Chapter 48 Plotting for Real Estate Once Again

Chen Guangliang arrived at the newly established base of the Yangtze Rickshaw Company on Yuyuan Road. The buildings here were well-constructed, but there were few houses on either side, leaving the rest as cultivated farmland growing crops.

Recently, he had specifically familiarized himself with the surrounding architecture: Hongye Garden (built around 1900, a blend of Chinese and Western styles, with nine pseudo-three-story garden residences in the northern section built by Duan Qirui's son, Duan Hongye, in the 1920s); Xiyuan Apartments (constructed in 1912); Jingzhao Villa (constructed in 1907, featuring two independent pseudo-three-story Western-style garden residences); Jiuan Apartments (built around 1910 by the Bei family of Suzhou, this five-story apartment building is said to be the earliest apartment block constructed in this area); the Rockefeller Mansion (completed in 1913); the Yan Family Garden (built in 1920, with a garden area covering 4,900 square meters); "Youcun Lu" (built by Kang Youwei in 1921); Xinhua Village (built in the 1925s, consisting of five large English-style independent garden villas); Hengchang Lane; and Lian'an Lane (both built in 1926).

The potential for development here was immense!

Moreover, the plot of land he had acquired bordered the street on Jing'ansi Road (South Jingxi Road). This road was exceptionally long, a typical asphalt boulevard commonly found in the foreign concessions, and more importantly, it led directly to the most prosperous shopping and commercial district in Shanghai, South Jingdong Road.

The quality of the land was simply impeccable!

"Boss, that broker is already waiting for you!"
"Good."

As it turned out, while Zhou Xinggao was overseeing the construction here, a broker had come to inquire about the identity of the land's buyer. Zhou Xinggao, being a shrewd man who knew his boss was recently investing in real estate, had taken note of him.

The so-called "broker" was essentially a real estate intermediary.

"Mr. Wang, this is our boss, Mr. Chen."
"Mr. Chen, a pleasure."

Chen Guangliang looked at Wang Zuoyi, who exuded an air of shrewdness, and invited him to sit down and share some tea.

This was still a construction site, bustling with a feverish pace of work.

"Mr. Wang, I heard there is some land for sale here?"
Wang Zuoyi nodded and said, "Indeed. There is a three-mu plot of land, and the owner is looking to sell."
Chen Guangliang asked, "Is there a Dao-deed?"

The so-called Dao-deed referred to the "land title certificates" issued by the Chinese authorities or the Foreign Concession Municipal Council.

Following the opening of Shanghai as a treaty port and amidst the chaotic monetary system of modern China, Shanghai Dao-deed certificates (so named because they originally bore the official seal of the Daotai, the highest administrative official in the Shanghai region), which served as property vouchers within the foreign concessions, became extremely popular. They were equivalent to gold, silver, and cash, yet far more reliable.

Consequently, they later became one of the reserve funds for Shanghai's financial institutions, with major banks holding large quantities of Dao-deeds. This made them the most easily circulated and voluminous credit instruments in Shanghai's financial market. Dao-deeds also became a symbol of wealth and status among Shanghai citizens, with many wealthy households using them as wedding gifts for their daughters.

Wang Zuoyi replied, "This is peasant farmland, so there is no Dao-deed."
Chen Guangliang frowned slightly; properties without a Dao-deed were notoriously difficult to handle.

Initially, Dao-deeds were a means for foreigners in the concessions to permanently and legally acquire Chinese land. However, as time passed, they had evolved into the premier evidentiary documents for land transactions.

Noticing Chen Guangliang's apprehension, Wang Zuoyi quickly added, "There is actually a way to obtain a Dao-deed. The specific procedure can be handled as follows: first, negotiate the price and sign a 'deed of transfer'; next, have the Land Survey Bureau measure the plot; then, obtain the seal of the Shanghai District Magistrate and pass through the Sino-Foreign diplomatic negotiation office; and finally, go to a law firm for witnessing—hand over the silver with one hand, and sign the documents with the other."

