A Man of Science and Engineering in Troubled Times Wandering in the Late Qing Dynasty

When Li Yu was reading a book, Koyata Iwasaki found him.

The future fourth-generation head of Mitsubishi came to invite Li Yu: "Respected academician Li Yu, my cousin, the president of Mitsubishi Group, Hisaya Iwasaki, and the chief executive of Mitsui, Takashi Masuda, specially entertained you at the Fugui Building."

Koyata Iwasaki put up an invitation card.

Li Yu would have guessed that they would have such a move. He had carefully considered how to do business with Japan on the way from Shanghai to Japan, and it would be best to leave some foreshadowing for the future.After deliberation all the way, Li Yu finally thought of a very good breakthrough.

Many people must know that Japan had four major chaebols before World War II: Mitsui, Mitsubishi, Sumitomo, and Yasuda.

Among them, Mitsubishi is the most famous, or it is the most high-profile.Moreover, Mitsubishi was engaged in pure military business, and later built many warships and the famous Zero fighter jet for the Japanese Navy.

So Mitsubishi is the most difficult to penetrate, after all, the military business is too sensitive.

But Mitsui is different. You can understand that Mitsui is engaged in logistics business.

And Japan's largest chaebol is actually Mitsui.

Li Yu has some business ideas and is ready to learn from Mitsui, such as keeping a low profile as much as possible and building an invisible empire.

In later generations, South Korea's chaebols became even more powerful and could almost control the country's economy. Some people say that a Korean cannot live without Samsung.

If this sentence is placed in Japan, it is the Mitsui Foundation, and Mitsui's business covers all aspects of Japanese life.

What Toyota Motor, Toshiba, Toray, 711, Yoshinoya, Fujifilm, etc. are all owned by the Mitsui consortium.

Note that it is the "Mitsui Consortium", which is a group of large companies, such as Toyota. It is impossible for Mitsui to control Toyota.

Together they are called the "Mitsui Foundation."The reason why it is called "Mitsui Consortium" instead of "Toyota Consortium" or "Toshiba Consortium" is because among these large companies, only Mitsui opened a bank, which is the basis for their integration of wealth.

Mitsubishi, Sumitomo and other consortiums are also the same reasoning, you can guess without looking, they all open banks.

So to put it bluntly, it is a group of manufacturing companies looking for one or two banks to cooperate and invest together, rather than forming a new enterprise group.This is the Japanese consortium in the modern sense.

However, before World War II, the Mitsui family could still control its companies, so it could be called a "zaibatsu" rather than a "consortium."

These large Japanese chaebols were all major accomplices in the Japanese Empire's invasion of China during World War II.Fighting not only requires fighter jets and warships provided by Mitsubishi, but also logistics. Mitsui has contributed a lot in this regard.

And Mitsui can hold a certain amount of shares through investment, because Mitsui first implemented the manager system and abandoned family management.

——The chaebols understand very well that family management relies too much on the ability of the head of the family. If the head of the family is not good, it will implicate the chaebol themselves. It is better to hire a capable professional manager to help them manage the business.

When it comes to invading China, Japan's stronghold is the Northeast region.

The most famous Japanese enterprise in Northeast China is "Manchuria Railway" - Manchuria Railway Co., Ltd.This is Japan's most important top company in the Northeast, occupying tens of thousands of kilometers of railways in the Northeast, operating the huge Fushun Coal Mine and Anshan Iron and Steel, and dominating the terminals in Dalian, Lushun, Andong, and Yingkou.

50% of Manchurian Railway’s equity is owned by the Japanese government, and the other 50% is private investment. The main components are chaebols such as Mitsui, Mitsubishi, and Sumitomo.

In addition, after Japan occupied North China, it established the North China Development Co., Ltd. to conduct a unified monopoly on transportation, telecommunications, power generation and transmission, mining, manufacturing, and salt industries in North China.

This "North China Development Co., Ltd." has a total capital of 3.5 million yen, half of which is invested by the Japanese government and half by the chaebols. The three largest private shareholders are Mitsui, Mitsubishi, and Sumitomo.

A similar company is Huazhong Zhenxing Co., Ltd., which controls the mining, telecommunications, hydropower, shipping, railway, and real estate industries in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, with a total investment of 2.44 million yen.

In short, these Japanese-funded forces are all-pervasive. Later, some people lamented: "Even places that cannot be found on ordinary maps are the markets of Japanese trading companies."

Li Yu's goal is to slowly hide himself behind the scenes through multi-layered shareholding relationships, and then buy shares of chaebols such as Mitsui through companies in the United States.

It is difficult to influence the direction of these chaebols, but they can return funds to the country.

