Chapter 78: Internal Strife
“So it’s the sister-in-law.”
Gu Yansheng stood up to greet her in place. He didn’t know that Ye Jiqing had a share in Wu Sibao’s money, and he was a bit puzzled by her appearance, so he asked: “Is there something to discuss? Do I need to step aside?”
Ye Jiqing smiled and spoke frankly: “Wu Sibao brought money to Director Gu, and I have a share in it. Shouldn’t I come see our partner?”
“That’s how it is.” Gu Yansheng had a look of sudden realization. No wonder Wu Sibao had changed his tune and put out so much money; he had thought Wu Sibao had wised up.
It seemed he had to retract his previous admiration. The person was still the same stingy person.
“We’ve never met, but with real gold and silver support, thank you for your trust, sister-in-law.”
“Earlier, Wu Sibao’s subordinate brought back a suitcase of money, saying that Director Gu, you asked it to be brought back?” Ye Jiqing gestured for Gu Yansheng to sit down and sat down herself.
“Yes, that’s right.” Gu Yansheng nodded and said: “Since we’re all insiders, I’ll speak bluntly. This is the first revenue, and it’s not just Wu Sibao’s and yours; mine is in there too.
But this part is just an appetizer; the big chunk is still to come.”
“This part is just an appetizer?” Ye Jiqing’s expression was clearly shocked, and she looked at Gu Yansheng with deep respect.
The moment she got the suitcase, she checked the amount inside. Overall, it wasn’t much, just over ten thousand US dollars, not even enough for their twenty thousand investment funds.
But if you say this is just an appetizer, then the nature is completely different.
“A lot?” Li Shiqun saw his wife’s expression and got interested too.
Ye Jiqing stated the facts: “Wu Sibao and I invested a total of eighty thousand silver dollars, which is twenty thousand US dollars, but Director Gu’s appetizer alone is thirteen thousand US dollars, and he said it took one day—it really only took one day, and this money brought back more than half.
Li Shiqun understood this explanation immediately and asked curiously: “Director Gu, your speed of making money is too astonishing. What money is so easy to earn?”
“Stock market. I told you, you wouldn’t understand.”
Ye Jiqing rolled her eyes at him and smiled at Gu Yansheng: “Actually, I don’t understand this stock market either. Director Gu, can you explain to me how exactly this money was made?”
The suitcase was brought back by a subordinate from the Zhongye Public Office, so they knew the money was indeed made from the stock market.
But the two of them came from Nanjing and weren’t rich before, so they really didn’t understand the tricks of stock trading.
Gu Yansheng didn’t mind giving them a basic lesson on the knowledge involved.
“A while ago, those foreigners weren’t hoarding and price gouging? Earning a fortune on prices wasn’t enough; they also wanted to earn on the stock market.
Goods became scarce, but there were still as many buyers, so the highest bidder wins. Merchants’ profits increased, so stock prices went up. That’s the reason, right?”
“Mm.” The two nodded, with Ye Jiqing listening especially attentively.
“But this scarcity was actually artificially created; in fact, there are plenty of goods.”
Gu Yansheng explained seriously: “Merchants were just hoarding and price gouging, which I definitely have to crack down on. They drove stock prices so high, so before cracking down, I short sold first. With my crackdown, stock prices came down, and the money was made, right?”
Ye Jiqing nodded as if she understood but not quite, and immediately followed up: “What is short selling?”
Gu Yansheng patiently said: “You can think of it as a kind of contract at the stock exchange.
For example, today a bag of rice sells for ten silver dollars, marked at ten, but I think it’s not worth ten.
So, I sign a contract with the exchange: today you lend me a bag of rice, tomorrow I return a bag of rice and give you some interest. The exchange earns interest, I earn the price difference.
I sell the borrowed rice today for ten, tomorrow after my crackdown, a bunch of rice floods the market selling for only eight, I buy back at eight and return it—net profit of two, right?
That’s the money we made today.”
The two had a sudden realization and understood completely.
“You can play it like that?” Ye Jiqing looked satisfied, thoughtful on the surface, feeling like a new door had been opened.
Gu Yansheng didn’t warn them. Go ahead and play; they really thought the stock market was that simple. They’d lose everything sooner or later.
This time, if he weren’t sure the Japanese Consulate and Gendarmerie Headquarters were on his side, he wouldn’t have dared to play this hand.
“So for today’s money, what’s the price difference?” Ye Jiqing asked with great interest.
Gu Yansheng thought for a moment. “The starting price for short selling isn’t fixed, around 165. This time I shorted cotton yarn; at my selling price of 35 per unit, profit is 130 per unit.”
“130!”
Even with mental preparation, this price still made Ye Jiqing’s eyes widen in shock.
