Chapter 102: Selected
Gendarmerie Headquarters.
In the office, there was not only Fu Xiao’an who was called in to report in person, but also Consul Hase Jinagawa whom Fu Xiao’an had specifically summoned.
Fu Xiao’an had already decided to abandon this uncontrollable Sheng Wenyi, and he struck without mercy.
Fu Xiao’an frowned angrily and said, “The rapid deterioration of Shanghai’s economy shocks me! In just a few days of rest, the SH city economy under Sheng Wenyi and Su Xiwen faces collapse. I am not exaggerating!”
Iwasa Taro frowned, quite puzzled. “But Director Sheng and Vice Mayor Su told me that the progress of the mission implementation is going very smoothly. This statement seems different from what you say, Mayor Fu.”
“Is General Iwasa too busy with official duties and hasn’t read the newspaper? You two can go see for yourselves in the SH urban area, go to the stock exchange and see. Staying in Hongkou, you can’t see the real scene of Shanghai.”
“I know the SH urban area is somewhat chaotic. What the gendarmerie sees and hears in the SH urban area will be reported to me, but handling these matters will definitely cause some turmoil, and the army entering the urban area for strict control should improve this situation.”
“Improve? Can the army stay stationed on the streets forever and never withdraw from the urban area? Strict control can indeed intimidate villains, but the result of various checks under strict control is that the flow of all goods slows down.
Traffic slows, flow slows, goods transportation slows, trading slows, Shanghai’s economic recovery slows, or even declines!
The harm hasn’t shown yet, but on the strict inspection of cargo ships at Wusongkou, the Gendarmerie Headquarters can ask customs if a large number of cargo ships are piling up on the river surface, causing economic operations to be unsmooth and increasing complaints from foreign merchants about us?”
Iwasa Taro thought about it but still didn’t take it seriously: “Mayor Fu’s concerns are too exaggerated. I know what you’re worried about, that Shanghai is chaotic now, businessmen are unwilling to cooperate, and it will affect Shanghai’s overall economic situation.
But I don’t think so.
When the military department implemented economic control in Manchuria, those businessmen also wailed like this, but when the Kwantung Army forcefully implemented it, with swords against those merchants’ throats, didn’t they obediently switch to Manchurian yen?
Merchants are like dogs; dogs can’t change their habit of eating shit. As long as there are profits, they will swarm like flies smelling blood.
Now Director Sheng’s sealing plan has already sealed more than a hundred opium dens in Shanghai. In less than half a month, all the drug profits in Shanghai can be in our hands.
Persistence will bring victory. We must not admit defeat in fighting them. Public opinion is the best symbol of their impotent rage.
Now, we are only one step away from victory.”
“General Iwasa, it’s not like that. Things are not that simple.” Fu Xiao’an continued to persuade earnestly.
“No need to say more!” Iwasa Taro suddenly interrupted and shouted: “Mayor Fu, do your own job well and don’t try to interfere with the empire’s decisions. According to what you say, should the military department’s two plans be scrapped? Do you know what you’re saying?
Vice Mayor Su reported to me two days ago, Director Sheng yesterday. Both reported to me that the number of enterprises willing to accept military scrip implementation increases by dozens every day, and the cleanup of major opium dealers in Shanghai is also advancing rapidly. At this speed, both tasks can be completed in half a month. I see no problem.”
“But if you ask today, Sheng Wenyi might still give you an answer of stable advancement, but Su Xiwen absolutely cannot. Today, the entire city government can’t come up with 10 enterprises willing to implement military scrip!”
“You said yourself that the SH urban area is chaotic, complaints have increased recently, and enterprises are somewhat resistant. What’s surprising about that? Short-term attitudes don’t need attention. I’ve said it already: the profit-seeking nature of merchants will eventually drive them to change. This is something proven by the empire in Manchuria. This is experience.
Mayor Fu, instead of arguing this issue with me, spend your energy on the speed of enterprise implementation. That’s your proper job. Alright, don’t waste time on useless topics. The military department’s plan will not change.”
“I!”
Fu Xiao’an suddenly stood up. Before coming, he really hadn’t expected Iwasa Taro to be so stubborn.
Looking at Iwasa Taro as if he wanted to say something, he glanced at Hase Jinagawa who had been deliberately called over and saw that the other had no intention of speaking, so he held it back, nodding repeatedly: “Fine, fine, fine. I won’t interfere. It was my loose tongue. I also want to see good news for the empire. Then… I’ll take my leave first.”
Fu Xiao’an paused at the door, turned back and said: “General Iwasa, you just said the military department’s strategy implementation in Manchuria was very successful and thought this is just a matter of time, but I tell you, it’s impossible because this is not Manchuria, it’s Shanghai!”
Once the person left.
