Chapter 142: What? Causing Trouble?
“Section Chief Chen? Are you sure?” Matsushima Jun said in a deep voice: “I must remind you that the materials for the 106th Division, with the current transportation capacity, would require two to three trips even at full load.”
“Transporting so many materials there within three days, unless you stop the trains on the Hangning Line to give them priority.”
“That way, all transportation plans for the First Section and Third Section will have problems for at least half a month.”
“Your Third Section is only responsible for short-distance transportation, just the Nanhu Line being a bit farther, while our First Section’s transportation missions are extremely heavy.”
“If you want to die, don’t drag me down with you.”
Matsushima Jun’s words immediately made Oshima Kenjiro very dissatisfied.
Damn it, I tell you to transport the stuff and you say you can’t, but when someone is willing to take over your mess, you actually threaten them.
This is not taking me, the Minister, seriously.
“Section Chief Matsushima, please watch your wording. Section Chief Chen is wholeheartedly devoted to contributing to the Empire’s cause, unlike you, who only knows how to shirk responsibility.”
“Since he said such words, even if there are problems, I will report to the superiors that the pressure is indeed too great.”
“As for you, you have already made one mistake. If there is a next time, it won’t be just a simple reprimand.”
“I will suggest to the superiors to reassess your ability and see if you are still suitable for the position of Section Chief of the Transportation Section of the First Section.”
Matsushima Jun was instantly stunned and slightly bowed to Oshima Kenjiro: “Minister, I have no other meaning. I just hope Section Chief Chen can recognize reality and not take on too much or accept impossible missions.”
Chen Yang chuckled lightly: “Section Chief Matsushima, thank you for your kind reminder, but what you think is impossible doesn’t mean it’s impossible for me.”
“Lieutenant Colonel Saito, do you still have a medium transport ship available in the Navy Department? This matter is urgent, and I hope you can assist us in completing the transportation plan.”
Saito Koichi pondered for a moment: “We can mobilize one now, but one transport ship can’t carry that much material.”
“I estimate it can only reach about twenty percent of the previous batch of materials.”
“Chief of Staff Kitahara wants seventy percent.”
Chen Yang nodded slightly: “That’s enough. I’ll figure out the rest myself.”
Saito Koichi nodded: “Alright, I’ll go coordinate now and give you a message before three in the afternoon. I’ll take my leave first.”
With that, Saito Koichi turned and left the office.
Matsushima Jun sneered: “Even if the Navy Department can transport twenty percent, the remaining materials will still need two trips.”
“With the current transportation efficiency, a round trip from Shanghai to Jiujiang takes at least four days. I’d like to know how Section Chief Chen can deliver the remaining materials to Jiujiang within three days.”
“Section Chief Matsushima, you’ve said too much. If there’s nothing else, you can leave now.” Oshima Kenjiro suddenly felt very annoyed with Matsushima Jun.
I’m asking you to solve problems, not create them…
This guy is here to make trouble, isn’t he?
Matsushima Jun snorted coldly, turned, and left the office.
Oshima Kenjiro forced a kind smile: “Section Chief Chen, no need to mind Section Chief Matsushima’s words.”
“However, I’m also worried. With the current transportation efficiency, even if I coordinate these materials immediately, you may not be able to transport them all at once.”
“What exactly is your method?”
“Minister, we don’t have to fixate on just one transportation line from Shanghai.” Chen Yang said slowly: “You can apply to the Army Department for materials, and I’ll request emergency coordination from the Jinling Government side.”
“Part of the materials will depart from Shanghai and arrive in Jiujiang by railway.”
“The other part will come from the Jinling side via waterway from the Anhui Province Anqing direction to Jiujiang Port.”
“According to my calculations, the materials from the Jinling side should arrive in Jiujiang at the same time as ours, ensuring on-time delivery within three days.”
Oshima Kenjiro’s eyes lit up, but then he frowned: “Section Chief Chen, if our materials are transported to Jinling and then depart, it might still be too late.”
