Chapter 90: Rice King
Gu Yansheng walked into the office, “Director Lu, please sit, what would you like to drink?”
“No thanks, I’m full of anger.” Lu Ying rolled his eyes.
Gu Yansheng chuckled, still pouring him a glass of water.
“This matter was ordered by the Japanese, although the time is a bit tight, but it’s the trend of the times, SH urban area is under Japanese control, enterprises complying is just a matter of time.”
“But it will always offend people, and the ones offended are all entrepreneurs!”
Lu Ying plopped down on the sofa, crossing his legs earnestly: “Don’t talk about that, Brother Gu, your task of rectifying the drug market is equally likely to offend people, and these people are even harder to talk to than entrepreneurs, you need to be aware of that.”
Gu Yansheng laughed wryly in bitterness, helplessly: “Since it fell on my head, even if it’s thunder I have to take it, otherwise what else can I do?
Mainly, what’s the current situation with this drug market, which are the bigger forces, I still need to consult Director Lu on this.”
Lu Ying waved his hand: “What consult, Shanghai Bund has just these few things, British American Concession is led by Sassoon Firm’s Jewish Gang, French Concession is Green Gang territory, reportedly backed by Chief Constable Liao Shan and Huang Jinrong.
SH urban area since Zhang Xiaolin defected to the Japanese, he takes the biggest share here.
Hongkou over there is the general headquarters of Japanese ronin.
The rest miscellaneous ones are plenty, like Agent Headquarters’ Wu Sibao, Guangdong’s Chaozhou Gang, Southern Jiangsu Northern Jiangsu Gang, Fujian Gang, etc.
Mixed in with these major forces, it’s a chaotic mess.
Setting aside these regional gangs, there are also Americans Russians Koreans, these colorful foreigners, once you look into it you’ll find that anyone worldwide with any standing has gotten involved, all wanting a bite of this hot cake, very complicated.”
After Lu Ying finished, he paused, leaned forward, getting closer to Gu Yansheng.
“But brother, the most troublesome ones aren’t these people.”
“Who else?”
“Chongqing!
Have you thought, Chongqing Government lost Shanghai, but would they really willingly let go of such huge profits?
If not, you know which gang is backed by Chongqing people?
Integrating the drug market, easier said than done.
Ruin their good thing, will our two names be added to Iron Blood Anti-Traitor Group’s kill list?
It’s just a matter of convenience.
Seen the newspaper? Military Statistics Bureau slapped Li Shiqun right in the face, at this critical juncture, if we touch their financial path, especially hated.”
Lu Ying tapped the coffee table with his finger, gave a knowing look, then leaned back.
Gu Yansheng nodded: “Director Lu’s words are thought-provoking, I indeed hadn’t considered Chongqing Government’s involvement, but now this task is on us, we have to handle it, right?”
“That’s for sure.” Lu Ying paused: “But accomplishing this is too difficult, cutting off people’s financial path is like killing their parents.
I think, Brother Gu, you handle this first, contact key figures and try, if you can persuade, do it, if really encounter problems, we’ll discuss then, okay?”
“I can try first, but Director Lu not coming with me? You’re the land god of Shanghai, with you there, won’t those people give more face? Then it would be easier for me?” Gu Yansheng smiled mildly.
Lu Ying sighed helplessly: “Don’t I still have to go to enterprises? Three enterprises, this is killing me.
Director Gu, I won’t sit, anyway if you need staff just call me, police officers are yours to use, but I really have no time, I really have to go, otherwise good dishes will be taken by others, I’ll have nothing to eat, understand each other, I’m in a tough spot too.”
Words spoken to this point, Gu Yansheng didn’t keep him, smiled and saw him off.
“Okay, then you go ahead, thanks Director Lu, I’ll see you out.”
Gu Yansheng very politely saw him all the way out of the Judicial Department gate.
Surface enthusiasm, underlying refusal, Lu Ying’s implication was clear, this matter is very troublesome, could attract Chongqing’s attention, so doesn’t want to get involved.
