Lin Baiguang gave these two people very generous activity funds, and wanted to see their attitude towards the use of activity funds. Do they spend a lot of money randomly, or do they know how to use the money?
How to find a foothold, how to collect intelligence, and how to use activity funds are all taught in the training class. Whether you can apply what you have learned depends on this practice.
After assigning the task, Lin Baiguang personally conducted a preliminary on-the-spot investigation of the environment inside and outside Duifu City and the vicinity of Qianhusuo City in Haikou. He also observed the Baisha Water Village from a distance and the defense system of Haikou.
The defense of the entire Haikou is quite high by the standards of this time and space. Because Lin Baiguang was in the official career, he also dabbled in historical works, but most of them were works such as Zizhi Tongjian, and he was not interested in historical details.
After D-Day, due to work needs, I also began to dabble in this aspect, and I knew a little about the military of the Ming Dynasty.
Baisha Water Village is not only located in Baisha Port, but also has camps in two bays in Dongying and Mangliao, forming a horns around Shenying Port, and on land to the west of Qianhu City and Fucheng behind Haikou.
Multiple fortresses in the south form a comprehensive defense system to protect Qiongzhou Prefecture.
The entire Shenying Port, near Qianhusuo City behind Haikou, is lined with beacons, piers, and fortresses. Patrol boats are shuttled in the port. There are also anti-horses everywhere on the shore, and there are soldiers patrolling and sentrying. The defense is very cautious.
Haikou is the center of land and water power for the entire Hainan Island, and it is also an important frontline center for coastal defense. It is not surprising that it has such a scale.
However, Lin Baiguang believes that it is not difficult to break through this defense system with the current strength of the Chuangchuan Group. If it is expected to attack again in five years, it will be even easier.
There are masonry-structured forts, and old-fashioned Portuguese-style cannons can be seen everywhere - there are even more old-fashioned artillery such as tiger crouching cannons, bowl-mouth cannons, and bamboo-jointed cannons. There are not many imitations of new Western artillery.
Even according to the military standards of this time and space, it has fallen behind.
It seems that the Ming government's military reforms in Guangdong have not yet benefited Hainan's coastal defense. However, even the piers and platforms here were built by the best Western military engineers in the 17th century, and the artillery was all replaced by Hongyi cannon.
Still vulnerable to the force of force.
After wandering around for a day, Lin Baiguang felt confident. He thought to himself that in fact, taking over the entire Hainan was no longer a problem for the current crossing group. It was rare that there was no one to rule after the occupation and there was a lack of garrison troops. Even if they won, they would not be able to secure the occupation.
Come down.
After returning to the temple, he wrote his first report to Lingao. In the report, he believed that the intelligence station in Qiongzhou Prefecture could be used as a "practical training base" for training personnel of intelligence agencies. The social environment here is relatively simple.
The Ming Dynasty's ruling institutions were also relatively weak. Once something happened, it would be easy to rescue them.
The other is to use this place as a springboard for intelligence work in Guangdong. The current work in Guangdong is carried out by the Guangzhou Station. Lin Baiguang believes that the economic tasks undertaken by the Guangzhou Station are too heavy, and Guo Yi and others are very famous in Guangzhou.
Large-scale secret work is very risky. Once something goes wrong, it will have a devastating blow to the economy of the Crossing Group. Therefore, it is recommended that intelligence work other than the Pearl River Delta region be separated from the Guangzhou Station and implemented by the Qiongzhou Station.
Guangzhou Station is only responsible for support.
As for Lin Baiguang's cover identity here, he decided to open a grain store in Qiongshan County after careful consideration. Chuan Chuan Group had invested in the grain store's business in Leizhou, and could recruit experienced shopkeepers and clerks from there, and the business relationships were also ready-made.
It's most suitable for use as a cover.
Rice is a daily necessities that everyone needs. There are many new products available for sale in Lingao. Almost all of them can open up a large market here, but Lin Baiguang does not intend to do any business miracles here. He only needs a cover identity.
, allowing him to freely travel around Guangdong to carry out activities. Therefore, any products related to "Lingao" are not considered to be operated by him.
As for the scale, it does not need to be too big. A capital of one thousand shi of brown rice is enough. Just do business normally. As for the future when Chuanhuo Group controls the entire Hainan Island, the Grain Bank, as an important facility that affects the grain circulation field, can continue to play its role. It will not
waste.
Gao Di and Chen Tong went out for a few days, leaving early and returning late every day. Lin Baiguang stayed in the room alone, planning future intelligence activities, without asking them about their progress. On this day, Gao Di came first to report that he had looked for several houses.
.
Lin Baiguang listened to him explain the location, structure and features of the house one by one, including the closing conditions.
There are three properties that Gao Di is interested in, all of which are outside the city. They are all small courtyards with one or two entrances. All three properties can be bought or rented. Two properties are moderately priced, and one is on Ximenwai Street, because there are roads along the street.
The price of a cabinet room is much higher.
