Chapter 387: 386 [Self-Selling Tobacco Soil]

Du Yuesheng's work is not only beautiful, but also very fast.

In just three days, Zhang Damin was arrested by the Shanghai French Concession Police Station and handed over to the Shanghai District Court for trial on charges of stealing property and selling tobacco.

In the early days of the Nanjing National Government, opium smoking and trafficking were not completely banned, but it was regarded as an important source of tax revenue. There are three regulations: first, the import of foreign opium is prohibited, inland opium must be purchased by companies with legal licenses, and retail dealers must also pay stamp duty; second, opium smokers must also apply for a license, otherwise it is illegal to smoke opium. Moreover, the taxation of smokers is heavier than that of ordinary people; thirdly, the government will set up smoking cessation centers and severely punish people to quit smoking (this is nonsense).

That is to say, the Sanxin Company co-founded by Du Yuesheng, Huang Jinrong and Zhang Xiaolin monopolizes the opium business in Shanghai, which is completely legal from a legal point of view, but it needs to impose heavy taxes.

Due to the great opposition in the society, the "opium sale" policy was stopped in the summer of 1928. Sanxin Company's business has also gradually changed from open and legal to underground and illegal, and the actual situation has not changed at all.

What's even more funny is that Du Yuesheng is also one of the three standing members of the Shanghai Anti-smoking Committee.

Letting Shanghai's largest opium trade leader serve as a member of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Anti-smoking Committee, this appointment is somewhat darkly humorous.

Now Sanxin Company is ready to "end" its illegal business, and instead set foot in the field of "medicine", specializing in the production of "drugs" such as morphine. To put it bluntly, it is a fucking drug factory. Yang Hu (Chang Kaishen’s brother-in-law), the former Shanghai Garrison Commander and the current head of the Shanghai Security Department, is responsible for protecting the business of Sanxin Company. The company needs to pay a certain amount to the Central Finance Minister (set at 3 million U.S. dollars per year in 1932) .

Note that the money was handed over to Song Ziwen, the Minister of Finance, not to the Central Ministry of Finance. It did not go to the government's public account, and it was all divided up privately by some people.

The annual bonus of 3 million US dollars is only distributed to officials, and the profits are simply terrifying.

No matter what, Du Yuesheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the Anti-smoking Committee, caught one or two criminals who smuggled cigarettes. As for whether there is any grievance in it, only the ghost knows, anyway, all the stolen goods were obtained, and all the criminals pointed out that Zhang Damin was the mastermind.

Zhang Damin was first sent to the smoking cessation center and locked up for a few days. His brothers and sisters refused to pay the smoking cessation fee, so they were kicked out of the smoking cessation center and thrown into Shanghai Public Security Bureau to be locked up and wait for the court trial.

...

Ruan Lingyu's home.

He Aying said gratefully: "Thank you, Mr. Zhou, you have been of great help and finally captured that goddamn Zhang Damin."

Zhou Hexuan laughed and said, "Auntie, don't talk nonsense. Zhang Damin was arrested in the French Concession and was taken over by the anti-drug team of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau. It has nothing to do with me."

"Yes, yes, it doesn't matter," He Aying pretended to slap herself twice, and said with an apologetic smile, "Look at my mouth, I'm talking nonsense. Mr. Zhou is a scholar, how could he do such a thing? "

Ruan Lingyu sat beside her without speaking, and looked at Zhou Hexuan quietly, feeling both respectful and fearful in her heart. Zhang Damin, who had caused her a lot of trouble, was sent to prison by Zhou Hexuan with just a few words. In her opinion, it was too terrifying.

"Ah Ruan, sit down with Mr. Zhou first, I should go to cook." He Aying winked at her daughter, and then said to Zhou Hexuan, "Mr. Zhou, let's eat dinner at home, there are no delicacies, I am sorry for you gone."

"It's okay." Zhou Hexuan said with a smile.

After He Aying left the living room, the scene suddenly became quiet. Ruan Lingyu doesn't like to talk very much, she has a rather dull personality, and when she is bullied, she chooses to bear it and keep silent.

