Chapter 177: Hiding Place

East Sea Tea House.

Xie Ruolin adjusted the record player, and the squeaky, nasal sounds of Peking Opera drifted out.

He patted the record player and let out a few dry, hee-hee chuckles.

Playing inside was "The Imperial Concubine Gets Drunk" by the Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang.

He shook his head and swayed to the music, clearly enjoying himself.

Whether this play could be performed with flair tonight depended entirely on him.

A moment later, Li Ya, dressed in a designer suit, walked in. He cast a cold glance at Xie Ruolin:

"Brother, why do you look so familiar?"

"Captain... Captain Li, my name is Xie Ruolin. I'm a clerk in the archives of the Dangtong Bureau." Xie Ruolin stood up and reached out with a smile.

"Dangtong Bureau!"

Li Ya became instantly alert; his first reaction was that Hong Zhiyou was setting a trap for him.

Without a word, he turned to leave.

Xie Ruolin took two quick steps to block him: "Old brother, don't be in such a rush to leave."

"You know the rules.

"Our two factions are never to have any dealings with each other.

"If people found out you and I were drinking tea together, I'd be headed for the electric chair.

"Move."

Li Ya sneered and brushed his hand away.

"Captain Li.

"I do work at the Dangtong Bureau, but that's just where I collect my paycheck.

"My true identity is an intelligence trader and an arms broker.

"And a black-market scalper.

"Besides, the current Dangtong Bureau and the Secret Service Bureau aren't like the old Military Statistics and Central Statistics bureaus.

"Everyone is eating from the same pot behind the scenes.

"Not to mention anything else, you have business partners of mine in your Secret Service Bureau.

"Where did the fake news about the Embroidery Pavilion come from?

"Wasn't it sold by your Secret Service Bureau?

"Do you know how much it sold for?"

Xie Ruolin tilted his chin at Li Ya.

"How much?" Li Ya asked, frowning.

"Fifteen gold bars!

"This was a case you handled, so there's nothing... nothing I can hide from you.

"It was our Director Sun who entrusted me to buy it.

"Even though you played us, that money came straight out of our pockets."

Xie Ruolin said.

"Fifteen gold bars!" Li Ya's eyes turned red.

"How about that? You hid Yuan Peilin away, and a lot of people made a fortune following that. You... you didn't expect that, did you?

"I'll tell you the truth.

"If you, Captain Li, were to drop even a hint about Yuan Peilin's whereabouts now,

"I guarantee you, a whole crowd of people would be begging to trade their mansions for it. Do you believe me?"

Xie Ruolin said.

"I have no interest in trafficking intelligence.

"I'm only curious about who sold you the information.

"Yu Zecheng, Lu Qiaoshan, or Hong Zhiyou?"

Li Ya asked, eyeing him sideways.

"I can't say that. We have our own rules. If you smash someone else's rice bowl, they'll take your life." Xie Ruolin waved his hand to cut him off.

"Then do you believe I could arrest you right now?" Li Ya said.

"Forget it.

"First of all, you have no evidence.

"Besides, you have resources and power but can't turn them into cash, and I am your God of Wealth.

"You wouldn't go against money, would you?"

Xie Ruolin smiled with a look of unshakeable confidence.

"Have Hong Zhiyou or Yu Zecheng ever traded intelligence with you?" Li Ya asked.

"They only buy, never sell.

"Hong Zhiyou can do business with the Generalissimo and the Americans; he eats big money, so he doesn't look down on these small sums.

"As for Yu Zecheng, he's timid and cautious.

"As for your Director Lu, he buys occasionally, but rarely.

"It's not just them; people like the garrison, the Reds... even the Ministry of National Defense have bought from me.

"If Captain Li has intelligence, for our first collaboration, I can offer a ten percent profit over the market price.

"Just a little leak of the intelligence you have in your hands would be a mountain of gold and silver."

Xie Ruolin tilted his head, lobbying with a mercenary look.

"Let's forget about selling intelligence."

Hearing this, Li Ya's tension eased slightly, and he sat back down: "I came over just to know when the US bonds will be issued and if there's a channel to buy some."

"That's not even an issue; leave it to me."

Xie Ruolin said, lowering his voice: "I'm still mainly hoping to do some intelligence trading with you. The price..."

