Spy Wars: I am the Captain of the Military Police

Seeing Zhou Zhengqing's eyes still wandering, he took a puff of his cigarette from time to time and continued, "Warships, planes, tanks, they need to be painted to prevent rust, right?

After firing a shell, the barrel needs to be cleaned, right?

And those precision instrument parts require tools for maintenance.

Why do you have to choose Chinese pig bristles?

Because it is tough, corrosion-resistant, and not afraid of cold or heat!

Just think about it, if the bristles of the brush are soft, broken, or falling off, the paint will not be applied evenly, the barrel will not be cleaned, and the cannon will misfire at the critical moment, and the cannon will be useless!

It’s no exaggeration to say that a brush can determine the life or death of a cannon! "

Lingzi became more and more confident as she spoke, throwing out some hard numbers: "China can produce 4045 tons of pig bristles a year, accounting for more than two-thirds of the world's total production!

The white bristles produced in Sichuan are snow-white and straight, while the black bristles produced in the Northeast are jet-black and tough. Their quality cannot be compared with the short bristles produced in Germany or the soft bristles produced in India!

Take the Americans, for example. They took away almost half of China's exports last year! On the New York Stock Exchange, the price of bristles rose by 150% in a single year!

Lingzi paused, then dropped the most bombshell news: "The Germans are even more ruthless! Their Prime Minister directly signed an agreement with the Nanjing government, exchanging arms worth 100 million gold marks for Chinese pig bristles!

The Mauser rifles used by the Chinese soldiers on the Shanghai front and the German cannons mounted on the emplacements might have been bought with the tuft of bristles from the backs of Sichuan pigs!

"What?!" Zhou Zhengqing's eyes nearly popped out of his head, his voice rising an octave: "Lingzi, are you kidding me? One hundred million gold marks for pig hair? Are the Germans crazy?!"

Lingzi didn't laugh at all, her expression extremely serious: "It's absolutely true! I'm not kidding."

But after saying that, Lingzi added a little awkwardly: "Well... Of course, the Germans don't just want pig bristles.

They first provided the Nanjing government with a loan of 1 billion gold marks, and then sold 100 million gold marks of arms and equipment to the Chinese.

The Chinese, on the other hand, slowly repaid their loans with minerals like bristles, tung oil, tungsten ore, and raw silk.

When Zhou Zhengqing heard this, his frown relaxed a little.

Loans? Using minerals to repay debts?

Zhou Zhengqing frowned. He was neither surprised nor disgusted that the Germans lent money to the Nanjing government and then demanded repayment with minerals.

At this time, being able to sell weapons to China is already extremely valuable.

"The Germans are willing to lend money and sell weapons and equipment to China..." Zhou Zhengqing murmured in a low voice, unable to help but sigh in his heart.

In this era when most countries stand idly by or even take advantage of others' misfortunes, having a country willing to do business with China and lend money, even if the conditions are a bit harsh, is indeed a timely help.

Bristles?

Maybe... it's more valuable than I thought?

The gray embers of the cigarette spread silently in the brass ashtray, like the end of a thought.

Zhou Zhengqing extinguished the cigarette butt, and there seemed to be a trace of burnt smell between his fingers.

He raised his eyes and looked at Lingzi in front of him. His voice was low and carried a hint of subtle hesitation: "Lingzi, are you saying... that by relying on the goods intercepted from Manchukuo's exports, we can really pry open the iron gates of the concessions of various countries and make them relax their law enforcement in the concessions?"

Lingzi's slender back was straight, and there was a burning light in her eyes, a light that was a mixture of calculation and ambition.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lingzi spoke quickly and forcefully, "Master, you underestimate the bargaining chips we hold! They're more than just pig bristles! They're a scarce strategic resource!"

We can continuously transport iron ore from the Northeast, high-quality coal from Rehe, and other industrial necessities from Manchuria.

And Shen Xilin, his business ability is also unquestionable. We used the soybeans, flour and other grains we got from Manchukuo to exchange for tung oil, top-quality Suzhou and Hangzhou silk, and fragrant Fujian and Zhejiang tea from Chinese merchants...

Which one is not a hard currency that Westerners are scrambling to get?

In the face of real interests, the gentleman's creed and the spirit of contract are just fig leaves to fool the weak!

For them, money and the resources to keep the factory running are their only beliefs! " Lingzi leaned forward excitedly, the light filtering through the window lattice illuminating her face, revealing an incomparably determined outline.

Zhou Zhengqing said nothing, staring calmly at the ashtray.

He knew clearly that if he could win the right to enforce the law in the concession, many of those patriots who were fighting for their homeland on this "isolated island" and piercing the darkness with their lives would be able to live under the "attention" of the military police with less danger and more hope.

But this... was ultimately a secret he buried deep in his heart, one he couldn't tell anyone else.

What direct benefits are there in putting so much thought into Takuto Takazaki's public identity as the military police commander?

Zhou Zhengqing asked without pretense, "Lingzi, we've put so much effort into getting law enforcement power, but I can't see the point!"

Lingzi caught the slight smile between his brows.

A smile of confidence spread across her lips, and her voice became even deeper, with a kind of incitement and temptation: "Master, think about it!

Since the Meiji Restoration, our Yamato people have been working hard to develop and catch up with the Western powers, but we have always been regarded as nouveau riche and looked down upon!

For years, the people of the empire have carried a stone tablet of inferiority in their hearts! This humiliation has long since turned into a raging fire of unwillingness that burns in their chests!

Your last rage almost overturned the table in the French Concession. Although you did not succeed completely, it has already caused a huge storm throughout the empire!

How many people, for the first time, revered your name, the image of a hero who dared to bare his fangs toward the West!

Lingzi said this, made a gesture of cupping her heart with her hands, and looked at Zhou Zhengqing with sparkling eyes: "Now, the opportunity has come again!

What if you could take action again and force the Westerners to agree and allow our military police to openly enter the concessions that they regard as forbidden to enforce the law?

This wasn't just a matter of taking power. This was the first time the scepter of the Iron Throne had been snatched from their hands!

This is a feat unprecedented in the empire for a century!

The supreme glory that countless people dream of but cannot touch in their entire lives!

At that time, the suppressed inferiority will turn into overwhelming enthusiasm and gratitude!

What they couldn't do, you accomplished on your own!

This is no longer a simple power, but a prestige that is enough to be engraved on the Imperial Hall of Valhalla!

You are the living legend in their hearts...

Having said this, Lingzi paused slightly, her eyes fixed on Zhou Zhengqing's face with fanaticism: "This reputation will be enough to resound throughout the empire and become the most solid foundation for our next step!

It’s your path there...”

When Lingzi said this, she realized that she had let the cat out of the bag in her excitement.