Capítulo 2: making money

Zhu Wencong slowly opened his eyes, the sunlight somewhat dazzling, and the sounds around him somewhat noisy.

A group of people held pans, half-submerged in the river, carefully sifting through the mud for gold sand.

Even though the gold rush had passed quite some time ago, there were still many tirelessly pursuing the dream of striking it rich.

While Gold Mountain had not been found, Silver Mountain indeed existed; near the small town of Virginia, the Comstock Lode boasted the largest silver mine in America.

The so-called dream of gold mining was nothing more than an immigrant slogan, like a common trick to lull a child to sleep, often used by every immigrant nation.

As time passed and the initial enthusiasm waned, a large influx of outsiders settled down and started their lives locally.

A large population meant cheap labor, and an obscure small city rapidly rose from the ground.

"What are you daydreaming about? It's not easy to get a day off. You can't miss this precious time!" Luo Chu called out to Zhu Wencong.

"A few days ago, someone fished out a nugget weighing over three jin from this river!" Zhao Da smacked his lips.

"If I could find a nugget like that, I'd open a store in town and never have to work at that damned mint again!" Sun Ji said, looking up and fantasizing.

Zhu Wencong couldn't help but smile at their idle talk, thinking that the so-called dream of gold mining had turned out to be a tale of laborers.

If everyone went gold mining, how could San Francisco have been built? It didn't match the original intention of the immigrants.

"What are you laughing at?" Sun Ji asked.

"This is a wonderful era!" Zhu Wencong said with a mysterious expression.

"That poor scholar is showing off his literary prowess again!" Luo Chu curled his lip.

Zhu Wencong walked to the riverbank, set down his tools, and looked eye to eye with the people in the river.

A large group of free laborers engaged in almost zero-profit activities, this seemed like such a waste.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Do you want to get rich? Do you want to become wealthy overnight? Do you want to say goodbye to labor forever?

You might not believe what I'm about to say next, but the smart ones will listen to what I have to say, and they will embrace wealth." Zhu Wencong saw that everyone was quiet, pretending to be smart without speaking.

The dregs of society mixing in a foreign land were undoubtedly the dregs of society; as long as they could get money, they didn't care about decency or shame.

Everyone's path to wealth was ominous and mysterious, after all, everyone's money came from dubious sources, and it was an unspoken understanding between them all.

"I have a friend, and he has a friend who is a big boss. It just so happens that the boss wants to buy a gold mine.

He has given some shares to my friend, so now I have some shares of this Gold Mountain. I wonder if you are interested in owning some?

As my friend described, with the current rising price of gold, these shares are equivalent to a hen that lays golden eggs.

If calculated on a weekly basis, you could make a profit equal to one layer of your invested amount; 10 shillings become 11 shillings, or 14 shillings in a month," Zhu Wencong explained in detail.

The listeners were very serious, each calculating how much money they had in hand, considering putting it all in, and calculating how much interest they could eat in a month.

Zhu Wencong saw their expressions and knew there was hope. In the magical land of America, people had a huge craving for investments.

The American Dream, or rather the bankrupt dream, had given birth to countless tycoons on this miraculous land, and just as many penniless beggars.

Everyone believed in the prospect of getting rich overnight, and no one considered their future days because they always lived in the present.

"Almost half of your capital returned in a month's profits, are you not already satisfied?

I think it's far from enough. We are friends! And friends should earn big money together!

If you bring others into this, you earn 2 shillings per person, so for 10 people, you get a bonus of 1 British Pound!

Of course! The more they invest, the bigger the returns, and your rewards will similarly be increased!" Zhu Wencong raised a finger.

"Are the returns really that high?" Luo Chu couldn't believe it.

"Are you stupid? Those are shares of a gold mine, basically like we're holding nuggets of gold in our hands!" Sun Ji depicted.

Zhu Wencong didn't explain too much; his own people tended to have conservative thoughts and were afraid to take too many risks.

If this were explained to the American public, they wouldn't even think twice before paying up and simply waiting for the interest.

The descendants of immigrants possess a nature that is adventurous and greedy; otherwise, their ancestors would not have settled here.

"Tomorrow, you can find me, pay whatever you like for however many shares you want—you guys should know how shares work.

At the same time, I will show all sorts of certificates to everyone. This is a real and effective event, with rich profits available for just one month.

After one month, the shares will be forcefully redeemed. As for whether there will be any in the future, I can't say for certain.

Everything depends on those above. I am absolutely on your side; if there's any news, I'll definitely inform you," Zhu Wencong added.

"Only one month? Why so short?"

