Zhuang Rui was also startled by Liu Chuan's words. This deal, all things considered, was worth more than 20 million yuan, which was no less than what he made from gambling on stones.
"What's wrong? Regretting it now? Who told you to be so generous and give all your shares to Brother Zhou? Otherwise, the dividends from this deal alone would have been over six million. How about I give you some of my shares?"
Liu Chuan knew that Zhuang Rui transferred his shares to Zhou Rui largely to keep Zhou Rui tied to the mastiff farm. However, this was a huge loss for Zhuang Rui, so Liu Chuan wanted to make up for it for him.
"Forget it, just transfer my 11% share to my account after you make money."
Zhuang Rui waved his hand. Although six million was a lot, it was far less than the jade mine in Xinjiang. Zhuang Rui had spoken with the Jade King yesterday. The mining was going very smoothly. More than fifty tons of jade had already been mined, and the quality was quite good, with a value of around three hundred million.
Moreover, the jade content of this mine seems to be much higher than expected. The old man estimates that it can be mined for another two years, but the speed will not be as fast after that, and additional investment will be needed in mining equipment. If the jade market can maintain the current price, the total profit of this jade mine should be over 1.5 billion.
However, the money won't come so quickly. Such a large batch of jade raw materials will be released into the market gradually. Otherwise, it will have a significant impact on the jade raw material market, which is something the Jade King absolutely does not want to see.
Compared to the 150 million yuan he was about to receive, Zhuang Rui wasn't so concerned about the 10 million yuan from the mastiff farm. Given Zhou Rui's character and their friendship, Zhuang Rui was willing to give up that share.
While the two were chatting, Ouyang Jun called. Since Liu Chuan had nothing else to do, he decided to go house hunting with Zhuang Rui. ...
Zhuang Rui couldn't afford the 5,000-square-meter four-story house for the time being. What he had his eye on was a large duplex courtyard house of more than 2,000 square meters, located in a historical and cultural protection area in Xuanwu District, very close to Liulichang, just a few minutes' walk away.
This courtyard is composed of five small courtyards, which would definitely be considered a grand mansion in ancient times.
Judging from the floor plan, this courtyard house includes five courtyards and two gardens, covering an area of more than 500 square meters. It has everything from rockeries and fish ponds to pavilions. The courtyards are connected by covered corridors, which is a very clever design. As for what other facilities are inside, you will have to see it in person to find out.
As for the other courtyards, Zhuang Ruixian's location wasn't good, and they were also a bit small, so he decided to look at this one first. If he was satisfied, he would make a purchase. After all, it's not like you can just buy a place and move in right away; you'll definitely need to renovate it.
After going downstairs, the three of them got into a car. Ouyang Jun first picked up Miao Feifei before heading towards Xuanwu District. When they arrived, before even getting out of the car, Zhuang Rui had already fallen in love with the place.
Coming from the outskirts, the road is lined with two-story buildings, mostly teahouses and taverns, as well as some well-organized shops selling souvenirs. Cars rarely pass through here, but when Ouyang Jun drove by, he attracted quite a few curious glances.
Upon entering the protected area, Zhuang Rui discovered that this place was even quieter than the courtyard house where the old man lived. Everywhere there were alleyways, blue bricks and yellow tiles, mounting stones at the entrance of the houses, and bright green moss in the cracks of the alleys, all revealing a sense of the vicissitudes of time.
Walking here, Zhuang Rui felt as if he had returned to the old house where he lived in his childhood, and his expression became somewhat dazed.
"Come on, what are you staring at?"
Liu Chuan gave Zhuang Rui a push from behind, which brought Zhuang Rui back to his senses. He looked ahead and saw Ouyang Jun talking to a middle-aged man, with a man in his thirties standing next to him. Zhuang Rui quickly walked over.
"Zhuang Rui, this is Director Zheng from Xuanwu District. This courtyard belongs to their district. Let Director Zheng introduce it to you. Director Zheng, this is my younger brother..."
When Ouyang Jun spoke, his eyes darted around and he didn't look at Director Zheng at all. As for the people next to Director Zheng, he didn't even introduce them. He was putting on airs.
"No, no, Mr. Zhuang, you can just call me Xiao Zheng..."
Zhuang Rui didn't know who Director Zheng was, but in front of Ouyang Jun, he obviously couldn't stand up straight. After hearing Ouyang Jun's words, he quickly stretched out his hands, shook hands tightly with Zhuang Rui, and handed over his business card.
