Ning Zhiheng walked out of the office, where his personal secretary, Yi Hua'an, who was standing guard at the door, came up to him and asked, "President, are you going out?"
Ning Zhiheng shook his head and instructed, "I'm a little tired today, I'll go home and rest for a while."
Yi Hua'an quickly replied, "Okay, I'll arrange it right away."
Ning Zhiheng waved his hand and said again, "No need, I'll go back by myself, no one needs to come with me."
Yi Hua'an was taken aback. Ning Zhiheng usually had people following and protecting him. What was wrong with him today?
However, he quickly nodded in acceptance and turned to go out to make the arrangements.
Today in Shanghai, with the growth and expansion of Fujiwara Company, it has gradually become a giant in the business world. Even without considering the scale of smuggling, Fujiwara Company has developed rapidly in terms of dealing in ordinary goods, and soon became one of the largest trading companies.
Of course, all of this is inseparable from the powerful background of Chairman Fujiwara Tomohito. Therefore, Fujiwara Tomohito can be said to have a prominent position and considerable influence among the upper echelons of Shanghai. In particular, his current identity as a Japanese nobleman makes him an easy target for Chinese anti-Japanese groups, so he must be very careful about his safety when he goes out.
Previously, when traveling, one would travel in one car with one driver and one bodyguard. Now, every time they go in and out, they need two cars, two drivers, and four bodyguards.
As one of the largest chambers of commerce in Shanghai, the Fujiwara Company's security work cannot be ignored. Ning Zhiheng ordered Hirao Daichi to recruit many young men from among the Japanese expatriates who had undergone military training and possessed certain skills, equipped them with firearms, and to be responsible for the security work of the Fujiwara Company on a regular basis.
Ning Zhiheng's six bodyguards were all carefully selected from among many others. Each of them possessed excellent skills and a certain level of education, and were all well-trained.
Ning Zhiheng's original plan was to use his own agents in the intelligence department to be in charge of his protection, but after careful consideration, he gave up the idea. After all, the fewer people who knew about Fujiwara Tomohito's Japanese identity, the safer it would be. Even his own close associates could not be completely guaranteed to be absolutely loyal in the brutal struggle between the enemy and his own side.
Using Japanese bodyguards has many advantages. First, there is no need to worry about language barriers. Second, security is guaranteed. After all, in the eyes of these Japanese expatriates, they are a noble class with a large and prominent wealth, making it easier to gain their loyalty. Furthermore, their identities are not at risk of being exposed. Weighing the pros and cons, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
Normally, Ning Zhiheng travels with a full complement of drivers and bodyguards, but today he chose to travel discreetly. Yi Hua'an always obeys Ning Zhiheng's orders without question, so he had no choice but to follow Ning Zhiheng's arrangements.
Ning Zhiheng did not drive his car, but walked home.
It was January 1939, the dead of winter. Even though Shanghai wasn't as cold as the north, the streets were still damp and chilly. Ning Zhiheng turned up his coat collar, put on his top hat, and strode through the streets of Shanghai.
Fujiwara Company was some distance from Ning Zhiheng's villa, about a forty-minute walk. He walked quickly, watching the pedestrians on the street and carefully observing every house and shop along the way, until he arrived at the entrance of Xinle Park.
Ning Zhiheng came here today to look for the farmer Xia Deyan. Xinle Park is the place Ning Zhiheng and the farmer agreed to meet. After the farmer comes to Shanghai, he will open a new Qing Shi Tea House in this area.
Ning Zhiheng chose this location because the park is not far from his residence and is one of the larger scenic spots in the vicinity. If there is important information that needs to be communicated, he can pass it on to the farmers in a timely manner.
Ning Zhiheng looked around at the pedestrians, chose a direction, and started searching on the street again.
He had been back in Shanghai for some time, but he had not been able to find the newly opened Qing Shi Tea House near Xinle Park despite several visits.
In fact, Ning Zhiheng knew that he was being a bit too hasty. Transportation was not well-developed during the Republic of China era. Traveling from Chongqing to Shanghai would take a long time, especially during wartime when fighting between the two sides was frequent and the occupied territories were constantly changing. The road was not safe due to the chaos of war.
Ning Zhiheng was able to return to Shanghai so quickly because he had a special channel and personnel to escort him, which was much more convenient and safer than for ordinary people.
The farmer will definitely arrive in Shanghai much later than I will, and land in Shanghai is extremely valuable. Renting shops, decorating storefronts, setting up supply channels, and so on, opening a tea shop is not a simple matter.
So Ning Zhiheng estimated the time and took some time today to come to the vicinity of Xinle Park again to start looking for the farmer's whereabouts.
The area around Xinle Park is quite large, encompassing three blocks. Shanghai is a thriving commercial city, with various shops lining the streets. Ning Zhiheng walked around, taking in the sights.
Fortunately, he was lucky this time and finally saw a brand-new shop under renovation on a street corner. Several workers were busy inside. The shop sign had not yet been hung up, so it must still be under construction. However, he could clearly see Xia Deyan inside the shop, directing the renovation workers to set up the layout.
"Move the sign a little more straight, a little to the right, a little to the right again, yes, right here!"
"Young man, please be gentle. These are all top-quality tea canisters. I spent a lot of money to have them custom-made."
Seeing Xia Deyan's busy figure, Ning Zhiheng finally felt relieved. He had been worried that Xia Deyan might have had an accident on the way to Shanghai, but now it seemed that everything was going smoothly.
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