Chapter 145 Bravely Storming Zhang's Mansion

Li Shiqun looked at him, his eyes probing: "Are you confident?"

Wang Xuesen said, "With the support of my elder brother and No. 76, I have confidence."

"Xuesen, ah."

Li Shiqun nodded in satisfaction, his tone now carrying a hint of sincerity:

"You know I'm in a difficult situation right now."

"If this matter is successfully handled, all will be well. If it is not, we will offend Yu Yefeng and Boss Zhang, and then we may have a very difficult time."

"Alright, I'll entrust this matter entirely to you." After thinking for a moment, he seemed to have made up his mind. "You will liaise with Zhang Xiaolin. Feel free to make any requests, and I will definitely fulfill them."

Wang Xuesen knew that Li Shiqun had chickened out and dared not see Zhang Xiaolin, so he was playing the victim card.

Delegating full authority is a sign of trust, but it's also a way of shirking responsibility.

Success! Li Shiqun reaped the benefits.

If you smash it, you'll become the perfect scapegoat.

But he couldn't hesitate.

The more he hesitated, the more suspicious Li Shiqun became.

He decided to continue the conversation and said, "Thank you for your trust, elder brother."

"But I... I hope that once Yu Yefeng is eliminated, when the territory is divided, my elder brother can give me a piece so that I can also have some real business."

That's a very apt statement.

The fact that he was getting such a big job for free without any conditions made Li Shiqun uneasy, as he suspected that there was another ulterior motive.

Asking for favors is the typical reaction of a greedy and lustful person.

Li Shiqun glanced at Ye Jiqing.

Ye Jiqing sat on the sofa and nodded slightly.

He smiled and said, "That's natural."

"I promise you, as long as you win over Yu Yefeng and successfully reach a cooperation agreement with Zhang Xiaolin, I will then give Yu Yefeng the best opium den in Zhabei..."

Wang Xuesen frowned slightly.

Seeing this, Ye Jiqing quickly chimed in, "Old Li, Wanjia told me that Xuesen was influenced by new ideas and strongly dislikes opium dens and brothels."

Li Shiqun suddenly realized, waved his hand and smiled, "Then how about I give you the most lucrative casinos and money exchanges?"

Wang Xuesen was overjoyed and quickly bowed to express his gratitude: "Thank you so much, brother!"

Casinos and money exchanges.

These two are the real good things.

Although opium dens are highly profitable, their large size attracts unwanted attention and they are bound to cause trouble sooner or later.

Casinos and money exchanges are different; one profits from turnover, and the other from interest rate spreads. They are guaranteed to make money regardless of circumstances and are less likely to run out of supplies.

"The sooner this is done, the better. If it drags on, I'm afraid the misunderstanding will deepen and be difficult to clear up later." After making this promise, Li Shiqun lightly tapped the table.

Wang Xuesen nodded: "I will go to visit Zhang Xiaolin at noon."

Li Shiqun didn't say anything more, and said in a deep voice, "Go."

Wang Xuesen turned and walked out of the office.

A series of rapid high heel sounds came from behind.

Ye Jiqing caught up in a few steps. He was slightly out of breath, his chest heaving: "Xuesen, wait for me."

Wang Xuesen stopped and walked alongside her along the corridor.

He couldn't help but glance to the side.

My sister-in-law looks really beautiful today.

A pure black turtleneck sweater clung tightly to her upper body, making her chest appear rounded. Her waistline was very slender, and her hair was gently tied up at the back of her head, with a few strands of hair hanging down beside her ears.

That understated, unpretentious, gentle charm is so captivating that it's impossible to look away.

Wang Xuesen swallowed hard.

"Sister-in-law, is something the matter?"

Ye Jiqing reached out and pinched his arm, frowning and scolding, "You brat, where are you looking?"

Wang Xuesen blushed and quickly waved his hands, "Heaven and earth bear witness, sister-in-law, you've completely misunderstood. I didn't mean it..."

Ye Jiqing rolled her eyes at him, not really angry: "Alright, fine, I've looked. When I walk into this building, everyone takes a look."

"Besides, my sister-in-law is already this old, why would she be afraid of people seeing her?"

