Chapter 40: Can’t Afford To Lose Reputation
Ono Shiota kept admiring it for more than ten minutes, with that love it so much one cannot put it down attitude, completely forgetting about Cao Weida.
Cao Weida coughed, “Ono-kun, identifying the authenticity of this antique in a short time is indeed quite difficult. Why don’t you put it away first and take it back to appreciate slowly?”
“You’re right, it does need careful examination to distinguish. Then I’ll put it away first.” Reluctantly putting the porcelain back into the box, then keeping the box tightly against his feet, he was unwilling to let go even a little!
“Ono-kun, come, let’s continue drinking.”
“Yōshi, Cao Sang, come!”
Having gotten a treasure, Ono Shiota was now in a great mood, and the smile on his face had become much more sincere.
The two drank and chatted, getting along very harmoniously.
After three rounds of drinks, Ono Shiota spoke up: “Cao Sang, I know it’s difficult for him to find that murderer, but this incident has too bad an impact, and I need to give an explanation to the higher-ups.”
Ono Shiota was not only not stupid, but rather shrewd. He naturally knew the meaning behind Xu Hancheng sending this treasure under the guise of ‘appreciation’.
As an Osaka man, he had always believed in integrity.
Since they had offered a price and he had accepted it, he naturally had to give something in return.
Reputation must not be lost!
“Understood, all understood!” Cao Weida nodded repeatedly, “Within three days, we will definitely hand over the ‘murderer’, and moreover, the patrol captain of that jurisdiction will also receive corresponding punishment. We absolutely won’t let Ono-kun be in a difficult position!”
Isn’t it just about finding someone to take the blame to account to the higher-ups? In China territory, there aren’t many things, but plenty of people who do evil deeds, right?
Just grab any one at random.
This way, not only would he account to Ono Shiota, but also eliminate a scourge who does evil deeds.
He could also take this opportunity to deal with that bastard Sang Liuji, it was simply hitting three birds with one stone!
“Yōshi, Cao Sang, you’ve considered it very thoroughly. Then it’s settled, three days!”
Ono Shiota actually didn’t care at all about the two little devils dying; little devil soldiers died by hundreds or thousands every day, and after a battle, an entire unit might be gone.
Last time a little devil also died, but Ono Shiota didn’t make too big a fuss, and the higher-ups didn’t even inquire.
The main thing was that this time the murderer stripped the soldier’s clothes and threw them on the street, which swept the little devils’ face, so the higher-ups had to inquire.
“Rest assured, just three days, we’ll definitely let you account for it.” Cao Weida raised his glass and clinked it with his; the two exchanged a smile and drank it all down.
“Oh right, almost forgot,” Ono Shiota put down his wine glass, his eyes sparkling,
“If the murderer is caught, it’s best to make him compensate for this assassination.”
“Two imperial heroic warriors didn’t sacrifice on the battlefield, but were shamefully assassinated and even humiliated without reason. This is an insult to soldiers!”
“Not only that, their family members have also lost their economic source because of this. I think such behavior should compensate the two soldiers’ families for economic and spirit losses, double!”
Cao Weida sneered inwardly: what big banner was he waving? Just say outright he wanted to embezzle.
If he really believed this money would go to the families of those two dead little devils, that would be idiotic.
“Yes, yes, yes, they should indeed be compensated. Rest assured, I’ll try—no, I will definitely squeeze this compensation money out of him!”
“Yōshi, on behalf of the empire’s warriors, I toast you!”
After finishing the drink, Cao Weida asked curiously: “Ono-kun, I heard that next month your Ministry of Finance plans to issue a batch of large-denomination union bonds?”
Union bonds were the paper currency issued by the China United Preparatory Bank of the puppet regime ‘Provisional Government of North China’.
Throughout the War of Resistance period, the puppet regime issued a total of 143.2 billion from the bank, while the issuance at the beginning of 1938 was only 16 million.
In just seven short years, the issuance volume exploded nearly ten thousand times.
“There is such a thing. Why, what is Cao Sang inquiring about this for?”
This news wasn’t some classified intelligence; not too many people knew, but not too few either.
Anyone slightly well-informed could find out.
“Ono-kun, this is a get rich opportunity!”
“Oh? Get rich?!” Upon hearing the words ‘get rich’, Ono Shiota’s eyes couldn’t help but light up. Osaka men can’t hear these two words, otherwise they’d all get hot-blooded!
His interest was instantly piqued, “Tell me in detail.”
“Ono-kun, I’ve heard that this time they’re printing large bills with a 500 denomination, and the issuance amount is also extremely huge!”
“So what?” Ono Shiota didn’t understand.
“Of course, it’s a chance to get rich big time!” Cao Weida said excitedly: “Starting from last year, to support war consumption, the bank has been printing money like crazy, making the already fragile currency value market even more fragile. This year they’ve gone mad printing 500-denomination union bonds!
The over-issued currency will flood the market like waste paper, and the inevitable result will be a crazy plunge in currency value.”
