Chapter 32: Negotiation
Went with Wolf to the car dealer’s lot to check out the car, and in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Mr. Gu had already bought the car outright with full payment.
Buick series 40, all documents complete, 1150 US dollars, Wolf’s face got a 50 US dollar discount, plus a free tank of gas.
A tank of gas is worth more than twenty silver dollars too, equivalent to a rickshaw puller’s monthly income.
“Mr. Gu, we’ve already sent someone to handle the documents for you. At the latest by noon tomorrow, you can drive your new car.”
“Alright, send someone to deliver it to the door of the law firm, okay?”
“Of course that’s fine.”
The simple car-buying trip ended, and Gu Yansheng’s cash dwindled to 1800 US dollars remaining.
Back at the law firm, under Wen Yan’s arrangement, released suspects came in one after another.
Some were panicked, afraid of getting caught up in something else, but they gradually relaxed under Gu Yansheng’s mild tone.
For these people, those two days of fear and anxiety in custody made Gu Yansheng practically their savior, rescuing them from the Japanese’s clutches without taking a single cent.
Everyone knows lawyers are very expensive.
So in their attitudes toward Gu Yansheng, most behaved quite well and were very cooperative.
Gu Yansheng slowly chatted with them, dragging out the time, until it was Lu Bowen and He Yun’s turn.
“Yansheng, I never imagined I’d see you here.”
Old rules, make the hand signal first upon entering to confirm if it’s safe to talk, and once confirmed, He Yun was left with nothing but amazement.
Way too bold, this was blatantly dancing in front of No. 67’s face.
A backhanded hug, of course a hug full of revolutionary camaraderie, for both men and women.
Sizing up the office, this decor, this style, really impressive.
“Say you’re new to Shanghai, who would believe it? Yansheng, if Minister Chen knew about what you’ve done here, I think he definitely wouldn’t believe it.”
“Haha, when the time comes, let our team leader comrade give him a proper report. Likewise, us meeting here, gentlemen are open and aboveboard, No. 67’s people will understand. Sit.”
“First, let’s clarify today’s conversation. I’m here to ask about your experiences these past few days. Was there a law firm called Smithfield that came to inquire about some case-related matters from you?”
He Yun nodded and asked, “Then should we say yes or no?”
“Tell the truth, was there?”
“No, what about you, Bowen?”
Lu Bowen also shook his head, “No, what do they want with us.”
Gu Yansheng smiled, “Looks like you two are the ones who slipped through the net.”
From conversations with the others, it turned out Smithfield had indeed done their homework, inquiring with all the case-related people, but these parties all told Gu Yansheng they said no.
Whether they actually said it or not, these people’s words can’t be trusted.
“Anyway, you told the truth, no means no, it has nothing to do with you. Probably they couldn’t find your addresses.”
After all, for French Concession addresses, it was only because Gu Yansheng produced the consul’s authorization letter that the Household Registration Office opened the convenient door.
“For this case, just handle it the way I told you in the meeting room back then.”
“Understood.”
“Alright, miscellaneous matters done. How’s the dog walking been these past two days?” Gu Yansheng looked caringly at the two.
In Shanghai, the only ones he could trust right now were these two comrades.
“Dog walking, haha, what a vivid metaphor. Bowen, you first.”
“Okay.”
Lu Bowen acknowledged and took the lead in asking about the underground party’s situation, “The person”
Gu Yansheng nodded and smiled directly, “Target Hong Kong, will report safe upon arrival, you can watch the newspapers.”
Gu Yansheng explained the situation.
Lu Bowen let out a huge sigh of relief, his slightly tense face visibly relaxing, with some survivor’s relief, nodding repeatedly, “That’s good, that’s good.”
Everyone’s first mission in Shanghai, if it all failed, would undoubtedly be a blow to confidence.
“Originally, we came to Shanghai to make contact. Per the original plan, after linking up, we should send a signal to let the organization know. Now it’s been delayed a few days, and the old underground operative hasn’t returned yet, his people haven’t received anyone, I estimate the organization is very anxious right now.
No news from either end, he has no idea what’s happened to us. Yansheng, I’m afraid I need to trouble you for this. I’m not convenient to go to the newspaper company to send the signal, you need to get the message out.”
“Alright, I’ll handle it, tell me the content.”
Lu Bowen quickly stated the content; it was actually just a missing person notice to be published in Shen Bao, which the organization would naturally recognize upon seeing.
Gu Yansheng said he’d noted it, and Lu Bowen could talk about his own situation.
“Let me talk about my situation. Right now, I’ve already connected with my Shanghai contacts.”
Lu Bowen being selected by the organization for doing business naturally had his strengths.
He had once been a manager at a Yangtze River shipping company, and the boss behind that shipping company was formerly a businessman, but now he was the deputy minister of the Ministry of Communications in Chongqing.
