Chapter 69: Recruitment
In the evening, Wu Sibao arrived right on time.
“Here, 2000 US dollars, I gave you your money without missing a single cent, don’t say I’m stingy.”
Wu Sibao quickly pulled out stacks of ten-dollar US dollar bills from his briefcase and placed them on Gu Yansheng’s table, looking extremely bold.
He decided to take a gamble; a Jianghu man cannot be looked down upon.
“Good, this is the Green Gang Boss Wu Sibao I know.”
“No empty talk, tell me what business there is this time.”
“Sit, what’s the rush.”
Gu Yansheng came out, brewed a cup of coffee, sat on the sofa, and sipped it leisurely.
“You know about the recent price increases, right?”
Wu Sibao nodded, “I’ve heard, it’s ridiculously expensive.”
“Hoarding and price gouging, let’s hit them.” Gu Yansheng gave him a look.
Wu Sibao instantly understood, his eyes lighting up, “But I have no legitimate reason; our Agent Headquarters catches spies, hoarding and price gouging isn’t under our jurisdiction?”
Gu Yansheng smiled playfully, “The right to interpret the operation is yours, the right to interpret the law is mine; you caught Military Statistics Bureau agents recently, there should still be quite a few on the run, right? Couldn’t they have fled into a warehouse?”
“Oh~ Military Statistics Bureau’s warehouse!”
Wu Sibao was enlightened, suddenly slapping his thigh and bursting into laughter: “Interesting, this is interesting, very interesting.”
“Choose your targets carefully; some people cannot be touched.”
Gu Yansheng reminded him: “For this matter, you must cooperate with me, no reckless actions; my goal is to complete Mr. Hase’s mission, to strike at the concession; only with the premise of completing the mission can we make a profit, and only then will Mr. Hase back us up.”
“Don’t worry about that, how could I not know?” Wu Sibao scooted his butt forward a bit: “Tell me specifically, how to do this? I’ll listen to you completely, alright?”
Gu Yansheng leaned in closer too, “Are you busy lately? Can you spare some staff?”
“Not bad, whenever I want staff, I have them.” Wu Sibao mentioned some Military Statistics Bureau matters; anyway, in his eyes, Gu Yansheng definitely wasn’t Military Statistics Bureau, so it didn’t matter.
Gu Yansheng hummed: “Then get prepared, gather some staff; I still need to set up a trap here; once I’ve set it up, I’ll notify you; in these two days, first send your trusted subordinates to scout where the warehouses hoarding those goods are; it’s your expertise, no problem scouting it out, right?”
“Don’t worry, if I can’t scout such a trivial matter, I might as well die; continue.”
“Our targets this time are two: one is rice, one is cotton yarn; vegetables spoil easily, others are troublesome to sell; just these two, once obtained, they can absolutely be sold out this winter.”
“Alright, then I’ll specifically scout the warehouses hiding these two items.”
“Nothing else; just get prepared, and make sure your subordinates keep their mouths shut, no leaking information.”
“Don’t worry, what kind of people are we? Then I’ll go back and prepare first?”
“Pretty good, huh?” Gu Yansheng leaned back and smiled: “This time including you, how much money do you think we can make?”
“Hahahaha.” Wu Sibao flattered: “I knew you were good to people, you absolutely won’t let me suffer a loss for nothing.”
Gu Yansheng sneered disdainfully, “Ambitious; this is just the first step, there’s a second step, that’s the real chance to make big money.”
“There’s a second step? How?” Wu Sibao leaned in again, looking serious.
Gu Yansheng patted his shoulder, “Selling a teaser; timing hasn’t come yet; hurry and prepare, don’t mess up my plans.”
“Tease me a little? Please? I’m itching.”
“Just a little?”
“Just a little!”
“Alright, one reminder: prepare some cash, the more the better; when the time comes and winds change, borrowing might not even be possible.”
“That exaggerated? Problem is, I have no money.”
“Then I can’t help it; alright, hurry off, dawdling delays things.”
Wu Sibao pulled a long face unhappily but could only leave helplessly.
Gu Yansheng saw him off; although Wu Sibao was not upstanding, as long as paid, he’d do any job.
Staff for the job was secured; as everyone knows, to make stock prices fall, just one piece of bad news is needed; to make them plummet, a very heavy-hitting piece of bad news is required.
No bad news for cotton yarn yet; the colder winter, the higher the price.
But others have funds to push up prices; Gu Yansheng has power to create cards out of thin air.
He wanted to create a piece of news that would make cotton yarn futures prices plummet.
Still short on staff; he needed some fresh faces.
Back in the office, Gu Yansheng called Ma Sihai from the Prison Management Section.
“Has Gu Zhuxuan been transferred to Shanghai? Good, I got it.”
Picking up his coat, Gu Yansheng drove to Caohui Jing Prison.
The warden naturally welcomed him personally with smiles and introductions, but Gu Yansheng had no interest in him.
“Gu Zhuxuan is here with you, right?”
“Yes.”
“Find a room, bring him over, and bring his files too.”
“Alright.”
The warden arranged a reception room and brought the files.
Gu Yansheng flipped through the records.
According to the trial document, Gu Zhuxuan was imprisoned for murder, killing a fellow Green Gang brother, sentenced to fifteen years.
And in the personal files, it was clearly recorded that the Japanese suspected him of colluding with the Military Statistics Bureau; this was the main reason a tycoon like him was sentenced; otherwise, with his status, even if he really killed someone, he could just find a small subordinate to take the blame.
