Chapter 59

Li Chang, Zheng Hai!

Two names popped out one after the other; Chen Yonggui quickly pulled Tang Wen out the door, fearing someone might act out of desperation.

At this moment, Tang Yi arrived with the factory protection team; seeing the situation, he immediately rushed in, and seven or eight people instantly surrounded everyone inside.

"What are you doing? What are you doing!"

Chen Ming, reacting instinctively, retreated straight to the corner, quickly pulled out his mobile phone, ready to call the police at any moment.

Just kidding; being surrounded on someone else's turf, what else is there to do but call the public security?

With so many people, having weapons is useless!

Wang Hu was also startled; seeing the factory protection team with fierce, fire-spitting eyes, he kept saying:

"Misunderstanding, we are here to buy boats; is there some misunderstanding!"

As he spoke, he quickly stopped several underlings who wanted to pull out knives, fearing he might provoke the other side.

He had just seen clearly: the spot Tang Wen touched protruded a large lump, while Tang Feng now had both hands in his wide pockets, gripping two metal objects that were already pressing out against the fabric.

Damn it, he had originally planned to see how things went and show some skills, to see if he could take these few boats without spending money; who knew the people at this boatyard were so sinister.

Damn, this is against the rules!

We are the Hai Sai Society; the ones standing there should be us!

"Don't move; you are all with Zheng Hai, right?"

Tang Wen stood at the doorway, coldly questioning those inside.

Both groups immediately realized Zheng Hai was the cause of all this and quickly began to distance themselves.

"We don't know Zheng Hai; we are just here to buy boats!"

"I am not with him; he owes me money and won't pay back; I am looking for him everywhere!"

Both sides desperately explained; the chaotic accents gave Tang Wen a headache; he decisively pointed at Chen Ming and said:

"You speak first."

Chen Ming finally breathed a sigh of relief, quickly pointing at the receipt and saying:

"Li Chang sold the boat he ordered to us; the remaining payment of three hundred thousand is also here; we are just here to pay.

If you don't believe it, I can make a phone call; Li Chang will speak to you personally. As for Zheng Hai, I don't know him; whatever he does has nothing to do with us."

After listening, Tang Wen said nothing, but signaled Wang Hu.

The latter did not answer Tang Wen immediately; instead, he first looked at Chen Ming with surprise, then said with a cold sneer:

"Li Chang? He dares to sell these few boats? He has the authority to make this decision?

What a coincidence; I also have a receipt here, also for those four boats, and the total price is also six hundred thousand."

Wang Hu also pulled a receipt from his leather bag and handed it to the nearest Tang Feng.

The latter took it and immediately gave it to Tang Wen.

Tang Wen looked at another receipt; the content read: Zheng Hai, due to capital turnover needs, pledged the four speedboats ordered at Gaijin Shipyard to Wang Hu, valued at one hundred fifty thousand; if the speedboats are not repaid within the deadline, they shall belong to Wang Hu.

The repayment time on it had already passed; according to the agreement, they indeed should belong to Wang Hu.

Tang Wen thought silently that Zheng Hai's business must have failed, and he urgently needed money, so he turned to Wang Hu for a loan.

That red Santana must be the same; it too had been pledged.

It is just that those funds probably encountered some accident, so Zheng Hai acted out of desperation to kidnap Tang Wen.

However... Tang Wen had no mind to get involved in these rotten matters.

Wang Hu must just be a loan shark; Chen Ming might be a peer.

"Sorry; the buyer on the receipt is Li Chang; Zheng Hai's signature is useless."

Tang Wen finished speaking to Wang Hu first, ignoring the latter's grim face, then looked at Chen Ming:

"The remaining payment for these four boats is still three hundred thousand; after you pay, take them away immediately; we will not do this boat business anymore."

Chen Ming breathed a huge sigh of relief and quickly said:

"The money is in the car; the truck is already prepared; I will give you contact information."

"Wait, this is not appropriate!"

