Chapter 17: Fourth Master Zhang of the Cao Gang

An arms dealer?

The young lady of the Yong family?

Hong Zhiyou was instantly interested.

During a casual chat with Anderson last time, he mentioned that his superior, Colonel Philson, felt there was no money to be made as a common 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, as long as the country didn't turn 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 popular figures during the Beiyang era, but as that era came to an end and they were ransacked by the Japanese devils, they had long since declined.

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

The Yong family still couldn't be underestimated in Jinhai; otherwise, Yang Wenquan of the 94th Army wouldn't have bitterly pursued the third young lady of the Yong family, leading to the later concubine incident.

This was an opportunity.

"Captain Ma, I haven't even cleared the hurdle of the Zhang family yet, and now you want me to provoke another great god? 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.

"How about you go find Old Yu?"

"Him?"

"Who knows where he's off chasing flowers and willow branches 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 artillery? Go have a romance with Yong Manzhu and see who she makes contact 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 took a photo out of his pocket.

Yong Manzhu was indeed a little beauty, and her temperament wasn't bad either.

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

"Money?"

Ma Kui was stunned.

After a long while, he searched himself and found a handful of worthless legal tender and three silver dollars.

Seeing Hong Zhiyou's mouth twist up.

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

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

"I'm off!"

Hong Zhiyou laughed heartily, stood up, and left.

He wanted to befriend the Yong family, but he didn't need to do tasks 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 on hand.

He had made quite a few kickbacks recently.

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

By eight o'clock.

He tucked a grenade into his waistband, put on a disguise, and quietly headed toward No. 36, Second Alley.

That area of old houses was desolate and eerie, making it a perfect place for a rendezvous.

When Hong Zhiyou arrived, Xie Ruolin 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 Ruolin breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's good to be hidden."

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

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

Xie Ruolin shone his flashlight on it, frowned, and said:

"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 Ruolin 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'll earn this money for nothing." Hong Zhiyou added.

"This won't cost any lives, will it? I'm on pretty good terms with your Captain Ma." Xie Ruolin asked.

"That's not something you need to consider."

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

"To a businessman, a pauper has no value."

"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.

"I... understand."

"Little brother, good methods. I like people like you; let's have more dealings in the future."

Xie Ruolin smiled with satisfaction.

As a solipsist, 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 Ruolin put his hands in his pockets and walked into the darkness.

Halfway through, he turned his head and said:

"Did you really sleep with Qiu?"

"Guess?"

Hong Zhiyou laughed.

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

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

Hong Zhiyou wasn't worried that he would betray him.

In Xie Ruolin's eyes, his actions at most counted as internal strife within the Jinhai Station.

It wasn't like Yu Zecheng's big business with the red tickets, nor would anyone like Li Ya come to pay a high price to get to the bottom of it.

Hong Zhiyou didn't rush back to the station.

Instead, he took a detour around the Shui Tun Prison.

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

That was for the execution of traitors.

Someone wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.

Cao Gang, Zhang family mansion.

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

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

There were three others.

On the left was a man in a long gown, nearly fifty, his face powdered, his hair combed slick and shiny, and he exuded the scent of women's cosmetics.

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

Commander Yang wasn't good at fighting, but he had a quirk of being particular about his appearance; he believed men should be as refined as women.

Just like his shirt, it couldn't have a single stain.

Cosmetics, hair oil, and shoe polish were his daily standard.

Another was Lu Qiaoshan.

Below, Zhang Shao was keeping them company.

"Qiaoshan, you're late today; you'd better punish yourself with a drink." Fourth Master Zhang at the head laughed loudly.

"As I should."

Lu Qiaoshan raised his glass and drank it in one gulp.

Immediately, he proudly fished for capital for himself:

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

"Oh?"

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

"Today was a meeting for the highest-ranking officers; Special Envoy from Beiping was sent by Commander Fu, and Commander Chen Zhangjie presided over it personally. Only someone of Commander Mou's level is qualified to attend."

"Little brother Lu, aren't you talking a bit big?"

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 Qiaoshan.

"Commander Yang is right, I wasn't qualified."

"But I was entrusted by Station Master Wu." Lu Qiaoshan smiled humbly.

"Wu Jingzhong is a sensible man; little brother Lu has a bright future." Yang Wenquan then slightly raised his glass to him.

Lu Qiaoshan hurriedly raised his glass and drank again: "I am untalented, but I hope for Commander Yang's continued care in the future."

"Haha, good thing."

"Little brother Qiaoshan is a fellow townsman of Commander Zheng Jiemin; in the future, let alone being the Jinhai Station Master, even sitting in command in Jingling is just around the corner."

Fourth Master Zhang raised his glass and laughed.

"Fourth Master, don't mock me; regarding the grain shop matter this time, I, Qiaoshan, botched the job, so I'll have another drink." Lu Qiaoshan said.

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

"It's also my fault for underestimating that kid; otherwise, he'd be drinking tea with the King of Hell by now."

Zhang Shao said coldly.

"Fourth Master, is the pier still running smoothly recently?" Yang Wenquan asked.

He had a batch of military supplies on hand, and as a direct descendant of Jiang, those arms were all top-notch goods, and he was anxious to transport them out through Fourth Master Zhang's pier.

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

"Commander Yang, don't worry, it'll be just these few days." Fourth Master Zhang said.

This matter was too big.

There were quite a few of Long Er's confidants at the pier, and Fourth Master Zhang had to mobilize his own people, so the transfer was a bit slow.

"Better be quick."

"Hmm." Yang Wenquan lifted his chin and "hummed."

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

"Director Lu, right now Boss Dai and the Inspection Office of the Garrison Headquarters are watching us very closely; I hope for your continued care regarding news from the Jinhai Station."

"Understood." Lu Qiaoshan opened it and took a look.

Several gleaming gold bars, he immediately accepted them with joy.

"By the way, the guns in the north of the city should have sounded by now."

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

After another round of drinking, Fourth Master Zhang remembered this major event.

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

If this person didn't die, he and his son wouldn't be able to eat or sleep in peace.

"Okay."

Zhang Shao stood up and made a call.

After hanging up, he shouted angrily:

"Father, Long Er has escaped!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 18 =====