Spy Wars: Red Shopkeeper

Chapter 77 Recovery
As soon as Lu Bowen left, Gu Yansheng had to notify Wu Sibao, lest he leave too quickly and Lu Bowen run out of supplies.

"How's the seizure going on over there?"

"Hahahaha, what a great harvest! Let me tell you, these profiteers had their warehouses full of stuff, and now, they're all in our hands, hahahaha."

Even through the phone, Gu Yansheng could tell how smug Wu Sibao looked.

Gu Yansheng laughed and said, "That's not the way to say it. If you do this, won't we become thieves?
You should be more restrained and move slower. Don't be too slow. Just stop.

Today's intimidation has almost worked. I have sent people to collect the goods. These merchants should be scared to death now, fearing that the Japanese will forcibly confiscate them and lose all their money. You stop now, and my people will go to negotiate. If those are willing to sell at a low price, we will buy them seriously. This is called doing business. It's a willing fight and a willing loss, and no one can say anything.

If they really don't want to sell it, you can seal it up later and teach these greedy profiteers a lesson."

"Doesn't that cost money?"

"What's wrong with spending money? Wu Sibao, let me tell you, don't ever complain about spending money!
Use your brain. There are so many businessmen, and you never know who they are hooking up with, big and small. Let's make money, there is still a long way to go, so don't make things that anger others.

Seize some, collect some, and buy some, it's enough for us to eat. If everyone gets angry and runs away, and Shanghai's economy collapses, will you explain it to the Japanese?"

"Okay, okay, okay, I'll listen to you, okay? But you have to lower the price. I think these unscrupulous businessmen will sell it to you as long as you pay." Wu Sibao is greedy, not stupid. What Gu Yansheng said makes sense, so he has to listen.

Thinking of what Li Shiqun said, he said:
"But my brother just sent me a letter saying that the mayor has ordered that his warehouse and some British private warehouses must be closed. I have to carry out the order."

"Is there such a thing?"

Gu Yansheng was stunned when he heard it. After thinking about it, he could probably guess that Fu Xiaoan made a strategy for the stock market, but it had nothing to do with him. Collecting cotton yarn was more important.

“Since it’s his request, then seal it. You wouldn’t dare to gnaw on his flesh anyway.

As for the British private warehouses, what are they? If they are private warehouses, then they are not the registered owners. So what should we do? If I give them a penny, I will be wasting my time as Deputy Director of the Judicial Department."

"Hahaha, okay! I know what to do. I'll work first, and then we'll drink together in the evening."

The Public Office of All Industries.

There is still half an hour until the stock market closes.

At this moment, investors who trade futures can finally be sure that the rebound of futures to 90 yuan led by cotton yarn was a complete trick by the main force to lure more investors.

The bullish wave is now completely trapped.

Since the 90s, the price of cotton yarn has been declining in stages and rebounded several times. Every time people thought it had bottomed out, but in fact it was just a trap to lure more buyers. Now, the price of cotton yarn has simply stopped rising and continues to hit new lows.

I got it straight to 22 yuan!
Cotton yarn costs 22 yuan. Such a price of cotton yarn has never appeared in Shanghai since the Republic of China.

This price is not even enough to cover the cost of harvesting cotton, not to mention the labor and machinery costs.

Normally, this price would require mortgaging the house and selling all the pots and pans.

But today, they really don’t dare to buy at the bottom.

Because once the Japanese forced conscription began, the futures notes in hand would be like a piece of waste paper that was too hard to even be used to wipe one's butt, and would be worthless.

And now a forced requisition is taking place outside. The news that the secret service headquarters and the Japanese military police have sealed off the warehouse has spread here quickly. Facts speak louder than rumors.

It is said that many businessmen are now in a hurry to get rid of their things.

Grain is not so bad, as we can always sell some by opening the warehouse. The cheaper it is, the more willing SH citizens will buy it, and the faster it will be cleared out.

But cotton yarn cannot be processed at all.

The businessman wanted to sell, but no one took it!

Cotton yarn was a controlled commodity. If the Japanese found out that you were selling it without a permit, you would go to jail.

Even if they forced the sale, honest cloth shop owners wouldn't take the risk for such a small amount of cotton yarn. A bale of cotton yarn weighs 181 kilograms, so how much can a clothing store use? It's simply not worth it.

And it is even more impossible for merchants to break it up into small pieces and sell it to citizens at low prices. This is not cloth, but cotton yarn, the raw material, and it still needs to go through several processes before it can be made into clothes.

It was impossible to clear out the inventory before the Japanese army forcibly requisitioned it.

As shareholders, we worked together and watched the fun, and at the same time, we helped these cotton yarn bosses think about whether there was still a possibility of saving the company. However, after much thought, we came to the final conclusion that as long as the Japanese forcibly requisitioned them, there was no hope and they could only wait to die.

The cotton yarn boss is bound to go bankrupt, and the cotton yarn options are worthless. It is impossible to even seek compensation with such options.

