Chapter 75: Choice
Fu Xiao’an’s office.
Fu Xiao’an heard that the futures prices that had been pulled up were suppressed again, and his own warehouse had been confiscated; he went from incredulous to furious.
“Has Gu Yansheng rebelled against the heavens! He even dares to confiscate my warehouse?”
“It was Agent Headquarters.” Secretary Wu Maiding said.
“Who?”
Fu Xiao’an was stunned, his anger vanished in bewilderment, mainly because his mind couldn’t turn; he looked at Wu Maiding in confusion, “Agent Headquarters? Li Shiqun? Ding Mocun?”
“Yes.” Wu Maiding reported: “Many people saw it, it was Agent Headquarters people, their style of action is too different from Judicial Department people, all carrying guns, several locations, over a hundred people, Judicial Department couldn’t have that many people, wouldn’t act like this, and Japanese Gendarmes were following during the process.”
“Ah?” Fu Xiao’an frowned with a puzzled face.
The next second, for the matter he couldn’t figure out, Fu Xiao’an simply picked up the phone and called Li Shiqun directly.
He said gravely: “Deputy Director Li, you’re very idle, aren’t you, investigating my warehouse, what’s up, want to grab me like Military Statistics Bureau? So short of merit?”
“Who is this?”
“Fu Xiao’an!”
“Oh, so it’s Mayor Fu, what do you mean, what warehouse? I don’t know.”
“Heh, no need to play dumb with me, such a big operation by your Agent Headquarters, Li Shiqun, don’t tell me you didn’t know.”
“I really don’t know, wait, let me ask about this, I’ll call you back later.”
Fu Xiao’an snorted coldly, “I’ll wait for your reply!” and hung up the phone.
But he couldn’t wait, because the futures price kept falling.
Wu Maiding said: “Mayor, now it’s widely rumored outside that you’re going to be replaced, I think if we come out to clarify the rumor, the effect might not be good.
To reverse the entire situation now, probably only Gendarmerie Headquarters or Japanese Consulate issuing a formal statement can clarify the rumor, which can also directly reverse the futures downturn.”
This made sense.
Fu Xiao’an immediately picked up the phone and called the Japanese Consulate, stating his request.
“Mr. Hase, now the rumors in Shanghai have caused huge damage to the city government’s image, I ask the consulate to help, issue a statement or hold a press conference, stating that the Japanese Army has no intention of forced requisition of cotton yarn and grain in Shanghai.”
To this, Hase Jinagawa only had a flat response: “Mayor Fu, put more effort into the big picture of developing Shanghai’s economy, His Excellency Matsui invited you not to treat this mayor position as a convenience for your own business, know when to stop.”
Fu Xiao’an narrowed his eyes, directly put down the phone, no need for more words, this was an overt warning to him, forget about the statement.
The consulate and his relationship wasn’t that good, understandable.
Gendarmerie Headquarters had a good relationship with him, Fu Xiao’an picked up the phone again and called Gendarmerie Headquarters, saying the same words.
Gendarmerie Headquarters replied: “Since the consulate has a way to solve the foreigners’ smuggling problem, Gendarmerie Headquarters will definitely support, Mr. Fu, can’t help you, as for the rumor that you’re going to be replaced, rumors stop at the wise, as long as time is given, you’re still in position, the rumor will collapse on its own.”
Fu Xiao’an slowly put down the phone, his face as dark as water.
Ring ring, ring ring.
“Hello.”
“Mayor Fu, this is Li Shiqun, I investigated this matter, Agent Headquarters did have an operation targeting Military Statistics Bureau today, since some Military Statistics Bureau hid as goods merchants, during the pursuit, we might have accidentally hit your warehouse, really sorry.
Rest assured, as long as it’s your goods, they will be returned intact, and I will definitely hold them responsible for this!
But now they’re still out there, inconvenient to communicate, like this, give me a list of your warehouse addresses, I’ll contact them immediately, once contacted, return at once.”
“You think returning it now means I have no loss?”
Slam, Fu Xiao’an angrily finished speaking, didn’t give the address, directly hung up, black-faced cursing: “Offspring of Zhongshan wolf, not a single good one!”
Wu Maiding nodded deeply in agreement: “Like Li Shiqun, not caught himself, but directly defected from over there, definitely ambitious types.”
Fu Xiao’an didn’t respond, sat down leaning back, black-faced pondering.
He didn’t speak, Wu Maiding considered the futures price kept falling and wanted to urge, but couldn’t.