"Office Director?"
So this guy in front of me is actually a division-level cadre. One step up and he'll be a department-level cadre. If it weren't for this business card, Zhuang Rui would have thought he was just a gofer. They say you don't know how small your official position is until you go to Beijing, and that's absolutely true.
"Director Zheng, would you please introduce us to him?"
As Zhuang Rui was speaking, he handed over a cigarette. Ouyang Jun, who was standing next to him, immediately recognized that it was the giant panda that had been taken from his own place. He couldn't help but feel annoyed. Using his brother's things to do favors, this cousin was really not kind.
Anyone in Beijing who works within the system knows this cigarette brand. Director Zheng's eyes immediately lit up. It turned out that this ordinary-looking young man in front of him also had connections. You know, this cigarette brand is exclusively for leaders at the ministerial level and above; ordinary people can't get their hands on it.
"Mr. Zhuang, you're too kind. This is Xiao Li from our nature reserve. He knows the details better. Let's look around and talk as we go..."
As he spoke, Director Zheng moved with an agility that seemed disproportionate to his size, and walked to the front of the group.
"Mr. Zhuang, everything inside this walled compound belongs to this courtyard house. The main gate is ahead, please follow me..."
Xiao Li had been instructed beforehand and knew that these people were of great importance. He was very respectful and gestured to lead the way while introducing the place: "According to records, this house was built during the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty. It was inhabited by high-ranking officials of the Six Ministries and above. Moreover, it has been renovated throughout the ages and is still in relatively good condition..."
As they spoke, the group had already arrived in front of the gate. Zhuang Rui looked up at the gate, feeling a slight surge of excitement. This was truly... magnificent.
Zhuang Rui had seen the gate of this courtyard house in the TV series "The Grand Mansion Gate," but only now, being there in person, could he truly feel the awe this ancient architecture evoked in him.
The two large doors, each over three meters wide and high, resemble a wall. The gatehouse, threshold, door frame, door nails, doorposts, door knockers, animal-face door knockers, and couplets on both sides are all present. Zhuang Rui can imagine the scene in ancient times when officials walked out of these doors with a large entourage.
The gate is surrounded by brick walls painted with colors. There are also painted decorations on the beams, pillars, doors, windows, eaves, and rafters. However, it seems that no one has lived here for a long time, as the colors have faded and the walls look a bit dilapidated.
"Mr. Ouyang, Mr. Zhuang, please come in and have a look..."
Director Zheng held a key that looked like a hydraulic rod and struggled for a long time to open the large lock that could be considered an antique. He then pushed open half of the heavy solid wood door with great difficulty and let everyone in.
Chapter 290 Not enough money!
Upon entering through the main gate, you are greeted by a small courtyard. Passing through the courtyard, you enter through the central gate, which is an exquisitely crafted hanging flower gate. Its delicate design is quite magnificent. Behind the hanging flower gate, at the eaves pillars, there is another door called a screen door, also known as a central door. Its function is similar to that of a ceremonial gate. It is usually closed, and people enter through the corridors on the left and right in front of the gate. It is only opened when there are important events or distinguished guests.
The eaves and rafters of this screen door are painted blue-green, while the granite is painted red. The round rafter ends are painted with a blue, white, and black pattern resembling a halo of pearls, while the square rafter ends are painted with a blue background and gold swastika or diamond pattern. The front eaves feature brocade patterns, flowers, antique motifs, etc., at the center, and the hanging lotus-shaped column heads on both sides are painted in a variety of colors according to the carved patterns.
Although the colors on these doors have faded slightly over time, the former glory is still faintly visible, and this place has witnessed the rise and fall of a dynasty.
As soon as they entered, the white lion and the black lion darted into the yard and disappeared in the blink of an eye. Zhuang Rui wasn't worried; the yard was clearly abandoned, the gate was locked, and there was probably no one inside.
Xiao Li, who was following closely behind Zhuang Rui, spoke up: "Mr. Zhuang, this is the central gate, which is usually not opened. It's just a formality. In ancient times, when an imperial edict arrived or a distinguished guest came, the so-called 'opening the central gate' meant opening this gate, which was more of a courtesy..."
"In the courtyard house, all the doors connecting the different courtyards are hanging flower gates. This design imitates the shape of the archway, which is both gorgeous and practical."
