Chapter 132: No One Isn’t Interested In Money
“Search to the death~~” Meize Heiba nodded repeatedly in agreement. Although they in Japan didn’t have this phrase or anything similar, the meaning wasn’t profound—one listen and you’d know what it meant.
Thinking again about how many people had died over so many years of invading China, they were basically all ordinary people’s children—how many were from wealthy and powerful families?
To put it bluntly, regardless of victory or defeat in the war, it actually didn’t have much to do with ordinary people. Those who enjoyed the benefits were always the wealthy and powerful ones.
Although his Meize family still had some connections and his ancestors had some glory, in the end, they were just a bit stronger than ordinary people. Compared to those true great nobles, they seemed rather insignificant.
Besides, the bigger the family, the greater the expenses. Without enough money, how could they support such huge costs?
What’s more, what he considered wasn’t just himself, but also his son, grandson, and descendants!
It was the future of the entire Meize family!
Seeing that his heart moved, Cao Weida smiled inwardly. There was one saying he strongly agreed with: no one is uninterested in money—if someone was, it could only mean the money wasn’t enough yet!
Even a saint couldn’t be completely indifferent to money!
Without money, even saints couldn’t take a single step!
They couldn’t just let him fill his stomach with water, could they?
“So, like I said, no matter who we have a grudge against, we can’t have a grudge against money!”
“No matter how the future situation turns out, money in our own hands is the most real and greatest foundation! Everything else is just empty talk!”
“But…”
Finishing one cigarette, he tossed the cigarette butt and reached into his pocket for another.
Click~
Click~~
A burst of cocking guns sounded again.
Meize Heiba’s eyes widened: “Baka!! What the hell!! Give me the rifle!!”
“Hai!” The little devils who were scolded looked very innocent. He didn’t know what he’d done wrong but didn’t dare retort, and could only bow obediently and retreat.
“Cao Sang, please don’t mind. I apologize to you for their rudeness.” Meize Heiba’s tone was quite sincere, and his attitude was completely opposite from before.
“Officer Meize is too polite. They’re all just considering your safety—it’s their duty. How could I mind? On the contrary, not only should you not punish them, you should praise them for being loyal to their duties.”
“Having such loyal and dutiful subordinates, you should feel happy.”
One sentence made Meize Heiba beam with joy, and those scolded subordinates also felt much better. Sure enough, when those subordinates looked at Cao Weida again, their eyes carried goodwill.
“Yōshi, Cao Sang is so understanding—it’s truly admirable.”
He gladly took the cigarette Cao Weida offered and put it in his mouth, then ordered those subordinates: “What are you standing around for? Thank Cao Sang for his magnanimity!”
“Hai!” Those little devil subordinates gratefully bowed to Cao Weida: “Cao Sang, I, for our just now rude behavior, apologize to you!”
“No need for apologies—it’s just duty. I understand.” Cao Weida hurriedly stepped forward to support them. These guys were clearly Meize Heiba’s confidants, so of course showing goodwill was key.
Anyway, saying nice words cost nothing, and with a few sentences he could gain these little devils’ goodwill—why not?
Small favors—he didn’t mind giving more. After all, it’s easy to deal with the king of hell, but hard to deal with the little devils. Befriending these guys was all gain and no loss.
He gave each one a cigarette. To build a good relationship with someone, you had to cultivate it from daily interactions. If you waited until an emergency to try hugging Buddha’s leg at the last minute, you might not even get to—not to mention possibly getting kicked by Buddha instead…
Meize Heiba lit the cigarette and took a satisfying puff. Though the taste wasn’t as good as his Xuguang brand cigarettes, it was still passable.
“Cao Sang, let’s continue our previous topic. You just said ‘but’—but what?”
His mind was now full of thoughts about making money and getting rich. He admitted, his heart moved.
Who could refuse the temptation of making a fortune?
“What I mean is, for making money, the sooner the better. Bag it early to rest easy sooner.” Cao Weida smoked, his expression ethereal as he said:
“The current China battlefield situation is complex—who knows when it’ll be decided.”
“The Communist Party and Kuomintang must have a deep understanding of the international situation, and domestic resistance enthusiasm remains high. For the Empire to expand gains in China in a short time is truly difficult—holding the current gains is already no easy feat.”
“No one knows when the balance on the China battlefield will tip. What if…”
He glanced at the other, saying darkly: “What if your country can’t withstand the international pressure, the war fails at any moment, and Beiping ends up back in China’s hands.”
“To put it bluntly, Beiping is still under your country’s army jurisdiction now—making money is easy. But once the situation turns unfavorable, it’ll be pie in the sky to even think about making money then.”
“So, what we should do most now is race against time to make money. Every day delayed means one less day of earnings!”
