Chapter 66: Military Force
“There’s one more thing, Mr. Hase. You might need to pay attention to it.”
“What is it?”
Gu Yansheng thought for a moment and spoke, “Although we’ve come up with a strategy, it’s people who execute it after all. The value of a ship’s cargo is determined by the inspectors.
If these merchant ships secretly cross the river and bribe the inspectors, then at this moment when the new policy is announced, they might turn the tables on us, saying that the Judicial Department issued these regulations for profit, and the prestige that the Judicial Department has painstakingly built up would be completely gone.”
Hase Jinagawa nodded deeply in agreement: “Mr. Gu, your reminder makes sense. The current anti-smuggling departments mainly consist of three: the Anti-Smuggling Team of Customs, the anti-smuggling Section of the Police Station, and the anti-smuggling Section of Agent Headquarters.
These departments are not under the supervision of the Judicial Department. If they pay lip service while acting otherwise, our strategy will turn into their means of corruption.
Here’s what we’ll do: the Judicial Department will establish an anti-smuggling Section. Starting today, all goods transferred from the wharf must have a goods release permit issued by your anti-smuggling Section to be released.
I’ll notify the Gendarmerie about this. After you establish the anti-smuggling Section, send people to be permanently stationed at Customs and various wharves.
With anti-smuggling Sections from two different departments keeping watch at the same time, it should avoid the problem you just mentioned.”
The child who cries gets milk. What Gu Yansheng lacks most in his hands is a military force department under his complete control. Now he has the staff.
He nodded and said, “Mutual supervision is indeed a good method, but this involves personnel establishment. If it’s too few, it won’t be enough; if it’s too many, will Fu Xiao’an approve it for me?”
“I’ll talk to him about this later and get approval for 50 positions for you first. Do you think that’s enough? 12 people per small team, four small teams plus one Section Chief and one Deputy Section Chief, that’s two more positions.”
“About right, it should be enough.”
The anti-smuggling department has plenty of oil and water. With 50 official positions, recruit another 100 unofficial ones, and the troop of 150 people is set up.
“Good, then that’s it. I’ll go talk to Fu Xiao’an right now. It’s also time to have a good chat with him.”
“Take care.”
At noon, Gu Yansheng met with Lu Bowen.
Up to today, he could finally contact him openly and aboveboard.
But when he went downstairs and saw Lu Bowen’s haggard face and the bloodshot eyes, he couldn’t help feeling that this guy had been having a miserable time lately.
That shouldn’t be the case.
Gu Yansheng said in surprise, “What’s with this look? You haven’t slept? Come on, let’s walk and talk, head straight to eat.”
Lu Bowen lagged half a step behind, accompanying him in chat, and said with a wry smile, “Don’t even mention it. Last night, receiving people until after 8 pm to finish them all. After receiving this group that had just been released, I had to arrange a good meal for them, right? And that took two hours.
You didn’t see the scene—devouring food, eating standing up, as if they wanted to lick the plates clean and swallow them. It scared the restaurant boss, who thought refugees from somewhere had come into the city, afraid we couldn’t pay the bill, haha.
After eating, I took them to bathe, and bathing took half a day. They had to be washed clean; they were so dirty it was deadly, and the water turned black after washing.
After bathing, I still had to arrange accommodation.
These people willing to work for me are basically homeless. Accommodation is no problem, but they’re excited. Once out, they want to wander around everywhere; they can’t sleep in the middle of the night and insist on going out to see.
I was really busy all night. Only after arranging them all did I have time to take a bath myself. By the time I finished, it was almost dawn, and then I had to tend to their eating, drinking, shitting, and peeing again.
Today, I arranged for them to rest for a day, found people to take them around to calm their emotions, and start work tomorrow. They can earn money too, so they have something to look forward to.”
Gu Yansheng nodded as he listened, “It’s already good that they came out alive. As long as they work diligently for you from now on, a full meal is definitely guaranteed for them.”
What Gu Yansheng knew was that his subordinates reported the prisoners’ daily meal standard as 0.15 yuan, but he knew it couldn’t be that much. However, there’s no way to delve into this; if water is too clear, no fish can live in it.
“How many people?”
“Twenty-seven. Our salary isn’t high, but the advantage is immediate work upon release, plus room and board.”
“Pretty good.”
Out of 200, only 27 were recruited, meaning most had returned to society. If there were too many people, Lu Bowen couldn’t take them all.
