Chapter 643: Invitation to the Cocktail Party

Since Tian Biao was bumped into by Wang Manchun, the Shanghai Station of the Military Statistics Bureau had not sent anyone to contact him. Wang Yan was quite understanding. For one thing, no useful intelligence could be obtained from him, and for another, this exposure meant there would be a period of surveillance, making it unsuitable to contact him again in the short term.

Wang Yan's life returned to peace. Although the underground struggle, which had been quiet for a few days, had become intense again, as if the Japanese had found some breakthrough, and the situation was rising again.

But it was still the same sentence: no matter how intense the underground struggle was, it had nothing to do with Wang Yan. Unless it was an order from the superior or a request for assistance from the Shanghai underground party organization, and there was a priority issue. The superior's order was something he must complete, even if he abandoned his life. And the assistance request from the Shanghai underground party organization was something he could choose to refuse according to his own situation. Just like the joint action of the two parties before, if they didn't act according to his proposal, or changed the action time to night, he would absolutely not take action, only watching the comrades of the Shanghai underground party go to die.

So what is the biggest test for people on the hidden front? One is the impact of the tension and excitement of wandering on the edge of life and death every day on the mind, and the other is the powerlessness when facing many things.

They will watch their comrades die in front of them, and may even be forced to do it themselves. And they don't have much time to grieve and lick their wounds. The next day, they have to disguise another face to deal with it. That kind of suffering is not something ordinary people can bear.

Fortunately, Wang Yan is not a good thing. He has killed too many good people, bad people, and innocent people. He won't be moved by the passing of life, just inevitably admiring the noble spirit of dedicating oneself to ideals and principles, which is the true great power.

However, this kind of thing is unlikely to happen to him. After all, his persona is there. Even if he really reaches the day under the Japanese, unless the Japanese don't want to live and force him to take action, it is basically impossible. In fact, when it really reaches that time, with his status, the Japanese won't be full and have nothing to do to find trouble with him.

During this period, although Wang Yan had become the Chinese with the highest status in the concession, holding 8 million US dollars of wealth in the Green Union Bank and controlling most of the right to speak in the Green Union, he had no action, still as low-key as in the past, playing his own game. Daily, he ate extravagantly everywhere, went to dance halls to find women who sent themselves to his door to spend the night, and occasionally lingered with Wang Manchun.

If he had to say something serious, it was that he was bored and had nothing to do, so he followed the students of Datong University to design the architectural and decoration drawings of the "Golden Building," as well as the interior decoration design of the Green Union Bank. As for the personnel structure, he basically didn't ask much.

In addition, the research and development of instant noodles and drinks were also progressing quite smoothly. After all, he was clear about the full set of technology and craftsmanship. Although he had to pretend to be a fool to understand, he was also advancing step by step.

Although he had a hard drive now, he still looked at the massive amount of data inside when he had nothing to do, so that he could have an impression. It was not that he really didn't care about anything after having a USB flash drive. After all, the knowledge in the past was learned and mastered by himself, and not being able to master the technology in the hard drive would make him feel a little insecure. He believed in the power belonging to himself, so after so many years, his scientific research ability was no longer what it used to be. It was mainly because he lived a long time. Even if his talent in this area was poor, a little bit of accumulation and progress over nearly a thousand years should have been achieved; otherwise, he would have lived in a dog's belly.

Besides research and development, the production factories for instant noodles and drinks had also been selected, and construction was in full swing. The location was not far from Jisi Feier Park, adjacent to the Suzhou River, and the two factories were next to each other, not far from the original Shanghai West Station. The location was quite good, convenient for mobilizing workers in the concession to work, and also convenient for the transportation of raw materials and produced goods.

And such frequent big moves recently, the cost was naturally extremely expensive. But it didn't matter. The Green Union Bank was there, and the dividends for the French were also in his hands, so it was no big problem to misappropriate them.

Don't look at him sending 250,000 US dollars to the Shanghai underground party organization, but that was enough for a long time, and he didn't always need to send money. In fact, the money he held had never been much; it was just supported by flexible operations. After all, his main force was to supply materials to the Soviet areas, which were all his money.

However, besides the money of those foreign devils, his capital return was also quite fast. The Soviet areas were clear about his situation, and there was a large sum of money specifically used for his left hand to pour into his right hand. In addition, he also had many industries. For example, restaurants, hotels, teahouses, casinos, brothels, rickshaw companies, and protection fees received from merchants, as well as the dividends and filial piety from other hoodlum industries in his jurisdiction, were all money.

