Chapter 196: Minister of Frontier Affairs
He actually became an imperial envoy?
This is something Meng Shaoyuan had never thought of before.
"In the past, the webmasters of the various stations of Lixing Society were the ministers of the border areas. They had great power, but it was impossible for them not to be restrained." Ma Guitu said slowly:
"Xiao Meng, you happen to be passing through Tianjin this time. Director Dai is asking you to take a look at the work of Tianjin Station. I know that you have not been a member of Lixingshe for a long time, so you may not be able to understand what it means, but we understand.
Now that we understand, if we still don’t report to you, then Director Dai will definitely be dissatisfied. Logically speaking, I should report to you this afternoon and tomorrow morning. Hey, I actually report to Director Dai, but I
But you didn’t do that, why?
I think this report is too cumbersome. There are so many big cases waiting for you to solve every day? They are just trivial matters, so I might as well make a simple report with you during the meal time.
"
Ma Guitu seems to be smiling all day long, talking funny and treating others warmly, but he is also a seasoned person, and everything he says is on point.
Ma Guitu glanced at him: "For example, we exchange information with the Japanese. We can't leave any evidence in the files, but do the higher-ups know about it? Yes, at least they have heard about it.
Director Dai is not that easy to deceive.
Why do I tell you so frankly? Firstly, there is no need to hide it. Secondly, it will not cause harm to Lixingshe. Thirdly, instead of letting you find out, it is better for me to tell you everything. I also
Let me tell you this, after finishing this meal, I will take you to see how this information is exchanged."
Done.
Meng Shaoyuan has never seen how two intelligence agencies that should be hostile in principle exchange information.
When he found Rite in Nanjing, he said one word: Catch!
Did you also say to him: "Hey, how do you sell this information?"
"Thirty dollars and a half."
"Do you think twenty-five dollars is enough?"
Doesn't this look like a wet market?
On the stage, those girls had finished dancing, and another girl came up to sing.
After almost eating, Ma Guitu and Meng Shaoyuan got up and left. No one asked them to pay. On the contrary, the waiter diligently brought them coats and said repeatedly, "Boss Ma, please go away."
When we arrived at the lobby, the manager Zhao Daosheng happened to be there. As soon as he saw Ma coming out, he hurried forward: "Oh, Boss Ma, I wish you, Boss, are you leaving now?"
"Let's go." Ma Guitu said slowly: "Take Boss Zhu to Nanshi to have some fun. I don't know if the prices there have gone up. Nowadays, everything has gone up. Where are the wages of those of us who are civil servants?
It’s enough.”
Zhao Daosheng was so smart. When he heard this, he said: "Boss Ma, please wait a moment."
He left in a hurry.
Ma Guitu smiled: "Thank you, boss, wait a moment."
Within a few minutes, Zhao Daosheng came back, holding a stack of money in his hand, and stuffed it into the hand of the horse returning home: "Take this, if you don't have enough money, send someone to tell me, and I will send it to you."
Ma Guitu didn't even say thank you, but stuffed the money into his pocket: "That's it. Congratulations, boss, let's go."
Meng Shaoyuan finally knew why the Dahua Hotel, known as the most upscale hotel in Tianjin, was operating well and closed not long after the Double Twelve Incident.
No matter how good the business is, how can it withstand such blackmail?
Before, with Shaoshuai Zhang's relationship, none of them had to be afraid.
What now?
Marshal Zhang fell.
If the big tree falls, I will definitely try to blackmail them.
A car was already waiting outside. Ma Guitu and Meng Shaoyuan were sitting in the back row together: "Xiao Meng, it makes sense for people outside to scold us and hate us. You said that Zhao Daosheng, on the surface, he treats me
I was smiling, but in my heart I had already scolded all the eighteen generations of my ancestors.
But I don’t take the money, others do. Hey, it’s not easy to do business, but it’s even more difficult for us. You said that people come to Tianjin Station often, and some of them are important people, like you. You have to entertain them, and you have to
The entertainment is good, but how will the expenses be paid? It is written in the public account:
"Today we entertain Meng Shaoyuan, an important official from Nanjing, stay in an expensive hotel, eat an expensive meal, and drink wine in the Nanjing market after the meal." Do you mean what you say? So we have to think about it ourselves. Just think of those businessmen who see us all
Heaven and the Japanese will compete with each other in wisdom and courage, so please honor ours."
Meng Shaoyuan nodded slightly.
If important officials are not entertained to their satisfaction, they will definitely cause trouble for you in the future.
"Let me tell you something. Last year, I had a deputy webmaster. His surname was Lu. Lu Xingqi was new. He used to do front-line work. He didn't understand the official business. He was upright and the most attractive.
What he wasn’t used to was the invitation, and at the reception banquet held for him, he just drank a glass of wine and left, making everyone very embarrassed.”
