Chapter 288: In Summary: No Money!
Secretary Mao had followed Boss Dai for so long that he clearly knew, although Boss Dai’s face showed no expression now, his heart was actually burning with anger.
Not daring to be negligent, Secretary Mao lowered his head and said uneasily: “We still can’t confirm it at the moment. The moment I learned this news, I came to report it to you.”
“But don’t worry, I’ve already ordered all departments to conduct a large-scale search and arrest, and the cooperative investigation order has been issued immediately.”
“According to our analysis, he is most likely to have fled to Beiping.”
“So Fang Jiamiao has defected to the Japanese and become a traitor?!” Reaching this most unwanted conclusion, Boss Dai’s heart sank instantly.
The Changheng Campaign was about to begin, concerning the life and death of 400,000 soldiers. If the campaign failed because of a traitor in their Military Statistics Bureau, he could already imagine how furious the Old Man would be.
He could even imagine the feeling of the Old Man’s spittle spraying on his face.
Military Statistics Bureau, full name: National Government Military Committee Investigation and Statistics Bureau.
It sounds quite prestigious, but it’s actually similar in nature to the ancient Jinyiwei, Xiuyi Direct Command, Three Kingdoms Supervising Secret Service, etc., with all power coming from the emperor.
And the Military Statistics Bureau’s power comes entirely from the Old Man’s trust.
If they lost the Old Man’s trust, their Military Statistics Bureau would be nothing!
Even that group of people who had long been dissatisfied with the Military Statistics Bureau could devour them alive!
Just thinking about possibly losing trust because of this made Boss Dai’s heart panic uncontrollably.
“Who is in charge of the Beiping intelligence station now!”
“Previously, the Beiping Station Station Chief was leaked by a traitor, sacrificed on the way while fleeing, the Beiping Station was damaged and is being secretly rebuilt. The new Station Chief dispatched is named Su Hetong, expected to arrive today. Currently, the highest officer in Beiping is Xu Jin’ge, Lieutenant Colonel rank.”
“Immediately notify Xu Jin’ge to make sure, no matter what method he uses, to keep Fang Jiamiao forever outside Beiping City!”
Secretary Mao cautiously reminded: “However, Xu Lieutenant Colonel’s control over Beiping is not in place, and plus the previous assassination at the Tokyo Hotel, the little devils have conducted several arrest operations in Beiping. Many intelligence stations have been forced to close or withdraw, with severe shortage of manpower.”
“If Fang Jiamiao has really defected to the Japanese, he must be under strict protection. I’m afraid we are powerless. How about sending stations from nearby areas to cooperate?”
After pondering for a moment, Boss Dai shook his head and rejected the proposal: “Forget about mobilizing stations around. But intercepting and killing him midway is still very necessary. Quickly draft a plan and send it out.”
The little devils nowadays are somewhat crazy. Life is hard for Military Statistics Bureau special agents in Beiping, and even harder for those elsewhere.
If nearby stations’ special agents are rashly mobilized for support, not to mention whether they can bring weapons, it’s easy to go out, but returning without suspicion would be difficult.
It was not easy to infiltrate. If they make a big fuss because of this, it would not be worth the loss.
“Also, add a kill order: whoever can kill Fang Jiamiao will be promoted one rank, and awarded one Baoding Medal!”
“Traitors like Fang Jiamiao must be killed to serve as a deterrent, killing one to warn a hundred!”
“Yes, I’ll go issue the notice right now!” Secretary Mao secretly stuck out his tongue at the weight of the two rewards given by Boss Dai. Either of the two rewards was an boundless temptation for Military Statistics Bureau people.
Combined together, Beiping’s special agents would probably dig three feet underground to find and kill him!
On the other side, Beiping.
In the District Office meeting room.
At this time, the District Office meeting room was filled with smoke, continuously drifting out through the windows.
From a distance, those who didn’t know might think the District Office was on fire.
More than twenty bosses wearing silk satin jackets crowded on both sides of the meeting room desk, fanning their folding fans vigorously, yet unable to dispel the full room’s anxiety.
The new Director had just taken office the second day and immediately convened them, these ‘underground shopkeepers’. No one could ‘guess’ what medicine the Director was selling in his gourd.
Seeing that more than half an hour had passed the appointed time, just as they were waiting anxiously, the meeting room door ‘creaked’ open.
This sound instantly attracted the gazes of all the bosses present, only to see Cao Weida, wearing the Director’s uniform, with a cigarette between his fingertips, walking in.
He didn’t sit in the main seat, instead pacing two circles around the bosses with hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over each boss, lingering for a moment on a familiar person.
That person was Ma Daxian, the boss of the Fushou Shop whom Cao Weida had previously imprisoned.
He remembered that this Ma Daxian’s brother-in-law Quan Youde was the one he had ordered to be executed.
