Spy Wars: Red Shopkeeper

Chapter 276 Dispatch
Liu Xiaolou put the file aside and handed over the promotion report.

Gu Yansheng glanced at it; there was nothing wrong with the content. Anyway, this thing was just for fishing, so there was no need to hand it in.

I put it aside and casually opened a file to look at.

"When you start work this afternoon, call the Director of the Criminal Division over for a talk. Don't notify him in advance; just tell him when it's time."

"Ok."

“A man named Wang Desheng will be coming later. Bring him to my office.”

"Yes."

Gu Yansheng waited while looking at the files, and Wang Desheng arrived in about half an hour.

"Wang Desheng, I notified you so late last night, how come you arrived so quickly?" Gu Yansheng looked at him with a smile.

Now Wang Desheng stood in front of him, bowing slightly, very humble, but of course, the smile on his lips was impossible to hide.

Wang Desheng bowed first, "Thank you for remembering me, Mr. Gu. I dared not delay upon receiving your notification and set off immediately."

"They set off in the middle of the night? By train? How many trains run from Shanghai to Nanjing at night?"

“It doesn’t matter if it’s midnight. There aren’t many passenger trains, and at night they are usually slow trains that take ten hours to travel. I was worried that Mr. Gu would have to wait too long, so I managed to get on a military train transported by the Japanese, so we arrived relatively early.”

This demonstrates both loyalty and ability. Gu Yansheng gave it a second look and smiled, "There's no need to rush. It's the same if it arrives tonight."

Wang Desheng bowed and smiled, "It's my duty, it's my duty. There's no reason for Mr. Gu to wait."

"Okay, you've been waiting anxiously these past few days, haven't you?"

Wang Desheng asked him to handle this matter, and it actually took quite a while, mainly because the negotiations between the Wang faction took a long time, from when Wang rebels sent a telegram in Hanoi in response to the statement by the Prime Minister to the present, it has been more than a year in total.

Whether a new government will be formed or not, and problems will arise from time to time, leaving others feeling uneasy.

Let alone a policeman like him, even high-ranking members of the Wang Jingwei faction were hesitant about whether the position could be established.

Wang Desheng spent a lot of money, so if this doesn't work, his money is wasted and there's definitely no way to get a refund.

It's hard not to be anxious.

However, after Wang Desheng paid the money, he never came to ask about it again.

Wang Desheng dared not say he was in a hurry, and laughed, "The establishment of the new government is a big deal, my affairs are nothing. I know you are busy, so I dare not bother you. I am afraid you will find me an eyesore. During festivals, I only dare to send some things to your home, and I dare not bother you too much. Please don't blame me."

"Good, you've been the head of the Legal Affairs Section for a good time. You've had enough patience. You're forty now, aren't you?"

"Exactly forty."

"I can definitely work for a few more years."

Gu Yansheng thought for a moment and said, "You told me back then that you wanted to seek a position in Nanjing after the new government was established. That's not difficult. I just need to talk to Minister Zhou at the Ministry of Police."

You're a section chief in Shanghai. We can arrange for you to be a division chief in the provincial department, or a minor official position in a bureau or agency below. Your qualifications should be sufficient.

Regarding your job assignment, I'd like to make some other arrangements, and I'm here today to ask for your opinion.

Wang Desheng, a seasoned veteran, was quick to understand the underlying meaning. Upon hearing that his position in Nanjing was gone, he showed no disappointment but instead became even more eager.

"Where does Mr. Gu want me to go?"

"Suzhou, would you accept the position of Chief Inspector of the Police Department?"

Wang Desheng's expression turned solemn. He stood with his feet together, his leather shoes clicking, and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Gu. I will do my best to handle official business and obey all your commands!"

That's a very insightful statement.

“Okay.” Gu Yansheng nodded. Since Wang Desheng had made his attitude clear, let’s get down to business. “The government is newly established. Some people are from outside, and some are locals. Where there are people, there is a world of its own, but the country is not a world of its own.”

In the past, everyone managed their own territory, treating it as their own backyard, but that's no longer possible; things have to change.

The complex web of interpersonal relationships affects all aspects of national interests.

I'll be visiting various local judicial departments soon, and I'm sending you to Suzhou. Do you know what you're supposed to do there?

Wang Desheng bowed his head. "Once I arrive in Suzhou, I will need to familiarize myself with the internal affairs of the police station as soon as possible, both to ensure Mr. Gu's safe travels and to provide him with useful clues when he needs to handle matters in the future."

"I have some official connections in Suzhou, and I also know a few people in the underworld. I will leverage their influence to work together for you, Mr. Gu."

Since everything had been said clearly, Gu Yansheng decided not to keep him any longer.

