kvmb Chapter 1036 Finally Boarding the Ship
Chapter 1036 Finally Boarding the Ship
"Oh, is that so? But I'd like to wait until Captain Hao wakes up and talk to him before leaving. Why don't you stay too? It won't make a difference if you stay a little longer. If you can get on Captain Hao's good side, you won't have any obstacles in doing business in Guangzhou. You can do business with whoever you want, just tell him, and no one will dare to refuse." Lin Zhengfu roughly knew what they were transporting this time, but he saw that Wu Mingqiang was a gangster who was even willing to offer up his master's daughter to sleep with traitors, so it wasn't surprising that he wanted to do some underworld business in Guangzhou.
He laughed and said, "I think the captain really likes you, Miss. If you serve him well, there will be plenty of benefits in the future, and I can also benefit from it."
Wu Mingqiang smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Lin is indeed a smart man, quick to speak. I had the same idea. However, this business is urgent. My boss allowed me to come to Guangzhou this time to negotiate. Now that I have received confirmation from here, I need to go back and discuss it as soon as possible, and arrange for a ship to transport the goods over. That's why I urged you to go back so urgently."
Lin Zhengfu glanced at Gui'er: "Who is the boss behind this deal...?" He knew it was obviously not Gui'er. If it were Gui'er, how could Wu Mingqiang have agreed to offer her up? Now he no longer cared about Gui'er at all; she was just a girl who could be bullied by anyone.
“Detective Long Xing, as you should know, we also obtained the Mitsui & Co.’s travel permit through his connections this time.”
"Detective Long? Brother, is this true? I heard that Detective Long has never touched anything on the black market, but is wholeheartedly devoted to the resistance against Japan and often helps some anti-Japanese organizations. I was only doing this out of respect for him, thinking that if anything happened, I could help you now, which would be considered a contribution. I never expected that he would start doing business on the black market."
Wu Mingqiang chuckled and said, “Who would complain about having too much money? Besides, you know he spent a lot of money to compete for the detective chief position. Now that he’s in office, he naturally wants to make up for it. This time he sent me here to help deliver these things, just to see if this route is reliable. He has a large shipment coming up, and I’ve already negotiated with the buyer here. After it’s done, Mr. Lin, I can guarantee you that you’ll get at least five gold bars.”
Lin Zhengfu's eyes lit up when he heard this, but he was still somewhat suspicious and cautiously asked, "Then what kind of goods are they?"
"Rice, you know how it is in Guangzhou now. It's sold in limited quantities, and many people don't have any quota at all. They can only eat sweet potatoes, coarse grains, or even sawdust. But apart from the poor, who the hell can eat bran and wild vegetables every day? Don't even mention the ordinary citizens with a little money. Even some people who work for the Japanese are secretly buying rice on the black market. This batch of rice has arrived in Guangzhou, and it won't be long before it's all snapped up. If this route is stable, it'll be more profitable than running a bank. Mr. Lin, then we can all get rich together."
Lin Zhengfu's eyes lit up upon hearing this. Wu Mingqiang's account was true; the black market price of rice in Guangzhou was indeed fluctuating daily. But there was no other way; people still needed to eat. So, people resorted to all sorts of ingenious methods. Sweet potatoes and taro were considered the better options. Some poor people ate coarse rice mixed with sawdust and other substances—in reality, it contained no rice at all. Eating too much of it caused stomach upset, and the poor had no choice. However, even those with a little money couldn't bear it and had no choice but to grit their teeth and buy rice from the black market.
"So, there really is something that can be done. Are your goods ready? Have you already finalized the deal?"
"It's all set. I was sent here to negotiate the price and make contact. The price is very favorable. The buyer has already notified the overseas bank to transfer the deposit to Detective Long. We need to go back immediately to arrange delivery, otherwise they'll think we're not sincere. Come on, Mr. Lin, if you can handle this well, I can talk to Detective Long and have you arrange everything from now on. Then we brothers can make money together, right?"
"Alright, brother, I'll go arrange it right away. Why did you keep this good news to yourself? Why didn't you say so sooner? Honestly."
"Sigh, I was thinking of reporting this to Detective Long, but I have no choice. I need your help now, so I have to tell you everything."
"I see. Okay, find a place inside and wait for me. I'll go and send a boat. One should be departing around this time."
Gui'er nervously glanced back at "Da Dong Asia Hotel," fearing that the longer the delay, the more trouble would ensue if Captain Hao's body were discovered.
Wu Mingqiang patted Gui'er's hand to reassure her, and said with a smile to Lin Zhengfu, "Since there's a boat, let's not wait any longer. I'll go with you, Miss, let's go."
Lin Zhengfu hesitated for a moment but did not object. The two followed him to the dock. Even Lin Zhenglin, who frequently went to and from the dock, deliberately chose a way to avoid the Japanese. If he couldn't avoid them, he would see the Japanese coming from afar and quickly walk to the roadside to bow his head. Gui'er and Wu Mingqiang followed his example.
The Japanese soldiers walked past them with their heads held high, not even glancing at them.
After the Japanese soldiers passed, Lin Zhengfu led them hurriedly to a berth where a large number of ships were moored.
As they approached, Gui'er realized it was a single-masted sailing ship, not the steamship they had come on. Gui'er had seen this type of ship in Jiangcheng before; its characteristic was that it was "small in size but large in capacity," meaning it looked small but could carry a lot, making it suitable for sailing on inland rivers and near-shore areas. It was usually powered by human or wind, and the ship was equipped with a mast and sails, allowing it to move with the help of the wind.
Lin Zhengfu turned around and called out, "Come on up quickly! This is the only one who can leave right now."
Gui'er and Wu Mingqiang exchanged a glance, and without thinking twice, they quickly boarded the boat.
At this moment, the boat captain came out and greeted Lin Zhengfu. Despite his simple clothes, he had two gold teeth showing when he opened his mouth.
"Didn't Mr. Lin say he wasn't going back so soon? Why did he suddenly change his mind?"
"Something came up, so I'll take these two guests home."
"Guests? This young lady has probably already entertained Captain Hao, hasn't she?" The boat captain grinned mischievously, clearly used to Lin Zhengfu introducing girls to Captain Hao.
Gui'er pretended not to hear it. Although she felt uncomfortable, she had to endure it before returning to Hong Kong.
Wu Mingqiang's face turned ashen. He glanced coldly at Lin Zhenglin. Seeing Wu Mingqiang's expression, Lin Zhenglin felt guilty and pretended to be angry, saying, "Go and sail your boat. Don't spout nonsense here." Then he turned back to Wu Mingqiang and said ingratiatingly, "Mr. Wu, those men under them don't know how to talk. Don't take it to heart."