A century-old wealthy family that rose from Shanghai

The battle for control of Shanghai is raging, and Hong Kong is paying close attention, given that Shanghai is the economic and industrial center of the country and holds a crucial position.

The most direct reaction was that the price of gold in Hong Kong soared, once again reaching the HK$600 mark.

In April, after gold prices rose to HK$600, the Chen Guangliang family took the opportunity to cash out 35,000 taels of gold. Subsequently, Cantonese gold speculators also had to continue cashing out at a loss, causing the price of gold to fall below HK$500 per tael.

Starting in early May, gold prices began to climb again, this time driven by the Shanghai Stock Exchange, and the surge was quite strong.

After the price broke through HK$600 per tael, Chen Guangliang once again had Ping An Bank cash out, but this time not in such a hurry. Instead, he cashed out 5 taels over a week. Even if the price fell below HK$600 per tael during this period, he would continue to cash out.

"Boss, this time we once again cashed out before Hang Seng Bank, catching the Cantonese gold speculators off guard. However, their gold is also arriving in Macau soon, and I'm afraid that everyone will rush to cash out this time, which will greatly affect our cashing-out price."

Upon hearing Ye Ximing's report, Chen Guangliang calmly said, "There's no need to pay too much attention. I'm already very satisfied that we can cash out at a price above HKD 500, considering how little our cost was."

Ye Ximing nodded.

Then, Chen Guangliang said to the three people in the office—Ye Ximing, Zhang Shounian, and Guo Deming: "We must handle the Hong Kong dollar exchange rate with the US dollar quickly, but we must not attract too much attention from the market."

If nearly 18 taels of gold are cashed out this time, it will amount to about 1 million Hong Kong dollars, which means that all of it will be converted into US dollars to avoid the devaluation of the British pound and the Hong Kong dollar.

Guo Deming said, "Don't worry, boss. Among the wealthy people from the mainland who came to Hong Kong this time, the largest number were carrying US dollars. Since they need to live in Hong Kong now, they will naturally need to exchange for Hong Kong dollars. Therefore, the amount of US dollars in Hong Kong at this time is very large."

The three men didn't know why Chen Guangliang needed so many US dollars since he was based in Hong Kong. Ping An Bank also had 800 million US dollars in reserves, which were Chen Guangliang's personal 'dividends'.

"Well, I plan to deposit 1000 million US dollars to go to the United States this time. My children from the second wife will eventually go to the United States to develop their careers, so I'm making preparations in advance."

The three of them suddenly realized that this was the reason.

Chen Guangliang told a small lie: he was unlikely to give Jiang Meiying's family any more funds. Firstly, Jiang Meiying's wealth had already grown to over 1500 million US dollars, and by the time her children grew up, her wealth would be 3000 million. More importantly, Jiang Meiying and her children were American citizens, which would give them more avenues to make money in the future.

Hang Seng Bank and other Cantonese gold speculators quickly discovered that when the price of gold reached HK$600 per tael, Ping An Bank would cash out large amounts of physical gold.

Ping An Bank's gold appears to be stored in vaults in Hong Kong, which is far more convenient than smuggling it from overseas. Ping An Bank likely doesn't care much; they simply cash out directly, regardless of whether the gold price is suppressed to a 'low' level.

Those Cantonese gold speculators at least knew how to "inflate" the price of gold, which meant they incurred costs; but Ping An Bank didn't need to do anything, they could just cash out directly.

"The gold importers in Macau have grown greedy, and our procurement costs are high. Moreover, we also bear the risks, which is really frustrating!"

Liao Baoshan complained at a party.

It is true that Macau can import gold, but the dominant power is in the hands of Portuguese people like Ho Po. So, overseas it might be HK$150 per tael, but Macau would give them more than double that, and the price would fluctuate according to the market in Hong Kong.

At the same time, Cantonese gold speculators also need to smuggle gold to Hong Kong, but the waters between Macau and Hong Kong are home to notorious gangsters like "Da Tian Er," so they also have to take risks.

Ping An Bank now reaps the benefits, cashing out large sums of money every time the time comes, leaving no chance for Cantonese gold speculators to "make a fortune".

He Shanheng said with a troubled expression, "What can we do? If Ping An Bank doesn't have much gold, we can continue to raise the price and lure Shanghai gold speculators into our trap, and we'll have more opportunities to make money. But if Ping An Bank has a lot of gold, then we can only admit it and make a small profit."

Everyone had to admit that this was the only way things could be.

Today, Chen Guangliang is far beyond the reach of these gold speculators. He is not only a business leader of the Ningbo and Shanghai merchants, but also a leader in the Chinese business community. His connections and strength are unmatched by these people.

