Chapter 352: Differences Between the Two Sides
The Ji family building is a large four-sided, three-story building with four eaves and a peak.
"The whole building?" asked the second young master Gu.
The eldest young master Ji nodded proudly. Such a magnificent building belongs to their Ji family.
Hearing from his father, the Ji family invested 50,000 to 60,000 taels of silver in this building, and there are many precious consumables.
At first, he also thought it was expensive. This can buy a nice mansion in Chang'an.
But now he sees the real building, which stands out in the commercial street in the south, and he thinks it is worth it.
"It's really magnificent." The second young master Gu praised.
The eldest young master Ji felt the same way.
After staying in Houcheng for a few days, the two found that the outer city of Houcheng was well built, neatly planned, simple and elegant, and very pleasing to the eye.
Later, they heard that the outline of the entire outer city of Houcheng was designed by a master from Suzhou who was invited by the Liaodong Chamber of Commerce at a high price.
Gu Ershao looked around. In the entire West Suburb Industrial Park, the most eye-catching buildings were the Ji's Commercial Building and the Liaodong Chamber of Commerce Building.
In addition to these two buildings, if we say that in the entire outer city, the only buildings that can compare with them are the Houcheng County Magistrate's Mansion and the Liaodong Academy.
The Houcheng County Magistrate's Mansion occupies a large area. The main buildings include the lobby, the second hall, the third hall, the Daxian Temple, the kitchen, the backyard of the government office, the prison, etc.
The entire County Magistrate's Mansion adopts a five-room and seven-frame design. The eaves of the lobby are designed as a curved shed, and the main buildings are connected by the gutter rafters.
The overall look is simple and low-key, yet solemn and elegant.
The newly completed Liaodong Academy also occupies a large area, but the architecture of the academy pays more attention to the artistic conception of books.
Looking at this commercial building engraved with the family emblem of the Ji family, Gu Ershao couldn't help but sigh in his heart. It seems that the Ji family's business route in Liaodong County has been opened.
Ji Daxiu is worthy of being the richest man in the South. His business sense and vision are as good as ever.
When he met Wu Ren later, Gu Ershao asked tentatively, "Manager Wu, can you ask the government if our Gu family can build a commercial building with family characteristics like the Ji family in Houcheng?"
At this time, Ji Dashao was standing aside, as if he didn't care, but he was actually listening.
Wu Ren glanced at Ji Dashao, pondered for a moment, and said, "I can't answer you immediately, wait for my news."
He knew that Gu Ershao was testing this now, and he would ask for the same treatment as the Ji family later.
But he knew that his master's attitude towards Ji Wuyin was definitely not comparable to that of the current Gu family.
In the words of his master, Ji Wuyin was the first person to take real money and take risks to accompany them in gambling. They won and ate the big meat, so they had to let the Ji family eat the first bite of soup, right? If you make the right choice, you should be rewarded.
Young Master Gu nodded and said with a smile, "I wonder if Shopkeeper Wu can reveal how likely this is?"
"I think Young Master Gu also knows that the outline of the entire outer city of Houcheng was designed by a master from Suzhou. It is difficult to change the design now." Wu Ren continued to practice Tai Chi.
"Shopkeeper Wu, we are not outsiders, can't we give a definite answer?" Young Master Gu joked with a little dissatisfaction.
Seeing that he insisted on knowing the answer, Wu Ren also said bluntly, "Of course it is possible. According to my estimation, Gu's desire to build a commercial building with family characteristics like Ji's in Houcheng is not very good. If it is a little smaller, it will not be a big problem."
"Thank you Shopkeeper Wu for being honest, I understand." Young Master Gu still smiled, but the smile on his face was already a little forced.
Wu Ren's heart sank slightly, knowing that Gu Er was dissatisfied.
Forget it, the master said that a bird in the hand is worse than a thousand birds in the forest. The cooperation between Liaodong County and Ji is very harmonious. Although Gu was once the first family in the south, they had never cooperated after all. So isn't it normal for Liaodong County to give preference to the two?
Wu Ren's words made Young Master Ji very happy.
Wu Ren treated them to a dinner before leaving. After he left, he went directly to the County Governor's Mansion.
Young Master Ji and Young Master Gu returned to the house where they were temporarily staying.
Young Master Gu arrived at Young Master Gu's yard first. Young Master Ji nodded to him and wanted to move on, but he was stopped by him, "Brother Ji, it's still early, come in and have some tea?"
Young Master Ji agreed, and he also wanted to know what he was up to.
Young Master Gu poured him a cup of tea, "Brother Ji, we have been in Houcheng for a few days, isn't it time to go back?"
Young Master Ji was surprised. Before he set off, his father gave him a lot of silver and asked him to invest money when he saw good projects during his stay in Houcheng. As of now, he hasn't spent half of the money.
He didn't believe that Young Master Gu didn't tell Young Master Gu to invest a little bit.
"Have you finished what Master Gu told you to do?" Master Ji asked.
Master Gu, of course, knew what he meant, so he said bluntly, "Liaodong County is adjacent to the Xianbei grassland, and Houcheng is even closer to the Xianbei grassland. It is not an ideal place for investment."
Master Ji agreed with this.
Master Gu was refreshed and continued, "And Houcheng, on behalf of Dali, only signed a three-year peace agreement with the Xianbei royal court. What about after three years? No one knows what will happen after three years. If we invest too much money in it, we will always feel uneasy."
"You worry too much." Master Ji disagreed with this point, "If you are talking about other border towns, I agree with you very much. But this is Houcheng, it's different."
Master Ji did not elaborate on what was different.
Before going north, his father told him a little about Madam Qin Liu, and he knew that there was such a powerful person in Liaodong County.
The father and daughter of the Lu family spent so much effort on construction and invested much more money than them. If they were not sure of dealing with the situation three years later, how could it be possible?
Gu Ershao disagreed, "What's the difference? Facing the Xianbei cavalry, few people can resist. I don't know what countermeasures Houcheng has, but after thinking carefully, I feel that there is little hope."
Ji Dashao looked at him strangely. You are just a businessman. You don't want the government to share the response and plan for three years with you, right? This face is too big.
"Haha, Gu Ershao, I think you should think more about what Master Gu said, and don't make decisions on your own." For Master Gu's face, he still persuaded him a little.
Ji Dashao felt that there was no need to stay any longer, so he said goodbye.
After returning to their courtyard, the trusted steward shook his head and said, "Master Gu was careless in sending Young Master Gu to Liaodong County."
Young Master Ji snorted, "Don't pay attention to him. Young Master Gu is used to being praised in the South and thinks Liaodong County is the South!"
Gu Er didn't know that it didn't matter whether the Gu family invested money in Liaodong County.
To be honest, Liaodong County is not big. At present, there is already the Liaodong Chamber of Commerce. With the addition of their Ji family, they can fully revitalize the economy of the whole area.
At this time, Wu Ren was standing in front of Lu Songli.