"Okay, then I wish you all the best. Oh, by the way, after you leave this place, go to the Ministry of Police. You still need to go through the necessary procedures. Wait a moment."

Gu Yansheng took out a pen from his pocket, casually tore off a piece of paper from the table and wrote, "Wang Desheng can be appointed as the Chief Inspector of the Suzhou Police Bureau."

Gu Yansheng signed the document and handed it to Wang Desheng.

"That should be fine. If there are any problems, tell them to talk to Minister Zhou. They should take up their posts as soon as possible, as time is still quite tight."

"Yes, Your Excellency will not delay."

Wang Desheng respectfully accepted the letter of appointment with both hands, his posture becoming increasingly respectful.

This single piece of paper can determine a person's wealth and status.

"Then I shall take my leave now. I wish you good health and a happy life."

Gu Yansheng nodded. "Okay, go ahead."

Wang Desheng walked backwards with his head down, only turning around and leaving when he reached the door.

Gu Yansheng smiled when he saw this. They were all fine, and their courage was definitely not a problem. Otherwise, they wouldn't have refused to give Lu Ying money and a position, but instead had the audacity to give him gold bars when he was still the director of the judicial department.

As for his character, we'll have to observe him more closely in the future.

Of Shanghai, Nanjing, and Suzhou, Suzhou is still the most important.

Given the situation in Shanghai, Gu Yansheng didn't need him.

The situation in Nanjing is something Gu Yansheng's Ministry of Justice has to deal with itself. Once that's done, whether the police station has its own people or not is not so important.

Suzhou, however, is weak in resources. It is a major grain-producing area, and it is essential to have its own people to protect Lu Bowen's grain industry.

In accordance with Yan'an's strategy, development moved northward.

As the hometown of Gu Zhuxuan of the Jiangbei Gang, Yancheng became a hub for gang power, and local tyrants emerged.

If we add Wang Desheng's Suzhou, then the entire line from Nanjing to Suzhou to Yancheng will be connected.

In the future, no matter what difficulties our Party's troops encounter along this line, Gu Yansheng wants to help. With these people, they can exert their strength.

A short while later, Liu Xiaolou came in after seeing the person off and reported, "Sir, Section Chief Wang left some tea leaves, saying it was this year's new Longjing tea. Knowing that you are from Hangzhou, he tried to get some for you to drink."

I asked him why he didn't give it to himself earlier, and he said it was because the amount was small and he was too embarrassed to ask, so he asked me to give it to him on his behalf.

Liu Xiaolou placed a small jar on the table; it looked to weigh only two or three ounces.

Gu Yansheng picked it up and looked at it. The quantity was indeed not much. However, given Wang Desheng's abilities, it was already quite good that he could get any tea at all. The Japanese also loved to drink tea, and the production of Longjing tea in that area was limited, so it was basically all bought up.

He sniffed it and laughed, "Just leave it there. You can use it to entertain guests later. You're familiar with small houses and villas, so pick one out for him."

"Okay, what level do you want?"

"Mid-range is fine. This is the best he can do. Anything higher wouldn't be appropriate."

"Yes."

Gu Yansheng had already agreed to the villa arrangement with Wang Desheng; the villa was exchanged for a house in Shanghai, and it had nothing to do with tea.

However, at that time, those speculating on real estate in Nanjing were thinking of doing business with No. 76, building relationships, and incidentally swindling money from the Wang Jingwei faction.

Now that they're giving away villas, that's an unexpected bonus.

Using a villa to smash someone is a very effective way to impress them; the person who gets hit will feel proud to talk about it.

In reality, the cost of buying a set at that time was only around a thousand yuan, so the cost of making the subordinates happy was not high.

Of course, it's not easy to buy now, as these properties are already owned and there's no price to be found.

In the afternoon, Gu Yansheng began to greet several department heads.

"Minister, Director of the Criminal Division, Shao Jingming, is already outside the door," Liu Xiaolou reported as he entered.

"Let him in."

A moment later, 35-year-old Shao Jingming walked in with a smile: "Minister, you wanted to see me?"

"Sit down." Gu Yansheng waved to the sofa and walked out from behind his desk. "Xiao Lou, make Director Shao a cup of coffee."

Gu Yansheng also sat down on the sofa, placed the report on promoting Shao Jingming to vice minister on the coffee table, and leaned back.

"I've looked at your information. You studied in Japan?"

"Yes, he graduated from the Faculty of Law at Tokyo Imperial University and then came to Nanjing to become a prosecutor."

While nodding, Shao Jingming glanced at the document without making it obvious, and saw the title "Application to Increase the Number of Deputy Chiefs." He didn't have time to see the content, but before he could look up and see it clearly, he decided to take another look.

