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

Chapter 656 Sunset Red

On the way to Shanghai World, Konoe Akiyuki's thoughts were racing, and she seemed to be under tremendous psychological pressure now.

A few days ago, Toyama Mitsuru and Aoki Nobuzumi made an appointment with her again.

Tou Shanman first said something mixed to her: "Recently, your intelligence work has been very good, but you are still a little slow."

Konoe Akiyuki said: "I said that Li Yu can hardly find any weaknesses, let alone breakthroughs. But I already hold an important position in his company, and I can learn about many business decisions."

Aoki Xuanzhun shook his head: "It's not enough. I met the great shopkeeper Mitsui, and he spoke very highly of Li Yu, claiming that this person doesn't seem to like business, but his business vision far exceeds anyone else in the world."

Tou Shanman nodded and said: "I have always thought that Li Yu is a very great person. In addition to the scientists and business circles where he works, he also has a very accurate grasp of the current situation. Fortunately, he is not a figure in the military and political circles, otherwise I would definitely very worried."

Konoe Akiyuki said: "So it is even more necessary for me to be by his side and in the company for a long time."

Nobuzumi Aoki said: "What Mr. Mitsui means is that unless you can get close to his soul, you will never guess what he wants to do. Otherwise, by the time you know, it will be too late."

Konoe Aki asked: "It's late? What do you mean?"

Aoki Xuanzhun said: "That is to say, when he makes a decision and starts to implement it, no other company will catch up, and the intelligence cannot be counted as intelligence, because Li Yu himself will often make it public very quickly. In this regard He has always been very confident and never worried about any business secrets being known to others.”

Akiyuki Konoe said: "That's because he has too many patents and can update them every year without fear of latecomers."

Nobuzumi Aoki said: "That's why if we can't get close to his soul, the decisions he made cannot be called secret intelligence."

Konoe Akiyuki said: "But we are already one step ahead of the Americans and Europeans, and have purchased various advanced products provided by Li Yu Company."

Touyama looked at Konoe Akiyuki with stern eyes and said, "It sounds like you already like this unhurried and unhurried state."

Konoe Akiyuki was stunned for a few seconds and then said: "I was just performing a mission."

Tou Shanman did not look away and asked aggressively: "What is your mission?"

Konoe Akiyuki said: "Get close to Li Yu and get what the empire wants at all costs."

"What does the empire want?" Tou Shanman continued to ask.

Konoe Akiyuki said: "The empire wants to dominate and wants China."

Tou Shanman said: "For you, this statement is too broad."

Konoe Akiyuki said: "Please give me some advice, Mr. Touyama."

Tou Shanman said: "The empire wants Li Yu."

"Ah?" Konoe Akiyuki shuddered, "I have analyzed before that getting rid of him will not do us any good. Besides, Mitsui, Mitsubishi and other conglomerates now have important economic and trade relations with him."

Touyama Manze said: "Why do you speak for him?"

"I didn't!" Konoe Akiyuki immediately denied.

Tou Shanman said: "What I want to say about Li Yu is not to kill him, but to make him a member of the empire, at least a pro-Japanese person."

Konoe Akiyuki said: "But he already has inextricable ties with American capital..."

Tou Shanman said: "There is no delay. Over the years, we have tried many methods to plant spies in the United States, but have never been successful. If Li Yu is used, it will save us a lot of trouble."

Konoe Aki bit her lip: "But Li Yu really has no shortcomings. What we can give him is too little, far less than what the United States can provide. He is listed on the U.S. stock market and has close ties with the Morgan family, the Carnegie family, and Ford. Many patents are registered in the United States; now they don’t even show up, and the empire can hardly replace the United States. A few Americans, such as David Buick, Tesla and Davis, are responsible for business transactions.

Toyama Mitsuru said: "What you say makes sense. We are indeed inferior to the United States. We do not have strong industrial capabilities, let alone such a huge population reserve and economic strength, but we have a great bushido spirit and we will definitely be able to defeat all enemies! We have the most brilliant future! As for Li Yu, according to my observation, he is not pro-American, but more of an exploitative relationship. He obviously has many opportunities to deepen cooperation with the United States, but he is in key places. He restrained himself. These behaviors were like a flicker of water, and they were irrelevant. If I hadn’t been paying attention to him, I wouldn’t have noticed.”

Konoe Akiyuki was stunned: "I am ashamed that I am not as careful in my observation and analysis as Mr. Touyama."

