Chapter 247: Strength
Gu Yansheng arrived at the contact location, which was a residential building.
He knocked on the door, and upon seeing the person, Gu Yansheng was stunned at first, then entered and became happy.
“Mr. Chen.”
The person who came was unexpectedly Minister Chen, who had sent them to Shanghai. It had been a long time since they had seen each other, even missing him.
“Unexpected, right?” Minister Chen also showed a smile on his face.
“Unexpected. Why did you come here yourself?”
“Because someone has poor horsemanship and managed to fracture his arm while riding a horse.”
“Ah? Is it serious?”
Minister Chen waved his hand and walked in, “Talk in the inner room.”
Gu Yansheng looked at Minister Chen’s teasing smile and could only follow him in first.
As soon as he entered the inner room, Minister Chen reached out his hand: “Comrade Yansheng, hard work. Your performance in the enemy camp is known to only a few people in the organization who have access to your information, and they all praise you highly. Being able to start from economy and judiciary, and penetrate the core level right at the beginning of the Wang Puppet Government’s establishment, is truly rare and valuable. It requires both courage and wisdom, none dispensable. On behalf of the organization, I express respect to you.”
Gu Yansheng shook his hand solemnly and said, “Thank you for the organization’s care. This is what I should do.”
Minister Chen patted Gu Yansheng’s hand, “When I sent your group out back then, I didn’t expect you to achieve what you have today. You shocked me. You are truly outstanding, and I’ve bragged to them quite a bit about my vision, haha, making them envious.”
After Minister Chen finished gesticulating excitedly, he restrained his smile and admonished, “But I still have to remind you to be careful and prudent. Protect yourself at all times. Safety comes first. Remember that.”
Gu Yansheng nodded, “Thank you for Minister’s care. I will remember it.”
“Sit.”
Minister Chen poured tea for Gu Yansheng, “Two months ago, on his way to lecture students at the party school in Yan’an, he fell off a horse, resulting in a comminuted fracture of his arm.
You also know Yan’an’s medical conditions are poor. He got some treatment there for his arm, but it still didn’t heal. About half a month ago, he was flown to the Soviet Union for treatment.
It’s not easy for you to come out once. It would be too wasteful to skip the meeting. Others aren’t suitable to contact you either, so after he found out, he contacted me and asked me to come over.”
So that’s how it was. Gu Yansheng nodded, “How is the situation now? Can it be cured?”
“Definitely. A comminuted fracture of the arm—if it were an ordinary person, even a bit of surgery could lead to infection. He endured it for a month under Yan’an’s conditions. Now with the Soviet Union’s much better medical conditions, how could it not be fine? Don’t worry.”
Minister Chen smiled reassuringly, “It just means troubling you, Minister Gu, to stay in Hong Kong this long. I was afraid of not making it in time. If you had gone back by the time I arrived, wouldn’t that mean I came for nothing?”
“Don’t tease me. What kind of bullshit minister? He’s just a big traitor.
Is the lack of medical supplies in Yan’an that serious? Is there anything I can do?
I have medicine on hand, and plenty of types. I can say all the Western medicines in short supply on the market can be loaded in sacks from me.
I can transport to the New Fourth Army anytime, but sending to Yan’an involves too many considerations on the road—Japanese occupied area, Nationalist controlled area, complicated situation. So out of caution, I haven’t moved it temporarily, only scattering medicine to the Japanese occupied area through merchants and the Green Gang, hoping some spills over to our territory.”
“Caution is good. Better not to do it than to do it wrong.” Minister Chen thought for a moment and said: “Medicine is indeed lacking in Yan’an. Hong Kong has a line that can reach Yan’an, receiving international aid supplies. But since he didn’t have you use that line, it means there’s risk for you. We’ll figure out the medicine ourselves first. Your priority now is still to protect yourself. Slow is fast.”
“I understand.” Gu Yansheng nodded in agreement, “Everything according to the organization’s requirements.”
“You have a few things to report, right? The telegram was vague to avoid leaks.”
“Yes, then I’ll give a detailed report.”
Gu Yansheng recounted the events of these months from the beginning, starting from the Wang Faction personnel coming to Shanghai to formally negotiate with the Japanese, up to holding the Party Congress.
