"Shut up!" Liu Dagu couldn't hold in his anger anymore.

"Hahaha..." Fujii Katsuyoshi suddenly burst into loud laughter.

The meeting room fell into sudden silence. Liu Dagu had been preparing to reprimand Lin Chuan and send him out, but upon hearing Fujii Katsuyoshi's laughter, he immediately closed his mouth and quietly sat back down. He didn't understand what Fujii Katsuyoshi meant, whether he was angry, or...

Liu Dagu decided to sit down honestly, not wanting to cause trouble or stir up more issues.

Tang Yumeng frowned.

At this time, Fujii Katsuyoshi's smile faded, and he said: "Lin Chuan, it seems I wasn't wrong about you. Only you have not been blinded by self-interest. Indeed, I have come here with a purpose. If you agree to one condition, I can add an investment of an additional ten billion CNY."

Sss...

Everyone involuntarily inhaled sharply.

"Mr. Fujii, please speak," Liu Dagu's face instantly lighted up with a smile and he said: "Just give your command, whatever conditions you have, be it three years tax exemption, five years, or even ten years... all these are not a problem."

"Money doesn't matter to me," Fujii Katsuyoshi said with a smile: "My condition is just one, and it's very simple."

"What exactly is it?" Liu Dagu couldn't wait to know.

"This was a lifelong regret of my grandfather," said Fujii Katsuyoshi, unable to help sighing, "Back then, my grandfather followed the main force to Wujiang, where they encountered stubborn resistance from two enemy forces. They fought for three days and nights here. Because the front line was too long and they couldn't keep up with supplies, the army of more than three thousand was left with barely any survivors. Later they retreated to the main camp. They attacked Wujiang several times, but never succeeded. In one of the attacks, my grandfather and others were surrounded in Wujiang, and after fierce combat, out of more than a thousand people, only five were captured..."

Lin Chuan also listened seriously for a while, last night, Lin Chuan specifically asked Xiao Xue to look up the history of Wujiang for him.

This was the famous Battle of Dragon Spring Mountain in history. It is said that the Eight Route Army annihilated over five thousand enemies here and captured over six hundred. However, after the Emperor of Japan announced the surrender, most of the captured committed seppuku. Only a few were repatriated back to Japan. And Fujii Katsuyoshi's grandfather was one of them.

"That is history," Lin Chuan nodded, "Evil does not prevail over good, and an invasion war can never be successful in the end. Mr. Fujii, please face history squarely."

"I admit defeat," Fujii Katsuyoshi nodded.

"So what is your purpose?" Tang Yumeng asked.

"My grandfather was always tormented by the question of why he didn't have the courage to commit seppuku at that time," Fujii Katsuyoshi sighed, "Before his death, he was afraid that he would be scolded by his former comrades-in-arms. Therefore, he entrusted me with a task, that no matter what, I must build a Heroic Spirit Monument on Dragon Spring Mountain to commemorate those departed comrades."

"That's doable, why not?" Upon hearing this, Liu Dagu immediately agreed.

"Secretary Liu!" Lin Chuan sneered, "Those who died on Dragon Spring Mountain were invaders. How can you build a tomb and erect a monument for invaders on our soil? Do you realize... in the Battle of Dragon Spring Mountain, how many soldiers from the Eight Route Army died? Over twenty thousand died. That's more than three times the number of the enemy. Why isn't there a single monument for our warriors?"

"Ah..." Liu Dagu was stunned, speechless.

Liu Dagu quickly looked at Tang Yumeng, who was also hesitating for a moment.

"Can the two be compared?" Liu Dagu exclaimed in haste: "Besides, so many years have passed since that history, why dwell on it so much? As the saying goes, it's better to resolve enmity than to hold a grudge. We shouldn't always cling to the past. We should look forward. Moreover, Mr. Fujii isn't to blame for the past, we shouldn't target him. It wouldn't be a bad thing for the Fujii Corporation to build a Heroic Spirit Monument here, right? At the very least, it can help our descendants remember this part of history."

"Is that so?" Lin Chuan said disdainfully: "That sounds so touching."

"What do you mean?" Liu Dagu frowned and said: "If you're not happy, you can leave, no one is keeping you here."

"That's enough," Tang Yumeng glanced at Liu Dagu and said: "Secretary Liu, this decision can't be made lightly. I think it's necessary for me to go back to the City Committee and have a meeting to consult everyone, after all, this is not a decision that you or I can make alone."

"This..." Liu Dagu was taken aback, and said: "Secretary Tang, how can we miss such a good opportunity now?"

"It's decided then," Tang Yumeng replied, and at this moment, she looked at Fujii Katsuyoshi, "Mr. Fujii, do you have any other requirements? If so, please speak out as soon as possible so I can rush back to Jiangbei City and convene an emergency meeting to discuss."

"No," Fujii Katsuyoshi shook his head.

"I'll give you an answer after I return to Jiangbei City," Tang Yumeng said apologetically, "If you had brought up these requests earlier, perhaps I could have given you an answer by now."

