65.

In the United Commercial House on China Street, Xu Qingzhi was talking about business with a Japanese man named Yamada. This Japanese man was a regular customer of the trading house, and he would buy some silk and tea every month, and the quantity was relatively fixed, and it is said that these things were sold to the Japanese in Harbin. But today, he has proposed to double the number.

"Yamada-kun, why do you want so much silk and tea this month?" Xu Qingzhi asked.

"It's not just this month," says Yamada, "and it's going to be this amount every month from now on." ”

Xu Qingzhi frowned slightly, it's a good thing to have a deal to do, but being so abnormal always makes people a little confused.

"What? Does Mr. Xu have a business and don't want to do it? Yamada asked.

"Of course not", Xu Qingzhi said, "just some questions, Yamada-kun, has the number of Japanese expatriates increased recently?" ”

"It's the addition of some people," says Yamada, "that's why we need to stock up on more." ”

Xu Qingzhi saw that he was secretive, and it was inconvenient to ask deeply, but there was no reason for the money to be sent to the door, Xu Qingzhi promised to supply the goods according to the doubled quantity, and Yamada left satisfied.

When Xu Qingzhi saw Lin Hongwen the next day, he told him about it.

"I always felt that something was wrong," Xu Qingzhi said, "but I couldn't figure out what was wrong." ”

"He is a businessman, as long as there is nothing wrong with his head, he must buy so many goods to make money", Lin Hongwen thought for a while and said, "There are two possibilities for this, or, he can really sell so much, as he said, the number of Japanese expatriates has increased." Or, he simply won't be able to sell that much. ”

"You're saying he's going to hoard Juki?" Xu Qingzhi immediately thought of Yamada's concealed appearance, "He knows some things, these things are not happening now, but they will happen soon." ”

"Natural disasters are unpredictable, then it can only be **", Lin Hongwen lowered his head and thought carefully, "I'm afraid something is going to happen, but he has only started stockpiling goods since this month, and I'm afraid that there will be nothing in two or three months." You only came back from Japan last year, what happened to them at that time? ”

Xu Qingzhi thought for a while and said, "I didn't notice the change, but I once talked to a student of a military academy, and they have always been obsessed with the interference of the three countries to return Liao, and feel that the Liaodong Peninsula should be the sphere of influence of the Japanese." For the initiator of the Russia, very resentful. ”

"Their sphere of influence?" Lin Hongwen snorted coldly, "Although this matter is important, it should not be rushed. I'll make plans when I ask. ”

However, inquiring about the news was not what Lin Hongwen was good at, so he went to He Mu. He Mu was anxious as soon as he heard that something was going to happen, and Lin Hongwen comforted him and said, "It's not going to be for a while, do the people you asked you to woo before have eyebrows?" ”

"Yes, but there are not many people," He Mu said, "and there are only three at the moment." ”

"It doesn't matter if there are few people, as long as you are reliable," Lin Hongwen said.

"You can rest assured", He Mu said, "they all know the roots." ”

Lin Hongwen glanced at him, "Why are you so panicked when I heard you say this, do you even use coercion and lure?" ”

"You said let me watch it", He Mu looked at him calmly.

"Cheng, when I didn't say it, you just have a number in your heart", Lin Hongwen said, "There is just one thing that they need to do recently." ”

"What's the matter?"

"There are a few Japanese-owned shops in Higashishoji Street, and you ask them to look at them every day to see what the Japanese are buying, what the approximate number is, and how many people come in and out of the store every day. Ask them to write down the numbers and give them to me next month. ”

"Got it", He Mu said, "I'll arrange it in a while, those Japanese secretly stumbling on us?" ”

"No", Lin Hongwen comforted He Mu when he saw He Mu's nervous face, "It's just that they suddenly bought a lot of silk and tea, which has doubled compared to the previous few months, I think it's a little strange." Qingzhi asked why the Japanese bought so much, but the Japanese were still secretive and refused to tell the truth, we were afraid that something would happen. ”

"Don't worry, I'll keep them on the lookout," He Mu said, "and I'll let you know right away if there's anything going on." ”

"Okay", Lin Hongwen counted the days, "Is it about to start autumn?" ”

"Well, the day after tomorrow."

"Shi Ying has been gone for more than two months, and I don't know when I will come back."

"It should be soon," He Mu said, "if something really happens, he's better to come up with some ideas." ”

Lin Hongwen looked at the bustling street outside the door, remembered the crowded scene when he went to Ciyun with Zhou Shiying to watch the incense a few months ago, sighed and said, "I don't know if the incense at that time still works." ”

66.

The next few days were relatively calm, Lin Hongwen and Xu Qingzhi carefully counted the inventory of the two firms, as well as the funds available in their hands. At the same time, they found that their American neighbors were constantly making deliveries to Japanese comptoirs. Xu Qingzhi asked Vincent why he sent it so frequently, and Vincent said that it was ordered by the Japanese with him before, and it has arrived one after another in the past few days.

On the third day after the beginning of autumn, Lin Hongwen got up early to go to He Mu's place for dinner, and was startled by Zhou Shiying, who was sitting in the courtyard.

"When did you come back?" Lin Hongwen asked.

"Last night", Zhou Shiying yawned, "It's a little late, so I didn't go to see you." ”

"I'm tired", Lin Hongwen looked at him tired, "Don't go to the business house these days, take a good rest." ”

"No", Zhou Shiying shook his head, "There are a lot of things to do." ”

"What's wrong?"