This part mainly covered the interpersonal relationships of the Wang Faction personnel and their various reactions to facing the Japanese.
Close-contact descriptions of characters’ personalities and interpersonal conflicts could increase the organization’s success rate in future actions.
After hearing Gu Yansheng’s account of Gao Zhongwu’s experience, Minister Chen asked, “So you think Gao Zhongwu has potential for recruitment?”
“Yes.” Gu Yansheng nodded, “Gao Zhongwu’s biggest problem is that Traitor Wang already dislikes him. This vice minister position is just because he’s a veteran, one of the first to follow over. Gao Zhongwu is very aware of his situation. Traitor Wang siding with Japan, the diplomacy department has no future at all, let alone just a vice minister.
If someone offers a price at this time for him to leave Traitor Wang, the traitor label won’t stick to him. After all, the Wang Puppet Government hasn’t opened for business yet, and he’s just a vice minister, not prominent.
I plan that if the organization needs it, we can recruit him. If not, I’ll wait for Chongqing’s Boss Dai to ask me for the final agreement content signed by Traitor Wang and the Japanese, then toss Gao Zhongwu to him to handle.”
Minister Chen smiled upon hearing it, “Then just let Boss Dai have this merit. That Boss Dai sends people to watch No. 50 Zengjiayan every day. He has too much time, give him something to do.”
Gu Yansheng also smiled, “Good. If he doesn’t come to me, I’ll go to him and make sure he gets the agreement content.”
Minister Chen hummed, frowned and said: “What do you think of Dai Li’s dead double agent plan? From what I know, the Japanese intelligence department has been acting a lot lately. Wang Tianmu sold out the Shanghai District, sold out the Tianjin Station, but now the Military Statistics Bureau organizations in North China are all being hit. Isn’t this bet too big?”
Gu Yansheng thought for a moment and said: “I think there might be misjudgment by Dai Li in this matter. What plan Wang Tianmu originally proposed to him, I have no way of knowing. Maybe it was just selling the Shanghai District to gain trust, and that’s it.
But Li Shiqun is no pushover. In the subsequent interrogation, Li Shiqun found from Wang Tianmu’s history the Tianjin Station that Wang Tianmu himself founded. Wang Tianmu could say times have changed and he doesn’t know the current location of Tianjin Station, but before the war, who was in Tianjin Station, who was the station chief, who was the deputy, what they looked like—he, as a high-level Military Statistics Bureau figure, definitely knows.
This brings a problem: as long as these high-level people are still active in Tianjin, if Li Shiqun finds one, digging out the entire Tianjin Station is just a matter of time.
And once Tianjin Station is dug out, the nearby Beiping Station, which likely has regular contact, could be pulled out like radish with mud.”
“That’s a bad move.” Minister Chen thought about it and couldn’t understand, “Dai Li putting all hope on one person is very unwise. Why would he choose this step? What’s the situation with Wang Tianmu now?”
“Still in observation period, but there’s talk of giving him his own office at No. 76.”
“Mm, then he’s passed the trust test. Continue.”
“Good.” Gu Yansheng then talked about the sudden change in the Japanese due to the situation, which was why he came to Hong Kong.
This part had been dragging without progress, so a simple narration sufficed. As for the Japanese attitude, it wasn’t too important here; the decision rested with President Jiang in Chongqing.
Right now, even the letter hadn’t been sent out yet—too early.
However, the Japanese forming the China Expeditionary Army and personnel changes in the military department did help answer Minister Chen’s questions.
“No wonder the devils have been acting this way lately.”
This information really could only be obtained by someone like Gu Yansheng in the hub.
“When are you going back? If there’s progress, I can send you a message.”
“Should stay another two days. Send if it makes it in time; no need to force if not. Negotiations won’t succeed in one go; lots of changes in between. Help get a copy of their negotiation content then, okay?”
“No problem.”
“Good. Anything else?”
“Nothing on government affairs for now. Still some on economy.”
“Good.” Minister Chen took a sip of tea and smiled slightly, “I heard you got rich in Shanghai?”
Gu Yansheng smiled, “Made a bit of money, just a little.”
“How much is a little?” Minister Chen was very interested.