"Then I'll wait in Wujiang for your good news," Fujii Katsuyoshi smiled.

The demands proposed by the Zhu Corporation left Tang Yumeng in a difficult position, yet Liu Dagu felt there was no issue at all, or rather, that erecting a Heroic Spirit Monument wasn't an excessive request. After all, their investment was worth tens of billions of CNY. What did that mean in comparison to a ruined monument? However, Tang Yumeng knew that in such a sensitive era, every decision had to be extremely cautious.

The meeting went on for over an hour, and still, no results were reached.

Liu Dagu left the meeting room infuriated. Fujii Katsuyoshi and his entourage returned to the hotel, deciding to visit Dragon Spring Mountain after lunch and take another dip in the hot springs at Dragon Spring, a place Fujii Katsuyoshi seemed to quite fancy.

After leaving the meeting room, Tang Yumeng went back to her hotel room to pack her things, ready to leave.

At this time, Liu Dagu hurriedly followed her.

"Secretary Tang, do we really need to call a City Committee meeting for this?" said Liu Dagu helplessly: "Can't you just make a direct decision? This is an investment project worth tens of billions of CNY, and if we're not careful, it might just slip away. Wouldn't it be such a pity if the duck that's ready to eat flies away?"

"Secretary Liu, even if the project was worth hundreds of billions, I'd still return to the City Committee to call a meeting," Tang Yumeng said earnestly to Liu Dagu, "After all, this is a sensitive era, and that's a sensitive piece of history. I don't have the power to take on such responsibility, and neither do you."

"Ah, what a bother," Liu Dagu couldn't help but exhale a breath of frustration and said: "Isn't it just a ruined monument? If it really comes to that, can't we just erect another one for the Eight Route Army soldiers who sacrificed themselves back then?"

"It's not the same," Tang Yumeng shook her head.

Afterward, Lin Chuan escorted Tang Yumeng back to the City Committee. The leaders of the City Committee also returned one after another.

A significant reason Tang Yumeng dared not make a hasty decision was due to Song Ming. If she were to agree rashly, Song Ming might take this opportunity to exploit the situation and sensationalize it. Once it might trigger nationwide criticism, it could become a real headache. Tang Yumeng did not want to become a historic sinner. If such a thing was to be done, it would be necessary to drag Song Ming down with her, ensuring mutual safety on the same boat.

To Tang Yumeng, that piece of history was trivial, as she had been educated with Western thoughts, lacking the indignant attitude of domestic youth and traditional thinking. For her, as long as there was money to be made and no principles were broken, everything was negotiable.

Lin Chuan thought Tang Yumeng was opposed to letting the Japanese build the monument, and he was very satisfied with her actions.

"Sis, I was really afraid you'd agree to their request in one go," Lin Chuan grinned and said.

"Of course not," Tang Yumeng smiled and said, "On such matters, I need to be careful. I'll go back and call for a standing committee meeting of the City Committee, and drag Song Ming into this. Such matters must be agreed upon by everyone, or else no one can bear the consequences at the end."

"What do you mean?" Lin Chuan was startled.

"After all, the investor is the Zhu Corporation, and though their request is not excessive, it is very sensitive," Tang Yumeng smiled and said, "So, I cannot make a decision lightly. Yet, the investment from the Zhu Corporation is indeed very tempting, which I don't want to miss. However, it's a double-edged sword, good if wielded right, but should I mishandle it, I might hurt myself."

Confused, Lin Chuan asked, "Sis, what is your opinion on their desire to build a Heroic Spirit Monument?"

"It's a big deal," Tang Yumeng turned to look out the window and said, "But also not really a big deal. After all, it's just a monument. However, I don't want to bear all the consequences. Eventually, Song Ming will latch onto this issue."

Squeak...

Suddenly, Lin Chuan hit the brakes hard and said, "Sis, they are Japanese, they killed so many of our ancestors, don't you... don't you feel any indignation at all?"

"Lin Chuan, that's all in the past," Tang Yumeng turned her head to look at Lin Chuan and said, "Liu Dagu put it well, we should look forward. Not cling to history. History needs to be remembered, not hung on the lips. If the Zhu Corporation is sincere about investing in Wujiang, then erecting a monument is not really a big deal."

"You!" Lin Chuan was shocked and said, "Sis, you really disappoint me."

Lin Chuan pressed the accelerator; the car's speed picked up quickly.

"Slow down," Tang Yumeng shouted.

"Lin Chuan, don't go crazy," Xiao Xue sitting in the passenger seat exclaimed.

Undeterred, Lin Chuan kept accelerating, speeding fast towards Jiangbei City. Along the way, Lin Chuan didn't speak to Tang Yumeng anymore.

After returning to the City Committee, Tang Yumeng immediately called for a meeting.

Lin Chuan, on the other hand, went straight to Haiqing Pool.

Business at Haiqing Pool was always good, though during the day, Haiqing Pool was closed. Several lads were smoking at the door, sitting on the steps, bragging about how many schoolgirls they had hooked up with, competing over who lasted longer in bed. Their conversation occasionally triggered a burst of raucous laughter.

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