【Lou Cheng】 How easy is another day

After so many years, they are already familiar with this taste.

It is the unique smell of weapons that have been carefully oiled. Minglou always feels a little fishy, ​​but Mingcheng thinks it is his psychological effect: as long as it is not rusty, what kind of smell can metal have?

Mingcheng took off his gloves and gently stroked the machine gun in the wooden box: "They said that several Japanese machine guns were based on Hotchkiss. Unfortunately, I haven't seen the real thing. You see, this light machine gun The magazine is down there."

He pointed out the location of the magazine to Minglou.

The characteristics of the weapon were not the focus of Minglou's concern, he glanced at the cold machine, the barrel of the gun gleamed in the dim light, and asked Mingcheng again: "How many pieces can you get out of the bulk this time? "

"To be on the safe side, six light guns and no more than two heavy guns, but I suggest only one for the time being. Nanjing placed an order for more than 1000 guns the year before last, and it is said that the delivery has not been able to be delivered on schedule." Speaking of ordnance, Mingcheng's expression is always It is between calm and serious, "Still the same, after arriving in Haiphong, please ask the comrades of the Viet Cong to help us directly detain these planes, and try to find a way to transport them to Guangxi first. As for the large batch of goods ordered for Long Yun , After transporting to Kunming, they will think of a way."

Minglou smiled invisibly: "Last time, I heard that there was a trick during the delivery of the weapons. We informed our people about the route early. The two sides exchanged fire symbolically, and we got all the weapons and bullets."

"This method can't always be used." Mingcheng also smiled, "But since the number of weapons entering is limited this time, try to find a way to entrain more bullets. The domestic machine guns have changed their calibers and use German bullets. Our batch is still the original French ones. caliber."

"You make up your mind."

"Gentlemen, what's wrong?"

The arms dealer who was waiting at the side saw them talking in a language he didn't understand, and only thought that there was something wrong with the batch of goods, so he hurriedly approached them eagerly to ask.He had dealt with these two Chinese for many years, and he knew that they were the middlemen who purchased weapons for a general somewhere in the inland of China.

Mingcheng nodded, and pulled him aside: "I want to add more bullets."

"How much do you think you want?"

"Ten thousand rounds."

That's not a huge amount.The arms dealer nodded in agreement, then turned around and told his subordinates to wait for it.Then the younger gentleman, who knew better about armaments, added: "That's right. Can you get me some more Lebel?"

Speaking of this, he smiled, his smile was very charming, and he seemed a little shy: "This is actually my private matter. You must know about the war between China and Japan. My family is in business and has some properties. I want to defend myself."

The arms dealer expressed his understanding of this: "Of course. How many do you want? 20? Isn't the pistol better? MAS1873 I always think it's good. Although it's an old guy, the accuracy has always been good. Of course it's lighter and easier to carry around Portable. The price is much more affordable than 1892."

Mingcheng glanced at Minglou, who was concentrating on giving weapon points at the other end of the warehouse, and said in a low voice, "100 Lebels. Another 20 1873s."

After speaking, he took out a check from his pocket.After seeing the number on the top, the arms dealer raised his head in embarrassment: "Sir, this number..."

"We have never talked to you about the price of the goods over there. I also said that this is my own family business, and it is always more economical to spend my own money. Besides, you know very well that the price You don't suffer."

The other party took the check, shook his head and said, "Your family property is so big, and you still care about these small money with us."

Mingcheng smiled sincerely: "The situation is not easy, every franc has to be saved and spent. Please check my goods carefully at that time, and don't bring in scrap iron that is too rusty to be used."

"This will never happen!" The arms dealer assured again and again, "This is not the first time, nor will it be the last time. You and your boss know the quality and price of my goods."

"Of course. Then I will trouble you." Mingcheng smiled and held out his hand.

The other party handed it over, and said by the way: "However, there is one more thing I want to remind you. The customs declaration..."

Mingcheng quickly interrupted him: "Of course we will handle these matters. Leaving France is not a problem. Even if they are requisitioned by our government at that time, they will be used to beat the Japanese, and I am willing."

"You are a patriot."

"That's not the case. Just do your duty as a citizen."

After talking, they went to Minglou side by side to meet him.Mingcheng respectfully asked Minglou: "Sir, I have settled everything here. Have you counted?"

Minglou nodded reservedly, and told Mingcheng in a somewhat indifferent French: "You order again."

"It was ordered during the inspection just now."

Ming Lou frowned, and said in a stern tone, "You shouldn't need me to teach you the rules. This is business. Order again."

"Understood, sir." Mingcheng still respectfully agreed.

So Mingcheng ordered the quantity of the goods again in front of the Frenchman. It was still very cold in France in February, and the warehouse was strictly fire-proofed, and it was as cold as an icehouse.After Mingcheng finished counting for the last time, the French already felt his feet were cold. On the other hand, Mingcheng not only took off his coat, but a thin layer of sweat was faintly visible on his forehead.

Look how tired he is.The arms dealer thought sympathetically.

He had dealt with these two gentlemen from China for almost four years.Compared with Mr. L, who is serious and ignorant, he has always had a better impression of Mr. C, who is familiar with ordnance and speaks French more fluently.

A bad boss always has a good subordinate.

He looked at the busy Mingcheng and thought about it.

This time, after the delivery of the goods, the arms dealer wanted to treat them to dinner as usual.Unexpectedly, they refused this time, saying that today is a traditional festival in China, and they had to go back to Paris before dark.

