Period drama: Old Cao's carefree life

Chapter 11

"Thank you so much, Brother Cao! On behalf of my brothers, I thank you for saving our lives!"

"Brother Cao, wait a moment, I'll be right back!"

Before long, Little Ears returned, carrying a small cloth bag in each hand.

He placed the two cloth bags on the table, making a crisp clinking sound, and pushed them in front of Cao Weida.
"This is what you need to pay for. If it's not enough, just tell me. This is the money you're giving me for cigarettes. Don't think it's too little."

Cao Weida picked up the cigarettes and weighed them in his hand. He understood the cost and smiled with satisfaction: "Brother, this is quite a lot of money. It seems I need to smoke some good cigarettes, otherwise I really won't be able to afford it."

"Look at what you're saying. If I let you smoke cheap cigarettes, wouldn't that be slapping my brother in the face?"

"Thank you for your generosity, brother. I'll head to the military police headquarters now so that Brother Sun Dahu can return as soon as possible."

Little Ears hurriedly cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you, thank you! Third Brother, hurry up and call a car for Brother Cao!"

"No need, the car is waiting outside."

Cao Weida shoved the two cloth bags into his pocket, stood up and said, "Then I'll go over first."

"Wait a minute." After Cao Weida got into the car and gave the address, the driver shouted, "Hold on tight!" and ran off.

In front of the military police headquarters, Cao Weida threw another 50 cents to the driver, who was overjoyed and thanked him profusely.

"Stop right there! What are you doing here?!"

"Gentlemen, I have made an appointment with Commander Fujita. Please inform him." As he spoke, he casually handed over two packs of cigarettes and then two more to the translator standing next to him.

The saying goes, "It's easier to deal with the King of Hell than with his underlings," a timeless truth. Cao Wei Da didn't mind spending a little money to cultivate good relationships.

Upon hearing that they were looking for Major Fujita, the interpreter became extremely respectful, accepting a cigarette with a smile and translating the message.

Clearly, Cao Weida's gift of cigarettes hadn't been in vain; the Japanese soldiers' attitude immediately improved, becoming much less harsh.

"Sir, what is your surname?"

"No need for formalities, Cao Weida. Just say that I was introduced by Major Ono, the police advisor."

Upon hearing that it was another Japanese major, the translator became even more respectful, "Please wait a moment, Mr. Cao, I will pass on your message right away."

Before long, a Japanese soldier with three vertical stripes and a star on his shoulder came out.

"Master Cao, this is Major Fujita."

"Commander Fujita, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Ah."

Fujita waved for those around him to step back. "Cao-san, you came here for Sun Dahu, didn't you?"

Cao Weida was surprised; he hadn't expected this Japanese soldier to speak such good Chinese.

This makes things convenient. "My brother Sun Dahu is ignorant and has caused trouble for Commander Fujita."

A small yellow croaker was smoothly placed into Fujita's hand. "It's just a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it."

Upon seeing the little yellow croaker, Fujita immediately smiled and casually shoved it into his pocket. "Yoshi, Sun Dahu is such a good citizen, he's very cooperative with our work."

"Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, I'll go back and write a note to release him. We are very friendly to law-abiding citizens who cooperate with our work."

“That’s right, that’s right, it’s all for the common prosperity of Central Asia.” Cao Weida echoed, but inwardly he sneered, “I think it’s not friendly to so-called good citizens, but friendly to gold bars.”

But isn't this exactly what he wanted?

Problems that can be solved with money aren't really problems; it's better than losing your life.

"Commander Fujita, would I have the honor of inviting you to lunch after your afternoon shift?"

"There's a Japanese restaurant on Chang'an Avenue. I heard the owner is from Osaka, and the food there is absolutely delicious!"

Japanese restaurants on Chang'an Avenue?
Fujita's eyes lit up immediately. He instantly knew which family it was, and his smile widened. "Yoshi, Cao-san is treating, of course I'll accept. You make the arrangements, I'll go and approve the note first."

"Commander Fujita, may I borrow your phone? I am so grateful to Commander Ono for introducing me to you. I was worried that I couldn't keep you company alone, so I would like to invite Commander Ono along as well."

