money player

"I don't know," Fei Baoqi said sadly. "Zhou Yinwei is pregnant."

"That woman?"

"Ah."

Xian Yaowen pulled Fei Baoqi into his arms. "You two have come clean?"

Fei Baoqi's face was pressed tightly against Xian Yaowen's chest. "He didn't bring it up, and I didn't expose it either."

"What are your thoughts?" Xian Yaowen gently stroked Fei Baoqi's hair.

Fei Baoqi shook her head. "I have no idea. I no longer have the confidence to rebuke him. I can only pretend to be stupid."

"Is it painful?"

Fei Baoqi shook her head again, "I don't know why, I'm not in much pain, just a little uncomfortable, and... I feel awkward around him."

Sin Yiu-man didn't say anything more, he just held Fei Po-ki tightly.

Fei Baoqi was immersed in the warmth and comfort of Xian Yaowen's chest. Involuntarily, she tilted her head back and lightly kissed Xian Yaowen's neck, raising her neck slightly and kissing along his jawline all the way to his lips.

Turning his head slightly, Sin Yiu-man's lips met his, like dry tinder thrown into a raging fire, burning fiercely.

Fei Baoqi let out a hazy "ah" sound from her nose, raised her hands, wrapped them around the man's neck, and unconsciously dug her palms into the hair at the back of his head, actively feeding him her sweet and delicious taste.

Sin Yiu-man responded enthusiastically, and their saliva mingled.

One hand slipped under Fei Baoqi's armpit, while the other lifted her upturned buttocks. She was picked up in a strange manner, carried through the garden and the entrance hall, and into the bedroom, where she was thrown onto the bed that still bore the scent of Fei Baoshu.

"Brother-in-law."

Two hours later, Chen Changtong stepped into the pavilion.

"Where's Baoqi? Didn't she come?" Chen Changtong sat down opposite Xian Yaowen.

"My sister arrived early, saying she was a little sleepy and would take a nap in her room."

Chen Changtong nodded slightly. "Yaowen, did Baoqi tell you about the joint operation?"

"said."

Upon hearing this, Chen Changtong took out a stack of things from his briefcase, including papers and photos, and laid them out on the table.

Xian Yaowen glanced at it, his gaze immediately landing on a photo—a mid-range overhead shot, with Jiang Yiying in the focus. Based on the angle and street scene, he could deduce that the photo was taken on Dihua Street. If he went to the site to take a look, it wouldn't be difficult to find the photographer's location.

Looking at another photo, the focus is on Jiang Yiying and a man, with a teahouse in the background. The photographer and the two form a "丄" shape. He had never met the man in person, but he had seen photos of him; it was Qian Luming.

There are three more photos that form a complete picture of a large underground currency exchange transaction. He didn't recognize any of the people in the photos, but it wasn't hard to guess that one of the parties in the transaction was Cai Jintu's man.

Looking at the written text on the paper, it was an investigation report about Qianji Pawnshop, which also included details about Qian Luming and Jiang Yiying. It was very detailed, with information about Jiang Yiying tracing back to her fifteenth year of life at the Xian residence. It was clearly written by a professional intelligence officer.

After reading it, Sin Yiu-man smiled faintly at Chen Changtong, "Brother-in-law, who cares about me so much? I hope it's someone older who has a daughter who is still unmarried."

Chen Changtong said with a stern face, "Yaowen, why did you get involved in underground currency exchange?"

Xian Yaowen's expression turned serious. "Brother-in-law, it's almost lunchtime."

Chen Changtong understood what Xian Yaowen meant and went straight to the point: "In the underground banks of Dadaocheng, all the big ones have someone behind them."

"This is nothing new."

"This joint operation will kill a number of people as a warning to others."

"Brother-in-law, just tell me directly which celestial lord in heaven has taken a liking to Jiang Yiying, and whether she should be his medicine boy, lamp wick, or pet."

Chen Changtong chuckled and said, "The Immortal Lord has no shortage of medicine boys, but he does lack a Great Sage Equal to Heaven to escort Tang Sanzang to the Western Paradise to obtain the scriptures."

"So it's a pilgrimage to the West." Xian Yaowen tapped the stone tabletop twice and pointed at the photos. "With this kind of setup, I thought I was going to be made to take the blame for something big."

“Underground currency exchange cannot be completely eradicated. It’s better to guide than to block. Rather than letting it grow unchecked, it’s better to develop it in an orderly manner right under our noses.”

Sin Yiu-man nodded slightly. "How do we cooperate?"

“I will provide protection to Qianji Piaozhuang. I will notify them in advance before each operation, and the piaozhuang will just go through the motions to avoid suspicion. I will provide US dollars from time to time, or you can raise your own funds. You can keep 30% of the profits generated from the US dollars I provide, and split the rest 50/50.”

"Reasonable."

"The obtained NT dollars cannot be withdrawn directly. Qianji Pawnshop has increased its lending business, targeting small and medium-sized private enterprises, with an actual annual interest rate not exceeding 40%."

