Chapter 16 sixteen

Suddenly the electric light went out, which startled the two people who were chatting together in the small living room. They both cried out in surprise at the same time: "Ah!But then it was almost involuntary to laugh again. The trees outside the window are trembling in the northeast wind.The traffic lights installed in the shade of the trees are always eye-catching when being teased by the turbulent tree shadows.The lawn in front of the hall, which had been brightly illuminated by the light from the hall, was now invisible. The disorderly footsteps crossed the lawn, both inward and outward; among the noisy shouts from the hall, there were also women's delicate laughter.

The two people in the small living room sat there quietly smoking a cigarette, as if their train of thought was cut off at the same time as the current, and now they are looking for clues again, but they haven't found it yet. "Hey, this is a bit like Nanjing. After the alarm is sounded, the lamp factory will close the main gate." It was Yan Boqian's voice, and as soon as the cigarette was lit, the slender eyebrows on his fat face jumped out of the darkness, but they disappeared after only one jump. "Why did you close the main door?" Another asked casually. "Don't people in Nanjing have equipment to cover up the lights?"

The answer was a long, cold laugh. A flicker of candlelight passed outside the window. The wind stopped suddenly, and the trees outside the window became quiet.There was a loud voice in the hall, like Yan Zhongping.The sudden and continuous sound of artillery can also be clearly heard; the final sound was probably caused by enemy planes dropping bombs in groups.Still in the southwest corner. "Why are the cannons so close?" It was still Yan Boqian's voice. "Maybe the position has changed." "Is this area considered a concession?" "This is crossing the border to build a road. The front door is the concession, and the back door is the Huajie." "Oh! Then, when the war changes, there will still be problems with this house."

"That's nothing to worry about. Everyone knows that this garden house is Minister Chen's villa, and the Japanese also know that public is public and private is private!" "Haha! Public is public, private is private!" "If you're worried, I can help you find a little way." "Oh? With the Japanese military..." "There is no need to make such a fuss. Later, I will bring some ready-made property rights declarations of the German Henbao Matheson Co., Ltd., and you will paste them on the front door and the back door, and then hang a swastika flag. Isn't everything solved?"

"Oh—this method works. However, Minister Chen never entrusted me with this matter. He sent an adjutant here to take charge of this house. Let this adjutant follow you..." "Then there's no need. Since it's not my brother's business, it's another matter." "Ah, Chengqing, Chengqing! Then, I think there must be no problem with what I asked you just now?" The other party did not answer immediately.Whoops, a match was lit, and Yan Boqian seemed startled.He saw the other party lowered his head and concentrated on smoking a cigarette. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes seemed to be smiling, but whether the smile was good or bad was unpredictable.

"Brother Qingquan! Although this is not Mr. Chen's own property, it is also - a person who has a very unusual relationship with him!" "what!" The answer was so simple that Yan Boqian couldn't understand the meaning. At the same time, the match went out, and it was too late to see the expression on his face. Yan Boqian subconsciously reached out to touch the matches.Suddenly the light came on.At this time, I saw Hu Qingquan sitting opposite, with two fingers in his left hand twirling the thick foreign paper rolled into a tube, with his eyes straightened, looking at the ceiling.

Yan Boqian changed a cigarette and waited for Hu Qingquan's answer. "It can't be done!" Hu Qingquan said looking back at Yan Boqian.Then, he tapped the armrest of the sofa with the paper tube in his hand, and said solemnly: "Brother Boqian, there is no need to look at other people's faces for this little thing!" "Of course not directly!" "However, I don't see an indirect possibility either." "Indirect is actually direct, Brother Qingquan!" Yan Boqian said loudly, smiled, and then lowered his voice, "Anyway, you are familiar with it." "Where, where!" Hu Qingquan also smiled lightly, "But, Brother Boqian, your order, of course - oh, let me contribute a little opinion!"

Yan Boqian raised his eyebrows and nodded with a smile, but he was thinking in his heart: Cough, it's finally here, it's nothing more than asking for a few more commissions. "For example, it's very easy to find a foreign businessman with some skills, get a name, find rogue connections, and get in touch with there. Many people have already done the same thing; How much is it? That’s up to chance. Think about it, the warehouse is in Yangshupu, and it’s been under artillery fire for more than a month. Only then will we find out! Moreover, some people have encountered such a thing. After the things are taken out, they are packed in the same box, and when they are opened, they find out that nine out of ten boxes are empty! Of course, this is what the ronin who got in touch with you did. , but what can you do with him? So I said, for this little thing, it’s not worth it!”

