Chapter 23: Preparing to Counterattack

At the police station, Zhou Xinggao sat cooperatively for his statement, and Inspector Gao and his men did not make things difficult for them.

"Inspector Gao, I was a soldier in the Beiyang Army. After the defeat, I came to Shanghai to make a living. Because I was starving at the time, I fainted by the roadside, and it was Mr. Chen who saved me."

Chen Guangliang chimed in from the side, "Rest assured, this is the Concession. Whether one was in the Beiyang Army or the Northern Expeditionary Army, as long as they do not break the law in the Concession, they are law-abiding citizens. Am I right, Inspector Gao?"

Seeing Chen Guangliang’s unflappable demeanor, Inspector Gao became even more convinced that the young man had powerful backing. He smiled and replied, "Indeed. Mr. Chen is very well-versed in the laws of the Concession."

Intrigued by Chen, the inspector asked proactively, "I heard your rickshaw firm actually partners with the Traffic Division. That is quite impressive!"

Chen replied modestly, "It’s merely some people in the Traffic Division looking to earn a little extra, and I am just acting as a representative."

Inspector Gao thought that made sense; Chen was still young, so how much real power could he possibly have?

Chen then asked deliberately, "Inspector Gao, was the person who reported us among those following you today?"

"That’s right. Do you have a grievance with him?" Inspector Gao did not hide it; at this point, he had no interest in getting involved in their affairs. Of course, having already accepted a hundred-dollar 'tea fee,' he certainly wouldn't return it. In any case, he had already 'arrested' Chen and Zhou and brought them to the station.

Chen said, "It’s a matter of vicious competition between two firms. That man, Tang Zhiqing, previously brought people to try and wreck our business, but we drove them off. I didn't expect him to resort to this tactic."

Inspector Gao feigned ignorance and said, "It was a normal report. After all, Mr. Zhou is a newcomer to the Concession, so it is natural for people to be suspicious." He couldn't just arrest the employer's man immediately; that would be unprofessional. Seeing this, Chen stopped pursuing the matter regarding Tang; after all, there was nothing more to be done for now.

And so, they just 'waited it out.' It seemed Inspector Gao intended to hold Chen and Zhou for a while longer under the guise of 'chatting' to make it look like he had done his job. However, after only an hour, Li Chao rushed to the station. He revealed his status, and Inspector Gao took the opportunity to release them; after all, they all served in the Concession, and one must respect professional courtesies.

"Mr. Li, Mr. Chen, I hope you understand; we were just acting according to the law!"

Chen smiled, "Inspector Gao, cooperating with police enforcement is every citizen's duty. We fully support it."

"Good. Mr. Chen is indeed a man of substance. Please, go ahead."

Afterward, Chen, Li, and Zhou left the station and headed back to the Yangtze Rickshaw Firm base.

"Brother Li, did anything happen at the firm?"

Li replied, "It’s fine. A few neighbors from Fanggualong came to inquire, but I sent them away. I specifically instructed He Xiangdong before I left; nothing will happen."

What kind of trouble? Naturally, if Chen had been detained by the police, the neighbors from Fanggualong who had lent him money might have taken the opportunity to demand repayment. If not careful, this could have caused a 'bank run' phenomenon, bringing huge losses to the Yangtze Rickshaw Firm.

Chen believed Wang Chengyun had thought the same. Wang wouldn't think that a baseless charge could truly destroy Chen and Zhou—the Concession still had order. His goal in making the report and colluding was to have Chen detained for a few days, giving him time to ignite fear among the neighbors in Fanggualong. Once everyone started clamoring for their money back, the Yangtze Rickshaw Firm would inevitably become the target of ruin.

Thinking of this, Chen felt a chill down his spine. Fortunately, he had two 'pillars of support'—Zhang Qihua and Li Chao. Otherwise, his business would likely have been extinguished already.

Upon returning to Fanggualong, they saw many neighbors gathered at the firm. The moment they saw Chen return, their expressions shifted rapidly. An elderly man in his fifties smiled and said, "Boss Chen, you’re finally back! We were all very worried about you!"

