Liu Xin Jie looked at Tan Zhong Shu, sighed, and said, "Brother, I told you when you came to Shancheng, finding Ming Cheng is the best option. Both the Commission and Dai Li consider him a close confidant, who in the Military Control Bureau doesn't respect him? The Central Control Bureau's Chen Li Fu hates him with a vengeance, but they also want to poach him for the Central Control Bureau."
Tan Zhong Shu sighed and said to Liu Xin Jie, "It's not just them, even the Japanese… dare not offend him. Ships coming west from Shanghai, only the ships of the Loyal Merchant's Guild can pass, even the Japanese warships give him safe passage, afraid that something will happen to his ships."
"Haha, the Japanese are afraid that Ming Cheng will go back to Shanghai, otherwise, which of those little devils could sleep soundly?"
Liu Xin Jie looked at Tan Zhong Shu's worried face, and said with a smile, "Brother, don't worry, as long as Ming Cheng helps you, your position as Director of the Eighth Bureau is secure."
Tan Zhong Shu sighed, swallowing the words he wanted to say, "Hopefully, but I still feel that Dai Li sending me to Shanghai to replace Ming Cheng was an unwise decision. If he was still there, the little devils in Shanghai would be cut in half."
Liu Xin Jie agreed wholeheartedly, "Indeed, No. 76 was blown up so silently by him, hehe... The Commission and Dai Li were so angry that they cursed, if he was still in Shanghai, Dai Li's business wouldn't be able to be done, the little devils in Shanghai wouldn't allow his ships to cross the Huangpu River."
Tan Zhong Shu and Liu Xin Jie looked at each other, saying in unison, "Unless he's transferred."
In the afternoon, Tan Zhong Shu and Liu Xin Jie went to Xu Zhong Yi's office. Xu Zhong Yi warmly welcomed them, putting out good cigarettes and good tea on the coffee table, personally serving tea and pouring water.
After exchanging pleasantries and getting acquainted, Xu Zhong Yi continued, "Director Tan, we know why you came to Shancheng. Director Chen thinks you are suitable to work in the Eighth Bureau. Tonight, we discussed this matter, there should be no change with him going all out, but there are some things I need to tell you beforehand."
Xu Zhong Yi was a Major, while Tan Zhong Shu was now a Colonel, but in Shancheng, a brick thrown down could hit a whole lot of military officers. Although Tan Zhong Shu was higher in rank than Xu Zhong Yi, Xu Zhong Yi represented Chen Han Wen, and Tan Zhong Shu was a very intelligent person, he knew how to act when facing Xu Zhong Yi.
Furthermore, Tan Zhong Shu was currently asking for a favor, and it was reasonable to lower his stance.
Tan Zhong Shu immediately sat up straight, looking at Xu Zhong Yi and saying, "Please tell me, Section Chief Xu, anything that Zhong Shu can do, I won't hesitate."
Xu Zhong Yi waved his hand, smiling and saying, "Don't be so serious, we're chatting privately, where is there any official business?"
Xu Zhong Yi gestured for Tan Zhong Shu to relax, seeing that he had relaxed, he then said, "I have a Loyal Merchant's Guild, do you know, old Tan? After you become Director, you have to do us a favor."
So it was just this.
Tan Zhong Shu immediately said, "Anything within my power, please rest assured, Section Chief Xu, I will treat the Loyal Merchant's Guild better than how the little devils did."
"Good, then I'll rest assured."
Xu Zhong Yi took a bank draft from the table and handed it to Tan Zhong Shu, "The Eighth Bureau has just been established, there will definitely be a huge shortage of funds, you take this money first, the guild's business will definitely have a share for you in the future."
Tan Zhong Shu and Liu Xin Jie glanced at the numbers on the check, and were immediately startled.
Three hundred thousand dollars?
This damn thing isn't office expenses!
Even if their lives were bound together, they wouldn't be worth that much money.
"No no no, I can't take this money."
Tan Zhong Shu waved his hands repeatedly, saying to Xu Zhong Yi, "Please rest assured, I will wholeheartedly work for Director Chen."
"Director Tan, take it with peace of mind."
Xu Zhong Yi pressed down Tan Zhong Shu's outstretched hand and said to him, "Giving you this money is Director Chen's intention, he has some things that need you to do, this money is just for operational expenses."
Tan Zhong Shu didn't put away the check, instead, he held the edges of the check with both hands, leaning forward in a posture of listening intently.
Xu Zhong Yi said to Tan Zhong Shu and Liu Xin Jie, "The little devils are about to collapse, there are a lot of traitors in Shanghai and Nanjing preparing to flee, their property might be disposed of urgently. Director Chen plans to let Xin Jie be a comprador in the Loyal Merchant's Guild and collect the real estate in Nanjing and Shanghai for us. Xin Jie has not been on the front lines for many years, and has no experience working behind enemy lines, letting him do this is considered training for him. Old Tan, what do you think of Director Chen's arrangement?"
Before Tan Zhong Shu and Liu Xin Jie came, Xu Zhong Yi had already investigated the two of them. Liu Xin Jie had lost his parents and become an orphan since he was young, and the only older brother he had was adopted by his paternal uncle.
The Liu family and the Tan family were old friends, Tan's mother, knowing this, brought Liu Xin Jie into her home and treated him like her own son. She supported him through high school, and then paid for both Liu Xin Jie and Tan Zhong Shu to attend Huangpu together. The two brothers were half-brothers from different fathers.
Xu Zhong Yi arranged the matter for Liu Xin Jie, figuring that with the relationship he had with Tan Zhong Shu, Tan Zhong Shu would definitely offer help.
Liu Xin Jie was a nobody in the Military Control Bureau, letting him go out on missions wouldn't attract attention, even if someone picked a fight, there was Xu Zhong Yi. Xu Zhong Yi represented Chen Han Wen, with Chen Han Wen's influence in the high-ranking circles of the Kuomintang, who would dare to touch his people?
After listening to Xu Zhong Yi's words, Tan Zhong Shu looked at Liu Xin Jie to ask for his opinion. Seeing Liu Xin Jie nodding, Tan Zhong Shu then said, "Section Chief Xu, please tell Director Chen, his task is guaranteed to be completed by me and Xin Jie."
"No problem, no problem."
Xu Zhong Yi smiled, picked up the teacup and poured water, "Have some tea, after work we'll go out and meet with the Director, you two old classmates haven't seen each other for many years, you must have a lot to talk about."
Tan Zhong Shu and Liu Xin Jie, like rootless duckweed, both had to rely on Chen Han Wen, whatever he said was what they did.
Five minutes before work ended in the evening, Chen Han Wen pushed the door open and walked in. Xu Zhong Yi immediately greeted him, running to Chen Han Wen's side, nodding to him, indicating that he had arranged the things he had instructed.
Chen Han Wen nodded, looking at the two standing Tan Zhong Shu and Liu Xin Jie, smiling and saying, "You are Tan Zhong Shu, Liu Xin Jie, right? Welcome, junior brothers!"
Tan Zhong Shu and Liu Xin Jie immediately stood up, saluting:
"Tan Zhong Shu (Liu Xin Jie) greets senior brother!"
Chen Han Wen heard Tan Zhong Shu and Liu Xin Jie's words, waved his hand and smiled, "We brothers will meet again another day, someone came to ask for my help today, I thought it was related to you both, so I put you together. We'll go to Yu Hua Tai first, they're already there."
Xu Zhong Yi immediately said, "I'll drive."
Tan Zhong Shu and Liu Xin Jie were like rootless duckweed in Shancheng. They were currently seeking Chen Han Wen's help, so naturally they followed his lead, whatever he said was what they did.