Chapter 58: The Turbulent Four Years (Part 2) Flying Pig Web

  "Mr. Cheng, it's been months since we last met, I hope you're doing well?" Song Ziwen said with a smile as he greeted Cheng Jincheng who walked out from behind. Cheng Jincheng smiled and replied: "I'm still the same old self. Ziwen, you're such a busy person, how did you find time to come visit me?!"

  Soong Tse-ven nodded slightly to Lin Guodong, and somewhat awkwardly said: "Jin Cheng Gong, I came here today to discuss the matter of raising funds. Zhang Xueliang's change of allegiance and obedience to government orders was originally a good thing. However, some people cannot bear to see the country at peace, and have once again stirred up war."

  Cheng Jincheng asked faintly: "Ziwen, how much are you going to raise this time?!"

  "Soong Tse-ven hesitated: 'At present, the country is in a state of disrepair and needs to be revived everywhere. I calculated when I came that it would take about 50 million taels.'"

  Cheng Jincheng looked at Lin Guodong and asked: "Ziliang, how much funds can be mobilized on your company's account now?!"

  "Father-in-law, our company still has over 3 million yuan on the books. After deducting daily expenses, we can mobilize around 1.5 million. If we squeeze a bit, we can manage 1.8 million. That's the limit."

  "This...". Cheng Jincheng hesitated for a moment, looking at Song Ziwen and said: "Ziwen, the current situation in Shanghai and abroad, I don't need to tell you, you're also aware. This 1.8 million taels of silver, take it first. As for other things, I can only think of ways to help you."

  When Song Ziwen heard Cheng Jincheng's words, his eyebrows furrowed unintentionally, and he thought to himself: "Others may not know that penicillin is your family's business, but how could I not know?! Your family has such a large gold mine, can't you even take out 5 million taels?!" Lin Guotang, who was sitting opposite Song Ziwen, noticed a hint of unease from Song Ziwen's unintentional expression and smiled to ease the tension: "Outside, it is rumored that penicillin is my younger brother-in-law's and son's business, but in reality, these are just superficial things."

  "Oh?" Song Ziwen looked at Lin Guotang. Lin Guotang explained: "Penicillin is actually an industry under the Hongmen flag. My younger brother-in-law Cheng Zhihao's wife is the niece of Hongmen big shot Sutu Meitang."

  "Hiss!" Soong Tzu-wen sucked in a cold breath and thought to himself: "How could I have forgotten this?!"

  "Old master!" Just then, the butler rushed into the living room with a telegram and handed it to Lin Guodong. Lin Guodong took the telegram and began to read it. Cheng Jincheng, who was sitting in the hall, saw Lin Guodong suddenly frown and asked: "Ziliang, whose telegram is this?!"

  "Father-in-law, it's little brother from Germany. His company is struggling and he has come to seek help!"

  "What?!". Cheng Jincheng was shocked, took the telegram and read it from head to toe, then said: "Ziliang, you go first and issue a check of 1.8 million dollars for Ziwu. As for Zhihao's matter, we'll discuss it later."

  "Ah!" Lin Guodong didn't dare say anything else and hastily walked into the study, wrote a check and came out to hand it over to Soong Tse-ven.

  Song Ziwen took the check, hypocritically declined for a while, and finally smiled and put the check into his pocket. He bid farewell and left Lin Gongguan. As he watched Song Ziwen's back disappear in the distance, Cheng Jincheng said: "Fortunately, their telegram arrived in time, otherwise I don't know how to deal with Song Ziwen."

  "Father-in-law, what Lin Guodong said in the telegram..." Before Lin Guodong could finish speaking, Cheng Jincheng smiled and said: "Haven't you figured it out?! He's now working for his nephew. Last time with penicillin, I already owed an apology to Ah Feng, this time since he wants to be behind the scenes, let's just do as he says!"

  Before they knew it, October 24th, 1929 had arrived. Cheng Zhihao and Sito Meilan stood guard beside the radio station, receiving information transmitted from America.

  "Zhihao, what's going on?!" Xīu Měilán saw Chéng Zhìhào staring blankly after reading the telegram and immediately became anxious. Chéng Zhìhào came back to his senses and handed the telegram to Xīu Měilán saying: "It was all predicted by ā Fēng. Fortunately, we made preparations in advance, otherwise our losses would have been huge this time."

  "Mei Lan asked after reading the telegram: "A Feng, when are you coming back?!"

  "He said he'll come over on the weekend."

  "Little brother, something big happened in America, can I still stay in school?!" Hearing Lin Ao Feng's voice, Cheng Zhi Hao and Si Tu Mei Lan looked towards the door at the same time. They saw Lin Ao Feng walking in with a smile, casually tossing his hat to the servant, and walking towards them.

  Cheng Zhihao furrowed his brow and asked: "A Feng, didn't you say you'd be back on the weekend?!"

  Lin Aofeng replied, "Little brother-in-law, don't worry! I don't have the habit of skipping class. The school is about to have exams, let's review by ourselves. That's why I had time to come back." Then Lin Aofeng asked, "What's the situation now?!"

  "Sister Mei Lan handed the telegram to Lin Ao Feng and said, 'As you said, a month ago we had already sold all the stocks in our hands. Now we have around 300 million that can be mobilized.'"

  Lin Ao Feng took the telegram and looked at it, recalling a documentary he had watched before crossing over, "1929 Great Crash". He said: "Today is just the first day. If my guess is correct, next Tuesday will be the real crash. Whether we can succeed depends on our courage next Tuesday."

