Chapter 198: Shopping
Gu Yansheng was quite surprised. No, Minister Zhou was not that old, yet he already had such a grown daughter?
For a moment, Gu Yansheng did not know whether it was that this woman had grown up a bit hastily, or that Minister Zhou had had her early.
Gu Yansheng smiled and reached out his hand: “Hello, Miss Zhou. My name is Gu Yansheng.”
“Hello, Mr. Gu.” Zhou Shuhai reached out gracefully and smiled brightly.
“Very pleased to meet you.”
“Me too.”
Gu Yansheng withdrew his hand and remarked to Minister Zhou with emotion, “Minister, I never expected you to have such a beautiful daughter.”
“Hahahaha.” Minister Zhou was quite pleased with himself. “Her mother is pretty, and I was handsome back then too, so of course the daughter we had is beautiful.”
Shameless.
With his daughter there, flattering his daughter.
Gu Yansheng spoke up: “Has Miss Zhou been to Shanghai before?”
“No.”
“Oh, well, if there’s anything you need in daily life, you can come to me. In Shanghai, I can still be of some help.”
“Then thank you.”
“So, did you come to find me for something?” Minister Zhou asked.
“To see what you all were talking about.” Zhou Shuhai said annoyedly: “Father, it’s boring staying here. I want to go out for a stroll. Mr. Gu, can you accompany me?”
Just said he’d help, and you’re really not polite at all.
Gu Yansheng had not spoken yet.
Minister Zhou said softly: “Don’t fool around. Director Gu is very busy. We have serious business to discuss. How could he have time to go shopping with you? And you shouldn’t go out either. A young lady like you can’t stay put for a moment. What does that look like? There will be time to go shopping later. No need to rush.”
Although Minister Zhou did not mind his daughter getting to know more young talents, he really did have business with Gu Yansheng right now.
There will be a long time ahead.
“Oh~”
After being scolded and driven away, Zhou Shuhai still smiled and bowed slightly to Gu Yansheng before leaving.
Gu Yansheng gave her a smile.
After dealing with the interlude, Minister Zhou continued: “What comes next is to advance work on the government’s organizational structure and personnel appointments. As the saying goes, a proper name brings smooth legitimacy. You’re a law student, so you should know that establishing a government requires completing several essential steps.
First is the intent, that is, the reason for existence. Our goal is peaceful nation building, to bring peace to all of China.
Second is who we are, that is, the ruling party. We are the Kuomintang.
Only then comes the organizational structure and personnel appointments.”
“Completing the legal system step,” Gu Yansheng summarized.
“Right, exactly the legal system.” Minister Zhou nodded in confirmation. “These steps can be advanced together. First, recruit more like-minded aspiring individuals to join our government. Second, once personnel are basically in place, hold the party congress, complete the legal system, complete appointments within the party, and finally open the new government.
During this time, we need to do more propaganda, through newspapers and broadcasts, to spread the peaceful nation-building ideology, and gather aspiring individuals in Shanghai.
A government cannot run on just a few of us. Middle management and the lower execution levels all need staff.”
Gu Yansheng nodded to show understanding. “China Daily can help with this. The people who came from Hanoi with us were all former high-level officials in Chongqing. They can give speeches, using the city government’s press conference hall or renting venues in the concession for lectures. This way, we can mobilize all the newspaper media to report on us, and the reach will be very wide.”
“Mm, that’s what I thought too.”
Minister Zhou continued: “Then there’s another very important task, which is to integrate the North China Provisional Government and the Central China Reform Government, incorporating them into our new government.
Even integrating one department involves interests, let alone integrating two entire governments. They were established earlier than us, so there will likely be quite a few issues involved.
The coming period will be very busy, needing to recruit staff while negotiating with the other governments. Mr. Wang and I will probably need to go to Japan at least once, to meet with Japan’s cabinet, military department, finance ministry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and discuss with all of them.
To get the new government established as soon as possible, all these matters need to be resolved.
Besides the work I mentioned earlier, Shanghai will have one more task: communicating with the consulates of various countries in the concession. What is their attitude toward the new government’s establishment? How will future economic trade proceed? All these need negotiation.
You’re more familiar with Shanghai. During this time, work hard and accompany me when visiting.”
“Sure, no problem for me.” Gu Yansheng nodded readily.
“Good.”
Minister Zhou patted Gu Yansheng’s arm. “Go back inside and sit for a bit. I still need to talk with others.”
“Mm, you go ahead.”
They parted ways. Gu Yansheng returned to his seat and continued drinking cola, of course a new bottle. The principle is never to drink beverages left unattended.
Fu Xiao’an had already gone into the crowd to mingle. Gu Yansheng glanced around. Actually, there were quite a few women attending today. His memory was good. Some women had not come off the ship but had been brought in by others. He just did not know if they were Japanese or Chinese people.
“Mr. Gu, are you done talking?” Zhou Shuhai smiled and walked over.
“Mm, done.” Gu Yansheng smiled and raised his hand. “Please sit, Miss Zhou. Do you need something from me?”
“No need to sit. Mr. Gu, I’d like to ask you to be my tour guide and accompany me to stroll outside. Is that okay?”
Minister Zhou’s daughter is so casual?
Gu Yansheng stood up with a smile: “Of course. Just can’t go too far. One, I’m afraid the minister might need me. Two, Shanghai is not that safe right now.”
“Okay, then let’s go.”
Zhou Shuhai was very happy, her steps light. She even caught Minister Zhou’s eye when she had the chance, waved her hand slightly boastfully, and gestured that she was going out.
Minister Zhou was talking with someone. He glanced at Gu Yansheng but said nothing, turning back to continue talking.
The woman beside him saw this and seemed a bit unhappy, but quickly hid her expression.
If Gu Yansheng remembered correctly, this woman was Minister Zhou’s wife, Yang Shuhui.
Walking a couple quick steps, Gu Yansheng smiled as he walked out the door and asked her, “Where does Miss Zhou want to go strolling?”
“Just stroll around anywhere.” Zhou Shuhai clearly had no destination either. “To the left then.” After saying that, she walked to the left.
Gu Yansheng accompanied her and casually asked, “Did Miss Zhou hear about me from the minister before?”
“No.” Zhou Shuhai answered straightforwardly, turning to ask back: “Why do you ask?”
Gu Yansheng chuckled lightly. “I just don’t understand why, on our first meeting, Miss Zhou wants me to accompany her.”
“Oh~” Zhou Shuhai smiled. “There are so many people attending, either Japanese or city government people. I heard them say earlier when I got off the ship that you are city government people. I don’t like being accompanied by Japanese either. Besides the old man next to you, you’re the only option. So, while father was talking with you, I came to get acquainted, and now I have a tour guide.”
“I see.” Gu Yansheng nodded with a light chuckle. “Miss Zhou, you have sharp observation skills.”
“Of course.” Zhou Shuhai raised her brow smugly and smiled playfully: “Or what? What did you think the reason was?”
“I thought you found me good-looking.” Gu Yansheng was so straightforward.
“Ha.” Zhou Shuhai widened her eyes and laughed. “You’re really not modest.”
“Why be modest? Just stating facts.”
“Pfft, let’s go.”
Gu Yansheng accompanied her walking and probed for information. “Did Miss Zhou live in Nanjing before?”
During China Daily’s training, they had collected data on the main figures of the Wang Faction, mainly political directions, but also basic family background information.
According to the newspaper company’s information, Minister Zhou and Yang Shuhui only had one son, no daughter.
