Chapter 42

Sitting there, Dong Kubei watched as the twelve dishes quickly filled the table, his expression calm as he quietly waited for the host to appear. Since Liu Rujì was not planning to accompany him, it was clear that the host of this banquet was no ordinary person.

Just as Yan'er placed two bottles of jade bottles filled with wine and three jade cups on the table and stepped out of the door, the sound of footsteps at the entrance made Dong Kubei's heart tighten.

Those steady and light footsteps clearly belonged to two martial artists, one of whom was a master on par with Uncle Tie.

Why are they here?

The two figures taking off their shoes made Dong Kubei's eyes narrow. He couldn't have been mistaken; these two were the ones he had saved by chance a few days ago.

Who are they? Are they part of an underground organization here?

Dong Kubei slowly stood up, moved to the side, and waited for the two to enter the room.

"Mr. Dong, I have kept you waiting."

The plump man from Shanxi bowed and smiled as he walked into the room. The large man who called himself Tie Luohan also bowed and entered.

"Not at all, the two of you are... " Dong Kubei didn't believe that under such dark conditions, they could have recognized him, who was wearing a Japanese military uniform and had slightly applied makeup.

"Mr. Dong, please take the seat of honor."

The plump man from Shanxi did not answer Dong Kubei's question but instead offered him the seat of honor.

Dong Kubei modestly declined, but seeing the other's determination, he decided to follow the host's lead and sat down in the seat of honor without further ado.

"Mr. Dong, let me introduce myself. My name is Shao Qinglin, a standard businessman. I am a sworn brother to Rujì's father. Because of my weight, my friends in the江湖 (jianghu, a term for the world of martial arts and outlaws) gave me the nickname 'Shao Fat.'"

He then pointed to the large man who had just sat down and said, "This is my brother, Tie Luohan."

Tie Luohan bowed and said, "Cao Meng!"

"Pleased to meet you." Dong Kubei bowed in return.

"This is the imperial wine stolen by Tie Sha, Tie Luohan's junior brother, from the Qianqing Palace. There were six bottles in total, and these are the last two. Please, Mr. Dong, fill your cup."

As the bottle was opened, a rich aroma of wine immediately filled the room, making Dong Kubei, who had some knowledge of wine tasting, greatly surprised. This was definitely a fine vintage!

"Mr. Shao, you are too kind..."

"Mr. Dong, I am a businessman, and I value gratitude and reciprocity. I also prioritize profit. Yesterday, I had the good fortune to hear Mr. Dong's insightful comments on cuisine, and I was deeply impressed by your talent. That's why I boldly invited Mr. Dong to give me some guidance and point me in the right direction."

After filling the cups, Shao Fat picked up his chopsticks and offered them to Dong Kubei: "Mr. Dong, this is a humble offering, but although the materials are limited here, Liu Master's skills are truly passed down from the imperial kitchen. Please, try it. Liu Master hasn't personally cooked for ten years."

Feeling the warmth and sincerity from the plump man from Shanxi, Dong Kubei responded, his mind racing but still unsure if the other had recognized him.

He picked up a piece of bear's paw, put it in his mouth, and slowly savored this exquisite delicacy he had never tasted before, praising, "Excellent skills!" After praising, Dong Kubei decided to take the initiative and changed the subject, "Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Shao. I am deeply honored, but I wonder..."

"Here, a cup of thin wine is a humble offering. Mr. Dong, please."

His plump face full of genuine smiles, he raised his cup in a toast.

"Thank you! Cheers!"

Dong Kubei raised his cup and drank it to the bottom, a smooth, rich, and spicy warmth sliding down his throat, making him praise again, "Excellent wine!"

"Mr. Dong, my business is quite diverse, mostly involving transportation. I have also done processing and even sailed to countries like Great Britain. Currently, I have a 150-ton French merchant ship docked in Qingdao Harbor. For this, I purchased several radios in Germany, which is why I was mistaken for a Soviet spy a few days ago. No matter how I explained, it was no use. When I was being sent to the Special High Police in Qitaihe, it was my ancestors' virtue that saved me from this disaster."

"Surviving a great disaster brings good fortune! Mr. Shao, you have a fortunate appearance. It seems this was a predestined difficulty, just a scare."

"Mr. Dong, you use the radio to earn a profit?"

"Yes, to contact home, know the price difference, and then purchase and sell for a profit, or transport to other places."

"Oh?"

Dong Kubei was greatly surprised. Shao Qinglin's forward-thinking was something from the future. Although it existed at the time, it was usually only known after the goods were transported back, and the long distance made it difficult to ensure profit. Moreover, who would set up a radio for communication? Being able to buy a radio indicated unusual connections.

After a moment's thought, Dong Kubei asked, "What are your plans for the future, Mr. Shao? You have a merchant ship, why not continue with maritime trade?"

"Mr. Dong, you may not know, but the sea is very unsafe now. If it weren't for my French merchant ship, I might have..."

Dong Kubei understood. Before the war, the sea was not yet blockaded by submarines, but there were still inspections to prevent the outflow of military supplies.

At this moment, Tie Luohan, who had been silent, raised his cup and said, "I once said, great kindness does not need thanks. When we meet again, I will repay you generously. Today's thin wine and simple dishes are just a token of my and Shao Master's gratitude. I am a rough man and don't like to beat around the bush, so I'll speak directly." He paused, ignoring Dong Kubei's inquiring gaze, and continued, "Shao Master has a special ability. Whether it's night or any other environment, even if he only sees a back, he won't mistake the person. Even just hearing a cough, he can judge with 90% accuracy, rarely making a mistake."

