Chapter 671: Miss Ming Must Be Careful

After talking about serious business, Ming Lou poured wine for Wang Yan, raised his glass, and smiled: "I already know about my elder sister's affairs. You helped get a batch of goods from my teacher, Wang Fuqu, and even let my elder sister use your brand. Thank you for your care and help; Ming Lou toasts you."

Wang Yan nodded with a smile, touched glasses with him, drank the wine, picked up food, and said while eating: "Actually, it can't be called help. Taking people's money and eliminating disasters for them, Miss Ming is very generous on this point. For 50,000 worth of medicine, Wang Mou just moved his mouth, and she gave me 10,000; this money was earned cleanly."

"You are joking. With your status, how could you care about that 10,000 US dollars? There are many people in the Shanghai Bund who want to send you money, but Ming Lou hasn't heard of many people who can really send money to your hands. Moreover, is your brand something that can be used casually? My elder sister is used to being fiery; you say she takes it seriously, how can that work? Now Ming Lou is back and serving in the new government, and also concurrently serving as the Deputy Director of the Special Service Committee. In the future, if there is anything, just give orders; if it can be done, Ming Lou will definitely not refuse."

Ming Jing using Wang Yan's brand to act—she already said it herself last time when Wang Fuqu detained the goods. Speaking of things, different environments, tones, expressions, etc., have different meanings.

Ming Jing told him, saying outside that they were neighbors, which had a feeling of politeness in it. But in reality, whether Ming Jing really used his brand, he wasn't very clear.

Now it seems that Ming Jing really was using it. No need to say more; as long as she said lightly when being targeted that she was neighbors with Wang Yan, had moved and sent gifts, and had eaten together, that was enough to save 90% of the trouble. And those people had no chance to come to Wang Yan to verify, and even if they had the chance, they didn't have the guts to ask.

And those who could converse with Wang Yan, like Wang Man Chun, would come to Wang Yan for help when Ming Jing could not solve the problem. In this way, she wouldn't cause trouble for Wang Yan either. Moreover, after the matter was accomplished, it would be more convenient for her to use his name the next time, because there would be verifiable examples that Wang Yan had indeed once spoken up to help Ming Jing.

So although Ming Jing sometimes had no brains, sometimes her brains were still enough, otherwise she couldn't have managed the Ming family's industries...

Wang Yan waved his hand: "You should be clear about my reputation. In the Shanghai Bund, from celebrities and tycoons to peddlers and pawns, everyone knows Wang Mou is greedy for life and afraid of death, greedy for money and lustful. You don't need to hold me so high. As far as I know, Miss Ming is a capable person; otherwise, do you think Wang Mou's brand is so easy to use?"

Perhaps because he deeply knew Wang Yan was greedy for money and lustful, Ming Lou frowned, but still maintained a polite low posture: "What do you mean?"

Seeing him like that, Wang Yan knew he had thought crookedly; he shook his head with a wry smile: "It seems Wang Mou is really notorious, and greedy for money and lustful is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. But don't misunderstand; I have no other intentions toward Miss Ming. I am referring to another aspect."

"Another aspect refers to..."

"The Red Party."

"The Red Party?"

Ming Lou was calm and composed, and there was not even any change in his eyes; his brows furrowed even tighter, which was incomprehension: "You say my elder sister is Red Party? Impossible! Don't I know her? She took over the Ming family's industries at seventeen, and because she couldn't handle the family business after marrying out, she hasn't married until now, wholeheartedly wanting to preserve the family business passed down by the Ming family. She just wants us brothers to get married, so she can hand over the family business, bring up children for us, and enjoy a comfortable life. How could she be Red Party?"

"You could be Red Party, I could be Red Party, anyone could be Red Party; how could Miss Ming not be?"

Seeing Wang Yan's suddenly serious face, Ming Lou couldn't maintain his acting, his pupils shrank, and his face twitched for a moment. Because he was really Red Party, he saw Wang Yan was serious and not like he was faking, so he couldn't grasp the accurate situation, so he lost his composure for a moment.

He waved his hand and laughed, shaking his head repeatedly: "You are joking, Mr. Wang. I have chatted about you with Mr. Zhou Fuhai, Mr. Iwai Eiichi, and Section Chief Nantian of the Special High Police; they unanimously concluded that anyone could be Red Party, but only you couldn't. They said you are a person who is selfish to the extreme, and also a person who doesn't like to play small tricks, putting everything on the surface. They said your only secret is your wealth, a secret even you yourself don't know."

