Period drama: Old Cao's carefree life

Chapter 131: When a dynasty prospers, the people suffer; when a dynasty falls, the people suffer.

Cao Weida wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, which he had been forced to do. He had no choice but to force it, otherwise he wouldn't even be able to break a cold sweat, which would be too disrespectful to the Japanese on the other side.

With a heavy sigh, Cao Weida chuckled and nodded repeatedly, "Commander Mei Ze is insightful and has a noble heart. I am just a small, insignificant person. You flatter me. I'm just trying to make a living."

Mei Zeping smiled calmly, picked up another cup, placed it in front of Cao Weida, and poured him fresh tea.

"Cao Sang, I've come here for two reasons: first, to make friends with you, and second, to make a deal with you."

"Commander Meize, how could I let you pour the tea? Let me do it, let me do it." He hurriedly took the teapot, poured a cup for the other person, then poured one for himself, and picked up his teacup.
"I have intelligence on army supply transportation, and I need your help to deliver it to the anti-Japanese elements."

Tap~~
Teacup: Is today an unlucky day for me?

"Cough cough cough," Cao Weida coughed until his face turned red, pounding his chest hard. It took him a while to recover. He looked at Mei Zepingba, who had been smiling the whole time, in disbelief and asked in horror, "Commander Mei Zepingba, I suddenly had a hearing problem. What did you just say?"

Mei Zeping said slowly, "I have some intelligence on the transportation of army supplies, and I want you to pass it on to the anti-Japanese elements."

"..." Cao Weida's face twitched violently. He thought of many reasons why the other party was looking for him, and even thought that the other party had investigated some things and dared not openly retaliate against the army, so he wanted to get rid of him to give Ono Oda and the others a warning.

But he never expected that the other party would ask him to do such a thing.
To be honest, he still finds it all somewhat surreal.
"Commander Umezawa, I'd like to ask, why did you choose me?"

His expression was one of utter astonishment and fear. "I think you should have a way to deliver this intelligence to the anti-Japanese resistance fighters, right?"

Mei Zeping smiled slightly, "It's simple, I'm going to get leverage over you."

"."

Is it really that straightforward? It's so straightforward that it's almost unsettling for me.
Cao Wei Da was speechless. "So, you went through all this trouble just to find something on me? But why? I'm just a nobody. What good would it do you even if you found something on me?"

He glanced at the Japanese soldiers guarding the area. "Although it's a bit... well, if you give the order, wouldn't I be ready to bleed on the spot right now?"

"I wouldn't bear to kill you, Cao Weida," Mei Zeping said meaningfully.

"Before you, Ono Oda and his group were just smuggling supplies and equipment. They were always very careful and didn't make much money."

"But ever since they met you, they've all made a fortune, living a life of extravagance and debauchery every day."

"Now, the entire Beiping Army Road is basically on the same boat, and the future looks promising."

"You're their cash cow, how could I bear to kill you?"

Cao Wei Da: "."

Good grief, are they just jealous that others are making money?
But thinking about it, it makes sense; who can remain indifferent to the prospect of getting rich?

So, you mean...

“Cao-san, Ono Oda is your friend, and I, Umezawa Hiraha, can also be your friend.” Umezawa Hiraha looked at him intently.
"Money, status, women—we can give you anything, as long as you cooperate with us. The benefits will be enormous!"

Oh ho, so you're sending me to deliver a message, are you trying to get me to pledge my loyalty?

Cao Wei Da immediately felt relieved. It was just about making money. He was herding one sheep or two sheep, and he had an extra way to make money, so he was definitely not at a loss.

However, he still pretended to be hesitant, because agreeing too readily would only make the other party wary and distrustful.

So, he hesitated and said:

"To be honest, I'd be happy to have another way to make money, but you're asking me to tip off the rebels. If Commander Ono and his men find out, I'll lose my head."

"Moreover, Commander Ono has been very kind to me, and I owe my current life entirely to him."

Mei Zeping narrowed his eyes, his gaze turning cold as he said, "So, Cao Sang doesn't mean he'll agree?"

Click!

Click~~
A burst of gunfire rang out, and Cao Weida shuddered involuntarily. He hurriedly waved his hand and said, "No, Commander Mei Ze, you're in such a hurry. I never said I wouldn't help you make a fortune."

"Yoshi," Mei Zeping raised a hand and waved it, and the Japanese soldiers around him immediately put away their guns. "There is an old Chinese saying, 'Those who are willing to do things are heroes,' so Cao-san, you have agreed to do it, right?"

