Chapter 644: Nantian Youzi

Not far from the Japanese Consulate in Hongkou, a three-story building occupying a significant area was the venue for the cocktail party. It couldn't be considered very prosperous, because the Chinese living in the Japanese-occupied area didn't dare to gather here when they had nothing to do. Only some Japanese ronin and women wearing kimonos passed by occasionally. Some Japanese ronin even pretendingly wore samurai swords at their waists, stepped on broken wooden boards, combed their characteristic hairstyles, and swaggered through the streets.

Wang Yan watched as a Japanese ronin passed in front of his car, squinted at him, and didn't hide the disdain on his face. It was obvious that he also had some status and was clear about what kind of people were invited to the cocktail party this afternoon. He saw Wang Yan's Chinese identity, so he didn't have much respect for Wang Yan.

This was a very normal thing. The so-called Great Japanese Empire was thriving and its martial arts were long-lasting. As a member of it, they naturally looked down on the Chinese who were beaten by them until they couldn't lift their heads. Even if the Chinese who could come here were elites with status, throwing them eight hundred miles away, they still looked down on them. Militarism and populism had already penetrated people's hearts. Various victories on the front line also gave them confidence.

They also didn't have the need to pretend to be human like those high-ranking officials, so naturally, they didn't have any good looks.

Wang Yan patted Qi Si on the shoulder: "In the Japanese territory, looking for trouble with the Japanese, what are you thinking?"

Qi Si gritted his teeth: "Sooner or later, I will kill them."

Rubbing Qi Si's head, Wang Yan shook his head and laughed: "How many times have I said it? Hide when you should, and when you want someone's life, you must be smiling. Don't let it go in the left ear and out the right ear. You will suffer one day. That's it, there is a place to entertain drivers over there. You go over. There is a sign, and many people dressed like you are gathered there, all bodyguards and drivers of rich people. Many people gathered. There are cars parked on both sides of the road, which is a gathering of the top power and flow."

Of course, things have two sides. From Wang Yan's perspective, these people are lackeys. From those people's perspective, they are just making necessary political investments, standing in line to pay, and the harvest will be greater in the future, but in the end, the Japanese failed. As for national and ethnic issues, these people don't care. They think of themselves, the long-term nature of their own families. Just like when the Manchu Qing entered the pass, the Ming ministers and Ming merchants who welcomed them. At that time, they sold the Great Ming, and at this time, they sold China, which had already integrated Manchu and Han to a certain extent.

Wang Yan didn't think much more, moved his steps, and walked to Wang Manchun.

Wang Manchun was like a virtuous wife and mother, reaching out to straighten Wang Yan's collar: "Everyone is dressed brightly, but you are good. You came in a white shirt and a vest? Even if you, Captain Wang, are used to doing things your own way and don't care about other people's gossip, shouldn't you consider what the Japanese think?"

"It's too hot. Dressing like a human and a dog is also suffering for yourself. Why bother? Besides, I also specially wore a tie, which is enough respect for the Japanese. They won't say anything. To put it bluntly, it still depends on value. I have value, as long as it's not excessive, then it's fine. I have no value, they won't send me any invitation letter, then naturally it won't work."

"You have many reasons." Wang Manchun coquettishly punched Wang Yan in the chest, and then held his arm, rubbing against the high bulge in front of her chest, looking like a little bird, which was in strong contrast to her usual image of killing and ruthlessness, with a strong contrast.

She said: "Let's go in. You are a big man now. There are many Japanese and Chinese inside who want to see you."

Wang Yan lowered his head, stretched out the hand that wasn't being held, lifted her chin to look at him: "Are you sure you want to go in like this? Not many people know about our relationship now. If we go in, it won't be hidden. The whole Shanghai Bund will know that I, Wang, have hooked up with Wang Manchun, the eldest daughter of the second branch of the Wang family who works for the Special High Police. By then, there will be no room for maneuver."

"What's wrong with that? Could it be that Captain Wang, who has always been famous for his lust in the Shanghai Bund, has started to care about his reputation?"

