Chapter 140: Strong-arm Robbery
“Idiot!”
“Who told you to come?”
“Do you see clearly where this is? This is Mitsui’s factory!”
“Tax evasion, we won’t pay taxes!”
“What the hell are you babbling about, a ronin acting up?”
The leading police officer grumbled, “Take them away, take them away, please step aside.”
If it were Japanese soldiers, they might be a little scared, but just these Japanese ronin, who are just thugs from the bottom, can only do the work of guarding houses.
“Don’t look at this being a Japanese-funded factory, there are very few Japanese people here in total, all the workers are Chinese.” The old police officer knew everything, “Who would have thought that in present-day Shanghai someone would dare to block the gate of Mitsui.”
The old police officer laughed with amusement.
Wen Yan chuckled along. He used to be an obscure lawyer, but now after leading the Inspection Department for so long, he had met many Japanese gendarmes at Wusongkou. They had talked over drinks and cigarettes, and he even knew people in the Navy. He no longer had the fear that ordinary people felt upon seeing Japanese soldiers.
His position gave him confidence, and with backing from behind, he wasn’t flustered by seeing Japanese people.
However, he spoke politely, “We have received orders from the City Government and the Gendarmerie Headquarters. For the establishment of the Nanjing Government’s army, we require you to donate two months of production. Please cooperate.”
“Gendarmerie Headquarters?”
This statement completely bewildered the ronin. He no longer considered resisting; this was simply not something he could handle.
“Let me go.”
He ran in to report, and soon the Japanese supervisor, the one truly in charge of Mitsui Factory, came out.
“The Gendarmerie Headquarters told you to seal it? Are you sure?”
“Yes, the order I received is from the City Government. My superior told me that the establishment of the army is an order from the Gendarmerie Headquarters, and it is the supreme directive of the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters. Haven’t you read the newspapers? Sino-Japanese cooperation, building a new order in East Asia. This is not aimed at you; all factories in the city are like this. Stop work first.”
“We cannot stop work. I need to verify this.”
“Stop work. You can verify all you want, but stop work first.” Wen Yan waved his hand and stopped him: “Let’s be clear, either donate two months of production, or we cut the power and seal the factory. Which do you choose?”
“We cannot have the power cut!”
“Then it’s donating production. Thank you for your cooperation. Come, have my people call out all the workers.”
“I didn’t say donate production!”
“Then we cut the power. You go and pull the power switch, and then drive all the workers out.”
“Do not cut the power!”
“Then it’s still donating production, it’s the same thing.”
“I didn’t say cut power, nor did I say donate! I need to verify!”
“You will verify it later, but you need to cooperate with us.”
Wen Yan had someone cut the power. Without electricity, they couldn’t work, so all the workers came out. They were all Chinese.
Wen Yan said loudly, “We have received an order from the City Government to requisition two months of production. You all move the cotton yarn from the warehouse and load it onto the trucks. Hurry up.”
“Do not move it!”
“Move it!” Wen Yan gave the old police officer a look. He understood immediately, and four police officers gently surrounded the Japanese supervisor, smiling and helping him away.
Wen Yan pulled out his gun and fired a shot into the air, “Move! Otherwise, the next shot will be at your heads!”
The deterrence of the gun was powerful enough. The workers immediately began to work. They knew where the warehouse was; Wen Yan didn’t need to say anything more.
They moved piece after piece of cotton yarn from the warehouse and loaded them into the large trucks that had just arrived.
With many people, there was great strength, and the trucks were quickly filled.
During this time, patrolling Japanese soldiers heard the gunshot and came. However, upon seeing they were police and from the City Government, they checked their identification and asked about the reason for the gunshot. Discovering it was just a blank shot fired to scare the Chinese workers, which was very normal, they left directly.
“Also use their own trucks, Mitsui has too much in terms of twenty percent of the goods.”
The police officer nodded and had someone direct the workers to load the goods onto Mitsui’s own trucks.
A large quantity of cotton yarn was transported to the City Government’s warehouse.
