Compared with the string of numbers in the bank account, the same amount of cash has a stronger impact on people. Ozawa Chuan and Wang Duzhai looked at the yen in the box in a daze.
Especially Ozawa, he thought he had seen a lot of the world, but when faced with such a large amount of money, his throat still tightened, his breathing became rapid, and his eyes tended to turn red.
As the son of an ordinary small businessman, he stood out from millions of his peers and went through all kinds of hardships to enter the Naval Academy. But so what?
Because he had no background, while other classmates were assigned to cruisers, battleships, and aircraft carriers, he was assigned to the river troops, wasting time and life in a small place like Anqing.
Not only did he have no military exploits, but he was also unable to help his family who was in bankruptcy due to the financial crisis. The dignified major could not even afford to pay for his drinks and became a laughing stock in the navy.
Ozawa subconsciously reached out and touched the suitcase. With this money, his life would undergo earth-shaking changes, and he would never have to worry about money again.
But the moment he touched the banknote, he suddenly withdrew his hand as if bitten by a poisonous snake. The more money he gave, the greater the risk. He still knew this truth.
Does the other party really want to transport contraband to the Kuomintang-controlled area? If this kind of thing is leaked, the participants will be punished by military law. Is it really worth taking this risk for money?
After a long time, Ozawakawa forced himself to turn his head, his eyes regained some clarity, he looked at Zuo Zhong and said, rejecting this huge wealth.
"Nan Jiajun, I will not betray the empire. Please take the money back. I will treat it as if nothing has happened. Today we are just a simple gathering of fellow villagers."
Reason temporarily defeated greed. Ozawa knew that there was no free lunch in this world. Once he took the other person's money, there was no turning back.
"Hahaha, Ozawa-kun, these are just trivial matters."
Zuo Zhong waved his hand, seemingly not paying attention to the money in the box at all. He looked at Wang Duzhai, who was still stunned, and then at Ozawa, who looked troubled, and spoke again.
“I like a poem by Li Bai, a poet of the Republic of China. It’s like returning a thousand pieces of gold after it’s gone. It doesn’t matter if friends give each other a little money. Money is nothing more than a number to me now, but it’s hard to find a true friend.
Mr. Ozawa, let me tell you the truth, I do want to use your way to transport a batch of food to the territory of the Republic of China. This has nothing to do with loyalty. It is not just me, but many people in the empire are involved in this business.
The empire needs wealth, the ministers in the cabinet need wealth, and the aristocrats and plutocrats need wealth. Sometimes things that cannot be obtained through war can be achieved through cooperation. This is how the world operates.
Otherwise, why hasn't shipping from the mountain city to the imperial-occupied areas been completely cut off? This is easy to do, isn't it? There is only one reason. The big shots in the navy and army need this transportation route to exist. "
After giving Ozawa a little capitalist shock, Zuo Zhong patted the suitcase and started adding new chips with a smile.
"These are the rewards for the first cooperation, and there will be more profits in the future. Accepting it means that you are about to enter a new world, and at the same time you can make many friends who cannot be named.
With their help, your promotion and meritorious service will no longer be a fantasy. You can completely catch up with your classmates on Tajima Island and become a rising star in the navy. There should be a place for you in the combined fleet.
On the contrary, you will soon be transferred out of Anqing, and you will also lose your position as commander of the river fleet and enter the reserve force to waste your time. So, Mr. Ozawa, are you willing to accept my friendship? "
Coercion and inducement have always been the most effective way to persuade a person. On one side is money and future, on the other side is suppression and poverty. How will Ozawa, who has received higher education, choose?
After listening to Zuo Zhong's words, Ozawachuan's thoughts were extremely confused for a moment. Personal interests and national interests were put together, which one was more important.
He could hear the threat from the other party. If he hadn't seen the suitcase, he might have laughed it off. How could a businessman comment on the military's personnel transfers?
But the money told him that the other party was fully capable of doing something. After all, who doesn't love money? With current interests, the bureaucrats of the Navy Ministry would never care about the future of a major.
Besides, Minami Kaichiro was transporting food, not military equipment or medicine, so it wasn't too much. Even if someone found out, it could be solved with money and there wouldn't be much trouble.
Countless thoughts collided in Ozawa's mind. After a moment, he stood up directly, pushed off the bench and bowed at a 90-degree angle, answering Zuo Zhong's invitation.
"Thank you Nan Jiajun. I will not be disrespectful. Please rest assured that your food will pass through Anqing unimpeded. My gunboats can escort them to Qicheng."
"Yoshi~ It's a pleasure to cooperate."
Zuo Zhong immediately laughed, stood up and shook hands with Ozawa, and casually drew a few big cakes such as promotion and wealth, and asked the other party to sit down and talk, his attitude was very affectionate.
"Ozawa-kun, please sit down, this money belongs to you now, but I need to remind you that it is not safe to keep so much cash around, and it is easy to be targeted by thieves and robbers.
Not to mention depositing them in the Imperial Bank, as that would be easy for people to seize. You'd better open a secret account in a European and American bank, such as the American Left Ford Bank in Shanghai.
