Chapter 92: Heaven Helps Me

Chapter 92: Heaven Helps Me

The Nationalist Government in Guangzhou is preparing to relocate westward to Chongqing, and a large amount of supplies need to be transported to Taiwan.

Since the Pearl River estuary is under control, supplies can only be transshipped through Hong Kong.

For this mission, the Confidentiality Bureau and the Secret Service Bureau will no longer collaborate.

Instead, each will be responsible for different supplies and operate independently.

The bedroom was dimly lit with just a small lamp. Pei Xing was on the phone reporting to Linghu.

Pei Xing: "The Brits are afraid of provoking the People's Liberation Army, and the ports in Hong Kong have recently refused to let our cargo ships dock. We can only rent local shipping companies' cargo ships to transport supplies. But local cargo ships are limited, and even with a high price, the schedule is booked for months."

Recently, the population of Hong Kong has surged, and supplies are scarce. Many cargo ships are heading to Southeast Asia to stock up, making it extremely difficult to rent a cargo ship on short notice.

Linghu said helplessly: "Rent as many warehouses as you can. Store the supplies there first, and then figure out how to transport them to Taiwan later."

Pei Xing: "Those guys in the Secret Service Bureau have a way. I don't know how much money they spent, but they found a small cargo ship to help them transport goods back and forth."

A small cargo ship shuttling back and forth would take forever to finish the job.

But to the superiors, it looks completely different. At least the Secret Service Bureau is still actively transporting supplies, while the Confidentiality Bureau is almost completely stalled.

Linghu: "They're just pulling the wool over the leaders' eyes. I will report the situation clearly to the superiors. We're not in a hurry, don't panic, and wait for the right opportunity."

Pei Xing responded, "Understood."

Linghu: "Keep your eyes and ears open, stay alert. The last mission failed because we missed that the airport pilot had been turned. You need to reflect on this."

Pei Xing cursed in his heart, "Reflect, my foot," but still reluctantly responded: "We have been reflecting."

Obviously, Linghu didn't quite believe he was really reflecting: "I don't see any results from your so-called reflection. Whether it's us or the Secret Service Bureau who can stay in Hong Kong depends on the completion of this supply transport mission. It's a tortoise-and-hare race, and who wins or loses is still unknown. Pei Xing, keeping your cool is what matters most."

Furious, Pei Xing clenched his teeth: "Director, if we can't stay in Hong Kong, where will we go? Can we go to Taiwan?"

Linghu coldly replied: "To hell with that!"

After saying that, he hung up the phone.

Pei Xing was dumbfounded for a few seconds, then angrily slammed the phone back and kicked the nearby stool away!

"F* you! Bastard!"

Still fuming, he nearly flipped the coffee table.

Furious, Pei Xing paced around the bedroom, hands on hips. After a while, he finally stormed into the living room.

In the living room, Xiao Zheng, A Xi, and the others were silently playing cards, too scared to resist.

"What are you doing still playing cards at this hour?!" Pei Xing slapped A Xi on the back of his head, "You good-for-nothing idiots!"

A Xi's head was reeling from the slap, and the others hastily put down their cards, too scared to resist.

Xiao Zheng, who had a better relationship with Pei Xing, stood up and advised, "Captain Xing, you haven't had much to eat tonight. Do you want to go out and get something to eat now?"

Pei Xing let out a deep sigh; hunger was indeed making him more irritable. "Let's go!"

He, Xiao Zheng, and one other person left first.

After the door closed, A Xi, holding his head, cursed, "He always hits me! Always picking on the soft target. It's so unfair!"

A buddy next to him gave his shoulder a gentle pat. "Bear with it. Tidy up and then join us."

Then that person also opened the door and left, leaving only A Xi in the room to tidy up the cards and clean up.

Everyone bullies him.

*

After the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China, the People's Liberation Army attacked Guangdong with unstoppable momentum, and by late October, they liberated Shenzhen Town without shedding a drop of blood.

Although the British government had already deployed troops from elsewhere to support, the total force was only a little over ten thousand. The colonialists, already in decline, faced hundreds of thousands of liberation troops across the river. Where was the possibility of winning?