“You can let them go, next stop.”
At the Agent Headquarters, Wu Sibao was slacking off when he received a call from Gu Yansheng.
“Captain Wu, how has the stock market been lately?”
“Don’t even mention it. It’s like chickens getting the plague, little ups and downs, listless, no passion at all.”
“I’ll tell you some news, the Wang Faction’s forces have decided to forcibly requisition, and it has just begun. You should know how the stock market will react.”
“Really? Fake?” Wu Sibao’s voice became a little louder, and he straightened up a bit, excited, “Are you telling the truth? They’re really going to forcibly requisition?”
“When have I ever lied to you? I’ve given you the news. You need to help me do one thing: use your people at the stock exchange to spread this news.”
“How many short positions have you bought?” Wu Sibao asked with a sly smile, his first thought being that spreading the news was undoubtedly to suppress the stock price.
“You still have the mood to ask this? I haven’t bought anything. It happened so suddenly, no time. Just treat me to a meal later.”
“Understood.”
Snap, the phone on the other side hung up.
Wu Sibao was always very keen on making money. Thinking this was a sure win, he immediately went to find his sister-in-law, Ye Jiqing.
“Sister-in-law, Gu Yansheng said that cotton yarn and grain will be forcibly requisitioned. Buying short positions will be a sure profit.”
Ye Jiqing, hearing it was from the God of Wealth, immediately went to the safe to get money, directly taking out all the money from the vault. “Buy it, but I’ll go myself. Sibao, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but your stock trading hands are too clumsy. I can’t afford to lose money.”
Wu Sibao felt dejected. He wanted to say something, but it seemed he had no outstanding achievements to show. He gave up; making money was more important.
He and Ye Jiqing immediately went to the stock exchange and bought short positions in cotton yarn and grain.
After buying, he sent his subordinate to rush in and shout, “Boss, the Japanese have started forcibly requisitioning! Cotton yarn and grain are all going to be confiscated!”
“What?”
“Really? Fake?” The stockholders shouted, asking about his source of information.
However, Wu Sibao now understood the art of stock trading very well. He didn’t say a word, took out a box of money he had deliberately left, and rushed to the counter, shouting, “Buy all cotton yarn short positions.”
A large sum of money was placed on the counter. With his show of force, some people became uneasy. After all, someone was shorting with real gold and silver, which was very convincing.
Several bold individuals who wanted to take a gamble also went to short cotton yarn.
As more people joined the crowd, more poured in to do the same.
The price of cotton yarn futures did indeed fall a little due to the news.
But not much.
The remaining people were still observing. They had suffered losses last time and had learned their lesson.
“They say the Japanese Army forcibly requisitioned, but it turned out to be fake. It was the market maker spreading false news. Who knows if the market maker is spreading false news again this time.”
The cautious party who was bullish loudly explained their stock trading philosophy in the crowd, “You can’t just panic at the slightest rumor. Market makers are very wicked. They say ‘forcible requisition,’ and we should at least confirm that the Japanese have indeed started forcibly requisitioning before running, right? Otherwise, we’ll lose everything. We haven’t even gotten our capital back yet.”
That made sense. Verification was always necessary.
People nearby immediately agreed and offered suggestions on where to verify this matter.
Some made phone calls, others went to ask people.
Stock traders always had inside information. Soon, a major investor called several Chinese-funded cotton yarn factories to ask if they had received any news about the Japanese Army’s forcible requisition.
The answer was no, none at all. Instead, someone from a Chinese-funded cotton yarn factory said that some of their workers had seen police investigating the goods at a Japanese-funded cotton yarn factory.
“Japanese-funded cotton yarn factory? This is definitely not forcible requisition. Have you ever seen the Japanese forcibly requisitioning their own enterprises?”
“That’s right, false news.”
“I knew it was false news. The Japanese are cunning, using their own factories to pretend to spread false news. Luckily, I didn’t listen to that fat guy. I’m buying the rise. The market maker is going to rally, and they deliberately spread rumors to trick us out of our chips. It’s a common tactic.”