Even Lu Ying himself might have shares in some gang’s drugs, trying hard to intimidate him, wanting him to back off knowing the difficulty.
Gu Yansheng remembered, Ling Xianwen said at the meeting, Lu Ying was previously Inspector Chief of the police station during National Government control of Shanghai, saying he leans toward Chongqing, this matter might not be groundless.
Thinking about it, Gu Yansheng stopped thinking, overthinking is pointless, anyway in this new government, demons and monsters are everywhere, Lu Ying being Chongqing Government man wouldn’t be surprising.
In front of the Japanese, each shows their own skills like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea.
Gu Yansheng brewed a cup of coffee, sat in the chair thinking carefully, drug matter, persuading enterprises to use military scrip, and Mitsui’s medicine, now most urgent is still the enterprise military scrip matter.
His disadvantage compared to others is shallow roots in Shanghai, no familiar enterprises, same task, starting line already half a lap behind.
But Judicial Department has innate advantage, he’s two laps ahead of others.
Gu Yansheng pressed the call button, Liu Xiaolou came in quickly.
“Notify all section chiefs to meeting room in ten minutes.”
“Yes.”
“Go.”
Meeting content not complicated, Gu Yansheng conveyed the spirit of the high-level meeting.
As for subordinates’ shock and fear knowing about military scrip, he couldn’t care less.
Tapped the table: “Okay, whatever you want to say privately, but one thing I make clear, Judicial Department’s task is two enterprises a day, sixty a month, that’s the minimum.
I don’t require you all to solve all, you all solve half, remaining half I do myself, 30 enterprises, so many section chiefs, not difficult, right?
But I remind you, not only us advancing this, plenty are anxious.
So you section chiefs weigh it yourselves, familiar enterprises, go door-to-door persuade immediately, enterprises big or small, as long as willing to implement military scrip system, we welcome all.
For those temporarily unwilling to cooperate, warn them properly, Judicial Department food they don’t eat fine, but if turn to eat others’, don’t blame Judicial Department seals being ruthless.”
“Understood!”
That’s all for instructing subordinates, let them cast nets, catch what they can.
Small fish and shrimp to them, as for the big ones, Gu Yansheng has to do himself.
Picked up the phone to call Lu Bowen, invited him to lunch.
Four dishes one soup, simple and plain.
Lu Bowen upon arrival first asked how yesterday’s contact went.
“What did you say in the telegram?” Gu Yansheng really hadn’t asked Lu Bowen about the telegram sent to Yan’an.
“What’s wrong? Problem?”
Lu Bowen frowned nervously: “I wrote in the telegram, we doing business in Shanghai collected a batch of local specialty, because major investor urgent sale, collected a lot, over a thousand in number, to the point no one guarding, ask if hometown can organize villagers’ labor, come to Shanghai quickly to move.
Telegram strictly per training, no info that could let enemy decipher to identity clues, I think I wrote fine.”
“Don’t tense, I didn’t say problem.” Gu Yansheng smiled to comfort: “Then how did organization reply.”
“Organization reply is what I told you, let you make contact, that’s it.” Lu Bowen spread his hands.
Gu Yansheng thought, calculated, hissed a laugh: “I get it, over thousand, over thousand packages, over thousand people, over thousand silver dollars, problem probably on this over thousand.
“What meaning?” Lu Bowen anxious.
Gu Yansheng explained the guerrilla troop transport route.
“Ah?” Lu Bowen deeply shocked: “How possible transport 1000 packages under these conditions?”
“Right, impossible transport 1000 packages, organization definitely knows this transport capacity unrealistic, why still let us contact this transport person?
So I suspect communication problem here.
Only possibility, your telegram to Yan’an, organization didn’t dare think over thousand unit is packages, probably calculated as people or silver dollars.
If 1000 people, that’s 10 packages, if 1000 silver dollars, that’s 15 packages.
