Chapter 51: Persuasion
After seeing off Lu Bowen and the others, the main business of today’s meeting was over.
However, the remaining two smoke bombs, Gu Yansheng still had to deal with them, and make them fully bloom.
“Director Gu.” Liu Xiaolou brought in the next person.
The manager of the rickshaw company, a pot-bellied man, Ji Weiding.
“Mr. Ji, long time no see.”
For him, Gu Yansheng couldn’t even be bothered to stand up, just leaning back in his chair with a smile as he looked at him.
Seeing Gu Yansheng again, Ji Weiding could only say he was stunned; a few days apart and the old hen had turned into a phoenix.
He bowed and nodded, “Haha, thanks to Director Gu’s great fortune, I’ve been doing pretty well lately.”
“Sit down, Manager Ji, I asked you here to help with something.”
“What help? Just give me the order. As long as I can do it, one word from me, over mountains of knives and seas of fire, I will go all out.” Ji Weiding’s tone was incredibly bold.
Who could say times weren’t different now? At the police station he dared to yell at Lawyer Gu about unfairness, yell about reporting him, but facing Director Gu, report to whom? Where to report?
The British talk reason, but the Japanese don’t, and he still had to make a living in Shanghai.
Gu Yansheng smiled, “It’s not that serious. It’s like this: Shanghai’s two prisons hold quite a few detainees who, after the war ended, were arrested for some well-known reasons. Manager Ji, think about the time, you should have some impression.”
Ji Weiding’s eyes turned, suddenly realizing: “Oh, I know, the Japanese, right?”
“Right.” Gu Yansheng nodded, “Mr. Ji should also know these people aren’t really serious offenders, their character is mostly decent, after all, they were previously Shanghai citizens.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“So, recently the Judicial Department has decided to release some of these prisoners, to reduce the government’s unnecessary expenses, and there’s really no need to keep them locked up forever.
But since the war, things have changed a lot, their living environment is inevitably not great, and after release, with Shanghai’s current situation, finding a job won’t be easy.
Releasing them is the government’s good intention, but if they end up idle and cause trouble again, my good intention would turn into bad intention in the Japanese’s eyes.
So I want to ask Manager Ji for a favor, see if your car dealership can absorb some of them.”
“This…” Ji Weiding frowned, looking somewhat troubled, thought for a moment and asked: “How many people?”
“As many as you can use.”
Ji Weiding gave a helpless smile, “Director Gu, you know, jobs in Shanghai now are actually pretty saturated, even to be a coolie at the wharf, you have to queue and pull strings.
Rickshaw pullers, even if a few more, no big problem, worst case more people eating means each eats a bit less, still won’t starve.
But the rickshaws, the number is fixed. If you bring twenty or thirty, I won’t say a word, absolutely arrange them for you, but if more, just the rickshaws won’t be enough.
Salary is a small matter, anyway pay by work done, if they just got out with no money, I can settle daily for them temporarily, guarantee they won’t go hungry.”
This was indeed a problem. Gu Yansheng thought for a moment and asked: “How much for one rickshaw?”
“Depends on the model, luxury version about 100 to 120 silver dollars each, the lowest 50 silver dollars each.”
Talking about this, Ji Weiding rattled them off like treasures, “Shanghai’s rickshaws have grades. If you’re picking up fares in the concession, you need the luxury version, foreigners don’t like the basic ones, Shanghai bosses don’t like them either, no business in the concession.
But if in the urban area, it doesn’t matter, basic ones still have riders, just charge a bit less than luxury, but generally more riders.
Income itself no big difference, better ones fewer people, cheaper ones more people, balances out. It’s the luxury rickshaw riders’ bosses who, if tipping, are more polite.”
Gu Yansheng listened and thought, then said: “Like this: you help me settle forty people, plus, I’ll provide the money, you procure 30 rickshaws, arrange 60 more people, total 100, how about it? Any difficulty?”
