usatvline Chapter 1956 Food
Chapter 1956 Food
Chapter 1956 Food
chongqing.
Just as Dai Chunfeng got into the car, he saw Qi Wu hurriedly coming down the stairs to catch up.
"Wait a moment."
Qi Wu opened the car door, got in, and immediately closed the door.
"Urgent telegram." He handed the telegram to Dai Chunfeng.
Then they simply drew the curtains, blocking the view between the front and back seats of the car.
Dai Chunfeng took the telegram and read it; his expression turned serious.
“The Japanese are planning something big this time,” he said to Qi Wu.
The telegram was sent by 'Bluebird'.
In addition to Zhejiang, the Japanese offensive also targeted the Jiangxi region.
"Let's go to Huangshan Mansion," Dai Chunfeng said, tapping the back of the person in front of him.
"Yes."
At this very moment, a secret telegram was sent from the Southern Bureau to the Red Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Base Area in Zhejiang and Jiangxi.
……
76 Jessfield Road.
"What's the matter? Why did you call me over in such a hurry?" Jing Muyun asked as she entered the room, wiping the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief.
"Take a look at this." Li Cuiqun took out a file folder and handed it to Jing Muyun.
Jing Muyun opened the file bag, took out the documents, and examined them carefully.
"The Japanese are asking for an exorbitant amount," Jing Muyun said, putting down the documents and his face grim.
This is a document issued by the Japanese, or more precisely, issued in the name of the Nanjing regime to Li Cuiqun, the governor of Jiangsu Province:
They requested Jiangsu Province to provide Japan with 50,000 tons of military rations, to be delivered by autumn.
The task of procuring military supplies thus fell directly on the shoulders of Li Cuiqun, the governor of Jiangsu Province.
This year's drought has almost certainly led to a reduction in grain production.
It's fair to say that the task of delivering 50,000 tons of military rations was no easy feat.
Most importantly, the people had no food.
The continuous sweeps of the countryside meant that the grain in the hands of the people had long been confiscated.
Let alone the countryside, people starve to death every day in Shanghai. The police recently cracked a case where someone in the body collection team was selling corpses...
……
“I suspect the Japanese are after us,” Li Cuiqun said.
Jing Muyun frowned; he understood what Li Cuiqun meant by "they're coming for them."
Their 'Guangxinglong' company has been targeted by the Japanese.
The people are starving to death; there is no food.
However, Guangxinglong Company has grain.
“Public matters and private matters should not be mixed up,” Jing Muyun said. “This precedent cannot be set.”
“I raised the difficulties with the Japanese,” Li Cuiqun said.
"What did the Japanese say?" Jing Muyun asked.
"The Japanese ceded Suzhou," Li Cuiqun said.
"That's good news." Jing Muyun's eyes lit up.
The so-called "handing over of Suzhou" meant that the Japanese abolished the direct requisition of grain from the Suzhou area by the Japanese army and handed over the Suzhou area to Li Cuiqun for control and grain collection.
"Let's ignore him for now." Li Cuiqun thought for a moment, then snorted coldly. "Let's take care of our own affairs first. As for the Japanese, things will work themselves out."
"Alright." Jing Muyun nodded, then said to Li Cuiqun, "I heard that rice prices in the city have gone up again?"
"The price has gone up," Li Cuiqun said with a smile. "The main problem is still the food shortage."
As he spoke, he sighed, "The common people suffer."
"Yes, we bear responsibility for not being able to transport more grain to sell to them," Jing Muyun said with emotion.
Li Cuiqun glanced at Jing Muyun but didn't say anything.
……
A car drove into the yard, and after it came to a stop, an agent hurriedly stepped forward and opened the car door.
Ye Qi got out of the car and looked up at the sky.
Although it's only May, the heat in Shanghai is already quite noticeable.
"Xiao Ning, what is it that you can't say over the phone? Why do you have to urge me to come?" Ye Qisui said with an unfriendly expression.
"Minister, Manager Min says he has an important report to make," Ning Minquan said.
"lead the way."
"Yes."
……
"What's going on?" Ye Qisui was a large, stout man who was afraid of the heat. After sitting down, he took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead, glanced at Min Liu, and asked.
“Minister,” Min Liu said, “there’s something going on at Lai’s Grain Store.”
"What's going on?" Ye Qi asked, frowning. "Could it be that Lai Laosan dares not to pay the security fee?"
“No, even if you gave Lai Laosan a hundred times the courage, he wouldn’t dare,” Min Liu said.
"Just say what you have to say, don't beat around the bush," Ye Qi said impatiently.
“Lai’s Grain Shop is raising funds in secret,” Min Liu said.
"What is he raising funds for?" Ye Qisui couldn't help but ask.
“Minister, as you know, we have people around Lai’s accountant,” Min Liu said. “My subordinates have learned that Lai’s is raising funds to buy grain.”
