Chapter 165: Explain? What Explanation Do You Want
“Brutes, idiots, damn bastard son of a bitch.” Kong Yongzhi’s roar echoed in the empty living room, his face twisted in anger and flushed red,
Hearing Kong Yongzhi’s voice, butler Shen Zhenbai hurried out, “Master, what is this…”
“‘Martyrdom’? ‘Loyalty’? Zhenbai, look, just look at what the Japanese are saying now!”
“They say Tang Shaoyi was innocently ‘eliminated as a traitor’ by us! How am I supposed to explain this to the party? How to the world?”
“Dai Yunong’s move has screwed me over badly…”
He pointed at the pouring rain outside the window, his voice filled with anxiety and a kind of embarrassment after being exposed.
Kong Yongzhi was now not only the National Government Ministry of Finance minister, but also the President of the Executive Yuan.
Tang Shaoyi’s death, he had to give others a perfect explanation, otherwise, who knows how many people would make an issue of it.
At that time, public sentiment would waver, and for a while, who knows how many rumors would spread.
Shen Zhenbai lowered his head and said: “Master, Eldest Young Master sent a telegram back, Mr. Cen refuses to cooperate with us anymore, our plan to acquire cotton may have to be shelved.”
The Mr. Cen that Shen Zhenbai mentioned was named Cen Guangde, from the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce.
His wife was Tang Shaoyi’s youngest daughter, Tang Baorong.
Now Tang Shaoyi had been beheaded by the Military Statistics Bureau in the name of eliminating a traitor, and as Tang Shaoyi’s son-in-law, at this critical moment, he naturally didn’t want to have anything to do with the Kong Family.
Kong Yongzhi frowned: “Tell me all the bad news at once.”
Shen Zhenbai took a breath: “Eldest Young Master said this acquisition deal was going very smoothly originally, he took over at high prices, kept buying all the way down, preparing to make a wave after getting the bottom warehouse chips, but Cen Guangde pulled this stunt, the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce has completely stopped acquisitions, estimated our loss is at least over five million silver dollars.”
Kong Yongzhi was silent for a moment, then sighed: “Forget it, money isn’t important, there will be plenty of opportunities to make money in the future.”
“Have him stay on Hong Kong Island for a few days during this time, and hurry back when there’s nothing, I’ll find a way to get him the position of Southwest Transportation Office director.”
“Frontline battle reports say the Japanese might move on Guangzhou, I know exactly what Yu Hanmou is worth.”
“He won’t risk his own capital to fight for the Old Man.”
“Future material supplies will still have to run through the Burma Road.”
Shen Zhenbai nodded: “What about arranging those people from Nanjian Society, they are talents that Eldest Young Master painstakingly gathered.”
Kong Yongzhi frowned: “Arrange them on Hong Kong Island first, see if this group has real ability.”
“Understood,”
“Wait,” Just as Shen Zhenbai was about to leave, Kong Yongzhi suddenly called him back.
“Send a telegram to Second Miss, have her take five thousand silver dollars as funeral expenses, and represent the Kong residence to console Tang Family’s widow.”
“Damn Dai Yunong this idiot, stirring up such a big mess and now I have to clean up after him.”
Shen Zhenbai said no more, gave a slight bow, and turned to leave the lobby.
Shanghai, French Concession…
Sycamore leaves fell, paving a desolate golden ground, yet unable to cover the smoke and fear permeating the air.
On Fukaisen Road, a pitch-black shiny Chevrolet sedan glided silently by.
In the car, a wisp of blue smoke rose from the Camel cigarette between Kong Lingwei’s fingertips, she leaned against the back seat, her figure sharp in a well-tailored dark blue men’s three-piece suit.
Under the lowered brim of her soft felt hat, Kong Er’s eyes scrutinized the scenes flashing by outside the car window.
She was on this trip by her father’s order, to “console” the newly widowed Madam Tang, Mrs. Cai, the widow of former State Premier Tang Shaoyi who had been beheaded by a Military Statistics Bureau agent with an axe.
“Console? Heh.” A faint, imperceptible cold arc hooked at the corner of Kong Lingwei’s mouth.
Her father’s wording was always so decent and vague.
She knew full well this was just a carefully staged performance.
Soon, the Chevrolet sedan steadily stopped outside the tightly shut carved iron door of Tang Mansion.
The residence exuded an air of death, seeing this Chevrolet sedan stop, the gatekeeper’s eyes couldn’t help showing a hint of panic.
Kong Lingwei pushed open the door and got out, her half-boot stepping on the cold concrete ground, making “thud, thud” echoes, crisp and piercing.
She took off her felt hat and casually handed it to the sturdy bodyguard shadowing her, another bodyguard and the secretary holding the briefcase followed closely behind.
Without waiting for her instructions, the secretary behind her stepped forward quickly: “Excuse me, old friends from the Kong residence have come to visit, please announce us.”
The gatekeeper didn’t dare block and hurriedly opened the Tang Mansion gate: “Please, follow me.”
Tang Mansion, living room…
The heavy velvet curtains in the living room were only half-drawn, the light dim.
The air was thick with the lingering scent of incense candles.
At this time, most of the furniture in the living room was covered with white cloths, only the guest sofa area had been cleared, like a jarring scar.
“Please wait a moment, I’ll go call Eldest Young Master.” The gatekeeper respectfully gave a salute and hurried upstairs to fetch someone.
Normally these matters wouldn’t fall to the gatekeeper, but now it’s different.
Tang Mansion butler Tang De was assassinated by the Military Statistics Bureau on the same day as Tang Shaoyi, now all big and small matters in the Tang Family were handled by Eldest Young Master Tang Baozhang.
Kong Er’s gaze swept over the Tang Family living room like a hawk.
She walked straight to the main seat sofa and sat down, crossing her legs, her posture relaxed yet carrying an undeniable pressure.
Thud thud thud, a crisp sound of footsteps rang out, from the second floor position, Tang Shaoyi’s eldest son Tang Baozhang was supporting Mrs. Cai as they slowly came down.
Behind them were two younger sisters, Tang Baoyue, Tang Baorong.
“Madam Tang, please restrain your grief.” Kong Er had a cigarette in her mouth, her tone like reading an official document,
“My father was heartbroken upon hearing the bad news.”
She pronounced “heartbroken” clearly and roundly, yet ice-cold without a trace of warmth, as if reciting an obituary unrelated to herself.
“With national crisis at hand, losing another pillar, it is truly the Party and Country’s greatest loss.”
She took a deep drag of smoke, exhaled a puff of grayish-white smoke, and said slowly: “Old Mr. Tang spent his life rising and falling in officialdom, reaching the highest positions, but in his later years he got too close to some unclear people, inevitably stirring up trouble.”
At these words, several people in the living room immediately showed displeasure.
Are you here to console or to smash the place.
People just lost their father, their husband, and you say their death was because they got too close to some “unclear” people, leading to this disaster.
That’s clearly saying they brought it on themselves.
This is plainly slapping someone and then coming to their door to shit on their head.
Truly, even an uncle can tolerate this, but an aunt cannot…
Tang Baozhang could no longer hold back, the horrific sight of his father’s headless body still fresh in his mind, the culprit obvious, and now this daughter of a National Government high official came with a superior attitude to “console”!
He stepped forward, said gravely: “Second Miss, my father served the country his whole life, in his later years he closed his door to guests and ignored worldly affairs, where does ‘unclear’ come from?”
“He was brutally killed at home, body and head separated… shouldn’t the government give us an explanation?”
“Explanation?” Kong Er’s voice was very low, yet every word like an ice pick: “Eldest Young Master, what explanation do you want?”
