Chapter 344: Trust from the Generalissimo

"Good!"

Lin Dingli didn't suspect his big brother and got up to call Luo Youzhang.

"Done!"

"Come, drink!"

Lin Family Village.

This village in the city, which didn't look big, was dilapidated on the outside, and the deep alleys crisscrossing it were like a maze; outsiders who stepped in were highly likely to get lost.

"Old Luo, didn't Brother Li ask us to go to the warehouse to transfer grain?"

"Why, why did we come around to the village?"

Wang Kun sat in the passenger seat, looking confused.

Gu Youniu sat in the back, looking around with curiosity.

"Why ask so much? You'll know when the time comes," Luo Youzhang curled his lips and responded coldly.

The car soon drove into the Lin Family Ancestral Hall.

An old man with white hair and beard, leaning on a cane, was waiting at the entrance of the ancestral hall.

The three of them got out of the car.

The old man asked very vigilantly: "Youzhang, why did you bring strangers?"

"Zaigun had an accident."

"Officer Lin is afraid that if this batch of grain is pressed down any longer, it will cause trouble, so it must be shipped immediately."

"Start the loading."

Luo Youzhang instructed.

"Is the transport team ready?" the old man asked.

"Ready, it's right behind," Luo Youzhang nodded.

"Good!"

"Beat the drum," the old man turned and instructed a strong man behind him.

The strong man walked to the big drum in the ancestral hall, took the drumsticks, and began to beat it.

The originally silent village instantly became lively.

Soon, a black mass of people gathered in front of the ancestral hall.

Gu Youniu and Wang Kun looked at each other.

This ancestral hall wasn't big either; it didn't look like it could hold ten thousand tons of grain.

"Each family, start the grain."

Just as the two were puzzled, the villagers scattered in a rush.

The next scene opened Gu Youniu's eyes.

He saw the strong men of each family carrying out bags of grain and flour from their homes.

Gu Youniu suddenly realized.

It turned out that Lin Dingli and the others hadn't stored the grain in a warehouse at all.

Instead, they had broken it into pieces and distributed it to every household in Lin Family Village.

No wonder Jiang Jianfeng and the others could never find the grain warehouse.

This move was high.

They worked until dawn, and dozens of tons of grain were all loaded onto the cars.

"Old Lin, thank you for your hard work."

"The remaining grain, store it well and wait for the next transport instruction."

Luo Youzhang finished checking the accounts and signing, then climbed into the car, yawning.

"Sigh, when will this end?"

"Thousands, tens of thousands of tons of grain, it won't be finished in a month or so; I won't have a good sleep from now on," Luo Youzhang cursed and gestured for the car to start.

The car drove to the back street.

A group of people blocked the main road in front.

Under the car lights.

The leader was wearing a trench coat, with a cold cigarette dangling from his mouth.

Seeing Luo Youzhang.

The scar on his face danced with his smile.

"Damn it!" Luo Youzhang's heart went cold.

"Who is he?" Wang Kun asked.

"He's the one who killed Third Brother," Luo Youzhang said.

"Damn it."

"How did he know we would transport grain tonight?"

"There are quite a few of us, why don't we..."

Before Wang Kun finished speaking, he saw the crowd part, and Hong Zhiyou, dressed in a white suit, walked out, his gold-rimmed glasses shining under the car lights.

"Hong Zhiyou?" Wang Kun recognized him.

"He is Hong Zhiyou?"

Luo Youzhang was shocked and wisely turned off the car lights.

"Go, let's go meet him."

The three of them got out of the car.

Luo Youzhang made a gang greeting gesture: "Mr. Hong, I heard that you have a deep relationship with Old Zhai in Hong Kong, the Zhigong lineage of Mr. Sancheng overseas, and General Ge Zhaohuang in Yuezhou."

"Since we are all old friends of the Hongmen, we are not outsiders; please, Mr. Hong, show mercy."

