"Eight distinguished guests, please come inside." The receptionist in front of the door immediately counted the number of our group, bowed, and greeted us with a smile.
"Is your shopkeeper here?" Wen Zhang asked.
The receptionist always had a smile on her face, pointed to the counter and said: "Yes, it's at the front desk. Is this your first time visiting this building?"
"Yeah." Wen Zhang said a little shyly.
It was also the first time for Lin'an Tongle Tower to use women to welcome guests. Women rarely showed up in ancient times. Fortunately, during the Song Dynasty, the folk customs were open and the people readily accepted it after some discussion, especially in Lin'an and Fuzhou.
In large cities, other high-end restaurants have begun to follow suit. Women are more approachable than men. These guests must be gentle, smiling, and knowledgeable.
A middle-aged man at the counter saw me arriving and hurriedly came out to greet me: "Sir, you are here, please follow me."
"Shopkeeper Xiao Han, long time no see, are you used to being here?"
"Back to the young master, I was a little uncomfortable when I first came here, but now I have completely adapted to it."
The decoration style of Fuzhou Tongle Building is copied from the Lin'an main store. The shopkeeper Xiao Han and the main chef are both from Lin'an Tongle Building. Xiao Han is Xiao Tian's cousin. He is calm and has a similar appearance.
The old man from Tongle Building was later introduced by Xiao Tian and joined Longya and became a member of Longya's business department.
Long Ya was built only a short time ago and was still short of manpower, so Fuzhou Tongle Building was also Long Ya's intelligence point located here.
Xiao Han took us to Room 1, Tianzi, upstairs.
"It's so luxurious." Lin Ying sighed.
"Sister Lin, this is your first time here. I'll ask them to apply for a VIP card for you later. You can get a discount."
Although Chen Miao knew this place and had eaten at Tongle Building, this was the first time he entered Room 1 and he was also amazed.
Seeing that Fang Ling ordered a dozen dishes with great familiarity, Lin Ying said hurriedly: "Sister, you have been here before. How much will it cost to order so many dishes?"
"Don't worry, Sister Lin. My brother is a money addict, and we have to feed him off. This is called killing the rich and giving to the poor."
The Lin family ranks among the top three martial arts families, but they are very strict in managing their disciples and strictly control their daily expenses. The lives of the Lin family are not much different from those of ordinary people, so Lin Ying rarely gets involved in such things.
High-end consumer places.
After the dishes were served, I said, "Ling'er, you guys eat first while Xiao Han and I go out to take a look."
"I know, brother. Sister Lin, let's eat first."
"Well, let's wait until Mr. Huyan comes back to eat together." Lin Ying hesitated.
"Sister Lin, you're welcome, come on." Fang Ling gave Lin Ying a piece of chopsticks and said, "Brother Chen Miao, you can eat too."
Wen Zhang, Lan Yu, and Shen Mo also laughed together and said, "Please, you two, you're welcome."
After Yuan Ji and I left the room, we followed Xiao Han to a small room next to it.
Xiao Han closed the door and saluted, "My subordinate, Xiao Han, has met Master Huyan, Mr. Yuan."
"Well, everything is simple outside, no need to be polite."
Xiao Han said: "Yes, Master. Yesterday, I received a letter from Fei Ge at home. Mr. Lu said that everything is well at home. Please don't read it, Master."
"Okay! Xiao Han, how are you doing here?"
"Sir, the business of Tongle Building is currently booming, and it can vaguely compete with the largest local restaurant. The next step is to expand the affairs of the intelligence department."
I nodded and said: "Well, once the intelligence station has suitable manpower, we will go out independently. Xiao Han, please ask Lin Zhixiong to meet me here at noon tomorrow."
"Yes, sir."
"Sir, after dinner later you ask Wen Zhang to go to the Coastal Construction Department and ask Mr. Ye to come here tomorrow morning."
"Yes, sir."
"Xiao Han, there are many sources of information about the restaurant. Let the guys pay attention to see if there is anyone who can build big ships. The descendants of Gao Shang may be in this area of Fuzhou."
"Sir, my subordinates will inform you after the meeting."
"Well, in addition, there was a sea ship called Huating that came through Wenzhou recently. I have a friend named Huang Daopo. She will disembark at Fuzhou Port on this ship. Send someone to bring her here."
"Yes, sir."
"Okay, let's go back and eat. I'm hungry too."
Back in Room 1, everyone was enjoying their meal.
When Lin Ying saw me coming back, she hurriedly stood up and said, "Master Huyan, Mr. Yuan, I'm sorry, we have all started eating."
"It doesn't matter, since we can sit together today, it is a kind of fate, casual, haha, casual."
"Sister Lin, please sit down. Although my brother is a bit obsessed with money, he is very easy-going. You will know after a while."