"I am considering it for you. Remember you said you once had a period with Ming Lou, the eldest young master of the Ming family? Later, I inquired about it. Ming Lou's economy in Europe is quite good. You know, Chinese people are always attached to their hometowns and find it difficult to leave their hometowns. If not for this, I wouldn't have to suffer in the Shanghai Bund. I think Ming Lou is the same. And according to what you said, Ming Jing blocked the good things between you two back then, so Ming Lou must be very obedient to Ming Jing. You tell me, Ming Lou is about the same age as me. Can Ming Jing not let him come back early to inherit the family business? So Ming Lou will definitely come back. Once he comes back and hears about our business, I am afraid you won't be able to face your old lover..."

Wang Manchun hesitated for a moment, smiled charmingly: "Then we will talk about it when the time comes. Foreigners have always been open and chaotic in terms of male-female relationships. He has been in Europe for many years. I am afraid he has long been addicted to the gentleness of foreign women and doesn't remember who Wang Manchun is. Who cares what he thinks? Hurry up and go; it's not good to be late."

After speaking, she pulled Wang Yan and walked forward.

Wang Yan chuckled, followed her strength, and walked into the venue of the cocktail party with her.

According to Wang Manchun, this is an office building attached to the consulate. However, because the venue is large, many activities are held here. And the purpose of holding the cocktail party today is not beyond Wang Yan's expectation. It is precisely because the Japanese troops who participated in the Battle of Xuzhou arrived in Shanghai to rest and reorganize. What is held is a celebration meeting. The Japanese Consulate is a government department. For today's Japan, which is headed by militarism, in terms of status, it is actually worse than the Japanese Army. However, many officials in the consulate have army ranks and have military backgrounds. So, calculated this way, it is considered a family.

And now the war is intense, and government departments should serve the military. Therefore, it is reasonable for the consulate to take the lead in hosting this celebration, power-showing, and winning-over cocktail party.

The ones welcoming enthusiastically at the door are low-level clerks and service personnel of the consulate. After entering the door, it is another scene. It is not stuffy as imagined, but very cool, because the Japanese installed air conditioning here.

Air conditioning was invented at the beginning of the 20th century, initially used to cool down machines in factories to improve production efficiency. In the 1920s, it began to be popularized and promoted to housing in the United States. Now it is 1938. After so many years of dissemination and development, it is not surprising that the Japanese use air conditioning.

However, the air conditioning at this time is obviously not as developed as later, and it is still relatively rough. The venue area is large, the required power is large, and the corresponding noise is not small. It's just that because the scene is noisy, and there is a band playing light and soothing music, it balances this noise, which is not bad.

The overall style of the cocktail party is not like the Japanese holding a big meeting, but like a Western cold meal party. Waiters carry red wine, champagne, foreign wine, drinks, and other drinks walking through it. On both sides, there are also many fruits, pastries, and roasted meat. People are dressed in suits and leather shoes, acquaintances introduce acquaintances, everyone connects with each other, holding wine glasses and talking and laughing, looking like humans and dogs.

"Hey, where are you going?" Feeling Wang Yan turn left as soon as he entered the door, Wang Manchun's dignified and beautiful smile on her face turned into astonishment, and she asked in confusion.

"I am hungry, go eat something. Besides, I don't like to say those meaningless scene words. Go to one side to be free, so that others won't say that I, Wang, have a pair of dog eyes, and save some trouble. People who want to see me will naturally find me."

Wang Yan didn't stop his steps, nodding and signaling to people while talking, and walked straight to the long table full of food. When he got there, he started to eat, which made Wang Manchun roll her eyes. Is this cocktail party for him to eat? If she didn't know Wang Yan's identity, knowledge, and the demeanor she had felt, she would have thought it was a stray dog entering the city.

"You are really unique..."

"If it weren't for the Japanese momentum being difficult to block, do you think I would be willing to eat these broken things? But don't say, the taste is not bad." Wang Yan said with relish: "What kind of people are participating in the cocktail party today? More than half are traitors in the mouths of the two parties. Although I don't care about face, I am afraid of causing unnecessary misunderstandings with the two parties and losing my good life."

"Captain Wang has already mastered such great power, but he is still so careful. The rumors in the Shanghai Bund are not false. However, please rest assured, just attending a cocktail party, the Kuomintang and the Red Party will not be so stingy that they will find trouble with you and want your life because of these things. After all, what they look at is what you have done."

