money player

"I love money, but I cherish talent even more. I am willing to pay a high price to attract talent."

Guitai's eyelashes trembled slightly as she lowered her head to continue eating, no longer wolfing down her food; her movements were very elegant.

Sin Yiu-man leaned back in his chair and watched her eat quietly.

Ten minutes later, Gui Tai put down her chopsticks, and Xian Yaowen handed her a handkerchief. Gui Tai took it, smelled it, and then gently wiped her lips.

After wiping, unfold the handkerchief, fold it again to cover the soiled area, and place the handkerchief on the table.

Xian Yaowen asked Xie Zhanran for a cigarette and slid across to the other side.

Gui Tai's gaze lingered on the cigarette pack for a moment, then he picked it up, took out a cigarette, and lit it.

He took a breath, and a sudden cough exploded out.

After she calmed down, she took a second breath, but still choked. She picked up a handkerchief to wipe the clear snot from the corners of her eyes and nose. She took a third and a fourth breath, and gradually got used to it.

"Smoking is not a good thing, but compared to the damage that mental illness does to the body, it still has its advantages."

"Jiang Yiying, that's my name."

Sin Yiu-man gestured for him to proceed.

"Zhu Xulun, my man, was a manager at Wing Hang Bank before coming to Taiwan."

"Which one?"

"Shanghai."

"Zhu Yinjiang's businesses?"

“Mr. Zhu was just the major shareholder; Xu Lun’s father was one of the shareholders.” Jiang Yiying took another puff of her cigarette and slowly said, “In 1937, after graduating from middle school, I started working at Wing Hang Bank. Soon after, I met Xu Lun. Before the Japanese invaded Shanghai, Xu Lun sent me to study in the United States.”

I studied language in San Francisco for a year, then did a preparatory year, and then got into the University of Chicago to study economics. I completed my bachelor's and master's degrees in six years.

Back in Shanghai, I became Xu Lun's secretary, helping him manage the bank's operations. Over four years, I became familiar with all aspects of the bank's business and introduced advanced concepts from American banks to the bank.

At this point, Jiang Yiying glanced at Xian Yaowen.

"When you and Zhu Xulun got together, was it you who took the initiative, or him?"

“My home is in Fan Gua Lane. The house is a shack made of reed mats. When it rains…”

“Rolling dragon, I know.”

"Yes, Rolling Dragon, I have two older brothers, one older sister, and five younger siblings, but I'm the only one who was sent to school because I've been pretty since I was little, my mother..."

Jiang Yiying's words came to an abrupt end.

"Your aunt sees you as the hope for the Jiang family to turn their lives around. She sends you to school, dresses you in pretty clothes, and waits for you to grow up and marry into a rich family."

Jiang Yiying nodded. "You guessed right again."

"There's no need to guess."

"Yes, I'm not an isolated case."

Do you have a formal status?

Jiang Yiying looked pained. "No, it's never been like that."

"How old is Zhu Xulun this year?"

"Forty-five years old."

"What kind of business did you do after you came to Taiwan? Did you run an underground money exchange?"

"Fuyuan Money Shop".

"Oh, I saw the sign in Dadaocheng. So, the thing people are using against you is that you're involved in foreign exchange fraud?"

"And there's also the completely fictitious claim of communism."

"No wonder. I said there's room for maneuver in foreign exchange transactions, and it won't lead to the ruin of your family. Sending you to the special teahouse makes sense in Taiwan's legal system, but sending you to Baotou doesn't. Is it some kind of private agreement that you'll work at Baotou for a few years and avoid prosecution, just to annoy Zhu Xulun?"

"No, it's to disgust me," Jiang Yiying said indignantly.

How many wives did Zhu Xulun have?

"One."

"Virtuous and kind, a good wife and mother?"

"right."

"Does Zhu Xulun have a choice between the two?"

Jiang Yiying took a deep drag on her cigarette and remained silent.

“Understood.” Sin Yiu-man nodded. “Are the people who framed you working in the Police Force or the Security Command?”

"Security Department of Security Command".

"Just tell me the name."

"Commander Zheng Haoquan of Taipei Command Station".

Xian Yaowen feigned a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness you weren't talking about Chen Xianzhou. Are you full?"

"I'm full." Hope flickered in Jiang Yiying's eyes.

"Zhu Xulun is in jail?"

"Yes."

"Is Zheng Haoquan just after money?"

"There is an old grudge."

Xian Yaowen stared into Jiang Yiying's eyes and said, "I can tell you for sure that you have moved me. Now you have a chance to choose. Come with me and do things for me. I will help you solve your problems and give you treatment beyond your imagination."

