harleyscars Page 154
Page 154
For the first time in history, someone is using a sporting event to make money; this is truly groundbreaking!
Even though capitalists and business owners know that this is for their money, no one can refuse. This is a golden opportunity to build brand and product reputation in a market of 450 million people. Whoever misses out on the sponsorship of this World Games is essentially handing over a vast market to their competitors.
In certain specialized fields, such as car rallies, these events are even more unmissable. The organizers have hinted that whoever wins the top prize, regardless of whether they are a domestic or foreign manufacturer, will receive an order for at least 10,000 cars from the sponsoring team.
This is no longer just an opportunity to make a name for ourselves in the Chinese market, but an opportunity to showcase our strength to the world. The Republican government has personally set the stage for this.
After the central government announced the scale and rules of the competition, it immediately allocated 47 million yuan to invest in the construction of the competition venue.
The relevant engineering tenders are open to capable companies worldwide, unlike in the past when they were only targeted at domestic construction companies. This marks the first time that Europe and the United States have bowed down in the infrastructure sector.
Such a large order was something no one wanted to miss, and domestic construction companies were no exception, flocking to the bidding conference.
The central hub won't lose money either. These competition venues scattered across the country aren't just for one-time use and then abandoned. They will become common facilities for sports events in various places in the future. Moreover, some rally roads will also become part of the national road system. Anyway, it will cost money in the future, so if we can't avoid it, we might as well spend it all at once.
While the official stance of European and American countries has not yet been clearly stated, strong teams from various countries have already directly registered for the Far Eastern World Games. The Olympics, a poorly funded event, can be put aside for now. China has already put up real prize money and pure gold medals, which is even more generous than the Nobel Prize!
The World Games Organizing Committee sent out invitations not only to countries in Europe and America, but also to South America; every independent country received an invitation from China.
In particular, Asia, whether it was a colony or an independent country, all received invitations from China.
This made the Europeans very unhappy, but they dared not say a word. Although they occupied Southeast Asian colonies, everyone knew who had the final say in this area. The fact that the Chinese did not openly take action was already a great favor. If they were to take advantage of this favor, they would be asking for trouble.
The British readily accepted the invitation, indicating that they would include teams from British Asian colonies in the Commonwealth team. The French also indicated that they would send an official team as well as overseas teams to participate in the World Games.
The Americans even directly approved the Philippine colony to organize its own team to participate, but the Dutch were the only ones who were stubborn and refused the World Games invitation, saying that they only participated in the Olympic Games and had no interest in the Far Eastern World Games.
The British gave the Dutch a thumbs up in admiration for their courage and perseverance. It is estimated that the Dutch believed that since their colonies did not share a land border with China and the British Far East Fleet was stationed at sea, the Chinese could not do anything to them.
However, countries as out of touch with reality as the Dutch are extremely rare. Major countries around the world, especially independent nations, all gave them face, and even many South American countries enthusiastically participated in the World Games.
Many South American countries, including Chile, Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, have decided to send delegations to the World Games and dedicated football teams.
China is now a major international trade customer of major South American countries. South America's beef, mutton, grain, leather, nitrates, and minerals are all imported into the Chinese market. Chinese immigrants have also flocked to South America in large numbers to operate various industries, bringing labor and capital to South America for development.
South America has no reason to offend China, and in fact, has countless reasons to strengthen its relationship with China.
Just from the fact that various countries accepted invitations to participate in the World Games during the preparation stage, China's strength has begun to be gradually demonstrated. No one dares to ignore the existence of this behemoth in the Far East, and even if they are fearless, there is no need to offend it.
The former "sick man of East Asia" could be bullied at will, but now this "savage man of East Asia" is extremely petty and vengeful. It's best to avoid offending him and try to be on good terms with him.
The participating teams from various countries are still in the preparation stage, and the competition has not even started yet, but title sponsors and sponsors have already taken the initiative to come to them, many of whom are from China.
The competition among the major domestic teams is too fierce; even spending hundreds of thousands of yuan doesn't guarantee a spot. Many large companies are even taking out loans to secure an official sponsorship spot on the organizing committee's list.
It is said that whoever wins the legendary World Games bid will have the head of state personally promote their business. Just this alone is not a matter of money, but a get-out-of-jail-free card!
