Compared with the turmoil in the Ming Dynasty, the magnates have recently been more concerned and concerned about the strategy of the Japanese state.

The conclusion of the private discussion was that the emperor and the imperial court were very likely to be able to make up their minds, and as long as the European countries could accept the proposal, calmly withdraw from the Japanese archipelago, and redefine the sphere of influence, then it could be said that the Ming Dynasty would send troops to the Japanese state.

Even if Britain, France, the United States, the Netherlands, and other countries disagree, or only partially agree, it should not be able to change the outcome of the dispatch of troops, except for shaking the attitude of some people in the imperial court.

In this case, it is natural for the elites to consider the distribution of benefits after the war.

For the Ming Dynasty, the land of Dongying is a typical place where the military value is greater than the political value, and the political value is greater than the economic value.

Most of the famous companies such as the Mitsubishi Foundation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Co., Ltd., Kobe Heavy Industries Co., Ltd., and Nakajima Flying Co., Ltd. have survived or still existed today.

These companies had a long history and developed rapidly during the Meiji Restoration, and although Japan collapsed and reverted to feudal domination after gambling on national fortunes, the basic industrial needs of each feudal domain and the infusion of Western power allowed them to continue to develop to this day.

In addition to these well-known enterprise companies, there are also some industrial bases in the counties and cities, and even if there is no heavy industry, there is still more or less light industry.

Now, the magnates of the Ming Dynasty have been eyeing this piece of fat big or small, thinking about how to divide it up in the future.

No matter how small the mosquito is, it is meat, and the money robbed for nothing is also earned.

In the past few days, some nobles and giants who have been close to Zhu Lingjing have successively sent their cronies and henchmen to explain and negotiate their respective intentions and goals, hoping that she can help them and coordinate the distribution of interests in the future.

For example, Pingdu Bofu, whose Lichang Industrial Group is mainly engaged in light industry and has little involvement in heavy industry, has their sights on Wakayama Prefecture, hoping to take over the ownership of local factories and companies.

"The attitudes and intentions of all parties have been made clear one after another, and they have been almost considered these days, and today's dinner will probably be able to set a rough plan." Zhu Lingjing looked at her nails and said casually: "You also have to be there, formal and regular." ”

"Understood." Zhou Changfeng nodded.

Oh roar! Is this really a long time to see? Finally waited for this day.

It is not difficult to contact people in high society, and you can meet them occasionally, but it is not easy to integrate into their circle, and if no one leads you through the door, you will probably have to wait for them to take the initiative to find them.

In the Ming Dynasty, where there are many powerful and rich people, they can also come into contact with one or two from time to time in ordinary life. But for example, Zhu Lishuo is a distant branch of the royal family, and his social status is indeed not low, but it is only relative to the common people, and he is still 108,000 miles away from the small group of people who influence the decision-making of the Ming Dynasty, Zhou Changfeng knows this very clearly.

Zhu Lingjing's willingness to bring herself to such a dinner party means true recognition and acceptance, and it is also the starting point for herself to officially move towards the decision-making level.

The neatly dressed Zhou Changfeng hesitated to bring his own saber before leaving, would it look too high-profile if he brought it? Isn't it too low-key without it?

But in the end, he slung it cross-body around his waist, straightened the placket, aligned the leather belt around his waist, and waxed the boots shiny.

The dinner was held at the Tonghui Hotel, located on the west side of Tongjimen Avenue, and what Zhou Changfeng didn't know was that when he led his army to fight the British and Indian troops in Demaji last year, the capital's magnates had already held a celebration banquet here.

As the sun sets, the sky darkens and takes on a deep blue-black hue with dots of stars.

When Zhou Changfeng arrived, the street lights were lit on time, and the neon lights of the shops and buildings flashed one after another, and if you looked down from the sky, you could see that the whole city turned into a sea of lights in an instant.

Recently, the poor law and order situation has led to an increase in the number of escorts accompanying dignitaries and dignitaries, and many cars with guards in front of and behind are several full of guards.

Zhou Changfeng, who was standing at the door of the hotel, was a little at a loss, he was not familiar with the place, and Zhu Lingjing had not made it clear before whether he could enter directly with the invitation.

At this moment, a sound of footsteps and a familiar voice came from behind him, "Oh, it's pretty early." ”

Luo Fu, who was also dressed in navy uniforms, walked slowly, but when he saw the Yanling knife on his waist, he couldn't help but be stunned, "What are you doing with the knife?" and do not cut people today. ”

"According to the dress code, you should indeed wear a sword in regular clothes." Zhou Changfeng was a little helpless, then pointed to the direction of the gate and asked, "Do you want to continue to wait or go straight in?" ”

"You come with me."

