Chapter 65

As the cherry blossoms danced in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

Xiaoming stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly gripped the secret letter from his mother.

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Liu Rujì was amazed by Dong Ku's plan. She had never known a restaurant could be run like this. Page by page, she flipped through the documents, losing her usual calmness. She was astounded by Dong Ku's talent, considering him almost superhuman.

The plan was extremely detailed, covering everything from dining standards to recipes, room layouts for accommodation, sauna and bathing facilities, underground parking, and dining arrangements. Especially the dining layout, which was divided into three main sections: Japanese cuisine, Western cuisine, and Chinese cuisine, each independent but also able to mix. The Western restaurant menu was particularly extensive, featuring specialties from various countries. It was clear that once inside, there would be no meal you couldn't find.

What stood out was the main Japanese cuisine section, which included several tiers, including top-tier imperial cuisine. According to the notes, imperial cuisine was the food served to the Emperor. This left a deep impression on Liu Rujì, who had been to Japan. The hierarchical system in Japan meant that no one dared to learn the dishes reserved for the Emperor, even though there were no explicit rules against it. The outside world didn't know what the Emperor's meals specifically included or how they were prepared. Yet, she held over twenty recipes for the Emperor's meals.

Looking at Dong Ku, who was sipping tea with his eyes lowered, Liu Rujì found him increasingly enigmatic. Dong Ku was no longer just a mystery to her.

After a long pause, she gathered her thoughts and returned to reality. Putting down the documents, she asked, "Mr. Katō, the layout and design of the restaurant are all well and good, but where in Harbin can we find such a large space for a restaurant?"

"Um," Dong Ku put down his teacup and nodded, "You're right, Miss Liu. There isn't."

"Then..."

Liu Rujì was a bit confused, unsure what Dong Ku was up to. Without a restaurant, were they just talking in theory?

"Miss Liu, have you been to the Qiu Lin Commercial Company in Qinjiagang?" Dong Ku asked calmly.

"Qiu Lin? Yes, I have. Do you mean to say..." Liu Rujì looked at Dong Ku in surprise.

"Ha ha! Miss Liu, you're overthinking it. As a businessman, I must conduct business properly, and the property must be my own. Besides, although Qiu Lin is now under Japanese control, its assets belong to the Soviet Union. I don't want to argue with those big-nosed people in the future. I want to create a Chinese industry that can be passed down to future generations, one that belongs to the Chinese people."

"Oh? So Mr. Katō is planning to..."

"Miss Liu, take a look at the design plans for the restaurant. Just look at this, and you'll understand." Dong Ku smiled and pulled out the restaurant design plans.

"Ah! In just one day and night, you managed to draw up the construction plans for a building?!"

Liu Rujì was completely stunned when she saw the detailed plans. These weren't just words that could be quickly written; they were comprehensive construction plans for a building, including water supply and drainage systems. In her mind, even a team of people would need more than a day or two to produce such plans.

"Miss Liu, the location will be opposite Qiu Lin, in a bustling area. Not only must the property be our own, but the style must also reflect unique Chinese culture. Therefore, we will build the restaurant ourselves. As for the name, it will be called Longxiang International Hotel!" Dong Ku said seriously, clearly not considering buying an existing property.

Liu Rujì took a deep breath. She sensed the message Dong Ku was conveying: he wanted to create a Chinese culinary brand, not just make money.

"Great! I, Liu Rujì, may be a woman, but I am determined to promote Chinese culinary culture. Since you have such vision and courage, I will do my utmost." Saying this, she took the contract she had already reviewed and signed her name on it.

Dong Ku took the contract from Liu Rujì, signed his name, and handed her a copy, smiling. "A world-leading figure in the culinary industry, a queen standing at the pinnacle of world cuisine, is born today. If Miss Liu is available, we can head to Harbin tonight to secure the location within two days, start construction within a month and a half, and open for business within two months. During this period, we can train the chefs and staff. What do you think, Miss Liu?"

"Great! I'll arrange for Uncle Tie to prepare the car." Liu Rujì was decisive, and she immediately picked up the phone to make arrangements.

Dong Ku sat there, listening quietly. He heard the phone calls to the Harbin garrison headquarters, the arrangements for architects, and the preparations for building materials in Harbin.

"Who would have thought Liu Rujì is such a capable person? Her thinking is so clear, and her connections are impressive. No wonder she has managed to establish herself so steadily on her own." He thought to himself, raising his estimation of Liu Rujì even higher.

On the road, Dong Ku discovered that Liu Rujì was far more complex than she appeared. Three cars, with several armed men in the front and back, and their respectful attitude towards her, gave Dong Ku the impression that if Liu Rujì were to join the battlefield, she would be a true heroine.

After a day and night of travel, the journey was smooth, and they passed through checkpoints without any hindrance. At each checkpoint, Uncle Tie only needed to show his credentials to proceed, without any inspection. They finally arrived in Harbin as the sky was getting dark.

Apart from a lieutenant colonel, the reception for Liu Rujì also included officials from the puppet state of Manchukuo. During the meal, Liu Rujì briefly introduced Dong Ku, who was to be the advisor for the upcoming Longxiang International Hotel.

