Chapter 290: He Has Zhang Liang’s Plan, But We Have The Overbridge Ladder
Ma Daxiang’s eyes darted around, but he was the first to speak up, smiling obsequiously:
“The Director is right, fifty percent isn’t much, it’s only fair! I speak only for myself, and I fully support the Director’s decision!”
Once he spoke up, the others exchanged glances and immediately chimed in agreement; the previous complaints instantly turned into unanimous promises.
No choice, they couldn’t refuse; if they agreed, they could still have some soup and scraps.
Refuse?
Family ruin and death were just around the corner!
What else could they choose?
What other choice did they have?
Seeing them so sensible, Cao Weida finally showed a hint of a smile and pointed toward the Finance Office:
“Tomorrow have the accountant’s office send the money over. Don’t make me send someone to collect it.”
He paused, then added: “Do business properly from now on, and my people won’t trouble you casually. But if you play tricks, you won’t want to see the consequences.”
The bosses nodded and promised repeatedly. Seeing them all subdued, Cao Weida waved his hand dismissively, telling them to get lost.
Walking back down the street, the sunlight was blinding, but no one dared complain.
After sending off the bosses, Little Ear withdrew his gaze from watching them and said quietly: “Big Brother Cao, they don’t look like they’re submitting obediently. They might pull some tricks behind the scenes.”
Zheng Chaoyang nodded: “Little Ear is right, that’s what I think too. Especially that Boss Wang, Wang Dafa—I know him. He’s quick-witted. He stayed calm the whole time without saying a word, but I’m sure he’s not one to be easily intimidated.”
“Of course I know that. It’d be a miracle if this bunch handed over the money just because of a few words.” Cao Weida held a cigarette between his fingers, stood up, and went to stand by the window.
Sunlight shone on the golden buttons of the Director’s uniform, gleaming brightly.
“But no matter. I’m not afraid of their little tricks—I’d be afraid if they didn’t try any!”
A smile played on Cao Weida’s face, his eyes narrowing slightly as he watched the bosses leave through the District Office main gate before slowly continuing:
“Have people keep an eye on them. Don’t tip them off yet—let them stir things up and see what tricks they pull.”
“Only when they start stirring can we join in legitimately, right?”
“Oh right, this afternoon when those bosses come, Little Ear, you handle it. Do it just like at the Police Station.”
“Don’t bother with those willing to ‘cooperate.’ For those unwilling to ‘cooperate,’ give me the list.”
Meanwhile.
After the bosses got away from the District Office, they found a place to sit together. Everyone was there except Ma Daxiang.
For this ‘ringleader,’ this ‘traitor,’ they unanimously decided to shut him out.
Another round of puffing clouds of smoke. With no windows in the room, the small space quickly turned misty like a fairyland.
At this point, one boss kicked a brick in the corner of the wall, tossed his cigarette butt on the ground, and muttered: “This isn’t collecting a fee—this is robbery!!”
Another boss sighed, feebly fanning himself with his folding fan: “What can we do? On their turf, we’re meat on the chopping block!”
“Disobey? They can uproot us and swallow us whole, then let someone else take over.”
The other bosses were silent, knowing he was right.
They had power, men, and guns—what could they fight back with?
Rely on their backers?
Forget it. On Japanese turf, without harming their interests, who would make trouble?
In the end, only they, the bottom-level operators, suffered the most—doing the hardest, dirtiest work for the least pay.
The key was, you couldn’t refuse. Refuse and wait to die—countless people were lining up to take your place!
Even so, having fifty percent of profits dug out raw was like cutting their flesh!
How could they be content?!
“Boss Wang, among us, you have the most flexible mind. Think of something for us.”
Wang Dafa, addressed as Boss Wang, fiddled with the jadeite thumb ring on his thumb. It was emerald green and stunning under the light—a fine piece:
“Boss Liu is joking. How could I claim the most flexible mind?”
Before he finished, another boss interrupted anxiously: “Come on, Boss Wang, no need for modesty. With fire at our heels, are you still holding back?!”
“We’re all grasshoppers on the same string now. Fifty percent profits! Hand that over, and what meat do we eat, what soup do we drink? Northwest wind?”
The words drew support from the bosses, their eyes fixed on Wang Dafa’s face.
Usually big mouthfuls of meat and big bowls of liquor—now suddenly coarse food and vegetables. Of course they were unwilling.
There’s a saying: from frugality to extravagance is easy, but from extravagance to frugality is hard!
As long as profits are big enough, forget death—even execution by hanging has countless takers!
Seeing Wang Dafa so calm, they immediately realized he must have a plan but was holding back.
How could that be allowed!
The saying goes, not fearing scarcity but inequality. They eat coarse food and vegetables while you, Wang Dafa, eat well, drink spicy, and eat alone?
Impossible!
If Wang Dafa really dared do that, countless people would drag him down!
Wang Dafa knew this too—not fearing scarcity but inequality. If he secretly made money alone and any of them found out, they’d absolutely report him!
After so many years alive and as a boss, he knew human nature too well.
So from the start, he hadn’t planned to hide it—just put on a show.
If he volunteered the plan, who would owe him a favor?
Seeing the effect achieved and the mood right, he slowly said:
“That kid Cao Weida is young after all. He doesn’t know we have a ladder if he has a Zhang Liang plan.”
“We’ll have someone open an underground establishment at the back door, hang a ‘Tea’ sign or something. Familiar customers enter there. Openly cut the rake-off in half, secretly take twenty percent ‘wedding money’ per hand. Inside and out, it won’t make much difference.”
Boss Liu’s eyes lit up. Forgetting his cigarette, he hurriedly praised: “Still, Boss Wang has the ideas. This mind is beyond us!”
