"Xiao Bing, come back and help me find someone to redecorate," Wu Youzhi said, handing the keys to Wu Bing.
"Mr. Wu, thank you for your trouble," Guo Xuyang said. "Our task is done. Shall we find a place to satisfy our hunger?"
"What would you gentlemen like to eat?" Wu Bing asked.
"Since we're in Kyoto, let's go to Quan Ju De for roast duck. What do you say?" Wu Youzhi suggested.
"Okay, I've never actually eaten roast duck in Kyoto before," Guo Xuyang replied.
Both agreed, and Cheng Xiuping naturally had no objection.
When they arrived at Quan Ju De, there was no need to wait as they had missed the peak dining hours.
"Mr. Guo?" a stout man asked softly, seeing Guo Xuyang and his companions as he exited the restaurant.
"May I ask who you are?" Guo Xuyang couldn't recall where he had seen the man before.
"I'm Pi Xiaoqian. We met in Jieyang," Pi Xiaoqian said.
"President Pi?! Hello, hello! I didn't recognize you just now. Please forgive me," Guo Xuyang said repeatedly.
"Are you here in Kyoto on business, or…?" Pi Xiaoqian inquired.
"I'm here in Kyoto looking for a livelihood," Guo Xuyang replied. "My brother wants to open a jade specialty store in Kyoto."
"A fellow tradesman! Welcome, welcome! Have you found a suitable location yet?" Pi Xiaoqian asked. "I'm familiar with this area; I can give you some advice."
"I looked around Panjiayuan this morning and planned to explore other places after dinner."
"I see. I also have a shop in Panjiayuan. Could you give me your phone number? Perhaps we could get together tonight?"
"Certainly. Meeting you is fate. I'll contact you then." Guo Xuyang handed his phone to Pi Xiaoqian.
"See you tonight. Coincidentally, I have a few stones in my shop that I'd like to ask you to appraise."
"No problem. See you tonight."
After bidding farewell to Pi Xiaoqian, Guo Xuyang and his companions entered the restaurant.
Quan Ju De is now synonymous with Kyoto roast duck, and the restaurant uses Beijing Imperial Ducks for its dishes.
Beijing Imperial Ducks are renowned for their plump physique, tender muscles, and rich fat layer. When roasted, they are full-bodied, with a date-red, glossy, and oily appearance. The skin is crisp, the exterior is roasted to perfection, and the interior is tender. The flavor is exquisite, aromatic without being greasy, earning it the title "The Premier Dish of Xia Guo."
They ordered one roast duck, along with diced duck with cashews, braised pork in sweet sauce, fire-seared duck hearts, chilled duck liver in brine, fish-flavored shrimp balls, bamboo-wrapped yellow croaker, hawthorn and pear soup, and jellyfish soup. As they still had to look at shops in the afternoon, they did not drink any alcohol.
The freshly roasted duck was steaming. Dipped in sauce and paired with a few slivers of scallion, its deliciousness exploded on their taste buds.
This meal left them feeling thoroughly satisfied, and they praised the Kyoto roast duck without reservation.
After the meal, they proceeded to Baoguosi. The shop being transferred at Baoguosi was rather small and located in a secluded corner with low foot traffic.
None of them fancied it.
Since the agreement for the Panjiayuan shop had been signed, their task was considered complete. The next step was for Wu Bing to find people for the renovation, and Wu Youzhi and his father would handle the specifics.
The group was in a relaxed mood. Since they were here, they decided to browse and see if they could find anything interesting to acquire.
"Mr. Wu, are there any stone cutters here at Baoguosi?" Guo Xuyang asked Wu Bing.
"I'm not very knowledgeable about stone cutting, and I don't think there are any here. This place mainly deals in coins, rosewood, and antiques," Wu Bing replied.
"Rosewood? Shall we go take a look at the rosewood furniture? It would be nice to furnish the shop with a set," Guo Xuyang said to the other two.
"Let's go. I've heard the rosewood here is quite famous. However, there are also many fakes," Cheng Xiuping commented.
"Let's go take a look and broaden our horizons. If we find something suitable, we'll buy a set; otherwise, we won't. We don't have anything else planned for this afternoon anyway," Wu Youzhi said.
All of them wanted to take a look, so they strolled over.
The rosewood section was vast, with shops lining up one after another. The storefronts appeared modest from the outside, but stepping inside revealed a different world.
"Boss, welcome! Come in and take a look," several young attendants greeted them at the entrance.
They casually walked into a furniture shop, where various types of furniture were displayed.
There were horseshoe chairs, sofas, eight-immortal tables, coffee tables, as well as daybeds and footstools, in different colors and ages.
"May I ask if the esteemed owners are looking for household use, office use, or collection?" a middle-aged man in his forties inquired.
"We're just looking," Cheng Xiuping replied. "May I ask what raw materials are primarily used for your rosewood furniture?"
"Most of our new furniture is made from Dalibergia cochinchinensis, with some made from Dalbergia tonkinensis," the owner said.
"Alright, we'll take a look first."
The group strolled further inside, browsing as they went.
"What the boss said about most of it being made from Dalibergia cochinchinensis has some truth to it, but most of it here is actually made from Dalbergia tonkinensis," Cheng Xiuping said as they walked. "Only a small portion is made from Dalibergia cochinchinensis."
"Dalbergia cochinchinensis is superior to Dalbergia tonkinensis. The distinction between the heartwood and sapwood of Dalibergia cochinchinensis is evident. The sapwood is yellowish-white or yellowish-brown, and in some species, it is brownish. The heartwood ranges from orange, light reddish-brown, reddish-brown, purplish-red, purplish-brown, to blackish-brown. The wood color is uneven, with distinct dark stripes."
"The growth rings of Dalibergia cochinchinensis are inconspicuous or slightly distinct. It is diffuse-porous or semi-ring-porous wood, with solitary pores, and occasionally radially arranged pore multiples or very sparse pore clusters. The pores contain dark gum, deposits, or tyloses."
"It's called Dalibergia cochinchinensis because it has a sour or sour-fragrant smell when freshly cut. In fact, Dalibergia cochinchinensis was the primary material for rosewood furniture in the Qing Dynasty. Furniture made from Dalibergia cochinchinensis remains as good as new even after a hundred years with just a little polishing, demonstrating the excellent quality of Dalibergia cochinchinensis, which has long been recognized by the world."
"Dalbergia cochinchinensis comes in two colors: dark red and light red. Generally, those with oil are of superior quality, with clear and varied grain patterns."
"Dalbergia cochinchinensis is further divided into red, white, and black varieties. Among these three types, black rosewood is considered the best. Its wood is hard and polishes well. Some are extremely similar to black sandalwood, but the grain is generally coarser."
"It is commonly believed in the market that darker colored Dalibergia cochinchinensis is of superior quality, while lighter colored red rosewood is not as good as the darker shades. Due to the price difference of the raw materials, some unscrupulous manufacturers deliberately dye the lighter colored red rosewood to appear darker."
"In reality, the heartwood of authentic red rosewood is orange-reddish brown, purplish-reddish brown, or deep purple; the wood is hard and heavy, often sinking in water, with purplish-black stripes and landscape patterns. Those with oil are considered top-grade and are excellent materials for making furniture and crafts."
"Dalbergia tonkinensis is slightly inferior to Dalibergia cochinchinensis. Its sapwood is yellowish-white to grayish-brown; the heartwood is light yellowish-brown, orange-brown, reddish-brown, to purplish-brown. The wood color is relatively uniform, with a dark luster. The grain is in the form of fine lines, the color is soft, and it is lighter in weight, capable of floating in water."