"I have no interest in intelligence trading." Li Ya refused with a cold face.

"Fine, then today we won't talk about intelligence; we'll just eat and make friends.

"I know Captain Li suffered quite a bit in Yancheng; it's all sand and dirt there, so seafood must be hard to come by.

"Today, I've specially prepared a table of fresh catches for you.

"Have a taste."

With that, Xie Ruolin shouted outside: "Serve the food."

Soon, lobsters, crabs, oysters, and more, steamed or pan-fried, were all on the table.

Li Ya didn't stand on ceremony.

He never turned down good food, especially when it was free.

While eating, Xie Ruolin watched him, his head swaying gently to the opera, humming the tune.

As a smart man,

he knew well that he couldn't fish for information from Li Ya directly at this moment.

Secret observation was a good choice.

Such beautiful opera.

Li Ya was entirely focused on the food, seemingly not affected in the slightest.

No rush.

Let's see.

After the meal, Xie Ruolin poured him another cup of tea, and they began to chat aimlessly.

Li Ya was very interested in making money.

He asked, and Xie Ruolin answered tirelessly.

During the idle chat, he discovered a clue.

It was understandable that Li Ya loved food and ignored the influence of the opera.

But this was a masterpiece by Master Mei.

Even while chatting and drinking tea, he still showed no reaction at all.

A normal person, upon hearing their favorite song or opera, would be affected to some degree, and their body would instinctively respond.

One had to know that according to the intelligence provided by Hong Zhiyou,

Li Ya went to the opera house to listen to plays at least three times a week.

And he would listen for the better part of the performance.

He was clearly a lover of opera.

Opera was the kind of thing where, if you loved it, it was in your bones; if you didn't, you couldn't hear a single note.

In Li Ya, Xie Ruolin didn't see a shadow of a love for opera.

Could it be that he had undergone special training?

"Waiter." Xie Ruolin clapped his hands.

The waiter walked in.

"Go, change... change this play.

"The squeaking sounds like a funeral dirge; it's ruining the mood for drinking."

Xie Ruolin ordered impatiently.

"Yes, yes."

The waiter hurriedly changed the record.

Soon, popular music from the Great World stage drifted out.

The sound was pleasant and luxurious.

"Ooh, this... this is the right flavor. Captain Li, do you smell the scent of money coming from the Huangpu River?" Xie Ruolin said.

"Old Xie, in Jinhai, who has more ability, you or Hong Zhiyou?" Li Ya glanced at his watch; Little Yunxian shouldn't have finished her performance yet, so he asked one more question.

"Of course it's Hong Zhiyou.

"He has deep ties with the foreigners; these days, if you want to make big money, you have to find the Americans." Xie Ruolin said, handing Li Ya a cigarette.

"I don't smoke."

Li Ya waved his hand and frowned: "But I offended him as soon as I arrived.

"I won't hide it from you, I actually really want to be friends with him.

"It seems this business can't be done."

Xie Ruolin laughed heartily and waved his hand: "You're overthinking it. Hong and I are the same kind of people. Forget about offending him; even if you gave me a shot right now, as long as I didn't die, I'd still do business with you once I recovered.

"In this world, people are full of ideologies, but their hearts... are full of business.

"Who talks about feelings when making friends? It all... it all has to be real gold and silver.

"That stuff is more reliable than feelings!"

As he spoke, his fingers rubbed together greedily.

"I see you've reached a point of being obsessed with money to the point of shamelessness." Li Ya mocked.

"Hee hee, that evaluation is incisive and apt; I... I like it.

"People, you have to make money.

"Dignity only comes after money.

"Having money and not using it is completely different from having no money to use.

"Just like when you were eating dirt, could you have imagined the crabs and prawns on this plate?"

Xie Ruolin tilted his head and chuckled dryly.

"Fine, from now on I'll make my fortune with you." Li Ya tapped the table lightly with his left index finger and raised his glass with his right.

"This, this is the right way.

"Cheers, my friend."

As Xie Ruolin raised his glass, his sleeve deliberately brushed against the table, and his chopsticks fell to the floor.

"Apologies."

He smiled apologetically and bent down to pick up the chopsticks.

Under the table, he noticed Li Ya's leg tapping rhythmically to the music, perfectly in sync with his fingers.

In other words,

Li Ya did have a reaction to music and opera.