As for the foreigners checking accounts, it happened occasionally. However, with his good reputation for so many years, and that broken account book that Wang Yan himself couldn't understand, and he didn't swallow much of the foreigners' money, he basically dealt with it.

At this time, the time had come to June. The Japanese military momentum was strong. Xiamen, Hefei, and Xuzhou fell one after another. Before this, in the Battle of Xuzhou, 290,000 Nationalist troops fought fiercely with 50,000 Japanese troops. After more than a month, they paid the price of 50,000 casualties in exchange for 10,000 Japanese casualties, achieving the most fruitful victory since the start of the comprehensive war between China and Japan, known in history as the Great Victory of Taierzhuang.

Also before this, in May, at a meeting in Yan'an, the famous "On Protracted War" was first delivered. The lecture comprehensively analyzed the era of the China-Japan war and the basic characteristics of both sides, and starting from the strategic overall situation of the whole country, profoundly discussed that the War of Resistance against Japan was a protracted war, which must go through three stages: strategic defense, strategic stalemate, and strategic counter-offensive, thereby revealing the process and laws of the development of the War of Resistance against Japan, and refuting the "theory of national subjugation" and "theory of quick victory." Finally, it clearly pointed out that the War of Resistance against Japan was a protracted war, and the final victory belonged to China.

The news spread and caused a great response, including Wang Yan, who was far away in Shanghai, who also got the original text and read it again.

Still before this, in early June, the Japanese army that had won the Battle of Xuzhou marched south to Wuhan. To block the enemy from marching south, Chiang Kai-shek ordered the Huayuankou Yellow River embankment to be dug open. The masses who were directly drowned and starved reached as many as 890,000. Henan, Anhui, and Jiangsu were flooded in a total of 44 counties and cities, with a disaster area of square kilometers and a disaster population of over 10 million. 1.4 million houses were washed away, and nearly 20 million mu of farmland were submerged. Wherever the yellow water went, houses collapsed, and starving people were everywhere.

Affected by this, another batch of refugees fled to Shanghai, causing the refugees in the Shanghai Bund to soar, and the public security turned sharply downward...

"Last night, 32 people died in my jurisdiction, of which 4 were shot to death, suspected of being a gunfight between the two sides, and the bodies were not processed in time. The guns and bullets were all lost. 5 were killed by knives, of which 2 were killed with one knife, and the other 3 were hacked to death by chaotic knives. The remaining 23 were all beggars and refugees, said to be killed because of the struggle for territory for begging."

He Shaohong sat properly, his waist straight, and reported to Captain Wang, who was sitting with his back to them, huddled in a large and comfortable chair, with his long legs crossed on the balcony, bathing in the sun at eight o'clock, which was already quite dry.

"This damn world, it's hard to live..." Wang Yan shook his head and sighed: "Are they all handled properly?"

"Yes, the brothers on night duty last night collected the bodies. Aren't we doing this? The news has been released. It's still the old rule. If no one comes to claim them tomorrow night, they will be burned."

"Those foreigners didn't say anything, right?"

"No, it's been so many years, how should they be used to it."

Wang Yan nodded and asked: "Recently, no subordinates have had contact with the Japanese and the two parties, right?"

Zhang Xian said: "Brother Yan, ever since you caught Fang Yuantu last time, the brothers under us have been more honest than one another. Besides, the brothers come out to work just to support their families. You give a lot, and they don't earn less extra money on weekdays. Who would risk their lives to find trouble with you?"

"That's fine. You three also need to have a count. I also walked up from a small police officer. When I was a group leader, the Japanese found me. When I was a captain, the Japanese, Kuomintang, and Red Party all came. If you have any principles in your heart, I can't manage it; you should be careful yourself. The previous Fang Yuantu was an accident. Too many people knew about it. I wanted to let him go but couldn't. Later, if I didn't kill him, and he went back to add oil and vinegar to the Japanese, I wouldn't have a good life, so I had to kill him.

If you have anything, do it quietly, don't let me know, don't cause me trouble, then you can do whatever you want. If you can't grasp this sense of proportion, then even if you have any principles, don't go to join in the fun, because I am afraid you won't live until that time. That's it. What's the use of shouting slogans and making guarantees? Do you believe it? Recently, maintain the stability of the street. You can do whatever you want at night, but it's better to be quiet during the day. The shop business is not good; what do the brothers use to support their families? Alright, go do things."