"The Bank of Taiwan needs to grant Qianji Pawnshop a preferential loan of no less than NT$2 million, with an annual interest rate of no more than 5%. Qianji Pawnshop will actually repay an annual interest rate of 8%, and any excess amount can be in any currency, to any recipient, or in any place of receipt."

Chen Changtong hesitated for a moment, "8% is too low, 10%, we can negotiate an even lower interest rate."

"Give half of the money upfront, and the other half when it's due. Otherwise, the money transfer office will be under too much financial pressure."

"I can't make that decision myself. I'll get back to you in a couple of days."

"Brother-in-law," Sin Yiu-man said with a half-smile, "Are you sure you don't want to invite someone who can make the decision to come out and talk?"

"You don't trust Yaowen?"

“It’s not a matter of trust or distrust, but rather…” Xian Yaowen feigned hesitation, “Brother-in-law should know the answer.”

Chen Changtong nodded. "I understand. It's inconvenient for the person in charge to come forward... Yes, it's inconvenient for them to come forward."

Sin Yiu-man could tell that Chen Chang-tong wasn't repeating things unconsciously, but rather implying that the "people in charge" were divided into two factions. In fact, he could have deduced it even without Chen Chang-tong's hint.

Using the dark economy to promote the development of the light economy is something only the "future masters" would do; the transient soldiers or "future American citizens" are more concerned with their own interests.

“My sister mentioned to me not long ago that she wanted to start a business. I’ve already started working on it. She can’t give me much capital, but it’s not difficult to earn tens of thousands a year. My sister and brother-in-law have no family ties, so their annual expenses won’t be much. Why bother?”

Chen Changtong's expression changed slightly, and he said with a hint of bitterness, "Yaowen, I have my own reasons."

"It seems my brother-in-law is not comfortable saying anything, so I won't ask any more questions. It's almost time to eat, let's move to the dining room."

The two entered the house. Fei Baoqi had already gotten up and was sitting in the living room listening to the radio. There were traces of her hair being combed on her forehead and the ends of her hair.

"Sister, dinner's ready."

"You guys go ahead first, I'll listen to this part first," Fei Baoqi replied naturally, without any sign of anything amiss.

"it is good."

Xian Yaowen led Chen Changtong to the dining room, and before Fei Baoqi could wait, the two started eating.

Today's meal is a special Jingmei dish: water chestnut vines from Jingmei are blanched and stir-fried with chili peppers, sweet potato vines are stir-fried with chili peppers, and chilled kimchi is made from cabbage. The early-season Chinese cabbage is made into a spicy and sour dish, garnished with a little bit of pork cracklings. Bitter flowers from Jianwei Creek are stewed with white radish, which is incredibly fresh and fragrant, without any fishy or earthy taste.

The wine is also rice wine from Jingmei, with a very low alcohol content, suitable for a small sip.

During the meal and drinks with Chen Changtong, Xian Yaowen excused himself for a moment and prepared five jars of specially made Wang Mao for Chen Changtong—sealed in clay and decorated with a golden image of the Monkey King riding a white dragon horse, weighing seven taels and seven qian, symbolizing the ups and downs of life.

After the meal, Chen Changtong left with the wine.

Xian Yaowen sat in his study for a while, then went out for a stroll to another house about 200 meters away from the Xian residence. He knocked on the gate and invited the hostess, Jiang Yiying, to go for a walk on the street.

As they walked from the quiet area into the bustling city, Xian Yaowen bought a roasted sweet potato from a street vendor, broke off most of it for Jiang Yiying, and the two ate it as they walked.

“Things have changed a bit. A group led by senior executives of the Bank of Taiwan will become hidden shareholders of Qianji Pawnshop. Half of the profits from normal business will be distributed to them, and the shareholders will also provide US dollars, but 70% of the related profits generated as a result will be taken away.”

Jiang Yiying's face lit up with joy. "Sir, this is good news."

Xian Yaowen reached into his pocket, took out the photo left by Chen Changtong, and handed it to Jiang Yiying.

After reading it, Jiang Yiying said, "Am I being investigated?"

"The photo of you meeting Qian Luming has a strong graininess and distortion at the edges. It was taken with a Minox miniature camera, the legendary spy camera. The other photos were taken with a normal camera, but judging from the details, they don't seem to be from the same one."

At least three cameras, or three groups of people, were deployed to investigate you. What do you think about that?

Jiang Yiying's expression changed slightly. "A professional spy?"

Sin Yiu-man took a bite of the roasted sweet potato, holding it up with the sweet potato blocking his mouth, and spoke in a Chicago South accent that sounded like his nose was blocked, “The person who came forward to talk to me was my brother-in-law, Chen Changtong.”

Jiang Yiying switched to English and said, "I know him."

"Although he and I are brothers-in-law and have a close relationship, he is the most suitable person to talk to me, but there are not many people who are qualified to be his pawn. He conveyed a requirement of the shareholders: Qianji Piaozhuang should carry out lending business, and the lending targets should be small and medium-sized private enterprises, with an annual interest rate not exceeding 40%."