  "Mr. President, the Secretary of State is here to see you on an urgent matter!" The busy US President Hoover in his office heard the secretary's call, stopped his work, hesitated for a moment, and said: "Let him come in!"

  "Yes!" Not long after the secretary walked out of Hoover's office, Secretary Stimson pushed open the door and walked into Hoover's office. Hoover saw Stimson with a worried face and asked: "What's wrong?!"

  "Mr. President, the stock market is showing unusual activity. This is data and analysis from the New York Stock Exchange, sent over half an hour ago. Please take a look."

  Hoover took the folder, opened it slowly and began to read. After about a minute, Hoover casually put the folder on his desk and said: "The stock market has its ups and downs, this is normal. The government can't intervene conveniently. Besides, even if a crisis occurs, as long as unemployment and relief are handed over to those non-governmental charitable organizations for handling, the crisis will soon pass."

  "Mr. President, I'm afraid this crisis won't pass so easily. I think it's necessary to make an emergency plan."

  "Hoover's face was cold, he hesitated for a moment, and said: 'Give me some time, let me think about it.'"

  "Alright!" Stimson reluctantly compromised: "Mr. President, I'll take my leave first!"

  The stock market continued its downward spiral on the second day, and a consortium of banks took swift action to try to control the situation, but this was only a temporary delay, as stock prices soon began their relentless downward slide once again. By October 29, they had plummeted an average of forty percent.

  "Mei Lan, am I dreaming?!" Cheng Zhihao asked foolishly, holding the telegram he had just received. Cui Mei Lan didn't hesitate to pinch the soft flesh on Cheng Zhihao's waist, and immediately heard a pained cry from him. Cheng Zhihao frantically rubbed the spot where Cui Mei Lan had pinched, saying: "Can't you be gentler?!"

  Xī Tū Měi Lán shrugged her shoulders, put on an innocent look and glanced at her husband, then turned to Lin ào Fēng and asked: "ào Fēng, we've taken over so many bad debts, what's the next step?!"

  Lin Ao Feng held up his wine glass and said with a swing: "Little aunt, you and little uncle have already thought of a plan, do you still need to ask me?! However, I advise you to keep a low profile. Now it's not that we're afraid of thieves stealing, but rather that we're afraid of being remembered by them. Grandfather inadvertently revealed something about penicillin, which brought a lot of trouble. I don't want the meat that's already in our mouths to fly away."

  Cheng Zhihao hesitantly said: "Ah Feng, after all this is a big matter. I'm worried that we can't handle it. We've already sent a telegram back in advance!"

  Lin Aofeng heard Cheng Zhihao's words, patted his own forehead, and looked at Cheng Zhihao with some speechlessness: "Since things have come to this point, we can only take it one step at a time. I hope Grandpa won't be like last time. Otherwise, this time is really troublesome."

  Three days later, Cheng Zhihao, who had arranged everything, took his wife and children under the protection of bodyguards and left Germany by boat.

  It's been two months since the US stock market crash, and Lin Ao Feng was busy dealing with exams when Tang Sheng Zhi rebelled against Chiang Kai Shek, and Jiang Bai Li was put under surveillance by Chiang Kai Shek.

  "Mr. Chiang, Mayor Zhang Qun of Shanghai has arrived and wants to see you!" Upon hearing the report from the "bodyguard" sent by Chiang Kai-shek, Jiang Baili sneered and said, "Let him in!"

  "Brother Baili, I've been troubling you for the past few days!" Zhang Qun's voice came over before he even entered the living room. Jiang Baili smiled and asked while inviting Zhang Qun to sit down, "Today is New Year's Day, why did the mayor come to my place?"

  Zhang Qun sighed and said, "Originally, I shouldn't have come, but I don't want to see you get implicated by Tang Shengzhi. Now that your situation is precarious and it's not safe for you to stay in the country, I think you should leave the country and avoid the storm for now!"

  "Escaping the wind?!" Jiang Baili snorted, saying: "Why should I flee for my life?! I don't have the qualifications to flee! Besides, I've been stripped bare, I don't have any money to leave the country!"

  As soon as he heard "no money to go abroad", Zhang Qun's eyes lit up, and he smiled and said: "Brother Bai Li, don't worry if you have no money! Our municipal government can give you 50,000 yuan for travel expenses!"

  "Get out! Get out of here!" Before Zhang Qun could finish speaking, Jiang Baili suddenly became furious and said with disdain: "I don't want the money others give me in charity. I haven't broken any laws, and I won't leave Shanghai. Let's see what Chiang Kai-shek can do to me!"

  "Cough... Brother Baili! Why must you do this?! Zhang Qun puffed out his chest and advised again: "Brother Baili, listen to my advice, take a step back and the sea will be wide open!"

  "Resign? Does he, Chiang Kai-shek, think I'll give him the chance to resign?" Jiang Baili's expression was a mixture of smile and seriousness as he glanced at the door and said, "If you don't do anything shameful, you won't be afraid of ghosts knocking on your door in the middle of the night. Don't think I don't know what Chiang Kai-shek is thinking, whatever tricks he has up his sleeve, let him bring it on."

  "Brother Bai Li, calm down! Think carefully about my suggestion! I'll come back to see you in a few days!" With that, Zhang Qun slipped away from Jiang Baili's residence.