However, this barely disrupted the daily lives of Hong Kong's residents, who trusted Mi Xian.

Mi Xian said there would be no war.

That suggested even if the People's Liberation Army arrived, it could lead to a peaceful reunification.

The wealthy who had fled from the mainland were more anxious, full of uncertainty about the future.

They were perpetually prepared to flee again at a moment's notice.

So these days, newspapers and magazines were abuzz, all analyzing whether the People's Liberation Army would cross the Shenzhen River.

That afternoon, after assisting Zhao Lixiang with his physical therapy, Liang Yue left.

Ms. Guan headed upstairs to the study to meet Zhao Zhiao.

Ms. Guan: "Bauhinia just reported that the People's Liberation Army has decided not to liberate Hong Kong City for now. Now, led by the United States, Western countries are imposing a blockade on us, maintaining Hong Kong City's status quo. In case the international situation does not turn around in the future, Hong Kong City can still be our window to the world."

Zhao Zhiao strongly agreed with this point. "Yes, having a window to the world is crucial. At the same time, we can negotiate some favorable terms for us with the UK."

Ms. Guan: "Yes. I heard that Chairman Mao personally wrote a letter to the Governor of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong government is expected to announce the news shortly."

Meanwhile, downstairs, Lin Yufan was engaged in a lively chat with Geng Dongping and Dai Ruyin.

Lin Yuwu came back from outside, holding a wild duck.

Dai Ruyin stood up: "Oh, what's this?"

"Wild duck! This afternoon, I went hunting with Sir Luo and others. Thanks to my sharpshooting skills, I bagged four wild ducks! I gave away all but one." Lin Yuwu handed the duck to the servant.

After he washed his hands and came back, before sitting down, he casually mentioned, "I heard from Sir Luo that the leaders of the newly established Chinese government wrote a letter to the Governor of Hong Kong."

Lin Yufan was curious: "What was in the letter?"

In her previous life, she had heard of such a letter, but the contents were never disclosed.

Lin Yuwu picked up a pear from the table and took a bite.

He casually mentioned, "If the UK agrees to three conditions set by the new Chinese government, the People's Liberation Army will not cross the Shenzhen River and will not liberate Hong Kong City."

Geng Dongping asked, "What three conditions?"

Everyone crowded around, eager for the inside scoop.

Lin Yuwu raised his eyebrows slightly: "The first condition is that Hong Kong must not establish a military base opposing the new China; the second condition is that activities undermining the sovereignty of the new China are prohibited in Hong Kong; and the third condition is that Chinese citizens in Hong Kong must be safeguarded."

Upon hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Especially the third condition, which is related to the interests of every Chinese person in Hong Kong.

Dai Ruyin smiled and said, "It seems this new government is far more capable than the Nationalist Government."

In the past, the Nationalist Government would never have taken the initiative to care about the lives of Chinese people in other regions.

"No fighting needed, everyone's happy. I'll make stewed duck tonight," Dai Ruyin prepared to cook herself.

Meanwhile, Geng Dongping invited Chen Dandan and others to join Lin Yufan for a few rounds of mahjong.

*

After the People's Liberation Army withdrew, Hong Kong residents carried on with their usual lives, with dancing and horse racing continuing as before.

The cultural scene was equally lively, with the rivalry between Lin Yufan's readers and those of the North-South Duo growing increasingly heated.

Led by White Hair Monster, Lin Yufan's readers published two consecutive articles in *The Language Grove*, fiercely condemning the North-South Duo, whom *Splendor* magazine had promoted, as plagiarists and parasites.

Meanwhile, the fans of the North-South Duo, organized by *Splendor*, labeled Lin Yufan a "literary thug incapable of producing serious literature," and mockingly questioned whether Lin Yufan had trademarked all Chinese characters, reserving them for her exclusive use.

Throughout the whole process, Lin Yufan did not get involved, and *Wanxiang Magazine* also stayed out of it, but the public was buzzing with excitement.

*Splendor* even attempted to capitalize on Lin Yufan's fame to boost the North-South Duo's profile.

