Spy Wars: Red Shopkeeper

Chapter 179 Get started

In the evening, Gu Yansheng went home for dinner as usual after get off work.

While we were eating, Fu Xiao'an and Ling Xianwen arrived together.

Gu Yansheng came out to greet them, and said with a smile, "You two came together. If you came here to freeload, you're too late. I've already eaten half the food. I'll ask the chef to order more so we can have a drink later."

"I'm not in the mood," Fu Xiao'an waved his hand. "I asked Xianwen to come over and have a chat with you."

"Sure, please come in."

Gu Yansheng invited them in, and Fu Xiao'an sat down and asked, "Have you heard about what happened today?"

"About the Japanese going to No. 76? I've heard a little about it." Gu Yansheng nodded.

His office was right next to No. 76, so it would be hard for him not to notice that so many Japanese people came.

Moreover, he was the one who started this arms smuggling incident, but it was unexpected that it escalated into a brawl between the navy and the army, accidentally injuring the municipal government.

"However, I don't know exactly what happened inside No. 76."

Fu Xiao'an then explained the situation. The director of the finance bureau was his man, and he came to him for help as soon as he was released, so he knew the whole story very well.

"The section chief's body has already been taken away by his family. This incident has had a terrible impact. Even the bureau chief of the municipal government is terrified, let alone the people who actually handle things below him. When he came to me about this, he was crying his eyes out. Tell me, how can we be motivated to develop the economy like this?"

Fu Xiao'an looked at Ling Xianwen.

Ling Xianwen nodded and said to Gu Yansheng in a deep voice, "They really went too far. They arrested and interrogated high-ranking officials of the municipal government without warning, and beat a section chief of the finance bureau to death without even informing him. Today it's them, but what about tomorrow? Will it be us?"

Who can guarantee that we won't be taken to the intelligence headquarters? Who can guarantee that the people at the intelligence headquarters won't take the opportunity to extract a confession, accuse us of embezzlement, and force us to pay money to save our lives?
Money is just an external thing, but once you're in the Special Agent Headquarters, even if you don't have it, they'll say you do. It'll just be a beating, and honestly, I couldn't take it if I went in. I dare say Mayor Fu wouldn't be able to either."

Fu Xiao'an nodded, "I'm an old man, let alone withstand it, I'd kill someone if I were hit twice."

After he finished speaking, Ling Xianwen looked at Gu Yansheng and said, "Yansheng, if it were you, could you handle it?"

Gu Yansheng nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, and said, "I understand what you two mean. What exactly do you want me to do?"

When it comes to corruption, everyone has a share. Catching the small fry can expose the big ones. It's impossible for high-ranking municipal officials to say they're not afraid.

Since Ling Xianwen came with Fu Xiao'an, the two of them have reached an agreement. In fact, no matter what they do, Gu Yansheng has to stand with them.

Fu Xiao'an said, "I have received a call from Xingya Institute asking me to gather you all for a meeting at the municipal government tomorrow morning. Tsuda Shizue will also be there."

I suspect the meeting was about nothing more than smuggling and corruption in Wusongkou.

I won't go into the old news here.

But arresting people is absolutely out of the question!
What has it become now?

We have the Japanese as our father, and when the people from Hanoi come, we have another father. Oh, even the Special Agent Headquarters has to be our father. How are we supposed to live like this?

I'm not afraid to say that when it comes to corruption and profiteering, none of us can escape being investigated!

Do you really think that helping the Japanese is a sign of loving Japan and the Emperor?
I'll stop with the nonsense. Director Gu, you're in charge of the Judicial Department. Even if officials in the city are corrupt, if they are truly guilty, it must be the courts under your Judicial Department that will pronounce the verdict. This must be made clear to the Japanese. The people at the Special Agent Headquarters are to arrest their agents. They are not allowed to interfere with the judicial work of the municipal government!
No matter their rank, any official in the city can be arrested by the Special Agent Headquarters without the approval of the municipal government! Even if they are agents from Chongqing, they must first go through us, be arrested by us, and then handed over!

Even after the case is transferred for further interrogation, our municipal government must send a specialist to conduct the interrogation and listen to the confession to prevent any further instances of forced confessions!

Gu Yansheng nodded slightly. "I understand what's going on. I'm willing to be the first to step forward for the benefit of everyone, but the Japanese might not give that order."

The Special Operations Headquarters itself isn't that important; it's the Japanese opinions that are difficult to address. The Special Operations Headquarters is under the jurisdiction of the Military Police Command, and the head of the Asia Development Board is a Vice Admiral in the Navy. Even his agreement might not be enough; we need to persuade the Military Police Command.

“Then we’re quitting!” Fu Xiao’an’s eyes widened. “We can’t even guarantee our own safety. It’s not that we don’t want to do it, but our subordinates are not focused on their work. They want tax revenue to increase by 30%, but I don’t think a 30% drop is much.”