As Xiao Li led the way, he explained things to everyone. At this moment, Xiao Li didn't seem like a government employee, but rather a tour guide. He knew this courtyard house like the back of his hand. From the feng shui layout of the courtyard to an inconspicuous decoration on the hanging flower gate, he could explain everything in detail, citing classical texts and speaking eloquently, which Zhuang Rui and the others listened to with great interest.
After passing through the exquisitely crafted hanging flower gate and gatehouse, you enter the front yard, a typical small courtyard house layout with a main house, east and west wing rooms, and a hanging flower gate on the east side leading directly to the middle courtyard. Entering the middle courtyard, you find a large garden, but it has been neglected for a long time and is now abandoned.
Beyond the middle courtyard is the back courtyard. These three courtyards were all places for people to live. Generally, servants lived in the front courtyard, younger generations lived in the middle courtyard, and the eldest generation lived in the back courtyard. Some side rooms were even converted into studies, living rooms, and kitchens. In ancient times, large families had separate kitchens for each branch of the family, so there were several kitchens.
Zhuang Rui roughly counted along the way and found that there were more than twenty rooms that could be used as accommodations, enough to run a small inn. And these rooms only accounted for half of the entire courtyard. There was also a garden in the front and back, with ponds and pavilions, which showed how luxurious the lives of officials in ancient times were.
"Mr. Zhuang, what do you think of this courtyard? Many people have wanted to buy it in the past two years, but it's not available for sale in the district. However, if you're interested, we'll definitely give it priority..."
Actually, Director Zheng wasn't very clear about Zhuang Rui's background, but the district leader had specifically called him over yesterday and instructed him to treat him well. If the other party really liked the courtyard house, as long as the conditions weren't too unreasonable, he could agree to it.
Director Zheng knew that this courtyard was the boss's prized possession. Although it had been vacant for several years, he had never been willing to sell it. Now, his attitude had taken a complete 180-degree turn, and he even asked Director Zheng to personally receive the leader. It is said that the office director is very busy. Director Zheng has to take care of the leader's eating, drinking, sleeping and other needs.
Upon arriving today, Director Zheng's first sight of Ouyang Jun stirred up a commotion. Beijing is a vast city, and most people wouldn't recognize Ouyang Jun. However, Director Zheng had happened to have dealings with him before—the kind of dealings where he remembered Ouyang Jun, but Ouyang Jun didn't remember him. Seeing Ouyang Jun's attitude towards Zhuang Rui, Director Zheng became even more cautious when speaking to Zhuang Rui.
"The courtyard is quite nice and quiet, but it seems like no one has lived there for a long time, hasn't it?"
Zhuang Rui frowned when he saw the overgrown weeds in the garden, some of which stretched along the stone path and even to the door of the house. He thought that if he bought it, he probably wouldn't be able to move in for a while.
“Mr. Zhuang, this place has been vacant since the district office building was built. As you can see, it’s such a large area, it would be too much trouble to maintain, and the budget is also quite tight, so it has been left unused…”
Director Zheng was speaking frankly. Such a large courtyard, if repaired every year, would cost at least tens of thousands of yuan. While that amount isn't much, it needs to be used wisely. Subsidizing such an unused courtyard is less worthwhile than giving everyone a few hundred yuan in bonuses during the New Year.
Since entering, Miao Feifei had been touching and exploring everything with great excitement. Hearing that Zhuang Rui seemed somewhat dissatisfied, she quickly said, "Zhuang Rui, this place is nice. I used to live in a courtyard house when I was a child, but later we moved to Xinshihua Garden. That villa wasn't as comfortable as the courtyard house at all..."
"New World Garden?"
Director Zheng was stunned again. That was the location of the ministerial building, where no official below the ministerial level lived. It turned out that this ordinary-looking girl had a very important background.
"Mr. Zhuang, rest assured, if you decide to buy it, we will send someone to clean and tidy it up, and we guarantee that you will have a brand new feeling."
Countless people wanted to buy this courtyard house, but the district government had been reluctant to approve it. However, the situation has now reversed, and it seems that Director Zheng is begging Zhuang Rui to buy it. This is understandable, as Zhuang Rui buying the house would create a positive connection, since the cultural protection zone is still under the district's jurisdiction, and there will naturally be opportunities for interaction in the future.
"Hmm, let me check again. White Lion, come back..."