Wang Hu suddenly panicked; fifteen hundred thousand was money he had truly paid out; it was not a small sum for him.

Moreover, he had prepared to take over these four boats and step into the big flying boat business!

"Boss Tang, you know Zheng Hai; you know the money came from him; Li Chang is just a lackey; how can he make decisions for Boss Zheng?

Now Zheng Hai cannot be contacted for the moment, but I dare guarantee only he can make the decision to sell the boats; no one else counts!

This outsider must have stolen or robbed that receipt; when Boss Zheng finds him, he will settle the score.

Listen to me, Boss Tang; I will also pay the full thirty thousand remaining payment without a single cent missing; moreover, I run a venue in E City; in the future, for eating, singing, and massage, just arrange it; older brother will absolutely make sure the young ladies serve you well!

Make friends with me, Wang Hu; in the future, you can talk on both the black and white sides; you will absolutely not lose out!"

Cannot be contacted? Zheng Hai is currently performing Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea!

It seems Wang Hu also does not know Zheng Hai has already had deep communication with sharks; he still thinks bringing him up is useful.

Tang Wen said in a deep voice:

"Sorry; I do not know any Boss Zheng; I only act according to the receipt.

Mr. Wang, if you have nothing else, you may leave first; for your receipt, please negotiate with Mr. Zheng; Gaijin Shipyard does not know this person."

Seeing Tang Wen was impervious to persuasion, Wang Hu became even more anxious in his heart.

He absolutely would not let go of the boats; these past few days he had also inquired; Li Chang bought these four speedboats for six hundred thousand, which was a huge bargain.

Those 250-horsepower motors; overseas distributors directly demand over seventy or eighty thousand; if he re-equips them himself, the price will fluctuate by several hundred thousand.

"Boss Tang, Boss Tang!"

Wang Hu wanted to step forward and get closer, but was blocked by the factory protection team; he could only speak from several meters away:

"I won't hide it from you; that rascal Zheng Hai ran off owing a huge sum of money. Before he left, he pledged everything to me, including these few boats."

"Li Chang must have run off with him. Doing this behind his big brother's back means he'll get three knives and six holes."

"Here's the deal: I'll give you four hundred thousand. Since that's an extra hundred thousand, give me these four boats. If you ever need help in the future, just say the word, and I guarantee I won't even blink."

"I need the boats urgently too, so I can use them and come back to order more from you later!"

Wang Hu's voice was loud, and the room wasn't big, so Chen Ming and Song Haoxiang nearby heard every word clearly.

Now they finally understood completely: Wang Hu intended to run the same business, which was why he absolutely had to have these few boats.

Under the very nose of the Anti-Smuggling Bureau, could they possibly let them get their hands on them?

But they couldn't reveal their identities; in Tang Wen's eyes, they were probably just the same kind of people as Wang Hu, dogs fighting dogs.

There was definitely no way to add more money; the Anti-Smuggling Bureau's budget required approval from the big shots, so how could he have the authority to raise the price?

Chen Ming could only retort:

"Boss Tang, doing business requires integrity; Li Chang truly sold these to us."

Hearing this, Wang Hu found it completely weak and immediately laughed:

"If you can't pay, stop wasting words. Boss Tang is also in business; the more money, the better, right?"

Under his expectant gaze, Tang Wen said calmly:

"Sorry, we only recognize receipts. Do you have anything else to say?"

Seeing that Tang Wen was completely unmoved, Wang Hu could only give up helplessly.

However, looking at Chen Ming, who still carried a hint of mockery, he curled a cold smile and made a provocative gesture.

If he couldn't get a bunch of outsiders to take these boats out, he'd been wasting his time for all these years.

"Then I won't disturb Boss Tang anymore; we'll meet again in the future."

Wang Hu clasped his fists in greeting, and Tang Wen simply stepped aside to let a path through, allowing the four of them to pass and leave.

Tang Yi watched them get into the car and leave; at that moment, Chen Yonggui suddenly said:

"From now on, no vehicles we don't recognize are allowed into the village; only I and Little Tang can give the nod."