"By the way, why are you here too?"

"Why can't I come?" Luo Fu smiled and stretched out his hand to point at himself, "Looking at the official position and recognizing people is not applicable here. ”

After depositing the exclusive Yanling Knife that should be rewarded by Heavenly Martial Arts, the two of them verified their identities and walked straight into the lobby of this magnificent hotel.

The dinner was set up on the sixth floor, and there were already a lot of people at the moment, and there were many waiters who were arranging dishes and fruits.

Zhou Changfeng, who stepped out of the elevator, was surprised, because this was completely different from the banquet with dozens of tables he thought.

There are only about 20 tables as far as the eye can see, but the furnishings of the environment are very different, and the distance between each table is just right, neither too close nor too far away.

Nearby, a young woman with a beautiful face and a blouse stood beside a lyre, unseated.

Under the guidance of the waiter, the two came to a table of eight immortals made of ebony.

"This is your seat." The waiter gave up his hand and left.

Zhou Changfeng glanced at the table behind the right, if he guessed correctly, it was Zhu Lingjing's exclusive position.

He turned his head sideways to Luo Fu and asked, "How many people are here today?" ”

The latter just took a petal of orange and replied casually: "Say too much, say a lot less, eleven or two, they are all big figures in politics, the military, and business between the government and the opposition." ”

At such a conference that goes straight to the core, the participants are undoubtedly close-knit partners, at least temporarily, with convergent interests on the same front.

Zhou Changfeng has always been very curious about what kind of existence Zhu Lingjing is now, how high her political status is, and how influential she is.

After waiting for a cup of tea, it was about a quarter past six o'clock, and those bigwigs who were usually rare to see finally arrived one after another.

The young man at the front is very tall, looking like he is in his thirties, quite elegant, and seems to be relatively gentle?

"Look, this is Yu Yongyu, the Pingdu Bo of the Dynasty, who is okay with his own people, but he is notoriously cautious to outsiders, and he will repay him." Luo Fu introduced in a low voice.

Later, there is a middle-aged man who looks equally approachable, with a slightly fat body, and the first impression can be said to give people a sense of honesty.

"Xu Zhiyan, from scratch to the president of Jiangsu and Zhejiang Shipbuilding Group, a good hand in business, I am afraid that hundreds of years ago I can be inseparable from Shen Wansan. The large and small shipyards in Ningbo, Hangzhou and Wenzhou are all under its umbrella. ”

"I think I've heard of it." In Zhou Changfeng's impression, Zhu Lingjing once talked to him about this person, and Xu Zhiyan and Xu Zhanwei are close to each other.

In addition to the main construction of civilian ships, the Jiangsu and Zhejiang Shipbuilding Group, which includes almost all the shipyards in Zhejiang Province, also accepts a large number of orders from the navy and is good at building small and medium-sized ships, and at least one-third of the destroyers, minelayers, minesweepers, gunboats, and torpedo boats of the Ming Navy are produced in its shipyards.

After that, nine more people came one after another, and Luo Fudu introduced them to Zhou Changfeng one by one.

To the latter's surprise, it was obviously a gathering of powerful people who were close to Zhu Lingjing, but there were also princelings, and it was 100% hardcore princelings - Wu Zhengren, the Zhan Shi of the East Palace.

Is this here to be a bright observer?

"In terms of appearance, aura and demeanor, these powerful people feel good." Zhou Changfeng thought for a moment, turned his head and whispered.

Luo Fu on the side snorted and replied: "It's true, but it's just a perception, in fact, they are all ruthless people who eat people and don't spit out bones." ”

He glanced at it and teased, "Aren't you the same?" is usually kind, but in fact he is more ruthless than anyone else. ”

Recalling his experience in the Caozhou disaster area not long ago, Luo Fu felt that Zhou Changfeng was also a resolute, ruthless and decisive character, which was completely consistent with the rumored image.

When everyone was seated, the protagonist of the dinner was belated.

Zhu Lingjing, who was dressed in black and purple clothes, walked slowly in high heels, and several hairpins with pendants were tied in her bun.

Those present, both standing and sitting, stood up straight, bowed their hands, and bowed.

"Today's talk is about happy things, why be polite, let go." Zhu Lingjing, who was holding a folding fan, walked calmly, and unhurriedly came to the square table that was empty for one of her to sit on the table.