“Yes, buy the rise.”
A group of people rushed to the window to buy the rise, and the slight price drop caused by the fat guy was immediately pushed back up.
Watching that fat guy provocatively pointing and gesturing, “This fat guy must be a pawn released by the market maker. He’s utterly wicked, hope he loses everything.”
Ye Jiqing looked at the fat guy, Wu Sibao, in shock. “Sibao, you really shouldn’t trade stocks. I was buying, and it was falling nicely. As soon as you bought, with this kind of forcible requisition news, you actually made it rise?”
It was the first time Ye Jiqing understood why Wu Sibao always lost money when trading stocks. Some people were born with bad luck in stock trading. Thinking of this, she decided to sit a bit further away.
As for worrying, she wasn’t. She believed this was definitely temporary, a short-term influence of Wu Sibao’s bad luck. The ultimate goal of Gu Yansheng, the God of Wealth, would surely be achieved.
“What does it have to do with me!” Wu Sibao glared angrily at the surrounding stockholders, grinding his teeth in hatred.
The angrier he got, the happier the stockholders on the other side became.
However, their happiness wouldn’t last long. What was meant to happen would happen.
When the Inspection Department carrying out the forcible requisition arrived at the Chinese-funded factories, the factories couldn’t produce or could not possibly produce these goods. They were directly cut off and stopped work by the Inspection Department!
A large number of factory workers were driven out of the factories, milling around the factory gates, not daring to leave. Such a major event quickly spread to the stock exchange.
“It’s really forcible requisition! It’s really forcible requisition!”
Someone shouted in panic, “The cotton yarn factory’s warehouse was forced open, the cotton yarn was looted! Gunfire was heard! The goods were all taken to the City Government!”
“What, what? Is it true or false?” The crowd immediately became agitated.
But there was no need for further answers, because the major investor brokers upstairs had already started operating. Large amounts of call options were being closed without thought, and cotton yarn futures prices plummeted layer by layer.
There were fewer futures players, but regarding grain stocks, they were smashed by major investors in an instant.
The stock exchange staff, who had been idle moments ago, were now in a frenzy, frantically rewriting the current prices on the blackboard.
The crowd in the trading hall seemed to be ignited, their blood boiling, no need for further words, they rushed to the counter.
“Sell!”
“Sell! Sell!”
“Sell everything!”
“This scene looks familiar.” Wu Sibao chuckled, shaking his leg.
Not yet satisfied, he stood up, hands on his hips, spread his suit open, and yelled, “Who said my news was inaccurate just now? Did you get rich by listening to me? Now you’re in a hurry? Too late, hahahaha.”
Several people immediately gathered around him, flattering him and praising Wu Sibao’s brilliance and might.
It must be said, those who acted decisively just now did indeed make money along with Wu Sibao.
“Brother, what other news is there? To what extent are the Japanese forcibly requisitioning?”
Wu Sibao considered that Gu Yansheng had said to spread the news widely, and spreading it indeed benefited the stock price decline.
He immediately said, “I don’t mind telling you. This time, the Japanese, for the war effort, will forcibly requisition 1 million units of cotton yarn for military uniforms. They will also forcibly requisition a large batch of grain for military rations. The Japanese also like to eat canned goods, and they love beef the most. They will move all the cattle in Shanghai! If you have cattle at home, don’t say I didn’t warn you, hurry up and eat them, or they’ll be gone later!”
Wow, the stock exchange erupted in shouts. The faces of a group of people changed drastically. Some sold stocks, others made phone calls.
They rushed to the streets to grab grain, fearing that Shanghai would soon have no food.
At the City Government, the Judicial Department, ring-ring, ring-ring, the telephones on the desks kept vibrating.
One after another, one after another, but no one answered. So, calls were made to the Mayor’s Office and the Secretary-General’s Office.
Coincidentally, it was as if the City Government’s leadership layer had died off; no one from the old high-ranking officials answered the phone.