"Let's go; I'll take you to see the boats."

Tang Wen didn't plan to interact further with the tax-free officers, but since they had paid, he still had to let them inspect the goods, so he led the two of them to see the boats.

Four speedboats parked in an open space took up room; it was better to get them moved out early.

The cold attitude actually made Chen Ming feel somewhat reassured; it seemed this boatyard boss disliked contact with gangs, and perhaps he had suffered losses in the past.

It was just that Tang Wen and everyone else were very guarded, making it difficult for him to try to get close.

Chen Ming sized up the boatyard and saw an area enclosed by barriers several meters high, so he asked curiously.

Tang Wen glanced over; that was exactly the direction of the shipyard, and it had been disguised to some extent.

But he just brushed the two of them off with a single phrase, "trade secrets," and then quickened his pace.

When Chen Ming and the rookie saw the densely packed engines behind the neatly arranged row of speedboats, they immediately stepped forward to observe carefully.

Confirming they were the same model as the ones seen during the previous pursuit, the two exchanged glances and felt relieved.

Four boats with sixteen high-horsepower engines; getting them for three hundred thousand was a huge profit.

Moreover, it seemed four engines weren't even the limit; these speedboats could probably hold up to six engines, outputting fifteen hundred horsepower.

As long as they were brought back to the Anti-Smuggling Team, there would be no boat they couldn't catch!

"Great, this is the one!"

After confirming the boats were all fine, Chen Ming immediately handed over the cash he had brought; for convenience, he had specifically exchanged it for Renminbi.

"Do you have a counterfeit detector? You can take it to the bank to count."

"No need."

Three hundred thousand wasn't a lot; Tang Wen picked up the bag with one hand and went to the office, and while alone, immediately deposited it all into the system, turning it into silver coins.

If the system also accepted counterfeit money, he might have been even happier.

After writing the receipt for the final payment, Chen Ming happily made a phone call, then left while it was still not yet dark.

"Leaving already?"

Chen Yonggui was somewhat surprised; he had followed and watched the entire process.

"I also know a bit about that man surnamed Wang; these four boats probably won't be transported out safely."

Tang Wen, expressionless, said calmly:

"That's their business; Gai Jin is only responsible for quality issues; the rest is not under our jurisdiction."

"Rest assured, in Dawan Village, those people can't stir up any waves."

Chen Yonggui understood Tang Wen's intention not to get involved further and immediately expressed his support.

As long as they were in the village, even villagers wielding iron forks could keep those scum completely in check.

"Boss, Boss!"

Just as the two were talking, Hu Li ran over hurriedly holding a leather-bound notebook, and before she could even stand steady, she asked:

"Boss, where is the money we just collected?"

"I put it away; what's wrong?"

Tang Wen was somewhat surprised; after Hu Li took a week off, she had directly found a place to live in the village and then began sorting out Gai Jin Shipyard's financial situation.

Although the shipyard had only had one proper business deal until now, the financial situation could be described as a complete mess.

The most obvious problem was the unclear distinction between public and private accounts; Tang Wen's exchange of silver coins, boat construction, and daily shipyard expenditures had overly chaotic fund categories, and many funds had disappeared unclearly.

Although the shipyard was Tang Wen's sole proprietorship, the funds obtained by the company were not equivalent to his personal property; mixing them was embezzlement of public funds.

Normally, if Tang Wen took shipyard funds, he would have to pay a 20% shareholder dividend tax; if he wanted to avoid paying tax, the common method was to borrow from the shipyard in his personal name to be tax-exempt.

If it were for purchasing items like cars, it would be simpler to register them directly under the shipyard's name, a common tax-avoidance method.

Although this practice became commonplace among small bosses decades later and is now ignored by all, to justify her salary, Hu Li still exerted every effort to clarify the fund allocation details and clean up her boss's mess.

Hearing that the remaining three hundred thousand in final payment had again been disposed of by Tang Wen on his own, Hu Li said nothing, merely making a note in her notebook and stating:

"Then these four small boats cannot be registered under the shipyard. No contract was signed back then; let's just pretend they don't exist."