It wasn't that he had been trained to control his lack of interest in opera.

In other words, judging by his reaction,

Li Ya was not interested in opera; what he liked was the stage music of Shanghai.

Understood.

"Old brother, we've had a great chat today. To show my sincerity, I'm willing to give you a head start." After the wine was mostly finished, Xie Ruolin said.

"What is it?" Li Ya asked, his cheeks slightly flushed.

"You know white sugar is valuable now, right?" Xie Ruolin asked with a smile.

"I know.

"This stuff costs three US dollars a pound now; it's scarcer than gold." Li Ya said.

"Exactly.

"Ordinary people can get by with a bit of salt, but only rich people like Madam Jiang use it for pastries and coffee. Ever since the Japanese started causing trouble in Southeast Asia,

"plus the high cost of shipping, this stuff has been hard to get. How could it not be expensive?

"To show my sincerity, I can get you a truckload of white sugar.

"You can easily double your money just by offloading it.

"How about that? That's sincere enough, right?"

Xie Ruolin smiled.

"I'm off!"

Li Ya patted his black leather gloves and stood up to leave, full of food and wine.

A truckload of white sugar?

What a joke; even Zhang Tinge and Chen Zhangjie couldn't get that.

Could a small-time intelligence peddler like him manage it?

If it weren't for the sake of this big meal, he wouldn't believe this nonsense.

"Heh heh, still looking down on me, huh.

"Wait... wait for the surprise and the... shock."

Once Li Ya left, Xie Ruolin chewed on a toothpick and smiled playfully.

Walking out of the tea house,

Xie Ruolin found a public phone booth and dialed Hong Zhiyou's number:

"I have news.

"Captain Li has no interest in opera; he prefers the beautiful big stars of Shanghai.

"I can't say for sure, but I have a hunch.

"After all, I've seen all kinds of people and eaten from a hundred different bowls; I consider my eye for people to be decent.

"Three gold bars.

"By the way, don't forget to give him that truckload of white sugar.

"I don't have the ability to get it anyway.

"I'll collect the money for you when the time comes, ten percent commission as per the old rules.

"Thanks, brother.

"Alright, goodbye."

Nine o'clock in the evening.

Hong Zhiyou had bummed a meal off Yu Zecheng, and the two were playing chess in the living room downstairs.

In today's game, both were playing poorly.

Yu Zecheng noticed that Hong Zhiyou checked his watch several times and even took a phone call in between.

Tonight was the final night of the search for Yuan Peilin.

Once it failed, Li Ya would be in a position to take over tomorrow.

Time was running out.

The problem was that the members of the Assassination Squad had already been exposed, Luo Anping was no longer effective, and forcing another search would inevitably lead to being watched.

The only person Yu Zecheng could rely on was this omnipotent Secretary Hong.

"Junior brother, drink some tea.

"You've been busy with official business lately, so I won't nag you, but once this is over, you must get back to your training.

"This stuff can't be left idle; once it is, it's hard to pick back up."

Cuiping refilled their tea, not forgetting to give Hong Zhiyou a few words of advice.

"Yes, senior sister."

Hong Zhiyou nodded respectfully.

"Sister-in-law, do you like listening to opera?" Hong Zhiyou asked suddenly.

"Listening to opera?

"I do. Back in our village, listening to opera was a rare treat; you had to wait for the landlord to celebrate a big birthday to hear a performance." Cuiping said.

"Then let's go listen to opera, and bring a knife while you're at it." Hong Zhiyou said.

"Why bring a knife?" Yu Zecheng and Cuiping looked at him in astonishment at the same time.

"Yuan Peilin has likely been found.

"He's hiding in that opera troupe at the Drum Tower." Hong Zhiyou placed a piece on the board with calm composure.

"Hiding in an opera troupe?

"Didn't Old Lu send people to search it twice? They caught Li Ya's brother-in-law, Zhang Wenshun."

Yu Zecheng said while nimbly putting on his Zhongshan suit.

Cuiping was also sensible enough to go upstairs and change her clothes.

They both knew that Hong Zhiyou's calculations were always flawless; since he was certain, it was likely correct.

"That's exactly what's terrifying about it.

"Who would have thought Li Ya set up a chain of traps, sacrificing his own 'brother-in-law' in the process?