Gu Yansheng thought for a moment, “I have over 900,000 US Dollars now, and over 4 million silver dollars, about that much.”
“That much?” Minister Chen sat up straighter in shock, “Where did you get so much money?”
“It’s a long story. It just accumulated to that much.” Gu Yansheng recalled; yes, that was the amount.
Minister Chen was stunned for a moment, “How did it become so much?”
Gu Yansheng was straightforward, “Just silver dollars—all from tribute money from various gangs.
Like Zhang Xiaolin’s profit used to be 300,000 a month; I took 20% before. Now the Japanese have them fighting for territory, profit is bigger—one month just him alone is 600,000, I take 15%, that’s 90,000 silver dollars a month.
French Concession’s Chief Constable Liao Shan doesn’t fight for territory; I take 20%, four or five ten thousand a month.
Sha Shun can’t do business in Chinese Territory now, but he has lots of goods; I take 10%, three or four ten thousand a month.
Other assorted gangs tribute me every month; adds up to 300,000 a month, 3.6 million a year.
I haven’t received a full year yet, just over 2 million.
Traitor Zhou wants to set up the Wang Puppet Government’s bank, issue bonds; I collected the money, front and back, from traitor businessmen in Shanghai and Nanjing, sold over 25 million in bonds.
One-time business, with ledgers; I can’t just take it arbitrarily.
But Military Statistics Bureau killed in Shanghai; dead men don’t pay debts. Traitor Zhou was still in Hanoi then, so no reason to hand it over—that’s over 2 million.
After deducting money for New Fourth Army weapons, I still have about 2 million, making 4 million.
Money sitting idle loses interest—I’m talking bond money.
I suggested to Traitor Zhou to lend it out, support private enterprise development, increase future new government taxation, and earn some interest. Reasons sound; Traitor Zhou wants to make money too, so the money went out.
Lu Bowen’s factories worth 150,000; we paid real gold and silver ourselves back then. Now valued at 200,000, 300,000, 400,000, then get bank loans, cash all back.
That money was mine originally, so He Yun paid it back to me. His own factories not counted yet; just his factory money pulled 1.5 or 1.6 million from the bank. That money is in He Yun’s hands now, counted as their joint business earnings.
See, that’s how the money was made.”
“You first put up your own money to open factories, then mortgage factories to the bank, get Wang Puppet’s money, then shift all risk to Wang Puppet with a bit of interest. If Japanese turn hostile, Lu Bowen can withdraw anytime. That’s your idea?”
“Exactly. Japanese don’t reason, could turn hostile anytime, especially Japanese-funded enterprises not treating Chinese as people. Our factories can’t withstand forced requisition. This way, Wang Puppet is in fact tied to our warship, must protect our factories safe.”
Minister Chen’s eyes lit up, sighing admiringly, “This move is brilliant!”
Only Gu Yansheng can play this. Just shifting risk—without full bank loans or only partial, useless. Only full coverage allows unscathed.
The essence is the game of strategy between two forces. If only Japanese force, arrest and factory closure, they’ll make you spit out what you ate, bones and all.
But with Wang Puppet, it becomes Wang Puppet’s own money. Japanese no profit, too lazy to care; Wang Puppet won’t care, since it’s still Gu Yansheng’s industry.
Quite an interesting tug-of-war.
Gu Yansheng smiled; as a lawyer, he’d seen plenty of economic criminals, ways to extract money all self-taught.
This is called believing in the wisdom of successors.
After chatting, he informed that 300,000 US Dollars was placed in the bank, available for self-withdrawal if needed. Gu Yansheng left first.
He didn’t go back to the hotel, went straight to find Yan Dongqing on surveillance.
“Minister.”
“Mm.”
Gu Yansheng entered the surveillance room, which Yan Dongqing had rented. Across was Song Ziliang’s company, Changlong Trade.
“How is it? Any movement from Song Ziliang?”
“Hasn’t come out all day.” Yan Dongqing replied: “For a young master from a prominent family, he works diligently. Ordinary people in his position would just play every day. But these days following him, daytime he’s working in the company, only evenings to entertainment venues for socializing.”
Gu Yansheng thought it normal, “He’s over 40, right? Played hard when young; middle age, stronger career focus—nice way to say prodigal son turns back. If I meet him, any risk?”