What Dong Ku didn't expect was that Liu Rujì had considerable influence, and the name of General Shina was indeed effective. Before their arrival, the small shops and houses opposite Qiu Lin Commercial Company had already been notified for requisition. If Liu Rujì hadn't mentioned paying for them, they might have been forcibly requisitioned and demolished.

Upon learning that the land issue was resolved and meeting the architects arranged by Liu Rujì, they discussed the building requirements for half the night. He adopted the suggestions of the experienced master craftsmen, improving the architectural style to make Longxiang Hotel more Chinese, with elements of Western European design.

The key was the construction. He didn't require the entire building to be made of concrete, as it was scarce at the time. The hotel would be rebuilt in a few years and was not a permanent structure. Given the construction schedule, using brick and stone would be faster.

After a thorough discussion, the architect, Fan Minjiang, who had studied abroad, understood Dong Ku's requirements and was impressed by this Japanese man, Katō Seihiko. Not only was his knowledge extensive, but his new ideas about architecture were beyond what Fan, a lifelong enthusiast of architecture, could imagine. Another point was that, despite being Japanese, Dong Ku had largely adopted Chinese architectural styles for the main building, using Western European design concepts only at key points. This deeply moved Fan Minjiang, who, after the discussion, worked late into the night, studying the plans.

Dong Ku had rested enough on the road. Upon arriving, he realized how quickly Liu Rujì had acted. If possible, they could start demolishing nearby buildings and preparing the foundation the next day after paying.

He rubbed his forehead, stood up, and went to Liu Rujì's room. He asked the guard at the door, "Is the boss resting? I have a question to ask."

The guard, knowing that this Japanese man was favored by the boss, politely said, "The boss should be resting. Mr. Katō, please come back in the morning."

Before he finished speaking, Liu Rujì's door opened.

"Mr. Katō, please come in. I was just about to discuss something with you."

Liu Rujì was dressed neatly, clearly not planning to rest.

"Boss, you've been working hard."

Dong Ku bowed and entered Liu Rujì's room.

Yan'er, who was also awake, served Dong Ku tea and then left the room.

"Boss, we only have about 100,000 silver dollars in cash. Although it can cover the initial expenses, I think we can start digging the foundation by tomorrow afternoon. I plan to go to the Citibank in Tianjin to withdraw some cash."

Liu Rujì had seen the box Dong Ku was carrying and knew it contained gold. However, she also knew that the current exchange rate was about 350 silver dollars per tael of gold, and the box contained only about 100,000 silver dollars worth of gold. She was awake, thinking about the funding issue to decide the next steps.

Hearing Dong Ku's plan to go to Tianjin, she thought for a moment and said, "Carrying a large amount of cash back from Tianjin is troublesome. How about this: you can go tomorrow, but don't carry too much cash. You can go with Colonel Doi, the financial officer of the Harbin garrison headquarters, to the Citibank to transfer the funds. Then, he can pay in Manchurian currency here, with a good exchange rate, and it will save us the trouble. After all, there is no Citibank here, so we can't withdraw cash directly."

"Give it to the Japanese?"

Dong Ku analyzed the situation. The gold in Citibank belonged to Wang Ziyuan, and it was uncertain whether it really existed. Moreover, he felt uncomfortable giving it to the Japanese. However, he realized that Liu Rujì's arrangement was to provide some convenience to the local Japanese, and the exchange would benefit them. Clearly, Colonel Doi was part of her network.

"Alright, I'll leave it to Miss Liu. We'll exchange 4 million silver dollars in Manchurian currency and withdraw 1 million silver dollars in cash for the entire Longxiang Hotel project. If there are any issues in Tianjin, I'll bring enough gold to Harbin within ten days to avoid delaying the construction."

Liu Rujì didn't know that Dong Ku was unsure about the 11 million silver dollars' worth of gold in Citibank. She had left a contingency plan: either rob a Japanese commercial company or get gold from Jiamusi, a few boxes would suffice. Seeing that Dong Ku didn't object to exchanging money with the Japanese, she said, "Since you have no objections, I'll contact Colonel Doi to arrange a flight to Tianjin. This way, we can return in one day."

"Flight?"

Dong Ku was surprised. This wasn't the modern era, and the situation at Shanhaiguan was tense. How could Japanese planes fly to Tianjin so easily?

However, he knew that if Liu Rujì said it, it must be feasible. So, he agreed readily. But he was still unsure whether Wang Ziyuan had 11 million silver dollars' worth of gold in Citibank.

Fortunately, everything went smoothly. In the morning, they arrived at Citibank, showed the seal and account number, and 5 million silver dollars' worth of gold was transferred to Colonel Doi's account.

Without delay, they returned from Tianjin in the afternoon. Although the flight was a bit slow, it only took about seven to eight hours, not much slower than in the modern era.

When Dong Ku, Colonel Doi, and Liu Rujì arrived at the Daisei Bank in Harbin to handle the related procedures, Dong Ku didn't participate in the details, subtly leaving it to Liu Rujì. He discreetly observed the bank, which had been operating for over a year, and thought to himself, "One day, I'll make you spit it all out!"

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End of the page.