"Yeah! Can't the time be extended for a year? I could gather more capital that way."

"Are you guys silly? You could take back half the principal in just one month. This kind of investment is definitely short-term."

In a capitalist society, people are all too familiar with investment and capital operation; they naturally love taking risks.

Zhu Wencong watched Luo Chu quietly approach, his face filled with worry—obviously sensing something was off.

"Do you really have such a connection?" As Zhu Wencong's close friend, Luo Chu was well aware of his actual capabilities.

"If there's money on the ground, do you pick it up or not?" Zhu Wencong retorted.

"Of course I pick it up! Only a fool wouldn't! But where did you get these shares from?" Luo Chu didn't believe Zhu Wencong could just conjure up shares of a gold mine out of thin air.

Zhu Wencong pulled Luo Chu aside: "Come to my room tonight with the brothers, and we'll work through the night to make them.

Don't look so deceived, you're just suffering from a lack of education, not understanding at all.

I'll ask you one question, those owners of gold mines, silver mines, and copper mines, can they go bankrupt?"

"Yes, they can! The mine boss we followed before went bankrupt..." Luo Chu scratched his head.

"Exactly! Investing has its risks, one must be careful when entering the market.

We just need to pay the early interest, and later we can simply announce mismanagement, a break in the capital chain, and the boss jumping off a building," Zhu Wencong waved his hand dismissively.

Luo Chu's eyes widened in surprise, not expecting this twist—it was just like the life of their previous mine boss.

The mine boss acquired a copper mine through a series of dishonest acts, reaping the market's early profits before being played by the market into bankruptcy.

Luo Chu and his people were then sold off cheaply to work in the mint; the mine boss faced with insurmountable debt elected to go see God.

"Can this really work?" Luo Chu was still doubtful.

"What's that saying? 'To not make money when you can is to be a fool.' I can give you the interest; do you believe in me or not?" Zhu Wencong continued to question.

Luo Chu suddenly had an epiphany and couldn't help but give a thumbs-up; there's no limit to people's greed.

The dregs of society don't know how much they've lost at the gambling table, and losing one more time is nothing to them.

"In short, everyone believes they won't be the bagholder and that they can cash out at the peak.

We will reap the harvest at the peak, so working for a living is out of the question—reaping the harvest is the true path," Zhu Wencong patted Luo Chu on the shoulder.

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Capítulo 3: 3 changes

"Is this seal good enough?" Hu Zhongshun asked Zhu Wencong with a smile.

"The craftsmanship is not bad!" Zhu Wencong observed carefully, in those days there was no such thing as anti-counterfeiting, even currency could be forged.

"Old Hu had once made the Jade Seal for the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, back then he was incredibly glorious, enjoying all the wealth and honor!" Zhao Da hurriedly sang his praises.

Hu Zhongshun kicked Zhao Da, back then there was no damn wealth or honor, always running around with Hong Xiuquan.

In the midst of fighting, they got separated from the main force, and before Hu Zhongshun could react, he was captured by a snakehead and put on a ship bound for the high seas.

Luckily, after following Hong Xiuquan in battles through the South, he had a strong physique that enabled him to withstand the storms at sea.

Hu Zhongshun considered himself to have a hard fate, not dying with a bunch of cannon fodder, and yet again not dying at sea during the long voyage.

"Just write it directly? I see some foreigners using fountain pens!" Sun Ji remarked as he watched Zhu Wencong wield his brush, looking somewhat handsome.

"Oh! Which one of you has a fountain pen?" Zhu Wencong only then remembered that this was not the East.

The fountain pen was born in England in 1809 and had already become the exclusive writing tool for Europeans and Americans.

Sun Ji glanced around at everyone, none of them were cultured people, let alone that fountain pens were so expensive.

Zhu Wencong covered his face and felt his empty pockets, he couldn't afford a fountain pen either at the moment.

"No problem! These are internal stocks, so it's fine to write with a brush.

In the early stages, our main goal is to build momentum. If we don't present generous profits, no one will believe us later on.

Of course! Investing carries risks, and market participation must be cautious. If they choose high returns, they must be ready to take on high risks.

You all are my most trusted brothers, from home to here, we have been through life and death together," Zhu Wencong's gaze shifted to everyone.

The crowd couldn't help but lower their heads, indeed, it had been a journey of life and death from home to here.

Nobody believed they could make it here alive, nor did anyone believe they could live like humans here.

The poor on this land would not starve to death, no, more accurately, Easterners would definitely not starve to death on this rich land.

Therefore, many Easterners poured more of their energy into gambling houses, gambling every day after work.

"Let me briefly explain the gist of this scheme to you.