“Sure, since you’ve said so, I definitely have to help.” Ji Weiding pondered, no big issue, two shifts total fifty rickshaws, scattered in Shanghai wouldn’t affect anything, so he acted boldly.
“Just don’t understand, you’ve released them, can say you’ve given them a second life, why still spend money to find them jobs, and even buy rickshaws?”
Though Director Gu said earlier it was to prevent idle troublemakers, Ji Weiding felt 100 people couldn’t cause much trouble?
Spending money on rickshaws so troublesome, Japanese intimidate and they’d behave.
Gu Yansheng smiled faintly: “Can’t tell you this now, it’s confidential, but when we’re releasing, we’ll definitely notify you, might trouble you to cooperate then, say a few encouraging words to the rickshaw pullers.”
“No problem, Director Gu’s matter is my matter, leave it to me.” Ji Weiding patted his chest thunderously.
Just this to gain Director Gu and the government’s friendship, too worthwhile.
“Good, that’s the matter, thanks for making the trip.”
“No trouble, anyway nothing during the day, rickshaw pullers change shifts at dusk, I’m there then, so I’ll head out?”
Ji Weiding smiled and greeted, walked two steps and remembered something, “Director Gu, almost forgot, I’m just a manager, buying rickshaws for you, registering under our company no problem, but the boss isn’t me, by rules registration takes a cut, this expense I can’t save.”
“Charge as usual, won’t affect your normal process.”
“Good then, good, see you Director Gu, no need to see me out.”
“Good.”
Gu Yansheng watched him leave, giving full face.
He stood and stretched, since only one left, simply went to the meeting room.
Liu Xiaolou was still accompanying Hujiang University’s professor, but the professor looked a bit restless.
“Professor Tian, sorry to keep you waiting.” Gu Yansheng smiled and went up to shake hands proactively.
“Waiting is fine, but I don’t know the purpose? If Mr. Gu wants me to work for the city government, sorry, I just want to teach, not interested in politics.”
Japanese recruiting prestigious people for the new government wasn’t news, since war’s end, invitations common, acceptances rare, who didn’t know Shanghai city government’s backers were Japanese?
Joining government no different from being a traitor, this invitation alarmed Professor Tian.
“For Shanghai citizens.”
Gu Yansheng started with a big hat, pulled Professor Tian to sit, and said:
“Here’s the thing, since Shanghai’s war, the prisons hold a batch who factually didn’t commit crimes, some offended Japanese, some just unlucky, ran into unhappy Japanese on the road and got arrested.
No name no status, no trial papers, when released unknown, simply indefinite.”
“Doing this is inhumane!” Professor Tian snapped.
Still hot-tempered. Gu Yansheng raised hand to stop him, “Professor Tian, we’re old acquaintances, you know, a few days ago I was still a big lawyer in the concession, I could not get involved, why come here to help new government, help Japanese?
Without Chinese participating in governing, you think Japanese-controlled Shanghai would be better than now?
I came here to fulfill a Chinese’s responsibility, entered Judicial Department, checked files, discovered this batch.
My first thought was find way to release them, and definitely release them.”
Professor Tian’s eyes changed obviously here, wanted to say something, lips moved but held back.
Gu Yansheng continued: “But as I said, Japanese arrested them, releasing them I’d bear huge responsibility, even if I want to, whether Japanese agree is another matter.
So I’m trying every way to figure how to release, bypassing Japanese, let this batch out.
About 2200 people, maybe more.”
Gu Yansheng emphasized the number.
Professor Tian clearly moved, numbers most shocking, couldn’t help asking: “So what do you plan to do?”
Gu Yansheng pressed hand down: “Specific plan I have, but missing one link, need some doctors to enter prison check these prisoners’ health.
But doctors not cheap, city government has no funding, Japanese even less likely to pay, so want Professor Tian’s help.”
“But I’m not a doctor?” Professor Tian confused.
