20demayo Chapter 190 Kodama Mechanism
Chapter 190 Kodama Mechanism
"I'll go see him in a bit and make it clear to him that you're my relative," Yan Shuo said slowly. "Not only will he stop bothering you, but he'll also send people to protect your shop."
"Why?" Su Yueqing asked, her face full of confusion and disbelief. "It's good enough that he didn't take our fabrics. Didn't you see how his eyes were full of money when he came last time? He wanted to take everything in the store!"
"Exactly, when he left, he even took the paperweight from the counter," Da Long couldn't help but interject, his tone tinged with anger. "It was just a very cheap white jade paperweight, and he didn't even let it go. It made me so angry."
"A country bumpkin, he's just never seen the world." Yan Shuo chuckled lightly and said slowly, "This Takagi Masao was brought back from a poor village in the mountains by his grandfather, Takagi Shigeru, when he was ten years old. That's why he's short-sighted and extremely greedy."
"How do you know all this?" Su Yueqing asked, her face full of surprise. "Who is Takagi Shigeru? Is he very powerful?"
"Takagi Shigeru is the Commercial Director-General of the South Manchuria Railway Company's Shanghai office," Yan Shuo said calmly, yet with an air of understanding. "Yes, the Black Dragon Society is funded by them. Those ronin wandering the streets are all people who get money from them."
"Oh, then he's even worse!" Su Yueqing frowned, her tone full of disgust. "Since Takagi Shigeru is so rich and powerful, how could he raise such a clueless bastard as Takagi Masao, who's like a vicious dog seeing a bone when he sees money?"
"He was adopted, didn't you know?" Yan Shuo explained slowly. "Takagi Masao was born to a Chinese woman; his mother is from Northeast China. Takagi Osamu is his biological father. Back then, Takagi Osamu found a Chinese woman in Northeast China. Takagi Shigeru strongly opposed the marriage. Takagi Osamu outwardly agreed not to associate with this woman, but secretly continued to contact her. Takagi Shigeru couldn't control him, so he cut off his livelihood. As a result, Takagi Osamu and the Chinese woman's lives became very difficult. Later, they..." A few years after Takagi Masao was born, the Chinese woman died of illness, and Takagi Osamu barely managed to support him by doing simple chores. A few years later, Takagi Osamu also died of illness. After Takagi Shigeru's youngest son died in battle, he had no heirs. Desperate, he went to the village in Northeast China to find Takagi Osamu, only to find that he too had died, and his family was destitute. Haha, Takagi Shigeru, having lost his lineage, had no choice but to take the starving Takagi Masao home and raise him.
"Oh! I see!" Su Yueqing exclaimed in sudden realization. "So, Takagi Masao's penchant for being poor was something he developed from a young age, and even Takagi Shigeru couldn't change it?"
"That's pretty much it." Yan Shuo nodded. "When Takagi Masao was brought back, he was almost ten years old. His personality was already set in stone. How could you change it so easily?"
"I knew it! No wonder he was so greedy!" Su Yueqing nodded repeatedly, finally understanding the reason.
"Takagi Masao is of mixed Chinese and Japanese descent, a mixed breed," Yan Shuo continued, "so Takagi Shigeru treated him just so-so, as long as he was alive, he didn't really teach him properly. Takagi Shigeru now has several concubines, but he's getting old, and it'll probably be difficult for him to have any more children. But he's still gambling, gambling that he can have another son. Now his life revolves entirely around those women's bellies, and he's very lax in disciplining Takagi Masao."
"Hmm, I see." Su Yueqing nodded repeatedly, then quickly asked, "So, how do you plan to deal with Takagi Masao? Also, he's probably acting on Kodama Yoshio's orders, right?"
"That should be the case." Yan Shuo nodded slowly. "I have business dealings with Kodama Yoshio, and he takes a share of my business. I'll go see him later and talk about the cloth shop. He should be more willing to agree, but he'll still have to give me some money. The Kodama Agency is essentially a money-making organization, mainly for the Japanese Navy. They won't easily agree without money. However, he should give me some face and ask for less money."
"How much less?" Su Yueqing asked hurriedly, her eyes full of anticipation.
Yan Shuo looked up at her and asked, "How much do they want from you?"
"Five thousand silver dollars!" Su Yueqing said helplessly.
"Oh, then a thousand silver dollars will be enough," Yan Shuo said casually and nonchalantly. "If things go well, he might not even want a penny. After all, he doesn't dare offend me. His share in my business is much more than a few thousand silver dollars. He knows what's important, otherwise, with his brains, he wouldn't have become the head of the agency."
"Haha, that makes sense!" Su Yueqing instantly breathed a sigh of relief, her smile returning. "By the way, since you're here, let me pick out a few clothes for you. Our clothes are all made of top-quality materials, with exquisite craftsmanship, and are very high-end. Getting you a few will help you refresh yourself!"
"Okay!" Yan Shuo readily agreed.
"Da Long, go call the kitchen in the back. We have important guests today, so make sure the food is exquisite and plentiful!" Su Yueqing instructed Da Long, who was standing to the side.
"Okay! Boss lady!" Da Long quickly replied and turned to run to the backyard.
Yan Shuo looked at Su Yueqing and said gently, "Aunt Su, you're welcome to visit my home anytime. Yao Yao should have given you the address, right?"
"I know, Yao Yao told me about it," Su Yueqing shook her head gently, her tone tinged with concern, "but I've never been there, and I don't dare to go anywhere. What Yao Yao does is rather secretive, and I'm afraid going there would cause you trouble, so I'd better not go."
"Alright," Yan Shuo said with a smile, without pressuring her further. "Then I'll ask Yao Yao to come to the fabric shop more often and keep you company."
"That's wonderful!" Su Yueqing nodded with delight. "I haven't seen Yaoyao in a long time either. It'll be a good opportunity to catch up with her."
Sunlight streamed through the glass windows of the silk shop, bathing the two in warmth. The air was filled with the delicate fragrance of silk and the rich aroma of tea. All the gloom and worries of the past seemed to vanish in that instant.
Unlike the warmth of the silk shop, the Broadway Building at No. 1 Suzhou Road in Hong Kong exudes a chilling and desolate atmosphere.
This is the headquarters of the Kodama Agency. It is heavily guarded at all entrances and exits, and everyone who comes and goes has a solemn expression. There is a tense atmosphere in the air.
As Yan Shuo's car slowly approached the building, the Japanese soldiers standing guard at the entrance immediately looked over warily, their hands holding their guns tightening slightly.
Before the car even stopped, a Japanese corporal in military uniform strode forward, bent down and peered into the car. The wariness in his eyes vanished instantly, and he quickly straightened up, waved his hand to signal that the car could pass, and then respectfully saluted the car.