"It's not impossible, Master Luo, please," Hong Zhiyou raised his hand and said.

"Master Luo," Wang Kun said in a low voice.

"It's fine."

Luo Youzhang took a breath, calmed his mood, and followed Hong Zhiyou to a deserted corner.

"Master Luo."

"Last night, my people didn't send you on your way together; you are a smart person, you should understand, right?" Hong Zhiyou handed him a cigarette and asked with a smile.

"What do you mean?" Luo Youzhang took it and inhaled on the fire he lit.

"I work for Jiang Jianfeng."

"But I have always been on good terms with the gangs. In the past, I started with the Cao Gang, so I don't want to kill you."

"I have to collect the grain."

"This is Jiang Jianfeng's order; I can't show mercy."

"However, I can loosen up for Master Luo."

"You come back to the Wanbei Station with me, write a guarantee to Comrade Jiang Jianfeng, lock you up for a few days, hand over a few subordinates who don't usually listen to you, and then let your family scrape together some money and find Station Chief Wu to redeem you."

"Of course, you might have to suffer some physical pain."

"What do you think?"

Hong Zhiyou smiled, and waved his hand.

Luo Youzhang understood and handed the cigarette over.

Hong Zhiyou lit the cigarette at his fingertips with the fire, exhaling a faint smoke elegantly:

"You can also choose another path: execute you publicly."

"Jiang Jianfeng failed to 'beat the tigers' in Shanghai."

"He hates hoarding and speculation to the bone; it's impossible for you not to lose a single hair."

"How you choose, you look at it yourself."

"Are you sure you won't sell me out? And execute me together?" Luo Youzhang's face trembled.

"If you really understood me, you wouldn't ask that," Hong Zhiyou said.

Except for Tang Si Mao, whom he secretly betrayed.

The others were all true to their word.

"Fine."

"You help me, what's in it for you?" Luo Youzhang had naturally heard of this "God of Wealth's" reputation, but he was still a bit puzzled.

"I know you Dazhu Gang members eat very well underground."

"Especially at the Keelung wharf, there are quite a few people running private ships."

"I have a good impression of those who run the water."

"Besides, I also have one head on two shoulders; I don't want to risk my life with you for a few cents of salary."

"Giving a rose, the hand has a lingering fragrance."

"In case we have a chance to cooperate, Master Luo won't treat me badly, right?"

Hong Zhiyou laughed.

"You want the Keelung wharf?" Luo Youzhang asked.

"It's not that I want it."

"It's us!"

"Since you like selling rice so much, go back and fix the warehouse at the wharf, build it up."

"I'll take you to play big."

Hong Zhiyou patted him on the shoulder and said.

"Why... why me?" Luo Youzhang didn't expect happiness to come so suddenly.

Although he was a veteran of the Dazhu Gang.

But because it was Lin Dingli who contacted high-ranking officials like Peng Mengji, in the end, he was just a lackey, and in the gang, he was far inferior to Lin Zaigun.

"Eye contact, I guess," Hong Zhiyou thought seriously for a moment and raised his eyebrows to answer.

"When the time comes, the Wanbei Station will interrogate you."

"Remember, don't bite Peng Mengji."

"Insist that Lin Dingli did it."

"And the leaders in the Dazhu Gang, whoever doesn't obey you, report them all, and I will wipe them out for you."

"That way, when you come out, you will be the only one in charge of the Dazhu Gang."

Hong Zhiyou said.

"But won't my reputation stink?" Luo Youzhang's fat face showed a trace of worry.

Mixing in the underworld, the most important thing is a name.

If he is labeled as betraying the gang, even if he sits in the position, it will be hard to convince the crowd.

"You, Luo Fatty, suffered torture without yielding."

"It was Wang Kun and Lin Dingli who exposed you and those people."

"What does it have to do with you?"

Hong Zhiyou asked rhetorically.

"Mr. Hong, today I have finally seen what it means to come from a big place."