Seeing Wang Yan laughing happily at being flattered, he continued: "As for Ming Lou, don't hide it from you, I don't like the Japanese and Wang Zhaoming and others, but as you said, under the eaves, one has to bow one's head. They called me back from England; if I refused, I would have died in England. So now, although I am working under Wang Zhaoming, it is also helpless, just mixing for a bite to eat. Speaking of my elder sister, she is just a proper merchant; she indeed has opinions about the Japanese and traitors, but she would absolutely not risk the destruction of the Ming family to get involved in those things."

"What you say is reasonable; then it was I who thought too much. However, it wouldn't matter if Miss Ming really was Red Party; I am doing business with the Red Party, and penicillin is sold exclusively by me; I have made a lot of money following the Red Party. But it doesn't matter to me, which doesn't mean it doesn't matter to others. If caught by someone, that would be dangerous. There has never been anything in the world that is seamless; many things have traces to follow; Miss Ming must be careful."

Wang Yan changed his smiling face, raised his glass to invite a drink: "Look at me, eating radish and worrying about the world, saying too much. Come, drink."

"Thank you for your concern, I toast you."

The two ate and drank, chatting about economics, chatting about the domestic and foreign situation, chatting about local customs. Although he had long known Wang Yan was well-read and a cultured person, only this time did he really understand what Wang Yan was like. Such a person, with so many identities, surviving in the middle of multiple forces, he had to admit that the reputation was really not false; Wang Yan was more terrifying than the legend...

Amidst the respectful send-off of Ming Lou and Ming Cheng, Wang Yan got into the car driven by Qi Si and returned to the concession.

"How was the chat with Ming Cheng?"

Qi Si let out a long breath: "I am not his opponent; I didn't chat better than him."

Wang Yan laughed: "What's this, Ming Cheng is ten years older than you, and his experience is ten years more than yours, and he has traveled all over, even went abroad; it's normal not to chat better than him. What did you say?"

"Nothing much, just simply asked about your situation, and the rest was saying what I did all day. Also said we were compatible, and to go out and play together when there's nothing to do."

"Then what did you find out from him?"

"London is always raining..." Qi Si told about the foreign things he learned from Ming Cheng; at first, he was quite excited, but as he spoke, he felt it was meaningless: "This Ming Cheng is not simple."

The voice was low, the tone was certain, it was expressing his seriousness, hoping Wang Yan could attach importance to it; he still had some childish spirit.

"In this year, who can live comfortably and is simple?"

"Then what if he looks for me in the future?"

"Go with him; you are clear about what should be said and what shouldn't be said; just fool around with him, anyway, you don't need to spend money, just play."

"I think so too; I don't have much money left. Still Brother Shi is not particular; he is so rich, and going out to have fun requires me to pay; really..."

Wang Yan listened to Qi Si complaining about Shi Changxing bullying a kid with a smile; it was quite interesting. Shi Changxing was relatively active, loved to play and make trouble, and would tease the silly boy Qi Si when he had nothing to do.

At the entrance of the restaurant, watching the car drive away, Ming Lou let out a long breath and also got into the car with Ming Cheng and left: "Go home."

"Big brother, what happened?"

"Wang Yan said elder sister is Red Party."

"What?" Ming Cheng stabilized his mind, maintaining the normal driving of the vehicle: "Does Wang Yan have evidence?"

"He said there is no such thing as seamless in this world." Ming Lou recalled the previous scene, thinking about Wang Yan's expression and tone: "I believe he must have already grasped some news. A person like him, every word and action has a purpose; otherwise, he wouldn't have told me these things. As for evidence, do you think that's important?

What he wants is not evidence; what he wants is to know who is whose person, so he can use it, or avoid it, and maintain this kind of balance now. However, you can rest assured; he is openly doing business with the Red Party, and it's the exclusive penicillin, so even if elder sister is really Red Party, even if he really grasped some solid evidence, he would absolutely not betray elder sister, unless he thinks he lives too long."

"Then what will you say when you go back to elder sister?"

"Naturally, tell the truth. You know elder sister's temper; if I speak in circles, won't she scold me to death? Alright, these things will be clear when we go back and ask elder sister; the problem is not big, Wang Yan can be trusted, otherwise Yan'an wouldn't do business with him. How was the chat with that Qi Si?"