While talking, Hu Qingquan unrolled the tube-shaped hard foreign paper, glanced at it, shook his head, and said to himself, "Three hundred and eighty boxes, just counting the shipping cost, it's quite a lot!" Yan Boqian closed his eyes and pretended to be listening quietly, but he was secretly surprised; he didn't expect Hu Qingquan's appetite to be so big.Listening to his tone, it's like three hundred and eighty boxes of things as he pleases, if he leaves you a fraction, you can't do anything with him!The more Yan Boqian listened, the angrier he became, but he still had to try his best to endure.After Hu Qingquan finished speaking, Yan Boqian casually threw the cigarette end into the ashtray, jumped up and clapped his hands and shouted:

"That's right, that's right! Brother Qingquan, you are indeed a veteran! That's why I'm not looking for anyone else, I'm just looking for you! Manager Hua of Hengbao International Co., hey, hey, he has seen a lot of things in the world, idiot There is no need to compare the 'comber degree'!" Hu Qingquan kept his composure, watched Yan Boqian finish his pretentiousness, then put the back of his neck on the back of the sofa, and said simply: "Boqian, even if you give me one or two dozen high hats to wear, I still dare not accept your job!" Yan Boqian smiled in disbelief, and before he could answer, Hu Qingquan said: "Of course, we have tacitly agreed, even if the result is not enough for all kinds of expenses, you will not blame me, but I..."

