Qin Shuli stepped out of his temporary lodging and gazed into the distance at the bustling pier. It was a scene of true prosperity, showing no signs of slowing down even in the dead of night. What a pity, he thought, that this was merely a facade; it would not be long before every freighter leaving this place would be laden with vast quantities of gold and silver.
He walked through the dilapidated back alleys, hurrying toward the Warehouse District. Upon arrival, he discovered that although the Yangtze Company had arranged for many guards, the number of men actually stationed to watch over the warehouses was quite small. It seemed that no one could have imagined that anyone would dare to target the Kong family.
Qin Shuli skirted the guards and slipped easily into the Warehouse District. He randomly chose a warehouse and stepped inside. A glance told him the entire place was stacked floor to ceiling with cement. While not a necessity for the average citizen, this commodity was in high demand for all kinds of construction. The cement sold by the Yangtze Company cost only 5,000 yuan per ton, even with tariffs included, whereas the domestic variety cost 9,000 yuan—nearly double the price. It was no wonder people bought it. It might look like the common people were getting a great deal, but by the end of 1947, domestic cement would be virtually impossible to find, and the Yangtze Company would jack their price up to 12,000 yuan, take it or leave it.
Chapter 74