Chapter 272: Banner
The next day, Mr. Gu received a telephone call at the Tea House, saying a guest was coming.
After hearing the report from his subordinate, he went downstairs to welcome them and saw the visitor, who was quite young, in his thirties, with two lackeys following behind.
“Mr. Gu, hello, sorry for the unannounced visit. I am the new president of the Mitsui Company Shanghai branch, Onodera Toru.”
He wore a neat suit, with elegant movements, especially the smile when he bowed and nodded, brilliantly different.
Mr. Gu smiled and returned the courtesy, “So it’s President Onodera, a rare guest. I wonder how President Sato is doing now? Has he returned?”
Mr. Gu knew Sato had been summoned back to Japan and seemed to have been demoted.
“Returned?” Onodera Toru raised an eyebrow, smiling playfully, paused, and said: “He probably won’t be coming back, Mr. Gu. Is it convenient to go inside and talk?”
“Of course, please. My office here is very modest, please make do.”
“Mr. Gu is too modest. A high official like you should have a better environment. Why no good office location?” Onodera looked around the Tea House, which was indeed simple.
Mr. Gu smiled faintly: “When I first arrived, it was rushed, I wasn’t familiar with West Shanghai, public order wasn’t good, so I requisitioned this Tea House next to the Police Station as the office. Later, affairs got busy, I was too lazy to change. Though the environment is a bit crude, it’s convenient for contacts with all sides, good for work.”
“Mr. Gu’s spirit is admirable. You all wait here.”
Onodera Toru had his subordinates stand guard at the staircase, and he followed Mr. Gu upstairs.
Once upstairs, his eyes lit up.
Mr. Gu’s office, though modest, had some calligraphy and paintings on the walls, inkstones and brushes on the desk sides, and a display rack in the corner with a few antiques and small items, adding a touch of elegance to the crude space.
Mr. Gu had these for show, so others would know he liked this stuff, maybe spread the word and someone would rack their brains to send some gifts.
Onodera Toru fell for it.
“Mr. Gu likes antiques?”
“Not really like, just play with them occasionally.”
Onodera Toru smiled slightly and got to business, “I arrived in Shanghai a few days ago and wanted to visit Mr. Gu right away, but unfortunately, you weren’t in Shanghai. Today I heard you were back, so I came immediately. Sorry to disturb.”
“What disturbance? Now we talk of Great East Asia Co-Prosperity, Mitsui as Japan’s major trading company, both publicly and privately, I should make time to chat properly with President Onodera. Please have tea.”
“Thank you.”
While he drank tea, Mr. Gu asked: “Earlier you said President Sato won’t be coming back, what happened?”
Onodera Toru’s mouth corner was harder to suppress than an AK, “Sato caused the company several million in losses, he definitely won’t be coming back, otherwise I wouldn’t be the president in Shanghai.
Mr. Gu had a good relationship with Sato?”
“Of course.” Even if Sato had messed up now, Mr. Gu wouldn’t deny it, one shouldn’t be two-faced, “I’ve always had contact with Mitsui. Now President Sato has been called back to Japan, I’m a bit worried. I don’t know his current situation?”
Mr. Gu wanted to know if he was dead or not.
Onodera Toru sighed with a smile: “No way around it, he messed up himself, can’t blame anyone. Mr. Gu, I can tell you, by rights he should commit seppuku to apologize to the world, but according to his description, Mr. Gu, you have a key business in hand, still ongoing, quinine, right?”
“Right.
“Based on this and previous merits, the president let him off once, just fired him.”
“Fired?” Mr. Gu hadn’t expected quinine could save Sato’s life, but in terms of importance, quinine could save many, it really could.
“That’s good then. Will Mr. Sato come back to Shanghai?”
“Shanghai.” Onodera Toru smiled faintly: “Once fired, no position. He was taken by the conscription office right after leaving, his troop ship left before mine, he should already be serving in North China now.”
Huh? Mr. Gu was shocked by the twist, eyes wide, Sato went to be a little private soldier?
