Chapter 86: Assault
“The second issue is about drugs.
Everyone should know that drug smuggling in Shanghai is rampant, coming in from outside, to Shanghai, and then sold throughout China.
This is a huge profit.
Currently, public opinion around the world is saying that drugs proliferated and smuggling was rampant during our management of Shanghai, but this problem has always existed.
During the Chongqing Government’s control of Shanghai, they nominally implemented anti-drug measures, but the actual situation, I think everyone knows clearly: drugs were their source of military expenses.
Now we haven’t gotten this profit, but we bear the infamy, which is very unreasonable.
I need you all to solve this problem, both to improve the public opinion attacks we are enduring and to figure out how to bring the drug profits into our hands.”
The meeting adjourned, and a group of people came out like frostbitten eggplants, not in the mood to watch Japanese women dance, all coming out for some fresh air.
“A banquet with no good intentions, I’ve finally understood; the ancients were truly right.” This was the Director of Finance.
“Who says otherwise? A thorough Hongmen Banquet.” This was the Tax Bureau Chief complaining.
“Are you tired of living? Don’t you see where this is?” Fu Xiao’an glared at the two, gesturing to the Japanese rifle gendarmes not far behind.
The two pursed their lips, but the Director of Finance could still say toughly, “From my observation, the Japanese soldiers with rifles don’t speak Chinese; even if they do, they only understand one or two sentences. The four words ‘a banquet with no good intentions,’ I bet he hasn’t heard them since birth.”
“Sigh, Mayor Fu, with your backing from the Nanjing Command Headquarters, you didn’t know about this beforehand?” the Tax Bureau Chief asked puzzledly.
“How would I know? I just found out too.” Fu Xiao’an looked displeased. “The Japanese treat us like pigs to slaughter; do you think I’m his dad? Would he tell me everything?”
Several people chuckled; they couldn’t hold back after all. It seemed Fu Xiao’an had quite a bit of anger in his belly too.
“Let’s all talk; what to do about this?” Ling Xianwen asked, frowning.
“Hey, Director Gu, you’re quick-witted; got any ideas?” The Tax Bureau Chief nodded toward him and asked.
“Why ask him? He’s the cleanest here, with no industry at all. Today go to the bank, tomorrow deposit all the money in the concession. Can the enterprises in your hands run away?”
Ling Xianwen blocked him, not letting Gu Yansheng give ideas.
Why should their people speak first? No reason for that.
Gu Yansheng shook his head and said nothing, but he didn’t really think that way. Once the Japanese implement this system, all supplies entering and exiting the urban area will surely be strictly checked for tax payment.
Lu Bowen’s cotton yarn really needed to be quickly transported out of Shanghai, or it would be stuck and unable to get out.
“Sigh, Director Gu is so comfortable.” The Tax Bureau Chief sighed with a laugh, not pressing further, and tsked: “If this news leaks out, do you think foreign merchants might disagree?”
“They definitely won’t agree; does that need thinking?” Fu Xiao’an gave him a sideways glance. “But does their disagreement matter? The Japanese will forcibly implement it; if you don’t accept, you can’t enter. What do you think their opposition can do?”
“Trouble.”
Several people discussed back and forth but couldn’t come up with a good plan.
At that moment, a gunshot suddenly rang out from the nearby venue.
Bang bang bang bang!
“What’s going on?”
“Why is there gunfire inside?”
Several people abruptly turned back to look; before they could react whether to go in and see, they heard a boom from inside, like a hand grenade!
Bang bang bang bang! Dense gunfire rang out; this was the Japanese gendarmes who had just rushed in.
Immediately after, another boom; the hand grenade exploded again.
Then after another gunshot, apart from screams, there was no more gunfire or hand grenade explosions.
“Military Statistics Bureau? Is it the Military Statistics Bureau?” Ling Xianwen stared wide-eyed at Gu Yansheng, hairs standing on end, recalling a terrifying memory.
How would Gu Yansheng know? “How about we hide first?”
This suggestion was immediately echoed. They came to be traitors, not to die; they were unarmed weaklings. Killing Military Statistics Bureau agents was none of their business. Several people immediately squatted down, hiding in the shadows by the door, trying to use nearby car bodies for cover.
Those with guns took out their pistols, staying alert for accidents.
“Damn, unbelievable; it’s the Japanese’s own club, and Military Statistics Bureau agents could still sneak in?”
“Didn’t Li Shiqun’s Agent Headquarters sweep through it? How are there still Military Statistics Bureau?”
“Don’t you know they didn’t finish the sweep?”
“Actually, in these past days, even if they finished sweeping, the Military Statistics Bureau agents that should be sent over would have pretty much arrived by now.”
As they were talking, the Director of Finance suddenly yelped and slowly collapsed.
“What’s wrong? What’s wrong with you?”
Everyone used the light from nearby shops to examine the fallen man’s expression, thinking he had been shot.