An old retainer’s face couldn’t be said to carry much weight, but having it was better than not. To scale up this business, shipping was indispensable, and with this connection, things could be operated more efficiently with half the effort.
“I found friends from the former Shanghai office. They said the Japanese are heavily encroaching on Yangtze River transport now, their shipping has decreased a lot, but they’re still running. They even asked if I wanted to come back to work, but I declined.
I said I wanted to do some business, what business is good with small capital.
They said actually consider doing daily necessities like rice and grain oil. In these chaotic times, prices change daily, other trades might lose money, but rice turns over fast, high safety, and if there’s an accident, like fighting breaking out again, you can sell out that day and run.”
Gu Yansheng listened and smiled, “Business matters are up to you, but for rice, where do you source the goods?”
“Northern Jiangsu.”
Lu Bowen said, “Suzhou is close to Shanghai, so transport costs can be low, and there’s a Northern Jiangsu Anti-Japanese Alliance there, definitely local farmers growing grain. Us buying their grain also counts as supporting their anti-Japanese fight.”
Gu Yansheng thought it over and reminded, “Your scale is small now. As long as you don’t offend the local big grain merchants, doing small business to make a living should be no problem. But be careful, when dealing with Northern Jiangsu people, definitely watch your attitude. You’re a businessman, businessmen chase profit.”
Gu Yansheng relayed his conversation with the old underground operative, “Suzhou is close to Shanghai, Japanese intelligence forces infiltrating there is certain. Farmers aren’t necessarily good people either, and businessmen are even more likely to have ties to the Japanese. When something happens, don’t let excessive sympathy cloud you.”
“I know that.” Lu Bowen was clear-headed: “We have to forget our own identities. We’re just three stinking money-grubbers, eyes only on money. Minister Chen emphasized before we left, no psychological burdens.
Speaking of that, Yansheng, I need to apologize to you, a sincere apology.”
“Apologize for what? What’s wrong?”
“Back in Yan’an, I repeatedly requested the organization to remove you, thinking you were young, hot-tempered, and without enemy rear experience. In complicated Shanghai full of demons and monsters, you’d easily cause trouble or even expose us.
I requested the organization assign us more experienced comrades, or simply none, just let He Yun and me come to Shanghai.
But now, facts have proven the organization’s vision completely superior to mine.
Without your participation this trip, we’d have become Japanese prisoners in the first operation, consequences unimaginable.
That would betray the organization’s and Minister Chen’s earnest expectations, and make me regret my choice back then.
Here, Comrade Gu Yansheng, I apologize to you and express my sincere regret. It was my rigid thinking underestimating you and the organization’s vision. I’ll find a chance to make a self-criticism to the organization. I shouldn’t have questioned the organization’s decision. At the same time, I hope for your forgiveness.”
Gu Yansheng thought, yes there was such a thing. Infiltrating behind enemy lines with this inexperienced college student back then really seemed like dragging along dead weight.
Crucially, going to government departments, among a bunch of old foxes, if temperament unsteady and a slip showed, all three done for.
Lu Bowen’s concerns back then weren’t unreasonable, even very cautious.
Just didn’t trust this new college student, while he and He Yun had worked together in the organization department for a time, old acquaintances, naturally more trustworthy.
But the organization choosing Gu Yansheng was indeed well-considered.
Minister Chen had refuted it back then.
“On temperament, the organization examined for a long time, no need to tell you. Let me tell you something practical.
You have business experience, so I’ll ask you: in Shanghai under Japanese puppet rule, without a reliable source of information, do you think your business can last?
You think it’s like opening a contact station, a bookstore? You and He Yun run a husband-wife shop earning a hundred or eighty bucks?
When you make money to a certain amount, which business doesn’t need connections, which doesn’t need contacts? Without these, can you withstand the Japanese puppets’ plundering in Shanghai?
That’s the explanation for the necessity of a third person.
Then about the choice, why Gu Yansheng.
First, age. Every experienced infiltrator is in a key position, not easily movable.
Even if the organization tries to transfer someone from elsewhere to Shanghai, have you thought that person themselves might carry risks, dragging you two down together, all efforts wasted.
Sending Gu Yansheng is precisely for your safety. Clean background, which is a very important factor in passing Japanese puppet department hiring reviews.”
Anyway, that’s what Minister Chen said then, and Lu Bowen could only listen.
Probably not fully convinced in his heart, not disbelieving Minister Chen, mainly feeling this rookie behind enemy lines was unsafe, causing great unease.
To the point he and Gu Yansheng didn’t really get along, at least not to good friends level.
But now with this apology, he’d recognized his mistake.
Actively mending relations, still a good comrade.
Gu Yansheng smiled, “Revolutionary comrades don’t hold grudges over such things.”
