Seeing everyone's enthusiasm, Junpei Uehara realized that he had been back in Shanghai and needed an opportunity to contact and discuss with various parties, and today was the perfect time.
Uehara Junpei laughed heartily, grasped Ning Zhiheng's hand, and said, "That's wonderful, Fujiwara-kun. Speaking of which, our parting was too hasty back then, and I never had a chance to talk to you in detail. Today, our reunion is just the right time!"
After saying that, he waved his hand, and everyone surrounded Uehara Junpei as they left the train station and headed straight for the Wujiang Hotel.
Ning Zhiheng had been preparing for Uehara Junpei's arrival for many days. He had booked the Wujiang Hotel several days in advance and decorated the hotel with lanterns and banners to welcome him.
The hotel lobby was already filled with banquet tables, and everyone took their seats. Lieutenant General Naoya Tada, as the garrison commander, stepped forward to deliver a welcoming speech.
Then Uehara Junpei went on stage and said a few words to everyone, and the welcome banquet officially began.
Ning Zhiheng had already invited Shanghai's best artists and stars, as well as Japanese performance groups, to perform on stage, creating an exceptionally lively scene and a very harmonious atmosphere throughout the banquet.
The large dining table in the center, directly opposite the reception desk, was naturally the main table for welcoming Uehara Junpei. Japanese society is strictly hierarchical, and this table was reserved for the highest-ranking figures from Shanghai. Lieutenant General Tada Naoya and several major generals sat on the left, while Kuroki Takeichi and Ning Zhiheng sat on the right, along with Colonel Katsuta Takashi, the commander of the military police.
Kuroki Yueyi was initially unwilling to stay, but Uehara Junpei insisted on inviting him, so he couldn't refuse. Ning Zhiheng, as a member of the top noble Fujiwara family, and a close friend of Uehara Junpei despite their age difference, coupled with the Fujiwara Company's dominant position in Shanghai's business world and his status as the host, was certainly qualified to sit here.
Although Military Police Commander Takashi Katsuta was a colonel, he was the head of a special department that oversaw the army and a close friend of Ning Zhiheng. Under Ning Zhiheng's deliberate invitation, he naturally sat at the head table.
As for the others, they were far from being at that level. Even Colonel Uemura Takashi, the head of the Military Intelligence Department and Uehara Junpei's direct subordinate, could only sit at the table next to him and dared not overstep his bounds.
During the meal, Uehara Junpei offered reassurance and encouragement to the military officers, mostly in formulaic terms. However, when he turned to Kuroki Gakuichi and Ning Zhiheng, he adopted a completely different attitude, engaging in friendly and joking conversations with them.
The difference in their closeness was obvious, and several generals nodded in agreement. Chairman Fujiwara and Lieutenant General Uehara Junpei indeed had a deep and unusual friendship.
During the banquet, other high-ranking figures came one after another to greet Uehara Junpei. At first, Uehara Junpei responded to each one, but later he became a little impatient. Ning Zhiheng then simply stepped forward to answer for him, acting as Uehara Junpei's spokesperson. His speech and demeanor were natural and comfortable, which made Uehara Junpei nod in approval. The shy and quiet young man from back then had become so composed and mature after just a few years. It's truly ironic how things can change!
The welcoming banquet lasted until late at night before everyone left, having enjoyed themselves to the fullest.
Ning Zhiheng and Kuroki Yueyi accompanied Uehara Junpei back to his original residence, a villa that had been designated for Uehara Junpei's residence before the Battle of Shanghai.
Generals of Uehara Junpei's rank are allowed to have their families accompany them to the military, but as the head of the intelligence department, Uehara Junpei's work is special, so his family stayed in Japan, and he lived here alone.
Apart from a guard, only two elderly servants accompanied the entire villa, making it quite quiet.
Uehara Junpei was in a great mood today and still had some fun, so he invited Ning Zhiheng and the other man to sit for a while. The three of them chatted and drank tea in the study.
"Kuroki-kun, after the Battle of Shanghai, I visited the Minami-ya Library. It was in ruins. I know it was the culmination of your years of hard work, destroyed by the war. It's a great pity. Don't worry, I will definitely rebuild a library for you when I return this time," Uehara Junpei said with a smile.
Kuroki Gaku waved his hand and said, "Uehara-kun, thank you for your kindness, I appreciate it, but I won't trouble you any further!"
"Why are you being so polite with me? I'll order the Shanghai municipal government to start construction tomorrow, so you don't need to refuse!"
Kuroki Gakuichi pointed at Ning Zhiheng and said, "Fujiwara-kun has rebuilt the library for me. What's even more remarkable is that he found the original design drawings and built a new library that is exactly the same as the old one. I am very satisfied."
"Oh!" Uehara Junpei turned to look at Ning Zhiheng, his mind racing. This young man was loyal and righteous. Just for the kindness that Kuroki Yueyi had shown him, he was willing to spend so much effort and money to repay him. It was truly rare!
Thinking of this, he had already secretly found the answer to the question in his heart, and said, "Fujiwara-kun, you are very thoughtful! The changes in you over the past two years have impressed me. The talented young literary man you once were has now become a wealthy business tycoon. I heard from Nanjing that the Fujiwara Company has been making great strides in Shanghai over the past two years, and its business is booming. I really don't know what has happened in the past two years!"
For the past two years, Uehara Junpei had been fighting on the front lines in the military. It wasn't until he returned to Nanjing from Wuhan two months ago that he had the opportunity to learn about the situation in Shanghai. When he heard about the Fujiwara Company, he never imagined that it was his friend's business until he saw the name Fujiwara Tomohito, at which point he realized it was him.
As the head of the intelligence department, he was extremely well-informed. With a single order, someone quickly delivered information about the Fujiwara Company to him. Fujiwara Tomohito's performance in business surprised even Uehara Junpei.
Ning Zhiheng naturally knew that for an intelligence chief of Uehara Junpei's caliber, his affairs could not be kept secret. In fact, there was no deliberate attempt to hide them. In Shanghai, the Fujiwara Company had become a de facto commercial tycoon, which was common knowledge.
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