Hankou French Concession.
The refugees who were lucky enough to enter the concession either stayed in expensive hotels, visited relatives and friends, or temporarily lived on the roadside under the contemptuous eyes of white people.
In particular, the gate of the public affairs bureau was full of miserable-looking Jiangcheng people. After the incident in Jinling, everyone was afraid that the Japanese would come to Jiangcheng again. The concession was the only safe place.
The surge in the number of immigrants and the chaotic order made the government officials in the concession so busy that they hit the back of their heads. Cars drove in and out, and loud car horns sounded from time to time.
The area around the French consulate was also crowded with people. The French consul personally went to the Japanese consulate in order to put pressure on the other party, but unfortunately there was no result.
The Japanese diplomats stationed in Jiangcheng were busy welcoming the arrival of the army. No one had time to pay attention to the French. They only said that they would ensure the legitimate interests of the concession.
The French consul worriedly got into the car and returned to the consulate. Along the way, he saw more and more Chinese people and immediately cursed the Japanese dwarf secretly, but he was helpless.
As the sky grew darker, workers from local churches and charity organizations brought some food to distribute to the fleeing people, adding some human warmth to the cold concession.
Just when the mood of the refugees was gradually stabilizing, explosions suddenly occurred in many places such as the Consulate of the French Concession in Jiangcheng, the Public Security Bureau, the Patrol Room, the Court of Justice, and the Fire Brigade.
Although the explosive device was not very powerful and had no fragments, the combustion-supporting substances added to it quickly ignited several buildings, and the concession was filled with red flames and plumes of smoke.
"O God!"
In the French residential area, a gorgeously dressed French lady stood on a rococo-style balcony and covered her mouth, looking at the messy city in shock, and let out a horrified shout.
Countless people called the fire brigade, but the problem was that explosions and fires also occurred in front of the fire brigade, and they were too busy to take care of themselves, let alone save others.
At this time, the only person in Jiangcheng who could provide help to the concession was the Chinese Firefighting Brigade. However, the Japanese troops were approaching the city, and no one knew what the situation of the Chinese Firefighting Brigade was.
Someone called with the intention of giving it a try without spending any money. Unexpectedly, the other party immediately agreed to send (separate) all fire trucks to the concession to rescue.
This noble virtue of not being self-interested but exclusively benefiting others moved the French gentlemen to tears. They thanked him repeatedly and hung up the phone.
On the other side of Hankou, the captain of the fire brigade put down the microphone and hesitantly asked someone next to him: "Sir, is this really okay?"
"If there is any problem, all responsibility lies with the Ministry of Interior."
Zuo Zhong said, cutting off the phone line and looking at the other firefighters: "Take off your uniform and go home. Come back when the situation is stable. If the Japanese ask about today's events, there is no need to hide it."
The team members looked at each other, looking at the fierce-looking armed men around them. They wisely took off their helmets and canvas fire-proof suits, and left the room one after another.
The firefighting captain looked helpless. The other party was holding a certificate from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. As a subordinate, he had to cooperate even if he had questions, so he sighed and walked out of the door.
Looking at the equipment on the ground, Zuo Zhong waved to everyone: "Change your equipment and gather in three minutes. The weapons are placed in the water tank. No one is allowed to talk to the French without my order."
After saying that, he took the lead in changing into the captain's clothes and slid along the raft to the first floor, jumped on the fire truck and started the engine, pressing the horn in his hand to urge the temporary subordinates who had not yet come downstairs.
The engineers and soldiers under the garrison headquarters are all professional soldiers with strict discipline and proficient military skills. They quickly completed the installation and filled the only three fire trucks with a few people standing on the pedals outside the cab.
"Didi didi~"
After counting the number of people, Zuo Zhong honked the horn again and turned the steering wheel hard, drove the vehicle out of the fire brigade, stepped on the accelerator and headed straight for the concession.
