usatvline Chapter 1954 Money moves people’s hearts
Chapter 1954 Money moves people’s hearts
Chapter 1954 Money moves people’s hearts
"Is this Mao Xuanyi?" Arao Tomohiro held the photo in his hand, looked at it carefully, and couldn't help but frown.
This is a group photo.
A group photo of students graduating from elementary school.
The students in the photo are all teenagers.
“Yes, Section Chief,” Yoshimura Shinpachi said.
"Don't you have any clearer photos?" Arao asked. "A solo photo would be best."
The photo was not stored properly and is somewhat blurry. Most importantly, because it is a group photo, each person's appearance is not actually very clear and can only be barely identified.
“No,” Yoshimura Shinpachi said. “This group photo was hard-won.”
As he spoke, he pointed to Lu Tonghui, "Mr. Lu and Mao Xuanyi were classmates in elementary school. After learning of our identities, they took the initiative to pledge allegiance to the Empire."
"Furthermore, Mr. Lu's willingness to come to Shanghai is also a way of helping us identify people," Yoshimura Shinpachi said.
……
Arao Tomohiro's brows were still furrowed. The photo quality was mediocre, making it difficult to identify someone directly from a picture.
Of course, having photos is better than having none. The photos show the outline of the boy's appearance back then, which is of some use.
As for arranging for Lu Tonghui to identify people?
If we capture Mao Xuanyi, it will certainly be useful to arrange for Lu Tonghui to identify him.
However, expecting Lu Tonghui to identify Mao Xuanyi in the vast sea of people in Shanghai is as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack.
Of course, having someone like Lu Tonghui who knows Mao Xuanyi is always useful.
“Rusan is willing to provide assistance to the Empire and is a friend of the Empire, which is very good.” Arao Tomohiro said with a smile, “Make good arrangements and take good care of Rusan’s food and daily life.”
He pointed at Lu Tonghui and said to Yoshimura Shinpachi, "If we can capture Mao Xuanyi, I will personally celebrate Lu's success."
"To be able to serve the Locust Army is a blessing that I have accumulated over several lifetimes." Upon hearing this, Lu Tonghui was moved to tears and hurriedly said, "To have the Locust Army's trust is a blessing that would make my ancestors' graves emitting auspicious smoke."
“Very good, very good.” Arao Tomohiro laughed heartily and patted Lu Tonghui on the shoulder. “The Great Japanese Empire never mistreats its friends.”
……
The 26th day of the third month in the lunar calendar.
weather is good.
Cheng Qianfan hosted a farewell dinner for Onodera Shogo at the Primrose Izakaya.
"Onodera-kun, I wish you continued success in your military campaigns and frequent victories," Cheng Qianfan said, raising his glass. "Next time I see you, I must address you as Colonel."
"Thank you for your kind words," Onodera Shogo said happily.
"In this sweep of the Zhejiang-Jiangxi region, the Empire is determined to completely eliminate the anti-Japanese forces in the area," Kawada Atsuto said, looking at Onodera Shogo. "So don't worry about not having a chance to make a contribution; the only thing to be careful about is taking care of yourself."
“I will be careful,” Onodera Shogo quickly said. “Thank you for your concern, Master Atsuto.”
Cheng Qianfan was suddenly startled.
Previously, the intelligence he had obtained indicated that the Japanese were targeting the Zhejiang region for their raids, but Kawada Atsuto had just mentioned the 'Zhejiang-Jiangxi region':
Is the enemy planning to launch a joint attack on Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces?
……
"Is Jiangxi also within the scope of the Empire's military sweep?" Cheng Qianfan asked.
He looked thoughtful.
Through his interactions with Kawada Atsuto, Cheng Qianfan has summarized and mastered the experience of getting along with Kawada Atsuto, or more precisely, the experience of obtaining intelligence from Kawada Atsuto.
That was a topic initiated by Atsuto Kawada. He could participate in the conversation in a normal manner and ask questions occasionally.
In short, the more normal he acted in front of Atsuto Kawada, the better.
The only thing to be careful about is that he needs to show respect and admiration for the Kawada family from the bottom of his heart; at the same time, he should show that he respects the Kawada family to Atsuto Kawada, and show more sincerity as a friend to young master Atsuto.
This is what Atsuto Kawada values most.
……
“Yes.” Atsuto Kawada nodded and said, “The General Headquarters ultimately adopted the plan of the Nanjing Headquarters of the Expeditionary Army.”
Kawada Atsuto took a sip of sake and said, "The primary objective of this military operation is to eliminate the enemy's manpower in the Third War Zone. As for destroying the airfield, that is a secondary objective."
“By annihilating the troops of the Third War Zone in Chongqing, the enemy will have no more troops available in Zhejiang and Ganzhou. In this way, we can completely eliminate the possibility of the enemy using coastal airfields to launch air raids on the Imperial homeland,” said Shogo Onodera.
