Chapter 52: Why Not Change Careers?
“Officer Chen, please sit.” Jin Dayou very sensibly gave up his seat at the head to let Chen Yang sit down.
Several people picked up their wine cups, clinked them together, and drank them all down.
After three rounds of drinks, it was time to get down to business. Jin Dayou took out a red envelope from his pocket and said, “Officer Chen, this is just a little something. My men don’t know the rules. You took our route and they still deducted a bit from you.”
“I set up this gathering today first to have my men apologize to you, and also to make up the remaining balance from the last transaction.”
“Second, Old Uncle and Fifth Master also want to get to know you. Let’s all make friends. In the future, if there are any money-making opportunities, please don’t forget to take care of us, Officer Chen.”
“Boss Jin is too polite.” Chen Yang said politely with his mouth, but his hands were not idle at all. He directly took the red envelope and put it in his suit pocket.
Qiao Zhenhuai and Zhang Boqian on the side exchanged glances. They already had a basic judgment of Chen Yang.
This guy was willing to take money, so that made things easy.
In their line of work, they weren’t afraid of people reaching out for money; what they feared most was not being able to send money even if they had it.
Matters that could be solved with money were generally not big deals. If they couldn’t be solved with money, that was the real headache.
“Officer Chen, let’s not beat around the bush.” Qiao Zhenhuai stood up, walked in front of Chen Yang, put down his wine cup, and said, “Besides wanting to make friends with you, Boss Jin set up this gathering to discuss the issue of inland river transportation in Shanghai with you.”
“I have to say, Officer Chen really has a way. In just over a month, he accomplished what others couldn’t in ten years.”
“Now the Shanghai French Concession, Japanese Concession, Chinese Territory, and all fourteen large and small wharves are under your control.”
“In the future, we’ll have to rely entirely on you for help to ship our goods.”
“According to the old rules, we use your wharves, and every month we give you this amount. What do you think?”
Chen Yang looked up at the gesture Qiao Zhenhuai was making and chuckled lightly, “Is that thirty thousand or three hundred thousand? Fifth Master Qiao is quite generous.”
Thirty thousand? Or three hundred thousand? This guy must have drunk too much old wine and gotten dizzy.
Qiao Zhenhuai’s face twitched, and he smiled as he explained, “Officer Chen is joking. We all earn hard money; we don’t have such high profits.”
“What I mean is three thousand silver dollars, delivered to your wharf on time every month.”
Chen Yang chuckled and looked at Jin Dayou and Zhang Boqian. The two seemed to have planned it beforehand: one was playing with the jade ring on his ring finger with his head down, and the other was pretending to look at his pocket watch.
“Boss Qiao means that you use the wharf every day to ship out several hundred tons of materials, conservatively estimating over ten thousand tons of goods a month, and you’re just doing charity for the country?”
“If you can’t even make this money.” Chen Yang took a sip of the yellow wine in his cup and said seriously, “Boss Qiao, I think you should change lines as soon as possible.”
Qiao Zhenhuai’s face stiffened, and he laughed it off, saying, “Officer Chen is joking. We don’t have that much materials.”
Chen Yang put down his wine cup and said slowly, “March 21st, Fu Rong cargo ship, three hundred sixty-eight tons of materials, including canned goods, cotton clothes, grains and oil, departed from Jiangnan Wharf.”
“March 22nd, Maigen Road Station Dispatch Center, approximately four hundred fifty-five tons of goods.”
“This morning, Sixteen Rows Wharf, Fu Hai cargo ship, estimated that the whole ship’s materials are no less than five hundred tons.”
“Boss Qiao, do you want me to tell you the destination of your Fu Hai cargo ship as well?”
Qiao Zhenhuai shuddered all over, looking at Chen Yang’s face as if he had seen a ghost.
Just now when he saw Chen Yang come in, he thought this young kid had no real skills, but these few short sentences had nearly cost his whole family their lives.
If the receiving locations for these goods really got out, he wouldn’t even need to do it himself— the people behind him could bury his whole family together.
Zhang Boqian and Jin Dayou didn’t speak, but they were already listening intently with perked ears. For black market business, the key was the buyer.
If they could poach a few big clients, they could make a small profit too.
“Officer Chen, look, I’ve had too much old wine and my brain is a bit muddled.” Qiao Zhenhuai raised his wine cup with a fawning smile. “Since you know our business like the back of your hand, just say outright what you have in mind.”
Chen Yang glanced at Jin Dayou and Zhang Boqian who were still pretending to be busy: “Boss Jin, Boss Zhang, what do you two think?”
Jin Dayou and Zhang Boqian quickly raised their cups and said, “Please give us your guidance, Officer Chen.”
Chen Yang nodded slowly and said, “Everyone is a senior in Shanghai. Strictly speaking, it’s not my place to make decisions for you.”
“However, I think that when mixing in Shanghai, you still have to follow some rules to some extent.”
“I can use the Economic Department’s name to help you transport all the materials, guaranteeing no mistakes. If any problems arise, I’ll compensate at full price. But I want ten percent of the total value of the materials as the transportation fee.”
“Not only that, in the future we can cooperate together. I can help you find sufficient materials, but for that, I want thirty percent.”
“Ten percent transportation fee, thirty percent on materials?” Zhang Boqian’s eyebrows tightened slightly, seeming somewhat dissatisfied with this price.
“Does Boss Zhang think it’s a bit high?” Chen Yang slowly raised his wine cup and took a small sip.
Zhang Boqian cleared his throat and said, “Officer Chen, I have no issue with you taking ten percent for materials transportation.”
“But if you’re also taking thirty percent on reselling the materials, that really puts us in a tough spot.”
“Now Shanghai material prices are rising with the war situation. If you take thirty percent, you still have to let the common people live.”
Don’t look at this old guy talking full of righteousness and morality, always mentioning the common people and such. In the black market line, who isn’t eating blood steamed buns.
Even if Chen Yang gave up the profits, it would just benefit them; the common people wouldn’t get any of it.
“Gentlemen bosses, my words are here. If you want to cooperate, let’s go big. If not, then forget it. I have things to do at home, so I’ll take my leave first.”
After speaking, Chen Yang stood up, buttoned his suit, and patted Jin Dayou’s shoulder on his way out: “Boss Jin, sorry for making you spend.”
Watching Chen Yang leave, the others sat down again.
Jin Dayou said to Zhang Boqian, “Old Uncle, what do you think?”
Zhang Boqian pondered and said, “Using official channels to smuggle black market goods is indeed a good route. We’ve thought of it before, but back then it was too chaotic, and goods weren’t safe once they left.”
“What I’m worried about now is that this Officer Chen is young; I wonder if his words carry weight.”
Qiao Zhenhuai smiled bitterly, “We have no choice but to believe him. Now the major wharves in Shanghai are in his hands. If he really turns hostile, our goods…”
“Besides, he said himself that if there’s a problem with the goods, he’ll cover the compensation. I think he wouldn’t dare make such a big promise without some real ability.”
Zhang Boqian was silent for a moment, then nodded, “Let’s try it. Start with a small batch and see if it’s safe.”
“If it really works, we’ll have another route in the future.”
Jin Dayou and Qiao Zhenhuai also nodded, raised their cups, and said, “Cheers, everyone.”
Bang bang bang. Suddenly, countless huge sounds rang out outside the window. Several people went to the window and saw brilliant fireworks rising continuously over the Huangpu River. This was the Shanghai City Hall releasing fireworks in advance to celebrate the establishment of the Jinling Government.
Zhang Boqian looked at the fireworks and murmured, “Another government has been added. I wonder if it’s good or bad for the common people.”