"Haha, it's been a few days since I last met up with Ono-kun, so please excuse me from paying for it, Cao-san."

"Not at all, I should thank Commander Fujita for the honor."

Cao Weida rolled his eyes. “Fujita-kun, we Chinese have always loved making friends. If you have any like-minded friends, why not invite them all? It’s more fun with more people.”

"Furthermore, you have helped me a great deal today, and I would feel guilty if I did not repay you in some way."

"If your friends encounter any difficulties, please let me know. I will do my best to help if I can."

"I dare not speak of other things, but in Beiping, I, Cao Weida, still have some connections, so perhaps I can lend a hand."

Fujita's heart skipped a beat, and then he nodded. "There is an old Chinese saying that I wholeheartedly agree with: 'Having more friends means having more paths to take.' I also really enjoy making friends, especially generous and well-connected friends like Cao Sang."

"Then I shall pay my respects to Chief Fujita at Yutao Restaurant."

Six p.m.

In front of You Tao Jing Restaurant on Chang'an Street.

As soon as the car pulled up at the entrance, Cao Weida stepped forward and said, "Commander Fujita, Ono-kun, welcome, welcome."

"Mr. Cao, you're too kind. You've gone to so much trouble."

"Come, let me introduce you,"

"This is Captain Duobian, the captain of the Military Police Anti-Smuggling Squadron."

"This is my fellow countryman, Captain Koji Matsui, the logistics inspector."

"This is Cao Weida, Cao Sang, whom I told you about. He is a very generous friend."

"Cao-san, nice to meet you. Please take care of me." Matsui Koji was a chubby little guy, the short and fat kind, and his smile looked a bit like Maitreya Buddha.

If it weren't for the other person's identity, it would actually look quite comical.

Cao Wei Da thought to himself, "Sure enough, those in charge of logistics are always well-fed and watered; their physiques are much more spacious than others." He humbly remarked, "..."
"Commander Matsui, you're too kind. I need your help."

The anti-smuggling squad leader, Duobianyi, snorted coldly, his face full of gloom, looking as utterly deserving of a beating.

Cao Weida narrowed his eyes slightly, but quickly recovered. Matsui Koji coughed, "Dubian-kun, our Great Japanese Empire is a land of etiquette. Cao-san sincerely wants to be friends with us. Think of your wife and children, think of your parents."

Upon hearing this, Duobianyi's expression changed several times, but in the end she didn't say anything, though she didn't show any further anger.

Cao Weida cursed inwardly, "You damn little Japanese devil, who are you giving attitude to?"
Let's wait another year or so and see how you all end up like stray dogs!

However, he noticed an interesting phenomenon: it seemed that the other three Japanese soldiers were somewhat respectful towards Captain Matsui Koji.

Suppressing his doubts, he smiled and smoothed things over: "Sirs, please don't stand at the door, come in, please come in."

After giving a greeting, the group entered the restaurant.

Yu Tao Jing Restaurant – the name itself sounds quite feminine, and its owner is indeed a woman, a mature woman in her thirties.

She wasn't very tall, only about 1.5 meters, but she was quite good-looking, with a curvy figure that made her kimono look fuller.

Her plump buttocks swayed as she walked, exuding the charm of a mature woman.

Upon seeing the group enter, the proprietress warmly greeted them.

"Fujita-kun, what a rare guest! It's been so long since you last visited. Yuko-san has been talking about you for ages."

"Ono-kun, you've come too! Please come in."

It's easy to tell from their conversation that Fujita and Ono are regulars here.

Of course, Cao Weida had inquired about all of this beforehand. Otherwise, there are many Japanese restaurants in Beiping, so why did he choose this one in particular?

"Madam, since Miss Yuuko misses you so much, why don't you hurry up and bring her over to ease her longing?"

The proprietress was a shrewd and worldly woman. Cao Weida had booked a private room in advance, and now he had invited these people over. How could she not know who the money-makers were?

She winked coquettishly, a charming smile playing on her lips: "Sir, please rest assured, I'll make the arrangements right away, and I'll also arrange for some girls for you all."

Tsk, that posture doesn't look like a restaurant owner at all; people would believe she's a nanny from a brothel.

Cao Wei Da invited the group to sit down and picked up the sake on the table to fill everyone's cups.