He escorted them to the car and watched it disappear at the end of the factory.

Saint-Denis is in the north of Paris. If the traffic is good, it will take less than an hour to reach their home in the Latin Quarter.This day was the New Year's Eve of the Wuyin Year, and many friends were invited to have a New Year's Eve dinner. Mingcheng drove faster than before, but the speed of the car returned quickly, and it didn't affect the conversation between the two of them.

"Ordered another 100 rifles and 20 pistols, using family money." Mingcheng took the time to glance at Minglou—Minglou had a cold for some reason last week, and he hasn't recovered yet, "It's still the same amount. I have already dealt with it. Also, the demand for medicines has increased on the eldest sister's side. I have also purchased a lot of bandages... nothing will happen, right?"

Minglou first answered "It's okay", which was the answer to his last question, and then glanced at him with a smile: "If eldest sister knows that you, a serious engineer, are now using all your ingenuity to make false accounts, and Making fake accounts for my own family, I'm afraid it's trying to pick your skin off."

"You are at the top. If you want to pick it up, you will be the first to pick it up." Mingcheng also smiled, "It's okay, our accounts are done well, and we won't be able to find out later. The most important thing is that the most trusted person in the world is you, big sister. I will never check your account."

Speaking of their common sister, the two younger brothers who did bad things looked at each other and laughed in unison.

After the Anti-Japanese War broke out in 37, Ming Spiegel decided to officially transfer part of its family property to Europe to avoid risks, and used the money to do some trade in Europe—food, medicine, and chemicals were scarce during the war.After she discussed with Minglou, Minglou volunteered and became the manager of the family property without hesitation. The two of them, Mingcheng and Mingcheng, set up a maritime trade route between China and Europe for the Ming family in their spare time.

This is of course only on the surface.

Secretly, Ming Lou gave full play to his expertise in studying economics for many years, and made a lot of money through the difference in trade prices.But out of every dollar he earned, he only kept fifty cents to deal with his eldest sister, and withheld the other fifty cents to find familiar arms dealers and drug dealers two or three times a year—both openly and secretly—to buy weapons. and antibiotics back home.Weapons entered from Guangxi via Vietnam, which was the way of the Seventh Red Army; medicines were shipped directly to Shanghai, where the underground party members in the Shanghai port were responsible for receiving them, and then circulated to the Soviet areas in various places through other methods.

The money was mainly used to buy some rifles and pistols, not on a large scale.Minglou's experience in smuggling weapons was much earlier than this.As early as the spring of 35, a distant relative of the Ming family and a business partner for many years contacted him, saying that the Yunnan Army wanted to equip a full set of French equipment, but the purchase price from Vietnam was extremely high, and no reliable agent could be found in France. Ming Lou is a son of a business family who also studied economics. The most important point is that he is also a loyal member of the Kuomintang. I don't know if he can come forward and handle this matter on his behalf.

Before this, Minglou had actually received an order, hoping that he could take advantage of his study abroad in France to raise some weapons and equipment for the idea of ​​the domestic Soviet area.However, after getting in touch with some small black market arms dealers in his personal capacity, Ming Lou found that the price and quality of weapons were not guaranteed, and entry and exit were even more difficult, so he was unsuccessful.So when the news from Yunnan came, even Minglou couldn't help feeling that "it doesn't take much effort to get it".After a few pretentious refusals, Minglou officially acted as a middleman for the Yunnan army to import French equipment.

Minglou has never studied accounting for a day in his life, but a child of the Ming family may be gifted to be able to do business. After several negotiations, he not only found out the model and price, but also learned how to compare prices. The management of the arms factory developed a personal friendship.While buying arms as Long Yun's agent, he spent a lot of money, cheated the world, and was bold and ruthless. He just got the goods [-]% lower than the price on the quotation list, and then added the remaining [-]% to himself. On the other hand, Mingcheng submitted a written request to the French Communist Party as a member of the French Communist Party, expressing the hope of getting the support and support of the Vietnamese Communist Party. For help, the customs in Haiphong or Ho Chi Minh City stopped the weapons that did not appear on the customs import list, and instead of going to Yunnan, they were transported to Guangdong and Guangxi to support the armed forces of the Communist Party of China and the Soviet Union.

Within a few months of this errand, Dai Li sent someone to contact Minglou, hoping that he could recommend someone to enter the embassy of the Republic of China government in France as a civilian, and perform surveillance in the name of a clerk.Minglou is Dai Li's favorite general. He has carefully treasured the chess pieces for many years. He knows why he buried nails in the embassy.

But it is such a character, the national government still can't let go of it, and wants to send someone to watch, and Nanjing will know every clue.

After discussing with Mingcheng, Minglou recommended Mingcheng.

In 36, Mingcheng graduated from University with excellent grades, proficient in French and German, and was recommended by Minglou, so he was stationed in the French embassy as a French secretary.

Mingcheng has always respected Gu Weijun, so it is naturally impossible to spread any words that are not good for him.Gu Weijun also valued this young fellow from his hometown. In 38, he specially transferred Mingcheng from the embassy to serve as the clerk of the meeting with France to negotiate the transit of Chinese arms from Vietnam.

That time, Mingcheng brought back the official quotation from the French arms factory to the national government.He didn't use a single piece of paper, he wrote down every number.

The price on the quotation list has been used by Minglou until today.