Chapter 31: Grudges
The sense of superiority from the luxury car was back. Entering Zhabei in a taxi, when passing the checkpoint, he treated the Japanese Gendarmes as if they were nothing and drove straight past.
The Japanese Gendarmes also knew that such people were either rich or noble. Unless necessary, they fundamentally didn’t want to bother with them, to avoid trouble for themselves, so they directly ignored him.
This tested the Japanese Gendarmes’ tolerance. If there were contraband items to pass through the checkpoint in the future, using such a luxury car would be one of the feasible opportunities.
No. 67 Da Xi Road.
Gu Yansheng’s car stopped at the entrance. He glanced at the automobile repair shop on the right side of the road, then turned back to knock on the iron gate of the villa.
Knock knock knock.
Whoosh, a small door opened, and a person poked his head out.
“Who are you looking for?”
“Captain Wu Sibao, it’s an appointment, came to deliver something.” Gu Yansheng flashed the leather suitcase in his hand, indicating that he should understand what was inside.
This person didn’t quite understand, “An appointment? Captain Wu went out of town a couple of days ago. Who did you make the appointment with?”
“Went out of town? When will he be back?”
“Don’t know.” The gatekeeper wouldn’t reveal information to Gu Yansheng.
“Hmm, then forget it. When Captain Wu comes back, just tell him that Lawyer Gu came by and have him call me then.”
The gatekeeper muttered, “Lawyer? Oh, I know who you are!”
“You know me?” Gu Yansheng paused his steps. He didn’t know he was that famous.
How could he not be famous? The repair shop’s first business deal, a top-tier customer. The gatekeeper eyed the luxury car at the entrance with gleaming eyes, “No wonder this car looks so familiar.”
Gu Yansheng followed his gaze to look at the car, then at the repair shop across the way, and let out a dumbfounded sneer.
Well, this reputation probably wasn’t anything good either.
“Probably about ten days.”
Knowing who he was, the gatekeeper stopped hiding it and smiled, “Captain Wu is on a long trip. If smooth, ten days or half a month; if slow, just a month. For this suitcase, how about I help you hand it over first?”
“Better wait for him to come back and give it to him myself.”
Gu Yansheng couldn’t help but ask curiously, “But shouldn’t he be investigating those Military Statistics Bureau people recently? Why did he go out of town?”
“How could it be that easy to investigate? It’d exhaust someone to death.” The gatekeeper just chatted casually; after all, he was the God of Wealth himself.
After chatting a couple of sentences casually, Gu Yansheng got the information he wanted. The gatekeeper’s unguarded attitude showed that they had no actions from last night until today.
Zheng Liangcai left very safely.
With this information, the trip wasn’t in vain.
Return to the law firm.
Afternoon.
Gu Yansheng was in the office reading newspapers, mainly focusing on the discussions by major newspaper companies on various aspects of the current Shanghai city government.
The old underground operative had been sent off. Now, besides finding a time to hand over resources to Lu Bowen and the others, the rest of his energy should be on researching his own business development.
In this era, education is a good thing. According to the early plan, as a Peking University graduate not long out of school, young, with a clean background, it wouldn’t be difficult for such a person to find a job position in a government department.
Whether he could get promoted and develop after getting in would depend on fate.
But the situation is different now.
Because of the old underground operative’s arrest, the initial path chosen by Gu Yansheng was greatly different.
Now, although he couldn’t be said to have any status——basically all from the boost of the law firm platform, plus the addition of Mr. Wolf’s car.
But with some people already recognizing his current status, pretending to be a little white rabbit to interview for a grassroots position would probably make even the Japanese think about it: why would a lawyer with considerable income join them.
Abandoning grassroots positions, and positions of power matching his identity aren’t something you can get just by wanting them, the key to breaking the situation might still be on finding noble patrons, on the Japanese Consul.
He needed someone to boost him to rise to the sky in one step.
Anyway, it couldn’t be on Wu Sibao. Joining No. 67 to be his little brother would be insanity.
Of course, there was another backup path that could be planned: the path of Chairman Wang, who was about to betray the country.
Knock knock knock.
“Come in.”
Mr. Wolf walked in.
“Gu, the court called. This case might go to trial very soon.”
“So fast? The Public Works Bureau’s efficiency has broken through my imagination.”
“It’s not that he wants it fast, but all parties are pressuring him.”
Mr. Wolf sat down across from the desk and smiled as he lit a cigar.
“Major newspaper companies are going wild on the newspapers, the French Consul can’t take it anymore, calling the Public Works Bureau’s people several times a day, demanding they either prohibit the newspaper companies’ content from being published or hurry up and hold the trial.
The Public Works Bureau doesn’t care, this matter doesn’t concern them anyway. They asked the major newspaper companies, and surprisingly, the major newspaper companies also urged them to hold the trial quickly, to shut up both the French and Japanese sides in court.
Isn’t this just both enemy and us agreeing to have a go?
So the Public Works Bureau satisfies both sides’ expectations.”
“No wonder the Public Works Bureau’s process is moving so fast,” Gu Yansheng asked with a smile, “What about Smithfield? Any movements?”
“No reaction for now. On the surface, the facts are very clear: it captured Japanese people at the scene. If they just think it’s a simple case, I think they’ve already lost, but they shouldn’t be that naive, at least knowing we’ve entered the fray.”
Mr. Wolf was very confident in the threat his law firm could bring to the other side. He thought for a moment and said, “They might catch us off guard, think of points we can’t think of. After all, for them, they don’t need to prove anything; as long as they drag the case to a debatable level, the newspapers won’t count as fabricating facts.”
“We’ll deal with whatever comes. When exactly is the trial?”
“Probably in two or three days, wait for the court’s notice.”
“Mm.”
“Oh, right, I contacted the car dealer for you. You’re in luck, they have stock. Want to go take a look? Might not have time later.” Mr. Wolf laughed.
Hearing this, Gu Yansheng stood up, “Of course we have to go see. Only by spending money can I motivate myself to work hard.”
“Hahahaha.”
After two steps, Gu Yansheng paused and pondered, “I’ve thought of a point. If I were Smithfield, I would definitely try to contact those detained people and ask about the specific situation. After all, these people have already been released.”
Mr. Wolf frowned slightly in thought, “You mean, these people might talk even after signing a confidentiality agreement?”
“Not impossible.” Gu Yansheng’s eyes were sharp.
Mr. Wolf nodded and took a puff of his cigar, “If they risk our claim for compensation, or simply Smithfield promises to pay the compensation for them, then this matter could indeed have twists.
Like this, with two days left, let’s call all the released people back to confirm once more, intimidate them a bit. Even if they don’t tell the truth, their expressions and attitudes should reveal something. What do you think?”
Felt very good. Even if Mr. Wolf hadn’t said it, Gu Yansheng would have proposed it. Creating a legitimate opportunity to meet wasn’t easy.
“Okay, Wen Yan.”
“Yes, Mr.”
“You and Mr. Wolf’s team go run it, contact those released people, have them come to the law firm.” Gu Yansheng checked his watch, “Mr. Wolf, two hours enough to look at cars?”
“As long as you’re not mesmerized, it shouldn’t take that long.”
“Good, Wen Yan, we’re going out. You arrange people to receive them, schedule the time. Oh, right, I remember a few people just arrived in Shanghai with no fixed address. Take the consul’s authorization letter, have someone go to the French Concession’s Household Registration Office to check if they’ve registered, try not to miss any.”
“Okay, I’ll handle it right now.”