You said urgently need to pull away, so they contacted person for us to meet and move immediately, as for why send me, probably think I can give transport team message, make their transport safer.
And this quantity destination shouldn’t be Yan’an, probably nearby Shanghai troops.”
“Tsk.”
Lu Bowen held forehead laughing wryly, “My fault, mainly I’m used to it, our unit always packages, cotton yarn unit is packages, so when writing telegram I thought, ‘over thousand packages’ too obvious.
If enemy deciphers telegram, combined with time point easy think cotton yarn, so I simply didn’t write it, actually I wrote then deliberately crossed it out before letting He Yun send.”
“Better safe than sorry, eat.”
Gu Yansheng smiling pointed chopsticks: “You did no wrong on this, don’t take to heart.
Bluntly, without concession cooperating in hoarding and price gouging, used by me once, we really couldn’t get 1000 packages cotton yarn, normal price 100,000 silver dollars, not counting purchase voucher difficulty.
If I were organization receiving this telegram, I wouldn’t believe either.”
Lu Bowen helplessly shook head, thought about it found funny, “Really… ouch, I’m so stupid, if organization finds out, ouch… speechless.”
“Haha… eat, to business.”
Gu Yansheng ate bite, said: “Japanese issuing military scrip in Shanghai, main purpose plunder SH citizens’ savings, strike Chongqing Government’s legal tender credit.
All enterprises in urban area must accept this system, all enterprise people must use own money exchange this military scrip to continue circulation, otherwise arrested, you need psychological preparation, when your turn don’t resist.”
“This big?” Lu Bowen frowned, expression serious: “Then isn’t all SH city money plundered by Japanese once?”
“Losses certain, but military scrip temporary purchasing power no problem, Japanese at start definitely maintain military scrip credit.”
“Then if later organization asks us for money, how give? By then hands full military scrip, will Japanese let us exchange back anytime?”
“With me what you fear?” Gu Yansheng glanced: “What, look down on this division chief?”
“Dare not.” Lu Bowen finished, frowned: “Mainly I think, this matter uneasy, this money out of Shanghai who recognizes?
Holding this definitely not as solid as gold US dollar.
You say is there way stop Japanese plan? Will concessions recognize?”
Gu Yansheng chopsticks never stopped, crunching veggies, eating while saying: “Ways definitely exist, more than one, but this has nothing to do with you, your task is make money, one thing need you do.”
“Say.”
“This news spreads today, tomorrow definitely in newspaper, then SH urban area panic, definitely some want to leave.
Japanese issued strict order, all enterprises unwilling exchange military scrip people can leave, but enterprise stay, not allowed take assets.
This brings problem, want leave can’t, hands empty, why still leave?”
Lu Bowen caught meaning, guessed: “Japanese use this trick, force keep those businessmen, to not destroy Shanghai economy?”
“About that.” Gu Yansheng nodded, put down chopsticks: “City government high officials all scared, want sell enterprise assets, quickly turn to money, transfer to concession.
But we don’t need, we not leaving Shanghai, military scrip still usable.
So, tomorrow news in paper, you stroll streets, see enterprise ask if willing resale, price favorable take it over, money short ask me, but this enterprise must be real industry, like cotton mill, flour mill, equipment complete can continue operate kind.”
Bit like land annexation, give them real gold and silver run opportunity, see their choice.
Lu Bowen eyes blinked: “Buy to operate, or buy to sell?”
“Operate.” Gu Yansheng very direct.
“Who operate, me?” Lu Bowen wide-eyed somewhat dazed pointing himself.
“Of course you, or me?” Still wide-eyed, Gu Yansheng glared back.
Lu Bowen mouth agape stunned, laughed: “Okay, looks like my rice knowledge wasted, I was researching Northern Jiangsu rice routes, no, I planned, I to be Shanghai rice king.”
Gu Yansheng continued eating: “No conflict, buy few factories, first be flour king, then rice king, I guarantee you realize dream.”