In North China no less?
His mind pictured Sato who drank red wine and ate steak, now in private soldier uniform, holding a gun, fighting my Party in North China.
Hiss, wouldn’t get killed in one round.
Cause of death, acclimatization.
Japanese soldiers’ food now, even bottom Japanese soldiers disdain it, probably President Sato can’t stomach it at all.
“So he went to clear out the Communist Party.” Mr. Gu could only beautify his future, nodded, “Hope he has good luck.”
Onodera Toru smiled: “So I came to Mr. Gu to follow up on the quinine matter. How is the quinine production progress now?”
Don’t mention it, Mr. Gu really didn’t know now, that was He Yun handling it, he was too lazy to ask.
Anyway, he didn’t lack quinine in hand, no rush.
“The machinery should have arrived, but how production is going, I don’t know yet. You know, that’s Nationalist controlled area, information communication isn’t that convenient.”
Onodera Toru frowned: “Can’t know any progress at all?”
“Per agreement, machinery delivered, they set up factory there, research production, have to wait for first batch of medicine produced before someone comes to Shanghai to tell me.
Process definitely won’t be fast. Though there’s Japanese pharmaceutical company’s production standards, operators are locals there, not Japanese researchers. You know their education level, familiarizing takes time.”
“Why give all the equipment then, not send Japanese researchers?”
“Don’t speak Chinese, afraid of exposure. We considered sending people, but unless these researchers never leave the factory, endure extreme boredom, no social life, eat and live all inside the factory.
Otherwise, one word heard by someone and it’s over. That’s not Shanghai, Japanese appearing is very strange.”
Onodera Toru nodded, still frowning, “If I send a radio over, would contact be easier?”
“Not sure. Current situation is, everyone at the whole factory doesn’t know the quinine produced is for delivery to Shanghai.
Factory Chinese just produce, think it’s for Chinese soldiers, so they’ll produce well, quality guaranteed, make medicine as perfect as possible.
Only the boss behind knows it’s for us.
Problem is, if you send radio, have to send to that boss. But if Military Statistics Bureau discovers the radio, catches your intelligence officer, boss dragged out, whole production line done.
If no radio, discovered, at worst medicine smuggling. He found locals with backing, if Anti-Smuggling Team or customs sudden inspection, someone tips him off.
But if Military Statistics Bureau involved, no one tips off, unless you have a line in Military Statistics Bureau.”
Onodera Toru knew the trouble: “Military Department has big demand for quinine, Mr. Gu. This matter, still have to trouble you, find way to learn more, we need specific progress.”
Japanese now preparing for south advance, quinine really essential.
“Okay, I’ll find a way to ask again.”
“Thanks.”
“No need to be polite, I will.”
After seeing off Onodera Toru, Mr. Gu called He Yun, asked her to come talk.
After she arrived, he asked the situation, actually already in production.
“Half a month later, send a batch of slightly lower quality over. One month, one and a half months, as long as it reaches Shanghai.”
Mitsui relationship, Mr. Gu still had to maintain it, if useless too long, would be kicked out.
Ring ring, ring ring.
“Hello.”
Ding Mocun’s voice came, “Free? When to Nanjing?”
“Tomorrow. Minister Zhou still talking with Shanghai’s various directors, one by one. I asked, ends tomorrow, then go together.”
“Okay, call me tomorrow when departing.”
“Wait, tell you some news.” Mr. Gu told about Sato being made a private soldier.
“He went to be a soldier?” Ding Mocun was stunned hearing it, Japanese so ruthless to their own, “With Sato’s pampered look, on battlefield isn’t he dead for sure? North China terrain, fighting Communist Party guerrillas, how? He’s a soft weakling, can he run?”
Mr. Gu smiled, “Call you tomorrow.”
The next day, the group headed to Nanjing.
Mr. Gu brought his subordinates, Liu Xiaolou, Ma Shiqi.
After arriving, let them do their own work. Liu Xiaolou pick a place to stay, familiarize with Nanjing, then visit Ministry of Justice in Nanjing.