That weekend, He Xiaoqing brought Lin Yufan several significant manuscripts to review during her free time at home.

In the living room, the sisters chatted over sugar-roasted chestnuts.

Square Inch Pictures had completed filming two literary works and was now in the editing stage, with plans to release one before the New Year and the other afterward.

Meanwhile, director Shen Jie began filming He Xiaoqing's *A Sudden Windfall of One Million*.

He Xiaoqing was radiant with joy: "My mom said that when the movie is released, she will invite all our relatives and friends to the cinema."

Lin Yufan laughed, "Have your mom reserve the entire theater."

"Right. I'll tell her to do that."

As she spoke, He Xiaoqing glanced at the wall clock, "Oh, I almost forgot. Today, Mrs. Muir and Chui Zhu are once again guests on Fang Fang's radio show. Gui Xiang... hurry and turn on the radio."

Gui Xiang set aside her tasks, switched on the radio, and tuned in to Fang Fang's program.

"Turn up the volume a bit."

Once the volume was increased, Mrs. Muir's distinctive voice came through first: "I can't say for sure if that reader, White Hair Monster, is genuine, and I won't venture to guess, but I want to ask, could a certain lady stop hiding behind the scenes and step forward courageously? Simply answer this: did Fan Yi and Gu Pingan of the North-South Duo intentionally mimic you? Are inverted sentences and Chinese vocabulary exclusively yours to use? If so, will only we be allowed to use ABC in the future, and not her?"

Fang Fang: "I heard that Mrs. Zhao is pregnant and hasn't been seen at events recently. Could it be that she's not in a position to speak out?"

Chui Zhu: "Does being pregnant mean she can't speak? To be blunt, can her literary level compare to that of the North-South Duo? Her fans claim the North-South Duo copied her, imitated her—oh my, that's just twisting the truth. I don't mean to look down on women—my boss, Mrs. Muir, is a woman—but the writing of the North-South Duo is not something a woman could write."

Fang Fang laughed, "If this gets broadcast, the female readers will be angry."

Chui Zhu's voice grew more impassioned: "I'm just being factual, telling the truth. Mrs. Muir agrees with me."

Mrs. Muir added, "It's not that women are inferior to men, but men and women have completely different approaches to story conception. Men's thinking is more macro... For example, a grand narrative like *Beiping Story* is not something an ordinary female author could write."

Fang Fang reminded, "But the framework of *Sorceress Legend* is also quite grand."

Chui Zhu: "No matter how impressive it is, her work still has 'female' in the title, called 'Sorceress Legend'! If she can write a 'Demon King Legend' one day, then we can continue the discussion. Although the Twin Jades of the North and South are newcomers, their writing, storytelling, and sentiments are at the level of first-rate writers, while that lady can at best be considered third-rate."

Mrs. Mill: "Money isn't everything. With my years of editing experience, that lady isn't even fit to hold a candle to the Twin Jades of the North and South."

Chui Zhu: "Yes, I remember saying when I arrived, that as long as that lady can write a work that truly convinces me, I'll write the character 'convinced' for the cover of *Splendor*."

Fang Fang pressed: "What kind of work would convince Editor Chui Zhu?"

Chui Zhu: "A work that rivals the Twin Jades of the North and South."

Fang Fang: "So, the works of the Twin Jades of the North and South are what convinced you?"

Chui Zhu: "Of course, I'm not just convinced, I worship them!"

He Xiaoqing laughed heartily: "Sis Fan, I'm dying laughing. I really want to see their expressions when they find out that the Twin Jades of the North and South are you, how they will worship you."

Lin Yufan snacked on chestnuts: "They will find out sooner or later."

'Splendor' has been very successful in promoting the Twin Jades of the North and South by belittling Lin Yufan.

Many people bought 'Splendor' out of curiosity to see the level of the Twin Jades' novels, and after reading, they found that the two writers indeed write well.

'The Peacock Flies Southwest' and 'Beiping Story' are not only captivating in their stories but also profound, provoking deep reflection.

This has caused the sales of 'Splendor' to skyrocket like a blooming sesame plant.