"Still okay, that kid is still young and has no cultivation. The situation learned is basically consistent with the news I know from Yu Manli; Wang Yan really has no secrets. But I still feel it's not right; how can a person have no secrets?"

"The Japanese think so too, Wang Zhaoming and Zhou Fuhai think so, Dai Yunong and Wang Tianfeng think so, and perhaps the organization also thinks so. But they didn't find Wang Yan's secret; the only secret is that no one knows how much money he has. He is an extremely smart and cunning person; he knows that only in this way can he survive in the cracks.

You also know his resume; every step he takes is very solid. Although he has risen fiercely in the past two years, it is also due to the situation, and he has also accumulated and developed. And what he has always followed is that he doesn't resist Japan, but he can't stop others from doing things. If he really had other ideas, he would have died last year and wouldn't have lived until now. So don't pay too much attention to him; our goal is still the Japanese and the Wang puppet group."

Ming Cheng nodded and continued to ask: "I met Yu Manli last night and revealed my true colors. The Ming mansion and the Wang mansion are neighbors, so we will definitely meet in the future. Wang Yan is not an ordinary person, and the feeling Yu Manli gives me is not very sophisticated; she goes to the Wang mansion every few days, so there will definitely be times when we bump into each other. She definitely can't hide it from Wang Yan; what should we do then?"

"Still that saying, Wang Yan himself doesn't resist Japan, but he won't stop others from resisting Japan; even if he knows, it doesn't matter. This is why I let you use the code name 'Viper' to see Yu Manli; if exposed, Wang Yan will only know you. Of course, he will definitely suspect me, but even if he knows, it doesn't matter; instead, it will be more convenient to use his power to do things in the future. You haven't seen the letter Wang Tianfeng gave me; actually, Wang Yan knows far more than we imagined.

Before the Military Statistics Bureau suffered losses, Wang Yan knew about the multiple contact stations of the Military Statistics Bureau in the French Concession, and at the same time, he remembered the faces of at least dozens of Military Statistics Bureau personnel. That is to say, the previous actions of the Military Statistics Bureau were carried out under his nose. But there were no problems for such a long time, which is enough to prove that he is trustworthy.

On the other hand, since he can discover the contact stations of the Military Statistics Bureau and remember the faces of the personnel, then can't he discover the contact stations of the Red Party and remember the faces of the Red Party personnel? He joined the Central Police Station in the 17th year of the Republic of China, at which time the Nationalist Party was targeting the Red Party, but in these nine years until the July 7th Incident in the 26th year of the Republic of China, he never betrayed the Red Party.

And you also know the situation of his parents; in the early days, they were worker representatives in Shanghai, which also has origins with the Red Party. It is exactly these things that allowed him to do business with the Red Party for many years, and now he can sell penicillin exclusively. Rest assured, this person is still very reliable."

Wang Tianfeng is a very responsible person; after deciding to leave, he already told Ming Lou the situation he grasped about Wang Yan, facilitating Ming Lou's judgment and deciding how to contact him.

Ming Lou synthesized the intelligence he knew and his judgment of Wang Yan was basically consistent with Wang Tianfeng's. He can be used, but don't hold higher expectations. Mainly, Wang Yan's power in the Shanghai Bund is too great, even more than Du Yong in those years, and nothing can be bypassed when doing anything. Even if bypassed, Wang Yan can know it afterwards; big and small things can't be hidden from him.

Ming Cheng said he knew and didn't ask any more questions. Ming Lou leaned back on the seat, exhausted; talking to a person like Wang Yan was too brain-consuming. Every word he said had to be carefully considered, and he had to analyze the intention of Wang Yan's words, and pay attention to expression management; it was too exhausting.

However, it wasn't quiet for long before Ming Cheng, who was driving in front, suddenly said: "Didn't you two chat about Wang Manchun?"

"What's there to chat about?"

"Wang Yan can't not know about the past between you and Wang Manchun, and he can't not know that you already know about the relationship between him and Wang Manchun; how come there was nothing to chat about?"

"Are you playing tongue twisters with me?" Ming Lou was a bit annoyed; he knew Ming Cheng was deliberately watching his joke: "How many years ago was it between me and Wang Manchun? Now she has become an executioner of No. 76; what's there to say?"

"I don't think so; you've been back for two days, and Wang Manchun has been throwing flirtatious glances at you."