The person speaking is not Wang Manchun, but a Japanese woman in a Japanese army colonel's uniform, laughing and not knowing whether it is conveying kindness or mocking Wang Yan for being

"Detective Wang already controls such great power, yet is still so cautious; the rumors in the Shanghai Bund are not false. However, please rest assured, it is just attending a cocktail party; the Kuomintang and the Red Party won't be so petty as to cause you trouble or want your life because of these things; after all, what they look at is what you have done."

The person speaking was not Wang Manchun, but a Japanese woman in a Japanese Army Colonel's uniform, laughing and not knowing whether she was conveying goodwill or mocking Wang Yan for being greedy for life and afraid of death. Wang Manchun heard the voice, looked back, and then respectfully bowed and called out "Section Chief," before stepping back to clear space for the conversation. Without a doubt, this Japanese woman was the Section Chief of the Shanghai Special Higher Police Section, Yoko Minami.

"You are also looking at what I have done, aren't you? So it is said that people like me live a difficult life." Wang Yan shook his head with a bitter smile, reached out his hand and said: "You must be the beauty Section Chief of the Special Higher Police Section rumored in the Shanghai Bund, Ms. Yoko Minami, right? I have long admired you; today I finally get to see you, and you are indeed a heroine among women."

"Oh, is that so? I wonder, in Detective Wang's view, who is more beautiful, me or Ms. Wang?" Yoko Minami laughed and reached out to shake hands with Wang Yan, touching and then withdrawing...

"Naturally, Manchun is more beautiful. Speaking of which, I have to thank you; if not for that, I'm afraid we two wouldn't have such a good fate. However, you don't need to care, because I have some understanding of the situation in Japan; in Japan, the status of women is not much higher than that of Chinese women. You can be awarded the rank of Army Colonel and serve as the Section Chief of the Shanghai Special Higher Police Section; this is a very remarkable thing. Manchun's beauty is in her skin. Your beauty lies in that ambitious heart inside you that is not weaker than a man's."

"Detective Wang really knows how to talk." Yoko Minami laughed until her gums showed; obviously, she was also very satisfied with the achievements she had made today. She said: "Although we have had some unpleasantness before, you don't need to have such great guard against us; we have absolutely no malice. On this point, you should be able to feel it."

"That is of course; otherwise, I wouldn't have been providing you with intelligence on the French for the past few months. But please also forgive me; the intelligence I can access has basically been told to you in every detail; I truly cannot get any more."

Looking at Yoko Minami, who was nodding repeatedly to show understanding, Wang Yan continued: "It's not that I have guard, but for the sake of my own life, I have to keep an appropriate distance from you Japanese. On this point, even if it were the Kuomintang or the Red Party, it would be the same. If I am close to you, they will want my life; if I am close to them, you won't let me off either."

"Even truly speaking, my relationship with you now is stronger than with the two parties. After all, I haven't told them anything, but have revealed a lot to you. The Shanghai Bund all says Wang Mou is playing both sides and protecting himself, but who knows Wang Mou's dilemma? It is truly like walking on thin ice; I am cautious all day long, just afraid of one wrong step and falling into the abyss."

"Everyone understands your worries, and I understand them even more. However, Detective Wang, look at these people; aren't they still doing fine? Look at that person; that is Ms. Wang's uncle; how happily is he laughing?"

"Section Chief Minami is joking; you and I are both clear that my situation is different from theirs; the late Zhang Xiaolin is my role model. His connection with you might have been long-standing, but he only openly defected to you when the war started, which is only a year ago. In this year, he encountered two sanctions from the Military Statistics Bureau. After the first assassination, he stayed behind closed doors all day, but what was the result? Wasn't he still poisoned to death by a loyal nanny bought off by the Military Statistics Bureau? I have seen the photos; he died truly miserably. To tell you the truth, for a while, I was scared awake every day in my dreams; Manchun knows this very well."

Wang Manchun rolled her eyes and didn't speak, looking down on him. She was indeed clear about it and had already reported it to Yoko Minami. She remembered this vividly; she felt that Wang Yan's courage was as small as it could be, not as good as a woman, and only in that aspect was he still a man.