Lin Yufan looked at the sales report of 'Splendor' sent by the publisher and called Lin Yuwu over.

"Fifth Brother, help me find a couple of reliable people..."

*

At the Muir Media building, in the general manager's office.

Mr. Mill looked at the increasingly large hole in the financial report, rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration.

His wife stood opposite him, "I'm working hard to improve the magazine, and you? You embezzle public funds to gamble, to borrow from loan sharks, and now this hole is getting bigger and bigger. It's almost the end of the year, how do you plan to fix it?"

"There's still over a month, how do you know I can't fix it?" Mr. Mill changed the subject, "You manage the operations, control the costs, look at the financial report, the printing costs are getting higher and higher!"

Mrs. Mill: "Paper prices are rising—what can I do?"

Mr. Mill: "The price of paper was rising because the market was worried that Hong Kong might go to war, now that the People's Liberation Army has withdrawn, the price of paper will definitely drop soon, controlling costs should be your top priority!"

Seeing her husband shift the topic to her, Mrs. Mill kept a straight face and said nothing more, she opened the door and left without another word.

Mr. Mill leaned back in his chair, figuring out how to make money quickly to fill the hole, if he couldn't fill it, the position of general manager would probably have to be given to his cousin next year.

Later that evening, Mill was drinking with friends at a bar.

"Peter, tell me, how can I make quick money?"

Peter clinked glasses with him lightly: "The casino! That's the fastest way."

Mill, who had already been hurt by the casino, cursed: "Damn it! Anything else?"

Peter thought for a moment, then said: "Recently, betting on company performance is all the rage, win big money, lose shares. Do you dare to bet?"

Mr. Mill had heard of it, "My luck hasn't been great lately."

"Luck can't always be bad. Your Muir Media's magazine sales have been quite high recently, right? You can hold back the profits now, bet with someone, and push the performance up in the last month, manage it well, and you'll make a steady profit without losing."

Mr. Muir, a cigarette dangling from his lips, chuckled, "Do you think others are stupid?"

Peter replied, "Of course, others aren't stupid. It's a game of who's the smartest. Everyone thinks they're smarter than the next person. Bet once: win, and you clear all your debts; lose, and all your shares in Muir go to someone else."

Mr. Muir fell into deep thought. He owned 15% of the shares in Muir Group and held another 30% on behalf of his mother.

He hesitated, too afraid to take the gamble.

In the middle of their drinks, a business acquaintance, Mr. Li, came over to greet him, "Muir, long time no see."

Mr. Muir looked up with a smile, "Hi, Mr. Li! How's it going? Where have you been making your fortune lately?"

"Same as always."

After chatting for a while, Mr. Li said, "Let me introduce you to a deal. I have a friend who runs an advertising agency. He wants to buy up all the ad space in your magazine before the New Year. Can you offer a discount?"

Mr. Muir's interest was immediately piqued, "All the ad space?"

"Yes, all of it. But he has a sales requirement. If the sales meet his target, he will take all the ad space for every subsequent issue."

"What's his sales target?"

"40,000 copies per issue."

The recent issues of "Splendor" had hit 40,000 copies, but sales weren't consistent.

But with some effort, it might be doable.

They set up a meeting for the next day to hash out the details.

After Mr. Li left, Peter tapped on the table, "See, all that ad space you couldn't sell is being bought up in bulk. Your luck's turning around. This performance bet could work. The catch is, you can't let it slip—can't let them know your ad space is already taken."

Mr. Muir frowned slightly, "I'm worried the sales won't meet the target."

Mainly because of 'Panorama,' the competition.

The highest sales of "Panorama" were 50,000 copies, setting a record.

But that was a record set by Mi Xian.

The latest issue of "Panorama" had dropped to around 40,000 copies.

The next morning, Mr. Muir woke up to good news.

"Wanxiang Magazine" announced publicly: The "Ask Mi" column is being discontinued, and Mi Xian will no longer contribute.

Muir was so thrilled he nearly jumped out of his seat!

This was like telling him: The competition just tripped and fell!

Muir felt like he had a halo over his head, as if the heavens were on his side!