Finally, someone answered the phone of a new high-ranking official. Luo Junqiang received a call and was thoroughly scolded.
He was told to return the goods quickly.
“Okay, okay, I’ll verify it right away.”
As soon as he hung up the phone, ring-ring, ring-ring.
“Okay, okay, I’ll verify it right away.”
“Okay, I know.”
“Yes, I’ll go verify it now, please stop calling.”
Snap, Luo Junqiang hung up the phone. He had a gut feeling that he had been tricked and, in a huff, went to find Gu Yansheng.
Only Gu Yansheng’s office was within the City Government; the other two directors worked outside.
“Where is your director?” Luo Junqiang asked upon arrival and discovered Gu Yansheng was not there.
Liu Xiaolou told him that the director had gone to the warehouse to receive the items returned by the Inspection Department.
Luo Junqiang hurriedly ran to the City Government warehouse again.
When he arrived, Gu Yansheng was diligently checking the inventory list, instructing the workers from the Inspection Department to store the cotton yarn properly.
“Director Gu, are you setting me up?” Luo Junqiang burst into the warehouse, accusing him furiously.
“Huh?” Gu Yansheng frowned in surprise, his face darkening. “Vice Mayor Luo, have you taken the wrong medicine? What do you mean by that?”
Luo Junqiang’s face was grim. “Why are you confiscating the warehouses of Japanese enterprises? Who told you I was going to confiscate the warehouses of Japanese enterprises? And you’re doing it under the name of the New Government!”
“Wait a moment, I don’t understand. Let me sort this out.” Gu Yansheng frowned. “You mean we shouldn’t confiscate the warehouses of Japanese enterprises?”
“Can the warehouses of Japanese enterprises be confiscated?” Luo Junqiang shouted. “Do you need to ask such a question? You are causing trouble for me.”
Gu Yansheng paused, looked around at the warehouse full of cotton yarn, pointed, and chuckled at him. “Alright, alright, I’m trying to help you, and you’re blaming me.”
Gu Yansheng’s expression turned stern, and he shouted, “Pack up, everyone go back to work. Tell Section Chief Wen to recall the people and tear off all the Judicial Department seals that have already been posted.”
“Yes.”
Gu Yansheng walked away briskly, followed by all his subordinates.
Luo Junqiang was left alone, his face dark. “You’re returning the cotton yarn!”
There was no response.
Luo Junqiang gritted his teeth and went upstairs to find Fu Xiao’an.
Gu Yansheng returned to the Judicial Department and received a call from outside. After listening for a few sentences, he directly barked, “If you have problems, find Luo Junqiang. He is the Vice Mayor. Why are you looking for me for something he’s doing?”
Snap, the call was hung up.
Ring-ring, ring-ring.
“Hello.”
“Director Gu, it’s so hard to reach you.”
“Mr. Kobayashi.” Gu Yansheng recognized the voice.
Kobayashi Nobuo asked, “The Judicial Department is posting seals all over the city. What’s going on? Don’t you know how much your actions affect the economy of Shanghai?”
“Mr. Kobayashi, please don’t ask me. It’s Vice Mayor Luo Junqiang’s idea. If you have any problems, find him. Moreover, I have already had my people withdraw.”
Knock, knock, knock, Liu Xiaolou knocked on the door.
He pointed his finger upwards and mouthed, “Meeting.”
Gu Yansheng said into the phone, “Mr. Kobayashi, I have a meeting. We can either talk later, or you can come directly to the City Government. Let’s clarify things in person. Luo Junqiang is fickle and a petty person.”
Snap, after Gu Yansheng had delivered his jab, he hung up all of Kobayashi’s calls, then drank a cup of coffee, and leisurely went to the meeting room.
Upon arriving at the meeting room, Fu Xiao’an, Lu Ying, Ling Xianwen, and several directors were already there.
Gu Yansheng sat down with an unhappy expression.
Gu Yansheng sat down with a displeased expression.