“That makes sense.” Cheng Qianfan nodded, his eyes flashing with a mixture of fanaticism and cruelty. “If we could kill all the Chinese, that would be a permanent solution.”
Atsuto Kawada and Shogo Onodera both burst into laughter. Kentaro Miyazaki was still the same as always, harboring deep-seated prejudice against Chinese people and wishing he could kill them all.
"Alright, I have other things to attend to. Please make yourselves at home," Atsuto Kawada said, standing up.
Cheng Qianfan and Onodera Shogo quickly got up and saw Kawada Atsuto out.
……
With Master Atsuto absent, Cheng Qianfan and Onodera Shogo chatted even more enthusiastically, and the atmosphere became more harmonious.
"Miyazaki-kun seems quite interested in the Empire including Jiangxi in this sweep?" Onodera Shogo asked with a smile as he clinked glasses with Miyazaki Kentaro.
"Onodera-kun, do you know what business is the most profitable right now?" Cheng Qianfan didn't answer Onodera Shogo's question, but instead asked him in return.
"Weapons and ammunition?" Shogo Onodera asked.
Cheng Qianfan shook his head.
"Medicine," Shogo Onodera added.
Cheng Qianfan shook his head again.
“Gasoline…” Onodera Shogo said, then immediately shook his head, denying his own statement.
He pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized something and said, "It's grain."
“Yes, food.” Cheng Qianfan smiled. “Nothing is more important than food, especially when the war expands, the importance of food is unparalleled.”
……
"Is Miyazaki-kun concerned about the grain supply in Jiangxi?" Onodera Shogo asked.
"Does Mr. Onodera know the current grain prices in Shanghai?" Cheng Qianfan asked Onodera Shogo.
"I don't know the specifics, but I do know that rice prices are high right now," said Shogo Onodera.
He was not bothered by Kentaro Miyazaki's habit of asking questions instead of answering them, nor did he find it offensive.
He enjoys studying people's words and actions, believing that a person's habits, especially their speaking habits and temperament, can often unconsciously reveal many of their secrets.
“The price of one shi (a unit of dry measure) of rice is four thousand two hundred yuan,” Cheng Qianfan said with a smile to Onodera Shogo. “Of course, I’m referring to legal tender.”
He told Shogo Onodera, "Although Nanjing is making every effort to promote the Central Reserve Bank notes, there are still quite a few citizens who use legal tender."
Onodera Shogo nodded. The Wang Jingwei regime implemented the Central Reserve Bank notes, requiring all government agencies to prioritize the use of these notes to pay salaries. This initially sparked protests from civil servants, and it was the Empire that helped to 'maintain order'.
“One shi of rice costs four thousand two hundred yuan,” said Shogo Onodera. “I remember it used to cost only a few dozen yuan.”
"To be precise, it's twenty legal tender." Cheng Qianfan's eyes gleamed as he said, "And it's four thousand two hundred legal tender per shi of rice, and that was yesterday's price."
……
“The price of rice changes every day,” Cheng Qianfan said, sighing. “It’s outrageous, it’s incredibly profitable.”
"So, Miyazaki-kun has his eye on the rice from Jiangxi?" Onodera Shogo asked.
Cheng Qianfan nodded.
“Rice from the areas surrounding Shanghai, Suzhou, and Wuxi…” Onodera Shogo said, frowning.
"Does Mr. Onodera know why rice prices are so high in Shanghai right now?" Cheng Qianfan asked Onodera Shogo again.
Before Onodera Shogo could speak, he gritted his teeth and said, "The rice from outside can't be brought in at all!"
“It seems to be the work of ‘Yongxinglong’ Company again,” Onodera Shogo said with a smile.
“Yongxinglong Company naturally has a stake in it,” Cheng Qianfan sneered.
The No. 76 gang, along with Green Gang members, controlled the Wusongkou Wharf and intercepted rice ships entering Shanghai.
At the same time, Jessfield Road, together with the Green Gang, established the "Rice Industry Association" and levied protection fees on nearly 90% of the rice shops in Shanghai.
Moreover, these rice shops need the approval of the 'Rice Industry Association' to sell rice, how much rice to sell, and at what price.
Meanwhile, the No. 76 puppet army, in conjunction with other forces, robbed farmers' grain transport vehicles in the suburbs and forcibly requisitioned grain under the pretext of "preventing aid to the enemy".
“Other people’s grain can’t be transported into Shanghai, but no one should be able to stop Miyazaki-kun’s grain, right?” Onodera Shogo said.
“Onodera-kun overestimates me,” Cheng Qianfan sighed, saying indignantly. “I also thought that with my abilities and methods, I could get through without any obstacles.”
“Money can move people’s hearts.” He told Shogo Onodera, “The people at No. 76 have bloodshot eyes. They’ll fight like wild dogs to anyone who stands in their way of making money.”
As he spoke, Cheng Qianfan sneered, "When we're arresting Red Party members and Kuomintang agents, we don't see them working that hard."
