Spy Wars: I can get rewards by being a bully!

Chapter 1086 The New Year is Coming

Lin Ze laughed and said, "So, your business is even better now?"

The waiter chuckled, “Now that everyone has some money, we can’t keep drinking expensive tea, can we? Jasmine double-smoked tea is generally too expensive for most people, but a pot of ordinary tea won’t cost too much. Our shop operates on small profits and quick turnover. Please have a seat, I’ll bring you some fruit!”

Niu San'er sighed, "Master Lin, the lives of the people of Tianjin have indeed improved a lot. If it weren't for your tireless efforts in the past two years, focusing on revitalizing the market and boosting the economy, I don't know how we would have gotten through the year!"

Lin Ze lit a cigarette. "Niu San'er, you don't need to flatter me. While the current situation is certainly something to celebrate, there are still many problems. Have you seen it? With the continuous increase in investment, the spillover effect of this investment has not been achieved. Tianjin and the surrounding areas are doing well, but even Beijing, which is so close, hasn't been greatly affected. The Japanese have been too tight-lipped, and their atrocities on the people are too severe! If it can't radiate and drive the surrounding areas, then all this money will be stuck in Tianjin, and the economy will overheat. Once investment stops, this prosperity will be punctured."

These words were rather profound, and Niu San'er only vaguely understood them, so he didn't respond further.

Lin Ze started thinking as he smoked.

It is said that governing a large country is like cooking a small fish, but that is something only a great person would say. For ordinary people, governing a village is a difficult task.

Tianjin is already doing very well. As for the problems that have arisen, we can only say that we should take it one step at a time and not rush things.

After finishing their tea and snacks, the two did not return to the Lin Mansion, but went directly to the Military Police Headquarters.

At noon, Niu San'er knocked on the office door and entered. "Master Lin, Duan Wenxuan is back and wants to see you."

"Oh? Okay, have him come directly to my office."

Not long after, Xiao Duan, with rough skin and a tanned complexion, entered the office with a grin.

Lin Ze tossed him a cigarette, which Xiao Duan caught. He then took out a match and went over to light Lin Ze's cigarette.

"Uncle Lin, are you feeling well?"

"Stop grinning like that. Why did you come back instead of staying in eastern Hebei?"

“Uncle Lin, it’s almost New Year’s, my mother and the others are still in Tianjin, they should come back to visit.”

"What's the situation in eastern Hebei?"

"Hmm... Brother Xie Quan's bandit suppression headquarters is operating normally. We go down to suppress bandits from time to time, and the results are quite good!"

Lin Ze glared at him, and Xiao Duan immediately surrendered, whispering, "Uncle Lin, in my opinion, Jidong is a perfect place to set up a base. I have close communication with my superiors, and I expect they will send more people. However, Uncle Lin, this place is nominally under the control of the security forces, and it's not far from Beiping. If something happens and the Japanese find out, won't that affect you...?"

The establishment of the Pingxi base area in the west initially made the Japanese very nervous. Successive commanders dispatched large numbers of troops to encircle and suppress it, because Pingxi had reached the edge of Beiping City, which greatly deterred the Japanese.

If we could establish another base in eastern Hebei, even if it existed in secret, it would be of great significance.

"What impact will it have on me? The bandits in eastern Hebei have been wiped out one after another, and the higher-ups are used to it. At most, they will reprimand Xie Quan. What does that have to do with me, the commander of the Tianjin military police? Let me tell you, if you want to establish a base, you have to take the lead. Don't talk about fighting or not fighting. Xiao Duan, you can't be a spy forever. You have to take another path."

If he was a former Kuomintang agent, Lin Ze would persuade Xiao Duan to leave with him.

If someone is a pioneer in establishing a base, then it would be safer for Xiao Duan to stay behind.

Xiao Duan's eyes welled up with tears, and she almost burst into tears on the spot.

Lin Ze's words were truly from the bottom of his heart. He and Lin Ze were not related by blood, yet Lin Ze was helping him so much...

"Uncle Lin, I..."

"Alright, alright, stop acting like that. Go home now. You're the pillar of the family now. Stay home a few more days so the women can rest assured. Now, get out of here."

After Duan Wenxuan left, Lin Ze instructed Niu San'er, "Send a telegram to Xie Quan, telling him to come back before the New Year if he has time. It's been a long time since I've seen him. Call Zhu Zi over for a drink. By the way, how's Wang Xiaoshou doing?"

"Brother Xiaoshou sends a telegram almost every week to report on the situation in the port city. The factory is going very smoothly. After Tanabe Ken arrived, he took great care of him. He even said a while ago that he wanted to come back to report to you. Judging by the days, he should be here in the next few days."

Actually, the journey from the port city to Tianjin is quite fast. In the past, the Jardine Matheson's De'an or Dehe ships would depart from the port city, stop in Shanghai, and arrive in Tianjin in six to eight days.

The British trading companies have now basically suspended their operations, but the Japanese shipping companies have sprung up again. The Japanese shipping company also has routes from the north to the port city, stopping in Shanghai and Qingdao, and it takes seven or eight days to reach Tianjin.

"I wonder how he is doing these days of training in the port city. When he comes back, I'll have him come to see me."

"Yes!"

Duan Wenxuan returned to his home in Tianjin, and the whole family was overjoyed.

Although it was said to be the whole family, the main family members were Duan Wenxuan's mother, their aunt who came to stay with them, and the nephews and nieces sent by relatives, plus old women and servants such as gatekeepers. It could be considered a small mansion.

Originally, the Duan family's house in Tianjin was located in the English concession. Later, the concession was taken over by the Japanese, and the Duan family was filled with anxiety.

These days, whether you're rich or poor, everyone fears war, let alone when facing the vicious and inhuman Japanese devils.

At that time, some women wanted to hang themselves with hemp rope to prove their innocence!

Fortunately, Lin Ze personally took care of them and promptly sent people to escort them out. He also found them a house in a secluded place in the Japanese concession so that they could settle down.

Duan Wenxuan's mother is a typical traditional woman. Over the years, her husband has taken care of everything outside the home, while she manages the household affairs.

Seeing her son return, she immediately felt reassured. With tears in her eyes, she said, "My son, you've been working so hard outside all day. Look how tired and thin you are! You didn't even tell me you were coming back. Wu Ma, Wu Ma! Go and get some tonics and make pigeon soup for the young master!"

When Duan Wenxuan saw his mother, his eyes also reddened slightly. But since there were other people present, he greeted the relatives with composure and grace, already displaying eight-tenths of his late father's demeanor.

After letting his family members go back to their rooms to rest, Duan Wenxuan paid his respects to his father's memorial tablet. Then he sat on a chair in the main hall, picked up his father's usual white copper water pipe, and started smoking it idly.

Duan's mother kept talking to herself, looking at her son with delight.

Whenever our son comes home, the family has a pillar of support. Judging from his current demeanor, he has grown up and become a successful person!