Du Yuesheng not only does things beautifully, but also very quickly.
It only took three days for Zhang Damin to be arrested by the Shanghai French Concession Police Station and transferred to the Shanghai District Court for trial on charges of stealing property and selling cigarettes.
In the early days of the Nanjing National Government, the smoking and selling of opium was not completely banned, but it was regarded as an important source of tax revenue. There were three regulations: first, the import of foreign opium was prohibited, and mainland opium must be purchased and retailed by legally licensed companies.
Businessmen must also pay stamp duty; secondly, opium smokers must also apply for a license, otherwise they are smoking illegally, and smokers are taxed more heavily than ordinary people; thirdly, the government should set up smoking cessation centers and strictly enforce people to quit smoking.
(This is nonsense).
In other words, the Sanxin Company, co-founded by Du Yuesheng, Huang Huangrong and Zhang Xiaolin, monopolized the opium business in Shanghai. Legally speaking, it was completely formal and legal, but it only required heavy taxes.
Due to strong opposition from society, the "public sale of opium" policy was stopped in the summer of 1928. Sanxin Company's business also gradually turned from public and legal to underground illegal, and the actual situation did not change.
What’s even more funny is that Du Yuesheng is also one of the three standing committee members of the Shanghai Anti-Smoking Committee.
Let Shanghai's largest opium trade leader serve as a member of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Anti-Smoking Committee. This appointment is quite darkly humorous.
Now Sanxin Company is ready to "end" its illegal business and move into the field of "medicine", specializing in the production of "drugs" such as morphine. To put it bluntly, it is a drug-making factory. Former Shanghai Security Commander and current Director of Shanghai Security Department Yang
Hu (Chang Kaishen's brother-in-law) is responsible for protecting Sanxin Company's business. The company must pay a certain amount of returns to the central finance minister (set at 3 million U.S. dollars per year in 1932).
Note that the money was handed over to Finance Minister Song Ziwen, not to the Central Ministry of Finance. It was not kept in the government's public accounts and was all divided up privately by certain people.
The annual bonus of 3 million US dollars is only distributed to officials, and the profits are simply terrifying.
No matter what, Du Yuesheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the Anti-Smoking Committee, could not be more justified in arresting one or two criminals who were selling cigarettes privately. As for whether there was any injustice involved, only the devil knows. Anyway, everyone got the stolen goods, and all the criminals pointed out that Zhang Damin was the main conspirator.
Zhang Damin was first sent to a smoking cessation center and detained for a few days. His brothers and sisters refused to pay for the smoking cessation fee, so they were kicked out of the smoking cessation center and thrown into custody at the Shanghai Public Security Bureau to await trial.
…
Ruan Lingyu's family.
He Aying said with great gratitude: "Thank you very much, Mr. Zhou. You were of great help and finally captured that damned Zhang Damin."
Zhou Hexuan smiled and said: "Auntie, please don't talk nonsense. Zhang Damin was arrested by the French Concession patrol and was taken over by the Anti-Narcotics Team of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau. He has nothing to do with me."
"Yes, yes, it doesn't matter," He Aying pretended to slap herself twice and said with a smile, "Look at my mouth, I always say stupid things. Mr. Zhou is a great scholar, how could he do such a thing?
"
Ruan Lingyu sat aside and said nothing, looking at Zhou Hexuan quietly, with respect and fear in her heart. Zhang Damin, who made her anxious, was sent to prison by Zhou Hexuan with just a few words. She thought it was too terrifying.
"Ah Ruan, please sit down with Mr. Zhou first. I should go and cook." He Aying winked at her daughter and then said to Zhou Hexuan, "Mr. Zhou, you can have dinner at home. There is no delicacy. I feel sorry for you."
Already."
"It doesn't matter." Zhou Hexuan smiled.
After He Aying left the living room, the scene suddenly became quiet. Ruan Lingyu didn't like to talk very much and had a boring personality. When bullied, she chose to submit and remain silent.