Wang Yan was too lazy to listen to their messy nonsense. Wang Tianfeng was right; don't believe anyone. Not to mention anything else, Liu Yitong, the captain who called him brother, was a Red Party member. Qi Si, whom he raised from nine to sixteen, might be a peripheral member of the Red Party. Everyone was acting with him, not to mention the others. Up to now, in his circle of acquaintances, the only one who told him the truth was perhaps Aige, a foreigner who only focused on making money and didn't ask about world affairs. It was mainly because Aige was clear that he had reached this point, and there was no way to climb up. If he didn't mix comfortably, what was he waiting for?

So when Wang Yan came to find him, Aige, who loved his work, was still listening to music and drinking. Seeing Wang Yan come in, he said dissatisfiedly: "Wang, ever since you opened that Green Union Bank and integrated part of the Green Gang's power, you haven't come to find me, this free friend, much."

Wang Yan poured wine for himself and sat on the sofa laughing: "You said it yourself that you are free. Don't you know my situation? I have to build the noodle factory and drink factory, I have to discuss the manufacturing of production equipment with those students, I have to pay attention to the progress of the Green Union Bank, go out to eat with people to pull some business to the bank, and the board of directors of the Green Union Bank also has to build an entertainment place called 'Golden Building.' Many things they can't decide, and I have to look at them."

"And you also know Du Yong, the tycoon with the loudest name in the Shanghai Bund, who has a good relationship with many high-level officials of the Kuomintang. Although he is far away in Hong Kong, doing something as the director of the Relief Office of the Ninth District of the Relief Committee, he has many disciples and old acquaintances. This is a capable person. In Hong Kong, he can fight with me. I underestimated him before, treating him as a stray dog running in panic." "You say, in such a situation, how can I have time to come to you to chat?"

He didn't lie, because due to the establishment of the Green Union, he became the new leader of the Green Gang. Although he didn't grasp all the power, except for those who defected to the Japanese, the rest all bought shares in the Green Union Bank. This was basically half of the Shanghai Bund.

This was Du Yong's basic disk. How could he watch Wang Yan, a person who was once 100,000 miles away from him, succeed? So after the news reached Hong Kong, Du Yong wrote a long letter to Wang Yan. The words were very beautiful: "The national situation is difficult, the nation is in danger, we should unite as one, contribute to the country, and contribute to the inheritance of the Green Gang," etc. The general meaning was: you, Wang Yan, have taken enough advantage, and 8 million can fill your stomach. It's almost time to stop, let the bank become a real bank, facilitate everyone to do things, and don't hold them back. You don't resist Japan, but you can't delay others from resisting Japan.

Regardless of Du Yong's evaluation, whether it was good or bad, a hoodlum boss using national righteousness to moral-kidnap another new hoodlum boss, talking hard and soft, was not a normal thing in itself. It was also really forced. It was estimated that since Du Yong knew the news, he hadn't slept well.

After all, Wang Yan's current power was not weak. Even if the people in the Green Union didn't listen, Wang Yan himself was a person with extensive social connections. The relationship network might not be as good as Du Yong's. After all, that was a person who could contact Chiang Kai-shek, but to put it bluntly, Du Yong was just a small person in front of Chiang Kai-shek. He couldn't arrange any relief office. The remaining relationships might not be very good either.

After all, the premise of the relationship was the ability to talk. Du Yong's hometown had been stolen, and before the outcome was decided, ordinary people would choose to watch from the sidelines. Besides, Wang Yan was not bad either. After many years of business, through a series of collusions, the relationship network was also dense.

However, under Du Yong's money offensive, some people from the Kuomintang came out to speak for him, and they also contacted Wang Yan through various channels, including Dai Yunong. This was as it should be. The Loyal and Righteous National Salvation Army was an armed force controlled by the Military Statistics Bureau, and Du Yuesheng had sent many disciples to join. Even now, those people were still in the Loyal and Righteous National Salvation Army.

Besides that, Du Yong also constantly communicated and contacted his former disciples and old acquaintances, inciting them to find trouble with Wang Yan, just not wanting Wang Yan to really control the existing power. Once Wang Yan succeeded, his old Du would be finished, and he would only be able to end his life in such a hasty way in this life, and could only find a place to retire. He wouldn't do it no matter what.

Everyone has ambition, not to mention Du Yong, who had once reached a height? So he had to toss.