"No, no!" Yan Boqian hurriedly said, "If it's not enough, I'm not afraid, why should I ask your brother? Qingquan, don't go around in circles anymore. Hu Qingquan, plus Heng Bao's big class, -- of course, there are still behind the scenes. With the face of the German consul, the Japanese have to sell it!" "Oh! You still don't know that Hengbao's top class is not coming down!" Hu Qingquan said listlessly, still looking up at the ceiling.But Huo Di stood up again, took a step closer to Yan Boqian, and said with a dry smile, "Alright! Since your brother thinks highly of Heng Bao & Co., let's make an exchange." Yan Boqian didn't expect such a turn of events, and it was mentioned in front of him in such a way, and he couldn't figure out what the surname Hu was doing, so he could only pretend to be calm and asked, "What conditions?" Hu Qingquan took out a leather-covered gilt notebook from his pocket, flipped through it for a while, and picked out a thin piece of light blue foreign paper, and handed it to Yan Boqian without saying a word. The paper is written in German, with a dozen or so lines typed by a typewriter, each line is very short; but there are also Chinese characters written by Hu Qingquan, explaining the "product name", "quantity", and sometimes the price. "It's all industrial raw materials, oh!" Yan Boqian said in a deep voice, raising his eyes to look at Hu Qingquan. "Well, here are three types of mineral sand... huh?" "The industrial raw materials on this list were handled by Heng Bao, and they have already been ordered out. Unexpectedly, a war broke out, and the goods could not come—" "And some items are prohibited from exporting again!" Yan Boqian said, and glanced at Hu Qingquan again. "I can't help but it's the same anyway. In short, the order is due, and Hengbao can't deliver it, so he can't come to Taiwan. Brother Boqian, of course you have a way! This is a good deal. Look, pay the price there!" Hu Qingquan went to sit next to Yan Boqian while talking. "Too many!" Yan Boqian said in a low voice, shaking his head. "If it's a minority, don't take it seriously!" Yan Boqian avoided Hu Qingquan's eyes and was still pondering. "How?" Hu Qingquan pushed forward, "Let's talk about it tomorrow or the day after tomorrow?" After saying that, he stood up, implying that he was going to leave. At this moment, a servant leaned his head by the door and said softly: "The guests are almost here. The second master asked me to invite—" "Understood!" Yan Boqian dismissed the errand impatiently, stood up too, and said to Hu Qingquan with a smile, "Okay, let's talk about it tomorrow. But Brother Qingquan, the 380 boxes in the warehouse in Yangshupu, We still had a report yesterday, and it is indeed intact!" "Don't worry! Didn't your list say that 99% of the items are for women? That's insurance." Hu Qingquan said, laughed out loud, and walked out. Yan Boqian held the light blue foreign paper and stood under the giant backlight in the room, looked at it again and again, then smiled slightly, folded the paper, and put it in the inner pocket of the jacket of the foreign suit. In the hall, the guests were divided into three groups.Surrounding a marble-faced red sandalwood round table, there are about four or five people, discussing state affairs noisily.Near the front of the steps, facing the lawn outside the hall, standing side by side, talking in a low voice, are Mrs. Yan Zhongping and Mrs. Luo Renfu.Facing the red sandalwood round table far away, hidden behind a Hunan embroidered screen, sitting on the sofa in a square shape were Luo Renfu and a man and a woman.Brother Quan Dainai greeted the guests, Yan Zhongping walked around the screen and walked towards the red sandalwood round table. When he saw Hu Qingquan coming, he stopped and said: "Hey, brother Qingquan, sit here." Hu Qingquan smiled, glanced in the hall, and walked slowly to the front of the steps side by side with Yan Zhongping, but an impassioned and impassioned voice from the group of people at the red sandalwood round table attracted his attention, so he stopped. "Where's Boqian?" Yan Zhongping asked in a low voice. "Does he have something to finish?" Hu Qingquan replied, but his eyes fixed on a tall, square-faced, slightly bald middle-aged man in the round table.This person was wearing a half-worn suit, but because it was made of high-quality materials, it didn't feel shabby.He had a loud voice and a bold expression. He looked around and made comments: "Without foreign aid, China really cannot fight against Japan. However, God helps those who help themselves. If China does not fight Japan first, foreign aid will not automatically." Come on; that's why a year ago, my brother opposed all serious arguments and advocated gambling on the fate of the country! Today, brother can disclose a little secret of national diplomacy. Back then, the 19th Route Army fought against the Japanese in Songhu, and my brother was against several British and American soldiers. A friend said: The Japanese are openly fighting in Shanghai. Isn’t this a violation of the rights and interests of the United Kingdom and the United States? Why are the British and American governments so weak? Hey, everyone, guess what will the British and American friends answer?” At this moment, a young servant brought a tray of freshly brewed tea, and replaced the old tray of tea on the round table.But the distinguished guest who was making a big discussion took back the cup of tea he had drunk from the servant's hand, and said to his audience with a smile: "Drink the second tea of ​​Longjing, which is delicious. But they But I have to accept it! The current Zhongming Dingshi House is luxurious and luxurious, and it is still half-baked for food." "Ah, Dr. Cui has also done a lot of research on the classics of tea!" Said one of the guests sitting near the bookshelves and the treasure chest. The other servant was also holding a small Fujian lacquer tea tray at this time, walked up to Hu Qingquan and Yan Zhongping, and stopped respectfully.Hu Qingquan picked up the Momofuku pattern teacup in the tea tray, tried it on his lips, and felt it was too hot, so he put it back