Chapter 17: Checks And Balances
Shanghai, HK District Osaka Chamber of Commerce Office.
“Ino-kun, goods worth 200,000 US Dollars, this, wouldn’t it be too risky.” Tanaka Taro hesitated, not knowing how to write it.
According to Chen Yang’s suggestion, this materials allocation application needs to be issued by the Osaka Chamber of Commerce.
Tanaka Taro is responsible for the first step, which is to fill out the materials allocation application, then have Chen Yang sign and confirm it before submitting it to Gendarmerie Headquarters Logistics, for approval by Suzuhara Shingo.
This batch of goods is borrowed, originally worth 200,000 US Dollars, but the materials list shows 200,000 Japanese Yen.
Front and back plus sales profit, as well as the exchange rate difference between US Dollars and Japanese Yen.
They can earn 500,000 Japanese Yen in revenue from this deal, meaning this one deal brings more revenue than their previous half-year of ant-like embezzlement of materials.
The greater the revenue, the greater the risk; for someone as cautious and steady as Tanaka, asking him to do such a deal all at once makes him feel the risk is really too great.
Ino Yusuke said softly: “What are you afraid of? You’re the one issuing the invoice, Chen Yang is the one signing, Minister Suzuhara is the one approving, I’m the one allocating the materials, Major Yoshimoto is handling transportation, and Major Matsushima from the Inspection Department will report everything at any time.”
“If our action attracts the attention of the Joint Special Higher Police Affairs, Major Ando will remind us to stop immediately.”
“There’s no problem from any side, who are you afraid will get in trouble?”
“I, I.” Tanaka Taro stammered, unable to speak.
“Director Tanaka, you just need to do your own job now, then wait to get your share of the money.” Ino Yusuke patted Tanaka Taro on the shoulder with a smile and said: “Don’t worry about things that aren’t your concern.”
“After all, you don’t want to become the next Arimura Seijiro, right.”
It was clearly an extremely gentle tone, but Tanaka Taro clearly felt a chill rising from the bottom of his heart…
“Yes, yes, yes, I understand, I understand, I’ll draft the requirements list right away.”
Shanghai, Fukaisen Road Lin Mansion.
Chen Yang looked at the materials requirements list drafted by Tanaka Taro, silently calculating the amount in his mind.
All the materials added up definitely don’t amount to the one million US Dollars he previously proposed.
Even though sulfonamide anti-inflammatory drugs are priced much higher than general materials, this batch carefully calculated still only barely reaches around 200,000 US Dollars.
Clearly, Gendarmerie Headquarters Logistics Minister Suzuhara Shingo still has reservations about his proposal.
He doesn’t dare to put all the gamble on it at once.
Cautious and careful by nature, not to mention someone like Suzuhara, that old fox…
Chen Yang sighed, took out a steel pen, signed his name on the requirements list, then sealed the information into a document bag marked secret, and had the Osaka Chamber of Commerce employee who delivered the requirements list take it back to Tanaka Taro.
The person respectfully took the document bag, bowed forty-five degrees to Chen Yang, then took the documents back to the Osaka Chamber of Commerce.
Sitting in the garden, Chen Yang silently calculated how to digest this batch of goods.
He knew very well that this was a test of him by that old fox Suzuhara.
No matter how beautifully he painted the future he designed, without seeing real, tangible interests, Suzuhara Shingo wouldn’t board the ship so easily.
Chen Yang also had a bit of a headache; 200,000 US Dollars worth of materials is easy to handle, but adding medicine makes it troublesome.
Japanese control medicine very strictly, especially sulfonamide anti-inflammatory drugs.
Now the Japanese and the Blue Army are confronting each other in Xuzhou, and both sides are in great need of medicine.
If he could connect with the Blue Army’s Logistics Department, the sales channels for the medicine would naturally not be a worry, but the key is how to transport it out.
If he could open up a dedicated materials channel, then the business of selling these materials wouldn’t be a worry.
But it’s not that easy; more than half of Shanghai is controlled by the Japanese, and the rest is monopolized by foreigners.
To break the original rules, he needs a suitable opportunity.
“Young Master, Young Master.” Lin Yongren’s shouting voice came from afar.
“Young Master, there’s a Japanese at the door, he says he’s your senior brother, specially here to deliver an invitation to you.”
Senior brother? It couldn’t be Iwai Koichi, right? As far as he remembers, besides this consul, he has no other senior brothers in Shanghai.
“Where is he?” Chen Yang stood up and buttoned the two buttons on his suit chest.
Lin Yongren pointed to the door and said: “At the door.”
“Quick, take me there.”
Lin Mansion living room, Chen Yang politely invited Iwai Koichi to sit down, and instructed Aunt Gui to brew a cup of coffee.
Chen Yang had heard his teacher Fujiwara Tomoo mention Iwai Koichi, knowing that after graduating from Kyushu University, he studied abroad in the United States for three years and was classmates with Lieutenant General Kuribayashi of the 23rd Division.
Perhaps because of his life in the United States, their living habits are also quite Westernized, liking coffee and foreign liquor.
“Senior Iwai, sorry, normally I should be the one visiting you.”
Iwai Koichi raised his hand and said: “Mr. Chen, I know you have concerns; teacher mentioned you in his letter, that you are a very opinionated person.”
“You won’t come to me unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
“Not to mention it’s just such a small matter of helping the Osaka Chamber of Commerce handle materials.”
“I’ve already seen the report on this materials sales matter; I think you’ve handled it quite well, methodical, without making a big fuss that embarrasses everyone, and one ton of gold is enough for our next plan.”
“Right, this is for you.”
With that, Iwai Koichi took out two things from his briefcase: one was an invitation, the other a document bag marked secret.
Chen Yang opened the document bag, and what came into view was an appointment letter: “Hereby appoints Mr. Chen Yang as Director of the Economic Department of the Ministry of Finance of the Nanjing Restoration Government.”
Below it was stamped with seals from the Shanghai Consulate and the Nanjing Restoration Government.
“Senior Iwai, this isn’t great.” Chen Yang said respectfully: “I’ve just returned to Shanghai and am not very familiar with the situation here. You recommending me as Director of the Economic Department, I’m afraid I’ll let down your expectations.”
“Mr. Chen, don’t underestimate yourself; I’m very optimistic about your abilities.”
“Moreover, with intertwined internal forces in the New Government, it’s hard for Sonoda Yoshikuma’s team of just over twenty advisors to fully control the New Government.”
“You can play a very key role in there.”
Sounds nice, what very key role; in the end, it’s just using him as a chess piece to check and balance the other side.
Such means have been worn out by the ancestors over thousands of years.
Iwai Koichi said solemnly: “Mr. Chen, don’t think I’m deliberately exaggerating.”
“The Economic Department of the Ministry of Finance is responsible for materials fundraising, transportation, and other work; it’s a very important position within the New Government.”
Hmm, wait, this position also oversees transportation work?
Chen Yang’s eyes lit up; if you’re talking about that, then I might be interested…