Just as she raised her glass, before she could even speak, Duobianyi, who had been keeping a straight face, spoke first:
"Cao-san, it's nice to meet you for the first time. I'm not very good at talking. Fujita-kun said you're very capable and have some connections. I wonder if that's true?"

Wow, that emotional intelligence is really worrying.

Cao Weida thought to himself, but raised his wine glass and smiled neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Commander Fujita flatters me. My strength is not very good, but I can still help with some small matters."

Duobian's expression was not good. "A small matter? We're not talking about a small matter."

"Dude, let's speak slowly and discuss things calmly," Ono Oda said with a smile, taking over the conversation.
"Cao-san, you're a smart man, so let's not beat around the bush. You asked Fujita-kun to invite Dobian-kun and the others, which I'm sure isn't limited to friends who are cooperating with the Imperial Army's 'investigation.' Since Dobian-kun has already started, let's be more open about this, so we can have a more enjoyable meal."

“Nothing can be hidden from Ono-kun.” Cao Weida smiled. “However, we need to make the order clear. It’s not about what I can do, but what you, Ono-kun, want me to do.”

"I'm not very capable and I'm also timid. I only have the advantage of being a local. I'll have to rely on you officers to take care of me in the future."

"As long as it's within my power, just ask, and I'll have no objections."

Fujita couldn't help but laugh. "Cao-san, you're quite bold. If you're still timid, then there's no one bolder than you."

If he were truly timid, he wouldn't have immediately asked to organize a larger-scale business activity on his very first business venture.

"There's nothing we can do, we're just poor," Cao Weida said with a self-deprecating laugh.
"To be honest, Ono-sama, I'm terrified of poverty, and I'm driven mad by it. My Cao family has only one son per generation, and we're counting on Cao Wei Da to have more descendants and carry on the family line."

"With the meager salary of a patrol officer each month, it's barely enough to support myself. When will I ever be able to earn enough to buy a house and get married?"

“I’ve been poor since I was a child, and I don’t want to continue to be poor in the future. I also want to experience a life of luxury and extravagance.”

The Japanese soldiers exchanged glances and then laughed.

They weren't afraid that Cao Wei Da was ambitious; ambition made him easier to control.

If Cao Wei Da had no ambition, they wouldn't have bothered with him.

To put it bluntly, if someone keeps calling you "Cao Sang" and "friend," surely they don't really think you're a friend?

Shit!

Isn't it all just to find a front man?

Isn't it all about the money?!
Friends are all fake; only interests matter!
They are both intelligent people, and naturally they know what their own and the other's needs are.

Ono Oda took a sip of sake and gestured to Matsui Koji with his eyes.

Matsui Koji pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over: "Cao-san, since things have been made clear, I'll be frank."

"The fighting on the front lines has become intense recently, and a batch of supplies has been transported from Tianjin Port."

“We’ve taken a small cut from it. Cao, do you see if there’s any way we can manage to take it all?”

"These supplies are being closely monitored; it's best to sell them within three days."

"We only need the price we want; the rest is none of our concern."

The Japanese soldiers went about their own business, but their eyes were fixed on Cao Weida out of the corner of their eyes.

Cao Wei Da reached out and took it. He knew that at this moment of openness and honesty, it was time to do what he had to do.

Since the other party has so readily handed him leverage, if he cannot get things done, then in the end, he will be the one who gets punished.

At this point, we have no choice but to do this, whether we want to or not.

However, he did not panic or regret his decision.

Now that he's been reborn, he can't always be so cautious. If he doesn't seize such a good opportunity, not only will the audience despise him, but he himself will also despise himself.

Herding one sheep is the same as herding two sheep.

Moreover, although this matter seems dangerous, the actual risk level is not high.

He unfolded the paper and glanced at it, feeling slightly startled.

"Two hundred Type 38 rifles, two basic loads of ammunition; five Type 91 light machine guns, three basic loads of ammunition; two Type 92 heavy machine guns, two basic loads of ammunition; two grenade launchers; and two basic loads of artillery shells."

"Thirty tons of white sugar, ten tons of rubber, ten tons of gasoline, and five tons of tung oil."

(End of this chapter)