“Don’t wait until we really miss the best chance, then regret it later…”
Cao Weida spoke ‘sincerely’, and Meize Heiba suddenly saw the light, nodding repeatedly: “Yōshi, Cao Sang, what you say is very reasonable. Today’s visit was worthwhile.”
“I’ve disturbed you a lot today—please forgive me. Wait for me a bit—two days, at most two days, and I’ll definitely give you a reply.”
Compared to revenge against the Army, through Cao Weida’s ‘guidance’, he suddenly felt that making money seemed more important.
Cao Sang was right—disagreements in military-political opinions were one thing, doing business together to make money was another; they couldn’t be mixed.
“Officer Meize, you’re truly someone who does big things!” Cao Weida smiled. “China has an old saying: aim high to stand, sit steady where level, walk wide where broad. With your intelligence and wisdom, I’ve always believed you’d make the wisest choice.”
“Aim high to stand, sit steady where level, walk wide where broad…” Meize Heiba carefully chewed on these words, and the more he chewed, the more charm he found in them.
If only Chinese people had just this one sentence—but unfortunately, there was also the resounding blood-boiling ‘The empire’s fate concerns every common man’…
After a long while, he sighed inwardly again. China truly was a land of heroes and spirits. He had received higher education and visited several countries, but no other nation’s culture had such profound foundation as China’s.
If it were any other country, on a battlefield with such a vast strength gap, they’d have long been crushed by the Japanese Army with no ability or will to resist.
But what did China do?
Better to die fighting as a ghost than live as a slave to a fallen nation!
Hate not dying resisting Japan, leaving shame for today. Though the nation falls, still thus—I, what do I begrudge this head!
Resist to the end, unwavering. As long as enemy troops don’t withdraw one day, the Sichuan Army swears not to return home one day!
All these weren’t just hot air—they used their bodies to practice it relentlessly, like locusts that could never be fully exterminated, wave after wave surging forward bravely. Even facing the Empire’s spears and heavy artillery, they never gave up or cowered…
Facing the Chinese nation with such spirit, they couldn’t subdue them even when sweeping unstoppably. Now with the Empire weakening, foundation dwindling, and China’s resistance enthusiasm rising daily, did their so-called last chance really have a chance of victory?
His heart tightened involuntarily. The more unfavorable the war situation for the Empire, the higher the chance of the Empire’s defeat.
It also meant the less time they had to make money…
No, he had to seize the moment. He knew a bit about the homeland’s situation—taking this land in China was one thing, but if they truly lost the war, he didn’t dare imagine the domestic situation!
What would they soldiers do then?
What about their family members?
Only having money in hand!
Money is the last foundation!
He stood up abruptly, face full of resolve: “Cao Sang, rest assured—I’ll do everything to make our cooperation happen! Please await my reply!”
“Your wife is inside the room, unharmed. I’ll take my leave first!”
“Thank you very much!”
Orders given, the little devils immediately withdrew, retreating from the courtyard house in steady, orderly steps.
Cao Weida saw them all the way to the door and stood there, smiling farewell until they vanished from his sight. Only then did the smile fade from his face. He returned to the courtyard with a stern expression and closed the door.
“Master!!”
Du Shiniang’s face bore tear stains, her eyes filled with worry and fear—clearly she’d been badly frightened earlier.
“Shi Niang, are you okay?” Cao Weida held her in his arms. Leaning under his sturdy shoulder, Du Shiniang’s fear eased a bit. She clung tightly to his tiger-back bear-waist frame, shook her head in his embrace, her tears soaking his chest clothes.
“No, they just locked me inside the room and wouldn’t let me out. I was so worried about you, Master—I wanted to pass information to you, but they watched too closely. I had no chance at all… wuwu~ Master, am I too useless…”
“You silly girl, what nonsense. How could you think that? Alright, alright, don’t be scared—they’re gone. This kind of thing won’t happen again.”
Comforting her with words, but murderous intent gathered in his heart.
Damn Meize Heiba, damn little devils—you wait for me!
When the War of Resistance is won, none of you can run! If this old man doesn’t kill you all, this old man isn’t Cao Weida!!
After soothing her for a good while, he finally calmed Du Shiniang, but she refused to let go of her hold on him. He could only keep her in his arms and called Xinghong on the telephone.
“Hello, Xinghong—did anyone drop by unexpectedly today?”
“Oh, okay, no problem. I was just asking. Mm, hanging up.”
Hanging up the telephone, Cao Weida breathed a slight sigh of relief. At least Meize Heiba hadn’t gone too far—but it also heightened his vigilance.
This meant his every move was under others’ surveillance.
He sighed inwardly—operating within others’ forces was truly restricting at every turn…
Damn it, tonight he had to kill a few more little devils to vent!