The crowd began to express their concern. "Exactly, those damned police, arresting people for no reason—truly hateful." "Boss Chen is a good man; how could he do anything illegal?" "I watched Boss Chen grow up; he would never do anything against the law."

Chen stood before them and said loudly, "Thank you all for your concern, uncles and brothers. It was just a small matter. My brother here has a face that is new to the area, so the police were just following procedure to investigate his background. I was merely there to accompany him—it was nothing serious!"

"Also, the Yangtze Rickshaw Firm is not just mine; it also belongs to Mr. Li here. He is an official in the Municipal Council, and he has the authority to make decisions on anything. You can all rest assured."

He was establishing a rule: the firm had two bosses, and if one was away, the other had full authority. This way, the firm could withstand unknown risks.

Li smiled and added, "Boss Chen’s affairs are naturally my own. Please, everyone, rest easy!"

"Rest easy," "How could we not?" With He Xiangdong’s direction, the neighbors finally dispersed. After this incident, their confidence grew; after all, the firm had two bosses, and one was a 'government official'—what could possibly go wrong?

Later, Li said, "This Wang's Rickshaw Firm is always stirring up trouble. We can't keep playing defense forever." For Li, the firm had become his 'lifeblood,' and he wasn't about to let anyone push him around.

Chen poured a cup of water for Li and said, "What else can we do? But now, the firm is on the right track, and our ability to withstand risks has increased significantly, so it shouldn't be a big problem." Although he had passed this hurdle, it didn't mean he had the power to strike back. After all, he had only been in this world for three months; he lacked the deep-rooted connections that others possessed.

After some thought, Li said, "I am not an outsider in the Traffic Division, and the section chief values me. If you have evidence of the unlicensed 'wild' rickshaws from Wang’s firm, we can conduct a surprise inspection and give him a taste of his own medicine."

Chen trusted this. 'One of our own' would always be 'one of our own.' Though Li was a young clerk, his influence in the Traffic Division was real.

"Fine. I will have the rickshaw pullers gather information immediately. Wang’s firm does have over twenty unlicensed vehicles. Once I have the details, I will hand them over for you to handle."

Li said fiercely, "When the time comes, I’ll conduct a surprise inspection, confiscate them all, and issue heavy fines. I don't believe he won't feel the sting."

Chen laughed, "With you as my partner, I feel like I'm wielding a royal sword!" Their fake license plates were not only undetectable by patrolmen, but even if the Public Works Division checked without their records, they wouldn't find anything, as those fake plates were merely reused, decommissioned ones.

"It's about mutual benefit. Besides, we are friends!"

"Right, we are friends!"

After sending Li off, Zhou Xinggao came into the office quietly. "Boss, this Wang Chengyun is becoming too aggressive. Shall I go and take care of him?" His eyes were filled with defiance and ruthlessness—he was indeed a veteran of the battlefield. By 'taking care of him,' he clearly meant assassination.

Chen immediately said, "Brother Zhou, violence is not the only way to solve problems. Furthermore, we are finally living a good life; there's no need to take such risks. And finally, if Wang were to be assassinated, we would offend every gang and firm in the vicinity. We wouldn't have a place left in Shanghai." Everyone knew they had a feud with Wang; if he were killed, people would inevitably suspect them. The others would become paranoid and likely band together to destroy them.

"I will listen to you... from now on, whatever you tell me to do, I will do."

In Zhou’s heart, Chen was more than just his savior; he truly viewed him as a brother. When he decided to go to the police station today, he had been anxious, but Chen—who didn't have to go—had come along simply because he was worried about him. That moment had moved him deeply.

"I won't let my brother face danger alone."

Those words would stay with him for the rest of his life.

Chen patted Zhou on the shoulder and said, "Go and call He Xiangdong for me. I have something for him to do."

"Understood."

Shortly after, Chen had everything arranged. He was confident that He Xiangdong would have no trouble gathering information on the unlicensed rickshaws at Wang's firm. Most of the pullers at the Yangtze firm had come from Wang's, so they were well aware of the internal affairs. Moreover, there were even people inside Wang's firm who admired Chen; getting the evidence would be easy.