Chapter 2583 - Investigation (Part 10)
"You're right—this counterfeit is different," Lu Cheng said.
As a member of Guangzhou's Political Security Bureau, she had handled dozens of counterfeit currency cases over the years. The current trend among enemies was to use clipped silver for counterfeits, and fake silver dollars had improved dramatically—some now achieving six or seven-tenths authenticity. Paper currency, however, remained hopelessly inferior. So crude as to be essentially unusable.
But this note was remarkably convincing. The paper quality, base color, texture, font, even the watermark—every distinguishing feature of genuine Australian paper currency appeared on this counterfeit.
Only one detail confirmed it as fake: the denomination. Ten yuan. The Senate's Central Reserve Bank had never issued paper currency higher than one yuan.
Lu Cheng examined it repeatedly, her expression darkening. "I know where this came from."
"How?"
"It was altered from the 1633 edition ten-jin grain circulation coupon." She shook her head. "Clever. Credit to them for thinking of it."
"Grain circulation coupon?" Yuan Shuzhi looked puzzled.
"Yes. It only circulated in Hainan before."
Though the grain circulation coupon had once been the Senate's legal currency before monetary reform, it had only circulated within their actual controlled territories. It was extremely rare in the Two Guangs. Apart from merchants who frequently traveled between Guangdong and Hainan, most people—including current local naturalized citizen cadres—had never seen one. This gave counterfeiters their opportunity.
"So that's it—genuine currency altered into counterfeit!"
"The enemy is cunning indeed. When they couldn't break through on printing technology, they devised this workaround." Lu Cheng wasn't a finance cadre and didn't understand the specifics of grain coupon issuance and circulation. But clearly, the enemy had somehow obtained a supply of the now-abolished coupons and altered them to resemble silver dollar exchange certificates.
Yuan Shuzhi had originally come to Huizhou only to investigate fake medicines. Now a counterfeit currency scheme had emerged along the way. Lu Cheng couldn't ignore it and decided to first send a report to Guangzhou.
"Comrade Old Yuan, what are your next steps? Where will you stay?"
"I'll rest here in the city for a few days and get a feel for the local situation. Then I'll head to Boluo county seat." Yuan Shuzhi considered. "I plan to work as an itinerant bookkeeper. More freedom that way."
The Luofu Mountain medicine market lay a hundred li from Huizhou. Even from Boluo county, it was sixty or seventy li distant. The investigation team would find little of use in the prefectural city.
Itinerant bookkeeping was a profession that had recently emerged. The Tax Bureau's new standardized system for industrial and commercial taxation had left small and medium shops—previously accustomed to simple running accounts—completely bewildered by the new financial requirements. A new profession arose to meet the demand.
Initially, it was just shop accountants who'd attended Tax Bureau training classes moonlighting on the side. As business grew, many others with basic literacy and abacus skills signed up for the training. After completing it, they'd handle bookkeeping and tax filing for shops—a whole new trade.
Yuan Shuzhi held this certification, so he'd planned to use it as cover. The advantage was freedom of movement—soliciting business gave him a natural excuse to enter and exit shops without attracting attention.
"The medicine market business is thriving, isn't it? They must have plenty of transactions and urgent need for talent like me." Yuan Shuzhi stroked his beard. "With luck, they might even invite me to join them."
"If that happens, you must discuss it with us first," Lu Cheng warned. "Anyone willing to traffic the Senate's medicines must be a desperate outlaw."
"Naturally. I still want to live a few more years. Unnecessary risks I won't take." Yuan Shuzhi nodded. "I'll linger in the city for a few days. Once I know the routes, I'll visit the medicine market."
"Alright. We'll head to Boluo county a few days ahead. How will we contact each other?"
"Are you going openly or secretly?"
"Our official cover is a Cheka flying inspection team, so we'll arrive openly."
"Then you'll stay at the Qiwei inn. I'll send word there when the time comes."
The Cheka flying inspection team established mailboxes wherever they stayed to receive tip-off letters. Using this method to communicate would be straightforward.
A gentle breeze brought pleasant weather under clear skies.
A cargo ship from Lingao churned smoke and spray, cutting through waves toward the dock outside Guangzhou's New World.
According to the shipping schedule, Guo Huiwen arrived at the dock early to wait for this shipment of "special use" medicines. The escort was Wang Liang, a technician from the General Pharmaceutical Factory.
Zheng Mingjiang had specifically requested him, mainly to identify the components of various confiscated miscellaneous drugs. The Provincial-Hong Kong General Hospital pharmacy currently lacked this capability.