The procedure was quite complicated, but since the intermediary dared to make a living in this trade, he was naturally very familiar with the process. Furthermore, all payments and signatures would only take place after everything was properly settled.

It was entirely reasonable and logical!

"Very well, set a date and take me to have a look!"
"No problem."

At this moment, Chen Guangliang only had about 3,000 yuan of disposable funds (accounting for remaining cash and dividends), and a three-mu plot of land would certainly cost more than that.

However, Chen Guangliang could temporarily borrow funds from the Yangtze Rickshaw Company. In any case, his dividends and retail sales profits for October would amount to around 1,500 yuan.

As long as he held two plots of land, Chen Guangliang could use them as collateral for further loans to fund the expansion of his rickshaw business.

...

Returning to the Yangtze Rickshaw Company base (Fanjiaguan).

"Boss Chen, hello!"
The rickshaw pullers resting here greeted him one after another.

Following two expansions through leased land, the Fanjiaguan base now covered one and one-third mu of land. Yet, for a company boasting around 380 rickshaw pullers, it still felt extremely cramped.

Having too many people in a small space was the biggest issue.

Fortunately, Lin Feng had already established a certain level of authority, and coupled with Chen Guangliang's benevolence, there were virtually no troublemakers here. Even the commodity wholesale department, managed by the father-and-daughter duo Yang Qingshan and Yang Xiuying, remained free from bullying.

"Hello."

Seeing Chen Guangliang dressed in a Western suit and exuding a refined aura, everyone felt a deep sense of admiration and envy in their hearts.

The former petty rickshaw puller was now a truly wealthy man!

Naturally, though Chen Guangliang had achieved success, very few pullers felt any jealousy toward him; without him, none of them would ever have dreamed of owning their own rickshaws in this lifetime.

Take the previous instance when the "Wang Rickshaw Company" prepared to sell twenty rickshaws: everyone had already planned to follow Chen Guangliang's method of "pooling shares to buy in," only to find out that the owner refused to sell to them at all.

To put it bluntly, the upper echelons had essentially blocked all avenues for these ordinary rickshaw pullers.

Some puller inquired, "Boss Chen, I heard you bought a plot of land and are building a new rickshaw base?"

Looking at the group of curious pullers, Chen Guangliang smiled and said, "That is indeed true. Everyone will soon have a much more spacious place to rest."

Unlike other companies, Chen Guangliang allowed these men to rest at the premises, though the rules were somewhat strict.

"Incredible, Boss Chen can actually afford to buy land now!"
"It's borrowed money, you lot act as if I'm the God of Wealth who can conjure cash out of thin air! In reality, I'm saddled with debt."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone nodded in deep agreement, considering that Boss Chen even squeezed the impoverished residents of Fanjiaguan.

Another person asked, "Boss Chen, when will you open up for shares again? I want to invest too!"
"That's right, it's been a long time since shares were offered, Boss Chen!"

For a moment, everyone eagerly chimed in with concerns about this matter.

Chen Guangliang pressed his hands down to signal for quiet, then said, "Opportunities will come, so just keep your expectations up. As long as we bring in new rickshaws, we will definitely offer shares."

As for the specific opportunity, he had no idea himself; everything depended on news from Smith's side.

Still, he needed to give these people a glimmer of hope!

"Then let's hope the Yangtze Rickshaw Company gets more and more carriages!"
"That's right, Boss Chen can become a real tycoon."

Flattery poured in like a tide.

Chen Guangliang smiled as he walked into his office, paying little mind to their remarks.

Speaking of which, when recruiting rickshaw pullers, the Yangtze Rickshaw Company favored younger men.

Through constant daily interaction, these individuals would develop a stronger sense of belonging, and as Chen Guangliang promoted promising young men to work closely by his side, a loyal faction would gradually take shape.