Chapter 4: Stirring Trouble
The situation is somewhat bad.
Right now, he is just a lonely ghost in Shanghai, with no power in his hands, and not a single person he knows around him.
If the next steps don’t go well, it will be a desperate situation, but since they haven’t gone yet, it’s definitely not a desperate situation yet.
According to the training experience the organization gave them in Yan’an, France and Japan cannot form a united front at this stage; this is a conclusion based on calculations of interests.
This also matches Gu Yansheng’s own experience from later years. Although he doesn’t yet know the reasons for their cooperation, one thing that can be confirmed is that Japan and France are definitely not of one mind.
If Shanghai’s interests are a huge cake, then all the forces now in Shanghai want to take a bite of this cake, and then another bite.
France, as the strongest country now, even if it can only obtain a concession together with Britain and America, still has its independent French Concession in Shanghai, which has prestige.
As long as he prevents France from handing over these arrested people to Japan, then Gu Yansheng himself will have room and time to maneuver.
“Hello, Shen Bao?
I can provide a piece of information: the French consul and the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs have reached an agreement to privately transfer law enforcement power in the concession to the Japanese Shanghai headquarters in exchange for French businessmen’s business operations in Shanghai being free from regulation.
Yes, it’s already being implemented; they’ve already cooperated in arrests, right at the police station.”
“Hello, The Great American Evening News?
Insider information on today’s arrests in the French Concession: the operation was carried out by Japanese Tokko agents. The French consul and the Japanese Shanghai headquarters have reached an agreement that law enforcement power in the French Concession will be privately transferred to the Japanese Shanghai headquarters without a formal agreement, and France will remain silent on the legitimacy of Japanese law enforcement power in the British American Concession. Yes, it’s already being implemented; they’ve already cooperated in arrests, right at the police station.”
“Hello, German Daily News?
Insider information on today’s arrests in the French Concession. Yes, the reason Japanese are arresting people in the French Concession: the real reason behind it is that Japan and France have reached an agreement—Germany will notify France before attacking it in Europe, and intends to form an alliance with France, in exchange for France supporting Japan’s military action in China. Yes, it’s already being implemented; they’ve already cooperated in arrests, right at the police station.”
“Hello, Nichinichi Shimbun?
Sir, didn’t the Empire of Japan arrest people in the French Concession this afternoon? These people are now held in the French Concession’s police station. I have tip-off information: I overheard two people talking in an alley; they’re going to attack the police station holding the prisoners in one hour. Absolutely true! Where do I get the bounty? What? Okay, I’ll come over right away to explain in detail.”
Shen Bao.
The content editor who answered the phone frowned and hung up. The tip-off content was quite explosive. On the surface, it was just about Japanese arresting people in the French Concession, but it actually related to a change in the French attitude.
In the current unstable world situation, and with China facing foreign invasion, any change in a major power’s attitude affects whether China’s future situation will be difficult or easy.
If France really sides with Japan, even if only in Shanghai, it would undoubtedly be adding insult to injury for China!
As one of the oldest and most influential newspapers, Shen Bao must not miss this if it’s real news.
But the caller was unwilling to show his face or explain the source of the information, so the accuracy couldn’t be verified. The source of such news must be high-level, and unwillingness to show face is emotionally understandable, but it also posed a dilemma for him.
What if it’s fake news?
After thinking, he went to the editor-in-chief’s office and threw this dilemma to the editor-in-chief.
“Editor-in-Chief, I received an anonymous tip-off. Please take a look. If it’s true, I think it’s worth the front-page headline.”
He originally thought the editor-in-chief would hesitate, but the editor-in-chief’s eyes were firm: “Very likely!
I’ve already received information: Japanese did arrest people in the French Concession an hour and a half ago, and many people saw it!
Moreover, there’s another piece of information: today, a French cruise ship destined for the French Concession’s Shiliupu Wharf unexpectedly changed its destination and docked at the Japanese wharf in Hongkou. This alone shows that Japanese and French have reached at least some agreement!”
“Then it’s true!”
“Nine times out of ten!”
“Publish or not?”
“Publish.”
“Good! But will the Japanese allow this to be published? What if they hold it back…”
The editor-in-chief raised a hand to stop him.
The editor-in-chief knew what the content editor was hesitating about.