Iwasa Taro looked at Hase Jinagawa: “Hase, the problem with Chinese is that they are too selfish. Fu Xiao’an came to the door today trying to remove Sheng Wenyi’s power and said so much to me. Do you think this is simply an economic issue? Really from Shanghai’s overall situation?
This is the newspaper I kept. Our Mayor Fu doesn’t have pure intentions.”
Iwasa Taro took out from the drawer the news from these days about Fu Xiao’an and his son.
Hase Jinagawa took it, glanced at it. He was in charge of public opinion and had actually seen these news, then put it aside.
He said: “You are the commander, you have decision-making power. Fu Xiao’an certainly doesn’t have pure intentions, but Iwasa, don’t you have selfish motives?
Sheng Wenyi and Su Xiwen are both people you appointed, and they were forcibly replaced over my recommendation!
Today you rejected Fu Xiao’an. Are you convinced this plan will succeed, or do you know that once their plan fails and Shanghai’s economy is destroyed, you will also be held accountable in the military department, so you’re being obstinate?
Many people are eyeing the position of commander of the Shanghai Gendarmerie Headquarters.
Before the economic collapse, if your plan succeeds, you win; otherwise, you go to military court.
I wish you good luck.”
Hase Jinagawa didn’t want to say more. He couldn’t persuade Iwasa Taro, so he had already sent a telegram to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, asking them to pressure the military department.
But the military department was powerful. Currently, it was just that international public opinion didn’t sound good, and although the pressure was great, to a certain extent, this was something the military department had anticipated long ago. Implementing military scrip would definitely cause turmoil, so they had tolerance for Iwasa.
Before obvious adverse effects appeared, they wouldn’t take any action against Iwasa.
Since that’s the case, more words are useless.
Iwasa Taro looked at Hase Jinagawa’s departing back, his expression somewhat gloomy.
He picked up the phone and called Sheng Wenyi: “Speed it up! I want to see results in a short time. Don’t disappoint me!”
The rushed Iwasa Taro, plus the arrogant Sheng Wenyi riding the momentum, brought a new round of crackdown storm to SH city.
Sheng Wenyi’s crackdown expanded to all tobacco shops owned by drug dealers, regardless of who was behind them—all arrested, sealed, and goods confiscated.
And for the captured shop bosses and others, they were directly taken to the gendarmerie’s interrogation room to force out information on known warehouses and transport personnel.
Thereby confiscating and seizing the drug inventories hidden by various gangs in the SH urban area.
Street fights occurred frequently. Starting from smashing shops, with the joining of various gang drug dealers, it escalated into shootouts.
Chaos frequently erupted on Shanghai streets.
And for the implementation of military scrip, just as Fu Xiao’an wished, in places like the vegetable market alone, with armed gendarmes on duty, no vendor dared not use military scrip.
People always have to eat. Vegetable sellers only accept military scrip, and vegetable buyers, no matter how unwilling, can only go to the exchange points to get military scrip.
One vegetable buyer represents one family behind them. Military scrip officially circulated on Shanghai streets.
It’s just that military scrip looks too much like Japanese yen, leading to frequent disputes over misidentifying and giving wrong change.
No. 76.
Wu Sibao was pondering in the office whether the next futures prices would rise or fall, whether to short sell or buy long, when his trusted subordinate Liu San walked in.
Liu San clutched his stomach, looking pained: “Captain, stomachache. I’m going to the hospital.”
“I told you not to eat so much. Your mouth is greedier than mine. Go, hey, wait. Tell me first, should I buy long or buy short.”
“Fall? This market trend can’t rise no matter how you look at it. It’s such a mess outside.”
“But the price is already very cheap. It should rebound no matter how you look. And I heard Fu Xiao’an is back at work. Alright, alright, I’ll think about it myself. Go. Here, take this to spend. Later, whatever the medical bill is, go get reimbursed. Count it as work injury.”
“Thanks, Captain.”
Liu San took the twenty US dollars Wu Sibao gave him and painfully walked out of No. 76, called a rickshaw, and went to the concession’s hospital.
In the internal medicine room, Liu San nodded to the female doctor, turned into a small room nearby. There was already one person inside: Iron Blood Assassination Group current team leader Chen Mo, or another title, Military Statistics Bureau headquarters Shanghai anti-Japanese action group team leader, Chen Mo.
Cover identity: Du Yuesheng’s direct disciple.
“Team leader.”
“How are the people at Agent Headquarters?”
“Li Shiqun originally had the Japanese Consulate contact the Public Works Bureau to revoke protection for District Chief Zhou, but due to the recent uproar over military scrip, foreigners are quite unhappy, and the Public Works Bureau directly rejected the Japanese side’s request.
Li Shiqun is now directly pressuring people at the Public Works Bureau. If they don’t hand over District Chief Zhou within three days, Li Shiqun plans to start a killing spree right in the concession, even preparing to kill a couple of Public Works Bureau people to intimidate them.
