Chapter 17: Fourth Master Zhang of the Boatmen

An arms dealer?

The young lady of the Yong family?

Hong Zhiyou was suddenly interested.

Last time he chatted with Anderson, he mentioned that his superior, Colonel Philson, felt there was no money to be made as a soldier.

He was preparing to retire and gather a group of old subordinates to establish an arms company in North America to make a fortune.

Anderson was highly likely to become the person in charge here.

In other words, before the whole country turned red, Hong Zhiyou still had three golden years to rake in money.

If he could catch this wave of immense wealth, he might just take off right where he stood.

The Yong family were favorites during the Beiyang era, but as that era ended and they were ransacked by the previous invaders, they had long since declined.

Of course, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse.

The Yong family was still not to be underestimated in Jinhai; otherwise, Yang Wenquan of the 94th Army would not have pursued the third young lady of the Yong family so bitterly, leading to the later concubine incident.

This was an opportunity.

"Captain Ma, I haven't even cleared the hurdle with the Zhang family yet, and now you want me to provoke another great deity? Even if I were a nine-lived cat demon, it wouldn't be enough to die for," Hong Zhiyou said, waving his hand in refusal.

"Why don't you ask Old Yu?"

"Him?"

"Who knows where he's out chasing flowers and seeking willows right now," Ma Kui sneered.

"Little brother, you're the only one in this station I trust."

"Aren't you some kind of... king of ladies? Go talk to Yong Manzhu and see who she's meeting with."

"I'll apply for a top merit for you later."

Ma Kui said.

"Is the third young lady pretty?" Hong Zhiyou asked.

"Of course." Ma Kui pulled a photo out of his pocket.

Yong Manzhu was indeed a little beauty, and her temperament was not bad either.

"Does she have money?" Hong Zhiyou asked again.

"Money?"

Ma Kui was stunned.

After a long while, he searched his person and pulled out a handful of worthless fiat currency and three silver dollars.

Seeing Hong Zhiyou's mouth twist into a smirk.

Ma Kui scratched his head and laughed: "Little brother, how about this, I'll give you my entire salary when it comes out next month."

"Forget it, who in the station doesn't know you've already spent your salary through next year?"

"I'm off!"

Hong Zhiyou laughed heartily, stood up, and left.

If he wanted to befriend the Yong family, he didn't need to do missions for a pauper like Ma Kui.

"Hey, little brother..."

Ma Kui still wanted to persuade him, but Hong Zhiyou had already walked out.

With nothing to do, he went to the training warehouse.

He practiced his marksmanship for a while, as well as his physical fitness.

When dusk fell, he went to the small house on Hengshan Street to check the funds he had on hand.

He had made quite a few kickbacks these past few times.

He now had over three thousand US dollars, over two hundred silver dollars, and eight gold bars; he was a proper little millionaire.

It was eight o'clock.

He tucked a grenade into his waistband, put on a disguise, and quietly headed to No. 36 Erlong.

That area of old houses was desolate and eerie, the perfect place for a meeting.

When Hong Zhiyou arrived, Xie Ruo was smoking.

"Secretary Hong, you, you finally came."

"This ghost place has rats bigger than cats; if you hadn't come, I would have slipped away." Seeing him, Xie Ruo breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's better to be hidden."

"Long story short, sell this intelligence to Ma Kui."

Hong Zhiyou took out a note and handed it to him.

Xie Ruo shone his flashlight on it, took a look, and frowned:

"Little brother, where did you get this intelligence?"

"Old Xie, is this your first day in this business?"

"This is yours."

Hong Zhiyou counted out five ten-dollar US bills.

"US banknotes... I, I like them."

"But I can't take this; it would smash my rice bowl."

"When you come out to do business, what you need is integrity."

Xie Ruo shook his head and laughed dryly.

"Integrity is worthless in the face of money." Hong Zhiyou added another fifty US dollars.

"Don't worry, Ma Kui won't be able to catch that person."

"Without proof, you're earning this money for nothing," Hong Zhiyou added.

"This won't get anyone killed, will it? I'm on pretty good terms with your Captain Ma," Xie Ruo asked.

"That is not something you need to consider."

"You only need to know that Ma Kui is very poor."

"A pauper has no value to a businessman."

"Unless you want to do charity."

"You and I are the same kind of people, understand?"

Hong Zhiyou sneered and stuffed the banknotes into his jacket pocket.

"Un... understand."

"Little brother has good methods; I like people like you. Let's keep in touch."

Xie Ruo smiled with satisfaction.

As an egoist, he truly loved people like Hong Zhiyou.

"Keep your mouth shut."

"I want to see Ma Kui take action tomorrow night," Hong Zhiyou reminded him.

"Don't worry, no one goes against money."

"I'm off."

Xie Ruo walked into the darkness with his hands in his pockets.

Halfway there, he turned his head and said:

"Did you really sleep with Qiu?"

"What do you think?"

Hong Zhiyou laughed.

