Spy Wars: Red Shopkeeper

Chapter 148 Drawing Lots
800,000! 800,000! For just 800,000 silver dollars, everyone can have a Type 38 rifle.

Regardless of whether the gun is easy to use or difficult to transport, at least we have the gun in our hands first, and then we can consider the problems that follow.

Gu Yansheng returned to the judicial office and began flipping through his notebook containing the notes on bond purchases.

He may have the money—80 silver dollars—but he may not necessarily have to pay for it himself.

Isn't this readily available?
Chen Lu, the current Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Nanjing Reformed Government, voluntarily purchased 100 million bonds, which were paid in legal tender. Recently, the value of legal tender has dropped a bit, so it would be worth nearly 25 silver dollars.

This person was trying to protect his position, but even if Gu Yansheng didn't kill him, he would never be able to get a ministerial position in the new government.

Minister Zhou had to fight with Wang Jingwei's inner circle to help him get promoted. Someone who had absolutely no connection with Wang Jingwei's faction wouldn't even be given a vice minister position.

Kill him, then pay out 150,000 to settle the debt.

Gu Yansheng looked down and saw another person.

Chen Ningchao, the owner of a cotton yarn factory in the concession, voluntarily purchased 80 bonds, which were also paid in legal tender.

Logically speaking, no matter what the new governments of Shanghai or Nanjing do, as a businessman in a foreign concession, such changes in power should not affect him at all.

However, the sales of cotton yarn in Shanghai city are somewhat hampered, but that's about the extent of the impact. At worst, we can stop selling to Shanghai and export to overseas markets, which is what many factories in the former concessions are doing now.

For example, the Rong brothers, owners of Shanghai's largest cotton yarn factory.

They also have several factories in the city of Shanghai, which are now under the control of Japanese companies, euphemistically called joint operations.

They simply gave up. They would maintain production if they could, and if not, so be it. In any case, all their funds were invested in factories in the concession, and all the cotton yarn produced was sold overseas, making them a fortune.

People like Chen Ningchao are die-hard traitors who shamelessly come to support the new government; their heads are worth 100,000 silver dollars.

Gu Yansheng searched around and found more than a dozen people, raising a total of 1.5 million silver dollars.

When we have time, we'll hand it over to Chen Mo and let him pick and choose who to kill. The Iron-Blooded Assassination Corps is killing traitors anyway, so it doesn't matter who they kill.

Killing them would at least provide a market for the Type 38 rifles of the Imperial Japanese Army, thus fulfilling their last wish.

"Secretary-General Ling," Liu Xiaolou's voice rang out from outside.

Ling Xianwen walked in: "Yansheng, let's go, Mr. Changgu has already let us go over."

"What time is it?" Gu Yansheng glanced at his watch; it was only four o'clock. "Don't the Japanese usually hold banquets quite late?"

“I’m a little scared.” Ling Xianwen nodded. “The previous two banquets didn’t turn out well. When the incidents happened, it was still dark, making it difficult to arrest the Military Intelligence Bureau. I guess the Japanese are doing this sooner to prevent the Military Intelligence Bureau from causing trouble again, and to end it sooner.”

"Damn, we're thinking the same thing." Gu Yansheng chuckled and walked out to take clothes from the clothes rack. "It can't be that bad, can it? The first two times the military police commander came, at least it was a big deal. This time, Lieutenant General Tsuda will come. How many people will know? The Military Intelligence Bureau isn't a god."

"That's hard to say. Who knows if the Military Intelligence Bureau has any spies among the Japanese? Let's go, let's just do whatever they say."

Driving to Hongkou, Gu Yansheng was still discussing with Ling Xianwen what impact the arrival of the new leader would have on Shanghai's economy.

Passing by the border between Zhabei and Hongkou, a quick glance revealed that there were indeed two more Japanese soldiers at the checkpoint than usual, and the search was more thorough.

The two looked at each other, pursed their lips, and remained silent.

The person who came was a vice admiral, and the location this time was the naval club.

At first glance, it looks impressive.

“The navy is really rich.” After getting out of the car, Ling Xianwen approached and said, “I heard there’s a saying in the Japanese navy: if you put army food in the navy, even a dog wouldn’t eat it.”

"Is it really that exaggerated?" Gu Yansheng chuckled.

"We'll know once we go in and take a look. They're welcoming a lieutenant general, so the food today should be pretty good."

"That makes sense, but would you dare to eat too much?"

Ling Xianwen stopped in his tracks and cursed, "Damn it!"

Gu Yansheng laughed heartily and entered the room together.

Upon entering, you are greeted by a magnificent lobby, decorated like a hotel. Behind the reception desk is a long row of wine cabinets displaying famous wines from all over the world, highlighting a sense of extravagance and a love of drinking.

Ling Xianwen noticed this and leaned closer: "Do you know what that's called in the Japanese Navy?"

"what?"

"If you want to get promoted, there are three things to consider: either you have a good father, or you have a good father-in-law, or you can drink a lot. Look at the culture of officialdom here."