In the end, it was Gu Yansheng’s operation that let the Japanese see hope of success, so reliance on Mayor Fu in this matter wasn’t that great.
Or rather, this was originally Gu Yansheng’s mission, the Japanese never considered them.
Before they prepared to act, the position was taken by Gu Yansheng arranged by the consulate, so they couldn’t intervene at all.
Suppressed Gu Yansheng three times, all resolved by Gu Yansheng, could only say, the consulate’s chosen person really has some skill.
Time passed second by second, the phone on the desk rang nonstop, Fu Xiao’an didn’t move, Wu Maiding answered a few calls, all brokers or related people asking how to operate stocks, or probing information.
All brushed off, but this isn’t a long-term plan, more and more selling, futures price kept falling.
Thought for a bit and said: “Mayor, how about directly summoning Gu Yansheng, have him announce externally in Judicial Department’s name, deal with rumor spreaders, doesn’t he have a good reputation? We can actually use his reputation to help us clarify the rumor, with him coming forward, futures price should temporarily stop falling, even pull up.
Next, as long as Deputy Director Li tears off the seals, public opinion shifts, price will definitely pull up, we ship out at that time, at least break even or lose little.
If you’re worried Gu Yansheng won’t come forward, I think he should, after all on surface we haven’t truly torn face, he still needs to work in city government, many files to go through your hand later.
If he really doesn’t comply, then we can rightfully cut his funding, cut his plans, cut until he has nothing to say.
He shouldn’t be that stupid.
We try it, no harm anyway.”
Wu Maiding quickly finished, expecting some reaction from Fu Xiao’an, but still none.
Waited a bit more, Fu Xiao’an finally looked up and asked: “The concession is selling, right?”
“Yes.” Wu Maiding immediately replied: “According to the broker, this can’t be just retail investors, all funds are selling.
Now market expectation is Japanese will definitely forced requisition, then no meaning even if price cheap, even falls to one cent, holding contracts can’t wait to delivery day, opposite suppliers’ warehouses probably emptied by Japanese, bankrupt and fled, can’t fulfill at all.
If not fearing too much loss, still maintaining the market to trick retail investors to take over, probably couldn’t even look at current price.”
“How much loss on our books?”
“About no less than 9 million silver dollars.”
Wu Maiding said this gritting his teeth in pain, but Fu Xiao’an’s reaction seemed okay.
“Sell!” Fu Xiao’an stood up, picked up the phone, said while picking up: “Immediately call the broker, sell off all our contracts!”
“But selling now, we lose big, if we all sell together, loss to 15 million is considered small.”
“Not necessarily! Truth will out, understand?” Fu Xiao’an gave him a sideways glance.
Wu Maiding’s eyes lit up, “I get it, extremes reverse, bottom fishing?”
Fu Xiao’an pursed lips sneering: “Widely rumored I’m stepping down, then make this rumor real, no clarification, all sell, sell as much as possible, directly suppress futures price to giveaway no one wants.
These foreigners unreliable, don’t believe me I’ll run myself, then let them die, anyway I told them the facts, don’t believe me and lose money, their own fault.”
While speaking dialed Li Shiqun’s phone.
“Hello, Deputy Director Li, Fu Xiao’an here, since your Agent Headquarters already sealed the warehouses, how can you withdraw without investigating clearly, just on my one-sided word?
What if there really are Military Statistics Bureau mixed in, wouldn’t I Fu Xiao’an become sheltering Military Statistics Bureau?
How can doing things be so careless.
Must seal! And seal all my Shanghai warehouses! Limit you to finish sealing all today!
I’ll send people to give detailed list of my warehouses to your Agent Headquarters.
Additionally, I know secret warehouses of lawless businessmen, seal them all for me!”
Fu Xiao’an’s room had more than one phone, after he finished calling, Wu Maiding almost finished too.
Reported: “I’ve told the brokers, have them avoid the concession crowd a bit, create impression we’re just shipping out to protect the market, absolutely can’t let them see we want bottom fishing, use the ‘helping old lady down stairs’ trick, sure to work, even shear the concession crowd.”
Fu Xiao’an ummed, said to him: “Don’t handle things here, you personally go, stab all Sha Shun’s their hidden goods warehouses to Li Shiqun, like letting Chinese front as boss, then let Li Shiqun confiscate their lair, pit them to death, these foreigners don’t keep credit, give them a lesson.”
