Chapter 39: Invitation
The next day in court.
“This court sentences.
According to this court’s investigation, the defendant’s claim that ‘the French Concession transferred law enforcement power to the Japanese Gendarmerie Headquarters’ lacks factual evidence, so this court does not accept it.
The defendant published untrue statements in the newspaper without factual basis, which indeed caused reputational damage to the plaintiff. This court rules and punishes as follows in accordance with the law:
The defendant must publish a clarification on the homepage of this newspaper within two days.”
The sentencing result came down, as most people expected. In such cases, either the benefit of doubt goes to the defendant, or all doubts are eliminated by the plaintiff.
The plaintiff’s lawyer debunked all the doubts raised by the defendant in court. It would be a fix if they didn’t win.
Both sides have backers. The French consul is no pushover, and the French Concession supports a large group of people. The fix can’t happen for now.
Actually, well-informed people knew the result right after the trial ended yesterday. Today is just going through the motions.
Smith on the defendant’s bench didn’t even show up, very confident there would be no accident.
And Richard, the French consul, was very calm from the moment he arrived. Now with the sentencing down, his expression was even more like basking in spring breeze.
Utterly refreshed.
As soon as the sentencing ended, Richard couldn’t wait.
“Mr. Gu, Mr. Wolf, the banquet is being prepared. How about going to my residence first for a glass of wine? From a top estate in Burgundy vineyard. This is my prized collection.”
Gu Yansheng didn’t know much but was impressed. Wolf knew very well.
“Burgundy? Could it be Romanée-Conti? Then I can’t miss it.
Mr. Smith, I have to report a case to you. Last time at an exhibition, a French guy sold me a bottle of Conti, claiming to be an employee of Burgundy. It turned out to be fake.”
“Hahahaha, mine is guaranteed authentic. Mr. Gu, please.”
Richard was mainly thanking Gu Yansheng, the main benefactor, and was very polite and attentive in his words and actions.
Gu Yansheng went along with it.
“Mr. Hase, please.” Richard didn’t forget this tag-along either. In officialdom, they were all doing diplomacy, all in Shanghai, seeing each other often. Better to keep surface relations good.
Hase Jinagawa smiled and immediately followed.
Several cars headed to the consulate residence in the French Concession.
Once inside, the attendants were already busy.
French people prefer Indian attendants over Chinese ones. Like the valet parking at hotels, usually Indians, nicknamed red-headed Indians. And the Indian constables at the police station have higher salaries than Chinese constables, not just a bit higher, but double.
Gu Yansheng found it hard to understand. Are these Indian red-headed guys clean here? Diligent?
If he had to guess, it was probably because India is now a French colony, considered part of France, so using their own country’s people.
That was the only way to understand it.
“Please.”
After arriving at the reception room, the French attendant brought in the decanted wine, and Richard poured it himself.
While pouring, he solemnly introduced the origin of this bottle and the glorious history of the French vineyard.
This first glass was naturally poured for Gu Yansheng, the one who contributed the most.
“Mr. Gu, this time it’s all thanks to your help that justice was served. So if there’s anything you need my help with in the future, just say the word. Anything can be discussed in the French Concession.”
Richard was quite sincere.
However, empty promises don’t fill the stomach. Gu Yansheng took a light sip and said directly, “Then I have to drum up some business for our law firm. If the consul needs legal assistance in the future, I hope you can take care of our Danwen firm.”
Gu was great. Wolf liked Gu’s professionalism of pulling business for the firm even while drinking, so he downed his own glass.
Richard had no objection. “Mr. Gu’s ability is beyond doubt. Actually, there will be many French Concession entrepreneurs at the wine party later. I’ll introduce you then.”
“Mr. Richard, I think introducing Mr. Gu to them is unnecessary. After this case, Mr. Gu’s name should be well-known in the concessions.” Hase Jinagawa tried not to be invisible and smiled with flattery.
“Haha.” Richard agreed.
Finally, the opening came.
Gu Yansheng focused on Hase Jinagawa.
Outsiders thought he had a close relationship with Hase Jinagawa, but it was just their own assumption due to lack of information.
He knew his place. In Hase Jinagawa’s eyes, he, Gu Yansheng, was just a channel to contact the French consul, a bridge. Now that contact was made, his role was basically used up.
They had some connection, but not much.
So how to bring it up required the right approach.
Like climbing the pole.
Gu Yansheng raised his wine glass in a distant toast.
“Mr. Hase, that’s what you said. Now that Mr. Richard has made an offer, shouldn’t you leak some business our way?
