Spy Wars: I am the Captain of the Military Police

Zhou Zhengqing's bluntness made all the consuls present freeze, and Shen Xilin also looked at Zhou Zhengqing with a slightly blaming look.

No one spoke in the room again. There was only the lingering sound of cigar smoke and the subtle, monotonous tapping of Sir Webster's fingers on the silver-capped pommel of his cane.

Finally, Zhou Zhengqing's gaze slowly swept over the crowd, and the corners of his lips rose very slightly, breaking the suffocating silence again.

"Everyone." His voice was not loud, but it was extremely clear to everyone's ears, with a cold and penetrating power: "The reason why everyone is gathered here today is tacitly understood.

Thanks to the divine power of His Majesty the Emperor, order is maintained in Manchuria and production is booming.

Railway transportation is unobstructed, and Manchukuo's export trade is increasing day by day. Of course, these export commodities originally had nothing to do with you, but now I am willing to come forward and give concessions to everyone. Some procedures and my dealings with certain people in Japan are inevitably necessary.

Of course, cooperation is cooperation, and the benefits generated may not bring substantial benefits to you personally.

However, being able to purchase the materials that your countries urgently need from the Far East, whether for resale or direct shipment back to your country, would be a political achievement.

I also know that you are all working for your own country and you won't get any benefits from it.

So I have prepared a welcome gift, I hope you like it."

Zhou Zhengqing raised his hand slightly, and Shen Xilin immediately bowed forward as if listening to an imperial decree.

"I'm a generous person. I'm sure that a small gift like this will satisfy you all and also help you understand the control our gendarmerie headquarters has over the export of materials from Manchuria." Zhou Zhengqing's voice was still in that bland tone.

Shen Xilin immediately understood and quickly handed each person a list filled with ink.

The sound of paper rubbing against each other was particularly harsh in the silence.

The consuls could no longer maintain their upright posture and leaned forward slightly, their eyes greedily capturing every item on the list.

"Two thousand tons of high-quality Fushun bituminous coal..." British Consul Sir Webster and the American representative Ball beside him looked at each other, and both of them had uncontrollable smiles in their eyes.

The American Concession had long been incorporated into the British Concession, so now the American consul and the British consul are both advancing and retreating together on the issue of the Tianjin Concession.

"Manchuku leather, three hundred pieces of premium tanned cowhide, two hundred pieces of premium fur..." French Consul Renoir's fingers brushed across the words, his brows slightly furrowed and then relaxed.

"Anton iron ore, two thousand tons..." Italian Consul Lionel's eyes moved quickly, and he looked at the German Minister Clemens von Kettel. The latter's knuckles were slightly tense, and it took a while before he nodded slightly to Lionel.

"In addition, we have prepared 300 boxes of premium pig bristles. You can discuss how to distribute them among yourselves." Shen Xilin said with a smile, raising the mustache on his lips.

Ruth, the commercial representative of the Dutch Consulate, and Luca, a Belgian, who were sitting in the corner, suddenly brightened up when they heard this.

They came here this time just to make up the numbers and drink some trade leftovers, but they didn't expect to have such a good thing as the Japanese giving them gifts!

Their countries don't have any concessions, so there's no problem with law enforcement. This is simply pie in the sky!

At this time, there were still four existing concessions in Tianjin, namely British, French, Italian and Japanese.

But during the peak period of the Nine Foreign Concessions in Tianjin, there were many merchants from various countries in Tianjin, most of whom gathered on the streets where the concessions of various countries were previously located.

At this time, the Japanese took out a gift that was a bit like a bribe. It would have been fine if I hadn't seen it, but now the two of us were there to make up the numbers!

Although they might not get much, it was a private gift. Even if it was just to shut them up, the consuls of Britain, France and other countries would give them some.

The smell of greed rose silently in the secret room, spread, and finally was revealed nakedly on the faces of every Western diplomat.

Zhou Zhengqing leaned back in his chair and slowly raised his left hand to gesture.

Lingzi behind him immediately took out a cigar, lit it, and put it in Zhou Zhengqing's hand.

Zhou Zhengqing took it, but did not suck it immediately. Instead, he rubbed it very slowly and lightly with his fingertips, while his eyes quietly scanned the faces of all those who lost their composure because of the list.

"It seems these things," he finally said, interrupting everyone's silent assessments and calculations, "can indeed solve some of the ambassadors' minor problems. Perhaps they can help me fulfill a small wish."

He bit the word "little trouble" lightly, with an unmistakable irony.

The atmosphere in the room stagnated again.

The rapid breathing sounds caused by greed seemed to be frozen by these cold words.

German Minister Clemens von Ketteler sat motionless, his hands on the table, his fingertips forming a cold spire.

His gaze left the list, passed the flickering cigar smoke, and went straight to Zhou Zhengqing. There was no trace of the eager fluctuations on the faces of other consuls in his gray-blue pupils.

"Manchukuo's goods are of very high quality, General." Klind's voice was low and steady, with a Teutonic hardness and precision: "They are of vital importance to the German Empire.

We in Germany urgently need a stable source of supplies that is not disturbed by the outside world."

As he spoke, Klind glanced at the British Consul Webster.

"We are France." French Consul Renoir cleared his throat, trying to maintain some decency, but his voice was a little hurried: "France has huge industrial needs, especially steel and coal. General Takazaki, please make an offer. We think everything can be negotiated." His eyes were full of undisguised vigilance, and he glanced at the British next to him from time to time.

British Consul General Webster withdrew his gaze from the list and sat up straight, leaning on the silver-headed cane in front of him. The lion head carved on the top gleamed with a cold and hard metallic light, like a silent declaration.

He looked at Zhou Zhengqing, and the corners of his mouth even twitched upwards slightly, with the usual reserved sense of superiority of the British Empire.

"Indeed, the resources at your disposal are impressive." Webster's tone was steady and slightly glib. "For the Empire's vast global industrial system, the importance of a stable supply is self-evident.

The British Concession has always been the safest and most reliable core area in the Far East, and a place where funds from all parties converge.

Going through our channels will undoubtedly provide the most favorable guarantee for the circulation of your goods."

Webster's words were like a signal, instantly igniting the competition that the other consuls had been unable to contain.

French Consul Renoir immediately fired back, his voice no longer concealing its sharpness: "Safe? Sir Webster is overconfident.

The banking and shipping systems in the French Concession were more mature and efficient, and had more experience in handling large quantities of sensitive commodities.

By cooperating with General Yingqi, efficiency and profits are more guaranteed!"