Spy Wars: Red Shopkeeper

Chapter 39 Invitation

Go to court the next day.

“This court pronounces the verdict.

According to the court's investigation, the defendant's claim that "the French Concession transferred law enforcement power to the Japanese Military Police Headquarters" has no empirical evidence to support it, and this court does not accept it.

The defendant's publication of the false statements in the newspaper without any factual basis has indeed caused defamation to the plaintiff. This court, in accordance with the law, imposes the following penalties:
The defendant needs to publish a clarification on the homepage of this newspaper within two days."

The verdict was announced, and as most people expected, in this kind of case, either the benefit of the doubt goes to the defendant, or all the doubts are dispelled by the plaintiff.

The plaintiff's lawyer refuted all the doubts raised by the defendant in court. If he didn't win, it would mean there was something fishy going on.

There are people behind both sides. The French consul is not made of clay, and the French Concession also supports a large number of people. The dark side cannot be exposed for the time being.

In fact, those who are well-informed knew the result after the trial ended yesterday. Today's trial is just a routine procedure.

For example, Smith, who was in the dock, didn't even show up, so there was no doubt that there would be no accidents.

People like the French Consul Richard were very calm when he first arrived, and now that the verdict has been announced, his expression is even more cheerful.

It's refreshing.

As soon as the verdict was announced, Richard couldn't wait any longer.

"Mr. Gu, Mr. Wolf, the banquet is already being prepared. How about we go to my mansion for a glass of wine first? It's from a top Burgundy winery. This is my treasured collection."

Gu Yansheng didn't understand why it was so powerful, but Wolf understood it very well.

"Burgundy? Could it be Romanee-Conti? I can't miss it.

Mr. Smith, I have to report this to you. Last time at an exhibition, a Frenchman sold me a bottle of Chateau-Conti, saying he was an employee of Burgundy, but it turned out to be a fake.

"Hahahaha, I'm here to guarantee it, Mr. Gu, please."

Richard was mainly grateful to Gu Yansheng, his main benefactor, and his words and actions were very polite and attentive.

Gu Yansheng is quick to follow good advice.

"Mr. Hase, please." Richard did not forget this follower. In the officialdom, they were all engaged in diplomacy and were all in Shanghai. They saw each other every day. It was better to maintain good relations on the surface than to make them better.

Hasegawa immediately followed with a smile.

Several cars drove to the consulate in the French Concession.

When you go in, you can see the waiters inside are already busy.

The French prefer Indian waiters to Chinese ones. For example, the people who help guests park their cars at the hotel entrance are usually Indians, referred to as red-headed Indians. The salaries of Indian constables in the police station are higher than those of Chinese constables, and not just a little higher, but twice as high.

Gu Yansheng couldn't understand. Are the Indians here clean? Are they hardworking?
If he were to guess, it would probably be that India is now a French colony, considered a part of France, and also uses its own people.

That's the only way I can understand it.

"please."

After arriving at the reception room, the French waiter brought in the decanted wine, and Richard poured it himself.

While pouring the wine, he also solemnly introduced the origin of the wine and the glorious history of the French winery.

Of course, the first cup was poured for Gu Yansheng, the benefactor who contributed the most.

"Mr. Gu, it was thanks to your help that justice was served this time. So if you need my help in the future, please feel free to ask. We can discuss anything in the French Concession."

Richard is also sincere.

However, a blank check won't fill your stomach. Gu Yansheng took a sip and said directly, "Then I have to attract business for our law firm. If Mr. Consul needs legal assistance in the future, I hope you can look after our Danwen Law Firm."

Gu is really good. Wolf likes Gu's professionalism of drinking while not forgetting to bring in orders for the law firm. He should drink a glass to himself.

Richard agreed. "Mr. Gu's ability is unquestionable. In fact, there will be many entrepreneurs from the French Concession at the reception later. I will definitely introduce Mr. Gu to them then."

"Mr. Richard, I think it's unnecessary for you to introduce Mr. Gu to them. After this incident, Mr. Gu's name should be very famous in the concession." Hase Inkawa tried not to be an invisible person and flattered him with a smile.

"Haha." Richard agreed.

Finally, the entry point has arrived.

Gu Yansheng's focus is on Hase Inkawa.

People outside think that he has a very good relationship with Hasegawa Inkawa, but in fact it is just self-association due to lack of information.

He knew his own limitations. In Hasegawa Inkawa's eyes, he, Gu Yansheng, was just a medium and a bridge to contact the French consul. Now that they had been contacted, his purpose had actually been exhausted.

There's some acquaintance, but not much.

So you really have to master the methods and techniques to start speaking.

For example, climbing up the pole. Gu Yansheng raised his glass and gestured from a distance.

"Mr. Hase, you said this. Now that Mr. Richard has expressed his willingness, can you also give us some of the food?
You have so many businesses in Hongkou and the entire Shanghai region. Is there any chance that our firm can get involved in some of them?"

