Chapter 11: Please Cooperate With The Investigation
Ino Yusuke respectfully replied: “Minister, after Director Tanaka received the telegram from the homeland, he specifically asked Director Akutagawa Tetsujiro from the homeland side to investigate this Assistant Chen’s background.”
“According to the message sent back by Director Akutagawa, this Assistant Chen performed brilliantly at Kyushu University.”
“His teacher is still the nominal chief advisor of the Osaka Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Fujiwara Tomoo, a good friend of Prime Minister Konoe.”
“Moreover, Director Tanaka has also checked his past. This person has a clean background, no major forces behind him, and is relatively easy to control.”
“I believe everyone has a price. If it doesn’t work out, it just means the price hasn’t been negotiated properly.”
“If we can pull him in, with a special affairs assistant from the Osaka Chamber of Commerce coordinating in the middle, our materials will move faster.”
“I think he alone can replace the positions of both Tanaka and Arimura.”
Minister Suzuhara lightly tapped his fingers on the desktop. After a long while, he suddenly said: “Yusuke, I’ll give you three days. You must find all his information.”
“Before confirming the collaborator, we must ensure he has no issues. Otherwise, many people will have problems because of him, and that won’t be solved by killing just one or two people.”
Ino Yusuke stood up, bowed, and said: “Yes, I’ll have Ando handle it right away.”
Minister Suzuhara reminded: “By the way, before that, you still need to handle one thing. Test him and see if he has real substance.”
Ino Yusuke hesitated: “Uncle, you mean? The accounts?”
Minister Suzuhara slowly said: “The person we’re looking for must not only be easy to control but also smart enough at the very least. I don’t want to find an idiot and have to wipe his ass every day.”
Ino Yusuke said: “What if he doesn’t spot the problem?”
Minister Suzuhara sighed: “Then that’s his bad luck. Let him go on the road with Arimura, at least he’ll have company.”
“Yes.”
Shanghai, Lin Mansion on Fukaisen Road.
After getting up and freshening up, Chen Yang took a newspaper and read it in the garden.
The atmosphere in this house is now very strange. Uncle and Eldest Sister argue every day. Seeing the situation, the two brothers Lin Xueli and Lin Xueyi had already bought properties outside and moved out. Even for New Year’s Eve family dinner, they make excuses to not come back.
Chen Yang also wanted to talk to Eldest Sister, but Lin Jing didn’t give him any chance at all.
Several times he was stopped outside the door by the maid Xiao Lan. Chen Yang had no method at all. He still respected this Eldest Sister very much.
He couldn’t just kick the door open, could he.
As time went on, a very eerie scene appeared in the house. Lin family Eldest Sister Lin Jing stayed in her room every day, not even coming out for meals.
Uncle Lin Zonghan was like an old farmer, going out after getting up in the morning and not returning until late at night. Even living under the same roof, the family basically never saw each other.
“Young Master, your milk and sandwich.” After Lin Yongren brought the things to Chen Yang, he didn’t leave in a hurry.
Chen Yang put the newspaper on the table, took a bite of the sandwich, and drank some milk.
“Arren, do you have something?”
Lin Yongren fidgeted for a long time before saying: “Young Master, you’ve seen the world. I want to do business with you.”
Chen Yang sized up Lin Yongren for a moment: “Arren, doing business requires capital. How much money do you have?”
Lin Yongren thought for a moment, gritted his teeth, and said: “Young Master, I may not have much money, but I have three shops that Eldest Miss gave me as a wedding gift.”
“My dad said I’m already over twenty, can’t be a servant in the Lin family forever, should do something of my own.”
“I want to use them as capital and learn to do business with you.”
Chen Yang was slightly stunned and doubtfully said: “Arren, you have three shops, that’s worth quite a bit of money. Why not ask Eldest Young Master if you want to do business?”
Lin Yongren looked around and said: “Young Master, do you think I can’t see it? Eldest Young Master is not a good person. He’s been secretly taking Master’s money to expand his own business.”
“My dad said that people doing business first need to learn how to be a person. Eldest Young Master is too scheming. If we follow him, we’ll probably be eaten up without even bones left.”
“You’re different. You studied in Japan, you have insight, and I know your personality—you’re not like Eldest Young Master.”
“If you’re willing to take me into business, I can put all three shops in. Rest assured, even if it’s all lost, I won’t blame you.”
Shops in Shanghai are not cheap, especially in the French Concession. It’s not as chaotic as the International Settlement here.
Moreover, the French Concession has two Chinese Director positions, and they can also fight for some rights for Chinese people in the concession.
So, shops in the French Concession are the most expensive in all of Shanghai. At current rates, good-location shops cost at least five or six thousand silver dollars each.
Three shops together are worth at least ten or twenty thousand silver dollars. Chen Yang didn’t know where Lin Yongren got such confidence to trust him so much.
“Arren, business matters can’t be rushed. Give me some time to think it over.”
“Young Master, that’s a yes.” Lin Yongren was smart enough to know that not explicitly refusing business matters means agreeing.
Chen Yang drank some milk and said: “I didn’t say that, but if there’s an opportunity, it’s possible.”
“Thank you, Young Master. Thank you, Young Master.” Lin Yongren hurriedly bowed to Chen Yang in thanks.
“Clatter,” suddenly, a commotion sounded from ahead.
Chen Yang was just about to ask Lin Yongren to check what was going on when suddenly, a group of soldiers wearing Japanese Military Police uniforms rushed in carrying rifles.
A man in military uniform with Major rank on his shoulder strode up to Chen Yang and said in not very standard Chinese: “You’re Chen Yang, the Osaka Chamber of Commerce’s new special affairs assistant?”
Chen Yang nodded and replied in standard Japanese: “I am Chen Yang. I want to know what happened. How can you just enter here? This is the French Concession, not a place for Japanese.”
“You speak Japanese, that’s great,” the man cleared his throat and said: “Hello, Assistant Chen. I am Ando Shinichi from the Joint Special Higher Police Affairs Action Team. We can come here naturally because we have permission from the French Concession Municipal Council.”
“This morning, we received a tip that Osaka Chamber of Commerce’s Arimura Seijiro was murdered. After our analysis, it’s likely related to the Osaka Chamber of Commerce’s accounts.”
“Director Tanaka said you’re the only one besides Arimura Seijiro who has handled the account book, so we want to invite you back to assist in the investigation.”
“Arimura Seijiro is dead.” Chen Yang’s heart sank. Sure enough, his feeling was right—he did know some things he shouldn’t have.
“Rest assured, it’s just a simple questioning. It won’t cause you any trouble, Assistant Chen. Please.”
ps: Great thanks to the book’s first alliance leader Sky’s Love and Hurt. The author has no intention of looking down on anyone. It’s just that the author’s health situation is well known to old fans. During this time, the author will try to write more. Later, there will be two extra chapters just for you. Please rest assured, no delays, no debts…
The author is new here. If there’s anything not done well, please be understanding, new fans and old fans alike…