“Doesn’t that mean profit per unit is almost doubled?”
Gu Yansheng shook his head with a smile. “Not almost doubled—it has doubled. Short selling with leverage makes big profits, but leverage requires deposit. Actually, it’s a bit over one times.”
“Tsk tsk, amazing.” Ye Jiqing looked at Li Shiqun in admiration: “This business doubles in one day. Compared to that, the interest from lending is nothing.”
“It is a bit exaggerated.” Li Shiqun also marveled at the speed of money begetting money.
“Yo, everyone’s here?” Wu Sibao swaggered in. “What did I miss?”
“You missed the trick to get rich.”
Ye Jiqing smiled and stood up. “Everyone’s here, so let’s go. We’ll eat and talk. I’ve booked a private room, Mr. Gu. Later, tell me more about this stock market short selling, leverage, deposit—I’m really clueless. Don’t mind.”
“Haha, small matter. I only know half of it myself.”
As they talked, they went out and bumped into someone.
“Shiqun, I was just looking for you. Hey, you all heading out?” Ding Mocun asked while eyeing the unfamiliar face of Gu Yansheng.
Li Shiqun paused, smiled: “Yes, going out to eat. Mocun brother, let me introduce: Deputy Division Chief of Judicial Department, Gu Yansheng, Deputy Division Chief Gu. This is the Director of the Special Agent Headquarters, Director Ding Mocun.”
“I’ve heard the name for a long time. I heard Director Ding previously served the Chongqing Government and rose to Major General in such fierce competition. Honestly, I haven’t met a Major General before; you’re the first I’ve seen.”
Gu Yansheng offered the admiring look of someone seeing a gorilla for the first time.
“A true hero doesn’t boast of past glories.” Ding Mocun laughed: “Director Gu is so young and already Deputy Division Chief. Given time, your achievements won’t be lower than us old folks.”
After some small talk, Ding Mocun seemed to be waiting for Li Shiqun to invite him to eat together.
But Li Shiqun acted like a fool, pretending nothing was up.
“Then you go eat first. I have some matters to handle; still need to keep an eye on the Military Statistics Bureau side. Shiqun, accompany Director Gu well.” Ding Mocun walked off, swallowing the insult.
“Sure, sure. Director, you’ve worked hard, so we’ll head out.”
Talking about money, no one present wanted to bring along an outsider like Ding Mocun. That was normal.
But in Gu Yansheng’s view, No. 76 wouldn’t be peaceful these days. This matter could be seen from that informing newspaper back then—one mountain can’t hold two tigers.
The group chatted and laughing as they got in the car and left No. 76.
Ding Mocun in the office watched this from the window, his gaze somewhat gloomy.
Li Shiqun had wolfish ambitions. In the Shanghai Military Statistics Bureau station dismantling incident, he used him as a shield to draw the Military Statistics Bureau’s revenge. Did he really think he couldn’t see it?
A mere investigation director of a Central Statistics Bureau branch, never even a station chief, dared to play at rivaling him at the Special Agent Headquarters, trying to sideline him—simply stupid and laughable.
And too hasty too.
Ding Mocun really hadn’t expected that Li Shiqun, so obedient during communications, could turn face and burn bridges so quickly.
Really, it was only the first day of the arrest operation, not even a night had passed. He was directing the action when Li Shiqun sold him to the newspaper company.
How could a person be so shameless?
A moment later, a subordinate came in.
“Director, we’ve inquired. Today Wu Sibao took men to seal some merchants’ warehouses, cooperating with the Judicial Department’s action.
And in the afternoon, someone overheard Wu Sibao’s subordinates chatting about bringing back a big suitcase of money, mentioning stock market stuff, and specifically Deputy Division Chief Gu.
Those subordinates spoke highly of Deputy Division Chief Gu, praising him as a capable man. It seems Deputy Division Chief Gu helped them make money, and quite a sum.”
“No wonder Ye Jiqing came out. I was wondering, how is that cuckold turtle Li Shiqun willing to let his wife come entertain? But why didn’t I know Gu Yansheng approached the Special Agent Headquarters for help?”
“Maybe… they knew each other before? The call for people didn’t go through official documents; they directly contacted Wu Sibao?”
Ding Mocun frowned and didn’t ask more. What he lacked compared to Li Shiqun now was foundation; in Shanghai, he was unfamiliar with people and places, while Li Shiqun arrived earlier and knew people earlier.
His team could only be built slowly, connections expanded slowly.
But after all, he was the director. This wave of Military Statistics Bureau and Central Statistics Bureau agents anyway ended up under him. He had people under him now; no reason the money should only let Li Shiqun earn.
Gu Yansheng was quite popular lately. No reason a capable man should only be known to Li Shiqun.