I was momentarily stunned by that one glance, and my heart was shaken.

It was written with his name on it!
"Then your Japanese must be quite good. You should be able to communicate with Japanese people, which gives you a lot of room for promotion."

“Ah, right.” Shao Jingming came back to his senses and smiled. “His Japanese is indeed quite good. Communication is not a problem. I even served as an interpreter when Vice Minister Xue attended a Japanese meeting before.”

"Well, now that the new government has been established, the affairs of the ministry are complicated. I am preparing to add a new vice minister position, but I am not familiar enough with the personnel in the ministry."

Moreover, judging from the performance of the two deputy ministers, they seem quite resistant to the addition of a new deputy minister.

What's your opinion on this?

"Well, what can I say?"

Shao Jingming smiled, carefully choosing his words to explain the reasons. After explaining the reasons, he changed the subject and began to speak eloquently, adding a central idea that was absolutely necessary.

"Minister, the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice has now expanded. Previously, the Ministry of Justice was only responsible for Nanjing and its surrounding areas. To put it bluntly, it might not even have jurisdiction over Shanghai. You must know this, as you are in Shanghai."

But things are different now. Times have changed, and there's a lot more work to do. To ensure the smooth progress of our work, I think it's necessary to add a deputy minister.

That's how fragile the league is.

Gu Yansheng nodded, "This vice minister position should be selected from among you directors. If you are the one to recommend, who do you think is the most suitable? Explain your reasons."

“I think so,” Shao Jingming said eloquently.

Gu Yansheng understood that after saying all the good things, Shao Jingming had to point out an unacceptable flaw in everyone's words.

The main point is that everyone here is quite capable, so I'm open to choosing anyone.

However, they each have their own problems, so you need to be careful.

“You’ve been in the department for a long time and you really know everyone. Okay, I will consider your opinion and handle it carefully.”

How are things at home? Are you having any difficulties? How's Nanjing?

Gu Yansheng stopped talking about official business and started chatting about Nanjing and life. The atmosphere was harmonious and pleasant before he saw the person off.

Next, the Secretary for Civil Affairs, Lim Wai Yong.

He was 42 years old, a graduate of the Beiyang Government Judicial Training Institute, and had never studied abroad, but had served as a clerk in the foreign concession court.

"minister."

"sit."

After chatting for a while, Gu Yansheng found an excuse to ask him to go to the table and get a document from the Civil Affairs Department. His and Shao Jingming's promotion documents were on the desk.

The promotion report was placed a bit far from the document I needed to retrieve, but anyone with a brain could spot it with a glance.

After reading it, Lin Weiyong returned without making a sound, pretending he hadn't seen it.

"Minister, here are the documents you requested." Lin Weiyong handed over the documents from the Civil Affairs Department.

Gu Yansheng took it and looked at it, then casually asked a question.

"The Criminal Division and the Civil Division are important departments of the Ministry of Justice. Regarding the selection of the new Vice Minister, I am mainly considering you and Director Shao. I called you here to discuss how I should recommend you to higher authorities."

The question was asked so bluntly. The next step up is the vice minister, who is on par with Hu Rengtai and Xue Dianzeng, and even holds the power of personnel appointments, making him more powerful than them.

Lin Weiyong paused briefly, then rallied his spirits and explained his views. He considered the minister's thoughts and concerns, taking into account the overall situation from the perspective of the new government. He believed that for the long-term development of the Ministry of Justice and Administration, he was the most suitable candidate to recommend himself.

Gu Yansheng closed the file and laughed, "When I asked Shao Jingming this question, he gave me some evasive answers, but you answered it so readily."

Lin Weiyong said solemnly, "I volunteered because I am confident that I can help you with some of the work. I can also guarantee that I will follow your instructions and carry out all work under your leadership."

Next up is Wu Qilun from the General Affairs Department.

Gu Yansheng said, "In the selection of the new vice minister, the two directors of the Criminal Division and the Civil Division have more seniority, but since President Wen Zongyao placed them in this position before stepping down, he must have had his reasons."

These two departments are very important. If they were to leave, things could get messy, which is absolutely unacceptable when the new government is first established. We must prioritize stability.

However, in terms of the candidates, they should be promoted naturally, otherwise I don't know if Dean Wen would have any thoughts about it.

I can't decide right away either; I've thought about your names again and again.

"Director Wu, who do you think I should choose for the promotion?"

In the afternoon, when the minister began to call people in for a talk, the heads of these departments outside were already eagerly waiting. It was only natural that the director went in first to talk.

The problem is that if the conversation goes too well, the person in front will have already paved the way, and the people behind will never have a chance to meet and talk.