Ma Shiqi check on Mr. Gu’s previous arrangements, see how the people he sent ahead to Nanjing early have familiarized with all aspects.
Now time to claim territories, Wang Faction people see a building they want, change to whatever department, becomes that department.
These chores all handled by Chen Biqun’s side.
As for which departments arrange which people, that’s main activity for each minister in Nanjing for a while.
Mr. Gu also had to come to Nanjing.
Not come to Nanjing, how do judicial system’s officials here send money to him?
Also need channels, give others chance to visit.
Gift-givers not necessarily promoted, but no-gift ones, Minister Gu has his little notebook.
Mr. Gu in Nanjing three days, Liu Xiaolou visited Ministry of Justice, casually revealed Minister Gu arrived Nanjing and settled in.
Gift-senders came over twenty waves.
People chasing people, cars chasing cars, gift-senders shameless now, cars lined up long queue in alley outside Mr. Gu’s residence.
Often previous one just out door, next one carrying gifts enters.
Big bags small bags various items entered Gu residence.
Mr. Gu receiving them, busier than a restaurant.
To understand Nanjing ecology, had to ask a few questions, chat city government matters, busy several days.
Mr. Gu really had no time.
Not no more gift-senders, but called to meeting.
New Government opening not far from scheduled time, various issues need meetings to discuss and decide.
Like, salary welfare, wage levels.
Like, clothing uniforms, military dress uniforms.
Though specifics handled by below, upper level must meet to vote, final decision, this kind of meeting unavoidable.
This kind saves time, all trivial matters. Real big proposals involve army, army size, military academy open or not, conscript or not, weapons equipment purchase or not.
Taxation how to collect, new government start give some tax exemptions for good luck, return proportion how much, etc., pile of things to settle in short time, immediately implement.
Because time really tight.
Tense easy to mess up.
This day just finished meeting, Police Administration Department secretary whispered to Minister Zhou, Minister Zhou frowned hearing.
Waved secretary away, then told them: “A Japanese soldier in city killed government employee inserting flags, one dead on spot, one heavy injured sent hospital rescue. Police Station reported up asking how to handle? Many reporters saw, took photos.”
New Government opening, so along main roads under eaves, arranged city government employees to insert government flags, want atmosphere lively.
After all, future propaganda is capital returned to Nanjing.
“Why Japanese soldier shoot?” Wang Ni frowned puzzled.
Minister Zhou shook head, “Person not caught yet how know. Now issue is catch or not.”
“Catch.” Wang Ni decided quickly, “Catch first, ask situation later.”
“Okay.”
Minister Zhou called down, soon new info back.
“This soldier already back, entered barracks, Police Station people demand him, couldn’t get.”
“Call Headquarters, ask what they want.”
Just ordinary soldier, really thinks he’s somebody.
Minister Zhou one call to Headquarters, whole incident reason quickly asked out.
Turns out this soldier saw flag actually Blue Sky White Sun flag, directly triggered.
Fought Chinese years, result Nanjing again hoisted Blue Sky White Sun flag, whole person dazed.
In anger, directly shot, so today’s incident.
Group waited half day, thought Japanese Army dissatisfied with them, truth so absurd.
But next matters still had twist.
Wang Faction demand catch person, since reporters photographed, if city government people killed like this no explanation, where city government prestige?
But Japanese have own say, this indeed excusable, soldier see Blue Sky White Sun flag react normal.
Finally, Headquarters allowed Wang Faction catch person, Japanese soldier into prison.
But to avoid such incidents, flags also change.
Can’t be Blue Sky White Sun flag, add something, write clear slogan, Peace Anti-Communist Save Country.
Bit mismatched, not pure Kuomintang, but matters only so.
Small matters over, continue meetings, many things to handle.
Days pass, New Government establishment time closer.
Just when Wang Faction thought Chongqing peace talks won’t appear again.
Hong Kong news came, Chongqing people demand negotiation.