With all your business in Hongkou and the entire Shanghai area, is there a chance for our Danwen firm to get involved?”
Gu Yansheng began the attack.
“There really is.”
Hase Jinagawa nodded, looking at Gu Yansheng quite seriously. “Actually, I have something to discuss with Mr. Gu today.
But this matter might put Mr. Gu in a difficult position. I’m actually embarrassed to mention it, but since someone entrusted me, I want to ask Mr. Gu’s opinion.”
Huh? Facing the surprise, Gu Yansheng raised an eyebrow. “Please go ahead.”
Hase Jinagawa pondered briefly. “It’s like this. There’s a case—wonder if Mr. Gu has heard of it. The recent Swire suing the SH city government for illegally detaining supplies.”
Gu Yansheng and Wolf exchanged a glance, then nodded to Hase Jinagawa. “I’ve heard about this case. The city government lost. What’s up?”
Hase Jinagawa hummed, frowned slightly, and said gravely, “I don’t know how you legal professionals view this case, but at least to us and the SH city government, there shouldn’t have been any possibility of losing.
The supplies entered from Wusongkou—our controlled wartime supplies and contraband.
Wartime has its rules. Smuggling without declaration, even if Swire can come up with a thousand excuses for this batch, I can confirm the final destination is definitely not for peace.
Such obvious aiding-the-enemy behavior is all harm and no benefit to Shanghai’s peace.
Afterward, the SH city government discussed with some experts and believes the main reason for losing this lawsuit was that the trial was in the concession court.
The main power holders in the International Settlement are the United Kingdom and the United States, and Swire is backed by the British authorities. The judges’ bias would be very obvious.
So the SH city government needs someone to fight this injustice in the concession court, but their lawyers are indeed average. Facing a top law firm like Smithfield, they have little resistance.
After the trial yesterday, the news of Mr. Gu defeating Smithfield in court spread widely. An official from the SH city government contacted me through someone, asking if I knew Mr. Gu.
As fellow Chinese, he hopes I can help recruit Mr. Gu to join the city government and handle some legal-related business.
But I said this would be hard because Mr. Gu’s fees are obviously not cheap, and the city government probably can’t offer much funding to recruit Mr. Gu. Even for Mr. Gu’s income level, it would only be meager.
So, I’m not in a good position to bring it up, and can only mention it on this occasion.”
Hase Jinagawa seemed afraid Gu Yansheng would refuse too quickly, raised his hand to signal him not to speak yet, and continued.
“However, Mr. Gu, I have some words I want to say. I hope you listen carefully.
I don’t know how you view this war, or how you see the injustice the SH city government faced in the International Settlement court.
Factually, Japan and China are at war now, and Shanghai as a Japanese-occupied area—Japan hopes for peace and stability here.
Common people living and working in peace, business stably developing, and relations with concession countries maintained as normal.
But Swire’s approach is clearly undermining Shanghai’s long-term peace and stability.
Today they can win victory through some concession privileges.
But neither the SH city government nor we Japanese can make long-term concessions to such behavior.
Once, we yielded, returned the goods. But second time, third time…
Whether Swire or other foreign firms, if they repeatedly do this and try to win with concession case law.
The SH city government might not be so friendly in some measures.
Like strict controls, or irregular large-scale searches across the entire SH city.
We don’t want that. Neither the SH city government nor we Japanese want it. We hope for a relaxed environment for Shanghai residents. If forced to this last resort, it’s out of helplessness.
So from the SH city government’s perspective, they hope I can help recruit Mr. Gu, so that in the future, when facing various problems, on the legal level and concession court level, they won’t be so weak.
And from the fellow Chinese perspective, I believe Mr. Gu also hopes the SH citizens can have a peaceful living environment.
So I venture to ask Mr. Gu to consider this possibility from the big picture and take a position in the SH city government.
I know the city government’s salary is little for Mr. Gu, even just a stipend, but what you can do for SH citizens will be a lot.”
“This…” Gu Yansheng frowned slightly, looking troubled.
This was unexpected. He was thinking of advancing gradually, but didn’t expect Hase Jinagawa to also advance gradually and play the emotional card.
This was mutual approach.
So much so that some strategies he prepared seemed useless.
Wasn’t that a waste of preparation?
The offense and defense switched. It seemed he still needed to play hard to get, otherwise how to raise conditions?
But before he could speak, Wolf was dissatisfied first.
“Mr. Hase, isn’t your request too much?”
