Chapter 208: Unboxing
If there are ears inside the wall, wouldn’t the Japanese know everything they do in the room?
What time they go to bed, any sounds on the bed, they all know, right?
Minister Zhou suddenly exchanged a glance with Wang Ni, recalling the meeting discussing new government personnel matters, “Organizational list?”
If there’s eavesdropping, the new government’s organizational layout, Gao Zhongwu and Mei Siping’s negotiation reports after they came to Shanghai, opinion summaries, deployment of next-step negotiation strategy, and so on, all that stuff would leak to the Japanese.
Damn it!
Wang Ni gritted his teeth in hatred, “If the Japanese are really playing such dirty tricks, that’s too shameless, too disrespectful.”
What time is it, still talking about respect.
They call it negotiation, but really everyone is opponents, using every means is perfectly justifiable.
Minister Zhou frowned and said, “I have a house in the concession, later find a reason, we’ll move. Say it’s inconvenient to stay long in Hongkou before negotiations are completed, distance still needs to be maintained, lest they think we’re dependent on them, that’s our attitude.”
Wang Ni’s tone was heavy, “Move, must move! Now that I think about this, I don’t want to stay in that house for another moment.”
“Endure it, if we leave abruptly the Japanese will check where the problem is, we’ll pretend not to know, leave each other some face, by the way, do you have a house in Shanghai?”
“No.”
Minister Zhou thought for a moment and said, “In Shanghai territory, there’s a villa on Yuyuan Road, close to the concession, good location, now agent headquarters is there, can have agent headquarters dispatch some staff to provide us protection.
Yansheng, what do you think of that place?”
“Very good choice.”
Yuyuan Road is also called Traitor Road, everyone living there is well-deserving.
“Safety first in all things, Shanghai is unsettled now, having agent headquarters’ protection is still better after all.”
“Mm, tomorrow have Shuhui accompany Bijun to go shopping, buy one.” Minister Zhou asked Wang Ni.
Wang Ni didn’t care about such things, “Let them pick themselves, anyway any place is better than here now.”
As long as not living here, anywhere is fine, thinking of the eavesdropping device is irritating, like bugs crawling in clothes, whole body itchy.
Extremely irritated!
Minister Zhou smiled faintly, “Yansheng, you get one too, everyone be neighbors, easier to chat about things, house purchase funds come from bond funding.”
“I have one too, is this appropriate?” Gu Yansheng had to decline politely.
“New government providing officials with residences isn’t this only right? Can’t be that the Japanese gave you a villa, and we’re stingier than the Japanese.” Minister Zhou spoke righteously.
Speaking of funding, Minister Zhou suddenly asked, “Have the Japanese asked you to hand over the funding?”
“Not at all.” Gu Yansheng shook his head.
Minister Zhou breathed a sigh of relief, then smiled at Wang, “The Japanese letting us raise funding, and not planning to take it back, actually this can corroborate, at least during my last time in Shanghai, the Japanese really wanted to negotiate, the change is recent.”
Wang Ni thought it made sense, nodded and said, “The biggest possibility is turmoil in Japanese Cabinet personnel, someone stirring up trouble again.
A knife whether you stick your neck out or shrink it, since the Japanese want to delay, we won’t give them the chance, show a tough attitude, force them to make a choice!”
The next day, early morning, HSBC Bank.
Gu Yansheng had He Yun, the money shop’s accountant, help withdraw some cash, as expenses for these people coming to Shanghai.
He himself went next door to the Sino-French Bank to open the safe deposit box Wen Yan gave him.
Handed over the key and seal, the duty staff led Gu Yansheng to the vault door, turned the round switch, opened the heavy special door, rows of sealed safe deposit boxes appeared before Gu Yansheng.
The duty staff took the key to the number registered for Gu Yansheng’s key, he had one himself, plus Gu Yansheng’s key, two keys inserted into two holes, respectively opened the two locks on the safe deposit box, confirmed no issue, bowed his head and left directly.
“I’ll wait for you outside, call me if anything.”
“Good.”
After he left, Gu Yansheng then stepped forward and pulled out the safe deposit box drawer.
Wen Yan had told him there were quite a few things stored inside, mostly jewelry, antiques and such.
Considering Wen Yan hadn’t been long in office and couldn’t have embezzled much money, Gu Yansheng had no place to put these jewelry if taken out, so he hadn’t come to retrieve them.
But this time the people from Hanoi all brought female family, if needed, these things could be given as gifts at appropriate times.
“So greedy.”
“What to do with so much ginseng and deer antler?”
Gu Yansheng pulled open the drawer, a quarter of the cabinet piled full, all present banknotes, legal tender, Hong Kong dollars, US dollars, all kinds of foreign currency.
Stacks of banknotes neatly arranged, total amount not huge, but considering Wen Yan’s time in office, tsk.
Gu Yansheng knew customs made money, but Wen Yan in office not long, skipped the novice period straight to mastery, Gu Yansheng needed to look anew.
Embezzle away.
What to do with so much ginseng and deer antler? He couldn’t use them.
What kind of medicinal material is this? Smells a bit strange.
Aphrodisiac herbs?
“Didn’t I say, let him keep these things to eat himself.”
Wen Yan was indeed not young, those bribing saw this point in Wen Yan, catered to his tastes, let Wen Yan regain his vigor, this gift was appropriate, Gu Yansheng could understand.
But what was Wen Yan leaving so much for him to do.
Gu Yansheng sneered, put down the herbs, grabbed a few nearby chains, when studying antiques he had dabbled in jade materials, could distinguish basic jade qualities.
Pearl necklace, agate necklace, jade Guanyin, emerald bracelet.
Gu Yansheng noted down what things there were, took out a bracelet, a pendant, pocketed them, packed the rest entirely into a suitcase, took it away.
Out the door exchanged suitcases with He Yun, he took the suitcase He Yun had, He Yun would handle the money in his suitcase, deposit the items in Citibank’s safe deposit box.
Made a trip to city government, Gu Yansheng returned the seal and key to Wen Yan.
“This key is finally back.” Wen Yan laughed: “If you didn’t come soon, I’d have no place to put this thing.”
Now opening bank safe deposit boxes in the concession isn’t cheap.
“If not enough, open another one.”
“That would be such a waste.” Wen Yan was used to frugality before, couldn’t bear it.
“Mr., are you satisfied with the things in the suitcase?”
“In the future keep these aphrodisiac herbs to eat yourself, I have no use for them.”
Wen Yan smiled, “Knew you have no use, this is for reciprocity times, someone who can use them? I checked with the herbalist, all top quality, good stuff.”
“How’s the effect for you?”
“The effect is of course” Wen Yan answered smoothly, then in one second serious, “Effect is of course good, herbalist said, I haven’t tried them.”
“Heh.”
Let Wen Yan continue embezzling money, Gu Yansheng went to find Shen Shuyun, took her back to the office.
Took out the bracelet and pendant for her, “For you, put them on.”