Dong Kubei was taken aback, looking at the plump businessman from Shanxi. This was truly unexpected. He realized that yesterday, Shao Qinglin must have recognized him by his voice, which made him lose his composure and breathe heavily.

"Ha ha! It was just a coincidence, no need to take it to heart."

Dong Kubei was caught off guard and laughed to cover his shock.

"Mr. Dong, since it's out in the open, I'll speak frankly." Without waiting for Dong Kubei to respond, Shao Qinglin continued, "The great kindness of saving my life is like being reborn. I have already told Tie Brother that I will repay it."

"No need..."

Before Dong Kubei could finish, Shao Qinglin waved his hand and interrupted, "We know Mr. Dong is a man of great deeds, but we, like Rujì, are pure businessmen. So, please, Mr. Dong, point us in the right direction, and we will operate it, providing you with 30% of the shares."

"This..."

Dong Kubei was still processing this information. The other party had a merchant ship, experience in trading with foreigners, and a quick business mind. Although he had not done business before, he had seen some knowledge, but the practical experience and understanding were different. Whether the successful cases from the future would apply in this era needed further study.

"Mr. Shao, you said you have a long-distance merchant ship, have been to many countries, and even opened a factory?"

"Yes." Shao Qinglin's smile turned serious, "Mr. Dong, don't be formal, just call me Shao Fat. My friends all call me that."

Dong Kubei raised his cup and drank it with Tie Luohan, exhaled, and organized his thoughts, "Dong believes that in the next few years, the livelihood and resources will be the leading industries. Brother Shao can focus on these areas."

"Mr. Dong, please be direct. I have seen the direction, which is why I came to Heizui to discuss sending a batch of chefs to learn and open a restaurant in the concession. But yesterday, Mr. Dong's words made me realize that expertise is still the key. So, besides thanking you for saving my life, I really need your guidance."

Dong Kubei did not speak. He picked up a small piece of meat that looked like fish, slowly chewed it, but did not notice what he was eating. At this moment, his mind was racing, thinking about everything that had happened today and the direction Shao Fat could take.

With the memory of the future, although Dong Kubei did not have a business mind, he had a different perspective from this world. As long as someone with business acumen followed the experience of the future, it would not be bad. Moreover, resource acquisition did not require much complexity; it just needed money and the ability to establish a foothold locally. Resources were the foundation of a strong country, and with resources, post-war China could rise faster.

After confirming Shao Fat and Liu Rujì's identities in his mind, Dong Kubei organized his thoughts and said, "Brother Shao, you mentioned mining and smelting. Additionally, there are a few food processing industries you can explore. I will organize some materials for you to review. The direction is military supplies. Are you interested in these?"

"Mining? Military supplies?"

Shao Fat's eyes lit up. As a businessman, he understood these: "Mr. Dong, do you have specific projects for mining? Opening a food factory in the concession is feasible, and raising 500,000 silver dollars in a short time is not a problem."

"500,000 is not enough. The initial investment needs to be in the tens of millions. 500,000 can only open a food processing plant."

"Ten million?"

Shao Fat's eyes widened.

"So much!!"

Tie Luohan, who had not spoken, was also greatly surprised.

"This is the initial investment. More will be needed later." Dong Kubei thought for a moment and said, "I will provide the funds. If Brother Shao trusts me, we can collaborate. You will be responsible for the operations, and the key here is to have the ability to protect the business."

Shao Fat put away his smile and said seriously, "Mr. Dong, as long as it's business, I will not back down. I admire your talent and courage. As for trust, there's no need to say more. Both Tie Brother and I owe our lives to you. It's not just a matter of collaboration; running errands for you is no problem."

"I will be responsible for security. Mr. Dong, don't worry, I have many friends in the江湖 (jianghu)."

Tie Luohan patted his chest and said.

"Security not only requires good martial arts skills but also firearms..."

Dong Kubei said with a faint smile.

"Armed?"

Shao Fat and Tie Luohan looked at each other and said in unison.

"Yes." Dong Kubei nodded and changed the subject, "We can discuss this in detail later. Brother Shao, you mentioned buying radios in Germany, which are military supplies..."

"That's right. In Berlin, Germany, I unexpectedly saved a scientist named David Johnson and helped him escape from Berlin. Tie Brother and his men escorted him and his family to Bielefeld. The radios were bought through him."

"Oh?" Dong Kubei's eyes lit up. The person Shao Fat mentioned was a Jew. Although he had no memory of this person, he could confirm that he was a Jewish scientist. His name indicated his heritage, and he likely died in obscurity or in the Holocaust before gaining fame.

David Johnson told Shao Fat his Jewish name, clearly entrusting his life to him.

"Manufacturing!!"

A wave of thoughts surged in Dong Kubei's mind. He had long wanted to manufacture weapons, but he only knew the blueprints and data. Without the relevant professionals, it was impossible to achieve. This was why he had given up on manufacturing after realizing the difficulty of importing lathes into the interior and instead focused on seizing Japanese military supplies.

His mind racing, Dong Kubei looked up and said, "Brother Shao, I will organize a plan for the business development later, but I need your help with something."

"Please, Mr. Dong..."

"I need you to make a trip to Germany and help me order something."

"No problem!"

Shao Fat did not hesitate and immediately agreed...

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