"Grass... screw you, you scum!"

Xie Ruo spat a glob of thick phlegm and gradually walked away.

Hong Zhiyou was not worried that he would betray him.

In Xie Ruo's eyes, his behavior was at most internal strife within the Jinhai station.

It wasn't like Yu Zecheng's big-ticket red business, and there was no one like Li Ya to pay a high price to get to the bottom of it.

Hong Zhiyou was in no hurry to return to the station.

Instead, he circled around the Shuitun Prison area.

During that time, he saw a military police convoy and soon heard a series of gunshots.

That was for the execution of traitors.

Someone was bound to have a sleepless night tonight.

The Boatmen's Guild, Zhang family mansion.

In the luxurious Chinese-style hall, the wine and meat were fragrant.

Sitting at the head was Fourth Master Zhang, fat and bald, with a face full of flesh and a pair of long, narrow triangular eyes emitting an aggressive, murderous glare.

There were three others.

The person on the left was wearing a long gown, nearly fifty years old, with foundation on his face and hair combed until it was slick and shiny, emitting the scent of women's cosmetics.

This person was none other than Yang Wenquan, the deputy commander of the 94th Army.

Commander Yang was not good at fighting, but he had a hobby of being particular about his appearance; he believed that a man should be as refined as a woman.

Just like his shirt, it could not tolerate the slightest stain.

Face powder, hair oil, and shoe polish were his daily standard.

Another one was Lu Qiao.

Seated below was Zhang Shao, keeping them company.

"Qiao, you're late today; you must hurry and punish yourself with a drink," Master Zhang Si laughed loudly from the head of the table.

"As I should."

Lu Qiao raised his glass and downed it in one gulp.

Immediately, he proudly began to build up his own capital:

"To tell you the truth, I attended a meeting at the Garrison Headquarters today on behalf of Station Chief Wu."

"Oh?"

Yang Wenquan held his wine glass to his chest and let out a sound of surprise:

"Today was the supreme commander's meeting; General Fu from Beiping sent a special envoy, Commander Chen Zhangjie presided personally, and only those at the level of Army Commander Mou are qualified to attend."

"Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration, Brother Lu?"

The 94th Army had always been at odds with the Jinhai Station, and Yang Wenquan naturally looked down on a dog secret agent like Lu Qiao.

"Officer Yang is right; I originally had no qualifications."

"But I was entrusted by Station Chief Wu," Lu Qiao said with a humble smile.

"Wu Jingzhong is indeed a sensible man; Brother Lu has a boundless future," Yang Wenquan then slightly raised his glass to him in acknowledgment.

Lu Qiao hurriedly raised his glass to drink again: "I am untalented, but I hope for Officer Yang's continued support in the future."

"Haha, good thing."

"Brother Qiao is a fellow townsman of Officer Zheng Jiemin; later on, not to mention becoming the Jinhai Station Chief, even going to Jingling to take charge is just a matter of time."

Master Zhang Si raised his glass and laughed.

"Master Si, please don't mock me; regarding the grain firm matter this time, I, Qiao, botched the job, so I will have another drink," Lu Qiao said.

"Uncle Lu, please don't blame yourself; this is all that little secretary's fault."

"It is also my fault for underestimating that brat, otherwise he would have been drinking tea with the King of Hell by now."

Zhang Shao said coldly.

"Master Si, is the wharf still running smoothly lately?" Yang Wenquan asked.

He had a batch of military supplies on hand, and as a direct subordinate of Jiang, those munitions were all top-tier goods, and he was anxious to transport them out through Master Zhang Si's wharf.

As for whether they were sold to Bai Chongxi, Li Zongren, or the Reds, he didn't care at all; getting the money in hand was what mattered most.

"Officer Yang, rest assured, it will be just these few days," Master Zhang Si said.

This matter was too big.

There were many of Long Er's confidants at the wharf, and Master Zhang Si had to deploy his own people, so the transfer was a bit slow.

"Better be quick."

"Hmm." Yang Wenquan lifted his chin and let out a "humph."

Zhang Shao very tactfully took a small box and pushed it in front of Lu Qiao:

"Director Lu, right now Boss Dai and the Inspection Division of the Garrison Headquarters are watching us very closely; I hope you will provide more support if there is any news from the Jinhai Station."

"Understood." Lu Qiao opened it to take a look.

Several gleaming gold bars were inside, and he accepted them happily on the spot.

"By the way, the guns in the north of the city should be ringing soon, right?"

"Shao, make a call to the Shuitun Prison and ask, has Long Er been executed?"

After another round of drinks, Master Zhang Si remembered this major event.

Although Long Er was the number two figure in the Cao Gang, he had always been loyal and had a high reputation within the Cao Gang.

If this person did not die, he and his son would not be able to sleep or eat in peace.

"Alright."

Zhang Shao stood up and made the call.

After hanging up the phone, he shouted angrily:

"Father, Long Er has escaped!"

(End of this chapter)