Zhou Hexuan asked casually: "Are you filming recently?"
"Yes," Ruan Lingyu nodded in response, "We are currently filming a short film called "Suicide Contract", which is a co-production between North China Film Company and Greater China Lily Company."
Zhou Hexuan asked again: "Will North China Company and Greater China Company merge soon?"
"It seems that they will be merged next month," Ruan Lingyu said. "The merger will also include Minxin Company and Shanghai Film Company. After the filming of "Suicide Contract" is completed, the new company Lianhua Pictures will open."
Zhou Hexuan smiled and said: "When Lianhua Pictures is established, you will be promoted to a pillar."
"No way," Ruan Lingyu said sheepishly, "The real pillar is Jin Yan. I heard that Boss Luo spent 5,000 yuan in signing fees to poach him from a star company."
Jin Yan is the first actor in the history of Chinese films and is known as the "Emperor of the Movies of the Republic of China". In fact, he is not purely Chinese, but a Korean. His father was poisoned by Japanese agents and became a Chinese national. In the 1930s, he starred in
A large number of progressive films that resisted aggression and oppression were later included on the Kuomintang's wanted list.
Zhou Hexuan took out the script of "The Goddess" and said to Ruan Lingyu: "Give this to Luo Mingyou and say that I will personally be responsible for the film and ask him to choose a suitable director."
"Why didn't Mr. Zhou hand the script to Boss Luo himself?" Ruan Lingyu asked.
"I'm leaving Shanghai tomorrow," Zhou Hexuan said with a helpless smile, "Luo Mingyou is a fun-loving young man. The new company formed by the merger will open next month, but he is now in Hong Kong. He said he wanted to report to the chairman.
I've looked at the progress. I guess I've traveled somewhere else, and I can't find anyone at all."
"Okay then, leave the script here with me." Ruan Lingyu put it away carefully.
After dinner, He Aying wanted to stay with Zhou Hexuan for the night and kept winking at her daughter. After Zhou Hexuan refused, she asked her daughter to go out for a walk with Zhou Hexuan, saying that they wanted to visit the night view of Shanghai Beach together.
Ruan Lingyu couldn't stand it, so she had to agree, but she came back soon after leaving.
"Why didn't you go to Zhou Mansion?" He Aying asked in surprise.
"Mom, Mr. Zhou is not that kind of person, you are thinking wrong," Ruan Lingyu said, "He is very polite to me, he doesn't touch me, he just treats me as a friend."
He Aying said speechlessly: "My silly daughter! If he has no idea about you, will he help send Zhang Damin to prison? Let me tell you, Mr. Zhou wants money, status and status, and he can do it in just a few words
Zhang Damin can't stand up anymore. As long as you get close to him, no one in Shanghai will dare to bully you from now on. Listen to me, you must ask him out tomorrow, and then take the opportunity to spend the night at Zhou Mansion to settle the relationship first.
"
Ruan Lingyu said helplessly: "Mom, Mr. Zhou will leave Shanghai tomorrow, so be patient."
He Aying suddenly said depressedly: "You are really stupid, I am too lazy to talk nonsense to you!"
Ruan Lingyu returned to her bedroom and opened the script of "The Goddess" out of boredom. She had read the original work before, and when she read it again now, she found that it was very different from the script, and only one part of the story was cut out.
The story in the script is easier to understand and more emotional. Many of the plots make Ruan Lingyu feel the same and feel the urge to cry.
After reading the complete script, Ruan Lingyu found that tears had fallen down her cheeks, and she couldn't help but think of Zhou Hexuan. He could write touching stories, and he was not only compassionate, but also talented. However, this person had set up a trap to throw Zhang Damin away.
When he goes to jail, who is the real him?
Ruan Lingyu found that she could not see through Zhou Hexuan. He was a man who was like a mystery.
The mysterious Mr. Zhou is now on his way to Shandong. He is going to work as a political broker again and get some benefits from Chang Kaishen.