He Shanheng then said, "This time, let's wait until Ping An Bank finishes cashing out before we talk about it, otherwise the price of gold will fall below 500 again. But if we wait until they finish cashing out, the war in Shanghai is still going on, and the price of gold will definitely be able to stay at 500-600 Hong Kong dollars, then we can continue to cash out. In the meantime, we can pretend to push it up a bit."

“Okay, let’s do it this way. I don’t believe Ping An Bank has that much gold, or that they can really control the market.”

Soon, everyone realized that Chen Guangliang was only one person and could not control the market for long.

Actually.

Their move was merely to stabilize the market slightly; ultimately, they didn't dare to completely disrupt it, unlike Ping An Bank, which was fearless (because its costs were much lower).

At this rate, once this wave of 'gold market' ends in October, the biggest losers will, of course, be the Shanghai gold speculators, but in reality, they will lose a little less than in the previous life; the second biggest losers will be the Guangdong gold speculators, who will definitely make money, but certainly not as much as in the previous life; the biggest winners will be the Chen Guangliang family, because the cost of the gold they hold is only HK$200 per tael, and some are even less.

This is also what Chen Guangliang wanted to see!
At this time, Hong Kong could not yet be considered Hong Kong for people from Guangdong Province, since everyone was new to the area and did not have the concept of "Hong Kongers". Chen Guangliang's series of actions at this time would greatly enhance the status of "Shanghai businessmen" in Hong Kong.

On May 27, a sense of unease began to permeate both the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Hong Kong.

After all, the establishment of the Shanghai Municipal Government meant that the Nationalist government was already on its last legs, so how far away would the establishment of the Guangdong Provincial Government be?

Hong Kong, which is separated from Guangdong Province by only a river, could also be attacked by the JF at any time.

The poor might not feel much, but the rich are quite uneasy.

Chen Guangliang naturally didn't have that kind of mentality. Even if history changed and Hong Kong returned to China ahead of schedule, he would still have his own way out and wouldn't end up with nothing. This is the benefit of not putting all your eggs in one basket.

“Brother, we’re not doing the Shanghai route anymore. I plan to shift the ship to Southeast Asia and Guangdong and Guangxi. The northern routes are now under stricter control by the Nationalist government’s navy, making them much riskier. I don’t think it’s worth it for circumnavigating the world. Of course, we need to keep the route to Japan, but we have to consider withdrawing from the other routes. Xiao Hu, on the other hand, has bought another 1,000-ton second-hand ship and plans to continue operating the northern routes.”

Chen Guangcong reported his work to his elder brother.

For the past year or so, his elder brother has entrusted him with the work of Global Shipping, only occasionally inquiring about and participating, showing him complete trust. However, Chen Guangcong has developed the habit of always consulting his elder brother when unsure about something, given his brother's exceptional insight.

“Alright, let Xiaohu handle the shipping routes and trade with JF District. We should also consider gradually withdrawing from the mainland market; there's no need to take risks. As for how long Xiaohu wants to continue, that's up to him. He's grown up and independent now; it has nothing to do with our Chen family.”

"Um"

My cousin Yang Xiaohu is now a "big shipowner" with two second-hand ships of 1,000 tons each, so he can withstand risks—for example, if one of his ships is sunk by the Nationalist government's navy, he won't go bankrupt.

Moreover, the shipping routes and trade to the north are currently very profitable, attracting many to take the risk. Chen Guangcong is now more composed; he knows that Circumnavigation Shipping has no need to take any more risks. He has shifted the ships to the southern routes until he eventually withdraws from shipping along the inland coast.

"We must pay close attention to shipping and trade with Japan, and take the opportunity to investigate. If the new China is established, the United States will pay more attention to Japan, which will become the front line of the opposing camps. Therefore, Japan will definitely be supported by the United States. Although this is not what we Chinese want to see, as businessmen, we cannot miss this opportunity since we know this."

"Yes, Japan has always attached great importance to shipping routes and trade."

Last year, Hong Kong also saw protests against 'US support for Japan,' although this did little to stop anything.

Chen Guangliang has always been a pragmatic person, and making money from the Japanese is also a skill.

After chatting with Chen Guangcong for a while, Chen Guangliang told him about his schedule: "Your sister-in-law and I will be going to the United States for a period of time in July or August. You can stay in Hong Kong and keep things in order! Your second sister-in-law is not good at business, so you don't need to consult her."

"Okay, big brother!"

If Yan Renmei had stayed in Hong Kong, Chen Guangcong would have consulted or reported to his sister-in-law on any matters. However, Jiang Meiying clearly did not concern herself with Hong Kong's business, so there was no need for such trouble.

Then Chen Guangcong said, "Wenjie will be a senior in high school soon. He's the second generation of our Chen family, and he'll be able to join the family business in five years! Wenjin is also good; he'll be a junior in high school soon."