Gu Yansheng began to attack.

"It really does."

Chang Gu nodded and looked at Gu Yansheng seriously, "Actually, I have something I want to discuss with Mr. Gu today.

This matter may be a little embarrassing for Mr. Gu. I am embarrassed to bring it up, but I have been asked to do so, so I wanted to ask Mr. Gu's opinion."

Huh? Gu Yansheng raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Please go ahead."

Hasegawa paused for a moment and said, "Here's the thing. I wonder if Mr. Gu has heard of a case a while ago where Taikoo & Co. sued the SH City Government for illegally detaining supplies."

Gu Yansheng and Wolf exchanged a glance, then nodded at Hasegawa. "I've heard a little about this case. The city government lost the case. What's the matter?"

Hasegawa hummed, frowned slightly, and said in a deep voice: "I don't know what you legal professionals think of this case, but at least from our and the SH City Government's point of view, this kind of case should have no possibility of losing.

The supplies were brought in through Wusongkou, and the materials brought in were war supplies and prohibited items under our control.

There are wartime rules. Even though Jardine Matheson can come up with a thousand excuses for smuggling supplies without declaring them, I can be sure that the final destination of the supplies will not be for peace.

This obvious act of aiding the enemy is detrimental to the peace of Shanghai and has no benefit in any way.

Afterwards, the SH City Government also held discussions with some experts and believed that the main reason for losing the lawsuit was that the case was tried in the concession court.

The main power holders in the International Settlement were Britain and the United States, and the British authorities were behind Jardine Matheson, so the bias of the judges would be very obvious.

Therefore, the SH city government needs someone to fight against this injustice in the Concession Court, but the level of their lawyers is indeed average, and they are unable to cope with top law firms like Herbert Smith Freehills.

After I returned home from the trial yesterday, the news that Mr. Gu had defeated Smith Freehills in court spread widely. An official from the SH municipal government contacted me and asked if I knew Mr. Gu.

As a fellow Chinese, he hoped that I could help recruit Mr. Gu as a member of the municipal government to be responsible for some legal-related matters.

But I said this matter is difficult to handle, because Mr. Gu's appearance fee is obviously not cheap, and the city government should not be able to come up with too much funds to recruit Mr. Gu. In fact, compared with Mr. Gu's income level, it can only be said to be meager.

So, I'm not in a position to bring this up, so I can only take this opportunity to mention it."

Hasegawa seemed to be afraid that Gu Yansheng would refuse too quickly, so he raised his hand to signal Gu Yansheng not to speak and let him continue.

"But, Mr. Gu, I have something to say, and I hope you can listen carefully.

I don't know what you think of this war, nor do I know what you think of the injustice the SH city government suffered in the International Settlement Court.

As a matter of fact, Japan and China are currently at war. As Shanghai is under the jurisdiction of Japan after occupation, Japan hopes that Shanghai will be peaceful and stable.

The people live and work in peace and contentment, commerce develops steadily, and relations with the countries in the concessions can be maintained at normal levels.

But now, Jardine Matheson's approach is clearly undermining the long-term stability of Shanghai.

Today they can win with some concession privileges.

But neither the SH city government nor Japan can make long-term concessions to such behavior.

The first time, we gave in and returned the item, but the second and third time...
Whether it is Jardine Matheson or other foreign companies, if they repeatedly engage in such behavior and try to win by using the case law of the concession.

Those SH city governments may not be so friendly in some ways.

For example, strict control, such as conducting large-scale searches throughout SH city from time to time.

We don't want this to happen. Both the SH municipal government and we in Japan hope that the environment for Shanghai residents will be relaxed. If we are forced to resort to this last resort, we are really helpless.

So from the perspective of the SH Municipal Government, they hope that I can help recruit Mr. Gu so that when they encounter various problems in the future, they will not be so vulnerable at the legal level or at the Concession Court level.

As a fellow Chinese, I believe Mr. Gu and hope that the citizens of SH can have a peaceful living environment.

So I would like to take the liberty of hoping that Mr. Gu can consider this possibility from the perspective of the overall situation and take up a position in the SH City Government.

I know the salary from the city government is very little for Mr. Gu, and it can even be considered just an allowance, but there is a lot you can do for the citizens of SH.”

"This..." Gu Yansheng frowned slightly, looking embarrassed.

This was unexpected. He was thinking of moving forward slowly, but he didn't expect that Hasegawa was also thinking of moving forward slowly and even played the emotional card.

This wave actually went in both directions.

So much so that some of the strategies he had prepared seemed useless.

Wouldn’t that be a waste of preparation?
The offense and defense have changed, so it seems that he still needs to judge it, otherwise how can he put forward conditions?
But before he could say anything, Wolf was already dissatisfied.

"Mr. Hase, isn't your request too much?"

(End of this chapter)