Wang Xuesen said with a smile, "Yes, yes, your sister-in-law is a famous beauty in Shanghai."

"Anyone who doesn't look must be blind."

Ye Jiqing covered her mouth and chuckled, "You're so sweet-talking."

After laughing, she composed herself and lowered her voice, saying, "Your older brother is very worried about you. He's a man of few words and not good at expressing himself."

"There are some things that only his sister-in-law can convey on his behalf."

"Going to see Zhang Xiaolin this time is extremely dangerous. If all else fails, call Shibuya. With the military police there, Zhang Xiaolin won't dare to do anything reckless."

Wang Xuesen said gratefully, "My sister-in-law still loves me the most."

"However, if Zhang Xiaolin really insists that I killed Bai Junqi and wants to challenge him, not even the Heavenly King himself can protect me, let alone the military police."

He shook his head, his tone calm, but he was telling the truth.

"The Green Gang has ten thousand members, many of whom are ruthless. If they really want to get rid of me, there's no escaping it."

Ye Jiqing frowned, pondered for a moment, and said, "That's true. But don't rush, it's already January, isn't it?"

"In another two months, once Mr. Wang's business is up and running, and if your elder brother can concurrently serve as the Minister of Police and take control of the police and inspection forces in Shanghai, then we'll have a much stronger backbone."

"When the time comes, your sister-in-law will set up ten police patrol points around No. 76, so that not even a fly can get close to you."

Wang Xuesen felt a warmth in his heart.

Whether Ye Jiqing's words were sincere or just an attempt to win him over, at least he made a good impression on the surface.

"Thank you, sister-in-law."

Ye Jiqing smiled charmingly: "Go ahead."

Her gaze inadvertently swept over Wang Xuesen's crotch, and she curled her lip, slightly disappointed.

Why isn't summer here yet?

It's chilly here, so raising the security level at home isn't really appropriate.

Alas, what a beautiful and alluring sight we've lost!

She sighed, turned around, and walked back in her high heels.

……

Wang Xuesen returned to his office, picked up the phone on his desk, and dialed a number.

beep.

It rang seven or eight times before it was answered.

"Hey, Mr. Shen, have you had enough sleep?"

"I've had enough sleep, time to go to work."

"Get to my office within half an hour."

Wang Xuesen hung up the phone.

Half an hour later, Zhan Shen walked in, holding a newspaper in his hand.

He slammed the newspaper on the table and started cursing: "To hell with him! See? You're still being blamed."

"If I had known, I should have killed him last night to avenge you."

Wang Xuesen glanced at the newspaper; the front page prominently featured the headline: "Young Master Bai Assassinated Late at Night, Suspected to be a Crime of Passion by Second Young Master Wang of No. 76."

"Fake news!"

"Bullshit!"

He flipped the newspaper over and tossed it aside: "What's the point of hating trash like Bai Junqi? Have you eaten yet?"

Zhan Shen touched his stomach: "Not yet, I just woke up, I'm still dizzy."

Wang Xuesen opened a drawer, took out a few milk candies, and tossed them over: "You have low blood sugar. Go to a restaurant first, eat and drink your fill, then come back to me."

He picked up his teacup, took a sip of water, and said casually, "After you've eaten, come with me to see Zhang Xiaolin."

Zhan Shen's hand, which was peeling the candy, stopped: "Just...just the two of us?"

"Yes, just the two of us." Wang Xuesen nodded.

Zhan Shen stuffed a candy into his mouth, cursing, "Damn it, isn't that just going to my death? You go if you want, I'm not going."

Wang Xuesen stared at him and said irritably, "That's really not very nice of you."

"Damn it, weren't you pretty fearless in the interrogation room back then? You chickened out so easily now."

"How can that be the same? That was killing a major traitor, so it wasn't a loss."

"You're just going there to deliver something, you're being completely wronged."

Zhan Shen rolled his eyes.

"Wait, are there Japanese people accompanying them?" he asked again.

Wang Xuesen pointed to his mouth: "No, just the two of us. With it, we can conquer any army."

Zhan Shen stared at him for two seconds to make sure he wasn't joking.