I heard that this bank's customer information is highly confidential. Not only does it have no storage fees, but deposits also earn high interest, and deposits and withdrawals are also very convenient. All you need to do is provide account credentials and passwords. "
With that said, Zuo Zhong closed the small suitcase and pushed it to Ozawakawa, and intimately introduced him to the Zuo family's new industry-Lifford Bank, which was specially used to make accounts and acquire European and American technologies.
Left, well, the name was given by the old man himself. The Zuo family has always been upright in doing things. If they don't change their name, they can't change their surname. At worst, they can just change the brand after "bankruptcy", such as calling it Silicon Valley or something.
This is not fraud. How can there be fraudsters in a capitalist world with perfect laws? At most, it is poor management and insolvency. If you dig deeper, it is your fault.
In short, the banknotes are printed by the military commander himself, and the bank is opened by the Zuo family. This money is equal to the left hand paying the right hand. For the great cause of the party and the country, the Zuo family should work harder. The important thing is loyalty.
Ozawa listened, holding the suitcase tightly in his hands and nodding constantly. As expected of Nan Jiajun, who is rich and wealthy, he is indeed doing things safely. It seems that he will find an opportunity to go to Shanghai.
After the two agreed, Zuo Zhong glanced at Wang Duzhai, who was nodding and bowing, and sneered in his heart, preparing to give this old traitor some benefits. Fishing also requires bait.
He picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said slowly: "Wang Sang, I am a very fair person. Since we are all friends, I also have a favor to ask of you.
This matter can also bring huge benefits to you and your son. I don’t know whether you are willing or not. It doesn’t matter if you don’t agree. Don’t force it. "
"I'm willing! I'm willing! I won't force it."
Wang Duzhai nodded rapidly, perhaps because he felt that just saying this was not sincere enough, so he knelt on the ground again, imitating the Japanese, and asked a soldier to get off his seat to show his loyalty.
This time Zuo Zhong did not get up. "Nan Jiaichiro" could not bear the kneeling of a traitor, and the other party was not qualified to ask him to treat him as a corporal, so he just casually said something to let the old guy get up, and calmly talked about what it was. thing.
"I heard that Wang Sang is recruiting young men for the empire. I happen to have several iron mines outside the Pass. I wonder if you can hand these people over to me. Don't worry, I will handle the opinions of the Kwantung Army and the empire."
Wang Duzhai hesitated for a moment, but soon realized that the workers were not given to anyone. Since the other party was not even afraid of the Kwantung Army, why didn't he agree, so he immediately answered.
"No problem. Wang has recruited more than 800 people now, and they are all at your disposal. They are all farmers with families and families. They are very honest people and will never dare to run away."
This old man was obsessed with pleasing Minami Kaiichiro, and directly put aside the tasks assigned by the Japanese and the puppet government. This is normal, and he cannot become a traitor if he is determined.
Zuo Zhong relied on a meal and a box of waste paper to lay down two chess pieces. The importance of these two chess pieces is still unclear, but when the time comes, they will give the Japanese a heavy blow.
He smiled and praised the old traitor, told the other party to wait for news about him, and was ready to send the workers on the ship at any time. At the same time, he emphasized that Wang Duzhai and his cronies must escort them when the time comes.
The reason is simple. In any case, this kind of thing should not be made public. The person handling it must be reliable. If the matter gets serious, the Japanese and the new government will definitely pursue it for the sake of face.
Wang Duzhai patted his chest and assured that there would be no problem. With a smile on his face, he had begun to imagine that he would become a high official in the new government, and that his son would also be in a high position in Jinmen. He was so happy that his nose was about to burst.
After arranging the arrangements for the traitor Gou, Zuo Zhong made a rough estimate of the distance from Shanghai to Anqing, as well as the inventory of several rice shops in the Shanghai Intelligence Network, and gave a few words of advice to the flattered Ozawa.
"Ozawa-kun, my grain ship will arrive in port in three to four days, and its nominal destination is Anqing. Therefore, after the transportation is completed, I need you to issue a certification document as the commander of the Anqing garrison.
In addition, it is up to you to deal with your subordinates. I think you should have a way to make them believe that they are transporting imperial military supplies rather than smuggled goods. This is also a test for you.
Finally, if there are military affairs during this period that require the use of gunboats, please try to postpone it as late as possible. This matter is related to our first cooperation. There cannot be any accidents. Can it be done? "
Ozawa thought for a moment and nodded affirmatively. As the commander of the navy stationed in Anqing, he had the power to flexibly mobilize the gunboats. If he really couldn't shirk it, he could also use the gunboat malfunction as an excuse.
It was even easier to hide from the dozens of sailors on the two gunboats. The navy was not a group of red deer who dared to talk nonsense. The spirit injection rod would shut up the other party.
Zuo Zhong showed a satisfied smile when he saw this, so everything was ready and all he needed was the east wind. He raised his wine glass again, touched it with Ozawa Chuan and Wang Duzhai, and said energetically.
"Drink this cup to the full and wish us success in our cooperation."
"Hai."
"Smooth cooperation."
(End of chapter)
