Chapter 78: Drawing an Analogy with Old Zhao

However, for the moment, Chen Jiehua had not yet come up with an effective way to restrict the intelligence network run by the pharmacies, so he remained troubled by it. One person’s wisdom is limited, but the wisdom of many is broader—he felt it necessary to consult with Comrade Zhao again. On the evening of November 13, Aoki Qiao spent a long time discussing matters in the shop with Zhao Shiyu.

“As for the expansion of your pharmacy network, I’ve reported it to the organization. Their initial opinion is that fortune and misfortune go hand in hand; the key lies in how we make use of it. Knowing about it in advance is definitely to our advantage.”

“I understand what you mean, and the organization’s leaders’ point as well. Speaking of its merits, I’d already considered it back when I was in the Northeast. The entire pharmacy network there—if it hadn’t been for the involvement of the bandits and that fat, round fellow, I might not have wound up that business so quickly.”

“Besides the managers you used at the time, those couriers—the ones you called Runners—I often heard them discussed in the Northeast. It truly benefited the common people; as long as those at the bottom were willing to run about, at least their basic survival was ensured.”

“Old Zhao, you haven’t taken into account the differences between Shanghai and the Northeast. Back then in the Northeast, the army rarely bullied the people, and with the military police system already working with me, even the Kwantung Army was kept content!”

“But Shanghai is different, and the rest of East China will be too! Just look at Shanghai alone—it's far too complex! The Nationalists, the International Settlement, the French Concession, the Japanese residential districts, the Green Gang and other syndicates—it's a tangled web, and the wolves are never satisfied! Establishing a pharmacy network here won’t be so easy.”

“Haha, Aoki, have you considered that this is actually the ideal situation? You mentioned the managers from Japan are already in training and will arrive after the New Year—so why not let them develop Shanghai? I doubt they’d want to head out to the more remote regions, would they?”

“You mean, have our people infiltrate in reverse, volunteering to open up the outlying areas? Set up the transport lines?”

“See, you grasp it at once. That’s exactly what the organization says about you—you sometimes miss the forest for the trees.”

“I see now, I’d forgotten! With our Japanese identities, establishing transportation routes through pharmaceutical deliveries is even more important than opening new stores!”

“Exactly! Leave the manager positions to them. As long as we’re careful, we can apply for staff roles and take on the delivery tasks at each store. The Japanese, especially nobles, dislike hardship and fatigue—but that’s what we excel at!”

“For instance, if we have to deliver supplies to Huizhou and ensure our comrades there buy up the local stock, if their manager is Japanese and there aren’t enough reserves, he’ll have to request more from headquarters, right? And mountain deliveries are tough work!”

“Good point! What about the intelligence network in Shanghai? If Gangcun wants it, do we just hand it over? Aren’t you afraid that’ll backfire?”

“No worries. We’ll plant our own people—some real, some fake—and play the long game with them. Right now, the real threat isn’t the Japanese, but the Nationalist spies and the precinct police. We can use the pharmacy network to quickly get our people used to running errands. The organization has already started encouraging comrades to walk as much as possible when out and about!”

“My first step is to press headquarters to send people here quickly. Your own post might have to be reassigned, too. Headquarters will never let a Chinese person control the main store, even if you’re a graduate of the Imperial Army Academy!”

“I understand that. But I can recommend someone to you—also a graduate of the academy, and from your own class!”

“Zhao Yiyue?!”

“It’s not Zhao Yiyue—we’re also looking for him!”

“Not Zhao Yiyue? There were only four students from the Republic in the 17th class at the academy! Old Zhou and Old Liu are both in America!”

“You’re forgetting Taiwan! The students from Taiwan were counted as being from Japan!”

“I remember now—that fellow Chen. Chen…”

“Chen Lanfeng!”

“That’s right! Chen Lanfeng!”

“I’ve been in touch with him before. He’s currently a company commander at the Central Military Academy in Nanjing.”

“He’s with the organization?”

“Not yet. But his mindset is quite similar to yours, and he speaks a lot like you too! So I think you two would get along.”

“I don’t really know him, actually—I’ve only ever heard his name, never met him. He was called on in class a few times and always gave standard answers, so I didn’t pay attention. Honestly, I barely attended classes at the academy anyway.”

“I know, you had connections—from the principal to the dean of academics to the head of the military law office—they were all your uncles!”

“Get lost! Don’t tease me!”

“But now that you mention the head of the military law office, Nagatomo Tsunao, he nearly blew my cover last time. I can’t help feeling he’s a ticking time bomb. I’ll have to take care of him someday.”

“I’m not suited to approach Chen Lanfeng for now. Let’s wait until the organization has vetted him.”

“You really are cautious!”

“Of course. We’re in a line of work where death is always at our heels, living life on a razor’s edge. Take you, Old Zhao—you’re not exactly careful; last time you were lucky it was me. If that fat old bastard had been there, the weeds on your grave would be knee-high by now.”

“Sigh,” Zhao Shiyu let out a breath, “I’ve learned so much unknown knowledge from working with you. You say you barely attended school, so where did you learn all this? Just your left-handedness and the callus on your shooting hand—No. 14 kept praising you for two days straight!”

“Hehe, it's from being out and about, learning from experience.”

“For No. 14’s praise, let me teach you something else: children under eight are naturally innocent, but that’s actually a disadvantage for our comrades working underground—it makes it harder to conceal identities. I know many women comrades have to raise children alone and use them as cover—sometimes there’s no other way.”

“But it’s a double-edged sword; sometimes it can harm our own. So we must remind everyone to be careful.”

“How do you mean?”

“You don’t get it? Let me give you an example. Imagine this pharmacy is a secret base for the organization. The shop assistant, Little Ding, is the liaison, maintaining the base, but she has a three-year-old child—adorable, innocent.”

“You really like the child, so every time you come for a meeting, you bring snacks and play with him when you have time. That’s normal, right?”

“Of course! Completely normal! We have several safe houses in the Settlement just like that—children of martyrs, all of them!”

Damn, Chen Jiehua buried his head in his hands—there actually were such cases! He didn’t dare continue.

“So, one time, the organization notifies you to meet here, or it’s time for a routine meeting, but unfortunately the pharmacy is exposed. The agents arrest Little Ding and her child, and lie in wait at the shop. You, unaware, or perhaps the comrades didn’t get word to you in time, walk right in. That’s normal, right?”

“You step inside, spot the agents, and immediately use an alias, claiming to be here for medicine. The agents ask Little Ding, ‘Do you know this person?’”

“Little Ding won’t betray you—she plays along perfectly, says she doesn’t know you, and you both act seamlessly, your performances flawless. You’re just about to leave the pharmacy.”

“But then, the child, completely unaware, sees Uncle Zhao—the one who always brings snacks—has arrived! He rushes forward and shouts, ‘Uncle Zhao, did you bring something to eat today?’”

“!!!”

“Understand now?”

“Ah!! Old Chen, you bastard!”