Seeing the ‘old acquaintance’, he couldn’t help but smile and nod at him.
Ma Daxian obviously also saw Cao Weida, and seeing him smile at himself, he hurriedly returned a fawning smile, though the smile was somewhat stiff.
Damn, it’s actually this guy!
His mind involuntarily pictured his brother-in-law Quan Youde, whose grave grass had grown three feet tall, and he couldn’t help but shiver.
Damn it, this guy is ruthless!
We must not offend him!
No matter what this guy demands later, as long as it’s not too excessive, I must show my attitude.
Just as he secretly made up his mind, Cao Weida walked to the main seat and sat down, exhaling smoke into the air, mixing with the smoke smell on the bosses, and said:
“The main seat is all Beiping’s ‘capable people’. How many smoke lamps are lit openly in the city, how much is laid out on the gambling tables, you know in your hearts, and I know even better.”
As soon as the words fell, Ma Daxian eagerly agreed: “Director is wise! Our business all relies on the Director’s care, we should naturally show some respect!”
The other bosses: “.”
He just opened his mouth, and you eagerly started licking, are you a lapdog!!
He hasn’t said anything yet, good guy, you yourself started to offer respect?!
You want to offer respect, fine, but in such a public occasion, openly supporting, do you want to bind us too?!
Damn it, you damn one must be a shill!
Facing the crowd’s hostility, Ma Daxian was steady as Mount Tai.
Hehe, you can glare with hostility, anyway, I won’t lose a piece of flesh.
But if reacting slowly and being remembered by Cao Weida, that would be bad.
Anyway, he never skimped on the monthly stipend money. Coming to this meeting, if ‘discussing’ the stipend money, it had no impact on him at all.
“It seems Ma Boss is very ‘understanding of the greater good’. Worthy of commendation.” Seeing Ma Daxian so perceptive, so eager to take sides, Cao Weida was amused by him:
“Good, since Ma Boss has stated his position, then it’s settled.”
“Starting today, on the first of every month hereafter, each shop hands over 50% of last month’s profit to the District Office Finance Office. Opium cases counted, gambling houses by head fee. If short, I’ll have the detective team check!”
As soon as the words fell, the crowd exploded in uproar, countless opposing voices rising one after another.
“No, Director, what is settled? We didn’t agree!”
“Yes, yes, Director, we are all small businesses. 50% profit, aren’t you forcing us to starve!”
“Exactly, no one takes such a cut.”
“Too much, we still have to pay tribute to the Japanese special agent agency.”
Except for a very few who didn’t want to take the lead, the remaining bosses chimed in one after another, some saying opium purchase prices had risen, some sighing fewer gamblers, anyway, a chorus of complaints.
Summing up, just one sentence: No money!
Money in their hands, asking them to hand it over again, and 50% at that, was like cutting their flesh with a knife!
Looking at the noisy scene like a hornet’s nest, Cao Weida’s face darkened, pressing the cigarette butt into the tea bowl with a ‘sizzle’, startling everyone into silence.
Cao Weida’s sharp gaze swept the room, coldly saying:
“You have to pay the Japanese tribute, but you don’t want to pay my share?!”
He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and ‘bang’ slapped it on the table:
“This is the list of opium privately hoarded by a certain tobacco shop last week, and the case file of a certain gambling house cheating and causing death.”
His eyes swept over the bosses present, narrowing, tone grim: “I won’t name which ones, you should know in your hearts. Tell me, should I report these to send you to prison, or do you want to pay to settle the disaster?”
To be honest, whether these opium addicts, gamblers live or die, he didn’t care, anyway none were good things.
It could even be said, better if these opium addicts, gamblers died themselves, better than dragging their family members down.
Just right, using them to make an article, counts as making use of waste.
As for wiping them all out… no need, such things can’t be rooted out anyway, after all, the biggest supplier behind is the Japanese.
No Zhang San, then Li Si comes out; no Li Si, then Zhao Wu comes out.
Moreover, this batch now is basically all well-fed. If replaced with a new batch hungry, the harm would be greater and harder to control.
The source is fully supportive, hoping the people below to clear these dealings?
Get real, the dealings won’t be cleared, but oneself might be cleared first.
The bosses swept by Cao Weida’s gaze all guiltily lowered their heads. They called themselves ‘bosses’, but actually all did gray business, inevitably encountering some ‘reckless’ people and unspeakable matters.
Thus, what Cao Weida just said was basically included in their businesses.
At the same time, it let them know this Director held their leverage, and was appointed with Japanese approval.
If he really got serious, no one would have good fruit to eat!
At that time, it wouldn’t just be paying to settle, he could pin a ‘colluding with the Communists’ charge on them, not only shops ransacked, people probably gone too.
Hope on the people behind them?
No matter how awesome, can they outmatch the Japanese?!