Gu Yansheng asked curiously, "The first two are easy to understand, but how much drinking do you have to drink to get promoted?"

"Of course, we'll get everyone on the ship drunk."

Ling Xianwen raised an eyebrow. "The navy is always on ships, not on land. There aren't many fun activities. If you don't drink on a ship, there's no fun at all. You could suffocate from being cooped up."

But alcohol can also soothe homesickness. Others get drunk and no longer worry, but you didn't. That means you're the one who's worried the most. The one who's worried the most on the ship hasn't gone crazy, which proves you have a strong heart—no wonder you get promoted.

Gu Yansheng chuckled. Where did Ling Xianwen hear such nonsense?

"With the navy coming ashore, those women in their brothels are really suffering."

"Hey, what are you talking about? Which brothel?" The finance bureau chief had just entered when he heard a key phrase.

"Go away, get lost." Ling Xianwen rolled his eyes and said to Gu Yansheng, "You don't get many chances to come here. The navy usually just plays by themselves. Take a good look around and broaden your horizons."

It was an eye-opening experience; the two of them strolled around casually and could see the difference in food between the navy and the Japanese army just from the snacks and pastries on display.

The exquisite pastries were displayed almost like those served at banquets hosted by wealthy merchants in the concession. Expensive chocolates, which were common outside, were casually arranged here, just like candies.

Forget about fancy sushi at izakayas; here, it's like it's free. It's piled up all around, and you can take as much as you want and eat as you please. Plus, there's a wide variety.

Seaweed, oatmeal, pork cutlet, beef.
"It's making me hungry," Ling Xianwen said.

"Dare you eat it?" Gu Yansheng shut him down with a single question.

Ling Xianwen sighed, "Never mind, I'll just have to bear with it."

It's not that I can't afford to eat out, it's just that it's mealtime and seeing so much delicious food makes me really hungry.

I went to the sofa to chat with everyone, but I felt quite regretful and no one dared to eat.

However, the Navy has bottled Coke here, so everyone can have a bottle. A bunch of grown men sitting here drinking Coke.

After chatting for a while, the person in question arrived.

A group of people came in together. Several Japanese men in naval uniforms accompanied a middle-aged or elderly man in a suit. Hasegawa was among them.

When they arrived, Hasegawa gave an introduction.

"Tsuda-kun, these are high-ranking officials in the SH municipal government."

“Your work in the SH municipal government has been really not very good.” After criticizing, Shizue Tsuda smiled warmly: “However, you can’t be blamed for achieving this under the leadership of the Army. Please sit down.”

The others were caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to laugh or not, so they forced a smile and sat down.

Shizue Tsuda speaks fluent Chinese. “Sixteen years ago, I came to China for the first time as a naval attaché stationed in China. That was in 12, when China was still in the midst of warlord conflicts. I learned about China, studied China, and fell deeply in love with Chinese culture from that time on.”

China has a very long history, and has always experienced wars and frequent dynastic changes. But one thing remains constant: regardless of the dynasty, each generation produces a few outstanding talents, especially during times of war, which speaks volumes about the region's rich cultural heritage and talented people. Therefore, when the Cabinet appointed me as the head of the Central China region for the Asia Development Institute, I began to consider how I could promote rapid economic growth in the Central China region.

The eight-character principle is: appoint people based on merit and govern by non-interference.

Starting tomorrow, the top officials of the municipal government will be divided into groups and assigned responsibilities according to six areas: Nanshi, Zhabei, Huxi, Wusongkou, Pudong, and the former concessions.

Whoever performs well economically will be rewarded. The bureau chief will be promoted to deputy mayor, the deputy mayor to mayor, and I will recommend the mayor to serve as a high-ranking official, minister, or even dean in the new government.

Those who don't perform well will be dismissed on the spot.

The evaluation period is three months, with assessments every three months. The person ranked last will be dismissed immediately; the empire has no use for useless people.

The group of people who were just listening to the promotion and reward immediately lost their smiles, and some even turned slightly dark-faced. Whether the economy can be boosted or not is not something that can be determined by their efforts alone.

Fu Xiao'an frowned, his expression the most unpleasant.

Why should he, a mayor already negotiated with the Nanjing Command, compete with others?
They say he doesn't want ministerial or high-ranking positions, but if you give him one, Shanghai will be fine.

"General Tsuda, may I ask how this group is specifically divided?" Fu Xiao'an asked. "Shanghai has six districts, but actually there are seven, because there are two concessions. In terms of efficiency, the concessions are definitely the best, but our influence is not in the concessions."

In terms of territory, Nanshi is definitely the smallest. So how should we set the criteria for evaluation? We can't just base it on total tax revenue, can we?

"It's based on total tax revenue, the total tax revenue of your region," Shizue Tsuda said. "The fiscal revenue and expenditure of these regions, especially tax revenue, are based on clear data."

Having experienced the army's mismanagement, Shanghai's tax revenue has plummeted, so this figure will only rise, not fall.

What I assess is your growth data.

Nanshi is located near the French Concession. Although it is a small place, it has a good location.