Chen Yang said respectfully: “Please rest assured on this point, Minister Oshima. I can apply to Lieutenant Colonel Sonoda Kumakichi, the military advisor of the Jinling Government, for emergency transfer of a batch of materials. If not enough, I can also borrow some from Colonel Takeda of the Jinling Gendarmerie Headquarters.”
“We can return the materials to them after we send ours over.”
“Good, good, good.” Oshima Kenjiro’s suspended heart finally settled: “Section Chief Chen, I’ll give you authorization right now to fully coordinate transportation matters.”
“I’ll handle the Navy Department side. All materials must reach Jiujiang within three days. Everything is entrusted to you.”
“Hai.” Chen Yang bowed slightly: “Please rest assured, Minister. All colleagues in the Third Section will surely complete the transportation mission.”
********
Shanghai, French Concession, Albert Road…
Lights just coming on, neon flickering.
Cars and crowds streamed in front of Phoenix Cry Pavilion in the French Concession, with gentlemen in suits and ladies adorned with jewels entering the gilded door one after another.
The three large gold-embossed characters “Phoenix Cry Pavilion” on the lintel shone brightly in the night, flanked by welcoming misses in qipaos with perfectly measured smiles on their faces.
In the third-floor private room, Xiao A Qiao was fixing her hair in front of the mirror.
The woman in the mirror was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with willow-leaf eyebrows and almond eyes holding autumn water, a high nose bridge, and lips like a dab of vermilion.
She wore a dark green embroidered golden phoenix qipao that set off her snow-white skin, and the jade hairpin in her bun swayed slightly with her movements.
“Big Sister, a Mr. Chen sent a flower basket, saying it’s to congratulate our new stage opening.” The maid Xiao Cui hurriedly entered holding a gold-embossed business card.
Xiao A Qiao took the business card, her brows slightly tightening: “Mr. Chen?”
“After waiting so long, there’s finally some news.”
“Big Sister, is this Mr. Chen the mysterious boss that Boss Song mentioned last time?” The maid asked curiously.
Xiao A Qiao frowned: “When did you start talking so much? Is it too quiet down there?”
“Sorry, Big Sister, I know I was wrong. I shouldn’t have spoken out of turn.” Xiao Cui lowered her head and whispered an excuse.
Xiao A Qiao looked at her pretty face in the mirror, confirmed her makeup was perfect, then got up and walked to the window, overlooking the bustling crowd below. Suddenly, she frowned: “Why are there so many new faces tonight?”
Xiao Cui walked to her side and looked in the direction of her gaze: “A new casino opened in Zhabei, and quite a few guests from the North have come.”
“I heard it was an idea from Old Fire Crow, one of Boss Du’s men.”
“After Boss Zhang died, they also want to expand their territory.”
“Hmph, he’s being greedy beyond measure, like a snake trying to swallow an elephant, setting his sights on Phoenix Cry Pavilion. Tell A Qiang to send a few more brothers to watch the door. Things haven’t been peaceful lately.” Xiao A Qiao took a delicate Browning pistol from the dresser drawer, expertly checked the magazine, and tucked it into the hidden pocket of her qipao.
In the lobby downstairs, the jazz band’s saxophone was playing a melodious tune, with men and women embracing and dancing in the dance floor.
Suddenly, the door was kicked open violently, and a group of men in black short jackets filed in. The leader was about forty, with a square face and broad forehead, a prominent knife scar over his left eyebrow.
“Lord Rui has arrived, all irrelevant people make way!”
The music stopped abruptly, and the crowd in the dance floor retreated to the sides like a tide.
Rui Qingrong swaggered to the center and kicked over the nearby champagne tower. The sound of shattering glass was especially piercing in the silent lobby.
“I heard the boss lady of Phoenix Cry Pavilion is a beauty. Why doesn’t she come out to greet the guests?” Rui Qingrong shouted at the top of his lungs, spittle flying.