And the Japanese suspicion wasn’t baseless; after seeing the materials, Gu Yansheng discovered that Gu Zhuxuan actually had quite a background: he had a paternal cousin in the National Government army, the Third War Zone Commander, Gu Zhutong.
“No wonder.” Even Gu Yansheng, upon learning this, would suspect the man was working for the Military Statistics Bureau.
The Third War Zone’s jurisdiction included Shanghai and Jiangsu; with a Green Gang tycoon’s paternal cousin being Gu Zhutong, even if Gu Zhutong didn’t use him, could the Military Statistics Bureau not think of utilizing him?
“Division Chief, the man is here.” The warden smiled obsequiously: “Afraid he might hurt you, so we brought leg chains; we’ll wait outside?”
Gu Yansheng nodded, taking out the meal box bought on the way and placing it on the table to open.
One roast chicken, one pot of wine, one dish of side vegetables; the roast chicken was well done, aroma filling the air.
“I’m Gu Yansheng, Deputy Division Chief of Judicial Department; someone asked me to take care of you; please.”
Gu Yansheng made a welcoming gesture, sat down casually, poured a little wine into two small glasses from the pot, and drank alone.
Gu Zhuxuan had a refined name but was a burly man, bald-headed, still reeking strongly of Jianghu.
Probably hearing that Gu Yansheng also had the surname Gu, he dragged his leg chains over while eyeing him suspiciously, wondering if he was some relative.
“Who sent you?” He sat down.
“A woman, not your Commander Gu.” Gu Yansheng smiled: “No misunderstanding; we’re not relatives; try it, roast chicken isn’t cheap in Shanghai these days.”
With food available, Gu Zhuxuan had no reason to be polite; even if poisoned, that was after eating.
He tore off half the roast chicken and gnawed directly, alternating bites of meat and wine; in this prison, it was a rare enjoyment.
“For this kind of thing, sending a lackey would suffice; Deputy Division Chief Gu coming today isn’t just to deliver food, right?”
“Correct.” Gu Yansheng was straightforward, “Boss Gu is a Tong generation figure in the Green Gang, also known as the North Jiangsu Tycoon, so very familiar with Shanghai; I’m investigating some matters and want to borrow Boss Gu’s staff; just don’t know if Boss Gu still has loyal subordinates.”
“Heh.” Gu Zhuxuan sneered, tossing the chicken leg onto the plate, eyeing him sideways: “Why do you think I’m here? If I were willing to work for the Japanese, would I be here? Dream on.”
Quite tough. Gu Yansheng shook his head: “Not working for the Japanese, working for Shanghai citizens; simply put, the current situation outside is unusual; some unscrupulous merchants and foreigners are colluding to push up prices, hoarding and price gouging; Shanghai people now have no rice to eat.
This dish of vegetables right in front of you, do you know how much it costs today? One silver dollar.”
“This? One silver dollar?” Gu Zhuxuan glanced at the small dish of greens, laughing angrily and cursing: “Fucking scoundrels, really know how to make money, sons without assholes; but what does this have to do with me?”
Gu Zhuxuan watched coldly, “I won’t help with anything; starve to death for all I care.”
Gu Yansheng chuckled lightly: “Indeed no relation; after all, you’re already in prison, Shanghai citizens’ life or death is none of your business; but you have brothers, right?
A former North Jiangsu Tycoon, framed and now in prison, framed by a fellow Green Gang Boss at that; can his subordinates still have good days?
Even if they have industry, I believe it’s already been dismantled piecemeal.
When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter.
Opportunists might have gone to the rival’s side, living decently.
But your unwaveringly loyal ones, believing they’d follow your temperament, wouldn’t choose to work for the Japanese or the rival; can they still get by?
Their days were already tough, probably barely clinging on; now with prices rising again, whether they can afford this one meal today is questionable.
Good people, why must they live so bitterly?
Your band of loyal brothers, do they deserve this?”
These words clearly hit Gu Zhuxuan’s heart; he took a sullen sip of wine without retorting.
Gu Yansheng was meeting this man for the first time; to persuade him, he had to judge and organize his words on the spot.
“You’re not working for the Japanese, you’re working for me; that’s the first point.
Second point, I can promise you: designate one subordinate, and I can arrange for you to meet once a week; you can hear from him what they do, judge for yourself if it’s helping the Japanese.
For anything unclear, ask me; for every matter, if I can’t give a reason to convince you, you can have them stop anytime.
In return, your subordinates, your wife, I’ll take care of.
Not even mentioning your subordinates; just your wife, even with some assets, if you’re locked up forever, no one would make a move on her?
Conditions given; you choose.”
Gu Yansheng wasn’t worried he wouldn’t agree, casually flipping through the files.
Because the conditions were simply too generous.
Wife and brothers all taken care of, living in luxury even in prison, and as a prisoner, still fully aware of outside events; it was practically remote command, no different from vacationing.
And no risk of re-imprisonment or even being killed.
As long as a person has something to hold onto, anyone in his shoes would agree to such conditions.
“Sigh, who in the Green Gang framed you back then?” Gu Yansheng asked curiously.
Gu Zhuxuan was pondering while drinking; hearing this, he looked up into Gu Yansheng’s eyes and said, “Huang Jinrong.”
Oh~ Gu Yansheng nodded; offending one of the Green Gang’s top three tycoons, no wonder he was taken down.
“Really just scouting information?” Gu Zhuxuan had clearly thought it through.
“Mm-hmm.” Gu Yansheng nodded.
Gu Zhuxuan finished his wine and slammed the wine glass on the table: “Deal.”