"I was shallow."

"Everything is at your arrangement."

Luo Youzhang laughed dryly.

At the same time, he noticed the ring Hong Zhiyou was wearing on his left hand.

The rumors were not false.

This guy really got the ring of Mr. Sancheng from Du Xinwu.

If he could call out in the future, and the money was in place, he would be the true leader of the Hongmen at home and abroad.

"Good."

Hong Zhiyou walked back with him.

"Luo Fatty, since we can't talk it over, don't blame me for being impolite," Hong Zhiyou shouted loudly.

"Hong, this batch of grain was hoarded by me, and it has nothing to do with the brothers. If you want to kill or cut, come at me; if I frown, I won't be surnamed Luo," Luo Fatty shouted knowingly.

"Refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit."

"Comrade Jiang Jianfeng has ordered that anyone who hoards materials will be arrested."

"Someone, arrest them all," Hong Zhiyou raised his hand and shouted.

Swish swish.

Ma Jun, the deputy captain of the Wanbei Station, and his group swarmed up and surrounded Luo Fatty, Wang Kun, and the others.

"Ma Jun, are you crazy, daring to arrest me?" Wang Kun shouted.

"Captain Wang, I'm sorry."

"You are flipping rice here, eating and drinking well every day, while the brothers can't even afford performance pay and rice."

"You walked this path to the end yourself; don't blame us," Ma Jun had long been unhappy and said coldly.

"Dog-raised, you're ruthless."

"Brothers, fight them." Wang Kun drew his gun and roared.

He roared a few times.

He found that everyone was trembling with fear, and no one stepped forward.

"Take them."

Hong Zhiyou bent his index finger, and everyone immediately rushed up and took Wang Kun and the others.

After the people were arrested and taken to the Confidentiality Bureau.

Hong Zhiyou returned to the office and dialed Peng Mengji's phone:

"Officer Peng, you can take action."

Security Command.

Peng Mengji and Lin Dingli drank all night.

By the second half of the night, both of them couldn't hold on and fell asleep on the sofa.

Ding-a-ling.

At dawn, the phone rang.

Both of them sprang up from the sofa almost at the same time.

Peng Mengji cheered himself up and answered quickly:

"It's me."

"Good, I understand."

"Is the shipping finished?" Lin Dingli asked impatiently.

"Mm, the shipping is finished," Peng Mengji nodded.

"That's great."

"If this order is all sold, we should make at least 30,000 or 40,000 US dollars," Lin Dingli said with great joy.

Peng Mengji didn't respond and walked toward the door.

He knew Lin Dingli was a ruthless person, so it was better to hide far away.

At the door, he waved his hand, and the adjutant and several guards rushed into the office with murderous intent.

"Old Peng, what, what do you mean?" Lin Dingli realized something was wrong.

"Brother, hoarding people's livelihood materials is a serious crime."

"Comrade Jiang Jianfeng has ordered that Lin Dingli is suspected of reselling materials and destroying economic order; the evidence is conclusive, and he is to be arrested."

"Take him."

Peng Mengji ordered with an expressionless face.

"Good."

"After all this time, playing this hand with me, wanting to get promoted and make a fortune, selling your brother first, right?" Lin Dingli shouted hatefully.

"The law of the country is ruthless."

"Take care of yourself," Peng Mengji sneered.

The grain market in Wanbei was successfully cleared of traitors.

Jiang Jianfeng immediately ordered the major newspapers to focus on promoting it on the front page.

At the same time, Wang Kun and the others were taken directly to the street for public trial and execution, and a large group of leaders of the Dazhu Gang were arrested, which severely curbed the evil trend of reselling materials, and at the same time, the security in Wanbei became much better.

Half a month later.

Shilin Official Residence.

Jiang Jianfeng walked into the hall with steady steps and high spirits.

The Generalissimo was chatting with the Madam.

"Father, Mother."

