In February 1939, Nanchang was tight, and Changsha was tight.

The situation of the National War of Resistance is tense.

However, for the Spring Festival, a traditional festival for the Chinese, even if the ordinary days are hard and difficult, the people will definitely force a smile to live the last festival.

If you have rich money, you should tighten your teeth and make new clothes for the children.

If you really don't have any money on hand, you can buy some melon seeds and peanuts, which can be regarded as being able to have fun.

During the war, the refugees who ran to the public concession finally barely settled down.

Alive.

It's better to be alive than anything else.

As long as you can live, there is always hope.

Perhaps, tomorrow it will be transferred, isn't it?

And the Spring Festival turned out to be another time for Meng Shao to throw money.

Everywhere you have to do.

The Ministry of Industry Bureau, the patrol room, including those small patrols.

Otherwise, why do people work so hard and obediently help you do things?

Everyone has standards.

How many directors of the Ministry of Industry and Bureau, how many directors, how many directors, how many inspectors, and how many patrols.

There will be no mess in the slightest.

The money taken out for filial piety was allocated from the profits of smuggling to Shanghai.

How much profit Meng Shaoyuan made from smuggling, because Lu Yixuan and Xu Chengbo helped him make a few accounts, so there was never a clear figure.

However, according to more reliable accounts, Meng Shaoyuan and Angus International colluded with each other, used threats, intimidation, kidnapping, and other methods, and relied on the full support of the patrol and arrest house to eliminate several major competitors in one year from 1938 to 1939, control more than half of the smuggling market in Shanghai, and the territory was still further expanding.

For example, the Galloping Horse International Foreign Bank, a joint venture between French and German businessmen, which mainly engaged in arms smuggling, suffered a nightmare three months in 1938.

Some people proposed a comprehensive acquisition of Benma International Bank, but the board of directors of the bank rejected it outright.

Subsequently, the headquarters of the foreign bank was attacked by a bomb, but fortunately it happened in the middle of the night and there were no casualties.

Then, a few days later, Boris, the chairman of the foreign bank, was out of the house when the car was attacked by gunmen.

The gunman was clearly only intimidating and did not hurt anyone, but only punched a few holes in the car.

Boris decided to stick with it.

He hired a lot of bodyguards to compete with each other.

However, his son was kidnapped.

The kidnappers made no demands, leaving only a note:

Leave Shanghai!

The members of the board of directors of the foreign bank all suffered the same fate.

This forced Boris to turn to the Ministry of Industry for help.

originally thought that the Ministry of Industry would not hesitate to lend a helping hand to him.

However, what he didn't expect was that Moyes, the president of the Ministry of Industry, told him:

"Mr. Boris, you have offended someone you should not have offended, this man is an angel and a demon. When you obey Him, He is an angel. When you go against his will, he's a demon! ”

And the Commissioner of Police, Sinclair, responded to the request for help:

"His adherents are crazy people who have nothing to worry about and dare to do anything. When Huang Jinrong and Du Yuesheng were there, although they also kidnapped foreigners, they still had some concerns, but your opponent was different, he dared to kidnap anyone, he dared to assassinate anyone, and even the invincible Japanese were afraid of him. So I'm in favor of you accepting the other party's terms. ”

They never said "this man" by name.

After three months of hard work, the directors of Bullhorse International, including Boris, broke down and decided to give up.

Angus International acquired Bullhorse International and quickly took over all of their business.

When he left Shanghai, Boris vowed never to return to the city in his lifetime.

Founded in 1917 in the Shanghai Public Concession, Galloping Horse International ended its adventures in China.

And Joy Fremont, the chairman and general manager of Angus International & Co., also made a lot of money after accepting Meng Shaoyuan's shares and fully cooperating with him.

Therefore, Meng Shaoyuan not only has the nickname of "King of Shanghai", but also has a title:

Smuggle the Emperor!

From 1939 onwards, Meng Shaoyuan not only stared at Shanghai, but also began to look overseas.

When his partner, former police commissioner Daniel, returned to the UK to continue to help Meng Shaoyuan buy advanced equipment, Meng Shaoyuan also asked him one thing:

Invest in buying property in the UK and the US.

He set his sights on doing business overseas.

Britain will soon be bombed, but as long as those estates are there, they will appreciate rapidly in the future after the war, and then there will be another opportunity to make a lot of money.

As for the United States?

Ten years after the economic crisis caused by the Florida housing bubble, real estate is beginning to regain and this is the perfect opportunity to invest.

In Meng Shaoyuan's eyes, it is not only today.

Of course, the main purpose of his visit to the Ministry of Industry today is to get in touch with these foreigners.

