Chapter 128: Public Rumors

One month later in Jinling, it was the plum‑rain season. Inside the President's Office, the Chairman stared at a thick stack of reports on the table, his face growing ever gloomier. These confidential reports from all sides detailed Li Yuxuan's recent "business activities".

"Damn it!" the Chairman slammed the report onto the table, "Bring Jingxing to me!"

Qian Dajun was startled, let out a sharp cry, and hurriedly responded and left. Not long after, Li Yuxuan rushed in, his military uniform crisp, with a hint of pride on his face.

"Young Master, you called me?" Li Yuxuan said with a smile, bowing.

The Chairman stared at him coldly: "Tell me, do I lack money to spend?"

"Not at all," Li Yuxuan waved his hand quickly, "Young Master has always been generous to me."

"Then why are you colluding with Dai Yunong and the others?" the Chairman slammed a report onto his desk, "Do you know the public is now full of gossip?"

Li Yuxuan took the report, scanned it, and instantly leapt up: "Which damn bastard is filing a complaint?"

"Young Master, stop rambling!" the Chairman stood, paced to Li Yuxuan, "Back when I was in Guangzhou playing stocks, you said I was neglecting my duties. Now look at you—what's different?"

Li Yuxuan's eyes flickered, and he instantly adopted an innocent expression: "Who said that? I never said you neglected your duties; I clearly remember encouraging you, Young Master."

"You…" the Chairman was so infuriated by his brazen face that he could not speak, and after a while he sighed, "Enough, enough."

He walked to the window, gazing at the rain curtain outside: "I'm not forbidding you to do business. However, remember—my tolerance for your profit‑making is extremely high, as long as the money serves the Party and State and the power remains under my control, I will tacitly allow it."

Li Yuxuan straightened his back at once: "Yes, Young Master! Every cent I earn is for the great cause of the Party and State!"

"But," the Chairman suddenly turned, his eyes sharp, "don't cross the line. Understand?"

"Understood! Completely understood!" Li Yuxuan pounded his chest in guarantee, "I, Li Yuxuan, am born a servant of the Young Master, and in death I am the Young Master's ghost!"

The Chairman was left speechless by his display of loyalty, waved his hand and said, "Go, go, remember today's words."

At the same moment Li Yuxuan left the President's Office jubilantly, the common folk of Jinling City were worrying about their livelihood.

Near Xiaguan Dock, in a small tea house, a few laborers were complaining.

"These days are unbearable!" an old dock worker hammered his waist, "The salt price has risen again, saying it's for special military supplies."

"Exactly!" another tea patron replied, "Even liquor is now monopolized, the price has doubled! This Fifth Army is trying to drive us to death!"

The tea house owner hurried forward to warn, "Everyone lower your voices! The walls have ears!"

In the weaving workshop district of the southern city, the situation was even worse.

"Boss Wang, this batch of military uniforms must be delivered on time," a uniformed man said, crossing his legs, "As for the price, stick to what we discussed last time."

Workshop owner Boss Wang grimaced, "Sir, this price doesn't even cover the cost…"

"Why?" the secret agent's face darkened, "Refuse to contribute to the Party and State?"

"No, no!" Boss Wang quickly forced a smile, "We will definitely deliver on time!"

In comparison, the situation of those big merchants and foreign‑invested enterprises was even more delicate.

James, the manager of the British Jardine, complained to his peers in the club: "These Fifth Army guys are tougher than the warlords of old! Last month they forced us to donate twenty million yuan as a special national‑defense fee."

A representative of the French Eastern Exchange Bank whispered, "I heard anyone who doesn't cooperate will be charged with treason the next day."

In the academic circles and gentry class, Li Yuxuan's "business tactics" also sparked heated discussion.

Professor Chen said at a private gathering, "When secret agents meddle in commerce, what a disgrace! It's like returning to the Ming dynasty's factory‑guard era!"

A gentry from the countryside twirled his beard and sighed, "Our Jiangsu finally enjoyed a few years of peace, and now we're being squeezed again."

Yet in public venues, a different scene unfolded.

The front page of the Central Daily ran a lengthy report praising the "Fifth Army's active fundraising for national defense, demonstrating the revolutionary soldiers' sense of responsibility."

Only some underground tabloids dared to tell the truth. An oil‑printed People's Livelihood Weekly wrote: "The ancient saying goes, harsh rule is fiercer than a tiger; we see it now." But such papers are often seized within half a day.

Back at his residence, Li Yuxuan, although he had the Chairman's tacit approval, still felt he should produce some superficial paperwork.

He summoned Dai Li and Xu Enzhen again for a meeting.

"Both of you," Li Yuxuan said, crossing his legs, "the Chairman talked to me today."

The two instantly grew tense.

"But it's nothing," Li Yuxuan waved proudly, "the Chairman still supports us. He only asks us to mind the methods and means."

"What does the director mean?" Dai Li asked cautiously.

"From now on we must be strategic," Li Yuxuan said solemnly, "For example, the salt price—don't raise it too obviously; we can increase it in several steps. And with those workshop owners, don't squeeze the price too hard; we must let them have enough to eat."

Xu Enzhen hurriedly noted, "Chairman's brilliant insight! We can keep the official price unchanged, but add a national‑defense surcharge."

"Smart!" Li Yuxuan nodded approvingly, "Also, with those foreign firms, don't be too direct. We can let them donate voluntarily."

The three exchanged smiles and continued refining their "business tactics".

However, the common folk had their own ways of coping.

Various jokes began circulating on Jinling streets. Some said Li Yuxuan's Fifth Army should be renamed the "Fifth Trade Brigade". Others composed a rhyme: "General Li, can fight wars, and can do business. Salt, wine, tea, all under his control, only missing the air."

A clever street vendor came up with a countermeasure. A grocery store hung a sign at its door: "All goods sold at original price, plus a national‑defense construction fee."

In the tea house, a storyteller also began to make a piece out of this matter. A segment titled "The Business Chronicle of General Li" was narrated vividly, both satirizing the current ills and making the audience burst into laughter.

Even children sang a nursery rhyme: "Fifth Army, truly capable, fights wars and…"

A month later, the Chairman looked at the newly delivered report, both laughing and crying.

The report showed Li Yuxuan's "business empire" was growing ever larger, but public resentment was indeed accumulating.

"That Jingxing…" the Chairman shook his head, saying to the nearby Chen Bulei, "Let him cause trouble, it's better than him constantly pestering me for military funds."

Chen Bulei asked cautiously, "Chairman, should we impose a little restriction?"

The Chairman pondered briefly, then revealed a faintly meaningful smile: "No need. Having him draw fire ahead is actually a good thing."