Yichuan County, Qiulin Town, World War II District Chief's Department.
Fu Zuoyi cried out that he was distressed. While his liver ached, Yan Xishan also felt pain in his body.
Why do I feel heartache? Of course, it’s because the annual water flow of up to 40 to 50 million yuan on the Baotou Tea Road has nothing to do with Yan. It feels extremely painful. If it had been put aside before, the commercial tax on the Baotou Tea Road would definitely belong to Yan.
Therefore, Fu Zuoyi didn't dare to say no, but now he couldn't.
Now not only does Fu Zuoyi no longer buy his fault, Xu Rui and the Communist Party are even less likely to buy his fault.
As a result, Yan Xishan could only watch so much water flowing, but he could do nothing.
Adjutant Gao Rongda said: "Chief, Xu Rui and the Communist Party want to monopolize the benefits of the Baotou Tea Road. That is a wishful thinking. Even if the restoration of the Baotou Tea Road is Xu Rui's credit, so what? Baotou can't produce half a catty of tea.
, all tea is not allowed to be purchased from southern Shaanxi? Those who sell tea from southern Shaanxi to Baotou are not allowed to pass through the national army defense zone?"
Yan Xishan's eyes suddenly lit up when he heard this, as if this is really what happened?
Gao Rongda became more and more energetic and said: "Chief Commander, you can send an official letter to the Baotou Anti-Japanese Democratic Government in the name of the Commander-in-Chief of the World War II Zone, saying that in view of the needs of the anti-Japanese plan, let them move the Baotou Tea Road
50% of the commercial tax, oh no, 80%, let them hand over 80% of the Baotou tea tax to the War Zone Chief!"
Yan Xishan touched the mustache on his lips and asked, "What if Xu Rui doesn't listen?"
"Don't listen?" Gao Rongda said cheerfully, "It's simple, just cut off the source of the tea!"
"It won't happen, it won't happen." Yan Xishan shook his head and said, "The Shaanxi tea road is in the hands of Hu Zongnan. Hu Zongnan is Chiang Kai-shek's number one protégé. He will not listen to me."
Gao Rongda said suddenly: "Hu Zongnan is guarding Shaanxi Province. At best, he can only collect a few cents from the tea merchants in Baotou, but how much money is that? But if he can cooperate with you, the benefits will be huge.
It’s just a small amount, but it involves millions or even tens of millions of dollars in income every year. Mr. Boss, do you think he will have trouble with money?”
"That's definitely not the case." Yan Xishan shook his head and said, "But it still doesn't work."
"It still doesn't work?" Gao Rongda said with confusion, "I don't understand this humble position, why does it still not work?"
"Rongda, so you still don't study enough. You should study more and read more newspapers." Yan Xishan sighed, "Xu Rui is not as simple as you think. He now not only gets it from the Soviets
It has brought huge benefits and aroused the emotions of the people across the country. Now that the Baotou Tea Road incident has become known to everyone, all the major democratic parties and even Mrs. Sun are staring at it. If we dare to make any mistakes at this time
, why don't you be spitted to death by the people of the whole country? In the current climate, it is better to be less in the limelight, and to be less in the limelight."
Gao Rongda said suddenly: "The democratic parties are just a ball, but the common people are also a ball?"
"Rongda, you don't understand." Yan Xishan shook his head repeatedly, but he couldn't explain too much to this uncultured adjutant. Moreover, he couldn't explain clearly why he couldn't offend the democratic parties and the people. He only knew that he would offend the whole country.
The consequences for the people and the democratic parties were so serious that even Chairman Chiang Kai-shek could not hold on.
…
It is true that Chairman Chiang cannot withstand the verbal and written criticism of national public opinion.
For example, the first anti-communist wave more than half a year ago was due to the crusade from democratic parties and national public opinion, coupled with international condemnation, which forced Chairman Chiang Kai-shek to change his course and make concessions to the CCP as a last resort. And before that,
Chairman Chiang also suffered from public opinion twice and was forced to resign twice.
Therefore, Chairman Chiang still has lingering fears about the power of public opinion.
Therefore, when several of his staff suggested setting up a special tea trade bureau in Baotou and returning the commercial and tax revenue from the Baotou Tea Road to the state, they were rejected by Chairman Chiang without hesitation.
"No, this is inappropriate." Chairman Jiang shook his head repeatedly and said, "If the party-state sets up a special tea trade bureau in Baotou at this time, let alone Xu Rui's willingness to cooperate and the series of subsequent problems, the whole country will
Public opinion from all over the world can drown us, and the Communist Party will definitely seize this matter and make a big fuss, saying that we are incapable of doing anything and can only pick peaches!"
"This is nothing." Chen Brai, who was present at the meeting, said grimly, "When the time comes, we will arrest anyone who creates public opinion in the Kuomintang-controlled areas. No matter who he is or what his identity is, as long as he dares to go against the party and the state, we will send him to jail.
, if necessary, we can even kill a few to see who else dares to openly create public opinion that is detrimental to the party and the country."