At that time, Americans will stand in front of the stage, such as Xie Yuxi, David Buick, Tesla and others, and let them come forward.

Seeing Li Yu hesitate for a moment, Koya Iwasaki immediately said, "The Fugui Building is the best tea room in the entire Tokyo area. It was built with the funds of Mr. Hirobumi Ito, and it has the best geisha in the entire Kanto Plain."

"Geisha?" Li Yu was taken aback.

Iwasaki Koyata said: "Yes, this is the respect we show to sir. Please go to the most excellent Fuguilou to show our sincerity."

"This..." Li Yu felt a little dizzy.

Japanese teahouses are different from Chinese brothels. The geisha in Japanese teahouses also sell their bodies, but very few of them do not.

It is said that Hirobumi Ito's wife used to be a geisha.

But even if he married a geisha, Ito Hirobumi still has many lovers and geisha.

In Japan, this is not a big deal, and even invite the oiran to entertain guests as a grand public relations method.

Jinwei Zhaoxue said suddenly: "Our boss just got married, so I'm afraid it's inappropriate to go to such a romantic place."

"How can the dignified Academician Li Yu, a super rich man, be afraid of his wife?" Koyata Iwasaki said with a smile, "Isn't that right?"

Li Yu didn't know how to answer for a moment.

Konoe Akiyuki said: "Although Japanese culture is learned from China, many places are still different. This is not out of fear, but I think it should be out of respect."

Iwasaki Xiaoya was stunned: "Academician Li Yu is really awe-inspiring, but we have already invited three oirans to be present, and the place may not be changed."

As the king of geishas, ​​the price of oiran is quite high.

To be honest, they gave Li Yu a lot of face, and Li Yu also wanted to cooperate with them, so it is not good to refuse directly.

Konoe Zhaoxue said: "If it's just as a servant, I can do it, and I'm much better than those oirans."

Konoe Zhaoxue's proposal was already the best solution, and Li Yu knew her well, so he was somewhat sure.

Iwasaki Xiaoya thought for a while: "This is an acceptable proposal. I can only be lucky enough to accept this oiran who should serve Mr. Li Yu."

Iwasaki Koyata's eyes were shining, and it seemed that these oirans were indeed of good quality.

Li Yu and Konoe Zhaoxue followed him to the Fugui Building opened by Ito Hirobumi. Because the house was very new, the interior decoration was magnificent and extremely ambiguous.

Takashi Masuda, the head of Mitsui Zaibatsu, and Hisaya Iwasaki, the head of Mitsubishi Zaibatsu, were waiting. Next to them sat an oiran wearing heavy makeup.

Konoe Zhaoxue also put on a kimono, and when she appeared with Li Yu, the other oirans were even overshadowed.Iwasaki Koyata gave an introduction to several people and sat down in the room.

Masuda Takashi is the professional manager hired by the Mitsui Zaibatsu, known as the "Mitsui big shopkeeper".Of course, it is impossible for him to have complete power to dispose of all the assets of the Mitsui Zaibatsu, and there are still several high-level officials surnamed Mitsui standing behind them, but these Mitsui people do not care too much about business, and have given Takashi Masuda great management power.

Takashi Masuda liked to fund the revolutionaries (in fact, it was a political gamble). Later, Mr. Zhongshan signed some secret contracts with him, and received 300 million yen from the Mitsui Zaibatsu with the right to co-found the Hanyeping Coal and Iron Company as compensation.

It's just that Yuan Shikai suddenly became president later, and the matter was left alone.

Masuda Takashi looked at Konoe Zhaoyuki, who was gorgeous and gorgeous, and asked, "I never thought that Academician Li Yu had met such an excellent oiran after staying in Japan for such a short time. I have never seen him in the whole of Tokyo. Could it be?" From Kyoto?"

Konoe Akiyuki poured wine into Li Yu's cup: "I'm just a little girl, not a famous courtesan. Master Masuda is making fun of me."

Konoe Akiyuki spoke with a pinched voice, making her look even more charming.

Masuda Takashi and others often go to geisha places, but they have never seen an oiran of this quality.

Hisaya Iwasaki praised: "Mr. Li Yu's blessings are enviable."

The two made several comments on various geisha. Li Yu felt that it was very similar to their daily communication, but he couldn't intervene in this aspect.

Masuda Takashi and Iwasaki Hisaya did this to make the atmosphere relaxed enough. Only when the other party reduces their psychological defenses can they discuss business better.

After drinking a few rounds of wine, Masuda Takashi finally got down to business: "We already have a certain understanding of Mr. Li Yu's business scope. I have been fascinated for a long time, and I have long wanted to get acquainted."