Wang Yan was not a soft persimmon. He also wrote a letter back to Du Yong. The words were also very gentle. The general meaning was that you, Du Yong, are old, and you are in Hong Kong. You shouldn't be reluctant to give up power, but should know how to cultivate successors, continue the inheritance of the Green Gang, and put more and greater responsibilities on young and promising people like him. In summary, it was one word: "Roll!"

At the same time, for the pressure from the Kuomintang, he also dealt with it with "hmm" and "ah," and sent people to do business. As for the group of people in the Green Union with anti-bones on the back of their heads, he dealt with it normally. It hadn't risen to the link of mutual assassination yet, and they were fighting with words. It looked like they were fighting back and forth, and the rear was unstable.

This degree was enough. People just can't be too outstanding, otherwise it's easy to invite disaster. The saying "don't be envied is a mediocre talent" makes sense, but it is not entirely correct. The ancestors said: "Great wisdom is like stupidity, great skill is like clumsiness." Hiding clumsiness is also necessary; otherwise, being envied will lead to being killed.

What he showed was that he seemed to be dealing with internal strife very tiredly, so that everyone was good. In fact, he wasn't very tired. After all, he was the chairman. Whoever withdrew from the Green Union, he would wipe out whoever. This was the bottom line. And those people were not fools. They didn't want to withdraw either, because this was a new height. The higher their position in the Green Union, the greater their power.

As for killing him, it went back to the previous time. If he died, the group that defected to the Japanese would come out again. If Du Yong could solve the problem, why did he run to Hong Kong to be a relief director?

So he was invincible from the start. Poor those people, because of the temporary give and take, ignored this problem. Or rather, they knew, but they didn't want to think about it, didn't want to accept failure, and always wanted to struggle unconvincingly, looking forward to new changes in the situation...

Aige laughed loudly, laughing at Wang Yan's current situation, and said: "Contentment is happiness is what you told me. Wang, you were already very good before, but you were satisfied. You established the Green Union; this is trouble you found yourself."

"I also told you that opportunities are fleeting, and you should take action when you should. Power is poison, life is a journey, like a boat on the water, if you don't advance, you retreat. And a person like me has no way back. Once I retreat, my end is death. Only by advancing is there hope of living. You don't want to send flowers to my grave, right?"

"Of course, we are true friends. However, if there really is such a day, I think I won't send you flowers, but burn a hundred paper women, burn you money that you can't spend, so that even if you go to hell, with your ability, you might become Satan's left and right hand. By then, when I go to heaven and am bullied under God, you can also avenge me. It's still good for you Chinese. After I die, let my son burn more for me, burn it every year."

A good combination of Chinese and Western...

"Don't worry, you will definitely go to hell too. Neither of us can run away."

Wang Yan laughed with Aige for a while, and asked: "How are those experimental equipment I asked you to buy before?"

He received a call during the daily contact a few days ago. The materials he sent over had all arrived safely in the Soviet areas, and relevant scholars had started research based on the materials he provided. However, the call also said to get some experimental equipment. It can be produced, but who doesn't use good equipment? This was something Wang Yan had considered before. He considered it when he bought things for Datong University.

So Wang Yan reported this situation and let the Shanghai party organization find a way to contact Hu Dunfu, buy it from his hands, and take other channels for transportation. Wang Yan didn't show up. After all, experimental equipment is not a small thing, and it is quite difficult to operate.

Aige waved his hand indifferently: "It has already set off. It should arrive in half a month. I paid for it; remember to pay me back later."

"I heard you bought a winery in France?"

"How do you know? I haven't told many people."

Looking at his cautious look, Wang Yan shook his head and smiled: "Perhaps you should drink less alcohol in the future, so you won't go around telling people you bought a big winery and a farm when you are drunk."

"Oh, okay. I said why people look at me differently recently. It turns out they are looking at a tycoon..."

"That little money is a tycoon? You don't know how much money I sent to Mitchell and the chief. It's still far away." Wang Yan drank the wine in the cup and put the wine glass away: "Alright, Aige, you continue to be free. I am going out to play with people."

"I am afraid this is our last meeting. I will tell you in advance. If you go to hell, remember to tell me in a dream, so I can set up a monument and burn paper for you."

Wang Yan waved his hand and laughed loudly as he went away...

He said he was playing with people, of course, it was a joke. Aige might be from the heart, because it looked like his current situation was indeed not very good, and he might really be killed.