He smacked his lips, crumpled the candy wrapper into a ball, and flicked it into the trash can: "Fine, I'll see just how capable you, Zhang Yi, really are today."

"Let me make this clear first: if you die, I won't fight you to the death."

Wang Xuesen stood up and straightened his collar: "No way, you could at least have someone to take me down with you."

"Who will collect my body if I die?"

"Go eat, get out of here."

Zhan Shen chuckled and strolled out, a milk candy dangling from his mouth.

……

No. 212, Huage Road, Zhang Mansion.

The phonograph sat in the corner, and a passage of old-style singing from the brass horn drifted out from it.

Zhang Xiaolin lay on a tiger-skin recliner, a brass pipe dangling from his lips, his fingers tapping on the armrest of the chair in rhythm:

"Ah Si, how's that Hong Kong tycoon doing lately?"

Ah Si's real name is Wang Wenliang. He is his most trusted confidant and driver, who has been by his side for almost ten years and is responsible for his food, clothing, housing and transportation.

"Sir, according to the news from over there, Du Yuesheng is living a life of plenty in Hong Kong, but he suffers from severe migraines and insomnia. He often can't sleep through the night."

"Besides, neither the British nor the gangs over there take him seriously."

"That was far less prestigious and wealthy than it was in Shanghai."

Ah Si bowed and answered.

Zhang Xiaolin snorted coldly through his nose:

"Serves you right."

He took the pipe out of his mouth and tapped the barrel against the armrest of the chair.

"That's what you call a cheapskate, someone with a shallow mind."

"He's clearly just a lowly fruit seller who can't even afford to eat. He's giving up wealth and status, yet he insists on pretending to be noble and principled."

"cut."

As he spoke, he made a gurgling sound in his throat.

Immediately, a young maid stepped forward with a spittoon in her hand, holding it high to his mouth.

Zhang Xiaolin turned his head away and spat it in.

The maid wiped the rim of the bowl, then locked onto the chat room, the cola novel, and every update of "Spy War Code: Shen Gongbao." She then withdrew.

Zhang Xiaolin put the pipe back in his mouth, took a deep drag, and chuckled as he slowly exhaled, "Unlike me, I'm a wise man who knows when to yield."

"Whoever comes, I'll still eat and drink well."

"Life is short, what's the point of living if you don't get drunk, don't gamble, and don't smoke?"

He tapped the armrest of the recliner with his pipe, his tone full of disdain: "Old Du is stupid."

"That's right."

"Now, tens of thousands of Green Gang members are under your control, sir. In time, you will take down important officials in Zhejiang Province, and you will be the top dog in the entire Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai region. Who would dare to disobey you?" Ah Si chimed in at the opportune moment.

Zhang Xiaolin burst into laughter:

"That's natural."

He sat up abruptly, pointing his pipe forward: "Wang Ruikai and Mei Siping still want to mess with me? Let me tell you, the important officials in Zhejiang Province are in my pocket."

"If Wang Jingwei dares to give it to anyone else, I'll slaughter them all."

Ah Si bowed his head and replied, "In this land, of course, it's you, Master Zhang, who calls the shots."

Zhang Xiaolin leaned back in his chair with satisfaction, then suddenly changed the subject: "How's my unfilial son doing lately?"

Ah Si respectfully said, "Young Master Fa Yao is still unwilling to take over the Green Gang's businesses, but now that Liu Fa Bao is protecting him, you can rest assured about his safety."

Zhang Xiaolin nodded, his expression softening slightly: "Fa Bao is someone I personally mentored. It's kind of him to help me connect with Li Shiqun this time."

"He's still reliable; he's truly devoted to me."

He curled his lip, a gloomy glint in his eyes: "What a pity for Bai Junqi, that good-for-nothing. He's destined for failure and has wasted my time."

"Master Zhang, you have a keen eye. Bai Junqi does have some ability."

"The main problem is that the old master of the Bai family was reluctant to spend money, which delayed your important matter and also harmed his precious son."

Ah Si is good at flattery; he can make even a good-for-nothing sound wonderful.

"Where's A-Feng?" Zhang Xiaolin asked again.

Ah Si knew very well that this was Master Zhang's routine check-in.

