A few days in a row
Li Fushou took He Shoutian, Fan Asheng, and Menlanzi to clear a large amount of weeds in the rubber warehouse, leveled the ground and cleaned the doors and windows. The debris and trash that were cleaned out were filled with horses and carts.
After all this hard work, this old warehouse on Handel Street has revived and became vivid and beautiful.
After waiting, they bought paint, tables, chairs and benches, pots and pans, stoves, and grain and oil seasonings. The restaurant gradually took shape in the intensive preparations.
Busy for more than ten days
September 19, 1876
Taking the good tone of the homophonic "Long will be long", Fulinmen Hotel officially opened in a beaming congratulations. The red banners and lanterns at the door were full of strong Chinese characteristics, and the lion dance team of the local Chinese community was invited to lively. Fan.
"Welcome, welcome, come in..."
Fan Asheng walked outside with a big red sticker, with an attentive smile on his face, and greeted enthusiastically when he met people he knew.
This rubber warehouse is long and large. The floor is covered with sturdy granite strips. After being cleaned, it presents a very solid texture. The front of the spacious and tall warehouse has more than 20 square tables, which can accommodate nearly 200 people at the same time.
A simple partition is made of wooden boards in the back half of the warehouse, forming 12 elegant seats for guests to drink and chat in a relatively private environment.
The brand new wood board exudes the fragrance of oak, everything looks clean and tidy.
The back kitchen is located outside the warehouse and is remodeled from a long stable. A row of 8 pot stoves are built against the wall. The high-quality coals from Queensland are used. The steam on the stove tops out, with a strong aroma of cooked meat. .
After Fook Lammen Hotel opened, it recruited 6 more cooks in Chinatown, and nearly 20 handymen, all of whom were all strong men.
Steamed buns, boiled water, stir-fried dishes, and greeted the busy guests, a joyful opening scene.
In the small wooden house not far from the back kitchen, Li Fushou smiled bitterly with his hands and put the last pound and sixpence in his pocket. This was all his remaining property.
Blessed by the old gambling ghost Minelli, the rental fee worth 18 pounds did not cost a big man, which made Li Fushou a lot looser.
That's why he was able to recruit people aggressively, buying rice noodles, cereals, oils, and seating benches to open this very large restaurant.
There are no fewer than 30 restaurants in Chinatown. The Fulinmen Hotel is large enough to rank in the top five and can serve more than 300 customers at the same time.
Li Fushou dared to devote everything he had to, because his money was so easy to come by, and he was young enough to do things with indomitable spirit.
Playing the "Three Immortals Returning to the Cave" trick at the pier earned a total of more than 80 pounds. Excluding the 44 pounds for the poll tax, all the rest is used in the hotel.
Relying on the super purchasing power of the pound in the steam age, we finally have everything in place.
He reached out and pushed the door open, a ray of warm sunlight shone on him.
The blue sky of Queensland in September is like washes, floating white clouds, the deep blue color makes one's heart trembling, and the air is mixed with a faint rose fragrance. This is an intoxicating season.
Li Fushou Shi Ran walked out the door, just in time to see a sturdy man walking towards him with two large baskets in his hands. Inside the basket was a large chunk of cooked beef, still steaming hot.
"Young boss, you are old and auspicious."
"Well, Huaiyu, today there are many people who are doing business with hands, and after finishing the work, they will go to the front to greet you, don't make any trouble."
"I see, I'll go right away."
Li Fushou nodded, and passed by the northern man named Nan Huaiyu, and walked forward calmly.
Due to the sharp contradictions between the Chinese and the white gold prospectors, there are many Chinese gold prospectors who have been injured or recuperated in Chinatown, or hesitate to linger, or are afraid, staying in Chinatown and unwilling to go to dangerous mines to go to work.
There are more and more people like this. Although there is no accurate statistics, it is estimated that there are hundreds of people.
Therefore, Fulinmen Hotel recruits handyman, you can pick and choose the best.
Nearly 20 handymen were personally selected by Li Fushou. Most of them were from Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, and they were powerful men with a loyal and reliable character.
Nan Huaiyu is one of the rare northerners. He was born in Cangzhou where the martial arts prevailed. He learned a good fist since he was a child, and he was a man of righteousness and injustice. He was shot and wounded in a serious conflict with a white gold digger.
After recovering from his injury, while hesitating to return to the gold mine, Li Fushou was recruited to be the head of handyman.
Another handyman leader is Liu Shan, a lean and lean body. His age of twenty-five years makes him good at marksmanship. He was also injured by a stray bullet in a gold mine fire. He just recovered from his injuries.
These guys who dare to work for Chinese workers are undoubtedly a thorn in the eyes of white gold prospectors. They are the most disliked troublemakers of white gold prospectors. They can basically announce the end of the career of gold prospectors.
After all, this is the territory of the colonists of the British Empire. Chinese workers like Nan Huaiyu and Liu Shan are blacklisted, which means that their future is cut off and it is very difficult to make a living.