"There are a few bosses over there in Suifenhe, they will come over in a few days, they are close to Russia, and they often do business with Russians", Zhou Shiying covered his forehead and said, "They have promised to supply us with some leather goods and Russian goods every month." However, food can only be shipped in winter, and you can wear it at any time. The line has already been tied, and it will be enough to give those Russians some oil and water every time in the future. ”

"That's also a matter of a few days, you can rest first these two days."

"No", Zhou Shiying frowned, "In the past few days, we must count the inventory and integrate all the funds that can be moved." ”

"Don't worry, Qingzhi and I have already calculated it two days ago", Lin Hongwen comforted him and said, "You went out this time, and you can see that something is wrong, right?" ”

Zhou Shiying nodded and said, "You know, since the Boxer Rebellion, the Russian ** team has been in the northeast and will not leave, and last year the imperial court finally signed a new covenant with them (1), saying that they would withdraw the army this year." As a result, they only withdrew from Mukden, but did not withdraw from other places. Why do you think I've been gone for so long? ”

"Isn't it because of the delay in opening up the relationship?" Lin Hongwen asked.

"When I went, I did go by train, but when I came back, the train was no longer for Chinese to ride," Zhou Shiying shook his head, "On the way back, I mostly sat in a carriage, sometimes not even a carriage, all on two legs." ”

"Why didn't you let people sit on the train just after it opened?"

"I bribed the Russians at the station, saying that the trains should be used entirely to transport troops, weapons, food. Not only were the trains not allowed to sit, but even the foreigners who lived along the railway line were driven away. What is this for, you don't need to say it to guess, right? ”

Lin Hongwen couldn't help but sigh after hearing this, "It's going to be a war." ”

"There's no time to rest", Zhou Shiying stood up, "Once the fight starts, the railway can't be pointed at all, and it's not certain whether the waterway can be walked." Although I don't know where they are going to fight, they can't get out of the northeast. At that time, all our purchase channels will be strangled. ”

"Japanese businessmen have already started stockpiling goods," Lin said, "and we're going to start too." ”

"You want to hoard Güki?" Zhou Shiying asked, "But this is an uncertain thing, what if you don't fight after hoarding for a long time?" Even if there is a real fight, what if it is going to be fought in Harbin? Don't say whether you make money or not, a bomb comes and even the warehouse is gone, and you have no money! ”

"If there had been a fight in Harbin, the Japanese would have withdrawn long ago. But they didn't withdraw, they just started stockpiling goods. Lin Hongwen raised his eyes and looked at Shiying next week, "These days, aren't you tired of making small fuss these days?" ”

"What do you mean......" Zhou Shiying looked at Lin Hongwen.

"Feng Shui takes turns, it's time to play big", Lin Hongwen raised the corners of his mouth and said, "What do you say?" ”

"Don't be in a hurry to reduce the price of the goods that can't be sold in the past few months, keep them", Zhou Shiying smiled understandingly, "Take out ninety percent of the money to stock up on the goods, and I'll go to tell the supplier tomorrow." ”

"No," Lin Hongwen interrupted him, "You tell them that the whole charity association will know about it the next day." ”

"But no matter how tightly you cover it, someone will know about it," Zhou Shiying said, "There is no impermeable wall." ”

"I know", Lin Hongwen pressed Zhou Shiying's shoulder, "but the later the wind penetrates, the less time others can prepare." ”

"But you don't tell the suppliers, how do we stock up?"

"There are also foreigners", Lin Hongwen said with a smile, "There are so many foreigners' trading houses on the streets of China, such as American, British, and Jewish, we can buy them and disperse them, so that they will not be too dazzling." ”

"This ...... I'm afraid I'm going to be poked in the back by then," Zhou Shiying said with some concern.

"Things are changing rapidly, and we are not building momentum, we are just complying", Lin Hongwen sat down and crossed Erlang's legs, "They can't see these clues with their own eyes, what's the matter, do you want to blame us for having too good eyesight?" ”

"That's the same", Zhou Shiying also sat down, "Then let Qingzhi go to work, I'll rest for two days." ”

"That's right", Lin Hongwen put down his legs, and finally remembered and asked, "What about He Mu?" ”

"He was going back last night, I said it was so late, what are you tossing, and then he left early this morning," Zhou Shiying said.

"What about the rice?"

"What kind of rice?"

"Breakfast."

"I'll go out to eat in a moment."

Lin Hongwen stood up and touched his hungry stomach, "I'll go find something to eat first, you can rest slowly." ”

——————————————————————————————————

(1) On April 8, 1902, under strong international pressure, Tsarist Russia was forced to sign the Treaty of Settlement of the Three Eastern Provinces with the Qing government in Beijing. There are four articles in total: 1. All parts of the three eastern provinces "are still under the Chinese territory and the administration of Chinese officials, just as before the Russian army occupied them." 2. "If there is no more chaos, and there is no restraint on the actions of other countries", the Russian ** team will withdraw from the northeast in three phases within a year and a half. 3. Before the retreat of the Russian army, the Qing government "did not add additional training troops" in the northeast; After the withdrawal of troops, the number of troops stationed in the northeast should be informed of Russia at all times; 4. After Russia returned the railways along Shanhaiguan, Yingkou and Xinmin Hall, the Qing government should give "compensation".