At one o'clock at noon, after signing the contract for the purchase of 50 Bofors 40-mm anti-aircraft guns, 10Ul丨Erley anti-aircraft guns, and supporting production lines, Wu Ming painfully paid an advance payment of 500,000 oceans and had lunch with two foreign majors, Jardine Matheson and Qichang of the United States.

When I got back to the Metropolis Hotel, it was already four o'clock in the afternoon.

The guards brought tea and retreated, and Wu Ming lay leisurely on the sandalwood recliner, drinking tea while listening to the Central News Agency broadcast. Surprisingly, there was already a lot of uproar in Shanghai, and official media such as "Central Daily" and Central News Agency Radio did not even mention the situation in Shanghai, and just when Wu Ming was about to change the channel to listen to what the local media in Shanghai had to say, Zhang Dongning walked into the room with a spring breeze on his face.

Wu Ming sat up, took out a cup and poured tea while asking, "Is the matter done?" ”

Zhang Dongning sat down on the sofa opposite Wu Ming, picked up the teacup and took a sip, and then said unhurriedly: "After the fierce battle in Songhu five years ago, the Japanese in the concession can be described as famous, and several patrol houses in the eastern and northern districts did not dare to come forward to involve our actions disguised as Japanese soldiers...... As a result of his efforts, all the arms that Zhang Xiaolin had hoarded have been successfully transferred."

Wu Ming took the list of weapons from Zhang Dongning's hand, and after reading it, he was slightly moved: "With so many arms, what does Zhang Xiaolin want to do?" Hehe, no wonder he likes to be called Zhang Dashuai, it turns out that this guy really thought about the addiction of a warlord, but unfortunately he was born at the wrong time......"

"But this time it's really cheap for us, with this batch of weapons, we can add at least 5,000 guns to our family, so that we can have more money in the future."

"Totally doable"

Zhang Dongning groaned slightly, nodded emphatically, and then suggested: "Now that the Provincial Security Department is in the process of personnel handover, the new director Xuan Tiewu is not a fuel-efficient lamp, and we have to be responsible for the training of the recruits of the three regiments that Liu Rulin has just recruited from Zhejiang Province, and we may not be able to recruit troops in western Zhejiang for the time being."

"I think it is completely possible to cooperate with the Jiangxi Shangrao Administration to expand the scale of the militia groups in Yushan, Dexing, Guangfeng, Leadshan, Hengfeng, Yiyang and other counties in eastern Jiangxi, and we will provide instructors and weapons and equipment, and the Shangrao Administration and the Chamber of Commerce will supply food and materials, so that we can quietly get a group of strictly trained reserve officers and soldiers."

"When the Sino-Japanese war breaks out in July and August, these officers and men of the militia regiment without regular establishment can be transferred to our troops at any time to replenish our combat losses on the front line."

"That's a good idea, it's worth considering"

Wu Ming pondered for a long time and had to admit that Zhang Dongning's suggestion was very pertinent.

Over the past few years, the Shangrao Chamber of Commerce and the Maoliangwu Chamber of Commerce have cooperated closely, not only making a lot of money in the process of silver price increase and fiat currency implementation, but also firmly binding each other's interests through business and trade cooperation.

In addition, Liu Rulin will soon be transferred to the post of director of the Jiangxi Provincial Security Department, who will be in charge of the military of a province, and with the assistance of Tian Zhenggang, the implementation of this plan to hide troops from the people will be more guaranteed

"The time is getting tighter and tighter until July, and we can't afford to delay for a moment...... In this way, let's go to Zhabei now, I want to call my family and the Shangrao Agency, first let Wang Daohan help recruit soldiers, if the recruitment is not complete, we can also go to southern Jiangxi, western Jiangxi and even Hunan to recruit troops, the more adequate and well-prepared the troops, the more beneficial it is for us."

In order to avoid unnecessary trouble, this time the convoy did not go to the chaotic eastern and northern districts of the public concession, but crossed the new gate bridge from the western area of the concession, entered Zhongshan Road through Datong Road and Gonghe Road, and drove directly into the Shikumen compound where the Quzhou Chamber of Commerce is located.

It took half an hour to communicate, Wu Ming had just walked out of the telecommunications room, and Sun Chengyuan rushed forward and whispered, "Kuiyuan is back."

Wu Ming turned his head to look, and saw Lu Kuiyuan with a bright smile, and waved to Lu Kuiyuan quietly, and then the two walked into the living room side by side in the courtyard.

"How's it going?" After Wu Ming sat down, he asked casually.

Lu Kuiyuan's eyebrows fluttered and said, "Naturally, the task was successfully completed...... Biaozi had an accident when he sniped Zhang Xiaolin, and a devil lieutenant stood at the wrong angle, and the bullet that pierced Zhang Xiaolin's head hit the Japanese, which directly led to the breakdown of negotiations between the two sides and caused more violent riots. ”

"Now that the eastern and northern districts of the concession south of the Chinese border in Zhabei have become a mess, the Japanese Navy's Shanghai Special Marine Corps Command, located between North Sichuan Road and Dongjiangwan Road, has declared martial law and sent troops to block the main transportation arteries bordering the Chinese border.

"Well, in this way, the riot will inevitably be even greater, and we will take the opportunity to fish in troubled waters." Wu Ming immediately keenly sensed the place that could be used.