Although Yu Yefeng is Zhang Xiaolin's adopted son and in-law, Zhang Yelin is the kind of person who keeps a close eye on those he is closest to.

He carefully chose his tone and said slowly, "Mr. Yu is indeed diligent, tirelessly supervising the accounts of industries in Zhabei and Nanshi every day."

"We recently opened a few more stalls and took over a nightclub in the French Concession; business is pretty good."

Zhang Xiaolin's face remained expressionless, and he gave a noncommittal "hmm".

Ah Si added, "Oh, he's recently become obsessed with the famous opera singer Xin Yanqiu, and he often goes to the New Stage to book out entire venues to listen to her performances."

Zhang Xiaolin paused for a moment while smoking.

He turned his head and his gaze fell on Ah Si.

Ah Si felt as if he were being watched by a venomous snake, and a chill ran down his spine.

"Xin Yanqiu." Zhang Xiaolin narrowed his eyes and smiled. "She has such a beautiful voice, who wouldn't like her?"

Ah Si immediately understood his meaning and leaned forward half a step: "Sir, how about... I go and say hello to Mr. Yu, and ask him..."

Zhang Xiaolin waved his hand, cutting off the conversation:

"Forget it, he's the one who's got his eye on him first, just give it to him."

Ah Si secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhang Xiaolin put the pipe back in his mouth and took a deep drag: "Did Li Shiqun call?"

Ah Si shook his head slightly: "Master, that guy surnamed Wang under him killed Young Master Bai."

"Although you don't care about Bai Junqi."

"But he is, after all, your godson. You have to consider the owner before beating a dog."

He leaned forward half a step and continued reporting: "I heard that Li Shiqun set up roadblocks near No. 76 early this morning, and even set up machine guns."

"This is clearly a sign of guilt and fear."

"In my opinion, he's too ashamed to even discuss this cooperation."

"Right now, they're probably hiding in number 76 and don't dare to come out."

Zhang Xiaolin didn't even lift his eyelids, and sneered: "You underestimate Li Shiqun."

"Kagezo Yoshiaki gifted him his long-time personal sword, an honor that is unique in Shanghai."

"What I lack most right now is the support of the Mei Agency and the intelligence system."

"Chief of Staff Sakurai is good at fighting wars; when it comes to petty, underworld affairs, spies are more effective."

He stood up, walked to the window, handed the pipe to Ah Si, and stretched his slightly sore wrist.

"Why were the Indians able to rise to power in the first place? Wasn't it because they had Dai Li backing them up?"

He turned around, his gaze chilling: "If I can get the support of Li Shiqun and the Mei Agency, the important officials in Zhejiang Province will be my for the taking."

Ah Si hesitated for a moment, but still spoke up: "But Mr. Yu doesn't seem to support cooperating with Li Shiqun."

He believed that Li Shiqun was ambitious and, being Ji Yunqing's disciple, could not possibly be on the same page as them.

"When you gifted Li Shiqun the venue last time, Mr. Yu and the Fan brothers had complaints, and the men under them were also dissatisfied."

Zhang Xiaolin's brows furrowed.

He slammed his fist on the switch of the phonograph, and the room fell silent instantly.

"He doesn't know anything!"

Zhang Xiaolin gestured with his chin towards the backyard: "Didn't Laifu, that man-eating wolfhound in the backyard, have puppies?"

"Go back and pick one out and send it to him."

Ah Si's heart skipped a beat, and he whispered, "Yes."

Zhang Xiaolin stared at him, his voice chilling, "A dog should have the awareness of a dog. If he dares to bite his master, he's asking for death."

Ah Si hung his head, not daring to breathe.

Zhang Xiaolin sat back down in the tiger-skin recliner, secretly annoyed.

Li Shiqun, that coward, ultimately lacked any real guts.

He's not coming.

As the head of the Green Gang, I can't possibly condescend to personally approach a junior member to discuss cooperation, can I?

Moreover, his godson died at the hands of Li Shiqun's men.

We're truly in a bind now.

It would be unreasonable for me to rush into joining forces at this time, both in terms of reputation and the rules of the underworld.