"Would that troupe leader really cooperate with him even at the cost of his own life?"

Hong Zhiyou took a sip of tea and stood up to shake out his slightly stiff limbs.

"How did you know Yuan was hiding in the opera house?" Cuiping changed into her black training suit, tied her belt, and walked down, interjecting.

"I had Old Xie invite him to dinner, and Old Xie played opera music.

"Li Ya had absolutely no reaction.

"A person who has no reaction to opera, yet goes to listen to it every few days—isn't that highly suspicious?"

Hong Zhiyou asked with a smile.

"This Li Ya, he's truly become a master of deceit.

"You say, who wouldn't be confused after stumbling in the same place twice?

"Even the Station Master, as calculating as he is, ruled out the opera house. This move is too high-level and ruthless.

"Now I suspect his pursuit of that young opera singer girlfriend is also just an act.

"I'm afraid Li Ya has been preparing to catch a big fish from the very first day he returned to Jinhai."

Yu Zecheng sighed in disbelief.

"Found him, and that damn traitor won't live." Cuiping's eyes flashed with murderous intent, and she began changing into cloth shoes.

"No, Cuiping, you... what are you doing?" Yu Zecheng's eyelids twitched, and he called out to her.

"Didn't you hear my junior brother say we're going to kill someone?" Cuiping asked back.

"You're really going?

"You don't need to execute the mission; what if it's another one of Li Ya's traps?

"Isn't this just sending ourselves into the fire pit one by one?

"The more it's like this, the more we need to stay calm."

Yu Zecheng hurriedly held her back.

"Senior sister, you hear 'fight and kill' and it sounds better than eating meat during the New Year." Hong Zhiyou laughed.

"That's a must.

"In the past, killing a Japanese soldier or a traitor meant getting ten extra bullets."

Cuiping chuckled honestly.

"We are going to actually watch a play.

"But not at the Drum Tower; we're going to the Shengping Theater for Master Mei's disciple showcase.

"By the way, the Station Master and Mother Wu will also be going."

Hong Zhiyou pulled a few theater tickets from his pocket.

He didn't like watching plays either.

But tonight's play, he had to go, and he had to have the Station Master and the Security Section's Li Ya's secret line there.

Otherwise, if something happened to Yuan Peilin, Li Ya would be a troublesome nuisance.

"Right, watch the play.

"It's about to start; go change your clothes."

Yu Zecheng understood and said hurriedly.

"The Assassination Squad is already exposed; if I don't go, who's going to kill that dog traitor?" Cuiping pouted, unhappy.

"Don't worry about that; I've already arranged someone.

"One of Wang Yaqiao's brothers.

"His skills are definitely not below yours, senior sister."

Hong Zhiyou smiled and comforted her.

Cuiping didn't say anything.

Once they left the house and got in the car, she asked Yu Zecheng: "Who is Wang Yaqiao?"

Yu Zecheng adjusted his glasses and organized his words:

"A very formidable assassin, once the nightmare of the Generalissimo."

"Once?

"Then where is he now?" Cuiping asked, puzzled.

"He was murdered by Dai Li." Yu Zecheng said.

"Damn Dai Li, he deserved to crash his plane; dying like that was too easy for him, he should have been hacked to pieces." While Cuiping cursed, she also felt much more at ease.

Arriving at the theater,

Mei Qiuju and Cuiping sat together and chatted enthusiastically.

Hong Zhiyou sat with Wu Jingzhong, while Yu Zecheng sat next to Cuiping on the far end, sensibly not getting involved.

"Are you sure?" Wu Jingzhong asked.

"The one finding him is a professional.

"The one killing him is also a professional.

"Regardless of whether we're sure, success or failure rests on tonight."

Hong Zhiyou said in a low voice.

"I hope that once this play is over, we can receive good news.

"You don't know, ever since this Yuan Peilin came to Jinhai, I haven't had a single peaceful night's sleep.

"Send him to heaven sooner."

Wu Jingzhong sighed in a deep voice.

"We definitely will." Hong Zhiyou nodded.

"This Li Ya is too cunning.

"I'm worried that after Yuan dies, he'll refuse to admit it and continue to stir up trouble.

"It's best to tip off Qiaoshan.

"Have him send police to watch the vicinity; once it's done, have the police handle the body immediately.