For a moment, Wu Qilun really considered whether he should continue to stick with the alliance from the morning.

But the agony of waiting made him realize...

It's more important for people to pursue progress.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; if he doesn't fight for it, someone else will.

"Minister," Director Wu said, he had something to say.
"Speak," Gu Yansheng nodded.

Time passed slowly, and one by one, the leaders were interviewed.

It doesn't matter whether the person being talked to has any thoughts or not; Gu Yansheng will make him have thoughts even if he has none.

The heads of each department were quite satisfied with their departures, feeling that they all had a chance.

Finally, Liu Xiaolou came in and announced the end of the meeting.

"Minister, everything is over."

"Ugh, I'm pretty tired. I've already had three cups of coffee."

Gu Yansheng stood up and smiled, "They're all like peacocks displaying their feathers. I didn't know they were so talkative this morning."

Liu Xiaolou couldn't help but chuckle; it was just as she had guessed.

"Minister, who would you choose as your deputy minister?" she asked curiously.

"If you were given the choice, how would you choose?" Gu Yansheng threw the question back at him.

"How would I know?" Liu Xiaolou chuckled, then thought for a moment and said, "Choosing one of the two main directors would probably be more helpful for you to control the Ministry of Justice."

These two directors were able to become directors because they enjoyed the deep trust of those people in Nanjing. With this shift, their power has diminished.

Ding-ling-ling. Ding-ling-ling.

"You're not wrong about that."

Gu Yansheng answered the phone and heard Shen Shuyun's voice.

I want to see you.

"what happened?"

"Nothing much, I just missed you."

"Then be careful on the road, and have some people follow you. I'll have someone pick you up at the station when the time comes."

Gu Yansheng hung up the phone. Shen Shuyun must have something to say to him, otherwise she wouldn't have made a long-distance call saying she wanted to come over.

With the new government established, what can Chongqing possibly ask him to do?

"Alright, if there's nothing else, you can go home now. I'm getting hungry from talking so much."

Gu Yansheng didn't even flinch at this little incident. He picked up his coat and seamlessly smiled at Liu Xiaolou, saying, "If you find anything delicious while you're out and about in Nanjing, remember to bring some back for me."

"Okay." Liu Xiaolou smiled and bowed as he saw them off, but then suddenly remembered something. "Hey, Minister, what about Li Shiyu?"

"Find him a place to live in the ministry. There's no rush for work; let him stay in the secretariat for now." Gu Yansheng strode away.

That evening, at his residence on Yihe Road, Gu Yansheng was reading the newspaper when a guard came in to report.

"Sir, Director Lin Weiyong has come to report to you on his work."

"Let him in."

Whether a person knows how to behave or not can be seen at times like this.

Just because someone says something is yours doesn't mean it is.

"Yes."

After the guards left, Lin Weiyong drove his car into the yard, smiling as he asked the guards for help. He took two boxes from the trunk and carried them into the living room.

"Minister, I apologize for disturbing you," Lin Weiyong greeted with a bow and a smile.

What are they moving here to me?

Lin Weiyong stepped forward and said, “Minister, someone from my hometown brought me some wild game from the countryside. There’s quite a lot of it, so I was thinking of sending some over and asking you to help me finish it off.”

"Why are you being so polite? Sit down and let's talk," Gu Yansheng said with a smile.

Lin Weiyong bowed and said, "Then I'll take my leave."

Lin Weiyong sat down, and Gu Yansheng casually chatted about matters within the ministry. Then Lin Weiyong began to pour his heart out.

Now there's so much more to say, the main theme is being completely open and honest, and the attitude is definitely on point.

However, he was interrupted after a while when his subordinate came in to report, his expression somewhat strange.

"Sir, Wu Qilun, the head of the General Affairs Department, said he's here to report on his work."

Gu Yansheng showed no unusual expression.

Lin Weiyong's eyes narrowed, and his smile froze slightly.

The guards found it strange. Before the new government was established, there were many people coming to give gifts to the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Public Security. There were many people coming to give gifts, including section chiefs, deputy section chiefs, and deputy directors. Even people from other departments came to give gifts.

But the people who came tonight don't seem to have come before.

Why are so many of you coming to report on your work today?

Gu Yansheng chatted with Lin Weiyong for a few minutes without any rush, and Lin Weiyong took the initiative to say goodbye.

"We'll talk more later then," Gu Yansheng said, seeing the guest off.

Lin Weiyong smiled and nodded, then went out and got into his car, glancing at Wu Qilun who was waiting at the door some distance away.

He instructed the driver, "Go, turn and stop after the intersection."

He wanted to see just how many of his colleagues, who were talking about sharing a common hatred, would actually come to visit that night.

(End of this chapter)