Jiang Jianfeng bowed respectfully.

"Sit."

The Generalissimo smiled slightly, his eyes full of approval.

"This grain protection battle in Taiwan was fought very beautifully."

"Now, from north to south in all counties and cities, prices have fallen by nearly two times compared to before, and the people of Taiwan can eat again."

"I think Chen Cheng's land reform is going well."

"As long as prices are stabilized and we survive this hurdle, the economy will stabilize."

"I think that Hong Zhiyou is a talent that can be used; you must reward him, promote him, and use him well!"

The Generalissimo instructed repeatedly.

"Yes."

"This person is indeed learned and talented; the designer of the Grand Hotel, Mr. Yang Zhuocheng, also praised him highly, and he is a good hand at raising investment and sponsorship, helping Lingwei a lot."

"He should be rewarded."

The Madam also laughed warmly.

"Yes, Hong Zhiyou indeed has some talent, and he has always been diligent and attentive in his work."

"His current military rank is Major."

"How about I promote him one level and promote him to Lieutenant Colonel?"

Jiang Jianfeng thought for a while and said.

"No."

"It's too low; that won't keep talent."

"Hong Zhiyou built the hotel and stabilized prices; these are all things that are greatly beneficial to us. If you don't give him a status, it will be hard for him to do big things in the future."

"First, award him a Fourth-Class Cloud Banner Medal, then let the *Central Daily News* blow some wind, let Wu Guozhen and the others publicly promote the importance of economic stability, and commend Hong Zhiyou more at the government level."

"Once he has fame, things will be easier to handle later."

The Generalissimo personally guided him.

"Father, won't it be against the rules?"

"When Zhang Lingfu fought the Battle of De'an, he only received the Fourth-Class."

"Hong Zhiyou is only a Major..."

Jiang Jianfeng was somewhat embarrassed.

"Rules?"

"Rules are set by people. Now people's hearts are restless; those who are loyal may not be capable, and those who are capable may not be loyal."

"Hong Zhiyou has indeed done some good practical things in the past and present."

"It cannot be compared purely with military merit."

"The more it is this time, the more we must promote and reuse loyal and capable people."

"Shen Zui was promoted to Major General Director of the General Affairs Department of the Military Statistics Bureau at the age of 28."

"Hong Zhiyou is also a young talent. Having made contributions in solving major cases this time, he is still a bit short on qualifications for Major General, but Colonel can be arranged completely," the Generalissimo said.

Mentioning Shen Zui, the Madam showed displeasure.

"Yes!"

"Just do as Father instructs," Jiang Jianfeng said.

The three chatted for a while longer.

Seeing that Jiang Jianfeng didn't intend to leave, and the Generalissimo didn't issue an order to evict the guest, the Madam understood and left.

"Sigh."

"I'm afraid Yuezhou can't be held; soon another large group of military and civilians will retreat to the island, and the existing grain is afraid it won't last long."

"The Madam has talked to the Americans about aid."

"Truman's focus is now on Europe and the Ghost Island, and he is very cold to us."

"Just relying on talk, there will be no results in a short time."

"People cannot live without food for a day."

"I think we can no longer hold illusions and should make two preparations."

"It's best if we can get aid."

"If we can't, we must find another way," the Generalissimo said in a low voice.

"Does Father have any high opinions?" Jiang Jianfeng knew that since he said it, he must already have an idea.

"Hong Zhiyou once resold a batch of cheap bullets and firearms from the Ghost Island for Fu Zuoyi."

"You have a good personal relationship with him; let him think of a way to see if he can buy a batch of grain from the Ghost Island at a low price to solve our urgent needs first," the Generalissimo stood up and walked to the balcony.

"Father, it would be more appropriate for the Madam to handle this kind of thing, right?" Jiang Jianfeng said.

"Confused."

"If this matter is handed over to the Kong and Song families, they will definitely collude with the Japanese and Americans to drive up the price and empty our treasury."