Pretending to be a firefighter was a method the Secret Service had used before in Shanghai. The difference was that last time it was to clear the Japanese defenses in Hongkou, this time it was to infiltrate.
By the time the convoy arrived at the entrance to the concession, the French army had already cleared a passage and was eagerly awaiting their arrival. Zuo Zhong and others even gave a French military salute to express their gratitude.
The firetruck slowly passed through the gate, and then speeded up to the first target - the French Consulate in Jiangcheng. After all, the lives of officials were more valuable than ordinary people.
In fact, the "fireworks" made by the agent named Yu did not contain much combustion-supporting substances. In addition, most French-style buildings were made of concrete or brick structures, so the fire did not cause too much damage to the buildings.
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Under the command of the consulate staff, Zuo Zhong parked his car next to the fire hydrant. The man on the pedal jumped out of the car and connected the water pipe to spray the wooden windows that were burning with flames.
If the basic training courses for military engineers include fire extinguishing and the use of fire-fighting equipment, the fire in the consulate was extinguished in a short time.
After packing up their equipment, the conscientious firefighters had no time to rest and immediately rushed to the second fire scene, handling all the fires before dark.
At this time, the leading troops of the Japanese army were trying to completely clear Wuchang on the other side, and were preparing to cooperate with the Japanese troops in other directions to capture Hanyang and Hankou in one fell swoop.
One of these two places is an industrial center and the other is an economic center. Even though most of the important enterprises have been moved away or destroyed by anti-capitalist sabotage operations, they are still strategic locations.
Some lone Guojun soldiers in the city were unwilling to surrender and put up a tenacious resistance based on the complex terrain. Bright tracer bullets kept flying across the river and finally fell into the water helplessly.
Zuo Zhong, who looked tired, told the accompanying patrol house patrol officer that his brother wanted to stay in the concession for one night and wait for the further development of the situation before deciding whether to leave or stay. The other party readily agreed after asking for instructions.
Talents with professional skills are very welcome in the concession. Today's several fires have awakened the French, and the Gauls finally began to care about their own safety.
After politely seeing off the patrolman, Zuo Zhong whispered to others to stay alert. He walked to the back of the fire truck, lit a cigarette, and drew a circle in the air with his hand.
Not long after, a dark figure silently approached. When he got close, he whispered: "Sir, the fireworks have been released. Francois Huang is waiting for news over there."
Under the dim light, Special Agent Yu blinked his eyes and pointed to a coffee shop in the distance, briefly reporting the situation.
"Yea, very good."
Zuo Zhong glanced at the coffee shop, and then handed over a difficult task to the other party: "I want you to find a way to go to Wuchang on the other side and find Commander Wu and the others at the Dafa Hotel.
Tell him to rush to Baishazhou in the south of Wuchang before 12 o'clock in the evening, wait until three short lights appear on the river, then reply twice with a flashlight, and repeat the order. "
"Yes, go to Dafa Hotel in Wuchang to look for Commander Wu. Let's go to Baishazhou to hide together. Wait for the code to light up. After receiving the code, respond twice."
Being able to become a student in the telecommunications class of the Qingpu special training class, the special agent surnamed Yu naturally has good memory and can repeat the orders effortlessly.
"Very good, go ahead. Call Huang over before you leave. He will be needed for the next mission. You have to be careful. There won't be too many Japanese vanguard troops. Just avoid them in time."
After giving some instructions to the agent named Yu, Zuo Zhong asked him to leave. Now he didn't have many people available. After all, the agent was the future "Emei Peak" and "Deep Sea", and his ability was worthy of trust.
"Sir, Huang is here."
Just as he was thinking about this, François Huang, the banana man, came over with a bow and a nod. He was still so calm after betraying his old club. He was indeed a complete villain.
But villains are easy to control. When their interests are aligned, such people are more reassuring than honest people, Zuo Zhong said with a smile.
"Hello, Mr. Huang, I would like to express my gratitude to you on behalf of the party and the country. The Secret Service will not forget your contribution. Please leave your contact information and someone will contact you then.
