guo Da Chong opened a door and saw Atlan, and said unhappily,

"The stage has been set up for you!"

"Thank you!"

Guo Dachong walked to the window, his pupils shrank sharply, and he pointed at the person apologizing on the stage.

"Atlan, am I dazzled? Isn't that the cleaner on the seventh floor?"

On the platform, the cleaner stammered,

"The company will double the refund upon expiration...! Now, customers interested in buying or selling... boat tickets, please come here to register!"

The cleaning staff finished their announcement and started the second time!

Guo Dachong was so angry that he laughed.

"This Wang Mo, he's probably afraid that we'll cut off his left and right arms!"

Just like that, the cleaning staff announced for more than half an hour and finally dispersed the crowd.

The ticket registration window at the Cathay Hotel only welcomed 12 people in the whole morning!

……

Shilipu Wharf.

Xu Jun is an employee of TA Cruise Company. He secretly finds Scarface, a small leader of the Green Gang.

"Brother Scarface, I have a few boats, do you want them?"

Scarface twirled the stone ball in his hand, glanced at Xu Jun, and said jokingly,

"Isn't this Manager Xu? What a rare guest!"

"I'm not a manager, just an assistant!"

Scarface's flesh was trembling all over.

"What ship, and what's the price?"

"Three sampans and three sailboats. The transfer price of each sampan is 20 yuan, and the transfer price of each sailboat is 200 yuan. You will pay the rent from now on!"

Scarface opened his eyes, his eyes gleaming.

"No, 50% off!"

Xu Jun jumped up.

"I already gave you a 8% discount! Don't count it!"

Scarface slammed the table and shouted,

"Do you think this is a place where I can come and go as I please? You'd better be smart before I get angry!"