He didn’t study medicine, he taught chemistry.
“I know.” Gu Yansheng nodded, smiled: “But doesn’t Hujiang University have a medical school?”
Professor Tian somewhat understood, guessed: “You want me to contact school’s medical department, have teachers and students go to prison check prisoners’ health?”
“Right.”
“Mr. Gu, can’t help, not familiar with medical school people, I teach chemistry, they medicine, no dealings, and I’m just ordinary professor, not dean vice dean or even president, you ask me to convince medical department, too high regard.”
“How know won’t work without trying?”
Gu Yansheng raised tone a bit: “Professor Tian, professor is professor, you hold position at university teaching chemistry to world, such prestige, how ordinary?
Medical school though you say unfamiliar, but doctors save lives, that’s students’ purpose learning medicine.
Just one charity clinic for prison prisoners, won’t take one or two days, a weekend done, students get hands-on practice.
You think you can’t convince medical department leaders.
But remind you, now country broken mountains rivers shattered, Shanghai war smoke still fresh in mind, students’ anti-Japanese sentiment not low.
Chance to save over 2000 prisoners, if leaders just abandon.
I think, students know might not agree.
Worse, if other schools know they gave up, wouldn’t they be a joke in Shanghai?”
Professor Tian smart after all, immediately reacted, eyes wide: “You’re not using me to pressure the school?”
Gu Yansheng leaned back candidly: “Professor Tian, over 2000 people, you want me to give up?
Involves over 2000 lives, if school leaders have the heart, one word and they’ll agree, no need pressure.
If unwilling anyway, as teacher without save-people belief, forcing such teacher, what’s wrong?
Let his students know what kind of person their teacher is, bad thing?”
Professor Tian scratched hair, bitter smile, “Words right, but you make me the bad guy?”
“Professor Tian, over 2000 people…”
“If school leaders complain, how can I stay at school later?”
“Professor Tian, over 2000 people…”
“Tsk, medical department think, indeed no big ties with dean?”
“Professor Tian, 2000”
“Over 2000 people, alright I get it, nagged several times, aren’t I thinking of a way? Got anything new?”
Professor Tian suddenly irritable, glared at Gu Yansheng, irritably: “Just a few doctors? How stingy is your city government? Huge Shanghai city government won’t shell out for a few doctors, otherwise why find us?”
This blame Gu Yansheng couldn’t take, “Not my problem, city government won’t approve funds go find mayor, new mayor called Fu Xiao’an, you can have school send letter, scold him good, I also want funding.”
School dare? Professor Tian snorted, but then frowned, “Fu Xiao’an this name so familiar?”
Eyes widened: “Your new mayor Fu Xiao’an? Isn’t that the stinky unscrupulous merchant?”
“Mm, I didn’t say.” Gu Yansheng finger to lips, secretly amused.
Thought cursing stinky merchant just Ling Xianwen’s catchphrase, now seemed Mayor Fu’s folk reputation really bad.
“Let a merchant be mayor, no wonder so calculating.” Professor Tian snorted, even looking at Gu Yansheng with eye rolls, stood and shook clothes.
“For saving me, help this once, if I find you official not righteous, next time don’t call me!”
Still thinking next time? “Good, then thanks Professor Tian for help, letter ready call me, come, I’ll see Professor Tian off.
Professor Tian, actually have something new, want to hear?”
Professor Tian paused, asked: “How new?”
Gu Yansheng held his hand, sincerely: “I don’t like people who helped me suffer loss, if really because this, end up unfair treatment at school, tell me.
I’ll help you switch to French Concession school, in French Concession I can pull some face, if you followed that case’s follow-up, you know I’m not bluffing.”
Professor Tian moved, seriously: “As city government official, you’re better than many I’ve seen, but remember, I help for those 2200 people, whatever result, my voluntary.”
“Yes.”
“If those 2200 not released, I won’t forgive you.”
“Understood.”
“I’m off.”
