For being able to meet a member of the royal family in person, Kawahisa promised that it was a great honor!

As for paying back the money?

Kawakubo never thought about it at all.

How could a member of the royal family come to pay this money back?

Besides, if I really paid it back, I wouldn't dare to ask for it...

Kawakubo's only regret is that he couldn't take a photo with Himura-dono.

In life, there are always some little regrets.

However, what Kawakubo never imagined was that as soon as the Sakura Pavilion opened today, he received unexpected news:

Lord Feimura has arrived!

Kawajiu promised to go out in person, limping with one leg in a panic.

As soon as he saw Himura Kenshin, he immediately bowed:

"Your Excellency, it is the greatest honor for Sakura Hall and me to see you again."

"You're too kind."

No matter what time, Himura Kenshin always maintains his calmness and elegance: "Yesterday, I was very rude. Thanks to your generosity, I didn't leave in embarrassment. Today, I am here to pay back the money."

"No, Your Excellency." Kawakubo said quickly: "We are lucky that you can come. How can we ask you to pay?"

"No, sir, I insist."

However, Himura Kenshin handed a check to Kawakubo without any explanation.

Kawakubo hesitated for a moment and could only take the check, but when he looked at the number on it: "Sir, this is too much."

"Stay here." Himura Kenshin said calmly: "I am a forgetful person. If I forget to bring money again next time I come here, then I don't need to mortgage anything."

Kawakubo immediately smiled knowingly: "Please allow me to entertain you today."

"I should pay for it."

"No, I insist this time too."

"Then I'll excuse you."

Kawakubo feels that he is really the luckiest person today, being able to entertain a member of the royal family.

He brought out the best wine without hesitation and called out the best geisha.

Himura Kenshin, what a nice name.

Himura Kenshin is noble, elegant, and kind, but he always maintains a detached attitude towards others and will never be too affectionate with you.

Kawakubo didn't take it seriously at all.

This is what a true royal should look like.

It is no longer easy to invite him. Do you still expect him to be your brother?

While drinking, Himura Kenshin also briefly introduced himself.

The Himura family is a branch of the imperial family.

His great-great-grandfather was fortunate enough to marry the husband of His Majesty’s cousin, the niece’s husband’s cousin.

Well, it sounds a bit confusing, and the seniority seems a bit confusing too.

In any case, the Himura family has suddenly become members of the royal family.

The Himura family was even personally received by His Majesty the Emperor twice!

Not only that, the Hisamura family also had military exploits. Therefore, although they were distant relatives of the Emperor, they also belonged to the privileged aristocratic class in Japan who did not have to pay taxes.

When Kawakubo tentatively asked Himura how he came to Shanghai, he told him that as the youngest of eight children in the Himura family, he was the least promising, so he was often taught by his father.

He wanted to be a soldier and fight for the empire, but his mother loved him very much and firmly refused to allow him to go to the battlefield.

Therefore, he could only come to Shanghai to see if there was anything he could do to contribute to the empire and the Himura family.

Despite this, Kawakubo did not dare to neglect at all.

Himura Kenshin also asked about the situation at Sakura Pavilion.

Sakura Club has a military background in the Japanese Army.

Nominally, it does not need to pay tax, but in actual operation, it has to pay triple tax.

Forty percent of the profits will be given to the Army and 30 percent to the Japanese Military Police Headquarters in Shanghai.

10%, called "special donation", is deposited into a designated account.

Therefore, only 20% actually belongs to Sakurakan.

Even at 20%, there are still a lot of expenses to deal with.

But even so, life is much better than for Japanese domestic companies.

With the outbreak of the Pacific War, Japan's finances became increasingly tight and stretched, so taxes on Japanese individuals and companies became increasingly severe.

Before the war broke out, Japan only levied two taxes.

One is personal income tax.

There is also corporate tax, such as profit dividend tax, special tax on interest on public bonds and corporate bonds, and special tax on items.

However, as the war expanded, these two taxes could no longer meet wartime needs.

Since 1938, Japan has successively levied tobacco and alcohol tax, corporate capital tax, sugar consumption tax, and exchange tax.

The per capita salary in Tokyo is 100 yen, but the minimum monthly household expenditure is 110 yen.

How miserable is the life of the Japanese?

In 1938, the Japanese could no longer afford to support their families, and their lives were even worse than during the Great Kanto Earthquake.

This isn't the end yet.

At the beginning of this year, the Japanese cabinet once again comprehensively revised taxation and continued to increase tax rates, focusing on direct taxes. Various miscellaneous taxes were distributed to the Japanese people, and ordinary Japanese people were overwhelmed.

Coupled with the national rationing system, the Japanese government even directly used their doors, windows, furniture and jewelry to deduct taxes because the people could not afford to pay taxes.

When ordinary people are like this, companies are even more miserable.

Enterprises generally bear taxes on more than 90% of profits.

Coupled with all kinds of inexplicable exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes, companies not only cannot make money after a year, but also owe the government taxes.

However, some companies enjoy tax exemption privileges.

One is an enterprise company run by aristocrats, and does not need to pay a penny in taxes.

One is military industrial enterprises, such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

After listening to Kawakubo's introduction, Himura Kenshin was very sympathetic: "So, the Sakura Pavilion seems to be doing a good business, but it actually doesn't make much money?"

"Yes, Your Excellency." Kawakubo sighed: "Sometimes, you even lose money."

"Oh, why do you say that?"

"When the empire first took charge of the security of the concession, funds were tight, so when they found us, we had to pay a special security fee." Kawakubo talked about the bitter experience: "In addition, the intelligence agencies would often come to us asking for money, and we

Liquidity is really tight."

Himura Kenshin suddenly realized: "I understand, but I heard that there are many Chinese people here, and they take away a lot of money from here every day?"

"Yes, those are the people from No. 76, they are in charge of the Sakura Pavilion." Kawakubo replied immediately: "We leave some things to them completely."

"So, how are profits distributed?"

"They take 30% and give us 70%."

"I'm afraid this isn't very reasonable, is it?"

Himura Kenshin frowned: "We can do these things ourselves, why do we have to entrust them to No. 76?"

"Li Shiqun, he has a lot of energy." Kawakubo smiled bitterly: "In Shanghai, he is called the new King of Shanghai. He has had a hand in all these things, and there is nothing I can do about it!"
Chapter completed!