Chapter 35: A Minor Trouble

Saturday, August 6th.

On the open ground at the Yangtze Rickshaw Company base, nearly a hundred people stood waiting, all having come to participate in the "share-offering partnership."

Among this crowd were many rickshaw pullers from the previous "Project D," who were already impatient. After all, they frequently heard those who had joined earlier boasting about how much their investments had grown, filling them with envy.

Chen Guangliang looked out at the people before him and began his speech.

"Everyone, in light of the rising price of 'Grand License' permits, the price for a rickshaw with a license in this offering is 300 silver dollars. We are offering a total of sixty rickshaws, with a total value of 18,000 silver dollars, divided into 1,800 shares at 10 silver dollars each. However, I can only release 180 shares for this public offering, and each of you is limited to subscribing to 2 shares—that is, 20 silver dollars. Now, if anyone has questions, feel free to raise your hand. I believe in being democratic here!"

Sure enough, someone raised a hand and asked, "Boss Chen, the Wang Rickshaw Company has been selling vehicles recently, and they only cost 250 silver dollars with a license. You used to charge that price too; why are you calculating it at 300 silver dollars per vehicle this time?"

This remark held some weight, and a few people began to whisper.

Chen Guangliang immediately replied in a loud voice, "The Wang Rickshaw Company is selling them at 250 silver dollars for two reasons: first, their vehicles are no longer new, and second, they are desperate to sell... We have set the price at 300 silver dollars after considering the market trend of the licenses and the management value of the company. Furthermore, even at 300 silver dollars per vehicle, you can earn back your investment in a year. I ask you, when you kept your money elsewhere before, how much interest did you earn in a year?"

"That's true. I used to keep twenty silver dollars, and I didn't get a single cent of interest in a year, plus I was always worried about it being stolen."

"Exactly! Thinking you could get interest on just twenty silver dollars—what were you dreaming of!"

Next, Chen Guangliang announced, "Alright, only 90 people will have the opportunity today. Those who wish to subscribe, please line up. No cutting in line or fighting."

The scene became so chaotic that He Xiangdong, Zhou Xinggao, and Lin Feng had to scramble to maintain order.

Watching the massive crowd, Chen Guangliang thought to himself, "The product sales system needs to change!"

Soon, the Yangtze Rickshaw Company would have 105 rickshaws and 315 pullers (potentially including backup pullers). With over three hundred people, each needing a merchandise bag, coupled with the frequency of restocking and the division of accounts, the bookkeeping was becoming incredibly cumbersome.

Therefore, Chen Guangliang’s idea was "reform"—to consolidate the profits from merchandise sales back into his own hands and the hands of the pullers directly.

Simply put, Chen Guangliang would open a wholesale store, taking a 10% profit himself, while the pullers would earn a 10% profit. He wasn't afraid of the pullers trying to source goods themselves, as the volume of a single puller would never qualify for wholesale pricing, and most pullers wouldn't understand the intricacies anyway.

The benefit of this "reform" was that it reduced financial headaches while increasing Chen Guangliang's personal profit. Based on each puller selling 8 silver dollars' worth of goods a month, with over three hundred pullers, that would be 2,500 silver dollars in monthly sales. Chen Guangliang could pocket 250 silver dollars in profit, and each puller would gain an extra 0.80 silver dollars, an income increase of about 6%.

As for the other shareholders, a 10 to 12-month return on investment was still quite efficient.

After a while, He Xiangdong reported, "Boss, the share offering is complete. All 180 shares have been subscribed."

Chen Guangliang said with satisfaction, "Good. Collect all the funds by tomorrow. Next Tuesday, Project E will officially begin operations!"

"Understood," replied his three subordinates, He Xiangdong, Zhou Xinggao, and Lin Feng, in unison.

***

Chen Guangliang had been running around for a week for this matter, and it was now nearly complete. The rickshaws would be picked up and licensed next Monday, and the pullers would begin operations on Tuesday. The puller situation was easy to resolve; although he needed a full one hundred and eighty men, a shout from the Yangtze Rickshaw Company would bring all the pullers he needed. After all, there was no shortage of human labor in Shanghai.

***

In the International Settlement court, a trial was underway concerning the case of the Wang Rickshaw Company beating two rickshaw pullers to death. This case had become quite famous in Shanghai, mainly because multiple newspapers had followed the story, and it had undergone several reversals.

As Wang Chengyun’s defense attorney, Lin Yi argued, "Your Honor, according to our investigation, the reason Tang Zhiqing and Ma Xiaoliu backtracked on their statements at the press conference and accused my client is that Tang Zhiqing’s son was kidnapped, and the culprit instructed him to frame my client."