State-owned enterprises are now fighting tooth and nail for the quota, while wealthy private enterprises are even starting to raise funds and crowdfund to compete for the legendary "bid king" title.
"Yunyun, how has your uncle treated you? The relationship between our two families is clear. Your uncle has never mistreated the Huang family or you over the years!"
“When I was poor, I would send you gifts and pay New Year’s visits to the Huang family every year. Now that I’m rich, I’m even less stingy.”
Inside the hall on the second floor of Juxianlou, Chen Jiaxie specially prepared a banquet for his niece Huang Yun. The table was full of the little girl's favorite desserts and roast duck and chicken wings, all specially prepared to suit Huang Yun's taste.
Huang Yun was also enjoying her meal immensely, her mouth bulging so much that she couldn't speak, and could only nod repeatedly.
Chen Jiaxie felt slightly relieved, seeing that his niece hadn't sided with outsiders, and continued, "Aren't you currently discussing marriage with that Director Liu?"
"Your uncle guarantees to fully support you in this matter. If your parents dare to object, I'll stand up for you. My wife is your father's older sister. With my aunt and I on your side, we'll ensure that your good fortune comes true!"
Chen's wife is Huang Yun's father's older sister, and Huang Yun's father's wife is Chen Jiaxie's younger sister. Given these relationships, the two families are bound together by marriage and will support each other.
The Huang family was originally the direct descendant of the Thirteen Factories, but after the family split up, it became a branch. At the beginning of the Republic, the Huang family was almost wiped out because they offended Wu Zifu. They only survived the crisis by borrowing money from the Chen family to buy national bonds.
The Huang family is now a textile industry giant in Guangzhou. It's an exaggeration to say they have tens of millions in assets, but they certainly have five or six million. The most successful member of the Huang family is a deputy county magistrate. Old Huang himself even ran for a local committee member position in Guangdong, but he lost miserably.
Now that Huang Yun has actually moved into the home of the director of the Technical Equipment Bureau of the Joint Logistics Department, Chen Jiaxie thinks it's like winning the lottery, and the Huang family would definitely not refuse such a perfect son-in-law!
Liu Ting is almost twenty years older than Huang Yun, but Chen Jiaxie doesn't see this as a difference at all. Besides, his niece is willing to come and offer herself up, so there's even less of a problem.
After Huang Yun finished eating, she continued wrapping roast duck in lotus leaf pancakes and asked, "Uncle, why don't you just say what's on your mind? Why do you always have to hide things like my dad?"
"Not manly at all. Liu Ting is much better than you. He speaks his mind directly!"
Since Huang Yun was taken back by Liu Ting, she has been living comfortably in his house. Liu Ting's mother has already started preparing the betrothal gifts. Her son, who is almost thirty-six years old, has found a seventeen-year-old girl to bring home. If she misses this opportunity, Old Lady Liu will probably hang herself from the roof beam.
Liu Ting was busy with work all day and didn't care about anything at home. So, Old Mrs. Liu simply took Huang Yun as her daughter-in-law and kept her at home. She even wrote to the Huang family in Guangzhou to discuss the marriage.
Huang Yun's parents also rushed to the capital after receiving the letter, and they are still on their way.
With the parents' wishes and the matchmaker's words, and the parents having already discussed and agreed on the matter, the opinions of Liu Ting and Huang Yun, the two parties involved, were no longer important.
"Yunyun, ask your Director Liu when he's free. I'll treat him to dinner. He can choose any place he wants, and I'll pay for it no matter how expensive it is, as long as Director Liu will do me the honor!"
Chen Jiaxie revealed his purpose. In his view, Liu Ting was already his nephew-in-law, and it would be foolish not to take advantage of this relationship. Liu Ting was the director of the Technical Equipment Bureau of the Joint Logistics Department. He was not a high-ranking official in Beijing, but he was not a low-ranking official either.
In Chen Jiaxie's view, this was already the strongest connection he could reach. As for those higher-ranking officials such as colonels, vice ministers, and generals, you wouldn't even know which way the door would open if you wanted to contact them.