“People coming and going look like normal office workers. Given Southwest Transportation Company’s background, Chongqing people must be the majority inside, but this is Hong Kong after all, so relatively safe, much safer than Shanghai. I noticed they go out without much bodyguard, or just two or three attendants.”
“Mm.” Gu Yansheng thought and said, “Carrying guns?”
“Yes.”
“Accompany me in. Not afraid of dying here?” Gu Yansheng smiled.
Yan Dongqing smiled faintly, “If you aren’t afraid, I shouldn’t be more.”
“Then let’s go.”
Gu Yansheng wasn’t overly bold from skill, just knew that at critical moment, throwing out Boss Dai would definitely save his life, so no worry.
Out the door straight to the opposite company; receptionist greeted upon entering.
“Who are you looking for?”
“Looking for your Boss Song. Say a guest from Peninsula Hotel is here.” Gu Yansheng smiled amiably.
Good looks, good attitude, from Peninsula Hotel—receptionist smiled sweetly and called Song Ziliang.
Waited a full half hour.
Gu Yansheng had great patience, still smiled upon seeing Song Ziliang, “Mr. Song, business looks good. If busy, I can wait more.”
Song Ziliang sneered, “You sure have guts. Think this is Shanghai? With your identity, believe it or not, I can have you die here.”
“Believe it, but not in a hurry, right?” Gu Yansheng smiled faintly: “At least hear what I have to say.”
Song Ziliang humphed with a laugh, “What fart can you fart out?”
Gu Yansheng, “Open door for business. You do Southwest business; coincidentally, so do I. You take Burma Road, I can take all Southwest. If you insist on Burma Road, I can make all Japanese bombers on Burma Road stop. Think this business can be done?”
Song Ziliang’s mocking smile slightly receded, eyed Gu Yansheng coldly: “I’m also curious. Those people are either Japanese or Chongqing traitors. Where did you pop from, still hanging a minister title? Not Japanese, right? Say stop and it stops—what makes you think Japanese listen to you?”
Gu Yansheng didn’t answer, counter-asked directly, “Can we talk?”
Song Ziliang stared at Gu Yansheng thinking for a bit, jerked his head, “Follow me.”
Up to third floor, chairman’s office.
Had Yan Dongqing wait at door; Gu Yansheng entered alone, secretary served tea.
Song Ziliang jiggled his leg: “Speak. How to make the airplanes stop?”
Gu Yansheng sipped tea unhurriedly, “Set a time today. Within three to five days, I’ll leave one day for your goods transport. Entire Burma Road, guarantee no Japanese airplane passes all day. I do it, you help pass message. I fail, I guarantee not to come again.”
“Sincere enough, just one day?”
“One day is good. Still wartime, no peace talks. This day prep time, worth at least 100,000 US Dollars. Don’t push.” Gu Yansheng sneered, “I’m not desperate for peace talks, Mr. Song. Understand, I’m not Japanese, no such need.”
“Then why so eager?”
“I said earlier, I’m here for business. That was trading, not business. Next is business between me and you, Mr. Song.”
Gu Yansheng set down cup, looked straight at him: “With Song family’s strength, making money in Nationalist controlled area is easy. I have plenty resources on hand—medicine, firearms, energy, grain, whatever in Japanese occupied area, I can get.
Hong Kong gets lots of supplies sure, but Guangzhou-Myanmar routes blocked. I have some connections, can open a route in Myanmar for you.
Two-way trade, open it—gold by the ton. Exclusive, no branches.
Conversely, if Mr. Song unwilling, Japanese bombers will hit more frequently, blow down your Southwest Transportation Company’s last road, Burma Road.”
“You threatening me?” Song Ziliang’s face darkened gradually.
“Depends how you see it.” Gu Yansheng smiled, “One side good, one bad. Mutual benefit. Believe Mr. Song knows how to choose.”
Song Ziliang frowned slightly staring at Gu Yansheng, looked a while, face cleared.
“Good. Since you talk so big, let’s see if your strength matches. Three days from now, midnight to midnight, I don’t want to see one airplane.”
“Gone.” Gu Yansheng got up and left.