As far as the seating arrangement is concerned, there are a total of eighteen tables, and she occupies one table alone, and Zhou Changfeng, Luo Fu and a middle-aged man have a table of three people, and they are located in the left front of Zhu Lingjing.

"I haven't seen him for a few months, and His Highness's face is even more noble." Someone touted.

This sentence began, and the magnates present praised one after another, and the eulogy was not the same.

This kind of mutual praise has little practical meaning, but it is an essential process to liven up the atmosphere.

"The rank is full of energy, and I think business has been booming recently." Zhu Lingjing said with a smile: "Eat first, and then negotiate when you have fun." ”

So, a few seconds after her voice fell, the musician who had been ready for a long time stroked the precious custom-made lyre, and the melodious and far-reaching sound of the piano immediately filled the banquet.

Waiters of men and women came in with plates of delicious dishes. The plating is also extraordinarily exquisite, and the discharge of meat and vegetarian dishes is staggered.

After Zhu Lingjing took the lead in moving the chopsticks, the others present started to move.

The atmosphere was also enlivened, and these bigwigs with extraordinary status and unimaginable power talked and laughed like ordinary people having a dinner, except for the absence of shouting gaffes, such a dinner party was still within the scope of ordinary people's imagination.

"In the following all, the princess's family order." The middle-aged man with square half-rimmed glasses and thick eyebrows lowered his voice and said with a smile: "I have long heard of the prestige of Chief Zhou, and I really admire it." ”

"There are still a lot of jokes, and the seniors are too famous." Zhou Changfeng raised his glass in salute, and then drank the warm red and yellow wine of his daughter.

Although it was the first time they met, Zhou Changfeng knew that this family order was the real person himself, and to some extent more important than Luo Fu.

The princess's mansion naturally has its own official office and subordinate officials, and the family order department was set up during the Hongwu period, which was in charge of the affairs of the princess's mansion. Si Cheng is one person, and he is eight products; There is one person in the record, and it is nine products.

However, in the twenty-third year of Hongwu, the family order department was changed to the central envoy department, and the eunuchs were appointed instead of ordinary civil officials.

Now that there are no eunuchs, the imperial court has directly restored the old system more than 500 years ago.

After three rounds of wine and five flavors of food, I don't know who took the lead first, and the topic gradually changed from trivial chatter to business.

Pingdu Boyu Yongyu said with a smile: "I have a side branch of the junior ambition is not small, to try to engage in steelmaking, chemical industry, these are not an easy task, the water is very deep. I persuaded it, but it didn't work, that kid was stubborn, and he felt that he had a chance, so he wanted to try it. ”

"This is not compared to the light industry of making clothes and food, iron smelting and steel making, chemical manufacturing can be very troublesome, you have to do what you can, you have no ability to be hard, if you don't succeed, but you will be ridiculed." Wu Zhengren replied in a flat tone.

The conversation between the two seems to be like a family chat, but the actual meaning is completely different.

"'There are side branches of the younger generations who are determined to engage in heavy steelmaking and chemical industry, but the depth of the water is not easy', this is to say that the heavy industry business in Daming is occupied, and he is very dissatisfied if he can't grab it."

"'Say that he is stubborn and does not listen to persuasion, and he will try it if he has the opportunity', which means that he has made up his mind this time, and he must make a ready-made amount while he is attacking the Japanese country."

"'Do what you can, if you fail, you will be laughed at', this is a warning to Pingdubo not to be too greedy, if you take too many benefits, it will make others dissatisfied."

Fang Shujun took a sip of wine and "translated" the encrypted dialogue of these powerful people to Zhou Changfeng.

The latter couldn't help but complain in a low voice: "There are no outsiders here, aren't you tired of talking like this?" ”

"People are used to talking and listening, so naturally it doesn't matter, if you listen to it more, you will get used to it."

“……”

Because Wu Zhengren represented the prince's faction, his attitude made everyone a little unhappy, and they felt that he was deliberately suppressing them.

Bite? After taking the Wa Kingdom, we are not allowed to divide it? How can you mess around with cutting a cake?

Even if you don't want to take the lion's share, wouldn't it be too outrageous to give it only to bits and pieces?

As a result, the atmosphere in the banquet suddenly became much more tense, and although the faces of the magnates still had smiles on their faces, their words became more and more sharp.

On the one hand, there are "own people" who are close to each other, and on the other hand, there are princelings, Zhu Lingjing weighed it for a while, and said without saltiness: "It is naturally excellent to have the courage to open up and work hard, as long as it is not too loser, this palace feels that it should be supported." ”

(End of chapter)