Tou Shanman said: "Your judgment has indeed declined."

This criticism made Konoe Akiyuki panic: "I will pay more attention to it in the future."

Toyama Mitsuru said: "You don't have much time, don't let us wait too long. Mr. Konoe Fumimaro has now begun to revive the Konoe family. Don't you want to return to the Konoe family?"

This sentence is soft yet prickly, even a bit threatening.

Konoe Akiyuki leaned over and said, "I understand."

Toyama Mitsuru added: "Mr. Konoe Fumimaro is a different person from his father Konoe Atsumaro. If he cannot see the immediate benefits, he will not be moved."

-

"We're here, are you in a daze?"

Li Yu's voice brought Konoe Akira back to her senses, and she quickly said, "I'm thinking about a question."

"What's the problem?" Li Yu asked.

"It's nothing," Konoe Akiyuki said, "I'm going to change clothes first."

The standards of Shanghai World are quite high, and the boss Huang Chujiu came specially to greet them.

"Welcome, welcome! I have prepared the dance floor for you."

Li Yu smiled and said: "Boss Huang, this Mr. Tesla is not married yet. If you can find your partner in the big world, I will give you a good publicity."

Huang Chujiu said: "It's too easy! It's up to you to choose!"

Li Yu heard that Huang Chujiu thought he was joking, so he whispered: "This is a serious matter."

Huang Chujiu understood, but still said: "You can't force this kind of thing."

"I understand," Li Yu said, "it's up to people to plan things, and it's up to heaven to make things happen."

Huang Chujiu whispered a few words to the person next to him, and then said to Li Yu: "We have a new girl here from Changzhou, her name is Su Ying. She went to a church school for a few years before, but her family fell into poverty and she became a prostitute in a brothel. She was a widower for several years, but then she got older and refused to be a concubine in a rich family, nor did she want to sell her sex. She stayed at home for more than ten years. Now she comes to me to be a singer, and I made her the leader. "

"Can you speak English?" Li Yu asked.

Huang Chujiu said: "Yes."

"You are really crouching tiger, hidden dragon." Li Yu said with a smile.

After a while, this woman named Su Ying came over. She was probably in her forties.

Li Yu said to Tesla: "We are very lucky that there are women here who can speak English."

Tesla was stunned for a moment when he saw the woman in front of him wearing a typical early Chinese cheongsam. Nowadays, cheongsam is not completely popular yet, but when I first saw it, it was really fashionable.

Li Yu introduced her: "Ms. Su, this is Tesla. He is a famous inventor and scientist in the United States. He has made extremely outstanding contributions in communications and electromagnetism, and..."

Tesla interrupted Li Yu's speech: "Madam, all his words are too pale."

Su Ying was also somewhat interested in this foreigner with blue eyes but a handsome demeanor, and asked: "Great scientist, this title is not pale at all."

Tesla said: "With all due respect, meeting you reminds me of a poem I have heard countless times, but it was not until today that I finally realized its meaning."

Su Ying asked curiously: "What poem?"

"From the great poet Byron," Tesla straightened his voice and began to recite in a low voice,
“She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright; Meet in her aspect and her eyes."

The translation is:

She walks in the radiance of beauty, like a night clear and starry,

The most wonderful colors of night and day appeared in her face and eyes.

This poem is generally used on occasions such as Western weddings.

Su Ying could understand it, but she didn't know its purpose. She smiled and said: "The West also has such euphemistic poems, but the poems that truly praise feelings are still in China."

Tesla saw her interest in this topic and said happily: "I would like to hear the details."

Su Ying said: "For example, Qin Guan, once the golden wind and jade dew meet, they will win over countless people in the world."

"Today's wind? Today's wind?" Tesla's Chinese immediately dropped when faced with ancient poems, "I also think today's wind is great!"

"Mr. Tesla, there is no wind today." Su Ying said.

Tesla immediately said: "No, no, no, today's wind has made me a little drunk. Miss Su, can you continue to tell me more Chinese poetry."

Su Ying said: "Of course."

Li Yu was dumbfounded watching from the side, I'll choke him! He actually took the initiative to strike up a conversation!
The countless excuses and arrangements I had come up with turned out to be of no use.

Is this fate?
When they came to the dance floor, Zhang Xueliang and Yu Fengzhi had already danced to the beautiful music.

Zhang Xueliang sighed: "I love Shanghai so much. It's much better here than Fengtian!"