One more thing, I want to know how many ships there are in the French shipyard, their specific tonnage and condition, and whether they can light the fire and lift the anchor tonight.
I need to remind you that you must find a good reason when asking, otherwise the national government will not negotiate with the French government for a foreign businessman. Do you understand? "
One thing doesn't bother the two masters. After spending decades in the French Concession, the other party will definitely be able to get information about the shipyard. What's more, he can become a French national in this era. This person must not be underestimated.
Of course, you have to say ugly things first. There is no need to lie when talking to smart people. The other party should know that high returns usually come with high risks.
The fact was just as Zuo Zhong thought. After hearing his request, Francois Huang nodded without any pressure: "Wait for me for five minutes. The designer of the shipyard is a good friend of mine."
The confident Banana Man turned around and walked to a phone booth not far away. He turned his shaker and connected a certain number. Didi Gugu chatted for a long time.
Zuo Zhong didn't let anyone monitor him, because it was meaningless. If the person named Huang really had a problem, there were many ways to cause trouble during the call, so it was better to let the other party act freely.
Two minutes later, François Huang came back excitedly. He looked cheerful and made good progress. As expected, he showed off his merits as soon as he saw Zuo Zhong.
"I found out that there are three ships under repair at the shipyard, a 1-ton small motorboat that is missing parts, and a 20-ton tugboat used in the dock. However, the turbine has malfunctioned and cannot be started.
There is also a new 150-ton Japanese river passenger ship. I think sir, this is what you need. My friend said that as long as a few minor problems are solved, it can set off tonight. "
A new 150-ton passenger ship, or a Japanese ship?
Hearing this news, Zuo Zhong was not happy at all, but a little depressed. If a small ship could be driven by just finding an agent, it would not be so easy for a large ship.
People are needed for driving, people are needed for piloting, and people are needed in the engine room. When sailing in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River with many reefs, any mistake will lead to the destruction of the ship and the death of people.
Maybe he guessed his worries, Francois Huang respectfully told the second news, and the first sentence made Zuo Zhong raise his eyebrows.
"Sir, I confessed to my friend that someone wants to know the information about the shipyard. The price is $1,000, and the information just now is worth $600.
If you need maintenance workers and experienced crew members, I think US$2,000 is a very appropriate figure. The shipyard workers will be happy to work for the national government.
The premise is that they must be forced to work for you under "life-threatening" circumstances. Please understand that there are Japanese guards on the ship and the workers cannot help openly. "
$2,600 for the safety of dozens of demolition squad members, students and scientists? There's no better deal than this.
Zuo Zhong held out a finger pretending to be calm: "10,000, 10,000 yen, I need the ferry to leave before 12 o'clock. If I can do that, these banknotes will be theirs.
After the work is completed, I will give you another 10,000 yen as a reward. Mr. Huang, the government will not treat any meritorious minister badly. There will be more opportunities for cooperation between us in the future. "
In the early 1920s, 1 U.S. dollar could be exchanged for 2 yen. In 1931, the yen was withdrawn from the gold standard and 1 U.S. dollar could be exchanged for 3 yen. Subsequently, the exchange rate between the two parties stabilized at around 3.6 yen per U.S. dollar.
10,000 yen is equivalent to 3,000 US dollars. This is a huge amount of wealth. Francois Huang was trembling with excitement. It was too easy to make money. He made the right choice.
To be honest, assuming that the other party gave him the legal currency of the government, he would still get things done for the sake of big business in the future, but active work and passive work are not the same thing.
The next second, he jumped up and ran towards the phone booth. At the same time, he shouted loudly without looking back: "Don't worry, sir, you will get everything you want."
See, as long as the money is enough, there is no need to worry about the so-called work enthusiasm. Zuo Zhong smiled slightly, Shancheng's "printed matter" has developed to version 3.0, and it is time to try it out.