Jiang Yiying was stunned for a moment, then said, "Small business people have a hard time getting loans from banks. If they borrow money from underground money lenders, the interest rate will not be less than 3%, and only acquaintances can get this rate. The loan period cannot be too long either."

Qianji Pawnshop only charges 4% interest on loans, is this... is this still an underground money exchange?

"It's easier to borrow money than from public banks, and the interest rate is only a few percentage points higher. Qianji Piaozhuang aims to play the role of a private bank, and a private bank that will help Taiwan's economic development."

"Could one of the shareholders be surnamed Jiang?" Jiang Yiying asked incredulously.

Sin Yiu-man nodded. "Most likely."

Jiang Yiying mechanically took a bite of sweet potato, muttering, "His reputation is pretty good, how could this be?"

"Dividends don't necessarily go into your own pocket." Xian Yaowen put down the sweet potato and leaned against the wall hidden in the darkness. "Don't worry too much about what others will do; think about yourself first."

Originally, they were just doing some illegal business, and the worst outcome wouldn't be too bad. But now they're getting involved in a major event. Since ancient times, doing great things has always resulted in either great success or great failure. Success and failure are separated by a fine line, and there is never a middle ground.

You've already caught the eye of those with ulterior motives, but there's still a chance to escape. I can transfer you away from Taiwan to Hong Kong, to the United States—the world is vast, and you can roam freely there.

"If I leave Taipei, what will you arrange for me to do?"

“Nowhere else has the exchange rate environment like Taiwan. Once you leave Taiwan, my assessment of your overall ability will be downgraded by two levels, and you will have to start from a relatively ordinary financial position.”

Jiang Yiying hesitated for a moment, then said, "What if I don't leave?"

Xian Yaowen patted Jiang Yiying's small shoulder, "If we suffer a major defeat, I can protect myself calmly, but I basically can't protect you. Think it over, moving forward is gambling with your life."

Jiang Yiying fell silent. After a moment, her gaze hardened. "I laugh as I brandish my sword to the heavens, my heart and soul remain steadfast, whether I stay or go. I gamble."

Sin Yiu-man chuckled lightly, "Don't make such a dramatic show of your petty schemes. The bodyguards aren't even here yet, and I'm going to send a lawyer over to find you and turn you into an American as quickly as possible. You'll be getting married soon."

"Using a sham marriage to apply for a non-quota visa?"

"This is the easiest way. You just need to fly to the United States, and the lawyer will take care of everything else."

"Mr. Ren made the arrangements."

Xian Yaowen patted Jiang Yiying's shoulder again, "With access to information from higher levels, the currency exchange business is not difficult to operate. But as always, don't get involved in this business."

Jiang Yiying nodded.

The two stepped out of the shadows and continued forward.

"Have you maintained contact with Zheng Haoquan?"

“I treated him to dinner a couple of days ago and told him that I plan to reopen the underground bank.”

"what do you think?"

“I plan to prepare for operating a loan shark business, so that you can start it easily whenever you think of it.”

"The loan sharks are really shameless. I want the profits, but I don't want to get my reputation tarnished."

"Should I personally find a gang to cooperate with?"

"You're too close to me."

"Have Qian Luming handle it?"

"Don't let him get too involved. Find someone else."

"Put up another sign?"

"No, we'll only participate in financing, not get involved in the business."

"Do you have a potential business partner in mind, sir?"

“I had a conflict with the Xiamen gang a few days ago. I wanted to play the role of friends after a fight, but so far no one has come to settle scores. Since they won’t come, I have to take the initiative to come to them. After you find the right people, go and handle this matter.”

Jiang Yiying frowned slightly. "The Xiamen gang has a terrible reputation."

"These days I need to contact Chen Xianzhou, the director of the Security Department of the Security Command, and give the money to the ticket shop to find another umbrella. It's not necessarily a bad thing that the Xiamen gang has a bad reputation. If we follow the rules, everyone gets rich; if we don't follow the rules, we're acting as the righteous ones."

"Sir, do you intend to treat the Xiamen Gang as a profit-sharing arrangement for Chen Xianzhou and Zheng Haoquan?"

"Smart." Xian Yaowen chuckled. "With interest compounding on usury, it won't be long before the Xiamen gang accumulates enough capital to lend money. At that time, they should find a way to get rid of their investors and go it alone. By then, they'll be fat and strong, just the right time to slaughter them and fatten up the guys at the Security Command."

"What if the Xiamen gang always follows the rules?"

"Without a foundation of trust, how can there be long-term and stable cooperation? Besides, the initiative to exploit or not is not in our hands. We just need to sit back and watch the situation unfold."

"understood."

"Find a good place to hide the money. 500 million NT dollars will be delivered to you tomorrow night."

"Let's deliver it a few days later. It's such a large sum of money, I'm afraid it will attract thieves."

"Don't worry, your bodyguard will arrive tomorrow. Do you have anyone in mind right now?"

Jiang Yiying nodded slightly. "There are two candidates. I need to weigh them and decide who to choose."

"Hmm." (End of Chapter)