"This house has a three-bay facade. The front yard is large and can be used as a warehouse. If it is used as a cover for business, it is a suitable place. There is also a small yard in the back. It is very quiet. Open the back door and you can go out in all directions." Gao Di said, "The price is better than yours.
The budget is said to be large, but based on these conditions, the price is not high.”
The price is two hundred and eighty taels, including the "fees" for the mediator and guarantor. Considering the condition of the house, this price is indeed not outrageous.
Lin Baiguang saw that he was tired from work and his speech was a little hoarse. He knew that running around these days must have cost a lot of words. But his grades were not bad. And the house he found met his needs. It seemed that Gao Di was a man like this.
Not only can you perform tasks well, but you can also take the initiative to think about how to complete tasks better. This is commendable.
Chen Tong reported that Hai Shuzu was a grandson of Hai Rui. Because of his reputation, he was regarded as a local gentry in Qiongshan County. However, the Hai family's family background was very average. In order to take into account the reputation of his ancestors, the Hai family was located in the local area.
He always abides by the law and never engages in evil practices. He only lives on a little ancestral property and is quite embarrassed to maintain the expenses of a large family. Hai Shuzu has been trying to get rich in business. Recently, he raised funds from his clan, relatives and friends to build a big ship.
He went to sea to trade, but he heard that he encountered pirates on the way and all the cargo was robbed. Only the steward and some sailors came back. Creditors came to make noises one after another, so he was worried and didn't know what to do.
Lin Baiguang knew most of this about Hai Shuzu - his ship and cargo were now in Lingao and under the control of the Maritime Court. At that time, he asked his steward to go back and ask him to pick up the ship in person.
It's been a month and I haven't picked it up yet. It seems that Hai Shuzu is not very courageous. Hearing that a creditor came to make a noise, Lin Baiguang smiled: As long as there is no external pressure, things will be easier to handle.
As for the family background of Hai Shuzu, Chen Tong also inquired about it. Generally speaking, this person is very ordinary, a child of a well-behaved family, but he has a greater desire for wealth than ordinary people - this is probably obvious.
A common characteristic among many people.
"There is a servant in his family who is from Meizhou, Guangdong." Chen Tong said, "He and I are from the same hometown. I have already recognized him as a fellow villager. It will be much easier to enter and leave the Hai family in the future..."
"Very good." Lin Baiguang nodded in approval.
As for the expenses, Gao Di spent more than ten taels of silver. According to him, all of this money was used to make friends with the "middle man", as well as to purchase some silk clothes and hire a sedan for himself.
"...Without some scenes, things wouldn't have gone so smoothly." He explained his expenses.
"The activity funds are given to you, and it's up to you how you spend them. As long as it's reasonable." Lin Baiguang said, "But your expenses are too vague. Look at Chen Tong -"
Chen Tong only spent four or two or three yuan, but he took out a detailed expense list, listing everything from inviting people to tea and dinner to a pair of shoes as gifts. Compared with Gao Di, many of the items only included "entertainment expenses".
"A three-word expense list is much clearer.
"Although the activity funds are completely at your disposal, they are public funds after all." Lin Baiguang educated them, "The most important thing is the word 'public'. Public funds are not selfless. We are doing intelligence work, and we have a lot of money to spend.
There are many places. The more this happens, the more you need to know how to spend money, even if you spend a penny, you have to spend it clearly. Do you understand?"
"yes."
Lin Baiguang stopped and looked at the two teenagers: "It's important to do your job well, but it's even more important to learn to protect yourself at work. If you don't think too much about details, you won't be able to explain clearly when it comes to the scene. Then you will complain.
It’s too late! No one believes it!”
"Yes, we have noted it down." The two men nodded.
"Okay, Gao Di, please come forward and buy the house, the one on Ximenwai Street." Lin Baiguang said, taking out eighty taels of silver from the small tin box he carried with him, "This is the deposit, and the rest will be waited for the transfer and settlement."
I’ll pay it off when the time comes.”
"Why don't you spend a few taels of silver to ask the household in Qiongshan County to register a case when transferring the ownership and signing the deed, and ask a big seal to stamp it?" Gao Di suggested.
This is a very safe method, although it seems a bit redundant in Lin Baiguang's opinion - in three or four years, the Qiongshan County Yamen will be gone, and it will be meaningless to ask it to file a case. However, Gao Di's idea is very careful and deserves encouragement.
"Okay, let's do it like this."
"okay."
The preparations for the Qiongzhou Intelligence Station began in full swing. Lin Baiguang himself did not intend to be the shopkeeper. He did not understand the grain business at all, so the Intelligence Committee transferred him from Leizhou Sugar Industry. Zhu Fusheng, the owner of Dachang Rice Shop, was happy to turn his shop into
The clerk recommended him to be the shopkeeper and chief clerk, and expressed his willingness to establish business relations with this "Wanfeng Grain Store"
The shopkeepers and staff from Dachang do not participate in the intelligence work. The intelligence work is handled by students transferred from the training class in Lingao, who act as clerks and servants. There are two lines inside and outside, which facilitates management and confidentiality.