“Right now, 100 union bonds can still buy a dou of flour, but if they over-issue more, let alone 100 yuan for a dou of flour, whether 1,000 yuan can buy a jin of flour is unknown!”
“What does this have to do with us?” Ono Shiota was even more confused. What they traded were gold, US dollars, and other value-preserving things in use; even if union bonds depreciated severely, it had nothing to do with him.
“Of course it does!” Cao Weida said excitedly:
“Think about it: if we borrow money from the bank now, exchange it for supplies, then do nothing but wait for the over-issued union bonds to flood the market, won’t we make a huge profit without doing anything!”
“Or, we can borrow supplies from gentry and convert at current prices. When prices rise, we sell the supplies, pay back the money to the gentry, and the price difference in between is all ours!”
Cao Weida had spelled it out completely, practically feeding it to him; Ono Shiota naturally understood.
And precisely because he understood, his heart couldn’t stop pounding wildly; the noise was like someone beating a drum!
His eyes grew brighter and brighter, with greed breeding in them.
Cao Weida looked at him expectantly, but his heart was extremely calm.
Human nature is greedy; he threw out such a big bait to hook Ono Shiota.
He had always been wary of the little devils, especially after discovering that Nakamura guy was quite something last time; he had become even more cautious.
He suspected this damn little devil wanted to kill the donkey after it had done the grinding!
So, he had to show his value; he wanted the little devils to know his life wasn’t important, but he as a person was!
He could help them make money!
Of course, his purpose wasn’t just that.
Ono Shiota was indeed hooked; it was such a windfall, he couldn’t help but be tempted!
“Cao Sang, you’re great! Like this, I’ll go make a phone call and be right back.”
After a good while, not only did Ono Shiota return, but Fujita Sosuke and the others came too.
Before they could exchange pleasantries, Matsui Koji impatiently interrupted, inquiring about the get rich big time matter.
Cao Weida naturally didn’t conceal anything and explained his idea point by point.
“This really is a get rich big time opportunity!” Matsui Koji’s face was full of yearning and greed for money; none of them were fools, they just hadn’t thought in that direction before.
But Duobian Yi felt something was off: “Such actions wouldn’t be digging at the empire’s corner of the wall?”
As soon as he said this, he received a look from Matsui Koji as if he were an idiot.
Digging at the empire’s corner of the wall?
So what if they did?
Whether the empire had money or not was none of his business?
He didn’t care about that damn country; he just wanted to stuff money hard into his own pocket!
There was a saying in China he agreed with greatly: if man does not act for himself, heaven and earth will destroy him!
His purpose in coming to China—was it really for that damn emperor?
Risking his head at any time—wasn’t it just to sleep with more women and make more money!
Then take that money back home and restore the glory of the Matsui family!
Ignoring Duobian Yi whose brain seemed defective, he turned to Ono Shiota and Fujita: “Ono-kun, Fujita-kun, let’s do it!”
“If we want to always eat the best and drink the finest, none of it can be without money!”
“Yesterday my father called me; that damn emperor found another excuse to make our family donate money. If this continues, our Matsui family will have to eat dirt!”
“Could it be you’re still holding onto illusions that the empire has a future?!”
In 1942, the Japanese Army suffered a comprehensive defeat in the Guadalcanal Island campaign; this battle turned the Japanese Army from strategic advantage to disadvantage.
In 1943, in the North Burma and West Yunnan campaign, the Japanese Army was annihilated with 25,000 men, completely losing the Burma Road, and the Japanese Army’s international military position suffered another heavy blow!
Added to China’s occupied territory where the situation couldn’t be opened up, even once compressed the range of occupied territory.
Looking at the frequent over-issuance of various currencies in China’s occupied territory, it wasn’t hard to see the dire situation of the Japanese Army at this time.
Anyone with eyesight knew that the current Japanese Army was at the end of its rope.
Anyone with connections and a way out was already quietly preparing.
Only a fool like Duobian Yi with no connections or background was still foolishly worrying about this and that.
It was just that Duobian Yi’s position was special; otherwise, Matsui Koji really didn’t want to bring him along.
Ono Shiota didn’t answer immediately, but looked at Fujita Sosuke: “Fujita-kun, what do you think?”
Including Cao Weida, everyone’s gazes gathered on Fujita Sosuke again.
Fujita Sosuke was clearly no fool, and absolutely not some staunch resistance fighter; he had plenty of selfish motives.
After just a moment’s thought, he decisively made up his mind.
But he still had some questions that needed answers: “Cao Sang, in the current occupied territory in China, everyone knows the situation. Even if we borrow money, where do we buy so many supplies?”
“Smart people aren’t just us; if we make too much noise, won’t they suspect? What if they refuse to sell us supplies then?”
Right, borrow the money but can’t buy supplies—that’s useless!
Even if they pay back the money later and make some profit, borrowing waste paper, paying back waste paper, what’s left is still waste paper—what’s the use!
Can’t just keep it to wipe ass with, right?
Everyone’s gazes gathered on Cao Weida again.