Hu Li did not intend to pursue the shipyard's chaotic accounts to the bottom; her goal was simply to make the accounts appear reasonable.

Tang Wen was well aware of this, but even if he wanted to be more rule-abiding, he couldn't—after all, the shipyard's raw materials, the source of the steel, could not be openly stated, and the deficit was terrifyingly large.

However... at least strict scrutiny of this wouldn't begin for over a decade; for now, let's just consider it a small regret of the era.

Seeing Hu Li so responsible, Tang Wen couldn't help but say:

"You can also introduce some colleagues here. I don't care about their background; I only require solid capability, and salaries will be given the highest treatment."

"There are plenty of people for that."

Hu Li's resignation news caused quite a stir at the bank; a specialist manager who had just been promoted with a promising future suddenly abandoned her job to go to a small private factory, and many people were inquiring about the reason.

Many friends who were dissatisfied with their own workplaces kept asking her if there was any channel available.

Thinking of this, Hu Li remembered one thing: the deputy branch manager Zhang's brother-in-law had heard of Tang Wen's "seeking talent" news and had already rushed down from the north; he might arrive in E City soon.

Deputy Branch Manager Zhang had also spoken some good words through Hu Li; his brother-in-law was a dual talent in technology and management and had previously worked in the ship-related industry.

Tang Wen didn't have much reaction; no one would interfere with the shipyard, and all recruited outsiders were in shell companies, with professional capability being secondary.

"Little Tang, Boss Tang!"

The next day, after learning that the Dawan Village road had started construction and that a port had been built in silence, Yang Tai drove over in his 212.

He even went with Chen Yonggui to Dawan to take a look at the emerging port first, then happily found Tang Wen at the shipyard.

"Your actions are truly fast; you must have been planning this for a long time?

If I may say, putting aside everything else, Little Tang's execution is top-notch; he acts immediately without any delay!"

Yang Tai had originally thought that the tourism village project, after going through levels of approval for formal construction, would take at least one or two months, with operations starting next year.

Who knew Tang Wen had already rushed to launch it in a hurry, somewhat meaning to act first and report later.

However, he didn't care; instead, he felt happy for Tang Wen's boldness.

The township head's praise pleased Tang Wen greatly, and at the same time, he couldn't help but sigh at the wild style of conduct in this era, truly called wild growth.

However, since Yang Tai came to the shipyard, he hadn't forgotten his underlying main purpose.

These past few days, he had been coordinating the procedures for various projects in Dawan Village everywhere, having no time to come see the airplane Tang Wen collected.

Tang Wen was also well aware of this and immediately took the two of them to the warehouse.

The previous excuse of maintenance was, of course, just an excuse; the Wildcat with its weapons removed was in excellent condition, and with fuel, it could fly immediately.

When the warehouse door opened, what met the eyes was a brand-new F4F Wildcat fighter.

The blue skin hadn't lost a single patch of paint; the surface of the huge three-bladed propeller shimmered with metallic light, and the tail still bore the squadron flag of the Hornet.

As a carrier-based fighter capable of suppressing the Zero, the F4F adopted an all-metal structure, and the fuselage had been specially reinforced; the short, stout fuselage possessed a full sense of power.

Yang Tai was shocked at first glance; compared to the Sishichu trainer he had flown, which was as old as old could be, the F4F was literally heaven and earth.

Getting close to inspect the skin and metal rivets, it looked brand new as if it had just left the factory; how could it be a collection of old items that had experienced more than half a century?

He quickly stepped onto the wing to climb onto the fuselage and easily pushed open the cockpit.

The layout inside the cockpit was authentic World War II style; the chrome metal rings of various instruments showed not a speck of rust, and even the control stick showed no traces of long-term use by a pilot.

For a collected airplane to reach this state, it was obviously subjected to extremely meticulous maintenance and refurbishment, looking as if it could take off immediately!