Yoko Minami also shook her head and laughed; it was precisely because of this that Wang Yan was difficult to handle. A person who was not confused by power or money, put his own life first, did everything for the sake of self-preservation, and yet possessed huge energy, was truly difficult to deal with. As for the role of women, it was indeed there, but not that big. She was a woman herself; she was very clear about the attitude of powerful men toward women, which had always been "pulling out and being heartless." In situations that didn't touch upon his own interests, Wang Yan being able to have the patience to flirt with women was already very rare.

Kill him? Wang Yan's attitude was still okay; he was considered cooperative, provided them with intelligence, and even now was doing business with high-ranking Japanese officials; I heard the scale was very large, so it was not easy to take action. Don't kill him? This guy was occupying the latrine but not pooping, holding power but not doing things, and was various ways of coping, fooling, and shirking toward their Great Japanese Empire, which was very obstructive. This was a contradiction, and it was very difficult to handle.

"I understand your concerns, but I also understand the principle you follow: do work for whoever's rice bowl you eat from. It doesn't matter; the Great Japanese Empire will sooner or later take over the concessions."

Without waiting for Wang Yan to speak, Yoko Minami continued: "I know what you want to say; even when that day comes, you won't deal with the people from the two parties. It doesn't matter; we understand. Actually, what we value more is your ability to govern the place and do business. At the same time, you control half of the Green Gang's power and can also help us maintain public order and control workers. The warriors on the front lines are fighting for the Empire, and the rear needs people like you to contribute strength and participate in the great cause of *****."

"If there really is such a day, I would be very willing. However, perhaps I won't live to see that day; you are clear that although Du Yong is far away in Hong Kong, he still caused me great trouble; maybe one day I will die and won't see the day the great cause is achieved."

"Mr. Wang, I am very strange; facing life and death, why are you not afraid of the life and death of the struggle with Du Yong, but facing us, as well as the two parties, you are so fearful?"

"It's very simple. Facing Du Yong and the current Green Gang members, my life and death are between two possibilities. But facing your three parties, I will surely die, without seeing the slightest hope of survival. Even if I can gain huge power, what is the use if I don't have the life to enjoy it?"

Yoko Minami nodded and acknowledged Wang Yan's words: "Du Yong is an enemy of the Great Japanese Empire; what if we help you eliminate him?"

"That would be when the Military Statistics Bureau eliminates me; thank you for your kindness."

"Alright then, Detective Wang, eat slowly; I won't disturb you. If you have any needs, you can let Ms. Wang tell me at any time; you are a friend of the Great Japanese Empire, and toward friends, we have always been sincere."

"Thank you, Section Chief Minami." Wang Yan nodded, shook hands with her again, and sent away this female executioner who was even more ruthless than Wang Manchun.

This time, Yoko Minami's purpose in coming was not very complicated; it was just to recognize the person and tentatively offer an olive branch, and perhaps also to personally distinguish whether the greedy-for-life Detective Wang was really that afraid of death. Obviously, Wang Yan was really that afraid of death. After talking for so long, her most useful sentence was saying she would kill Du Yong and help Wang Yan thoroughly unify the power within the Green League.

If the Japanese really had to take action to kill Du Yong, then Wang Yan wouldn't just be unifying the Green League, but would be unifying all the Green Gang forces in all of Shanghai and even the surrounding areas. So Wang Yan said he would be sanctioned by the Military Statistics Bureau. This position, whoever takes it will die; if the Kuomintang doesn't kill him, the Red Party will also kill him.

"Section Chief Minami is usually not so approachable; you didn't grasp the opportunity given to you, useless man."

"Do you not know whether I am useful?" Wang Yan shook his head and laughed: "Moreover, she is kind to me because of my current status and position, which were all fought for by my own real sword and gun; what does it have to do with whether she is kind or not? You don't know yet, right? When the consulate clerk sent me the invitation, he said that the Deputy Consul General of the consulate, Eiichi Iwai, very much wants to meet and chat with me. His position is higher than Yoko Minami's; when the time comes, he will also be approachable, what do you say?"

"Mr. Iwai wants to see you? Does he want to absorb you into the Special Investigation Office?" Wang Manchun frowned and asked.

From her address of Eiichi Iwai, one could feel how loyal she was to the Japanese. This was behind people's backs, just the two of them eating and drinking and talking, and she was still saying "Mr. Iwai"; how could this woman not die...