Yu Fengzhi reminded him: "Xueliang, Shanghai is a place where people with great ambitions should not stay."

"Big ambitions..." Zhang Xueliang smiled, "Of course I have big ambitions!"

Mitsui General Manager Masuda Takashi and Mitsubishi Chamber of Commerce Vice President Iwasaki Koyata came in and shook hands with Li Yu.

Iwasaki Koyata said: "Mr. Li, I came up with the idea of ​​the dance party. We are all old acquaintances. I don't think it is necessary to be in the conference room all the time. Don't you think so?"

"It's okay to be casual." In fact, being too formal would be detrimental to Li Yu. After all, he is not a professional business person.

Masuda Takashi said: "We are ready to increase imports, whether it is daily necessities, radio equipment, or even radio solutions, because your products have gained a huge reputation. Craftsman brand instant noodles are welcomed by the Japanese people, and we intend to build a factory in Japan. You How about half the shares?"

Li Yu knew that this kind of thing would happen sooner or later, but he would definitely not let himself come to the stage, so he said: "It is our foundation that holds shares, not me. These things can be managed by Mr. David Buick." "

Masuda Takashi only wanted to expand the scale of his business and did not care about the other party's equity structure. He replied: "No problem!"

Koyata Iwasaki said: "Mr.'s radio equipment is more reliable and durable than that of Italians and Germans. It is also of craftsman quality. More and more people in Japan are willing to use the solutions you provide."

Li Yu said: "This is called striving for excellence."

Iwasaki Koyata gave a thumbs up: "We want to learn this management spirit from you."

Li Yu accepted his compliment calmly: "I hope Japanese companies will remember it."

Masuda Takashi said: "They will definitely remember that the god of enterprise is Mr. Li Yu."

Li Yu smiled coldly: "God's explanation is exempted."

At this time, in the Japanese business world, if you want to talk about the "craftsman spirit", people all over the world will laugh to death!
More than a hundred years later, when the so-called Japanese craftsmanship that the Japanese business community worked hard to shape and many "public intellectuals" promoted began to gradually disintegrate in China, they could only rely on countless bows to slap themselves in the face.

Li Yu talked with them about the details of building the factory, while Tesla and Su Ying were gradually warming up.

"So your home is in Changzhou. It sounds like a beautiful place. With such an education, you must be a noble?" Tesla said.

Su Ying lowered her eyes and whispered: "I come from a declining family. Although I am big, I have a hard life. Several of my cousins ​​also love to sing and are very talented, but I am afraid they will never be able to get ahead in their lives. At most, be like me and be a wandering woman.”

It seems that she is also somewhat related to Zhou Xuan, who later became a great singer in Shanghai - the same Zhou Xuan who sang "Night in Shanghai".

Zhou Xuan comes from the Su family in Changzhou, and her surname is Su. Three years later, she will be abducted and trafficked by a useless uncle who smokes a lot.

There were tears in Su Ying's eyes. This kind of oriental female beauty made Tesla even more unable to resist. She hurriedly said: "Please don't cry. I don't like you like this, and I don't want you to cry again."

Su Ying gently wiped her eyes with a handkerchief: "Thank you, Mr. Tesla."

"So, can I ask you to dance?" Tesla just stood up and realized the problem, "But I'm not very good at dancing."

Su Ying reached out and said, "I can teach you, Mr. Tesla."

Well, Li Yu doesn't need to say anything at all.

"It's really enviable. The sunset red as the ancients said is nothing more than that." Konoe Akiyuki walked over in a beautiful dress.

This woman's beauty is indeed overwhelming, and after many years, it has become even more feminine.

Li Yu said: "Fate is so wonderful that it is indescribable."

"It's wonderful..." Konoe Akiyuki sighed softly, "I heard that Chinese people will marry concubines, but how much of the concubine's feelings are cared about."

Li Yu was a little confused by this incomprehensible remark, so he said: "Taking concubines is a bad habit. I am firmly opposed to it. It is what the New Culture Movement wants to get rid of."

"I know," Konoe Aki murmured, her heart a mess, and said, "The music is about to start, let's go to the dance floor."

Li Yu was actually not good at ballroom dancing, but it seemed to be quite popular during the Republic of China. Zhang Xueliang waved to him: "Mr. Li Yu, come quickly, Mr. Yu Heqin is going to demonstrate!"

Li Yu had no choice but to bite the bullet.

(End of this chapter)