To describe it in one sentence: The gentry's money is returned in full, the common people's money is split seventy-thirty.

The gentry refers to influential individuals within our group, they are the ones we cannot afford to provoke.

We must not only refrain from making money off them but also show them a little interest; the operation is very important," Zhu Wencong instructed patiently.

"Why not just give them money directly?" Luo Chu asked plainly.

"Too naive! We definitely can't just give it to them!" Hu Zhongshun knew well in his heart.

"I mostly understand what Wencong means! First, we need to make them lose money, everyone loses to preserve our credibility.

Those high rollers will certainly cause us trouble when they lose money; that's when we should take the initiative and make amends in advance.

Big shots know that investing entails huge risks. It's almost impossible to preserve principal and also profit from interest.

Once we return the principal to the big shots, they will feel indebted to us," Hu Zhongshun elucidated in detail.

Luo Chu looked left and right, he could never have thought of this layer, thinking giving money directly was simple and straightforward.

To give money and still have others remember your kindness required a certain level of acting skills and capability.

"Seventy-thirty is the profit sharing for us brothers!" Zhu Wencong added.

"No problem!" Everyone thought for a while, and getting three levels was already quite a lot.

"Old Hu, I see you have some talent, and I think you could manage this project on your own in the future," Zhu Wencong approached Hu Zhongshun.

"Wencong! I feel that you won't get far like this! The Underworld's tricks will sooner or later be exposed!" Hu Zhongshun warned him.

Zhu Wencong continued writing stocks; if this were in the East, by the next morning he would have hung himself on the southeastern branch of a tree.

The people of the agrarian civilization believed in getting rich through hard work, to rise at dawn and rest at dusk, to drink from wells they dug and to eat from fields they plowed.

Although America was an agricultural giant in its early days, it was not a true agrarian civilization and was more like primitive people who had just left their tribes.

The East had long abolished slavery, yet America had the Civil War because of it.

"To put it bluntly! We're too honest! We carry too many historical shackles on our backs!

Have none of you noticed that since arriving here, you seem to have changed? At first, you still tended the fields outside, but who farms them now?

Because the mountains and rivers are full of food, there's no need to worry about hunger; there's meat in every meal.

Those foreign devils lack the concept of passing on the family line, they lack the virtue of respecting the elderly and loving the young, and they aren't burdened by too many family or clan obligations."

"They don't have any historical baggage, just like their country, and that's why they dare to boldly try any risk," Zhu Wencong couldn't help but chatter.

Zhao Da nodded vigorously, "I was wondering why I feel more and more confused, not knowing what to do all day long.

Sigh! If Heavenly King Hong hadn't stirred things up, I might be at home with a wife and kids, being a tenant farmer every day…

Though life would have been hard, I felt very grounded and my days were incredibly fulfilling..."

Luo Chu, Sun Ji, and others also remembered that they were tenant farmers back in the day, but they were forced to join because of the rebellion of Heavenly King Hong.

Better to follow them and raid others than be raided by the ragtag troops of Heavenly King Hong.

"The scholar sees through it all! I suddenly realize we have lost something very important, yet I can't quite put my finger on it.

I wouldn't have even listened to such Underworld tricks before, but now they seem believable," Sun Ji sighed.

Zhu Wencong saw the helplessness on their faces; in this foreign land, their only form of entertainment was gambling.

They were betting not only money, but also their tomorrows; no one could guarantee they would remain healthy and alive.

Over time, they lived for the present like the Americans, never considering the future, concerned only with their own little lives.

Nor did anyone desire to save money to buy a ticket home; the land of freedom changes everything about a person.

"Alright! Stop thinking about all that mess. Now and in the future, we have only one goal—to make a lot of money!

This stock is the proof of our wager against fate. Whether we can grow big and strong relies wholly on your Kung Fu.

As long as you succeed, I'll use this success story to hoodwink those foreigners, achieving a leap in class status!

At the end of the day, our own people are too poor; if we want to accumulate our first pot of gold, we have to look to them..." Zhu Wencong felt a touch of regret.

"You speak a foreign language?" Sun Ji was curious; he had lived so long and knew only a few phrases of English dialect.

Zhu Wencong nodded. Americans of that era were particularly wealthy; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they had a Gold Mountain.

The Indigenous people didn't know how to develop the land under their feet; the rich mineral resources and fertile land were left unused.

"Those foreigners make money too easily, too simply, so they are even more likely to believe our propaganda.

We believe in getting rich through diligence, they believe in getting something for nothing; you can describe them in four words—easy come, easy go," Zhu Wencong concluded.

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