The ship steadied and lowered its gangplank. Passengers gradually disembarked. Since the vessel was transporting sensitive materials, it sold no public tickets—all passengers were naturalized citizen workers.
Guo Huiwen scanned the gangplank. Before long, he spotted Wang Liang and immediately waved.
"Technician Wang!"
"Little Guo!"
After exchanging pleasantries, Guo Huiwen explained the situation. Elder Zheng Mingjiang had gone on a business trip to Huizhou. He was receiving this shipment of "special use medicines" on her behalf.
Of course, Elder Zheng hadn't actually gone to Huizhou—that was merely her cover story. To make it more convincing, she'd traveled to Sanshui county a few days ago to spread confusion.
"You received Elder Zheng's telegram?"
"Rest assured. Since Elder Zheng requested these medicines, I'll deliver them personally into her hands," Wang Liang said.
"Good. But when chiefs like Lin at Provincial-Hong Kong General Hospital make requests, how do you handle delivery?"
"That's more complicated." Wang Liang paused. "It depends on the channel, the specific purpose, and the justification for the request."
"For normal hospital medicines?"
"Two channels. First is commercial use—everything goes through the Pharmaceutical Company. They order from us, and we ship according to the addresses on their manifests."
"So the Pharmaceutical Company doesn't keep its own inventory?"
"They keep some. But for large purchases, our factory usually ships directly according to the manifest. Provincial-Hong Kong General Hospital is one such case."
"Are there cases where you ship directly, bypassing the Pharmaceutical Company?"
"Of course. Provincial-Hong Kong General Hospital receives shipments via allocation slips stamped by the Planning Commission. Whatever address appears on the slip, that's where we ship."
"What about special use items like today's?"
"Special use requires Executive Office documentation. This batch requested by Elder Lin—we can only ship after the Executive Office stamps it. And of course, we deliver directly to whoever the goods belong to."
"Doesn't it need to go through Joint Logistics?" Guo Huiwen pressed.
"Joint Logistics?" Wang Liang looked confused. "Naturally, Joint Logistics orders go through Joint Logistics channels. But sometimes they use freight company channels too, depending on cargo space."
Guo Huiwen interrupted: "Not Joint Logistics medicines—for example, this special use shipment or Provincial-Hong Kong General Hospital medicines—would those ever go through Joint Logistics channels?"
"Why would non-Joint Logistics goods use Joint Logistics channels?" Wang Liang seemed puzzled. "Normal shipments go through freight companies. Sometimes the freight company rents cargo space on Joint Logistics transport ships, but that's different."
Something didn't add up. Guo Huiwen pressed on: "Never at all?"
"There are exceptions. Urgent 'special use' items sometimes go through Joint Logistics. Also medicines destined for remote areas—non-pacified zones that regular transport companies won't serve can only go through Joint Logistics. But those aren't large quantities."
They chatted while walking toward the Great World guesthouse. Cargo unloading and distribution would take a day or two, so this medicine shipment couldn't be collected until forty-eight hours after arrival.
At Great World, Guo Huiwen inquired further about the factory's shipping procedures. Though Wang Liang was a technician, he knew the factory's operations thoroughly. He explained in detail how the factory sold goods, how shipments were transported, and what procedures were followed.
Guo Huiwen recorded everything carefully. He wasn't a Cheka agent and hadn't studied finance, but from what Wang Liang described, drug leakage could occur at any point in the chain—as long as procedures weren't strictly followed.
"Wang Liang, tell me—if someone wanted to obtain drugs from the factory, could they?"
Wang Liang started. "You mean..."
"I'm just asking. You probably know Elder Zheng is investigating drug leakage. She wants to identify which channel is compromised. Distribution is a tangled mess—hard to sort out quickly. So let's start at the source."
Wang Liang thought for a long moment. "If you're asking whether nothing ever leaks, I can't guarantee that—after all, there are many production stages in the workshops. But after packaging and warehousing, all inventory is accounted for. Every entry and exit must be recorded. The warehouse manager is responsible for any discrepancy. We also conduct weekly inventory counts. Write-offs and disposals require procedures too—after write-off, items are destroyed on-site. Waste materials and defective products aren't allowed to leave the factory..."
"So you're saying it's completely impossible to obtain drugs without proper authorization?"
"Correct. Even Elders can't simply take drugs from the factory. Everything requires proper procedures." Wang Liang spoke with conviction. Then curiosity crossed his face. "Weren't these systems originally drafted with Elder Zheng's help? When she came to train us, she kept emphasizing strict SOP compliance. She'd say: 'Systems, systems! A pharmaceutical factory must have rigorous quality systems for control!'"
(End of Chapter)