At the second-floor railing, Xiao A Qiao had already taken in everything.
She took a deep breath and whispered to Xiao Cui: “Tonight’s matter is not simple. Go invite Detective Inspector Ma from the police station. Remember to use the back door.”
With that, she straightened her collar and gracefully descended the stairs.
“Yo, this lord looks unfamiliar. Is it your first time at our Phoenix Cry Pavilion?” Xiao A Qiao smiled brightly, her voice like a clear spring striking stone. “May I know how to address you?”
Rui Qingrong squinted and sized up the woman before him, his Adam’s apple rolling: “The little lady is indeed pretty. I’m Rui Qingrong, here today specially to patronize your place!”
Several regular guests nearby changed color upon hearing this and quietly moved toward the door.
A flash of vigilance passed through Xiao A Qiao’s eyes, but her face showed nothing: “So it’s Lord Rui visiting. Forgive us for not welcoming you from afar. Someone, bring the best wine for Lord Rui!”
“Cut the crap!” Rui Qingrong suddenly erupted, flipping over the tray of wine brought by the waiter. “I’m here today for one thing. From now on, Phoenix Cry Pavilion’s protection fee is mine to collect!”
The lobby fell deathly silent, even breaths audible.
The smile on Xiao A Qiao’s face didn’t change at all, though her eyes gradually turned icy: “Lord Rui is joking. Phoenix Cry Pavilion has always been under the watch of the French Concession police station and has never needed any protection fee.”
Rui Qingrong grinned ferociously as he approached, a heavy smell of tobacco and sweat hitting her face: “Stinking bitch, don’t spurn the face given to you! Know what happened to the last one who dared talk to me like that? Feeding the fish at the bottom of the Huangpu River!”
He reached out abruptly to grab Xiao A Qiao’s wrist, but she deftly sidestepped. Rui Qingrong was stunned, then flew into a rage: “Brothers, smash it!”
With his order, a dozen thugs pounced like wolves and tigers toward the surroundings.
The crystal chandelier was smashed with bamboo poles, glass shards raining down; velvet sofas were slashed open with sharp blades, feathers flying everywhere; expensive red wine was poured recklessly, staining large dark red patches on the carpet like bloodstains.
Xiao A Qiao retreated to the staircase entrance, her fingers gripping the handrail tightly, nails almost embedding into the wood.
She watched everything she had painstakingly built being barbarically destroyed, yet forced herself to stay calm.
“Lord Rui,” her voice was remarkably steady, “whatever the conditions, we can sit down and talk. How much money do you want?”
Rui Qingrong kicked over the piano and laughed as he approached her: “Know to beg for mercy now? Too late! Unless…”
“They say Xiao A Qiao is skilled,” his lecherous gaze scanned Xiao A Qiao up and down, “unless you personally keep me company for a few drinks tonight.”
The “skill” in his mouth was naturally not ordinary skill…
Xiao A Qiao’s face tightened, but before she could speak, a voice sounded from the door: “Old Fire Crow, has your brain been kicked by a donkey?”
“You dare come to smash Phoenix Cry Pavilion? What, you want to cause trouble?”
As the words fell, a group of men in Western-style clothing appeared at the entrance of Phoenix Cry Pavilion.
Leading was a youth in his twenties, followed by four or five burly men; the speaker was the one behind him.
Rui Qingrong’s brows furrowed slightly. This man was no stranger: Song Zushan, one of Zhang Xiaolin’s Eight Vajras.
When Zhang Xiaolin was alive, Xiao A Qiao had a collaborator relationship with him; the training of performers in Zhang Xiaolin’s art venues and some processes were managed by Xiao A Qiao.
However, that once great tycoon of Shanghai had already been killed by thirteen gunshots.
This Song Zushan was just a toothless tiger. The only one Rui Qingrong couldn’t see through was that youth.
He looked all scholarly and refined, with red lips and white teeth, like a pretty boy, but Song Zushan was looking at him with a fawning face.
What is this guy’s background?