But there's one condition: everything you just said is true, I'm referring to your personal resume.

You have one minute to consider. The countdown begins.

Jiang Yiying was silent for three seconds, then asked, "Xu Lun?"

"When he chooses you, your relationship will be over. You have fifty seconds left."

Ten seconds later, Jiang Yiying nodded, "I'll go with you."

"Please double-check that what you said is true. If you are sure, please stand up. But I must kindly remind you that once you stand up, it means you are voluntarily authorizing me to pursue your responsibility for lying in any way I can. If you are not confident, you can continue to sit."

Jiang Yiying suddenly stood up, her determined gaze meeting Xian Yaowen's.

Xian Yaowen stood up, buttoned his suit jacket, straightened his tie, and then extended his right hand to Jiang Yiying. "Miss Jiang, today is your lucky day, and it's also my lucky day."

Jiang Yiying grasped Xian Yaowen's hand. "Thank you, boss."

"Please call me sir."

"gentlemen."

"Do you need to retrieve something of sentimental value from the treasure vault?"

Jiang Yiying shook her head. "There's nothing worth remembering about my past."

"thirty?"

"Twenty-nine."

Sin Yiu-man chuckled and said, "To be honest."

"Twenty-nine years old".

“Okay, you’re still in the prime of your life as a woman, you have plenty of time to create memorable things.” Sin Yiu-man withdrew his right hand. “Pursue knowledge and cultivate health, that’s the motto of your University of Chicago. Take it to heart and forget that ‘where happiness dies’.”

Jiang Yiying's eyes flashed, "Does the master know?"

"Yes, you know, it's late, let's go."

Sin Yiu-man walked ahead, humming a tune, "One wrong step and you're ruined for life. I went to the sex industry to dance for a living. Dancers are human too. Who can I tell about my pain?"

Jiang Yiying followed closely behind, recalling the words "you know" from earlier. What would have happened if she hadn't known?
The next day.

During lunch, Sin Yiu-man received a telegram from Hong Kong, sent by Cen Pei-pei, saying that Wu Ze-cheng would introduce him to Chen Xian-zhou.

When asked, Qi Weiwen said that Chen Xianzhou's resume and Wu Zecheng's overlapped for a long time, which was during the period of the Military Intelligence Bureau's Tianjin Station. Because Chen Xianzhou's ambition was not in the Military Intelligence Bureau and he always wanted to leave, there was not much competition between him and Wu Zecheng, and the two had a good relationship.

Thus, Cen Peipei went to visit Wu Zecheng and asked him to act as an intermediary in this matter.

The Security Command was a hybrid of military, intelligence, police, and judicial systems, much like the Western Depot of the Ming Dynasty. It could meddle in all affairs on the island of Taiwan and was Chiang Kai-shek's main tool for political repression. It was an all-powerful institution under the martial law system.

The Security Department was the core department of the Security Command, and its main function was to investigate political and economic prisoners. Political prisoners are omitted from this discussion, but the scope of economic prisoners was quite broad; any economic activity detrimental to the rule could be investigated as an economic crime.

The Security Department comprises internal departments and field units. The internal departments are essentially independent intelligence agencies, while the field units include command posts or liaison groups in various locations, as well as secret outposts and detention centers.

The Security Department's internal departments primarily investigate political prisoners, while the authority to investigate economic criminals is generally delegated to the command center. The operational model is basically joint law enforcement, with internal departments providing intelligence and taking the lead, police cooperating in the operation, and financial institutions providing professional support.

Presumably in order to improve the efficiency of joint law enforcement, Chen Xianzhou, as with his previous resume, always had one or more concurrent positions, including Commissioner of Police.

This way, anyone who commits a crime in Taiwan will inevitably run into Chen Xianzhou, who is currently in charge. Even if you establish contact with Soong Mei-ling or Chiang Ching-kuo, it is still necessary to be on good terms with Chen Xianzhou. After all, why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut? Sometimes it is more effective to ask Chen Xianzhou or his subordinates for help.

Having sorted out his thoughts, Sin Yiu-man began to worry. When it comes to matters related to politics, it is always more efficient to go down from the top, while going up from the bottom often results in wasted effort. The most reasonable course of action for him was to meet with Chan Sin-chou first, and then personally or through someone else, meet with Cheng Ho-chuen.

But Jiang Yiying has already been brought back by him, and it's unknown whether Zheng Haoquan has the patience. If he comes to kill them today, we'll have to deal with his moves one by one, and who should step forward is a big problem.

