A century-old wealthy family that rose from Shanghai

Chapter 328 Arrival in the Mountain City

In early October, Chan Kwong-leung returned to Hong Kong, while his younger brother Chan Kwong-chung and his family, along with their mother Yang Hui, had already left Hong Kong for New York.

"Will Mei Ying be able to adapt over there? Will the two children be able to adapt?"

Yan Renmei was very concerned, and there was no trace of her being fake.

Over the past three years, the two have indeed developed a sisterly relationship, and more importantly, their children, Chen Wenjie, Chen Wenjin, and Chen Wenming, have also formed a brotherly bond.

"Yes, we can adapt to them. In terms of lifestyle, they will have a better life for us in the US."

Yan Renmei said seriously, "If we had to choose, who wouldn't want to be with you? Separating would also leave the children without a father's love for the next few years."

Chen Guangliang said, "Let's not talk about that anymore. Let's talk about the next arrangements—I plan to go to Chongqing in batches as soon as possible and take planes."

Originally, he was afraid of airplanes in this era, but reality forced him to choose to fly to Chongqing.

Because if they took the land route, there were already Japanese spies along the coast, and the journey would be fraught with trouble from both the military and bandits, making the risks even greater. Chen Guangliang himself wasn't afraid; he possessed superhuman abilities. But having a wife and children naturally created a weakness.

Chen Guangliang had his men investigate China's recent plane crash records and found that there were about two crashes per year on average, some shot down by Japan and others due to thunderstorms.

In terms of safety, the aircraft is acceptable. In particular, there have been no air crashes on the Hong Kong-Chongqing route.

There are currently 3 to 4 flights a week from Hong Kong to Chongqing, making air travel significantly more convenient. (Each flight seats fewer than 20 people, and there may be cargo planes as well.)

Yan Renmei nodded and said, "Okay, then I'll take the two little ones, and you take Wenjie?"

Chen Guangliang replied, "You take care of Wenjie, and I'll take care of the two little ones."

Yan Renmei also knew what her husband was thinking, because her husband and eldest son Chen Wenjie had always been on completely different sides.

"When are you leaving?"

"Let's wait a bit longer. Winter would be best, with fewer thunderstorms. I'll also make some arrangements in Hong Kong."

"Um"

That evening, when Chen Guangliang took out the stockings, Yan Renmei shyly put them on, saying coquettishly, "You've learned a lot of bad habits after your trip to America!"

Chen Guangliang's eyes shone as he stared at Yan Renmei, but he said, "This isn't bad; it's just the fun between husband and wife. We should keep up with the times."

Yan Renmei deliberately dodged the question, then said, "Then tell me, can this be worn on the streets of Chongqing?"

Chen Guangliang was stunned, and Yan Renmei immediately burst into laughter.

"As you know, China is different from America. On American beaches, people wear revealing clothes and draw on their legs with pens when stockings sell out. But in China, people aren't that open. However, since you like it, feel free to wear it at home for everyone to see!"

If her husband were merely a 'lustful' man, she would certainly look down on him. But precisely because her husband was so outstanding, if he weren't lustful, he would seem like a too-serious old scholar.

Perfect timing!

Chen Guangliang pounced on Yan Renmei and pinned her to the bed, then began to admire his masterpiece with abandon.

Just one week later, Chen Guangliang suddenly received an invitation from Chongqing, hoping that he would go there to take charge of industrial development.

Upon hearing the news, Chen Guangliang couldn't help but ponder whether it was a good thing or a bad thing.

The so-called "in charge of industrial development" was nothing more than hoping that he would continue to invest in factories. This was not a big deal in itself, but Chen Guangliang knew that it would be difficult to transport the overseas machinery to Chongqing.

The problem wasn't due to the Japanese blockade, but rather the exploitation of the Chinese themselves along the Yunnan-Burma Road and elsewhere.

In some places, officials might not even heed the orders of the commander-in-chief; this is what is meant by "the local official is more powerful than the county magistrate."

However, since it was an invitation from the Commander-in-Chief, it means that he is at least a useful person and will bring some benefits to Chongqing.

With this in mind, he decided to go to Sichuan to investigate first, and then make a decision.

Before leaving.

He invited Zhuang Zhujiu and Sheng Qi, a married couple, to be his guests.

"Renmei and I plan to go to Chongqing in separate trips. What are your plans?"

Having followed Chen Guang for a long time, Zhuang Zhujiu was well aware of the seriousness of the matter and quickly asked, "What are Mr. Chen's thoughts?"

Chen Guangliang said, "Japan has been fighting for so many years, and its domestic economy is already in dire straits. I predict that Japan will inevitably occupy Southeast Asia, which is equivalent to going to war with Britain. Therefore, it will also occupy the concessions and Hong Kong, and even the entire Pacific Ocean will become Japan's battlefield. So someone like me will definitely not dare to stay in Hong Kong anymore and is preparing to go to Chongqing to take refuge. You two should also be careful, after all, Era Film Industry will definitely become a key target for the Japanese."