Liu Fushou generously extended his hand at this time, which to them is tantamount to the rain from the sky, and he did things more diligently.
"My boss, there are a few white gold prospectors at the door making trouble. They are all armed with guns. Director Fan is dealing with them, I am afraid they are not well-intentioned." Liu Shan walked in from the outside and reported in a hurry.
Li Fushou was examining the steaming steamed buns in the big basket. He turned around and raised his eyebrows and said; "Let me **** you guys, come to the front with me to see what's going on?"
"okay!"
A group of people hulled out the door, holding more than 10 dark spears and shining swords in their hands, all with wild and sturdy air on their faces.
After a sharp "click" shot
The chaotic crowd at the entrance of the Fulinmen Hotel was instantly quiet, only a few strong quarter horses tied to the wooden railings neighed uncomfortably, with loud snouts, heavy horses' hooves stepped on the stone slabs and made a sound .
Li Fushou slowly put down the revolver in his hand, blew the muzzle with green smoke with his mouth, and asked everyone in the field of view; "Who is making trouble with me? Stand up for me."
Looking at this posture, he fired his gun at every disagreement, which immediately deterred a few white gold prospectors.
These white gold diggers have a yellow-orange-orange bullet belt on their waists, and a 0.4-inch caliber Colt single-action revolver is inserted obliquely. This pistol needs to be fired, just like the American Western movie. Like cowboys.
"Look, we are not malicious." The leading white gold digger is called Luke. He once lost three pounds and two shillings at the dock. He opened his hands to show that he did not take a gun.
was pointed at by the muzzle of more than 10 black holes, and his life was in danger at all times, and these white gold prospectors were not rampant anymore.
Li Fushou frowned with a look of disgust, and said coldly while holding the Colt revolver; "I invite you to leave here now, and you won't have to come here again. You are not welcome here."
"Hey... Li, don't do that. We should be old acquaintances. Don't forget that I also lost three pounds to you. We are here just to try the fried chicken and sweet and sour pork tenderloin, and drink two more glasses if we can. "
"Then you need to hand over your weapons, keep them on the counter, and then retrieve them when you leave. The hotel does not allow weapons to enter."
"What the **** is this, it's my freedom to carry guns, you can't interfere."
"Either follow my rules or leave." Li Fushou's tone was firm and uncompromising. The ghost knew what would happen to these white gold diggers who would make trouble after drinking alcohol?
If the Fulinmen Hotel does not become a battlefield, there will be bloodshed in two days, and it is the most basic rule to prohibit the carrying of weapons.
The most obvious example is a small tavern opened by white people nearby. Every few days there will be a big fight. There are no shortage of examples of shooting guns on the spot. Drunk drunks simply can't help it.
Luke was unwilling to hand over his weapons, hesitated for a moment, faced with more than 10 black hole muzzles and shiny blades of the Fulinmen Hotel, he chose to leave very wisely.
Several white gold diggers untied the reins of the Quatma, and turned on their horses neatly. Luke cast a fierce look at Li Fushou and said;
"Don't be crazy Dongfang boy, beware of getting shot on the road."
"If I were you, I would take back this sentence, Luke, no matter how fast you **** run, can you still pass the bullet? Dare to bet your luck... and leave calmly under the chaos."
Li Fushou raised the revolver in his hand and pointed the muzzle firmly at Luke and the others. A dozen spears around him were all raised up, and the expressions of these white men immediately changed.
As long as there is any wind or grass, it will fire. The rifle is full of bullets. This is not a joke.
"Oh...damn, I didn't mean to offend you, please forgive my unscrupulous words, this should be a misunderstanding." Luke stopped stiffly, raising his hands and dared not make any other movements.
"Luke, don't challenge my patience and bottom line. Tell your companions to obey my rules, otherwise I will treat you as deliberately unscrupulous bandits and beat them into a hornet's nest."
"OK, you won, can I go now?"
"get out…"
Luke and his companion touched a gray nose, his feet vigorously glanced at his abdomen and galloped away, without daring to say anything hard.
These are all bullies and fears of hardship, with the wild aura of a wild land, they believe in the abuse of guns, and they dare to open the dyeing room if they give three points of color. The traditional tolerance and retreat will be regarded as cowardice, so don't tell them. What a big deal.
For this kind of person, speak directly with a gun.
Standing aside, Zheng Canghai, the president of the Chaoshan Chamber of Commerce, and the president of the restaurant guild Medbon exchanged their gazes. They took another look at the young junior in their hearts, smiled and walked forward to bow their hands in greetings.
The two Chinese leaders in Chinatown are also in their 30s. In the emerging city of Brisbane, they are considered to be prudent and prudent figures.
Occupies a pivotal position in the commercial layout of Chinatown.
Generally speaking, Zheng Canghai and Medebang are more old-fashioned. They are traditional Chinese businessmen who regard peace as the most important and patience first. They will not take such drastic measures to deal with the provocations of white gold prospectors.
Even if you lose a little bit, lose some face, or lose a little money, as long as you can quell the trouble, it will be Amitabha.
(End of this chapter)