By personally intervening, he implicitly acknowledged that he was on the same level as Zheng Haoquan, but not as equal to Chen Xianzhou. If he didn't intervene, what would Zheng Haoquan think? Would he feel that he was disrespecting him and escalate his tactics?

After pondering for a long time, he looked up and around. After a moment, he pointed to the vase on the coffee table and said, "Danru, after you finish eating, wash the vase and put it in a gift box."

"Hey."

Immediately, he turned to Jiang Yiying and said, "After you finish eating, go find Zheng Haoquan and give him the vase. Tell him that it is a unique vase bestowed upon Lady Xian by Emperor Chen Xuan Chen Xu. There is only one in the world, and Jing Shu Zhai on Longquan Street is offering a high price to buy it."

"Go by myself?" Jiang Yiying looked confused.

"Yes, you go yourself, and you need to let Zheng Haoquan know that you asked to go. As for your current identity, you are my woman, Xian Yaowen's woman."

Jiang Yiying blushed and said, "Why do I have to go?"

“Because things have changed a bit, it’s most appropriate for you to go.” Xian Yaowen patted Jiang Yiying’s hand lightly. “You decide how much this vase is worth. Come back immediately after you meet Zheng Haoquan.”

"Is there a general area?"

"I told you, it's up to you to decide."

"Oh."

Finished eating.

Sin Yiu-man sat in the pavilion peeling longans, breaking up the pulp and putting it in a small dish. After the dish was full, he used a thread to make a base, held the dish up, and hung it on a tree.

Early this morning, a pair of white-eye birds flew into the yard, bringing a touch of life to the place. He wanted to keep the birds there.

The fruit quickly attracted two birds, who perched on the plate and feasted on it.

After watching the birds eat for a while, he took out a copy of "Canadian Mining Magazine" to learn about global mining trends.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yiying went to a teahouse in the city and borrowed a phone to call Zheng Haoquan, asking him to meet her at the teahouse.

The Security Command operates with a secretive approach. Only its headquarters and the Ministry of National Defense are located in the same building, a fact known to the outside world. The addresses of all other offices are kept confidential. Even though Jiang Yiying had visited the Taipei Command Center, she still did not know its exact address.

For her, it was a painful memory. Sitting in a sealed car with only a sliver of light coming through the roof, the oppressive environment and fear of the future, a mix of emotions, almost drove her insane.

She ordered a pot of Longjing tea and four kinds of pastries, sipping the fragrant tea as she pondered how to deal with the situation later.

She had heard of Sin Yiu-man's name before. He was a big shot who came to Taiwan to invest with US$500 million. There were rumors that Sin Yiu-man had a good relationship with the Bank of Taiwan and had obtained a large low-interest loan from the bank.

Sin Yiu-man should not be inferior to Cheng Ho-chuen in terms of official influence. Choosing to give money instead of confronting him head-on probably means that he felt it was not worth making enemies for her. However, he gave her the power to decide how much to give, probably to test her abilities.
She wanted nothing more than to bite Zheng Haoquan to death, but now was definitely not the right time for revenge. She needed to be patient, slowly accumulate her strength, and wait for the day when she was strong enough.

She took a sip of tea, then raised her hands to rub her cheeks, relaxing her facial muscles so she could smile even more brightly later.

After an unknown amount of time, Zheng Haoquan, dressed in military uniform, came to the table. Before Jiang Yiying could get up to greet him, Zheng Haoquan took off his hat and threw it on the table, cursing at Jiang Yiying, "You dare to leave Baodouli and still dare to invite me for tea? It seems being a prostitute is too good for you. I should just send you to the special tea room."

Jiang Yiying smiled and picked up the teapot to pour tea for Zheng Haoquan. "Commander Zheng, there's no need to get angry. I invited you out today because I have some good news to share with you."

Zheng Haoquan sat down casually, staring at Jiang Yiying's face, "Did you meet a good customer yesterday and get fucked well? That's certainly good news, I'll sit here and listen to your story."

Jiang Yiying poured the tea, moved the teacup next to Zheng Haoquan, and then smiled and said, "Commander Zheng is right. I did meet a good patron last night. Mr. Xian Yaowen from Prince Enterprise visited me and was very satisfied with me. He asked me to be his mistress, which I was naturally more than willing to do. I went home with him last night."

"Damn it!" Zheng Haoquan slammed his fist on the table. "Trying to use Sin Yiu-man to intimidate me? You probably don't understand the situation. Sin Yiu-man is..."