In recent years, Times Films has produced many films about the War of Resistance against Japan, which were screened in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia; while in the concessions, they mainly screened commercial films and Western films.

Once the Japanese occupy Hong Kong, they will inevitably settle scores with the people of Era Film Company.

Of course, in the second half of next year, Chen Guangliang plans to shut down Times Pictures and move the equipment to Macau.

In this way, with its vast property assets (Hong Kong, Sing Tao, Kuala Lumpur, etc.) and well-preserved equipment, it was able to rise to prominence immediately after the war.

Zhuang Zhujiu said, "Then let Aiyi and the child go to Chongqing with Renmei, and I'll come and go a little later, how about that?"

The couple had great faith in Chen Guangliang's judgment, after all, he was someone who had fled to Hong Kong before the Battle of Shanghai and had already opened a factory in Sichuan.

Chen Guangliang nodded and said, "Okay, you can sort out your work in Hong Kong. There shouldn't be anything to do in the first half of next year, so there shouldn't be such a crisis for the time being. I was mainly invited by Chongqing to go and take charge of industrial production."

"Okay, with you as our boss, we're not afraid to do anything!"

Zhuang Zhujiu wasn't stupid; what he meant by that was—you, as the boss, also have to take care of my family.

Chen Guangliang was also happy to see Sheng Qi and Yan Renmei traveling together.

Before departing for Chongqing, Ye Ximing and Zhang Shounian also came to Hong Kong.

Ye Ximing reported, "Boss, this year Xinfeng Textile's profit is conservatively over 1200 million, while the sugar factory and alcohol factory behind it are both over 800 million, totaling over 2000 million in profit. How should we handle these funds?"

Chen Guangliang naturally already knew the situation. Xinfeng Textile's two factories in the concession area were about the same size as Shenxin No. 9 Factory, but the Hong Kong and Chongqing factories were also very profitable. It was only natural that they would make more than 12 million in profit this year.

As for the sugar and alcohol factories in the rear, their profits of over 800 million are already considered restrained, mainly because there are some restrictions there, and they dare not increase profits too much.

However, 2000 million yuan can only be exchanged for 150 million US dollars now, whereas in the early days of the legal tender, only 500 million yuan could be exchanged for 150 million US dollars. This is like two cows turning into one pig.

The problem now is that if these funds are not dealt with in time, they will depreciate even faster next year!
"Yes, I have already made arrangements. First, we need to apply for foreign exchange to immediately import 120 Dodge trucks from the United States and deliver them in Yangon. The timeframe needs to be as fast as possible. This will require approximately US$30 and about 400 million yuan. The funds will mainly come from Ping An Bank in Chongqing, but will be recorded as my personal expenses. The remainder will be converted into US$120 million as soon as possible and deposited into Chase Bank in the United States."

With this, Ping An Bank already had US$1020 million in gold deposits in the United States, demonstrating its formidable strength. Furthermore, Ping An Bank also held US$100 million in gold in Chongqing and possessed substantial real estate assets in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Essentially, it became the leading Chinese-owned bank in Hong Kong after the war.

“Importing American trucks would probably take two or three months to reach Yangon, as the South Whampoa government is very strict about approving foreign exchange transactions,” Zhang Shounian raised a question.

Chen Guangliang said, "Don't worry, I went to Chongqing this time at the invitation of the Commander-in-Chief to build up the industry in the rear. I plan to use these trucks to support transportation there, which is a contribution to the country."

Of course, he wanted to make money, but the main purpose was to impress Chiang and Kong.

The Burma Road will be cut off in another year, so whether he can break even is another matter. Of course, his friend Lu Zuofu is now the Vice Minister of Transportation, which is also one of the reasons why Chen Guangliang decided to invest in transportation.

Zhang Shounian nodded, and then he said, "Boss, should we prepare to relocate the textile factories in Shanghai that were in the concessions before they fell?"

Chen Guangliang shook his head and said, "Such a large generator simply cannot be transported on the Burma Road. Even if it could be transported, the people there would stop it. Relocating the factory is too difficult! However, I think the concessions and Hong Kong are safe for the next year. I will then direct your actions. But starting next year, I plan to use the profits from the factories in the concessions and Hong Kong for charitable purposes, and set aside a portion to purchase food and other necessities, which will then be distributed to the workers so they can prepare food reserves. Meanwhile, raw materials such as cotton only need to be prepared until this time next year."

He wouldn't let the Japanese get away with it; he would definitely destroy the factory's main equipment beforehand and have the workers hide the rest of the equipment. At the same time, he would give the workers nearly a year of excellent benefits.

"Okay, we'll discuss it with Manager Tong and the others right away."

Ye Ximing and Zhang Shounian understood that their boss must have sensed a signal to do this.

