Chapter 55: Du Chengfeng’s Commercial Hotel Project

Manager Lu was convinced that Du Chengfeng’s plan could indeed raise Wangjiang Tower’s revenue more than two or threefold—a merchant’s keen intuition told him as much. Yet, as a mere manager, he did not have the authority to decide on the condition Du Chengfeng had proposed; this would require consultation with the Prince.

“Brother Chengfeng,” he said, walking up to Du Chengfeng with a helpless expression, “I trust your ability and your plan, but I don’t have the final say on the condition you mentioned. I need to discuss it with my master first.”

Propping his cheek with his left hand, Du Chengfeng gave a knowing smile and glanced at Manager Lu. He could tell that Manager Lu was not trying to evade responsibility. There truly was an owner behind the scenes, and Manager Lu was a man of considerable foresight. Judging by the dishes just served, Du Chengfeng was certain Manager Lu had already spotted the business opportunity.

After a moment’s thought, Du Chengfeng said, “That’s fine, it’s understandable. How about this—wait for an hour, Manager Lu. Feel free to stroll around my residence and digest your meal while I prepare a detailed proposal for you.”

“You can take it back for your master’s consideration, and then we’ll discuss the specifics. What do you think?”

“Excellent, excellent! Take your time. I’ll take a walk here,” Manager Lu replied, delighted.

With that settled, Du Chengfeng returned alone to his study, for he had a comprehensive and ambitious plan in mind. Originally, he had intended only to teach Wangjiang Tower some modern recipes, but just now, he changed his mind.

His new vision was to transform Wangjiang Tower into an establishment akin to a modern hotel, integrating dining, entertainment, lodging, and leisure—all under one roof. He wanted Wangjiang Tower to become a landmark in Chang’an. This transformation would also play a key role in the next phase of his broader plan: Wangjiang Tower would serve as the perfect advertisement platform.

Such an idea would be nothing short of revolutionary in the Tang Dynasty. Should Wangjiang Tower be remodeled according to his design, it would undoubtedly become a symbol of Chang’an, if not the entire realm.

In his view, the plan would not be difficult to implement. The greatest challenge would be building materials, but with the advanced technologies available in his system, even that could be perfectly resolved.

He first fetched a large sheet of rice paper and drafted a floor plan, combining the style of a modern leisure hotel with the current structure of Wangjiang Tower.

At the center stood the main building, focusing on dining and entertainment. Behind it was the lodging wing, divided into platinum, gold, silver, and bronze tiers based on the guests’ status, each with distinct architectural and decorative styles. On either side of the main building were leisure areas: the left was designed for an indoor swimming pool, sauna, and massage rooms; the right for a billiards room, chess and card room, and a dedicated children’s play area.

With the basic layout done, Du Chengfeng began writing out the detailed plan: chef training programs, membership tier systems, business scope and operation methods, promotional strategies, staff training—he laid out every detail.

This time, he intended to go big—using the model of a modern hotel to gradually build a commercial network spanning the entire Tang Dynasty.

After about an hour, Du Chengfeng finally finished the proposal. When he stepped out of his study, he was surprised to find Manager Lu already waiting eagerly at the door.

“Manager Lu, here is my proposal. Please take it back for your master’s review, and then we can discuss further. Of course, the new dishes you tasted are also part of the plan,” Du Chengfeng said with a calm smile, handing over the neatly prepared document.

Manager Lu accepted it with joy, flipping through a few pages. The meticulously designed floor plan and detailed annotations filled him with both surprise and puzzlement. The diagram was clear enough, but the professional terms left him a bit bewildered.

Still, as a competent businessman, Manager Lu had a discerning eye. Even putting aside the allure of the innovative dishes, the floor plan alone was eye-opening, though some terms eluded his understanding.

Suppressing his excitement, Manager Lu thanked Du Chengfeng sincerely and stood to take his leave. He needed to inform the Prince as soon as possible—the scope of this renovation plan was immense.

Moreover, both the operational model and the new dishes proposed by Du Chengfeng were unlike anything he had seen in the Tang Dynasty—much like the legendary Immortal Wine once had been. Of course, unfamiliarity did not mean nonexistence; perhaps it was only his own lack of knowledge.

Manager Lu was confident that once these novel ideas were fully introduced, they would spark a new wave of fascination and pursuit.

As he was about to depart, Manager Lu recalled the unforgettable flavors of the new dishes. If he could bring some back for the Prince to sample, it might be even more persuasive.

Thinking this, he looked somewhat embarrassedly at Du Chengfeng and said, “Brother Chengfeng, I was wondering if you might have some of those dishes left for my master to taste?”

“Of course, there’s some left,” Du Chengfeng replied, beckoning to the well-fed maids nearby.

“Master!” Several sharp-eyed maids, seeing his signal, hurried over happily.

“Could you pack some of the lotus leaf chicken and cumin lamb for Manager Lu to take back? Remember to wrap them in oil paper so they don’t get cold,” Du Chengfeng instructed.

“Yes, Master!” they replied.

In no time, they packed several portions in oil paper and placed them in food boxes, which they handed to Manager Lu. He thanked them repeatedly, bade Du Chengfeng farewell, and departed in haste.

After Manager Lu left, Du Chengfeng gathered the cook and the maids back in the kitchen. Using reputation points from the system shop, he exchanged for several modern cookbooks for the cook and patiently taught her for two more hours.

The cook proved highly talented; in just two hours, she had mastered the basic methods for preparing several modern dishes. The key, of course, was controlling the heat and timing—skills that required much practice to perfect.

Fortunately, after those two hours, the cook could already prepare the simpler dishes well enough. Du Chengfeng would no longer need to cook every day himself, and at last, he would be spared the monotonous fare of the Tang Dynasty.

Meanwhile, Manager Lu, having just left Du Chengfeng’s residence, hurried straight to the Prince’s manor. While Du Chengfeng did not see the matter as urgent, Manager Lu found it pressing indeed.

He had to see Lord Hejian at once and report Du Chengfeng’s plan and requests without delay.

Before long, Manager Lu arrived at the Prince’s estate. The guards at the gate, seeing him in such a rush, quickly stepped forward and asked, “Manager Lu, what’s the matter? Why are you in such a hurry?”