Zhuang Rui nodded noncommittally, but didn't say whether he would buy it or not. With his shout, the white lion darted out from a hanging flower gate and ran to Zhuang Rui. Its big head kept rubbing against Zhuang Rui, clearly very satisfied with the environment.
Zhuang Rui hesitated slightly. The mansion had been uninhabited for a long time and looked somewhat dilapidated and lacked a sense of human presence. Especially during the rainy summer months, the overgrown weeds made Zhuang Rui feel uncomfortable. Moreover, all the rooms were empty. Zhuang Rui had just gone into one of the rooms to take a look, and the roof seemed to be leaking. Renovating it would be no small project.
"Fourth Brother, what do you think of that courtyard you mentioned?"
Zhuang Rui thought for a moment. "Let's look around and compare prices," he said. "Okay, let's go take a look."
Ouyang Jun didn't care; he was here today to support Zhuang Rui.
"Mr. Zhuang, which courtyard are you referring to?"
When Director Zheng saw Zhuang Rui and the others about to leave, he quickly asked a question.
“It’s a courtyard house in Xicheng District, a bit smaller than yours.”
Zhuang Rui answered casually as he walked out.
"Hey, Mr. Zhuang, which one are you talking about? That one isn't even as good as this one. Several families have lived there for over ten years and refuse to move out. The West District government can't take it back, and they've made a fuss about it several times. Even if you buy that house, I'm afraid you won't be able to move in..."
"What? Director Zheng, is this true?"
Upon hearing Director Zheng's words, Zhuang Rui stopped in his tracks; he had no desire to get involved in those disputes.
"Mr. Zhuang, would I lie to you about this? You can find out anytime you ask."
Director Zheng said with absolute certainty.
"Fourth Brother?"
Zhuang Rui looked at Ouyang Jun, guessing that he probably didn't know about this either.
"Let me ask him for you..."
Ouyang Jun walked to the side and made a phone call. After a few minutes, his face turned angry, and he cursed a few times. After hanging up the phone, he walked over and said, "Old Zheng was right. That bastard didn't even tell me. I'll deal with him later."
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Rui turned around and went back into the courtyard. He had also inquired with Song Jun and found out that there were indeed not many large courtyard houses available now. If he didn't buy one, he was afraid he would miss this opportunity.
After standing there and pondering for a moment, Zhuang Rui made up his mind and said, "Director Zheng, I want this land, but the price..."
The document given to Zhuang Rui listed the price of the property: 40,000 RMB per square meter. The property is 2,100 square meters, and the total price is 84 million RMB. Once this money is spent, plus the cost of repairs, Zhuang Rui will be almost penniless again. This is one of the reasons why Zhuang Rui hesitated.
"Mr. Zhuang, this house has been in disrepair for a long time. If you buy it, you'll be helping the district solve a problem. Naturally, we'll give you the best price. How about 35,000 yuan per square meter?"
Thirty-five thousand?
Zhuang Rui was a little taken aback. Wasn't Director Zheng being too easy to talk to? He gave him a discount of over ten million yuan with just a few words.
“Mr. Zhuang, to be honest, we need to give an explanation to all parties involved after selling this house. But please don’t worry, let me discuss this with Secretary Liu. Please wait a moment…”
Seeing Zhuang Rui's noncommittal expression, Director Zheng also picked up his phone and went to the side to make a call. Only then did Zhuang Rui realize, "Dude, I didn't say anything. I just repeated your price."
After about five or six minutes, Director Zheng came over and said, "It's not a good idea for these houses to remain unsold in the district. Secretary Liu just gave instructions that the price is 30,000 yuan per square meter. Mr. Zhuang, do you think this price is acceptable?"
"Sixty-three million? Fourth Brother, what do you think?"
Zhuang Rui turned to Ouyang Jun. He hadn't expected that these few words would bring the price down by more than 20 million compared to the initial quote. However, judging from the dilapidated state of the house, he estimated that the renovation would cost at least 10 million. After calculating, he wouldn't have much money left.
Zhuang Rui only now realized that the more than 100 million yuan he had left in the bank didn't seem to be enough.
Chapter 291 Grandson (Part 1)
"Brother, this price is pretty reasonable. How about it, do you have the money? Want your fourth brother to help you out?"
Ouyang Jun was well aware of the shady dealings involved. Secretary Liu belonged to his family's faction, so of course he would give him face for such a small matter, since he didn't have to pay a single penny out of his own pocket.