"Haha, Ling'er, why do you always say that I am obsessed with money?"
"Businessmen are all the same. Sister Lin, don't you think so?"
Lin Ying's pretty face turned red and she said, "Sister Ling'er, I don't think the young master is what you said."
"What's that like?"
"I can't tell, but he's not the kind of businessman you mentioned."
Fang Ling pretended to be mature and said: "Hey, I didn't expect that I have known my brother for so long, but I don't know as much as you, Sister Lin, in one day, oh, no, half a day."
Lin Ying's face became more and more rosy, and she whispered: "Sister Ling'er, what are you talking about? I just have this feeling."
During meals on weekdays, Yuan Ji and others were basically silent, and only Fang Ling chatted. Today, he finally had company, and Fang Ling also had a great time chatting with him. After a while, Xiao Han came in and said: "Master, next to me
The rooms at Pingshan Inn have been arranged and can be checked in at any time.”
"Okay, let's go after dinner."
Pingshan Inn, next to Tongle Building, is a long-established inn in Fuzhou Prefecture. It is said to have been built during the reign of Emperor Taizu. Of course, it has been renovated many times over the past three hundred years, but its original appearance has remained unchanged, giving people a sense of antiquity.
Near noon, Ye Mengding and I finished our conversation and said, "Mr. Ye, I want to meet Fuzhou businessman Lin Zhixiong at noon. His matter should be related to the Fuzhou Shipping Department. You can go and listen to it with us."
"Yes, sir."
Wen Zhang had notified Ye Mengding in advance, so he also addressed him as a young master.
When we arrived, Lin Zhixiong had an anxious look on his face and was pacing back and forth in Room No. 1.
"Boss Lin, I haven't seen you for a few days. How are you?"
"Sir, you are here. I have been looking forward to the stars and the moon, and finally you are here."
"Boss Lin, don't be anxious. Sit down and talk. This is Mr. Ye. You have met the others."
Lin Zhixiong greeted Ye Mengding and others and said hurriedly: "Sir, I signed a contract with Overseas for MSG. The first batch of MSG was normal, but the second batch was detained by the Fuzhou Shipping Department as contraband. The deal was just around the corner.
The deadline is approaching, can I not be anxious?"
"Boss Lin, do you have any conflicts with Fuzhou Shipping Department?"
I once heard Wen Tianxiang say that new products like MSG, before there are any explicit regulations, are between feasible and unfeasible items. The right to define them belongs to the shipping companies in various places. Generally speaking, after paying taxes, it is enough, but the tax amount can be higher.
It's rare, but few shipping companies will prohibit it unless there is some grudge.
"Master Huyan, logically speaking, it shouldn't happen. I pay a lot of money to the Fuzhou Shipbuilding Department as tribute every year. I usually take care of everything in the Shipping Department. This is the first time I have encountered this kind of thing. Before I came here, Master.
, I also asked many people to go and inquire about it, but this time the Shipping Department’s opinions were unexpectedly consistent, and no one dared to reveal the slightest information. After thinking about it, I felt that the only one who might be able to find trouble was the Pu family in Quanzhou."
"Pu family? Who are they?"
Ye Mengding next to him asked: "Boss Lin, is the Pu family you are talking about the Pu Shougeng family who once served as Quanzhou Shipbuilding Supervisor?"
"Mr. Ye, exactly."
Ye Mengding introduced: "Speaking of Pu Shougeng, it can be regarded as a legend of our dynasty. The Pu family is from Semu in the Western Regions. His parents moved to Quanzhou Prefecture from Liangguang Road and engaged in overseas trade, mainly transporting bulk spices. For thirty years
Before, in order to encourage Pu's Sino-foreign trade
During the activities, the imperial court at that time also gave the Pu family the official title of "Chengjie Lang". After his father's death, the Pu family fell into decline for a time. Later, brothers Pu Shougeng and Pu Shoucheng inherited the family business. In the tenth year of Chunyou, Pu Shougeng served as Quanzhou Ship Director.
The Pu family quickly revitalized and once again reached its peak."
Lin Zhixiong said: "After the MSG was sold on Fujian Road, the Pu family approached me several times, hoping that I would transfer the overseas MSG business to them, but I did not agree. I think it was because of this that Pu Shougeng had great supernatural powers.
Officialdom on Fujian Road
It is very smooth, even Mr. Chen Xinshu of Fujian Road will give him face, and his brother Pu Shousheng has outstanding literary talent, is good at poetry and poetry, and has a close relationship with Mr. Shi, the commander of the system, so the Pu family is fully capable of letting the Fuzhou Shipping Department detain me.
Traveling goods."
"Pu family, Quanzhou Pu family?" I seem to have seen it somewhere, but I can't remember it for the moment.