Without thinking much about Aige's blessing, Wang Yan went out and called Qi Si, and set off to the place arranged for the teachers and students of Datong University to study production equipment.

He also got Qi Si into the police station, which was considered a white-collar salary, which was easy for him.

Just as Wang Yan was holding a book and doing research with those Datong teachers and students, Qi Si walked in from the outside: "Brother Yan, a Japanese is looking for you. Not the previous Oomura Akihiro, but he also said he was from the consulate."

Wang Yan nodded, ignored the unclear eyes of those Datong teachers and students, walked out, and went to the outside. At the door, a young Japanese, short in stature, not even as tall as Qi Si, stood solemnly.

Seeing Wang Yan come out, the Japanese hurried a few steps closer: "Captain Wang, hello. I am Ishihara Shinsuke, a clerk under Mr. Oomura Akihiro. Because your whereabouts are uncertain, I had no choice but to rashly inquire about your whereabouts and come here to find you. Please don't blame my recklessness."

"In the afternoon three days later, we are holding a cocktail party in Hongkou. Personnel from the consulate, the army, and the navy will all attend. In addition, many friends who are friendly to the Great Japanese Empire like you have been invited. Our Deputy Consul General, Mr. Iwai Eiichi, very much wants to meet you and have a long talk. I sincerely invite you to attend. This is the invitation letter for the cocktail party. Please give me face and accept the invitation."

After a long speech, the Japanese bowed 45 degrees, presented the invitation letter with both hands, and was very respectful. The Japanese are like this, liking to engage in these useless face-saving efforts.

Wang Yan reached out and took the invitation letter, opened it, and looked at it.

This invitation letter was very exquisite, with the name of the Japanese Consulate on it, stamped with a seal, indicating the organizer of this cocktail party. It also wrote his name, the address of the cocktail party, and some auspicious words, asking him to go. His name was written with a brush, and the ink had been dry for at least three days. It looked like a banquet prepared early.

Although it didn't write the theme of the cocktail party, it was likely to celebrate the success of the previous Battle of Xuzhou and wish for the same success in the Battle of Wuhan. The reason for holding the cocktail party at this time should be because some of the troops that had withdrawn from the battlefield to rest had arrived in Shanghai, using this as an excuse to make a Japanese celebration meeting and a Chinese traitorous meeting.

Wang Yan handed the invitation letter to Qi Si on the side, took out 50 US dollars from his pocket, and patted it on the little Japanese's hand: "Please tell Mr. Oomura and Mr. Iwai that Wang will definitely arrive on time. It's troublesome for Mr. Ishihara to run specially. There are no conditions here, so I can't entertain you. But you can't run for nothing. This money is your hard work fee. When you are off duty, make an appointment with your friends to go out for a drink. It's my intention. You don't have to push it."

"Thank you, Captain Wang, for your kindness. Ishihara accepts it thickly. Captain Wang, Ishihara bids farewell." The little Japanese bowed again, took a step back, and then turned and left.

Wang Yan estimated that this bow was no less than 50 degrees. Sure enough, money has weight.

Qi Si looked at the invitation letter in his hand and asked in confusion: "Brother Yan, are you really going? Didn't you say you didn't want to be close to the Japanese?"

"What position, what to do. Before, I was a branch of the Green Gang, a Chinese police captain who was close to the French and had some money. Now? Although internal struggles are endless, on the surface, I am the leader of the Green Gang. How much influence I have, do I need to tell you? This time they invited me. If I don't go, the signal conveyed is that I am an enemy of the Japanese. After all, if I don't give face to a cocktail party, then it will be even more impossible to ask me to do things in the future. If you were Japanese, would you kill me?"

"So, the cocktail party must be attended; there is no room for refusal. As for what to talk about when you get there, you have to adapt to the situation. In short, safety is the priority. That's it. These are not things you should consider. Put the invitation letter in the car and don't lose it."

Qi Si curled his lips, walked slowly to the car, opened the door, and threw the invitation letter into the passenger seat.

"You, you have to learn to pretend in the future; otherwise, you won't be able to mix anywhere like this. Don't twist it; it's me who is in a dilemma. Why are you worrying blindly?" Wang Yan shook his head and laughed: "That's it, haven't you been to the Paramount for a long time? Let's go play tonight."

Qi Si grinned: "I am not worried about your safety..." ===== CHAPTER 644 =====