The competition for sponsorships for this World Games was extremely fierce. Domestic manufacturers were all using their own unique methods, while foreign conglomerates even had their ambassadors to China act as errand runners to find connections.
Liu Ting gritted his teeth and persuaded the board of directors to give up three percent of the stock to raise funds in the market. Then he continued to mortgage the new factory to find bank loans and scraped together more than two million yuan in an attempt to get a major sponsorship spot for the car rally.
Car rally racing isn't something you can just sign up for and participate in. Even if you form a team and meet the eligibility requirements, your team won't be allowed onto the track unless you're one of the main sponsors of the race.
Currently, Wuhu Power Company, Jiangnan Power Plant, Tianjin Heavy Transport, Hubei Machinery, Changsha Benz, as well as foreign automakers such as General Motors (USA), Renault (France), Lanchester (UK), and Rolls-Royce, are all spending money to compete for a spot in the competition.
Although Tongda Power is also involved, it has little advantage over other manufacturers.
Chen Jiaxie wanted to try to find connections through Liu Ting. Even though Liu Ting didn't have connections with the organizing committee, Liu Ting's position as the director of the Technical Equipment Bureau was enough to make Chen Jiaxie take a big risk.
The military vehicle market is a lucrative and lucrative market. With the future Director of the Joint Logistics Department's Technical Equipment Bureau being his nephew-in-law, how could he not get a lot of orders?
"No, Uncle!"
“Liu Ting hates socializing the most. Every day, people come to his house to invite him out for dinner and drinks, but Liu Ting has never gone once. He won’t even let anyone into the door. I wouldn’t dare to agree to such a thing for him.”
Huang Yun was a silly girl, but not a stupid one. She knew the elders' schemes and also understood Liu Ting's difficulties. It was only after arriving in the capital that Huang Yun learned about Liu Ting's ultimate identity and power.
This is far beyond what Liu Ting described on the train as "a small bureau chief," "an ordinary lieutenant colonel," and "a miserable business trip writing documents all day long." Now that Liu Ting has become a colonel and bureau chief, sitting in the Joint Logistics Department office, every document he signs every day represents the flow of hundreds of thousands or even millions of military funds.
Liu Ting might not be able to decide whether a procurement of equipment would succeed, but he could guarantee failure simply by refusing to sign off on it.
When Chen Jiaxie heard his niece speak like that, his face immediately fell: "You little brat, you ingrate! Your uncle has spoiled you so much since you were a child, and this is how you repay me?"
Huang Yun reluctantly put down the roast duck and fruit jelly, lowered her head and thought for a moment before finally saying, "Eating out is definitely not an option, but eating at home is fine."
“I told her that my uncle was coming, and my aunt would definitely be happy. If my aunt is happy, Liu Ting won’t refuse.”
Chen Jiaxie slammed his hand on the table and said, "It's settled then. Let me know whenever you want, I'll be waiting!"
Huang Yun said with some concern, "But Uncle, you can't say anything carelessly, and you can't make things difficult for Liu Ting, otherwise even if he agrees, I won't agree!"
Chen Jiaxie said, "Don't worry, Uncle. What I want is not to go along with the wrongdoing, but to work together for mutual benefit. Even if you asked me to do something against the rules, I wouldn't dare."
"This is the capital, right under the nose of the head of state. Who would dare to do such despicable things? That's not how you court death!"
Even provincial governors thousands of miles away are racking their brains every day trying to figure out how to fool the head of state and deal with the inspection teams. If you dare to pull any tricks under Zhao Yan's nose in Beijing and cause trouble in the core area of the Ministry of Supervision, don't think that just because you're a car manufacturer, you're not a high-ranking official. You'll be crushed in no time!
Chapter 254 Tractors Have a Lot of Potential
The following evening, Chen Jiaxie was invited to the Liu family's house for dinner, and everything went very smoothly.
When Liu's mother heard that Huang Yun's uncle had arrived, she invited Chen Jiaxie to her home for dinner before Huang Yun could even speak, and personally cooked for him.
In Grandma Liu's opinion, the best thing was that Huang Yun's relatives came to visit. These days, when it comes to marriage, the more relatives the woman's family has, the better. The more people who come, the more important it is.