to the original place, and asked Yan Zhongping softly: "Who is this person?" "Oh, him? Cui Daosheng, a university professor." "Ah, yes, I remember; it seems he's running a magazine." "Probably so." Hu Qingquan stretched out his hand to drink some tea, but found that the servant had already left, so he couldn't help laughing and said: "The university professor's complaints were also sent to the 'tea ceremony'. But he didn't know that the Zhongming Dingshi House was probably the same thing." "Guess, everyone, how did the British and American friends at that time answer my question?" Over there, Professor Cui Daosheng returned to the original question. "Hey, their answers are very good, and they have nothing to say. They asked: 'The Chinese government is still negotiating and resisting. Could it be that the British and American governments came to declare war on Japan first?' So we have to do it ourselves first." Once there is a fight, foreign aid can be expected. And the battle must be in Shanghai, and there is no doubt about it!" "Dr. Cui, I just don't agree with your idea that Shanghai should stick to it." said the guest who praised Cui Daosheng for his research on the classics of tea. "North China has lost thousands of miles, and there is almost no resistance, but this corner of Shanghai sacrifices tens of thousands of people every day, fighting for ten miles and eight miles of land." Another guest said that he was Su Zipei, who was sitting opposite Cui Daosheng. There are many more, and his expression is more worried and serious. "From the perspective of those of us who don't understand military affairs, we always feel that this account is not worthwhile." "Hey, a war is a war." Professor Cui Daosheng opened his eyes and looked a little angry. "Sacrifices are inevitable. And what is worthwhile and what is not, how can we negotiate today? There are small and big plans. You fight You feel that you are losing money when you have a small calculation, why don’t you try it with a big calculation? It seems that you are a loss on a small calculation, but when you get to a big calculation, you will make a lot of money!” "This is called a calendula silver plate!" Mrs. Luo Renfu in front of the steps of the hall pointed to a row of potted chrysanthemums in front of the steps and said to Mrs. Yan Zhongping.On the three stone steps, there are several kinds of precious chrysanthemums. The two wives have different interests. Mrs. Luo Renfu likes those flowers with "magnificent" names, but Mrs. Zhongping's interests are not so narrow. up.She raised her toes and picked the good seed called "Calendula Silver Plate" with a cluster of yellow stamens in the middle of the fat white petals. She smiled slightly, but turned her head back to look at the group of guests discussing state affairs in the hall, as if joking. whispered: "Ah! Dr. Cui has come up with his big plan again!" "Big abacus?" Mrs. Luo was taken aback, thinking that Mrs. Zhongping had mistakenly called the chrysanthemum a big abacus, but fortunately, she immediately realized that it was Dr. Cui, and then said, "Dr. Cui is really very enthusiastic! A few days ago, he heard that Ren Fu was back, and he came to our house three times in a row. It happened that Ren Fu had a lot of entertainment that day, so he went out early in the morning and didn’t come home at ten o’clock in the evening. I saw Dr. Cui running three times in vain. I don’t want to go, ask him what’s important, tell him our phone number, and ask him to call after twelve o’clock. However, he said that he couldn’t understand on the phone, so he repeatedly agreed with him the next morning Come again. Well, the next morning, before Ren Fu got up, he came again. Mrs. Yan, guess why he was so anxious about something?" "It's hard to guess what happened to Dr. Cui," Mrs. Zhongping replied.Then he lowered his voice very low and asked, "Are you here to collect donations from Mr. Luo?" "Well, we also guessed that way," Mrs. Luo's voice was lower, almost only she could hear it. "Didn't he run a tabloid called "Unity"? Who knew it wasn't! He rushed here three times,—no, even the one early in the morning was four times, but it was for Ren Fu." "Oh! For Mr. Luo?" Mrs. Zhongping suddenly smiled, and looked up at Cui Daosheng over there. "Then I guessed it. He advised Mr. Luo not to rush to move the factory?" "You guessed it right, he started negotiating with Ren Fu, as if the factory was his. He said that Ren Fu didn't understand big plans. Ah, but this Dr. Cui's big plans are too difficult to understand. But, to put it bluntly With a conscience, other people are enthusiastic. I don't care what his abacus is, as long as he is not an iron abacus!" Mrs. Luo was talking slippery, but suddenly stopped.She saw Yan Zhongping and Hu Qingquan walking towards the Hunan embroidered screen, and behind the screen, Luo Renfu stood up abruptly, Yan Zhongping stretched out his arms obliquely, with a very graceful posture, letting the guests in and introducing them at the same time.Hu Qingquan stretched out his hand to shake hands with Luo Renfu, and then, Hu Qingquan turned around again, looked at Mrs. Luo and Mrs. Zhongping with a polite and free manner, bowed slightly, and smiled again. Mrs. Zhongping pulled Mrs. Luo towards Hu Qingquan and the others, and whispered into Mrs. Luo's ear, "This is Manager Hu of Hengbao Foreign Firm. On the beach, his foreign firm may not be very famous, but this manager is There are so many doors." They walked past Dr. Cui and saw him pinning down a thirty-something major secretary in a brand-new military uniform like a quarrel, forcing him to answer a question: What if Huxi's position could no longer be held? , where will our army retreat?There were only three "audience" around the round table at this time, and only Su Zipei was still sitting upright, not tired. "Ah, ah, ah, what should I say!" The major's secretary blushed, hemmed and hawed, and was about to lose his temper. "This is a military secret and I refuse to answer." "No! This has nothing to do with the military, this is politics!" "Then we soldiers don't talk about politics." "Of course retreat into the