Moreover, the boss has made a lot of money through speculation over the past few years, so he must be open-minded.

In early November, Chen Guangliang, along with his two sons and two bodyguards, boarded a plane at Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong and flew towards Chongqing.

During that era, AVIC was a joint venture between China and the United States, with the United States holding a significant stake. Therefore, it used Douglas DC aircraft, which typically carried 17 passengers and 3 pilots.

The plane took off at night, mainly to avoid being shot down by Japanese warplanes.

On the plane, Chen Guangliang comforted Chen Wenming and Chen Wenkai, whose two sons were 5 and 2 years old respectively. With their father there, they didn't seem too nervous.

But airplanes of that era were truly bumpy and offered absolutely no comfort.

In fact, Chen Guangliang once considered taking the Burma Road or other modes of transportation from northern Guangdong to Chongqing, but considering that it would take at least half a month and that the road was also threatened by Japanese bombing raids, he decided to choose the plane.

In fact, at the end of October, there was a case where a civilian aircraft was shot down by Japan, but it was not from Hong Kong to Chongqing, but from Guiyang to Chongqing.

"Dad, I'm not afraid of flying in an airplane at all, just like at an amusement park."

Chen Wenming held his younger brother's hand and showed his father how brave he was.

Chen Guangliang patted his head and said with a smile, "Yes, just like an amusement park."

However, Chen Wenkai in his arms seemed to be having some trouble adjusting to the high altitude and the turbulence, so he could only try his best to comfort him.

Chen Wenming also showed his older brother side, talking to his younger brother the whole time. Chen Guangliang felt very warm during this scene.

After a series of close calls, the plane landed safely at Coral Dam Airport.

The moment the plane door opened, Chen Guangliang took a deep breath, feeling a sense of relief at surviving such a close call. On the open sea, he still believed he had a chance to survive; but in the air, even a superhuman body might not be able to withstand it, and he had two sons with him.

Before disembarking, Chen Guangliang handed the American driver six bright green Franklin banknotes and said, "Thank you so much for getting my son and me there safely. This is my tip!"

Many of the pilots at AVIC are Americans, and they actually fly a bit recklessly, sometimes even drinking in the air.

But the three pilots on this flight had at least not been drinking, which made Chen Guangliang very willing to give them a tip.

"Sir, you must be an important person?" the American driver asked curiously.

A person's demeanor and how generous they are with their money.

"No, I'm just a businessman, but my life is very, very valuable!"

"Haha, you're so funny!"

It wasn't a joke; he was genuinely grateful for the flight.

After getting off the plane, I soon saw Lin Hongying from Cheung Kong Real Estate waiting with two cars.

"Boss, it's been a long time!"

Chen Guangliang laughed and said, "It's been a long time! Those Japanese invaders have made transportation in the country very inconvenient. Wenming, Wenkai, call him Uncle Lin!"

"Uncle Lin"

"These two young masters are so well-behaved. These must be the second and third young masters, right?"

"They are my and Renmei's second and third children."

Lin Hongying immediately understood that the boss had another wife.

For years, Lin Hongying had been in charge of real estate in Chongqing. After the completion of a large number of mid-to-high-end residential properties invested by Changjiang Real Estate, they were always rented out. Chen Guangliang did not allow them to be sold either. In fact, the rental income of these houses basically recovered the cost in just three or four years, and then they were immediately converted into gold and deposited into the vault of Ping An Bank (Chongqing).

Then, led by Lin Hongying, the car headed towards Chen Guangliang's villa in Chongqing.

Chen Guangliang's villa is located in Nanshan, and it has strong air defense capabilities—air-raid shelters, hidden bushes, and mountains were all taken into consideration during the construction.

"Boss, everything is cleaned up and the servants have been found. Just let me know if you need anything!"

Chen Guangliang said, "Then go and tell Ping An Bank (Chongqing) that I have arrived in Chongqing safely. They need to inform the Commander-in-Chief's Secretariat that I was invited to Chongqing. In addition, they will also send a telegram to Hong Kong to let them know that I am safe."

"Okay, I'll go right away. You should get some rest today; the two young masters must be tired too."

"Go ahead, you're at home now, I don't need anyone to take care of me."

"Ok"

The servants all arrived in Chongqing in advance, so there's no question of them not knowing each other.

After settling his two sons in comfortably, Chen Guangliang washed up. He had many friends in Chongqing, but rest was the most important thing for him right now.

He also has a well-established corporate organization in Chongqing, with the Chongqing Ping An Bank Building as its hub.

However, Chen Guangliang probably won't be able to stay idle this time in Chongqing. Although he wants to keep a low profile, he is now living under someone else's nose, so he naturally has to be cautious in everything he does.

Of course, he never associated with other forces and had no interest in politics whatsoever, so protecting his family's lives was naturally no problem. As for the assets in Sichuan, he would give them away if they wanted them; he wouldn't mind.

(End of this chapter)