"Buy grain?" Ye Qi said. "What's so strange about the grain depot buying grain? If they don't sell grain, how would we get our cut?"
As he spoke, his expression shifted slightly. "You mean, they're raising funds?"
“Yes.” Min Liu nodded.
"That shouldn't be the case," Ye Qi said.
The No. 76 Bureau had strict control over all grain stores and grain shops in Shanghai, and the amount of grain that could enter Shanghai was strictly controlled.
He looked at Min Liu and asked, "So, Lai Ji has a new source of grain?"
“Yes.” Min Liu nodded. “They said a large amount of grain was transported from other places.”
"A large quantity?" Ye Qi looked at Min Liu. "How much is a large quantity?"
“They say it’s at least several tens of tons,” Min Liu said.
A few dozen tons of grain were smuggled in; the quantity wasn't too large, but the nature of the act was egregious.
"Investigate." Ye Qisui's face darkened. "Find out exactly how much grain might have been transported in, and where it came from."
"Yes."
……
Two days later.
"Really?" Ye Qi suddenly stood up after hearing Min Liu's report and immediately asked.
“Minister, I’ve found out everything,” Min Liu said. “Five hundred tons of rice, no less.”
“Impossible!” Ning Minquan said from the side. “How could such a large quantity of grain appear out of thin air?”
“It’s true,” Min Liu said hurriedly. “I bribed one of them to go to the warehouse, and there were at least several dozen tons of rice in that warehouse.”
"Where is the warehouse?" Ning Minquan asked immediately.
“Kunshan Flower Bridge,” Min Liu said.
“Minister, I led my men to seal off their warehouse. We’ll find out exactly what happened once we ask them,” Ning Minquan said.
“It can’t be sealed off,” Min Liu said.
Ye Qi then looked at Min Liu.
“The rice warehouse they put in belongs to the Japanese,” Min Liu said.
"So, this batch of rice is from a Japanese trading company?" Ye Qi asked immediately.
“I don’t know.” Min Liu thought for a moment and shook his head. “Also, the warehouse doesn’t belong to the Japanese trading company; it’s the warehouse of the Locust Army.”
"Ok?"
“The warehouse belonged to the Kunshan Garrison. The gate of the warehouse still had the Japanese flag hanging on it, and Japanese soldiers patrolled it regularly,” Min Liu said.
“Minister, this matter is not simple,” Ning Minquan said thoughtfully. “It’s difficult.”
"What's going on?" Ye Qi shook his head and said, "Did I say I was going to deal with them? You're talking nonsense."
He looked at Min Liu, "How much is their rice?"
“Lai’s Grain Shop is negotiating 3,200 legal tender per shi of rice,” Min Liu said.
"A net profit of one thousand yuan," Ye Qi said thoughtfully.
With the grain in Kunshan, the difficulty of procuring grain from all directions was avoided. It wasn't far to transport it from Huaqiao, and by reselling it to Shanghai, the net profit would be at least 1,000 yuan per shi of rice. No wonder Lai's Money Shop was eager to raise funds in secret to make a quick buck.
"Come with me to see the chairman," Ye Qi said, pointing at Min Liu.
"Yes," Min Liu said happily.
……
"Chairman." Ye Qi then met with Li Cuiqun and gave her a brief report on the situation.
"Tell me your thoughts," Li Cuiqun said, frowning in thought. She glanced at Ye Qisui.
“Chairman,” Ye Qi said, “the price of rice in the city is rising day by day. This batch of grain is quite large, and most importantly, it’s readily available and not far away. All we need to do is resell it; the profit will be considerable.”
“Investigate,” Li Cuiqun said after thinking for a moment. “Find out the details of this batch of grain.”
"Understood." Ye Qi nodded.
He knew that Li Cuiqun was considering using force to seize the grain.
He himself is the same.
However, the grain was stored in a warehouse under the name of the Japanese army in Kunshan, which naturally made them somewhat hesitant.
……
“Paimon Trading Company?” Li Cuiqun frowned slightly. “What’s their background?”
“Chairman,” Ye Qi said, “we only found out that this Paimon Trading Company might be related to a Japanese man named Yamamoto Keiichi, but we couldn’t find any more information.”
"Sneaky and furtive, hiding their true colors," Li Cuiqun sneered.
"So, what does Chairman Yi mean?" Ye Qi asked.
“Send someone to contact this Paimeng Trading Company,” Li Cuiqun said thoughtfully. “Ask them how much grain they have in total, and we’ll buy it all.”
"The price..."
"Eight hundred yuan per shi of rice, fixed price," Li Cuiqun said calmly.
"Understood." Ye Qi nodded.
This price is just a way to test the other party's capabilities.
……
Nanjing.
Qiao Chuntao strode into the room.
"How did this happen?" he asked with a serious expression.