He also felt a sense of pride when talking about this, because his nephew was really outstanding, and even all his nephews were very outstanding.

His children were raised in the same way; however, they inherited his intelligence, so they were still somewhat inferior to his cousins.

But it doesn't matter, he only has one son (and two daughters), and his biggest wish is for them to be safe and sound.

Chen Guangliang sighed, "I don't want to put pressure on him, so I don't bring it up. Sometimes they're under too much pressure, and I worry about it too!"

"The eldest brother's idea is certainly correct, but Wenjie and the others are very outstanding and naturally sensible, so this is not pressure, but motivation."

"hope"

These were Chen Guangliang's honest thoughts. He truly believed that as long as his six sons and one daughter grew up and joined the family business, it would be a victory. He wouldn't put too much pressure on them; as long as someone was in the company, that was enough.

With him at the helm, his children won't feel too much pressure. He'll start from the bottom; whether he can take over is a matter for the future. A generational succession is also an option, since Chen Guangliang is confident in his health.

Hot summer.

It happened to be the weekend, and Chen Guangliang's first and second wives gathered together to reconnect.

The two families don't usually live together, but they get together on weekends or holidays, even when Chan Kwong-leung isn't in Hong Kong. This upbringing has fostered a very close relationship among the seven children.

Of course, if you include Chen Guangcong's three children, that makes ten children. These children are all ranked together—eldest brother, second brother, seventh brother, eldest sister, second sister, and third sister.

Chen Guangliang rarely sets rules for everyone, but the word 'unity' is ingrained in the bones of these children.

Currently, Chan Kwong-leung has five children in Hong Kong. His eldest son from his first wife, Chan Man-kit, has been studying high school in the United States for two years, and his second son from his second wife, Chan Man-kam, has been studying high school in the United States for one year. Both of these children will graduate from high school at the age of 17 and from university at the age of 21. The two brothers are in the United States, attending the same high school, and can support each other.

Chen Guangliang led Yan Renmei and Jiang Meiying to the basement of the villa on Gande Road. He then opened a door, revealing a collection of "treasures" inside, including cash, gold, antiques, and paintings, as well as a safe.

Inside the safe was a 'trust' that he liked to keep—a sealed envelope, his means of entrusting trusts.

Chen Guangliang took out an envelope from inside and then sat down in a chair.

“From now on, the two of you will be my trustees, so I have decided to cancel this traditional practice.”

After saying that, he tore up the letter and planned to burn it later.

At this time, Yan Renmei was probably familiar with the operational methods of Hong Kong's future real estate market, while Jiang Meiying was familiar with the most promising stocks in the United States. Therefore, even without Chen Guangliang, this family could still remain wealthy, just without the same potential for growth.

Yan Renmei laughed and said, "This kind of trust should have been canceled long ago."

She had always felt that this practice was unlucky, but her husband overthought things, so she didn't feel comfortable objecting.

Chen Guangliang replied, "We can't avoid talking about unexpected events. The reason for this cancellation is that the family has grown up and there's no need for me to do it anymore."

In fact, it wasn't just because his relationship with his two wives was stable, but also because his eldest son was over 16 years old. In this era, it was not uncommon for people to join the family business at the age of seventeen or eighteen, and they were more mature than people in later generations.

If something were to happen to him, Chen Wenjie would have no problem taking over, since he has two mothers and an uncle who would support him.

After tearing up the letter, Yan Renmei took the initiative to say to Jiang Meiying, "Meiying, let me show you around the jewelry and jade here. See if you like any of them!"

Jiang Meiying said with a smile, "Sister, just take a look, it's not like I can't afford it."

Starting in the 1930s, Chen Guangliang did have a habit of collecting. Although he did not collect deliberately, he accumulated quite a few good items, including some jade bracelets worth tens or hundreds of millions of yuan in later generations.

These things aren't necessarily for collection or appreciation; the main reason is that as I have more daughters, daughters-in-law, granddaughters, and granddaughters-in-law in the future, I'll eventually need to give them as an elder.

So even now, Chen Guangliang continues to collect them, since they aren't very valuable to him anyway.

Yan Renmei smiled and said, "I know you're a very wealthy woman, but some things depend on fate. Come on, I'll take you to see them!"

When the two women came to visit his treasure vault, Chen Guangliang did not disturb them. The so-called treasure vault was actually just that. He might buy some antiques, paintings, jade, gemstones and other items on a whim, and after they were appraised and found to be in good condition, he would put them directly in the treasure vault. He didn't usually have time to appreciate or maintain them.

Yan Renmei had the key to unlock it, and Jiang Meiying also had her own treasure trove, only not as many as the main wife's possessions. (End of Chapter)