“You stay inside these days to observe, pick a few usable staff to bring out and cultivate as confidants. For the others, after they finish this stint at the construction site, let them go if they want to.”
“Okay, got it. What did you want me for today?”
“Of course it’s a big deal. It’s time to collect cotton yarn.”
Hearing this, Lu Bowen paused his steps: “Has the timing arrived?”
Gu Yansheng also stopped and nodded, “This timing is very delicate right now.
Li Shiqun over there has established Agent Headquarters. His energy is all spent dealing with the Military Statistics Bureau agents still on the run—interrogations, pursuits, personnel arrangements for the new department. He also wants to squeeze out Ding Mocun; he has enough to keep him busy.
I estimate at least ten days to half a month before he can free up hands to track other things. If we give more leeway, even a month is possible.
And now the Japanese side’s attention is drawn to the New Government’s policies. The Concession’s reaction is enough to keep them busy, so their attention to other matters will definitely drop.
I’m a bit free now, sometimes going around to check and probe for information, to see how the cotton yarn matter is being handled.
As for you, don’t get too involved in construction site affairs. Hand over what can be given to the Construction Bureau to them. Our goal is to collect some money and some of our own staff.
Free up time. Once I confirm a safe angle to enter, I might need you to step forward at any moment.”
Lu Bowen nodded to show he understood, “Got it. But honestly, these past two days, I really haven’t felt anyone from No. 67 following me. He Yun says the same—no one.”
Gu Yansheng smiled, “Someone’s helping attract the firepower for you. Naturally, no one cares about small fry like you. I estimate no one’s following you now; Li Shiqun probably withdrew all staff when he took action.
But just in case, you and He Yun both confirm it.
If there’s really no one following.
You can go rent a warehouse now to prepare. With no one following you, rent it as backup—very safe.
Additionally, you can send these workers to buy some cotton yarn, say it’s for making clothes for them. Keep the quantity small, two or three pieces a day, not enough to attract notice. Use a bit to make clothes for them, and no matter how much you skim off, we won’t mind if it’s little. Accumulate bit by bit, stock up first.”
“Okay, I’ll go back and observe some more.”
“That’s it. Come on, let’s eat. I’ll treat you to a good meal. Remember to work well for Director Gu.”
Lu Bowen bowed exaggeratedly in flattery, “I will keep the Director’s instructions in mind.”
Evening, The Bund, hotel.
In the luxurious private room, eight men gathered, of various skin colors: directors from the Public Works Bureau, Jewish tycoons, local gang figures, British comprador families, and of course, the former Chamber of Commerce president, current Mayor Fu Xiao’an.
There were two Jewish tycoons present.
One was Elly Kadoorie of the Kadoorie Family.
The Kadoorie Family’s main industries are electricity and real estate, plus some medicine smuggling.
Like the Shanghai Power Company and Hong Kong’s Peninsula Hotel—they’re family industries.
So this time, the Japanese new rules targeting foreign merchants’ cargo ships have the least impact on him, almost negligible.
He leaned elegantly on the sofa, sipping red wine leisurely.
But the other Jewish Sha Shun family was different.
Although Sha Shun is Jewish, he holds British nationality and is a retired British army member. His main business is real estate and opium.
Once the Japanese new rules are implemented, port inspections will inevitably tighten, damaging his profits.
So when Mayor Fu notified them that public opinion efforts had failed and the new policy would definitely be implemented if no other measures were taken.
Sha Shun was the most furious.
“Mayor Fu, can you control your subordinates or not? A mere Deputy Division Chief—can’t you just replace him?”
Fu Xiao’an said with a sullen face: “That’s someone from the Japanese Consulate. Do you think this is just a Deputy Division Chief?
Hase Jinagawa has already come to warn me. That he can transfer inspection authority to the Judicial Department means you should understand this isn’t about replacing someone—it’s that the Japanese patience has reached its limit.
Don’t talk about replacing him; even if you kill him and replace someone else, the Japanese will carry it out anyway.
And I’m telling you, it’s best not to touch Consulate people. You know how ruthless the Gendarmerie Headquarters can be—they’ll detain you if they should, completely unreasonable.
Only the Consulate cares a bit about face. Look back: isn’t it always the Consulate intervening that gets releases?
If you touch Consulate people and anger Hase Jinagawa, and he sides with Gendarmerie Headquarters, our losses will only be heavier. I advise you to think of another way.”
Sha Shun snorted coldly, “Can’t replace him? Give him money then? Share a cut with him. A mere Deputy Division Chief—how much could he want?”