"And even if they buy back the grain, it's hard to say how much will be left."

"Will they do some broken things like mixing sand or using rice bran instead of grain?"

"They haven't done it less in the past."

"Every time, they take two scapegoats to take the blame."

"In the past, we were tied hand and foot, and many things could only be turned a blind eye, but now how can we repeat the same mistakes?"

"Isn't the lesson of the loss of the mainland painful enough?"

"Let's just say it: I would rather Hong Zhiyou eat the money than give it to them."

"Do you understand what I mean?"

The Generalissimo's cane struck the floor hard, his eyes full of forbearance and anger.

"Does Father mean that the Madam has mentioned this?" Jiang Jianfeng said in a low voice.

"Of course."

"She wanted Kong Lingkan to come back and be the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, but I rejected it."

"Jiang Jianfeng, you should consider cultivating your own team."

"Especially people like Hong Zhiyou," the Generalissimo said earnestly.

"Father, I can send Hong Zhiyou to try."

"However... to tell you the truth, Hong Zhiyou is very wealthy and has the ability of Fan Li."

"But this is also where I worry."

"I'm afraid he won't return once he goes," Jiang Jianfeng said, filled with worry.

"Isn't Wu Jingzhong still on the island?"

"Using people requires doubt."

"But sometimes you have to be flexible. Whether this can be done is another matter."

"If you don't give him a chance, it will always be empty talk."

"The situation is not up to people; just treat a dead horse as a living horse," the Generalissimo was a bit tired and waved his hand.

"Yes, after I hold a commendation ceremony for him, I will officially put this matter on the agenda," Jiang Jianfeng took the order and left.

Three days later.

Bashengyuan, conference hall.

After awarding the medal and granting the rank of Colonel, Jiang Jianfeng called Hong Zhiyou to his office and mentioned the matter of going to the Ghost Island to transport grain.

"Director, is it... is it really me that the Generalissimo personally appointed?"

Hong Zhiyou pretended to be extremely excited and in awe.

"Mm."

"Father originally wanted to promote you to Major General, but your qualifications are still shallow, and besides, you already have a resume of three jumps in a row, so I'm afraid it will be hard to convince the public if you jump three more levels."

"He truly values you."

"However, after you return this time, I will definitely ask for credit for you."

"After another two or three years, it will be justified to promote you to Major General," Jiang Jianfeng said straightly.

"Your subordinate thanks the Generalissimo and the Director for their cultivation; in this life, I will definitely concentrate my will to defend the leader and be loyal to the Party and State," Hong Zhiyou swore and bowed.

Seeing his eyes red and his body trembling, Jiang Jianfeng nodded with great satisfaction:

"Handle the errand well."

"I will greet Station Chief Wu, and you will set off for the Ghost Island tomorrow."

"Remember, go secretly."

"The Kong family is also watching this matter. If you go to the Japanese side, I'm afraid they won't stop playing tricks."

"Don't be careless."

"If you need manpower, just speak up."

"Director, too many people will be bad; I can arrange it myself," Hong Zhiyou said.

"Fine."

"Then let Wan An go with you, so there will be someone to look after you," Jiang Jianfeng looked at him and laughed.

"That would be truly great; Wan An's skills are excellent, and with him there, I will feel at ease," Hong Zhiyou agreed 'happily'.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 345 =====

"Remember, you must go in secret."

"The Kong family is also keeping an eye on this; if you go to the Japanese side, I'm afraid they won't hesitate to play dirty."

"Do not be careless."

"If you need manpower, just say the word."

"Director, too many people will only complicate things; I can make my own arrangements," Hong Zhiyou said.

"Very well."

"Then let Wan An go with you so you have some support," Jiang Jianfeng said, looking at him with a smile.

"That would be truly excellent; with Chief Attendant Wan's formidable skills, I will feel at ease with him there."

Hong Zhiyou 'happily' agreed.

……

(End of chapter)