Zhabei is the city center, with a large flow of people and thriving commerce.

The western part of Shanghai is a factory area with a relatively good industrial base and high output value.

Wusongkou is a port, and its economic growth potential is obvious.

Pudong is a foreign trade zone, and the distribution center for goods is located there; it also has a large area.

Needless to say, the concessions, although the land was not in our hands, had a stable flow of customers and strong spending power.

For these regions, Xingya Institute can provide funding and policies within a certain range, but the premise is that it cannot operate at a loss and that results must be achieved.

I know some people might think that raising taxes would be a way to get by, and that's fine, as long as you think it's sustainable. The key is to prevent riots. If taxes are too high, residents will go on strike or riot because they won't have money. Once such a riot occurs because of high taxes, the consequences will be severe.

Incompetence can be understood as mediocrity, but this kind of deliberate riot is deception.

In addition, the Asia Development Institute will also form a review panel to conduct random checks on your work results. I hope that you will focus on developing the economy rather than trying to get away with petty tricks.

Oh, and lastly, if the total tax revenue of all employees increases by more than 30% in the first three months, it will all be approved. This requirement shouldn't be too high, as the current base is already very low.

Are there any other questions? You can ask now.

"So how was this area selected?"

"You can sign up voluntarily. If you choose the certificate you want, look here. You'll get an extra 10% tax."

The person asking the question fell silent on the spot.

How are the profits from the concession calculated?

"To calculate the trade volume, we'll calculate the trade volume into the concession right now, and add 30% of the tax to that to get through customs."

The questioner stopped talking, and it was difficult. However, cracking down on smuggling might bring some things back. This is the simplest method. If it can really boost bilateral trade, then thirty percent is not impossible based on the current level.

"If there are no problems, we'll draw lots. Whichever we get is what we'll be in. The thing people lack most in life is opportunity. Tomorrow you will be the mayors of your respective regions. You can use whatever skills you have in your regions. Don't ever say that your official position is too low and that others won't give you a chance."

I'm giving you the opportunity; I'm giving each of you the chance to be a regional ruler, where you can make all the decisions on matters within your territory.

Paper and pen.

As soon as Shizue Tsuda reached out her hand, someone immediately brought her paper and pen.

Shizue Tsuda personally wrote down six sections on a piece of paper, tore them open, folded them, and put them in a box.

"Twelve people, two for each region. The one with the lowest official rank will draw first, and the mayor will draw last. Is that fair?"

Everyone looked at the rankings and, theoretically, it should be Gu Yansheng.

"Then let me go first."

Gu Yansheng reached into the box, took out a slip of paper, glanced at it quickly, and handed it over.

Shizue Tsuda glanced at it and smiled, "Huxi, Director Gu seems to be very lucky, that's an industrial zone."

You describe every bad place in such a wonderful way that it sounds like the foreign concessions were the worst. Anyone who didn't know better would think the concessions were the worst place.

The others looked at Gu Yansheng with a mixture of sympathy and relief. Huxi was indeed an industrial area, but that was before the war.

The industrial areas were the worst hit by the war, because those factories were good places to hide and take cover, and they took the most bullets and shells.

The western part of Shanghai is now the most chaotic place in the city. The factories there have been turned into brothels and casinos. If you go a little further west, you'll reach the stronghold of the Jiang bandits.

The remaining locations were drawn one by one. Fu Xiao'an was lucky and drew the foreign concession, while Ling Xianwen was even luckier and drew Nanshi. Both were good places.

Gu Yansheng's partner also came out, and the tax bureau chief Wang Rusong's face fell. He showed Gu Yansheng a note: "Huxi".

If we're talking about who knows best where the worst environment is, the tax bureau chief is definitely number one.

The industries in western Shanghai are quite simple: casinos, brothels, opium dens, Japanese companies, and a few run-down industries that don't collect much tax.

Adding a 30% tax rate over three months won't make Japanese companies open more brothels. Are they going to open dozens more? Even if there are prostitutes, there aren't enough customers to go around.

Of the 8000 million yuan in annual tax revenue generated in Shanghai's urban area, five percent comes from western Shanghai.

Gu Yansheng patted him on the shoulder, they were brothers in misfortune.

"We've finished smoking them all," Tsuda Shizue said happily.

"Welcome, mayors. If you need any policy or financial support, please contact the Asia Development Institute at any time. A specialist will evaluate your application and give you a response. The requirements will not be too high, as long as it is not abused."

I look forward to your results. See you later.

"Oh, Mr. Tsuda, what about our original work?"

"Yes, we still have a ton of work to do."

"Haven't I made myself clear enough?"

Tsuda Shizue stopped and turned around with a smile: "You are all the heads of your respective areas, working in pairs. You two decide on all matters within your areas, including finance, taxation, the judiciary, and even the police station, which is now divided by area."

You are the police chiefs of each district. You can do whatever you want, however you want. You can dismiss or appoint anyone who disobeys you at will. I only care about the final result. Do you understand?

After saying that, leave.

(End of this chapter)