Ma Guitu said slowly: "In a few days, Chief Xu of the Accounting Section of the Nanjing Headquarters, ah, Xu Renji, you must know him, brought someone to Tianjin to review the accounts. I happened to be away, so Lu Xingqi received him and strictly abided by the regulations. Arrangements
Chief Xu lived in a small hotel. There was no food or wine in the small hotel, and there were not many dishes from You Xingzi. After the meal, everyone went back to their homes.
Chief Xu didn't say anything. He checked the work in Tianjin for two days and brought back a bunch of account books. When I came back, I heard that they were broken and there would be trouble.
Sure enough, the funds we applied for could not be approved, and the card was stuck with Xu Renji. They had good reasons. This account in the ledger was wrong, and there was something wrong with that account. It would take a year and a half to check.
Check properly.
Okay, let's go to Nanjing in person and apologize face to face. You don't know how much effort I put in to satisfy Chief Xu. When he was satisfied, the funds were approved before I even returned to Tianjin.
"
Meng Shaoyuan couldn't laugh or cry when he heard this.
Not only did Xu Renji know him, but he was also very familiar with him. The expenses he reimbursed could be obtained on the same day. Thinking about it, I usually pay more filial piety to him, otherwise I would have the same result.
These "ministers" outside may appear to be prosperous, but in fact, their lives are difficult.
"Where's Deputy Station Chief Lu?"
"He is very stubborn. He thinks that he has done nothing wrong and that he should abide by the rules when doing things." Ma Guitu sighed: "Later, he was isolated at Tianjin Station. Actually, I also know that this person is good and he is a good spy.
, but he is the deputy station manager now, so he has to consider the whole station when doing things, right? It happened that a floating corpse case happened in Tianjin, and I asked him to assist the police in the investigation."
A dignified deputy webmaster of Lixingshe went to investigate some floating corpse case?
This is entirely a matter for the police.
"Speaking of the case of floating corpses, it is also an evil thing." Ma Guilu became more energetic: "Every May, floating corpses will always appear in Dazhiguhaihena..."
On May 1, 1936, Tianjin people had an ordinary day. In the early morning, many people took a walk along the banks of the Dazhigu Haihe River as a habit.
However, on this day, they suddenly found several corpses floating in the river.
The panicked people quickly reported it to the police, and people from the Dazhigu Life Saving Association salvaged the body.
To everyone's surprise, every day after that, many floating corpses would appear in this section of the Haihe River. From the 1st to the 8th, a total of 67 corpses were discovered.
Tianjin police began to investigate the matter. After identification, they found that most of the deceased were men between 20 and 40 years old. Their identities could not be proven, and no one came to claim the bodies.
What’s even weirder is that these corpses actually had three causes of death:
One type was drowned recently, and the body was well preserved; the other type was drowned a long time ago, and sank to the bottom of the water, but now it has floated up, and the body has rotted; and the other type was not drowned at all, but was thrown in after death.
In the Haihe River.
Even during the police investigation, corpses continued to appear every day, and the police found about 300 corpses in total.
A year later, in May of this year, a large number of floating corpses appeared again!
Ma Guitu frowned: "It is said that these people died after eating white flour (drugs). Isn't that right? So many people can die from eating white flour? I went to the scene and saw that most of the dead were dressed as migrant workers...
…”
When Meng Shaoyuan heard this, he sighed in his heart.
I knew about the Tianjin floating corpse case, and it was only a long time before I solved the mystery.
He organized the words in his mind: "Stationmaster Ma, you entertained me so well, I will give you a fortune. I just came back from Manchuria. By coincidence, I learned about the floating corpse case in Tianjin in Manchuria.
…”
"What, you know?" Ma Guitu was startled.
Meng Shaoyuan nodded: "In Tianjin, the Japanese have the Hedongdong Bureau Barracks, and this year they built the Jindong Limingzhuang Barracks. A large number of Chinese laborers were recruited for the construction of these two barracks. After the barracks were completed, the Japanese
They were afraid that the information in the barracks would be leaked, so they brutally killed the Chinese workers and threw them into the Haihe River, creating the Tianjin Haihe River Floating Corpse Case. In order to cover up the facts, they also specifically found people who had died of drug abuse and threw them into the Haihe River to confuse the public."
Ma Guitu was completely stunned. After a long time, his voice trembled: "This... is this true?"
"Really, I heard it from a Japanese spy." Meng Shaoyuan made an excuse: "But you still need to find the specific evidence yourself."
yes.
Both barracks were built in February and completed at the end of April, which explains why the floating corpses appeared in May.
It goes without saying that Ma Guitu was deeply grateful to Meng Shaoyuan.
Meng Shaoyuan really gave himself great wealth.
No matter whether evidence can be found or not, as long as this matter is quietly reported to the top, the top level will have to look at the Tianjin Station's ability to do things differently.
"Shaoyuan." Ma Guitu called out and became affectionate: "If we really want to find out, I will definitely tell the superiors that you are the first contributor!"
"No need." Meng Shaoyuan smiled lightly: "It's better not to talk about me, Station Manager Ma, there are still many opportunities for us to cooperate in the future."
Chapter completed!