“We were being watched by the anti-smuggling team,” Ma Benzhe said. “Those guys suddenly wanted to search us, so Section Chief Mao had no choice but to lead his men to take them out and fight our way out.”
"Is the cargo being targeted by the anti-smuggling team? Or is the person being targeted by the anti-smuggling team?" Qiao Chuntao asked immediately.
“I don’t know,” Ma Benz said. “This group of enemies appeared very suddenly, but their purpose is clear. It doesn’t seem like an encounter battle.”
He thought for a moment and added, "However, the other side was clearly unprepared, and seemed not to have expected us to suddenly retaliate."
"In other words, although the customs team is targeting you, they don't know your identities," Qiao Chuntao said thoughtfully.
"Yes, stationmaster."
Qiao Chuntao pondered.
According to Ma Benzai, the anti-smuggling team seemed more interested in the goods themselves.
It must be that Mao Xuanyi and his group somehow revealed their wealth, attracting the attention of these anti-smuggling officers.
Thinking of this, Qiao Chuntao couldn't help but shake her head with a wry smile.
Mao Xuanyi's cover identity was the owner of a grain and oil shop. This batch of grain was something the shop had painstakingly collected, and although the quantity was not large, it still attracted the attention of the anti-smuggling team.
"Send people to keep an eye on things and investigate to see if we've been targeted by the enemy," Qiao Chuntao said in a deep voice. "Whether it was an accident or we've been targeted by the enemy, we must find out."
"My subordinate understands."
……
"How is the situation?" Qiao Chuntao asked Mao Xuanyi.
"Getting a scratch from a stray bullet is no big deal," Mao Xuanyi said with a hearty laugh.
“This incident hasn’t been fully investigated yet, so we can’t be sure if you’re being targeted by the enemy,” Qiao Chuntao said. “So, what I’m suggesting is that you consider leaving Nanjing temporarily.”
As she spoke, Qiao Chuntao shook her head first, "Forget it, your gunshot wound is too conspicuous, it's too dangerous for you to go out, you should stay in Nanjing."
Just then, the telegraph operator rushed in and handed a coded telegram to Qiao Chuntao.
"What happened?" Mao Xuanyi asked.
He noticed that Qiao Chuntao's expression suddenly turned serious.
"Something's happened," Qiao Chuntao said. "The Xiaguan communication station has been taken over by the enemy."
"What?" Mao Xuanyi exclaimed in surprise, struggling to sit up. "What is the situation regarding personnel losses?"
He was in charge of the Xiaguan Transportation Station, and it can be said that the personnel and staffing of the Xiaguan Transportation Station were all built up by his hard work.
“Three brothers died for their country, two others were captured, and only one brother managed to break through and escape,” Qiao Chuntao said.
With a serious expression, he asked Mao Xuanyi, "How many people at the Xiaguan Transportation Station know you?"
“Only Yang Di and Mu Kai have seen my real face,” Mao Xuanyi said. “No one else has seen me.”
“Yang Di died for his country,” Qiao Chuntao said, his brows furrowing. “Mu Kai’s body was not found at the scene, and we now strongly suspect that Mu Kai was one of the two people captured by the enemy.”
He asked Mao Xuanyi, "I don't know much about Mu Kai..."
“Mu Kai is from Liuhe, graduated from primary school, so he can be considered literate and quick-witted,” Mao Xuanyi said.
"Do you think Mu Kai can withstand the enemy's interrogation?" Qiao Chuntao asked.
Mao Xuanyi didn't speak. He wanted to assure him that his men were all good men and there would be no problems, but he just couldn't bring himself to say it.
He wasn't that confident.
The enemy's brutal torture is not something you can simply endure by thinking you can.
……
“Mu Kai knows you better,” Qiao Chuntao pondered.
He said to Mao Xuanyi, "Originally, I meant for you to stay in the safe house and not go out, but now it seems that staying in Nanjing is actually very dangerous for you."
After much deliberation, Qiao Chuntao made a decision: "I will send someone to escort you out of Nanjing overnight."
“Alright.” Mao Xuanyi did not object anymore. Qiao Chuntao was the station chief, and once the station chief made a decision, all he could do was follow orders.
He thought for a moment and said, "I also have something to ask the section chief."
Qiao Chuntao did not ask Mao Xuanyi what he needed to ask the director for instructions.
“I need to investigate why you were targeted by the anti-smuggling team,” Qiao Chuntao said. “I don’t believe in coincidences.”
Mao Xuanyi smiled. What Qiao Chuntao said was something the section chief liked to say.
Because of the demeanor and style of the person in charge, everyone in the Special Affairs Department is actually very cautious and careful in doing things.
"Why did something happen at Xiaguan Transportation Station?" Mao Xuanyi said. "The more I think about it, the less I understand it."
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(End of this chapter)