"If you don't want the economy, then don't. We'll all starve together. Go ahead and fire us all; let his military police headquarters try and take over."

"A coup, huh?" Gu Yansheng glanced at Fu Xiao'an. It seemed that Fu Xiao'an was truly frightened this time. Subordinates turning on each other; if this continued, it might even expose Fu Xiao'an himself.

Ling Xianwen said, "Don't worry, you won't be the only one to take the lead in this matter. We'll all be there together, and we'll stand together through thick and thin!"

"Okay, I understand, I have no objection." Since things had come to this point, Gu Yansheng had to stand with everyone.

"Okay, then we'll head out first. There are still a few people I need to talk to. Don't be late for tomorrow's meeting."

"Okay." The next day, in the morning, Gu Yansheng went to the municipal government for a meeting.

Upon entering the conference room, the atmosphere was quite somber, judging from everyone's expressions.

Fu Xiao'an nodded to him, indicating that everything had been agreed upon and everything should proceed as planned.

Gu Yansheng sat down in his seat and looked at the director of the Social Affairs Bureau and the director of the Finance Bureau. Although they could be said to be fine, they were still somewhat uneasy.

A short while later, the gate opened, and Vice Admiral Shizue Tsuda arrived.

Everyone stood up.

Tsuda Shizue walked to the head seat, her gaze sweeping over everyone. "Everyone's here. Let's start the meeting. Please sit down."

"Yes." Everyone sat down.

Shizue Tsuda said seriously, "The reason I've called this meeting today is because a corruption case has actually occurred within the municipal government. Taking advantage of its control over the port, it has abused its power to allow ships to pass freely. No matter what kind of ship it is, as long as it pays money, it can pass without inspection!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Tsuda Shizue slammed her hand on the table repeatedly. "During this period, a large amount of controlled supplies flowed to Chongqing and Yan'an right under our noses. It was utterly foolish and unforgivable!"
How do you two explain this?

Shizue Tsuda turned her head and stared at the two directors of the Finance Bureau and the Social Affairs Bureau.

The two men's legs trembled, and they immediately stood up, bowing their heads and admitting their mistakes.

The Finance Bureau Director solemnly said, “Your Excellency, by your order, we have been given new jurisdiction over the entire Wusongkou area. Our work has changed from finance to overseeing all areas, so our workload is very heavy. There have indeed been some oversights in our supervision. Please forgive us, Commander Tsuda, for our lack of strict discipline.”

They paid money to No. 76, and their statements weren't mentioned. Now they're just admitting to negligence in supervision, and that's about it.

But Shizue Tsuda wasn't about to let them off so easily.

Narrowing her eyes, Tsuda Shizue said in a deep voice, "According to you, you are completely unaware of your subordinates' unauthorized release of ships."

"This subordinate is indeed unaware." The Finance Bureau Chief gritted his teeth and bowed his head, refusing to admit any wrongdoing at this point. "I work in the city center, and I delegated the port matters to the section chief below me. He reports once a month, and the last report was half a month ago. The port's tax revenue has shown a significant increase, so I always thought he was working hard and didn't expect there to be any other problems."

"Didn't you ask him where his tax revenue growth came from?"

"I asked him, and he said that because Shanghai's economy showed signs of improvement, the scale of transportation by various merchants expanded, thus leading to economic growth."

"You're really quite foolish."

"It was my fault for being muddle-headed." The finance bureau chief bowed honestly, thinking that being scolded for being muddle-headed was better than losing his life.

Shizue Tsuda pulled out a gun from her waist, pointed the muzzle at the table, and threatened, "This is your last chance. If you confess, I can pretend nothing happened and give you a chance to live. But if you don't tell the truth, I won't give you a second chance."

The Finance Bureau Chief stubbornly insisted, "Your Excellency, I truly do not know!"

Tsuda Shizue narrowed her eyes slightly. He was here today to make an example of someone and deter the city government.

At this moment, Fu Xiao'an suddenly said angrily, "General Tsuda, this is the municipal government. Can't you give the municipal government some face?"

Previously, the military police headquarters would come and point long guns at us while we worked. Yesterday, the special operations headquarters came to arrest and interrogate people, and now you're here again, pointing guns at us and forcing us to answer questions.

They're pressuring us every day. We're human too, we have feelings. If you keep pushing us like this, who wouldn't be scared? Who could work? Who would want to work?

The status of a high-ranking official in the municipal government is lower than that of a prostitute in a brothel; anyone can point a gun at them.

If you don't like us, if the military police headquarters doesn't like us, just fire us all.

There's no need to expect us to work while simultaneously pointing guns at us!

Even a god couldn't do this!

Tsuda Shizue did not expect Fu Xiao'an to jump out and interfere.

Being criticized doesn't feel good.

"Mayor Fu, you're a smart man. You don't think he's completely unaware of the problems his subordinates have, do you? Or did you take money too?"

(End of this chapter)