Binjiang Police Affairs
Chapter 246 - 183 The Troubles of the Shipping Company_2

Chapter 246: Chapter 183 The Troubles of the Shipping Company_2

Making Xiao Yu’s parents responsible for his support was indeed a cause for everyone to rejoice.

Xiao Yu’s family did not disappoint Director Xu; after buying the warehouse and splitting it into several rooms, they kept the best one for Old Qian.

Old Qian no longer lives on the dunship; he has long since moved into Xiao Yu’s house and cooks daily as if going to and from work.

Old Qian doesn’t fish much these days, taking any spare time to help Xiao Yu’s mother run the store.

Just yesterday, he rode a bicycle for over ten kilometers with Xiao Yu’s grandfather, seeking out an old traditional Chinese medicine practitioner to treat the grandfather’s ulcerated leg.

Now, they truly consider each other family.

Just as I have become family with my senior.

Han Yu, while teasing Xiao Yu, couldn’t help but think of his senior, casting a subconscious glance toward the shore.

Because his senior had mentioned on the phone this morning that she would ride the light motorcycle to pick him up and take him back to Binjiang in the afternoon.

As for the upcoming maintenance of 001, today’s task is to confirm the project list, and the remaining work can certainly be delegated to Captain Wang and Old Zhu.

However, rather than his senior, the first to arrive was a call from Director Xu.

"Salted Fish, Salted Fish, please respond."

"Received, Director Xu, please proceed."

"Put aside your work for now, both you and Captain Wang, and hurry back to the Police Station to wash up."

"Is there a problem?"

"If there was nothing important, why would I call you back? Hurry up, we’re waiting just for you."

"Yes!"

Han Yu called Captain Wang over, and they quickly washed their hands and headed ashore back to the dunship.

Upon reaching the second-floor meeting room, to his surprise, five people were seated inside; one of them appeared to be a high-ranking official, there was Commissioner Ding, Director Ge of the Transportation Bureau, and two other individuals who were all too familiar.

One was Manager Jiang from the shipping company, and the other was Fan Changjiang, the current tugboat captain of the shipping company.

"County Magistrate Gu, this is Comrade Salted Fish, the youngest officer in our station, and this is retired official Captain Wang, from the shipping company."

Director Xu, sitting in his usual position of authority, accepts a cigarette from Director Ge and continues the introduction: "Salted Fish, Captain Wang, this is Vice County Chief Gu, who is in charge of transportation for Linghai."

The Deputy County Chief’s presence definitely means serious business.

Han Yu steadied his nerves and stood at attention, saluting: "Good day, County Magistrate Gu."

Captain Wang, long retired, wouldn’t be too concerned even if the Vice Mayor showed up, let alone the Deputy County Chief.

Plus, having worked his extra years at the Yanjiang Police Station and seen numerous high-rankings officials, a Deputy Department Level doesn’t make much of an impression.

He nodded slightly, his face filled with a puzzled look towards the leadership of his old unit.

Director Xu, not fond of beating around the bush, beckoned the two to sit and turning to the side, said: "Manager Jiang, Captain Fan, Captain Wang is your old colleague, and Salted Fish is a son of your shipping company; no need for further introductions. Let’s start the formal discussion, and first explain exactly what’s going on."

Manager Jiang, fully aware that Director Xu is not the Police Chief but rather more influential, said with a worried face: "Director Xu, we didn’t want to bother you; it was County Magistrate Gu and Director Ge who asked us to come together."

"If you’re here already, let’s discuss the main issue."

Director Xu glanced at his watch and said nonchalantly: "I just assisted the Customs in arresting dozens of smugglers, seizing millions worth of contraband cigarettes. Chief Tang of the Customs not only plans to treat me to a meal but also considering sponsoring a Santana for our bureau; I can’t keep him waiting."

Vice County Chief Gu listened with a bit of envy, clearing his throat to prompt: "Manager Jiang, I also have a meeting later this evening, so please, let’s be quick."

"Alright."

Manager Jiang, collecting himself, hurriedly took out a notebook from his briefcase and began to describe the trouble the shipping company was facing.

"Director Xu, Old Wang, our county has a coal mine in Xuzhou, doesn’t it? The coal needed by the county’s power plant and several enterprises has always been transported by our shipping company. It has solved the county’s coal needs and the livelihood of many employees in our company."

There are no coal resources in Linghai, but there are in Xuzhou City.

Many years ago, including Binjiang and several other coal-resource-lacking areas, went to Xuzhou to mine.

Zhang Erxiao’s father was originally an employee of the county’s coal company and died in an accident during coal mining.

The well-known Reporter Wang also started as an employee of the Si Gang coal company, going down to the mines in Xuzhou at the age of fifteen or sixteen.

But he taught himself and wrote excellently, first being transferred to the publicity department of the Si Gang County Committee, then later on his own merits, managed to attend university. After graduating, he was hired by the Binjiang People’s Broadcasting Station.

Director Xu oversaw the Public Security work of the whole county and even assisted the shipping company in solving a major theft case. He was well aware of these situations and tapped on the table: "Get to the main point!"

Manager Jiang was startled and quickly said: "Before we would run a trip once a month, it was a good business. But these last few years, it’s been impossible to maintain; the more we run, the more we lose. This year looks even bleaker; by hauling coal for the coal company to Xuzhou, we’ve lost nearly four hundred thousand, and with the new year coming up, we can’t even pay our employees’ wages."

Transporting coal to Xuzhou requires passing through the Grand Canal!

Han Yu realized what kind of trouble the shipping company had run into and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

In the first half of the year, Director Xu inspected countless ships to combat the water bandits, collecting numerous crime leads through inquiries from sailors hailing from all across the land. More than once he heard about how rampant the water bandits on the Grand Canal were, and he too realized why the shipping company was losing money.

Manager Jiang, unaware of Director Xu’s thoughts, said with a distressed look: "Our fleet is extorted every time we go to Xuzhou to get coal from the ’Tiger Team’ on the canal. The least is twice, once going there and once coming back; the most is four or five times.