Zhang Yuqi rubbed his forehead and instructed Ding Jiafeng, "I understand. Don't act rashly right now. I'll contact a lawyer first. You come with me to the police station and take good care of my brother."
"Understood, Young Master Qi." Ding Jiafeng said and pushed open the door to leave, leaving Zhang Yuqi to reach for the phone.
Before his hand could even touch the phone, it rang first. When Zhang Yuqi answered, it was a friend of his who worked as a senior comprador at Taikoo Trading Company.
"Yuqi, I just received news that a major Britain newspaper has published an article alleging that the Hong Kong -based European Coast Company is involved in smuggling military supplies and medicines, maliciously hoarding raw materials, and inflating drug prices. They even published photos of Hong Kong Customs and the British Forces in Hong Kong seizing military supplies and medicines. Are you aware of this?"
Zhang Yuqi took a deep breath. "I don't know, there's no news, there's no chance of turning things around, money doesn't matter."
"No matter how much money you offer, nobody will accept it now. It's morning in London. The Foreign Devil at the Britain Foreign Office have reportedly cited newspaper articles in response to the recent questions about the United States's poor enforcement of the Embargo Order on Britain colonies, trying to get the Britain to admit their mistakes and lose face in front of the United States. That's impossible," the person on the other end of the phone said.
Zhang Yuqi gave a wry smile, "So, you're saying you have to stand firm when you're hit?"
"Prepare in advance. The warehouse has been burned down. The photos, the people in the photos, are irrefutable evidence."
"Understood, thank you." Zhang Yuqi hung up the phone, pondered for a moment, and then dialed a number in a calm tone, saying, "My older brother will be in Xiaogan Prison for at least six months this time. Call the ten best law firms in Hong Kong and ask them to hire renowned barristers. Prepare to see him in court."
After the call ended with a reply from the other end, Zhang Yuqi closed his eyes and exhaled. "Zhang Yuliang from the police station and Song Tianyao from the docks, this was a good collaboration."
Chapter 171 Inside the Police Station
Zhang Yuqi arranged for a lawyer from the European Coast Company to go to Sheung Wan to meet his elder brother, Zhang Yujie. After that, he made several more phone calls. Only after finishing his work did he return to his room, take off his clothes, fold them neatly, change into his pajamas, and lie down to sleep. Soon, he began to snore softly.
Someone of Zhang Yujie's stature wouldn't just go to a shady police station for questioning and investigation. Liu Fu took Zhang Yujie directly to the Police Headquarters Sheung Wan Connaught Road. Most of the British officers worked at the headquarters, and the environment and atmosphere there were completely different from other police stations.
Liu Fu handed the man over to several Uniformed Branch from headquarters. These officers politely led Zhang Yujie to an office. Kowloon District Detective Chief Inspector Cheung Wing-kam did not appear, but Hong Kong Island District Detective Chief Inspector Lee Jusheng personally got up in the office to pour tea for Zhang Yujie and pulled out a chair for him to sit down.
Zhang Yujie sat down opposite Lee Jusheng. He had dealt with Lee Jusheng before and they weren't strangers. After the Uniformed Branch left and closed the door, Zhang Yujie took the cigarette Lee Jusheng offered with a forced smile, lit it with the officer's match, and then cursed angrily, "What the hell are you policemen up to? Is Liu Fu outside out of his mind? You arrested my men and now you want me to come to the police station to make a statement? I'll curse your mother!"
"Mr. Zhang, this has nothing to do with me. I was just at home with my wife when I got called and urged to come here to chat with you and have some tea and cigarettes. As for the rest, your lawyer can handle it when he arrives." Lee Jusheng said to Zhang Yujie with a smile, "I don't know exactly what happened either. Let me make it clear beforehand that A-Hung's men shouldn't act impulsively. After all, I'm in charge of security in Hong Kong Island. Please give me some face and let things pass peacefully. Once you've investigated the whole matter, Mr. Zhang, I'll cooperate with whatever you want to do."
Lee Jusheng's attitude pleased Zhang Yujie; this was the kind of policeman he often saw. He gave a satisfied snort, "I heard you're retiring next year? So sensible, you deserve to be supported."
"I'm a nice guy. I've been in the Police Force for so many years, and I've barely made enough to live on. I'm pragmatic, so this position should naturally be given to someone who's young, strong, and willing to pay a high price to the Foreign Devil." Lee Jusheng chatted idly with Zhang Yujie, without touching the paper and pen on the table.
After waiting for more than ten minutes, Wei Jiafei, the secretary of the Zhang Family, finally appeared in the office where Lee Jusheng and Zhang Yujie were chatting, carrying a briefcase and looking hurried.
Upon seeing Zhang Yujie's lawyer appear, Lee Jusheng stood up and said to Zhang Yujie, "Mr. Zhang, you and Attorney Wei can continue your conversation. I'm going to the restroom; I'm old, and it takes me half an hour to get there."
"I'll have Yulin invite you to dinner later." Zhang Yujie remained seated without moving. Only after Lee Jusheng got up and left did he look up at lawyer Wei Jiafei, who was constantly wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. "The police said A-Hung caused trouble and brought him to the station. I don't know anything about it and I'm not going to say anything. You go talk to the police; I'll wait to go back and rest."
Sweat seemed to be pouring down Wei Jiafei's face; he wiped it left and right with his handkerchief but couldn't get it clean. His voice was somewhat anxious as he spoke, "Mr. Zhang, half an hour ago, the Customs warehouse was set on fire. There are rumors circulating that you asked Brother Hung to instigate it."
"I'll take it!" Zhang Yujie's eyes widened suddenly, and he cursed, "Are you an idiot! Just because it's rumored outside doesn't mean it's true! There are still millions of dollars worth of goods belonging to the Zhang Family in the Customs warehouse! I'd have to be crazy to burn them!"
"But the current news is that the Zhang Family was smuggling military supplies and medicines. After being caught by Customs and the British Army, they attempted to destroy evidence, which is why they set the fire," Wei Jiafei said to Zhang Yujie with a grim expression. "Moreover, some pharmaceutical merchants in Chiu Chow and Dongguan have testified that the Zhang Family did indeed ask them to help sell military supplies and medicines."
Zhang Yujie licked his lips and chuckled, "They just peed in the water and washed all those small fry out! Does that mean they're telling the truth? If I said they were smuggling weapons, would that be true? Even an idiot could see it was a malicious frame-up. Do they think the Foreign Devil are stupid?"
"Britain newspapers have already published news and photos of the Zhang Family smuggling military supplies and medicines. Now that the warehouse has been burned down, there is no evidence. Those photos and the Customs officers and Nationalist Army in the photos are the most direct witnesses. If they say that they did find military supplies, the court will be very likely to accept their testimony." Wei Jiafei's tone became increasingly weak, and his eyes no longer had their former brilliance.