While still asking, Fu Xiao’an suddenly keeled over sideways, falling onto Gu Yansheng.
“Mayor? Mayor?” Gu Yansheng pushed him.
“Mayor.”
“How did he collapse too?”
“Something’s not right?”
“Could the Military Statistics Bureau have poisoned us too?” Ling Xianwen said, his face changing.
“Quick, to the hospital!”
Several people who still felt okay immediately helped support the two collapsed ones. Gu Yansheng, being young, couldn’t slack off now and immediately acted as labor to carry people.
“Who brought a driver?” Gu Yansheng asked.
“Me.”
“Me.”
They all had boss vibes; almost all brought drivers.
“Drive over immediately; we can’t walk there. Who knows if there are still Military Statistics Bureau nearby.”
“Right, right.”
The group hurriedly got the cars over, loaded the people in, and drove straight to the concession hospital.
By the time they arrived at the hospital, several more had poison symptoms flare up: mild ones had stomach pain, severe ones started vomiting nonstop in the car.
Food poisoning was certain, but what food was unknown.
Gu Yansheng didn’t know if it was youth and good health or drinking little; currently, he felt nothing.
He hadn’t eaten any food, just sipped the red wine once—not that he didn’t want to drink, but he arrived last, took a ceremonial sip, and then kept talking business, never getting around to drinking more.
Still, better to induce vomiting and do gastric lavage all around; safer that way. Seeing a few just vomiting, they probably wouldn’t die for now.
Fortunately, almost all had drivers with them, so there was no shortage of staff to watch over them. Gu Yansheng could lie in bed getting an IV drip.
“The City Government almost got wiped out in one go! How long has it been? Two assassinations! Is it never going to end?” Ling Xianwen on the nearby bed felt fine, was in good spirits, and cursed vigorously.
“We were probably collateral.” Gu Yansheng said, leaning on the bed: “This person sneaking into the Japanese club doesn’t look like a spur-of-the-moment thing.”
“The Japanese are useless too; how did they do security? Such a big banquet, and someone could poison the food?” Ling Xianwen was full of resentment anyway.
“Don’t know how many Japanese died over there. They ate the most—those officers acting like they hadn’t seen the world, loving to eat everything.” Ling Xianwen rolled his eyes in disdain.
That was true; Gu Yansheng had seen the Japanese military officers drinking and laughing heartily earlier, reveling freely.
Mainly, these mid- and low-level officers couldn’t compare to them. Who among those present wasn’t a huge corrupt official? Who hadn’t seen the world? With so much gourmet food in Greater Shanghai, they’d seen and eaten it all; the ordinary food the Japanese used for reception wasn’t even appealing.
Ling Xianwen vented a few sentences and stopped, bored lying there, so he asked:
“Hey, Yansheng, do you think we have a way to resist the military scrip the Japanese are pushing?”
“Resisting brings no benefit.”
Gu Yansheng said softly: “Secretary-General, where does our power come from? Still the Japanese, right? If we openly obstruct what the Japanese want to do, will we have a good end?
Military scrip, drugs—the Japanese are clearly after money now, so I think this is definitely happening, but whether it succeeds is uncertain.
Just look at drugs—what huge profits, in whose hands? British, Americans, Jews, etc., doing transnational smuggling.
Locally in Shanghai? There’s the Green Gang and various small gangs. You think you can just take it away? It’s not that easy. For head-chopping business, as long as profits are enough, plenty of people will do it.”
“That’s true.”
Ling Xianwen nodded slightly, frowning, thought for a bit, and said, “This matter, I bet even if Zhang Xiaolin finds out, he’ll revolt. His big chunk of profit comes from drugs; without it, why did he defect back then? Drink northwest wind?
Better off like Du Yuesheng, run to Hong Kong. Du Yuesheng is now Director of the Relief Committee in Chongqing, living comfortably just the same.
Old Jiang actually recruited all three Green Gang bosses back then, to follow him to Chongqing; Zhang Xiaolin refused to go.”
“And the other one? Huang Jinrong, right?”
“Yeah, that old guy, 70 or so, half in the grave. Running would kill him. Now holed up in the French Concession, refusing to come out, afraid the Japanese will trouble him.”
“Heh, truly old and cunning. Secretary-General, I think you should consider selling off transferable enterprises cheaply these few days; reopen two in the concession, even if rent is expensive, at least no worry about this money issue.”
Gu Yansheng advised: “If selling, do it fast. If you spread this news, who else can take on your immovable properties?”
“Yeah.” Ling Xianwen let out a long breath and sighed, “Need to make a quick decision; dragging means death.”
They chatted idly, no one coming to check on them, not a single Japanese, as if forgotten.
“Why aren’t the Japanese coming to check? You think many died at the scene?”
“Quite possible; the longer the delay, the worse the situation.”
As they spoke, the door was pushed open.
“Brother Gu, you’re here too.”