Moyes and Sinclair were satisfied with their own checks, and then sorted down the checks that the other directors were entitled to one by one.

"Cigar, my friend." Moyes felt that he was lucky to be able to meet Meng Shaoyuan.

After two more years, he will be able to retire with honor.

Meng Shaoyuan was not polite, took a sprig from the cigar box, cut it, and ordered: "Look, it's another New Year, and it's your harvest season again." I have a few of my men who have been caught by you, and I think they are innocent. ”

"Ah, there will always be a mistake, there are always some novice patrols who don't know the rules." Sinclair smiled: "You give me the list in a while, and they will be back in the afternoon to regain their freedom." ”

"Thank you, my friend." Meng Shaoyuan sat down: "In front of my friends, I don't need to hide anything, the war with the Japanese has started again, I think you will also have a headache during this time, right?" ”

Sinclair shrugged: "There have been too many casualties, Meng, you know, we are always on your side, and we will support you no matter what you do." The problem is that the Japanese are also putting a lot of pressure on us, and we have to think about the big picture. ”

"You have your difficulties, and I understand that." Meng Shaoyuan nodded and said, "Before the New Year comes, I don't need you to help me deal with the Japanese, but I want to ask you to do something for me." ”

"Say, Meng, your business is ours."

"In the next few months, we will go all out to suppress Ji Yunqing and Wu Sibao." Meng Shaoyuan sneered: "Their stalls and casinos, I will sweep them every day." ”

Moyes frowned: "Ji Yunqing is very arrogant after completely defecting to the Japanese, and the dividends that should have been given to us in the past are gone, I talked to him, but he said that business has not been good recently, and he doesn't take us seriously at all." ”

Sinclair also said: "And his subordinate Wu Sibao, who doesn't take the patrol room seriously at all, has clashed with the patrol many times, and even broke out in a shooting. ”

"Well, beat them up." Meng Shaoyuan said lightly: "Let them know that the public concession needs to pay attention to order, and the strength of the patrol house alone is definitely not enough, so I will allocate people to help you." ”

"How can I help?"

"For example, when Wu Sibao's men clash with your patrol again, God knows where a string of bullets will fly out and kill them. For example, when they are halfway there, the car will suddenly explode. ”

Meng Shaoyuan sighed: "God knows what else will happen, this is Big Shanghai." ”

Moyers and Sinclair laughed.

Sinclair shook his fist: "Then, I can tell you unequivocally, even if their people spit on the ground, they will be arrested for obstructing hygiene!" ”

Meng Shao originally wanted this effect, and what he was most afraid of was the collusion of officials and bandits.

Phew, phew, so you have become a bandit?

"One more thing." Meng Shaoyuan immediately said: "Wait a few days for Chinese New Year's Eve, your inspector in the Jing'an Temple Fishing Room has worked hard for a year, should you put down your vacation on that day?" ”

Holiday?

Meng Shao was going to take action at Jing'an Temple on Chinese New Year's Eve?

Jing'an Temple? Trapping?

Sinclair thought for a moment, then startled.

Could it be that the target is Chen Zheng?

"Hey, Meng." Sinclair said cautiously: "I have heard that there is a big man living there, and if something happens to him, I am afraid that it will cause an uproar." We'll be under pressure to solve crimes, too. ”

"A lot of things will be arranged." Meng Shaoyuan said casually: "Time can dilute everything, some traitors will die when they die." Are you going to stay in Shanghai for the rest of your life? Mr. Moyers, you will leave. Mr. Sinclair, you'll be away too. Wouldn't it be nice to go back to your home country and enjoy your retirement with a full wallet?

I still say that I will never treat my friend badly. Daniel, the former Commissioner of Police, bought a large estate in his hometown and is still doing business with me. I'm not against you making money from me, I'm the God of Wealth for all of you, right? But the premise is that you need to be my friend. ”

"Hey, Sinclair." Moyes said: "Have you forgotten, this is Shanghai, the Chinese's affairs, let the Chinese deal with it." I think Meng will definitely arrange things very properly. ”

"Of course I wouldn't object." Sinclair said lightly: "It's just that I think, is there anything else you don't dare to do?" ”

"Yes, there are a lot of things I dare not do." Meng Shaoyuan stood up and pressed his cigar into the ashtray: "For example, betraying my motherland and betraying my nation, I don't dare to do it." Mr. Sinclair, you are British, and when your country is at war, I think you will make the same choice as I do, fearlessly and for your country. ”

Will Britain suffer from war? Who will wage war against the holy British Empire?

Sinclair felt that Meng Shaoyuan was really alarmist when he said this.

Britain, always safe, always!