Chapter 392: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 402: Drive Down the Price of the Bonds!

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Provincial Government Office Building, Kong Lingda led a squad of bank guards in without obstruction.

Inside the Provincial Chairman's Office, Jiang Dingwen beamed with joy upon seeing Kong Lingda.

"What heavy snow! Auspicious snow promises a bountiful year—this is truly a great omen."

Kong Lingda took out a latest document and said:

"The Ministry of Finance and the Four Major Banks have jointly decided to roll out the National Salvation Bonds bearing the Youth Army's image across Henan South. The second batch of bonds issued to Henan South has a total face value of seven million legal tender!"

"If the response is good afterward, there will be a third batch!"

"Auspicious snow promises a bountiful year; this snow comes at just the right time!"

Jiang Dingwen was overjoyed.

These National Salvation Bonds printed with the Youth Army's image had received a very good response in the small-scale pilot in Xinyang.

People from all walks of life contributed funds to buy the National Salvation Bonds, and under the deliberate promotion of capital, the price of the bonds was driven higher and higher.

"The Youth Army can fight, especially after the Huangchuan Great Battle, the people of Henan South strongly support the Youth Army, and this special bond is indeed very popular in the market."

"The transaction price has far exceeded the face value; the value of these bonds far exceeds the value of gold!"

Jiang Dingwen finished speaking, walked back to the sofa and sat down, picked up the warm tea, and took a light sip.

Kong Lingda nodded: "This is a good thing! The sale of bonds directly relates to the raising of military funds for the frontline."

"We in the middle can earn some hardship fees as a matter of course, and Chairman Jiang's share is naturally indispensable."

Jiang Dingwen knew clearly in his heart that although these bonds were issued by the central government, by the time they reached the banks they were already second-hand.

The Kong Family and the Song Family had already acquired all the bonds at the original price; circulating them in Henan South, they would sell them off at high prices through speculation.

Investors were enthusiastic, understanding in their hearts that this was a game of passing the flower while beating the drum; relying on speculating on the special significance of the Youth Army, the price of the bonds continued to rise.

As long as one was not the last person holding the bonds, there would be no loss.

Right now the first batch of National Salvation Bonds had just finished small-scale pilot testing, and the second batch of bonds arrived on a large scale.

Choosing to sell this batch of special bonds in Henan South: first, the Youth Army was stationed in various counties of Henan South, and the Youth Army image printed on the bonds could cause investors to confuse them, consuming the credit of Lv Muzhi and the Youth Army;

second, Lady Song joined forces with the Kong Family, hoping to use this batch of bonds to plunder the wealth of Henan South and suppress Lv Muzhi's economic power in Henan South.

And Jiang Dingwen, as Chairman of Henan Province, promoting bonds was not only his duty but also a task Lady Song privately entrusted to him.

As long as he was willing to listen and obey, his own pocket could also make a big haul.

"Manager Kong, rest assured; in a couple of days I will hold a celebrity banquet at the provincial government."

"I will, in my capacity as Provincial Chairman, summon all chamber of commerce presidents and gentry magnates of Henan South to take the lead in subscribing."

"I cannot decide the matter of grain requisition, but as for this bond matter, as long as I, Jiang, open my mouth, on this ground of Xinyang, no one has dared not to give me face."

"Mindful of the Song Family and the Kong Family, I think Lv Weiyue would not dare to directly flip the table either!"

Kong Lingda was about to raise a cup to celebrate, but the office door was pushed open by someone.

Jiang Dingwen's confidential secretary ran in drenched in sweat, holding a freshly copied notice in his hand.

"Chairman, not good! Look at this!"

Immediately after, Kong Lingda's assistant also rushed in, holding a newspaper in his hand.

"Manager! Big trouble!"

Jiang Dingwen furrowed his brow, took the notice from the secretary's hand, and after only one glance, his complexion was as if his mother had died.

"Damn it! How did so many fake bonds circulate in the market! What audacity!"

Kong Lingda stared at the front-page headline on the newspaper and likewise felt that things were not good.

This newspaper was entirely bearish news targeting the bonds!

Zhengzhou, Youth Corps Headquarters.

Qiu Qingquan wanted to light another cigar, but Lv Muzhi stopped him.

"Don't smoke anymore, Yuan'an. I've been smelling your secondhand smoke all day."

Qiu Qingquan gave an embarrassed smile and held the cigar lightly in his hand.

"Those National Salvation Bonds printed with our Youth Army's image are simply consuming the people's enthusiasm for resisting Japan."

"Now the price of these bonds is rising higher and higher, absorbing a large amount of private wealth."

Lv Muzhi opened the window for ventilation: "These National Salvation Bonds, according to my firsthand information, were long ago intercepted at the original price by the Kong Family's capital."

"They control the banks, then find a few agents, a few shills, to hype it up and drive the bond price up."

"Selling all the bonds at a price far above the original price to make a killing—this is the Kong couple's old trick."

"Back in 1937, this trick was used once."

"Now they want to ride on my Youth Army's popularity, printing my soldiers on the bonds, and pull the same old trick again."

Qiu Qingquan walked to the window and said: "Although the Kong Family and the Song Family bought this batch of bonds at the original price, they did indeed raise the money that should be raised for the national treasury. Do we really have to move against them?"

Lv Muzhi did not hesitate: "Of course. These special bonds with a face value of less than ten million are of no help to this war at all; they are entirely a tool for them to amass wealth within their own capabilities!"

"Moreover, these bonds are only promoted in Henan South; speculating on these bonds without any bottom line, scraping the people's fat and grease, ultimately damages our Youth Army's reputation. We must strike with a heavy hand!"

Qiu Qingquan closed the window and said softly: "We already have a full set of templates and can print a large number of fake bonds, almost indistinguishable from real ones. How many should we print this time?"

Lv Muzhi slammed the table: "Print another ten million! Let them flow into the market and completely smash the price of the real bonds, smash it to pieces!"

Central Square of Xinyang City.

Although heavy snow was falling from the sky, the square was packed with citizens and reporters summoned by the military police.

Chen Minren stood on the tall temporary lectern, with a megaphone placed before him.

"Elders and fellow villagers, friends from the press, I am Xinyang Commissioner and Commander of the Military Police Corps of the Youth Corps, Chen Minren."

"Today, on behalf of the Youth Corps Headquarters, I issue an emergency notice to the entire province."

"Recently, our forces have seized a large number of forged 'National Salvation Bonds' bearing the images of our Youth Army soldiers in Xinyang, Huangchuan, and other places."

Chen Minren raised a counterfeit bond sample marked with a red cross and displayed it to the crowd below.

"These counterfeit bonds are so well-made they are indistinguishable from the real thing; they have seriously harmed the financial order of Henan South and consumed the patriotic enthusiasm of patriots without any bottom line!"

"To prevent losses from expanding, effective today, the Military Police Command will suspend the circulation and trading of such public bonds in the Henan South market!"

The commoners and merchants below instantly erupted into an uproar, their chatter drowning out the sound of wind and snow.

"What? Public bonds can be fake too? What about the ones we bought earlier?"

"The gendarmerie says they can't be sold anymore, so aren't they just stuck in my hands?"

"Good thing I'm a poor ghost with no money to buy any!"

"Haha! Me too—only a few people managed to buy any, and they were all thinking of getting rich!"