Chapter 519

The Lü Family, a merchant lineage with a long and orderly heritage, possessed their own traditional philosophy for business. To summarize, it consisted of two difficulties and three essentials. The two difficulties were human connections and cash flow, while the three essentials were: fawn over those above, be equitable with those in the middle, and bestow grace upon those below. In other words, one must flatter superiors, treat peers fairly, and provide benefits to subordinates. Now, for the mayor of a major third-tier city standing before Lv Ao'er, as with all public officials, the approach was simple: cater to their preferences. In these chaotic times, what everyone loved most was money. With Dongshan Trading flush with capital, the solution was to pave the way with cash. This led to a scene over the following days where the Russians, often haughty and cold-shouldered one moment, would break into smiles the next, embracing everyone and proclaiming them to be their dearest friends. Meanwhile, at the Friendship Hotel, a mysterious wealthy man from the East had suddenly appeared. Elegant in temperament and generous to a fault, he threw money around with abandon and soon became an honored guest among the Far East’s social elite.