“Commander Zheng.” A smile was welded to Jiang Yiying’s face. “My husband originally wanted to invite you to a restaurant for a drink tonight, but I persuaded him to stop after I pleaded with him. I want to handle my own affairs myself.”

As she spoke, she picked up the gift box from the chair beside her, opened the lid, and slowly pushed it under Zheng Haoquan's nose. "I have acquired the 'Handsome Woman Bottle' that Emperor Xuan of Chen, Chen Xu, bestowed upon Lady Xian. According to the seller, there is only one of its kind in the world. I know nothing about antiques, so I would appreciate it if you could help me appraise it."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Haoquan glanced down into the gift box and immediately recognized it as a common, cheap handcrafted vase. He wasn't angry; instead, he was delighted. It wasn't unusual for someone to turn a cheap vase into a big profit. He had heard that Xian Yaowen was good at dealing with people, and it was indeed true.

He picked up the vase and examined it closely, wondering how much it was worth.

At about the right time, he put down the vase and said with a half-smile, "Forgive my poor eyesight, I can't tell the difference between real and fake for a moment."

"Then I'll trouble Commander Zheng to take some time to help me examine it. I heard that Ms. Tang Yiying of Jing Shu Zhai is buying up women's bottles at high prices. If this is genuine, I plan to sell it to her. I think it should fetch 200,000 NT dollars without any problem. With the money, I can do some small business and earn some money for cosmetics."

Zheng Haoquan chuckled and said, "Miss Jiang, you should be able to see things in a new light after three days. Give me three to five days, and I will definitely be able to tell the difference between the real and the fake."

"Thank you for your trouble, Commander Zheng." Jiang Yiying picked up her teacup. "I'll offer you a cup of tea instead of wine."

Zheng Haoquan picked up his teacup. "No matter how fragrant the tea is, it can't compare to the soothing effect of wine. I'll invite Miss Jiang to a restaurant for drinks another day."

"I will be there whenever you call."

A gentle breeze was blowing, and chilled watermelon was placed on the stone table in the pavilion. Quan Danru used a toothpick to pick the watermelon seeds out of the flesh, cleaned a slice, and handed it to Xian Yaowen.

Sin Yiu-man brought it to his lips, took a bite, and immediately frowned. "It's not sweet, it tastes watery."

"Sir, what's being sold outside now are all pickled watermelons."

"That's right. Tell Third Sister not to buy watermelons these days, and to wait until the weather is clearer."

"Ah."

Xian Yaowen glanced at the watermelon rind and said, "The rind is quite thick; it'll be an extra dish tonight."

"Stir-fry watermelon rind with chili peppers and fermented black beans; it's a great dish to eat with rice," Quan Danru said with great enthusiasm.

“If you want to eat spicy food in the future, just tell your third sister. You’re the only one in the family who can eat spicy food. If you don’t tell her, you won’t be able to eat spicy food more than a few times a year.”

"I'll talk to my third sister later and ask her to buy the spiciest chili peppers tomorrow so I can make a spicy tripe dish myself."

"Yes, that's how it should be. Be casual, don't be too reserved." Xian Yaowen placed the cleaned watermelon rind on the stone table, listened carefully, and heard the sound of a jeep approaching from afar. "Go open the door, the car is back."

A minute later, Jiang Yiying sat down next to him and recounted the entire process of her meeting with Zheng Haoquan.

After giving her report, she said nervously, "Is 200,000 too much?"

"Two hundred thousand to let go of an enemy isn't much." Xian Yaowen patted Jiang Yiying's hand lightly. "There's a brown paper envelope in your bedside table drawer with some money inside. Go buy some clothes, jewelry, and cosmetics, and get your hair done to change your mood."

You have a week to rest. Tomorrow morning I'm telling you to go to the hospital for a check-up for half a day. You can arrange the rest of the time as you like. Once you've rested enough, you'll be working like a slave for me.

You saw it this morning, the one rushing out was my secretary, she was so busy she barely had time to breathe. You'll be like that from now on.

"I can never repay your kindness, sir..."

"Don't say anything more." Sin Yiu-man waved his hand. "Don't worry about whether you're grateful or not. Just help me earn back double the money I spent."

"Will."

Xian Yaowen looked at Xie Tingyun and said, "Just slap anyone with a foul mouth."

"Yes."

Turning his gaze away, Xian Yaowen gently patted Jiang Yiying's shoulder, "Go on, have fun."

Jiang Yiying's eyelashes trembled, and she uttered the word "thank you."