……
“Even with checkpoints set up by the Seventy-Sixth Division and other forces, it shouldn’t be difficult for Miyazaki-kun to transport a small amount of grain into Shanghai,” Onodera Shogo said with a smile.
"Four thousand two hundred yuan for one shi of rice," Cheng Qianfan said, lighting a cigarette and taking a deep drag.
Shogo Onodera smiled; he understood that Kentaro Miyazaki was not satisfied with 'small-scale operations'.
Indeed, given Kentaro Miyazaki's greedy nature, how could he possibly let go of such a great opportunity to make a fortune?
“I understand.” Onodera Shogo nodded. “Does Miyazaki-kun want me to put in a good word and let your grain ships into Shanghai?”
He frowned slightly. "If it's just a greeting, once or twice is fine, but if it's more than that..."
It wasn't that the military police had to consider the reputation of No. 76, but rather that Shanghai had a well-developed waterway system. In addition to the docks and checkpoints controlled by the empire, there were actually many more small docks and waterways controlled by No. 76 and the Green Gang that rice ships wanted to enter Shanghai.
“No, Onodera-kun didn’t understand what I meant,” Cheng Qianfan said.
He looked at Shogo Onodera and said, "It's already very difficult to procure grain around Shanghai."
……
"So, we still need to buy rice from Jiangxi?" Onodera Shogo nodded.
“There’s rice in Shanghai,” Cheng Qianfan said, looking at Onodera Shogo.
"Does Shanghai have rice?" Shogo Onodera frowned.
“The empire has rice,” Cheng Qianfan said.
“The Empire…” Onodera Shogo’s expression changed drastically. He understood what Miyazaki Kentaro meant by those words.
"Miyazaki-kun, do you understand what you're saying?" Onodera Shogo's face darkened.
“Zhejiang has rice, Jiangxi has rice,” Cheng Qianfan said. “The warriors can take the food locally, which will save them the trouble of transporting the food.”
He flicked his cigarette ash and leaned forward slightly. "Besides," he said, "there's so much rice in the granary. It's common for it to get flooded or catch fire. Instead of letting it go to waste, we should borrow it to do something meaningful."
Shogo Onodera looked at Kentaro Miyazaki, and he felt that Miyazaki's words were loaded with meaning.
"Ten thousand tons of grain." Cheng Qianfan held up one finger.
Shogo Onodera's eyes widened. He knew that Kentaro Miyazaki was greedy, but he never expected that Kentaro Miyazaki would be so crazy for money.
“Miyazaki-kun,” Onodera Shogo said with a serious expression, “do you know what ten thousand tons of grain means?”
“It means money,” Cheng Qianfan said matter-of-factly.
……
Shogo Onodera was almost amused by his anger. He looked at Kentaro Miyazaki and thought to himself, "How could someone who is usually so smart and cautious be so crazy for money? He's practically possessed!"
"That means you're courting death!" Onodera Shogo said angrily. "The military's requirement for the entire city of Shanghai is to ensure a reserve supply of 50,000 tons of military rations."
“In a city as large as Shanghai, the requirement for military rations is only 50,000 tons, and there is still a considerable shortfall.” He shook his head and said with a cold expression, “And you, Kentaro Miyazaki, actually dare to ask for 10,000 tons of grain. You are insane, insane.”
"I see." Cheng Qianfan looked thoughtful.
“Ten thousand tons is indeed too much.” He nodded, looking at Onodera Shogo. “So, Onodera-kun, tell me, how much can you get?”
“I can get it…” Onodera Shogo said, then he realized what he was doing.
"Miyazaki-kun, I didn't agree to anything, much less promise you anything." He laughed angrily. "Miyazaki-kun, this topic is inappropriate. We are friends, so I'll pretend I didn't hear anything this time. But if you make such rash and dangerous remarks again, don't blame me for being impolite."
“Eight thousand tons of rice,” Cheng Qianfan said, making the number eight with his fingers.
Shogo Onodera frowned in disgust as he watched Kentaro Miyazaki make the gesture, not only because he disliked the number 'eight,' but also because he felt that Kentaro Miyazaki was blinded by money and completely oblivious to his own fate.
……
“Miyazaki-kun, I’ll say it one last time: I’m pretending I didn’t hear you now,” Onodera Shogo said sternly. “I don’t want to hear anything like that again, or I’ll arrest you myself.”
“Five thousand tons of rice,” Cheng Qianfan said.
Seeing that Shogo Onodera was about to speak, he immediately said, "Two thousand tons of rice, no less."
"Miyazaki-kun!" Shogo Onodera suddenly stood up. "You're crazy. You need to calm down. I'm not going to keep you company."
“The military police can take 10%,” Cheng Qianfan said urgently. “As for you, Mr. Onodera, you will naturally receive a separate gift.”
Shogo Onodera stopped in his tracks as he walked towards the door.
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(End of this chapter)