Despite the pressure from Japanese invaders, Shen Bao still tried its best through editorials and other articles to boost morale, emphasize the importance of nationwide resistance to war, and advocate unity against foreign enemies.
But since Shanghai fell into Japanese hands, even as the largest newspaper, Shen Bao could not maintain its independence.
The Japanese had requirements for their newspaper’s content.
These editors and staff still needed to survive in Shanghai, and the newspaper needed to sell in the occupied area, so they couldn’t stay out of it.
Some things, especially negative news, could not be published; these were strictly controlled.
Even if they wanted to publish, if the newspaper couldn’t pass review, it couldn’t enter the occupied area.
But where there’s policy from above, there are countermeasures below.
After thinking, the editor-in-chief’s eyes conveyed meaning: “Criticizing Japanese is of course not allowed, but there’s a way around this. If we say they colluded with French to persecute Chinese, that’s negative news.
But if we just change the wording and take a neutral stance, saying France submitted to Japan’s Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere theory and chose cooperation, isn’t that positive news?”
“Won’t the French be furious, their mouths twisted in anger? The editor-in-chief is the editor-in-chief; this ploy of diverting disaster eastward is really cunning.”
“What did you say?”
“I said my admiration for you is like the endless flowing river.”
The Great American Evening News.
The American editor hung up the phone and immediately exclaimed loudly in the office, “Oh my God, I got a tip-off saying French and Japanese are cooperating, transferring concession law enforcement power to Japan, and France supports Japan gaining law enforcement power in our American concession.”
“Is this real?”
“Impossible, right?”
“Foolish French.”
“I got information: Japanese did arrest people in the French Concession today, and the police station people didn’t stop them.”
“Really? Oh my God, has France fallen to this extent? Or did they feel pressure from Germany in Europe and urgently seek foreign aid?”
The office buzzed with lively discussion, but they doubted the authenticity of this matter, mainly because the French had no reason to submit to Japan unless because of the European situation.
Of course, true or fake didn’t matter; they were just employees working in the China area. For the newspaper, the most important thing was sales, which meant bonuses.
“Mary, that’s not important. You should go ask the editor-in-chief for the front-page headline; the printing factory will start work soon if you’re late.”
“Yes, yes.”
“Remember to treat us when you get the bonus. Hey, it makes people jealous, this damn luck.”
“Hahahaha, sure, sure.”
Nichinichi Shimbun.
“You mean you got information that Chinese agents are going to break out prisoners?”
“Yes! Absolutely true. He not only told me the time of the Chinese agents’ prison break; I’ve already asked him to come to the newspaper to explain in person.”
“Who is it?”
“Should be a Chinese wanting the bounty.”
The editor-in-chief frowned slightly and nodded while listening, thought for a moment, picked up the phone and said: “You prepare to receive this tipster and confirm the source of the information. I’ll call the Gendarmerie Headquarters right away to have them verify this immediately! If they catch someone at the police station entrance, I’ll put in a good word for you!”
Click, in the concession public phone booth, Gu Yansheng hung up the phone, removed the hand pinching his throat and coughed twice, picked up the newspaper from the counter, and left the phone booth.
As long as you buy each newspaper, the editors’ phone numbers are on them.
Calling each editor was just to slap the French in the face. As for the results… if the face is lost, of course it has to be picked up—that’s the noble France.
Once it’s known worldwide, he doesn’t believe the French would still dare to hand people over to Japan. As long as the people aren’t transferred, whatever the French do next won’t be his business.
In other words, he’s going to die anyway, so he doesn’t care about the flood.
Step one complete; next is step two: rescue people.
Today has been very long, but it’s already afternoon; Gu Yansheng needs to hurry.
Gu Yansheng looked at the newspaper in his hand.
It’s been an hour and a half since the Japanese arrested people in the French Concession.
And who knows how long it’s been since the Japanese really targeted that contact person.
What happened in between and why it happened can only be guessed for now.
To understand the real inside story, he can only get close for contact.
He must directly contact the Japanese to learn about the case, but he needs a suitable reason, or else if he doesn’t rescue the people, he’ll be targeted by the Japanese himself.
Gu Yansheng looked at the job recruitment section in the newspaper in his hand; there was an ad: Danwen Law Firm recruiting one lawyer.
After walking a street away, Gu Yansheng waved.
“Rickshaw, Danwen Law Firm.”