"I see you, you are just watching my joke. She might have feelings for me, but that's also because of previous things; to say how much true feeling there is, that's a joke. Otherwise, how could she arrange for people to investigate me? And keep testing me? Just act on the scene and deal with it; let her play with Wang Yan."

"I estimate that Wang Yan is really playing with her, just to deal with the Japanese; Wang Manchun is beautiful and suits his taste. A person like him wouldn't care about any woman."

"Since you know everything, why so much nonsense? Drive your car well..."

Looking at Ming Lou's exasperated appearance through the rearview mirror, Ming Cheng laughed loudly...

In the Ming mansion, Ming Jing was sitting on the sofa in the living room reading a newspaper. Seeing Ming Lou and Ming Cheng return, she asked: "Aren't you working for the big traitor, how come you came back at noon?"

She was still angry because Ming Lou didn't come back to see her the first time he returned to Shanghai, and even more because he was working for the Wang puppet government as a traitor.

Ming Lou did not take the bait and went straight to the point: "Big sister, there are some things I need to tell you. Let's go to the study to talk."

After speaking, he turned and entered the study on the first floor.

Ming Jing didn't understand and put down the newspaper, looking at Ming Cheng who was standing on the side: "What's the matter, so mysterious?"

"I don't know either, big sister; you'd better ask big brother." Ming Cheng shrugged, picked up the newspaper, and read it himself.

"I see, you all want to rebel; you've grown up, and no one listens to what I, the big sister, say; Ming Tai is still the best; you two, can't rely on you."

Ming Jing muttered, but still went to the study, sat on the sofa with a "plop": "Speak, what's the matter?"

Ming Lou closed the door, walked over, and sat on the side: "Big sister, tell me the truth, are you Red Party?"

... "What are you saying? I wholeheartedly manage the Ming family's industries; how could I have any connection with those people? I scold them as traitors because I am Chinese; I can't stand them, but that doesn't mean I am Red Party. Who says I am Red Party? Could it be that they want to come and arrest me? Is it that snake-hearted woman Wang Manchun? There is no good person in their Wang family."

After a moment of confusion, Ming Jing was unhappy, denied it, her tone was firm, and she tried to change the subject.

Ming Jing's response was normal, but in Ming Lou's eyes, that was the answer.

He sighed: "I had lunch with Wang Yan at noon, and he told me; do you think he would speak without a purpose?"

"Then I used his brand to act; why doesn't he come to find me?" Ming Jing seemed prepared, fearless.

Ming Lou was stunned for a moment, then reacted: "You mean, this was instructed by your superior? They just determined that even if Wang Yan knows, he will pretend not to know anything?"

"What superior or inferior? I am not Red Party. Besides, I just mentioned when I was in trouble that he is our neighbor, and didn't say anything else; what does it have to do with anything? Can't anyone borrow power?"

Having an organization and discipline—even if one's own father were reborn, one couldn't admit it. Ming Lou understood very well; he shook his head and said: "There has never been anything in the world that is seamless; many things have traces to follow; Miss Ming must be careful. This was Wang Yan's original words; he said it very correctly. Big sister, I won't say anything if you join the Red Party, but you must be careful and act cautiously.

When I came back, Wang Manchun sent people to investigate my past; will she investigate our Ming family's industries? When the time comes, if she finds any clues and follows the vine to find the melon, damaging our Ming family is a small matter, but ruining the lives of other anti-Japanese patriots of the Red Party is a big matter..."

Ming Jing didn't answer, frowned and asked: "You have this awareness, why do you work for Wang Zhaoming?"

"You have your party and mission, and naturally I have my party and mission. Big sister, act carefully; during this period, review more and see where there are still problems to avoid any omissions..."

"You mean, you are a person of the Nationalist Party?"

"Alright, big sister, let's stop here." Ming Lou smiled, rubbing his head: "Wang Yan is worthy of being a person in the world; his drinking capacity is really good. I feel uncomfortable now that the alcohol is coming up. I'll go have A-Xiang make a hangover soup; after drinking it, I still have to go out to do things. Establishing a new government, there are too many things..."

Ming Jing let out a long breath, stood up, and glared at Ming Lou: "If you can't drink, drink less; you're so old and don't make people worry; wait..."

After speaking, she turned and left, her steps quite light, even with a bit of joy... ===== CHAPTER 672 =====