concession!" Cui Daosheng had no choice but to answer by himself. "That's disarming." Someone said in a low voice. But Cui Daosheng shook his head and said: "I don't think we can disarm. The Japanese can forcibly occupy Yangshupu in the eastern part of the concession as a combat base, why can't we use the western part of the concession as a base?" "Didn't that cause diplomacy?" The major's secretary hurriedly objected in bewilderment. "Maybe there are negotiations. However, the attitude of the Anglo-American law has to be clear!" Dr. Cui announced loudly and punched the table, hoping to attract more attention.Mrs. Zhongping, who had just passed by, turned her head in surprise when she heard the bang, just in time to catch Dr. Cui's blazing eyes, and she smiled gently; but Mrs. Luo didn't even turn her head. "A clearer attitude? Hmm!" said the guest who had appreciated Dr. Cui's "Tea Classics" and nodded as if suddenly enlightened.This encouraged Cui Daosheng, he rushed to shout with a heavier tone: "That's right! Other people's determination should be forced out with our determination!" He took a sip of tea, seemed to adjust his outburst emotions, spread five fingers, and continued in a cadenced manner: "Everyone understands that without foreign aid, our war will not last. However, which countries are the few countries that provide foreign aid? There are only four, Britain, the United States, France, and the Soviet Union. What is the relationship between these four countries? Three One sleeps in the same bed. No matter whether their dreams are different or not, these three guys still share the same bed. The remaining one, the Soviet Union, sleeps in another bed. With those three, it is not only at odds with each other That's it, it's not uncommon to roll up your sleeves and scold the mountain gate. Therefore, the four countries are really two factions. If you kiss one side, the other side will be jealous. But when it comes to jealousy, we don't have to be afraid of that person Those who sleep in the same bed, I am afraid that the three people who sleep in the same bed will not be able to forgive me." "But, Brother Daosheng," Su Zipei, who had been sitting quietly and listening, suddenly said again, "If the Soviet Union is willing to help, why don't we have to look at the faces of those three first? If the faces of the three are not right, but If they don’t extend their hand themselves, then, do we need help from the Soviet Union?” Now Cui Daosheng showed his discouragement for the first time. He looked at Su Zipei, smiled dryly with his mouth wide open, and replied evasively: "Ah, ah, but, we—we have to see how much the Soviet Union can, or is willing to, help us! If the mutton is not eaten, it may not be worthwhile to cause trouble?" "That's right, that's right!" The major's secretary hurriedly agreed, and then stood up, saying that he had heard enough, and went to the lawn in front of the hall. But Su Zipei refused to give up, he insisted and asked again: "Then, Dawon, in your opinion, if the Soviet Union doesn't give us enough help, then don't do it at all; you think that the other three will come to help us as soon as possible—isn't that your opinion? of?" "That's not the case!" Cui Daosheng regained his eloquent and arrogant manner. "I don't think so. Didn't I just say that we must have determination before we can force other people's determination. And our determination is to stick to it at the expense of—" "Stick to Shanghai!" This sound suddenly came from behind Cui Daosheng, which startled Cui Daosheng.He turned his head to look, and it turned out that it was Luo Renfu standing behind him. "Brother Daosheng, I agree with most of your opinions, but I don't agree with sticking to Shanghai without any sacrifices. That's called recklessness, not war." Luo Renfu sat down in the chair vacated by the secretary of the major, but turned to the Hunan embroidery screen and shouted: "Come, come, Wang Shenyi! Anyway, there are no outsiders, so come and express your opinion!" Wang Shenyi was about forty years old, wearing a very elegant western clothes, walking towards this side, when Luo Renfu asked him to express his opinion, he quickly waved his hands and said, "Excuse me, excuse me!" "However," Cui Daosheng said to Luo Renfu sternly, "my so-called sticking to Shanghai is not reckless. Sticking to it is not an end but a means." "I know," Luo Renfu laughed, but he grabbed Cui Daosheng's hand in a friendly manner, "Your purpose is to force Britain, the United States and France to come forward. However, Lao Cui, you are a scholar after all! material, knowing that it cannot be done—the time has not yet come.” Wang Shenxuan was silent, but nodded his head. "The timing must be facilitated by human power!" Cui Daosheng insisted on his opinion. "And expressing your own determination is the way to make it happen! So, Ren Fu, I don't agree with you who are busy moving the factory to the inland. You should find an empty house in the concession, or build a temporary straw shed, and install the machines. , Start working immediately. This is also a way of expressing determination!" "Forget it, forget it! Everyone has their own opinions." Luo Renfu stood up with a smile, grabbed Cui Daosheng, and said, "The master is here to urge you to the table. You can discuss it later." At this moment, Yan Boqian and Zhongping had already arrived in front of them, bowing and saying "please" repeatedly.Wang Shenzhi asked Cui Daosheng to go first, and then Luo Renfu, but Luo Renfu wanted to talk to Yan Zhongping, so he was at the end. When they passed the hall and were about to enter the door of the dining room, Luo Renfu asked Yan Zhongping as if he suddenly remembered: "Why, your chief engineer Zhou doesn't plan to continue working?" "I'm still trying to persuade him to stay, but he seems to be determined." "He came to my house this morning. Listen to his tone. If your chairman of the factory relocation delays, he is determined to leave. Zhongping, the factory has to be moved, and Zhou Weixin can't let go! Where are you going? Looking for such a talent?" Yan Zhongping nodded, just smiled wryly, but didn't speak.