"no no no"

"idiot!"

"Commander Umezawa, why are you in such a hurry again? Please listen to me first."

Mei Zeping kept a straight face; he was eager to hear what Cao Weida had to say. If Cao Weida was unwilling to work for them, they would rather kill him than simply let those army soldiers get away with it!
If I can't have it, then no one else can!

Cao Weida pondered the situation. The conflict between the Japanese navy and army was a pressing issue. Today, Meize Pingba had come knocking on his door. If he couldn't give them a satisfactory answer, he might really be in danger.

Don't expect these Japanese devils to have any kindness or conscience. If they can't be used by them, they will definitely kill you.

Especially now that he's making a fortune for the Army, the Navy is not only envious but also jealous.

If you can't have it, destroy it—that's the Japanese tradition.

After a moment of silence, Cao Wei Da spoke:

“Commander Umezawa, I’ve heard about the conflict between your navy and army. I understand why you want me to do that.”

"But I'm just a lowly patrol chief. I can't afford to offend either of you!"

"You know about some of the things the Army does, do you think they can't investigate some of the things you do?"

"Not to mention that I'm incapable of betrayal, if I were to actually do it, and Commander Ono and the others found out, how could I possibly survive?"

"If I'm going to die sooner or later anyway, why should I get involved in this mess? I might as well just die now and at least leave behind a relatively good reputation, don't you think?"

Mei Zeping responded with silence because he knew that Cao Weida was right. If they could investigate so many things, the army's intelligence agency in Beiping was much stronger than their navy's, so naturally they could also investigate.

If Cao Wei Da had truly betrayed the army, given their personalities, he would undoubtedly have died.

Protect?

Putting aside whether their navy can protect them, even if they could, what difference would it make? They're counting on Cao Wei Da to make money for them!
If Cao Wei Da cannot help them make money, then he is a discarded pawn. Does he still need to be protected?

He didn't say anything like, "As long as you help us, we'll definitely protect you," which is utter nonsense. We're not idiots. If he really said that, whether people believed him or not is another matter; more likely, it would just make people completely wary of him.

Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, Cao Wei Da sorted out his thoughts and continued:

"Actually, there are conflicts between you two, but these conflicts are military and political differences, which are completely different from doing business. We can put aside our prejudices for the time being."

"Since you sincerely want to be my friend, I can't just stand by and do nothing. To be honest, the Imperial Army in Beiping has indeed become a united force, but after all, Beiping's territory is only so big, and there are only so many ways to transport supplies, so there are still limitations."

"If we can temporarily set aside our political and military prejudices and fully open up both sea routes, the transport of supplies will be more than double what it is now!"

"In this way, it's not only safer and more stable, but you can also make more money. Why not?"

"There's a saying in China that you may or may not have heard: 'You can have a grudge against anyone, but you can't have a grudge against money!'"

“You are a soldier now, but you can’t be a soldier forever. After you retire from the army, you will eventually have to return home.”

"I think that you and your family need enough money to meet your material needs, right?"

"On the contrary, if you hold such prejudices and continue to be at odds with each other, then Cao's death is just that—a worthless life. But the final result will only be that no one will make any money."

"Let's not let temporary political or military prejudices delay our opportunity to make money, or even make a lot of money! What do you think?"

"I suppose you are a smart man and should know what the current situation is like. The two sides have reached a stalemate, and the longer it drags on, the more disadvantageous it will be for your country."

There's an old Chinese saying: "To speak of defeat before one has even won." Have you heard of it?

Mei Zeping frowned and shook his head. "Please enlighten me, Cao Sang."

"I dare not presume to offer guidance; these are merely my humble opinions." Cao Wei Da smiled slightly and said, "The saying 'to speak of defeat before victory' means that one should prepare for defeat even before achieving victory."

Mei Zeping raised an eyebrow; these words resonated deeply within him, making them very true.

The more he chewed, the more he savored it.

He sighed inwardly, thinking that although China was weak now, its profound heritage was something he truly admired. Even an ordinary person like him had such insights; that was the charm of tradition!
He was already pessimistic about the current situation, and now he's even more pessimistic.

"Of course, I'm not trying to diminish the prestige of the Great Japanese Empire, but we need to prepare for the worst. If your country ultimately loses the war, you have to think about your own future and that of your family."

"For example, all of your country's military operations are going very smoothly. What use would they be if you didn't have money in the future?"

(End of this chapter)