“This way, the gambling house profits drop fifty percent on the surface, but actually don’t decrease, while handing over far less!”
If Cao Weida heard this, he’d scoff. This was just a knockoff of dual contracts—too common in modern society. Did they think he was some clueless kid?
The gambling house people would be happy, but the cigarette stall people panicked: “Boss Wang, what about the opium? The Director said no private goods!”
“Silly brother,” Boss Wang scoffed, stuffing an oiled paper bag into his hand:
“This is stuff from Zhangjiakou—three times stronger than official smoke. Roll official smoke into balls, bury half this at the bottom. Smokers will just think the official smoke quality improved—who’d notice?”
So-called official smoke was opium from the Japanese, all accounted for.
Pricey, but safe. The Japanese wouldn’t care, even secretly support selling more.
Outside opium was private goods, strictly forbidden. If caught, big crime.
But now even money was hard to make—did sin or not even matter?
Marx’s Capital has a line: with appropriate profit, capital becomes bold.
Ten percent profit guarantees use everywhere.
Twenty percent, it gets active.
Fifty percent, it takes risks.
One hundred percent, it tramples all human laws.
Three hundred percent, it risks any crime, even hanging.
The cigarette stall boss clutched the oiled paper bag, the hard feel easing his breath, but then he frowned: “What if the Military Police check? Last time at Yongding Gate…”
“Check?” Boss Wang sneered, pulling a cigarette ticket from his pocket. “See this? Government Anti-Opium Bureau ticket. I got twenty through connections.”
“If really checked, flash this—say it’s officially approved medical smoke. Slip some money, guaranteed fine.”
He paused, adding: “Right, don’t sell to opium addicts. Target truckers and black market dealers—they have cash and don’t mind extra for stronger stuff.”
“Also, the respect money for the Director—don’t send alone. Pool it and have someone deliver.”
Everyone cheered: “Boss Wang thinks of everything!”
“.”
That afternoon, quiet little doors opened behind many cigarette stalls.
Two days later.
“Big Brother Cao, as expected, this bunch isn’t honest. They’re secretly playing one thing openly, another in secret.” In the Director’s Office, Little Ear sneered coldly. They thought themselves so clever, trying this trick!
But they didn’t know Big Brother Cao had long anticipated their tricks!
Right after they left together not scattering but gathering elsewhere, they were secretly watched.
“Our people have checked it out and roughly understand their operations.”
“Juyou Gambling House on South Street has a plank door in the back wall. Push open to an alley, hiding three private rooms. Smoke lamps glow like will-o’-the-wisps, kang beds full of regulars, copper opium scoops steaming in the trays.”
“And Tonghe Tobacco Shop has a hidden compartment under the window. Familiar customers hand over an engraved wood token for the dose. The shopkeeper’s wife squats inside, not even showing her face.”
Cao Weida chuckled in his throat, tapped his finger, and said: “Go invite Boss Cai of Juyou Gambling House and those with hidden doors—one by one, in batches.”
Since the prey had moved, the hunter should stir too.
Cai Laosan entered hugging a gift box for respect, but seeing the jadeite mouthpiece from the hidden door on the table, his face went white.
Cao Weida ignored him, fondling the mouthpiece: “Know how Chairman Song banned opium back then? Opium addicts executed by shooting under Tianqiao—their bones could pile into mountains.”
When he looked up, his piercing gaze stung Cai Laosan.
“I don’t want your mouthpiece or your groveling. I gave you a chance, but since you ignore rules, follow mine.”
Cai Laosan paled, knelt with a thud, forehead to the floor, wailing: “Mercy, Director! It was Boss Wang, Wang Dafa’s idea. I’ve always respected you…”
“Enough! I said no groveling here!” Cao Weida slammed the table and stood, staring expressionlessly, saying word by word:
“From today, those regulars at your hidden door must pay twenty percent more than the front!”
“Also, send two of your men who’ve done evil deeds, with blood on their hands—’our own people’—to the office for justice’s trial!”
“If one cent short or one person missing for trial, I’ll drag you in to take their place!”
“Spare me, Director…”
Before he could haggle, Cao Weida cut him off coldly: “This is an order, not negotiation!”
“Of course, you can try not cooperating. See if I dare arrest you, dare ransack your home, dare if your backers dare challenge me!”
Cai Laosan trembled, agreeing. This Director was backed by Japanese—rumors said Guo Dashuai, who ruled Beiping arrogantly, had gone low-key lately, and Hu Zi Liu Changjiang, rampant outside the pass, were both done in by him!
Who was Guo Dashuai?
He had ironclad ties with the President and Mayor!
Liu Changjiang was rumored to have Security Brigade connections.
Even such figures were taken down effortlessly.
What was he!
Cai Laosan regretted deeply, wishing he could slap himself.
They say finance stirs the heart—he’d been blinded by immediate interests!
The situation was clear even to fools: all their tricks were under the man’s eyes.
Yet ignorant, they thought it seamless, fooling all…
“If I’d known, why struggle?!”
“Could still eat scraps before. Now, not losing the whole family is Buddha’s mercy.”
Sigh, what to do?
Agree!
Man or money, whatever this lord demands—comply fully!
Seeing him sensible, Cao Weida snorted coldly and waved: “You can scram. Remember, if you fool me with the people, you know the consequences!”
“Yes, yes.” Cai Laosan backed out trembling, and at the door clumsily banged into the frame with a clang.
Even with eye-watering pain, he didn’t dare cry out or even glance at Cao Weida.
“Hmph, toasting then forced drinking!” He lit a cigarette with a click, took a drag, picked up the pen, found ‘Juyou Gambling House’ among the shop names on the desk, and circled it.
“Chaoyang, call the next boss.”