Thinking of this, he hated Bai Junqi, that idiot.

He was reluctant to spend the money.

Nothing was accomplished.

Why the hell did they have to die at this critical juncture?

You're just making things worse for yourself.

You son of a bitch!

Just as I was getting annoyed, a series of steady footsteps approached from afar.

Lin Huaibu, the Zhang family's top bodyguard, walked in, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Master Zhang, Number 76 has arrived."

Zhang Xiaolin's eyes snapped open, his pupils flashing with a sharp light: "How many people have come? Is it Li Shiqun?"

Lin Huaibu said, "No, it's Wang Xuesen, who brought a bodyguard."

Zhang Xiaolin froze for a moment.

"Wang Xue...what?"

Lin Huaibu repeated, "Wang Xuesen, Wang Shizhong's grandson, is now the director of interrogation room number 76."

He paused, then added, "Everyone says he killed Bai Junqi."

Zhang Xiaolin didn't speak immediately, but walked back and forth quickly for a few steps with his hands behind his back.

The scales in my heart have already been set in motion.

If Wang Xuesen went into hiding or secretly left Shanghai, it's highly likely he really did kill Bai Junqi, with the aim of sabotaging his alliance with Li Shiqun.

Now he's actually come on his own initiative.

It could never have been him.

At such a crucial moment in the cooperation, for him to kill Bai Junqi, isn't that insane?

We need to get this kid on our side to make negotiations easier.

As a seasoned veteran, Zhang Xiaolin believed he was more than capable of using such tactics, even surpassing this kid's ancestor.

He slammed his hand on the table and shouted:

"What audacity!"

"You killed my adopted son, and you still dare to come knocking on my door!"

His eyes widened, and he shouted at Lin Huaibu, "Men, seize them and lock them up!"

Lin Huaibu accepted the order: "Yes."

He turned and walked out quickly.

……

Waiter at the gate.

Wang Xuesen held his teacup and slowly took a sip.

Longjing tea.

It's alright, not as good as the one Ye Jiqing gave me, but much better quality than the one sent by No. 76.

Zhan Shen sat opposite him, his eyes constantly scanning the doorway and windows.

Soon, a series of noisy footsteps came from the other end of the corridor.

A man nearly 1.9 meters tall led a group of White Russian guards and rushed in.

Six or seven guns were pointed at the two men.

"Damn it!"

Zhan Shen cursed angrily, drew his gun and stood in front of Wang Xuesen, pointing the muzzle at Lin Huaibu's forehead.

"Back off!"

"Or I'll just shoot you first."

Zhan Shen roared.

"Are you sure your gun is faster than mine?" Lin Huaibu saw that he was calm in the face of danger and his hand did not even tremble, so he knew that he was a good gunman.

"You must be that top marksman from Shanghai, right?"

"I've been wanting to meet you for a long time."

"If you don't believe me, we can try."

Zhan Sen was not intimidated by him at all.

Lin Huaibu remained as steady as ever, waving his hand: "Cut off their weapons."

Zhan Shen clenched his teeth, but the muzzle of the gun remained motionless.

He glanced at Wang Xuesen out of the corner of his eye.

Wang Xuesen put down his teacup and smiled.

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in a house, be at home with the master. Let them be." He pressed down on Zhan Shen's gun.

Zhan Shen's face tightened, and he slammed the gun on the table.

Lin Huaibu glanced at Wang Xuesen.

This man was fair-skinned with delicate features, resembling a wealthy young master who had studied abroad.

But even with six or seven guns pointed at his head, he didn't even flinch.

They chatted and laughed with ease.

Calm and composed!

Lin Huaibu has seen countless people and has encountered many ruthless characters.

But this is the first person to be able to laugh so calmly after being disarmed at Zhang's mansion.

He felt a surge of respect in his heart, and his tone unconsciously carried an added touch of reverence:

"I'm sorry, gentlemen."

Lin Huaibu waved his hand, signaling the White Russian guards to put away their guns and take the man away.

"Take him to the woodshed at the back and await Master Zhang's judgment."

……

We wholeheartedly recommend this book to you: "Espionage Code: Shen Gongbao". You can read it here.