Hisaya Iwasaki said: "Moreover, Mr. Li Yu's business scope is very wide, including daily life products, as well as complex mechanical products such as radios and core parts of automobiles, so I invited Takashi Masuda, the big shopkeeper of Mitsui, to find you with me. discuss cooperation."

Li Yu knew in his heart that they were so shocking after knowing that they were just a business unit listed in the United States, and they also had close cooperation with the super financial giants in the United States, and they already regarded themselves as super businessmen.

After all, it took half a century for Japan to find it difficult to enter the business circle of the United States. Naturally, it admired Li Yu very much.

Li Yu said: "Win-win cooperation is the cornerstone of business."

The meaning of Li Yu's words is relatively clear, but not clear enough, but Hisaya Iwasaki and Takashi Masuda have already heard about the possibility of cooperation, so Takashi Masuda said: "My plan is that our Mitsui company and Mr. As well as cooperation in automobile and other businesses; and Mitsubishi Corporation cooperates with Mr. in radio products.”

At this time, the price of radio is extremely high, which is worth the sum of the previous businesses, so it is reasonable for Takashi Masuda to divide it up like this.

Li Yu said: "I have no objection to your proposal, but regarding the process of cooperation, I hope to establish separate trading companies to facilitate settlement."

Masuda Takano nodded: "I accept."

Hisaya Iwasaki added another one: "In addition, I hope to be able to undertake the shipping business of exporting products from China to Japan, Southeast Asia, and Australia in the future."

Shipping business is a major pillar of Mitsubishi. Li Yu originally wanted to give this business to Denmark's Maersk, so he euphemistically said: "I can sign a five-year contract first and renew it in the future."

After hearing this, Hisaya Iwasaki had no objection: "I also accept."

Li Yu's goal has been initially achieved.

With a trading company, there is an opportunity to infiltrate Mitsui's business; in the future, this company registered in Japan can also increase its shareholding in Mitsui, so as to achieve Li Yu's ultimate goal.

Although Li Yu doesn't have much knowledge about this yet, he can definitely learn some business knowledge.

After all, fighting a war is all about logistics and economy.As mentioned before, Xiao He and Li Shanchang, the first heroes of the Han Dynasty and Ming Dynasty, were both engaged in logistics.

In the future, Li Yu can make many small moves in Japan's logistics, and at the same time provide more logistical support for the country.

——This can also be regarded as a battlefield without gunpowder smoke, and the two sides are fighting a protracted war.

Masuda Takashi called the lawyer he had found to draw up the terms of the contract in detail.This matter was quite troublesome and was not completed until late at night.

Hisaya Iwasaki, Takashi Masuda, and Koya Iwasaki got used to this situation too early, so they went to rest in the room with their arms around the oiran.

Li Yu definitely wanted to sleep by himself, but after taking a last sip of wine, he suddenly felt dizzy and his body was quite hot.

Jinwei Zhaoxue smiled secretly, and helped Li Yu to a room that had already been prepared.

Li Yu lay down on the quilt spread on the ground, while Konoe Akira began to undress Luo Shang.

Many thoughts flashed through her mind: high-level officials such as Yamaman who wanted to occupy her head many times, the dead Konoe Toshimaro, dreams with little hope, her own mission, etc., all in her mind. Keep flashing.

But in the end, for some reason, he stayed at the back that blocked the knife for himself at that time.

Rather than letting those old men take advantage of me, it is better to give this tall, smart, handsome, and super capable person in front of me.

Of course, in a spy's mind, the mission comes first, and she knows exactly what she should do.

Coincidentally, Li Yu also knew her details, and he was just using her as well.

It's just that Konoe Zhaoxue didn't know that Li Yu knew his identity.

Li Yu still rubbed his temples vigorously.

Jinwei Zhaoxue leaned over and stuck to his back intentionally, and Li Yu felt even hotter when he felt the softness of his flesh.

Konoe Auki stroked Li Yu's head and asked, "Sir, what's wrong with you?"

Li Yu said, "Tokyo is really hot!"

"How hot is it?" Konoe Zhaoxue's hands were skillful.

Li Yu felt like he couldn't control himself anymore. This little girl must have been drugged. Made, she treated herself as prey!
OK, let me know what a hunter is.

Konoe Akiyuki has many tricks up her sleeves. Even if she is willing a hundred times in her heart, she still gives in half-heartedly and plays hard to get. She is better than the other courtesans next to her.

Li Yu finally turned around and held her down. Under the dual effects of alcohol and medicine, his body's instincts exploded.

Can't describe.

He dimly thought of Ito Hirobumi's words: "Drunk lying on the lap of a beautiful woman, wake up and grasp the power of the world."