The only expectation of playing with cotton yarn now is to bet that the Japanese army will abandon this strategy. It's pure gambling.

After all, the price of cotton yarn is really attractive now.

If you win, not counting leverage, you will get several times the profit. Otherwise, the cotton yarn would be reduced to ten cents.

At three o'clock, the stock market closes.

The closing price of cotton yarn was maintained at 20.88 yuan, and the prices of other commodity futures were also quite ugly.

No miracle happened between 2:30 and 3:00. Even Fu Xiaoan himself did not come out to say a word or two to clarify. Even Fu Xiaoan's warehouses were increasingly sealed. The last glimmer of hope was shattered, and forced requisition was a foregone conclusion in everyone's mind.

This scene in the stock market was quickly spread by word of mouth among investors who had left the market.

Before the stock market opens tomorrow, it will turn into huge pressure on all traders holding stocks.

They are hoarding goods, and the Japanese want to raid their base!

Even Fu Xiaoan couldn't hold on. Should they fight on and wait for the situation to become clearer, or should they cut off their tail and survive before it's their turn?

The choice is not difficult to make.

The market began to react violently.

A huge amount of goods were thrown out. Compared with the high prices and limited sales in the past few days, the behavior now is not to sell at a low price, but to sell urgently and sell at a low price. As long as you pay, you can take away whatever you want.

Citizens happily went out to the streets to do their shopping.

Judicial Department.

Liu Xiaolou came back from his inspection and came in to report with a smile on his face. He also handed Gu Yansheng a bag of food.

"Director, there are long queues in the market now. A large number of people are rushing to buy rice, sugar, chocolate, and everything else except fresh vegetables. Looking at their expressions, they are really happy. It's cheap and there is plenty.

Here, I bought two pieces of chocolate. Please have one. As a member of SH City, on behalf of SH citizens, thank you for your hard work and concern for Shanghai's prices."

Nowadays, chocolate is an imported luxury product. No matter how cheap it is, it is still expensive and not something that ordinary people can afford.

Gu Yansheng peeled off the outer wrapping paper and put it in his mouth to taste it.

"It tastes good. Buy a few more and I'll reimburse you tomorrow. After you buy yours, let's go shopping after get off work. The streets should be quite busy today."

Now that the supply on the market has been restored, Gu Yansheng picked up his clothes and left. It was time to go to No. 76 to divide the spoils. His capital of 6000 yuan was still there.

No. 76 Jisi Feier Road.

The last time Gu Yansheng came, the gate guard wouldn't let him in and he was secretly teased by the gate guard.

This time he just honked the horn and showed his face, and the guard bowed and smiled as he opened the door. As soon as he parked the car, Li Shiqun received a notice and came out to greet him in person.

Regardless of the fact that Gu Yansheng is only a deputy director, he is, after all, the head of a powerful department and a favorite of the consulate, so Li Shiqun still has to give him some face.

"Director Gu's visit is a real honor to our humble place."

"Is a garden house still small? Director Li, you are too modest."

No. 76 is currently undergoing large-scale construction, and it seems that a lot of land will be expanded.

"Come, upstairs please."

Gu Yansheng followed Li Shiqun into the reception room on the second floor.

Li Shiqun is also a talkative person, and he always speaks in praise: "I heard that the Judicial Department is now dealing with the issue of foreign smuggling. The British, Americans and other countries have been rampant for a long time, and their actions are extremely difficult for Japan to deal with. But I think Director Gu has already won the battle in the current situation.

Congratulations, you have solved this difficult problem. Brother Gu, you have made a great contribution to the Japanese. The title of Deputy Director will be removed soon."

Gu Yansheng smiled and said, "It doesn't make any difference whether I have this calligraphy or not. Unlike you, Director Li, although you have the extra character 'Deputy', in terms of your ability to get things done in Shanghai today, how many people are more capable than you, Deputy Director Li?

I was able to succeed thanks to your secret service headquarters and the help of my brothers Sibao. Otherwise, even if I deployed all the personnel from the Judicial Department just to seal the warehouse, the effect would probably not be even one-tenth as good as what your secret service headquarters could achieve.

So, I came all the way here to express my gratitude.”

Don't speak in secret in front of others. Gu Yansheng didn't say anything about using Wu Sibao to attack Fu Xiaoan, as he thought Li Shiqun could guess it. So he said it himself and was more honest in his attitude.

"Alas." Li Shiqun waved his hands. "It's all for the peace and stability of Shanghai. What's the point of talking about gratitude? Besides, it's not like he didn't gain anything. It's obviously Director Gu who had the opportunity to make a fortune, but he brought Wu Sibao, a rotten wood, with him.
Hey, Jiqing, you're here. Director Gu, let me introduce you to my wife, Ye Jiqing."

Ye Jiqing, wearing a cheongsam, walked in from the door and nodded to Gu Yansheng with a smile.

(End of this chapter)