The Liu family is now down to just Liu Ting and her old mother. With so few members, it would be helpful for Liu Ting if her maternal family had many capable relatives.
Liu's mother felt that her son was struggling alone in the capital, without any relatives, no one to help him, and no one to support him. It was too tiring for him.
Huang Yun has several siblings, her parents are both big factory owners in Guangdong, her uncle has a large family, and he himself manufactures cars. All of this makes Liu's mother very happy.
Liu's mother is fifty-seven years old this year. She doesn't know how many more years she has to live. If she is gone, her son will be all alone in this world. Even if she dies, it will not be as good as seeing her son.
It was almost dark when Liu Ting finally got off work and went home. As soon as he entered, he saw Chen Jiaxie and immediately felt he looked familiar: "You are..."
Chen Jiaxie was helping Grandma Liu pick vegetables when he saw Liu Ting return. He quickly got up, wiped his hands, and extended them, saying warmly, "Director Liu, you must have a bad memory! I'm Chen Jiaxie from Tongda Power Company. We even had a meal together when you went to Shanghai for your inspection!"
"Oh, so it's Boss Chen!" Liu Ting suddenly remembered who Chen Jiaxie was, but then asked in confusion, "Why are you in my house?"
Before Chen Jiaxie could even speak, Liu's mother stood up and said, "Son, don't you know any manners? This is Yunyun's uncle, a big boss from Shanghai. I specifically asked Yunyun to invite him home for dinner!"
Turning to Chen Jiaxie, Liu's mother said, "Old Chen, we're all family. Don't call me Director Liu, just call me Liu Ting. You're the elder, don't break the rules!"
Huang Yun was cooking in the kitchen when she heard Liu Ting had returned. She quickly went out to check on him and said, "You're back? Get ready to eat. My uncle is here today. You two should have a good drink. He brought a case of liquor with him, and it's your favorite whiskey!"
Although Huang Yun had just graduated from school, she had a good appetite and cooking skills since childhood. After she moved into the Liu family's house, she took care of all the daily cooking, dishwashing, and laundry.
These days, every girl has to have something to do. Ladies from wealthy families have to learn embroidery and other similar skills, while girls from ordinary families have to do everything from cooking and cleaning to needlework.
A woman who never lifts a finger to do housework is unlikely to be wanted unless she comes from a wealthy family and has no trouble getting married. In normal families, a woman is considered qualified only if she can manage household chores well.
Liu Ting didn't think much of it, nodded, and sat down at the table, where Chen Jiaxie sat opposite him.
Liu's mother sat in the main seat, watching Huang Yun bustling around, serving dishes and rice, taking away Liu Ting's clothes, and even pouring a cup of tea for everyone at the table when she had a spare moment.
The smile on Liu's mother's face never faded; there was absolutely no one else to choose from when it came to finding a daughter-in-law like her.
Liu Ting took off his military jacket, leaving only a shirt. He loosened the collar and rolled up the sleeves, and when he saw the whiskey on the table, he immediately wanted to take it.
But Huang Yun was quicker, immediately grabbing a bottle of wine and filling Liu Ting and Chen Jiaxie's glasses: "Take it easy, it's my uncle's first time here."
Before she could finish speaking, Chen Jiaxie scolded, "Yunyun! How can a young lady like you be telling men what to do when they drink? I've come all this way, so I'm making sure you have a good time today. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing, I won't get Liu Ting drunk!"
Huang Yun rolled her eyes. She wasn't telling Liu Ting because she was worried he'd had too much to drink, but because she was worried Chen Jiaxie would have to leave lying down on his first visit.
Huang Yun witnessed firsthand what Liu Ting had done during his two weeks at the Liu family's house. A bottle of liquor weighing nearly two jin (1 kg) was consumed by Liu Ting as if it were just for fun. He would casually drink more than half a jin (250 ml) of liquor with just a few sips during meals.
After all the dishes were served, everyone sat down at the table. Liu's mother took the lead in picking up her chopsticks and inviting everyone to eat together. Only then did the others dare to pick up their chopsticks.
"Come on, Liu Ting, I'll drink first, you can drink as you like. Don't force yourself if you can't hold your liquor, or Yunyun will blame me later!"
