Chapter 57: Plan
Gu Yansheng’s office.
“Off work, let’s go, I’ll take you to eat, Xiao Lou, your major is shopping, you’re in charge of finding a restaurant.” Gu Yansheng grabbed his overcoat and left.
“There’s food? That’s great, what I learned in school is indeed shopping.” Liu Xiaolou’s enthusiasm was immediately sparked, but he curiously asked: “Division Chief, I thought you were in a bad mood today, is there any good news?”
“Bad mood?” Gu Yansheng raised an eyebrow, “You mean the General Affairs Section matter?”
“Yeah.” Liu Xiaolou nodded: “You got angry at the General Affairs Section, I thought your mood shouldn’t be great today.”
Gu Yansheng smiled, “Good mood or not, we still have to eat, and your performance today was good, deserves praise.”
At that time in the General Affairs Section reconciling accounts, without Gu Yansheng saying much, Liu Xiaolou took the initiative to calculate the price difference when that accountant was reporting.
Although not very useful, it could provide information for superiors to compare, avoiding being fooled unilaterally by the other side, and the whole process didn’t need Gu Yansheng to remind, that showed real savvy.
There was a bit of tacit understanding flavor.
And they did make money today.
Two people, 6000 silver dollars bribe, calculated at cheap and durable coarse sand 70 silver dollars each, that could buy 85 pieces, almost enough winter uniforms for 8500 soldiers, not a small amount.
Mood deserves to be beautiful.
“Thank you Division Chief for the praise.” Liu Xiaolou smiled brightly.
Gu Yansheng still had to remind: “Don’t forget the task I gave you for tonight and tomorrow’s report, Wen Yan has yours too, tomorrow you go to the consulate, make sure to deliver the report to Mr. Hase’s hands.”
“Got it.”
“Let’s go, eat, go home early after eating.”
Both had new neighbor missions tonight, needed to get off work early.
Thinking about it this way, Liu Xiaolou felt this new neighbor mission was quite good, had to watch every day, wouldn’t that mean no overtime for a long time?
The next day as soon as work started, Liu Xiaolou delivered the plan to the Mayor’s Office.
Mayor Fu’s secretary was Wu Maiding, like Gu Yansheng, Fu Xiao’an as a parachuted chief official, hadn’t been in politics before, didn’t trust other secretaries in the City Government.
So called over his former trusted aide to be secretary.
Wu Maiding was previously a translator at the Commercial Bank, had good relations with the Public Works Bureau, reading ability and knowledge no problem.
Receiving Liu Xiaolou’s plan, he read it once himself, then knocked on the door and sent it in to Fu Xiao’an.
“Mayor Fu, plan from the Judicial Department.”
At present stage, how to handle foreign merchants smuggling prohibited items was the top priority of City Government work, Fu Xiao’an reached out and took it to read.
The plan’s main contents had three points.
First, designate an area to establish the Shanghai Special City Government Special Court, as the highest court within SH City Government jurisdiction, with trial authority over all disputes occurring within the city.
Second, establish the Sino-Japanese Joint Review Committee, and add to the supplies management regulations that goods that may be diverted for military purposes, including but not limited to medicine, metals, fuel, are regarded as strategic supplies, must be approved by the Sino-Japanese Joint Review Committee before entry.
Third, establish a pre-trial deposit system, all chambers of commerce conducting maritime trade in Shanghai must pay 20% deposit of the cargo ship cargo value in advance, can rotate as needed if no violation found, must replenish if insufficient.
If need to withdraw and no longer conduct trade, can apply for refund one month after the last trade.
“Have you read it?”
“Yes.”
“Give your opinion.”
“Yes.” Wu Maiding paused slightly and said: “According to this document’s meaning, the Judicial Department wants to take management rights of foreign merchant disputes into their own hands, the innovative points are the deposit system and jurisdiction issue.
Smuggling’s purpose is nothing more than to make more money, but if they have to deposit 20% here in advance, and it’s 20% of cargo value, then these foreign merchants have to think if smuggling is worth it, if this money will be deducted by the Japanese, leading to no profit.
I think Deputy Division Chief Gu’s this idea is to use the Japanese’s fickleness to make these foreign merchants hesitate, not dare to smuggle.
And establishing this special court, I believe is Deputy Division Chief Gu’s effort for jurisdiction, tell foreign merchants in advance, as long as goods enter from Wusongkou, it’s under our control, if you don’t want to be controlled, you can not come.
Not exactly forcing them.
Pretty clever, quite imaginative.”
Wu Maiding said and smiled.
Fu Xiao’an neither agreed nor disagreed, continued asking: “Then do you think it’s feasible?”
Wu Maiding smiled and shook his head: “Afraid it’s hard to achieve.”
“Reason?”
“Ideal and reality have gap, I think this Deputy Division Chief Gu may just entered politics, still lawyer thinking, he hasn’t considered the complexity of various forces.
Just take this jurisdiction issue, his deposit system is based on jurisdiction established, only then can the deposit system work.
But what if they don’t recognize it?
Now foreigners plainly say as long as lawsuit, go to Concession Court, they just don’t recognize this special court, just play rogue, what to do?
He can indeed go his own way, want to implement his own court, but as long as foreigners unite to make trouble.
Then the final result no different from previous lawsuits, public opinion controlled by them, consulate will compromise under pressure.
I think doing this, he’s pitting Hase Jinagawa.”
“So this report is waste paper?”
“Some parts still have merits, like the deposit, if really find suitable method, I think this system is good, can add it.”
Fu Xiao’an heard here and smiled, put the document on the desk, “This person is a bit green, but good for me.”
Wu Maiding nodded, “Indeed good, he has loopholes, we more convenient, then I return the document to him? Order rejection, then let him make another?”
“Why return?” Fu Xiao’an shook his head: “You, too harsh, young people want to try, you give chance, if all killed like you, how does consulate know he can’t? How do we find truly capable person for Judicial Department.
Reject him like you, consulate will think we disrespect their choice, chance, at least give once, this is face for Hase Jinagawa.
Notify him, I’m very busy recently, no time to look, I believe his ability, let him operate specifics himself, no need report to me, I only expect result.”
Wu Maiding paused: “Understood, but Mayor, can’t say know nothing at all, he requests funding to build court here, and site selection, this always needs spend money approve funding.”
“True.” Fu Xiao’an took the document again looked, chuckled: “Want not touch this but can’t shake off, then say I looked, give money that should give, I believe his ability, anyway I don’t understand law, who knows he can do so poorly.”
“Got it.”
Fu Xiao’an handed the document over, “Money to Public Works Bureau given?”
“Already given, foreign judges 1000 silver dollars each, Chinese judges 500 each, I promised them this amount monthly, already three confirmed, will help us in future cases.”
“Mm.” Fu Xiao’an nodded: “See, no need such troublesome plan at all, just spend a little money monthly, let them help us, foreigners greedy for money, none unwilling.
Help me arrange with Public Works Bureau directors, I’ll go connect with them, wait for this Gu Yansheng to fail, then our turn.
Do a few real things, let Japanese know we can really hold foreigners’ goods, this Judicial Department position naturally comes back.”
As for money spent, of course earn back from others, otherwise why want judicial authority?
At the same time, Hase Jinagawa in the Japanese Consulate also received this report.
But he had no intention of hurting himself.
Looking at this document, though innovative, indeed has problems, not so sure to solve Shanghai’s problems.
This doesn’t meet his expectations for Gu Yansheng.
“You go, call Gu Yansheng over.”