After thinking about it, Wu Ming immediately said to Zhang Dongning and Ye Zhuhan, who rushed to hear the news:

"Brother Nanshan, Dongning, now you should rush to Yinxiang Port immediately, and take the brothers out as soon as possible while the Japanese have not yet reacted...... When we left the concession, we immediately disposed of all the Japanese uniforms and erased all traces of the Japanese marines we had once dressed up

"Move quickly, this Shanghai is about to be in chaos, remember, we are here for Shanghai on vacation, and we can't have anything to do with this matter, otherwise we won't be able to eat and walk around."

"Okay, I'll go with Dongning."

Ye Zhuhan obviously also realized the seriousness of the problem, and did not shirk, and immediately left with Zhang Dongning.

Wu Ming said to Lu Kuiyuan again: "The stakes are very high, any negligence may lead to the collapse of the overall situation, Kuiyuan, you immediately work with Chengyuan now, organize the people left behind, burn all the kimonos and samurai clothes, you have to make everyone remember: everything that happened in Shanghai has nothing to do with us......"

"Yes......"

At nightfall, Wu Ming took Sun Chengyuan and the guards back to the Capital Hotel, where he was staying, and happened to meet Fang Zhibin who came from Wu Jingguan in the hall below.

Wu Ming and Fang Zhibin took the elevator to the eighth floor together, and came to Wu Ming's room, Sun Chengyuan made tea for the two and left, Wu Ming saw that Fang Zhibin was a little uneasy, threw him a cigarette, and lit it for himself, so he asked unhurriedly: "Brother Fang, you seem to have something on your mind."

Fang Zhibin smiled bitterly: "Doesn't the master still know the Dao?" ”

Wu Ming frowned, looked at Fang Zhibin with a bitter face, and asked curiously, "I've been talking about business with foreigners outside, what's going on?" ”

Zhang Xiaolin was sniped on Yulin Road, along with more than a dozen Japanese marines. Seeing that the matter was getting bigger, Boss Du hurriedly withdrew from the eastern and northern districts of the public concession with Zhang Xiaolin's body and the people of the Green Gang, and now the Japanese have become angry and sent troops to block the streets bordering the Chinese realm, I really don't know what will happen next in the road."

Fang Zhibin briefly told Wu Ming about the matter, his face full of worry.

Wu Ming deliberately pretended to be shocked, and was silent for a while before asking, "How can this be?" Zhang Xiaolin is the head snake in Shanghai, why can't he even handle this little thing, and even put his own life into it? ”

Fang Zhibin smiled bitterly: "The lowly position is also extremely confused about this, but Zhang Xiaolin is dead, this question does not need to be bothered to think about it anymore, the dead will not tell us the answer Now the most important thing is that this is the largest number of deaths suffered by the Japanese, especially the army, in the Shanghai area since the Songhu armistice in the 21st year of the Republic of China, the Japanese government and the army will not give up if it is not handled properly, another Songhu war is likely to break out."

Wu Ming had a cold face and an unkind tone: "How can this be?" Since Zhang Xiaolin, as the party concerned, has already paid the price of his life, the Japanese have no reason to pursue it again, right? ”

Fang Zhibin spread his hands helplessly: "No one knows how things develop...... Of course, we hope that the situation will calm down as soon as possible, but the Japanese have always been unreasonable, and if they are trying to find fault, it will be a good excuse to go to war."

Wu Ming thought for a while and comforted: "Don't worry, after all, this matter is just a private grudge between the Shanghai gangsters and the Japanese, and it is also a matter between the concession authorities, the Shanghai local government and the Japanese, and they will naturally settle it properly, and it has little to do with our military system...... When we have rested, we will set off for the west of Zhejiang, away from this place of right and wrong. ”

Speaking of this, Wu Ming, who was still serious just now, squeezed out a smile, looking like he didn't care about himself.

"Shizuo, you can't say that, if the Japanese are angry with the Chinese in the concession because of this, and even openly attack the Chinese territory, it will only be the local people in Shanghai who will suffer. As a fellow Chinese, shouldn't you do something about this? Fang Zhibin argued with reason, obviously very dissatisfied with Wu Ming's attitude.

Wu Ming frowned: "I just know that it's not good for you to find me...... Tell me, for whom are you speaking, and what do you need my help with? Let me first state that I will not be foolish enough to participate in the flagrant violation of the Songhu Armistice Agreement, so as not to give people the pretext of attack."

Fang Zhibin was choked by Wu Ming's answer for a long time, and after a long while, he said: "My subordinate is just saying this to the division seat from the position of a Chinese, and he does not represent anyone. ”

Wu Ming waved his hand indifferently: "I know your thoughts, but I am a small major general and division commander of the Central Army, and I know how capable I am." The concession authorities must have their own considerations, but it really doesn't work and the Shanghai Municipal Government led by Mayor Yu Hongjun, big names abound, why should I use my hot face to stick other people's cold butts? Let's put it aside and see how things evolve. ”

"It's-"

Fang Zhibin hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded: "Okay, now it depends on whether the Japanese have the intention of taking the opportunity to provoke a war" After speaking, Fang Zhibin apologized, got up and left.

Wu Ming looked at Fang Zhibin's departing back, thoughtful.