Chapter 86

Here is the English translation:

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This is the third update, I, Dalu, humbly request your collection, recommendation, and support for the Three Rivers Award.

Vincent Street, Manchester, headquarters of Jishi Corporation.

"Gentlemen and ladies, in the past year and a bit, our Jishi Corporation has made tremendous progress. We are now the world's largest pharmaceutical company and the world's largest rubber products company, and we will soon be the world's largest explosives and weapons manufacturer! Such achievements can only be described as a miracle, a miracle created by you, me, and the mature commercial and patent system of the British Empire (in the Qing Empire, inventions are worthless)!"

The speaker was Zhu Jishi, who had finally arrived at the headquarters of Jishi Corporation in Manchester—after the British military and police had brutally suppressed the British laborers who were attempting to establish freedom and democracy! Now, the streets outside the Jishi Corporation headquarters were patrolled by British troops, and plainclothes police from Scotland Yard had just left the Jishi Corporation's factories, arresting several agitators who were inciting workers to strike! Well, strikes are not right; if workers want higher wages or shorter working hours, they can report it through proper channels to the Jishi Corporation's management. Our Sir Zhu is very reasonable. Moreover, Jishi Corporation, being a high-tech and high-value-added enterprise in this era, can easily afford higher wages.

Just before the board meeting began, he had discussed with Duke Churchill the issue of giving workers attendance bonuses. Zhu Jishi's plan was to give a shilling bonus to workers who had perfect attendance each month, and an additional 10 shillings (half a pound) at the end of the year. However, the Duke believed that high wages would make workers lazy—workers with more money tend to save, so they wouldn't starve even if they temporarily stopped working. Moreover, raising wages after a strike would make workers think that strikes could bring them benefits, which would be detrimental to social stability...

Well, since Duke Churchill said so, Zhu Jishi decided not to mention the bonus and wage increase. After all, there were over a million unemployed people in Britain, so there was no shortage of workers.

Applause broke out, and all the directors of Jishi Corporation were beaming. The company's profits were truly substantial; the net profit for 1843 alone exceeded 80,000 pounds! This was even a conservative estimate (to avoid taxes), as the 100,000 pounds in fiscal subsidies from France, Russia, Prussia, Austria, and Spain for building explosives factories, and the 20,000 pounds worth of shares from the partnership with the American DuPont company, were not included.

Moreover, the company's cash flow was extremely robust, with prepaid accounts exceeding 250,000 pounds, and total deposits reaching 380,000 pounds! The total value of procurement contracts in hand was as high as 1.25 million pounds.

Unfortunately, there was no NASDAQ in this era, and Europe was in turmoil, with stock markets in all countries being depressed. Otherwise, with Jishi Corporation's current financial situation, going public could have raised several million pounds.

Of course, the company's profits should be distributed. Fifty percent of the net profits of Jishi Corporation and its three subsidiaries would be used for dividends. In this era, there were no companies that did not distribute dividends, and Zhu Jishi himself also needed money. He still held 75% of Jishi Corporation's shares, so he received a dividend of 30,000 pounds, plus his salary as the chairman of Jishi Corporation, making his total income over the past year and a bit 32,000 pounds! And the personal income tax he had to pay was... one shilling!

What a wonderful era this is, I really can't understand why the British working class is still fighting for universal suffrage?

"Gentlemen, the success of the past year and a bit is just the beginning of Jishi Corporation's endeavors. A brighter future awaits us." At this point, Zhu Jishi paused, his gaze sweeping across the room, taking in everyone's expressions. All the directors were satisfied, indicating that they would continue to support him as chairman. Although he owned 75% of Jishi Corporation, he knew that without the support of these directors, he couldn't run such a large company on his own, so a one-man rule wouldn't work.

"Another new business opportunity is now before us. This opportunity is the Chinese market! A market with 400 million people! It will be the fourth major profit growth point for Jishi Corporation after pharmaceuticals, explosives, and rubber! At today's board meeting, I will propose the concept of the Greater Hong Kong Plan for your discussion..."

The Greater Hong Kong Plan was just an idea or a concept. Zhu Jishi knew he lacked the specific management skills to run a large company. Therefore, he always proposed ideas and provided patent technology, while the actual management was handled by the management team led by Kosper William, Frank Hahn, Hans Schmidt, Will Heming, and the Blumstein family.

"Using Chinese junks for the coolie trade? Jason, if I'm not mistaken, the core of the Greater Hong Kong Plan is the coolie trade, right?"

Kosper William, the "CEO" of Jishi Corporation, was shocked after listening to Zhu Jishi's introduction. After a moment, he asked hesitantly.

Who is this Sir Zhu? A 19th-century Bill Gates plus Steve Jobs, how did he suddenly become a human trafficker? And he's even selling his own Chinese compatriots as goods. What a black heart!

"Mr. William, you are correct. The coolie trade is the core of the Greater Hong Kong Plan and the most secure source of profit," Liu Peng, the new board secretary of Jishi Corporation, answered. He handed several hand-drawn charts to the board members and explained, "As we all know, China has a population of 400 million, and labor is the most abundant resource, almost infinite. It should be an important export commodity, and there is a strong demand for labor in Southeast Asia and Australia. Since the previous century, Chinese laborers from Guangdong and Fujian have been crossing the sea to work in Southeast Asia, and they are the main source of labor in the region, with demand still very strong. According to preliminary estimates, each Chinese laborer pays about 20 silver dollars for the voyage, and a Chinese junk can transport at least 2,000 people to Southeast Asia each year, generating 40,000 silver dollars. After deducting all costs, including the cost of the junk itself, there is still a profit of about 30,000 silver dollars, equivalent to 10,000 pounds!"

A Chinese junk earning 10,000 pounds a year! This business seems very attractive. If we could outfit ten junks, wouldn't that mean 100,000 pounds a year? And if we had a hundred junks...

"Such a profitable business will surely attract many competitors. What advantages does Jishi Corporation have in this area?" Kosper William asked calmly. His family owned thousands of slaves in America, so he knew how lucrative the human trafficking business could be, but the high profits came with unseen blood and tears!

"We do have advantages, and I am one of them!" Zhu Jishi's voice was low and indifferent, "I am a descendant of the Ming Dynasty royal family, which was overthrown by the Qing Dynasty 200 years ago. In southern China, there are secret societies that aim to restore the Ming Dynasty and expel the Manchu rulers. These societies are known as the Heaven and Earth Society or the Hongmen. They are the strongest underground forces in southern China, apart from the Qing government. With my identity as a descendant of the Ming royal family, I can naturally become a leader in the Hongmen. With the support of the Hongmen, we won't have to worry about the source of coolies. Additionally, most of the criminal organizations and pirates in Southeast Asia are members of the Hongmen. On the other hand, European powers in Southeast Asia will not infringe on our interests, as Jishi Corporation is a British company. We paid several thousand pounds in taxes to the British government last year, and we should be protected by the British Empire."

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