"It'll save Li Ya from bickering.

"I really don't want to play hide-and-seek with him anymore."

Wu Jingzhong instructed solemnly.

"Teacher, don't worry, I've already arranged all that.

"Director Lu is currently watching the spot from a car on the back street of the Drum Tower.

"Li Ya has truly pushed him to the edge this time."

Hong Zhiyou said quietly.

"Hmm, having Lu Qiaoshan stand in the front is a good choice.

"He has Zheng Jiemin behind him.

"The Old Cantonese faction has always been united; it won't be that easy for Li Ya to move against him."

Wu Jingzhong nodded with satisfaction.

Then he glanced at Yu Zecheng, and seeing Yu immersed in the opera and calling out praises, he couldn't help but reveal a gratified smile.

This Yu Zecheng was highly suspicious.

But his strength lay in understanding the situation.

He didn't cause trouble at critical moments and didn't seek the limelight.

That was very good.

If he were jumping around like Lu Qiaoshan right now, Wu Jingzhong would be the first to deal with him.

Drum Tower Opera Troupe.

Because the performance was brilliant today, an extra show was added.

Li Ya sat in the audience for a while, then stood up and went to the firewood shed in the backyard.

Knock, knock!

He tapped the bed board a few times.

Soon, the secret compartment on the side of the bed moved, and Yuan Peilin crawled out from inside.

"Come out and get some air.

"Haven't you been out to listen to opera lately?"

Li Ya asked with a smile.

"No.

"The police came, and I didn't dare go out." Having not seen the sun for a long time, Yuan Peilin's face under the oil lamp was as pale as a ghost.

"How about it? Did you catch a big fish with the intelligence you gave me last time?"

He picked up the teapot, poured a cup of tea, took a sip, and added.

"Caught Dong Cheng." Li Ya said.

"Dong Cheng, that's a key official of the Yancheng Border Defense; that's enough for you to get promoted and rewarded.

"I can't stay in this damn place anymore.

"When are you sending me to Jingling?"

Yuan Peilin was truly fed up with these days of living in fear.

"We leave tonight.

"Three in the morning.

"I'll send you to Jingling." Li Ya agreed readily.

"Good.

"Will there be a mission when I get there?" Yuan Peilin asked.

"Yes.

"This time I'm sending you directly to the Jingling Secret Service Bureau headquarters.

"Mao Renfeng has obtained a top-secret piece of intelligence.

"He needs you to perform verification and confirmation.

"The headquarters has a secret agent who has been silent in Yancheng for a long time.

"Not long ago, he entrusted someone to send back an address, which is said to be the residence of Yancheng Number One.

"The Generalissimo has already agreed to Mao Renfeng's plan to execute a precision strike by aerial bombing.

"You've met Yancheng Number One, right?"

Li Ya asked.

"I once had the honor of meeting him while following Ke Gong.

"You've found the right person."

Yuan Peilin said.

"That's great.

"If the plan succeeds, you will have rendered a great service, and the Generalissimo will have to at least confer upon you the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

"Then you can just wait to live the good life."

Li Ya slapped his thigh in delight.

"I have no interest in living the good life.

"I only hope the war ends soon, so I can return to my hometown, have a plot of land, and when I die, be able to enter the ancestral hall and be buried on my own hillside.

"That is all."

Yuan Peilin said faintly.

"You rest first..."

Li Ya had just started speaking when he heard a rustling sound from the tiles above.

Both of their expressions changed.

"Shh!"

Li Ya drew his sidearm, preparing to go out and investigate the situation.

But then he heard the tiles clattering again.

"Meow! Meow!"

A few cat screeches came through.

"Just cats making a racket.

"No need to be afraid; I have my people protecting the area in secret.

"Get some sleep first.

"Rest assured, people from the Jingling headquarters are coming directly, which will absolutely guarantee your safety.

"I'll come to pick you up then."

Li Ya put away his gun, patted Yuan Peilin on the shoulder, and stood up to leave.

As soon as he left,

on the roof ridge,

an eye was looking through a crack in the broken tiles, taking in everything in the room.

"So that's it!"

A cold sneer appeared on Lin Tian's lips; his figure swept across the roof ridge like a swallow, and with a few leaps, he flipped over the courtyard wall and disappeared into the vast night.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 178 =====