That evening, Sin Yiu-man gave Tang Yi-ying $20,000 and explained the matter of the "female valor bottle".

At that time, the official exchange rate of the New Taiwan Dollar to the US Dollar was 10.35 to 1, and the exchange rate for foreign exchange certificates was 15.90 to 1. For exports by state-owned enterprises, they could receive New Taiwan Dollars at the official exchange rate within a few weeks, or apply for foreign exchange quotas, obtain approval, and then proceed with import approval.

For private enterprises exporting goods, 20% of the foreign exchange earned is settled at the official rate, and 80% is settled using foreign exchange certificates. Settlement at the official rate yields New Taiwan Dollars quickly, while foreign exchange certificates are somewhat mysterious. They can be freely transferred and exchanged for foreign exchange of equal value with the Bank of Taiwan.

However, free transfer is practically feasible; you can sell it to anyone. Currency exchange is only theoretical. With a foreign exchange certificate, you can apply to the Bank of Taiwan for the foreign exchange needed to import. Just fill out the application form and wait patiently. It's normal not to hear back for three to five months, and don't worry if you don't hear back for a year or two. The foreign exchange certificate was invented to control foreign exchange transactions.

Go back and look through your family tree. If your relatives introduce themselves as "no need for formalities," then you really can't exchange foreign currency. You'll have to honestly take your foreign exchange certificate to an underground bank to "pay the difference" and exchange it. Otherwise, it'll just be a stack of worthless paper in your hand.

Underground banks ostensibly profit from the price difference between buying and selling exchange certificates, but in reality, they sell foreign exchange qualifications. They claim to be freely transferable, but unless the exchange certificate passes through the hands of a "savvy person," you can forget about exchanging for foreign currency in your next life without paying a high price.

This comparison shows that Sin Yiu-man was not cheated when he exchanged US dollars for NTD at the exchange rate of "15.5-2". It also shows that the US dollar is a hard currency in Taipei and the actual value of US$2 is far greater than NTD20.

This was a practical gift from Sin Yiu-man to Cheng Ho-chuen. Since they were going to exchange gifts anyway, there was no need to be stingy. He also subtly mentioned the word "American" on Cheng's forehead.

After dinner, Sin Yiu-man drank some tea and waited for Lung Hsueh-mei to return so they could chat about work for a while. Then he sped off to the US Army Club.

Upon entering the brightly lit club, the noise immediately filled the ears, and the smell of tobacco filled the nostrils. As you walked down the aisle into the lobby, a dissolute crowd came into view: American soldiers in various uniforms, women in cheongsams and dresses, and loud laughter that never stopped.

After searching around, he found Liang Saizhen on a sofa in a corner, chatting with a captain in civilian clothes at a polite distance.

The search continued, and Bai Lu was found, laughing loudly with her mouth wide open. She was surrounded by three or four officers in civilian shirts. Their rank insignia were not visible, but they were not young, so their ranks were probably not low.

My gaze wandered again, meeting someone else's eyes. It was Liang Huilan, standing with her arms crossed, no wine glass in sight, probably just coming back from the restroom.

Before I could even say hello, Liang Huilan came over.

"Mr. Xian, are you here for some leisure?"

"Mrs. Lan didn't play cards?"

“I’m not as lucky as Mrs. Xian, who has Mr. Xian to take care of her. I have to support myself.” Liang Huilan leaned on Xian Yaowen’s arm and raised her eyebrows, saying, “When will Mr. Xian be able to take care of me too?”

"Madam Lan, please don't joke. Your servants' quarters are even more luxurious than my bedroom. I would love to take care of you, but I'm not capable enough. Madam Lan, on the other hand, could you take care of me? Do you have any good favors to offer?"

Liang Huilan chuckled, "What can I do for Mr. Xian? Can I introduce you to a few of the 'wealthy ladies' here?"

"Thank you, but it's not necessary. I never need anyone's help with women. Mrs. Lan, we're too familiar with each other, it's not convenient for me to make a move. Please excuse me, I'd like to find someone to watch the sunrise with me tomorrow morning."

Liang Huilan laughed heartily, "Mr. Xian, you speak so elegantly."

Xian Yaowen shrugged. "Don't rush off. If I don't find anything, I'll come back and eat the grass right next to my nest."

"Haha, I'm afraid you won't dare." Liang Huilan raised an eyebrow and gave him a flirtatious wink.

"Don't tempt me, excuse me."

After giving a flippant American-style salute, Sin Yiu-man left and walked deeper into the area. (End of Chapter)