Team leader, we need to figure something out quickly. Time is running out.”
Chen Mo frowned upon hearing this. This matter was hard to handle.
Military Statistics Bureau Shanghai District Chief Zhou Weolong’s location in the International Settlement was no secret at all. With so many Military Statistics Bureau people arrested, the district chief’s address was known clearly.
If not for protection around him and the news being widely spread, the Public Works Bureau couldn’t allow Agent Headquarters people to openly grab him from their turf for the sake of face, he would have long fallen into Li Shiqun’s hands.
He couldn’t escape. No. 76 people were watching 24 hours a day.
Unless they killed the No. 76 watchers to forcibly create an escape opportunity, but there were over twenty No. 76 watchers, not easy to kill. Once they took action and got caught, the Public Works Bureau would have reason to arrest them all.
“Alright, I’ll think about this matter. One more thing to ask you.
Recently, the Japanese in Shanghai are making big economic moves, cracking down on opium and forcibly pushing military scrip, causing us no small trouble.
Boss Dai judges that the Japanese collected this batch of silver dollars and legal tender, and the ultimate goal is still to use the collected money to buy back supplies from our turf to support their own troops.
Earn a sum in Shanghai, earn another there, use our things to hit us again. The method is clever, but it shows our intelligence is somewhat behind, with no countermeasures at all.
Boss Dai’s order: Recruit a few economic talents from the puppet government’s core circle. Whether they really understand the economy or can get Japanese economic intelligence through channels first-hand, either works. From your No. 76, recommend two people.”
“No. 76 people… none stand out.” Liu San thought, then his eyes lit up: “But there’s one in the city government.”
“Who?”
“Gu Yansheng.”
“This name sounds familiar.” Chen Mo thought, then immediately recalled, raising an eyebrow: “That Deputy Division Chief of Judicial Department?”
“Right, that’s him.”
Liu San was with Wu Sibao every day and knew full well Gu Yansheng’s money-making abilities.
He went on and on about how much money Gu Yansheng had made for Wu Sibao and how he manipulated the stock market.
And emphasized that Gu Yansheng had a good relationship with No. 76, which could avoid many unnecessary suspicions later.
“This guy is simply a god at making money, too fast. You say, people like Wu Sibao and Li Shiqun’s wife, money-grubbers, who have they ever admired? They act like Gu Yansheng is their own father, very chummy.”
“Understands the economy and oversees the judiciary?” Chen Mo’s interest in Gu Yansheng greatly increased. If he could be recruited, it would be a fierce general.
“Does this person have blood debts on his hands?” Chen Mo also led the Iron Blood Assassination Group and knew clearly about blood debts of famous officials in Shanghai, but Gu Yansheng hadn’t been here long, so he wasn’t familiar and hadn’t appeared on the assassination list, theoretically no blood debts.
Although those with blood debts weren’t impossible to talk to, contacting them carried different risks, easy to be ambushed and bitten back.
“None. I’m very clear on this person’s resume.” Wu Sibao had at least investigated Gu Yansheng back then, and the info passed through Liu San. “He was a lawyer before, the expensive kind, and hasn’t been in the government recruited by the Japanese for long.
Look, just a while ago he was busy for the Japanese with making concession merchant ships pay taxes to the Japanese. Where would he have time to kill our people?
Further back, he was a student, even less possible. Clean identity and resume.”
“Interesting, a lawyer who actually understands the law.” Chen Mo’s interest in Gu Yansheng grew stronger and stronger, smiling as he asked: “Have you contacted this person? Do you know his whereabouts? Hobbies, frequent places, any way to contact him for a talk.”
This question stumped Liu San. At his level, when Gu Yansheng came to Agent Headquarters, he didn’t even qualify to stand and listen, let alone know whereabouts.
“I really don’t know.”
Chen Mo didn’t make it hard for him upon hearing, pondering as he said, “Puppet government officials now all have staff protection when traveling. Someone like Gu Yansheng definitely has too. Approaching for a talk isn’t easy.”
“How about I find a chance to contact him?” Liu San volunteered. This situation seemed only he could reach Gu Yansheng.
Chen Mo shook his head: “No, your position was hard-won. This nail of yours must stay firmly in Agent Headquarters, watching their every word and action.
And you’re Boss Dai’s person. Using you requires Boss Dai’s approval. Casually using people, like how Shanghai District got busted this time with the big list captured—if you had contact with Shanghai District people, you’d be dead by now.”
“Death I don’t fear. Mainly, I think if we really connect with Gu Yansheng, there needs to be an intermediary in between, right? He can’t travel easily, you can’t meet me easily, but later if there’s something, I can go directly to him. Me contacting him is definitely easier than you.”
What he said made sense.
Chen Mo thought and said: “Since you’re willing yourself, I’ll ask Boss Dai’s opinion and let him decide.”