"Let's forget about controlling public opinion. The stakes are really too high." In contrast, Industry Minister Kong Xiangxi is much more pragmatic. Of course, he also has selfish motives for saying this, because Mrs. Sun is his second sister-in-law, and
Mrs. Sun is also a leader of public opinion. If she really does what Chen Brai said, wouldn't she also kill Mrs. Sun?
Kong Xiangxi was purely a capitalist and had absolutely no national integrity at all, but he still had family ties.
"What Yongzhi said is a mature way to seek the country. What Yanji said is too rash." Chairman Jiang shook his head and said, "This matter should be solved through diplomatic channels."
After a pause, Chairman Chiang asked the attending Foreign Minister Wang Chonghui: "Liangchou, has the Ministry of Foreign Affairs contacted the Soviet government and made serious representations to them? After all, this time involves more than just the tea road. The Soviet government is also involved in
Without the permission of the Nationalist Government, it went too far to build an industrial park in Baotou."
The Soviet government issued a formal announcement immediately after signing the agreement with Xu Rui.
So as early as two days ago, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Nationalist Government already knew that the Soviet government was going to assist in building an industrial park in Baotou City. However, at that time, Chairman Chiang was accompanying Mrs. Chiang to Mount Emei to burn incense and was not in Chongqing, so the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had nothing to do.
Although Wang Chonghui requested instructions promptly, Wang Chonghui still made representations to the Soviet Union in accordance with diplomatic practice.
Wang Chonghui nodded and said: "I have already negotiated with the Soviet government."
"Oh, really?" Chairman Chiang asked anxiously, "What did the Soviet government say?"
This is what Chairman Chiang thinks. If the Soviet government can be forced to cancel the agreement to aid the construction of an industrial park in Baotou through negotiations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then the agreement on the Baotou Tea Road that is tied to this plan will be invalidated, and then
, he could then send others to negotiate with the Soviet government about restoring the tea road.
In this way, the National Government can recover the commercial taxes on the Tea Road.
However, the cruel reality soon shattered Chairman Chiang's good wishes.
Wang Chonghui said with a wry smile: "The Soviet government replied that the authorization you gave Xu Rui was not explicitly limited to the tea road, so they followed diplomatic practice and acquiesced that you gave full authority, so the Soviet government signed with Xu Rui
All agreements are in line with international practice and international law."
"No?" Chairman Chiang was stunned, "There is no restriction on the tea route?"
Immediately afterwards, Chairman Chiang slapped his forehead and said: "I remembered, time was tight at the time, so after drafting the message, I sent it to the attendant's office without proofreading it. I guess it was an oversight."
He Yingqin, Chen Cheng, Chen Brai and others looked at each other in confusion. Can this be ignored?
After a pause, Chairman Chiang lamented again and again: "Ah, ah, if I had known this, I should not have given Xu Rui any authorization to negotiate the tea road with the Soviet Union! If I had known that the Soviet Union would be like this
With this attitude, I can just send anyone to negotiate this matter, so why send Xu Rui, a Communist Party member, to negotiate?"
At this point, Chairman Jiang began to beat his chest again, and then continued to lament: "If you send it, you can send it, but why should I give him full authority? It's okay to give him the authority, but why should I make this matter official?
To the public, so that everyone in the world knows about it? It’s a mistake, this is really a mistake.”
Several close aides present at the meeting also lamented.
At this time, only three idioms can be used to describe their mood: shocked, heartbroken, and regretful! Their original intention was just to embarrass Xu Rui, and then put the Communist Party on the fire, but who can
To think that Xu Rui actually got the job done? This is really shocking!
It’s sad to say that it’s naturally because Xu Rui benefited from such a huge profit from the tea road!
Since the Sino-Japanese War broke out and large areas of North China, East China and Central China fell, the National Government's fiscal and tax sources have been close to drying up. Relying solely on fiscal and tax revenues from Sichuan and several southwestern provinces is simply a drop in the bucket. The current National Government relies entirely on issuance
Public debt and borrowing from foreign countries are struggling to support it.
So at this time, the commercial tax on Baotou Tea Road becomes very valuable!
However, it is a pity that the commercial taxes of millions or even tens of millions every year have nothing to do with the National Government. They are all cheaper for Xu Rui and the CCP. Thinking of this, Chairman Chiang and his staff
I couldn't help but feel heartbroken and almost wanted to die.
As for regret, let alone regret.
If he had known that this would be the result, Chairman Chiang would never have authorized Xu Rui to negotiate with the Soviets to clear the Baotou Tea Road. Do you really think that Chairman Chiang and his staff are all stupid?
He Yingqin, who had been silent at this time, suddenly said: "But at this time, the Japanese should be more anxious than us."
"Well, the Japanese are more anxious than us?" Chairman Chiang was stunned when he heard this and asked, "What do you mean by Jingzhi's words?"
He Yingqin said in a dark voice: "The Soviet government's assistance in building an industrial park in Baotou is obviously aimed at the Japanese Kwantung Army, because this industrial park is mainly built around a refinery with an annual refining capacity of 50,000 tons, and this
The gasoline and diesel produced by the refinery are destined to be supplied to the Soviet Far East Front, so the Japanese should be more anxious than us!"
"Well, that makes sense." Chairman Chiang nodded, "Let's see how the Japanese react first."