Zhou Hexuan asked casually: "Have you been filming recently?"

"Well," Ruan Lingyu nodded, "I'm shooting a short film called "Suicide Contract". It's co-produced by North China Film Company and Greater China Lily Company."

Zhou Hexuan asked again: "Is the North China Company and the Greater China Company merging soon?"

"It seems to be merged next month," Ruan Lingyu said. "Minxin Company and Shanghai Film Company will also be merged together. After the filming of "Suicide Contract" is finished, the new company Lianhua Films will go out of business."

Zhou Hexuan said with a smile: "When Lianhua Films is established, you will be promoted to a pillar."

"No way," Ruan Lingyu said embarrassingly, "The real pillar is Jin Yan. I heard that Boss Luo spent 5,000 yuan in signing fees to recruit him from Star Company."

Jin Yan is the first actor in the history of Chinese film and is known as the "Emperor of Film in the Republic of China". In fact, he is not purely Chinese, but Korean. His father became a Chinese citizen after being poisoned by Japanese secret agents. In the 1930s, he appeared in a large number of progressive films against aggression and oppression. Later, he was once included in the most wanted list of the KMT.

Zhou Hexuan took out the script of "Goddess" and said to Ruan Lingyu, "Give this to Luo Mingyou, and say that I will personally be in charge of the film, and ask him to choose a suitable director."

"Why didn't Mr. Zhou hand over the script to Boss Luo himself?" Ruan Lingyu asked.

"I'm leaving Shanghai tomorrow," Zhou Hexuan said with a helpless smile, "Luo Mingyou is a young master who loves to play. The new company formed by the merger will open next month, but he is now in Hong Kong. He said he wanted to report the progress to the chairman. , Let me see, I guess I went on a trip again, I can’t find anyone at all.”

"Alright then, leave the script with me." Ruan Lingyu put it away carefully.

After dinner, He Aying wanted to stay Zhou Hexuan overnight, and kept winking at her daughter. After Zhou Hexuan refused, she asked her daughter to go out to accompany Zhou Hexuan for a walk, saying that they were going to visit the night scene of Shanghai Beach together.

Ruan Lingyu couldn't survive her mother, so she had to agree, but she came back soon after going out.

"Why didn't you go to the Zhou Mansion?" He Aying asked in surprise.

"Mom, Mr. Zhou is not that kind of person, you're thinking wrong," Ruan Lingyu said, "He treats me very well, he doesn't touch me, he just treats me as a friend."

He Aying said speechlessly: "My silly daughter! If he had no idea about you, would he kindly help send Zhang Damin to prison? Let me tell you, Mr. Zhou wants money and status, and he can do it in a few words Zhang Damin can't turn around. As long as you get close to him, no one in Shanghai will dare to bully you from now on. You listen to me, you must ask him out tomorrow, and then take the opportunity to spend the night at the Zhou mansion, and first establish a relationship. "

Ruan Lingyu said helplessly: "Mom, Mr. Zhou will leave Shanghai tomorrow, you should give up on that."

He Aying suddenly said depressedly: "You are really stupid, I am too lazy to talk nonsense with you!"

Ruan Lingyu returned to her bedroom, flipping through the script of "Goddess" boringly. She had read the original novel before, and now she read it again, but found that the novel and the script were far apart, and only a part of the story was intercepted.

The story of the script is more easy to understand and more emotional. Many of the plots make Ruan Lingyu feel the same way, and she has the urge to cry.

After reading the complete script, Ruan Lingyu found that tears had already rolled down her cheeks, and she couldn't help but think of Zhou Hexuan. Being able to write touching stories is not only sympathetic, but also talented, but this is the man who set up a trick to throw Zhang Damin into prison. Which one is the real him?

Ruan Lingyu found that she couldn't see through Zhou Hexuan, he was a man like a mystery.

The enigmatic Mr. Zhou is now on his way back to Tianjin, and the battle in the north is almost over.