Chen Jiaxie, overestimating his abilities, raised his glass first. Liu Ting looked at the familiar American imported whiskey in his hand and smelled the familiar aroma. He didn't know what to say and could only down his glass in one gulp.
The elderly woman had a small appetite. After eating a small bowl, Liu's mother got up and left the table. Huang Yun, on the other hand, had a very good appetite. She cooked all the dishes and ate the most.
Liu Ting smiled as he watched Huang Yun's adorable eating. It would be a lie to say he didn't like this girl. He had been somewhat attracted to her on the train, but the age difference was too great. He could be her father, so he just couldn't bring himself to make a move.
Now that Huang Yun has come to him herself, Liu Ting has no reason to refuse. He has already tacitly accepted her as his wife. Liu Ting knows that Chen Jiaxie must have something to ask for when he comes to the door, but for Huang Yun's sake, Liu Ting will help as appropriate.
After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Huang Yun finished eating, cleared the table, and left, leaving only Liu Ting and Chen Jiaxie at the table.
After downing nearly a pound and a half of whiskey, Chen Jiaxie's eyes were glazed over, but he remained expressionless as he looked at Liu Ting across from him, who had already drunk almost two bottles.
Chen Jiaxie knew he had met a master, but since he couldn't outdrink him, he had no choice but to speak up. If he didn't speak up soon, he would pass out and there would be no chance left.
Director Liu
Liu Ting extended his hand and said, "You're Yunyun's uncle, you don't need to call me that at home, just call me Xiao Liu!"
Chen Jiaxie exhaled a breath of alcohol and calmed down before saying, "Then I'll presume to ask you for help, Xiao Liu. To be honest, your uncle has come to you this time with some troublesome matter and would like your assistance."
"You don't need to put yourself in a difficult position. All you need to do is make the connection. You absolutely won't be allowed to do anything illegal. Your uncle just wants a way in."
Chen Jiaxie haltingly explained that his company wanted to secure a sponsorship spot with the organizing committee. Money wasn't the issue; the main problem was finding the right connections.
The application documents and qualification procedures were all submitted, but the organizing committee still hasn't given a definite answer.
After listening, Liu Ting did not hesitate and quickly replied, "This is easy. I know a vice minister in the propaganda department. He was my superior when I worked in the Ministry of Industry."
"I'll call him tomorrow to see when he's free and we can arrange to have a meal together. How to discuss the specifics is up to you two."
Upon hearing Liu Ting's reply, Chen Jiaxie was overjoyed. He quickly picked up his cup and downed another glass. Having connections in the court really made things easier.
This is true throughout history and across the world. Chinese people value interpersonal relationships and social customs, and foreigners also pay great attention to class and social status. Good things always go to those with connections. This is human nature, and no one can change it.
"Old Chen, I heard that your Tongda Power Company also has business in the field of heavy machinery manufacturing?" Liu Ting asked.
Chen Jiaxie did not hide anything: "Our company started by manufacturing steam engines, but later shifted its focus to internal combustion engines."
"In addition to ordinary civilian vehicles, we also manufacture diesel-powered tractors, agricultural machinery, and heavy-duty trucks, but these are not our main business."
Liu Tingdao: "I have reviewed the technical data documents of your company's products. Your off-road Tundra is very good. Its passability and drive system meet the military's requirements."
However, there are still some shortcomings in the details, and the cost is too high. A four-seater Tundra off-road vehicle costs more than 1,800 yuan, a price that the military definitely cannot accept.
"Could we try to reduce costs, remove some unnecessary functions, simplify the manufacturing process, and increase production?"
"The military needs a general-purpose passenger vehicle, and the demand is quite large!"
"Moreover, there is a huge potential demand for heavy-duty trucks. Your company's diesel-powered heavy-duty trucks meet our needs perfectly, but the old problem remains: the price is too high."
"The military doesn't need complicated and comfortable vehicles; what it needs most is low cost, simple structure, durability, and affordability!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Jiaxie instantly sobered up halfway. A military order!!! This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"No problem, Xiao Liu! Actually, I'm also very dissatisfied with the current situation of high vehicle manufacturing costs. Cars shouldn't become unattainable luxury items and toys for the rich."