The situation had turned again!

Judge: "Is there any evidence?"

Lin Yi: "We have the testimony of his wife."

After Tang Zhiqing’s wife was reunited with her son, she was quickly found by Detective Gao and Lin Yi. Through a mix of coaxing and deception, she revealed the truth and was placed under protection. She was now testifying because Li Yan, Wang’s primary wife, had given her 600 silver dollars in settlement money and moved her into the Wang residence.

The courtroom was in an uproar.

After the wife testified, the judge asked Tang Zhiqing, "Is what she said true?"

Tang Zhiqing nodded and said, "It is true."

Clearly, the Wang family's strategy of using money to pave the way had been effective.

On the plaintiff's side, Master Liu quickly interjected, "Your Honor, the rent hike is a fact, and ordering the thugs to beat them to death is also a fact. This occurred at the Wang Rickshaw Company, so how can they escape responsibility?" He had never anticipated the other side’s move—driving Tang’s wife and son out of Shanghai so they could not be contacted by the Wangs' rivals.

The judge remained expressionless and countered, "Did you kidnap Tang Zhiqing's family?"

Master Liu hurriedly replied, "Absolutely not. This must be a fact they fabricated."

They had their own lawyers, provided by the newspaper, and both sides engaged in a fierce war of words. With media supervision and the resulting social influence, the judge eventually struck his gavel and declared, "This court sentences Wang Chengyun to three years in prison for arbitrary rent hikes and condoning his subordinates' assault on pullers... Tang Zhiqing and Ma Xiaoliu, for leading the assault resulting in two deaths and three injuries, are sentenced to twenty years..."

Upon hearing the three-year sentence, Wang Chengyun’s body went limp. He had expected at most a one-year term.

***

Of course, if Tang Zhiqing and Ma Xiaoliu had not changed their testimonies, Wang Chengyun would certainly have been sentenced to fifteen years.

***

Afterward, Wang Chengyun met with Attorney Lin and Detective Gao in prison.

"This time, it was all thanks to Detective Gao making Tang Zhiqing and Ma Xiaoliu change their testimonies!" Wang Chengyun said gratefully. Although he had spent money to grease palms, he was glad to have the help.

Detective Gao said, "Boss Wang, you are too kind... but please rest assured, given your situation, you don't necessarily have to serve the full three years. If you behave well, you can be out in a year."

Attorney Lin added from the side, "Indeed. The reason the judge sentenced you to three years was ultimately because it alarmed the newspapers and created significant social impact. Once the heat dies down, we can maneuver behind the scenes."

Wang Chengyun thanked them, then shifted the topic, "Detective Gao, have you caught the puller who robbed my money?"

Detective Gao shook his head and said, "Your wife put out the word, but no one could come up with 250 silver dollars. There were some people trying to pool their money to buy it, but your wife refused. Boss Wang, think carefully: who else could be targeting you? Among your enemies, who is the most likely culprit?"

He actually had his own suspicions.

Wang Chengyun immediately asked, "Could it be him?"

"Who?"

"Chen Guangliang, the boss of the Yangtze Rickshaw Company. I’ve only recently developed a grudge with him, and he has a capable person under his command... It must be him. It wouldn't surprise me if he was the one pulling the strings behind those pullers."

In an instant, Wang Chengyun became convinced that Chen Guangliang was the mastermind behind everything.

Detective Gao said gravely, "Boss Wang, if you suspect it is him, you might have to let it go. This Yangtze Rickshaw Company has just added sixty rickshaws at once. I hear they are working directly with the Municipal Council’s Traffic Department; they are not any less powerful than you."

Although he was a detective, he could only deal in evidence when facing such wealthy and powerful people.

Wang Chengyun was shocked, "Sixty rickshaws in one go? No, even if the Traffic Department collaborated with him on the licenses, those sixty rickshaws are worth 6,000 silver dollars. How long have they been in business? Where would they get that much money?"

Detective Gao paused, then replied, "This..."

Wang Chengyun immediately said, "Please, Detective Gao, look into it. There will be a generous reward if you succeed... but I also ask you to protect my family, to prevent Chen Guangliang from doing something desperate."

For the sake of the money, Detective Gao said, "Alright, I will make a trip and probe them. But Boss Wang, don't get your hopes up too high; they have foreigners backing them now."

Wang Chengyun gritted his teeth and said, "Even if it just lets me know the truth, it will be enough. Also, Detective Gao, please be careful not to expose our family." He was terrified; he was in a prison cell, and if Chen Guangliang took desperate measures, he feared for his family's safety.

"Understood, I will investigate secretly."