Chapter 213: The Hiding Place

East Sea Tea House.

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

He patted the record player and let out a dry, chuckling laugh.

Playing inside was "The 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 tonight could be performed with flair would depend entirely on him.

A moment later, Li Ya walked in wearing a designer suit, casting a cold glance at Xie Ruolin:

"Brother, why do you look so familiar?"

"Captain... Captain Li, my name is Xie Ruolin, 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 digging a hole for him.

Without another word, he turned to leave.

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

"You know the rules."

"Our two sides never have anything to do with each other."

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

"Move aside."

Li Ya sneered and brushed his hand away.

"Captain Li."

"I, 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 profiteer."

"Besides, the current Dangtong Bureau and the Secret Service are not like the old Military Statistics and Central Statistics."

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

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

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

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

"Do you know how much it sold for?"

Xie Ruolin tilted his chin at Li Ya.

"How much?" Li Ya asked with a frown.

"Fifteen gold bars!"

"This was a job you handled, so there's... there's nothing to hide from you."

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

"Even though you were played, that money was paid out of pocket, fair and square."

Xie Ruolin said.

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

"How about that? You hid Yuan Peilin, and a lot of people made a fortune; you, you wouldn't have guessed that, would you?"

"To tell you the truth."

"Right now, if you, Captain Li, were to leak even a hint of news about Yuan Peilin."

"I guarantee you, a whole crowd of people would offer you mansions just to trade for it, do you believe me?"

Xie Ruolin said.

"I have no interest in trafficking intelligence."

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

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

Li Ya asked, eyeing him sideways.

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

"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 an air of unshakeable confidence.

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

"They only buy, they don't sell."

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

"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 Red... the Red ticket holders, and even the Ministry of National Defense have bought from me."

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

"Like the intelligence you have in your hands, leaking even a little bit would be a mountain of gold and silver."

Xie Ruolin tilted his head and lobbied with a mercenary look.

"Let's forget about selling intelligence."

Upon hearing this, Li Ya's heartstrings relaxed slightly, and he sat back down: "I came here just to find out 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 mainly still want to do 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 a lot in Yancheng; it's all sand and dirt over there, so it must be hard to see seafood."

"Today I specially ordered a table of fresh catch for you."

"Have a taste."

Saying this, Xie Ruolin shouted outside: "Serve the dishes."

Soon, lobsters, crabs, oysters, and more—steamed and fried—were all served on the table.

Li Ya did not stand on ceremony.

He never let good food go to waste, especially when it was free.

While eating, Xie Ruolin watched him, his head swaying gently with the music as he hummed the tune.

As a smart man.

He knew well that this was not the time to openly fish for information from Li Ya.

Secret observation was a good choice.

Such beautiful music.

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

No rush.

Let's see more.

After the meal, Xie Ruolin poured him another cup of tea, and they chatted idly.

Li Ya was very interested in making money.

He asked, and Xie Ruolin answered tirelessly.

During the idle chat, he discovered a clue.

If one were to say Li Ya loved food and ignored the influence of the opera, that could be understood.

But this was a masterpiece by Master Mei.

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

For a normal person, hearing a favorite song or opera would have some effect, and their body would instinctively respond.

One must 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 show.

He was clearly a lover of opera.

Opera is the kind of thing that, if you love it, it's in your bones; if you don't, you can't hear a single note.

In Li Ya, Xie Ruolin didn't see a shadow of 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 and squawking sounds like a funeral; it's ruining the mood for drinking."

Xie Ruo ordered with annoyance.

"Yes, yes."

The waiter hurriedly changed the record.

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

The sound was pleasant and extravagant.

"Mm, this... this is the right flavor. Captain Li, do you smell the scent of money coming from the Huangpu River?" Xie Ruo asked.

"Old Xie, in Jinhai, who has more capability, you or Hong Zhiyou?" Li Ya glanced at his watch; Xiao Yunxian should not have finished her performance yet, so he asked one more question.

"Of course it's Hong Zhiyou."

"He is very deeply connected with the foreigners; these days, if you want to make big money, you have to find the Americans." Xie Ruo said, handing Li Ya a cigarette.

"I don't smoke."

Li Ya waved his hand and frowned, "But I offended him when I first arrived."

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

"It seems this deal won't be possible."

Xie Ruo laughed heartily, waved his hand, and said, "You're overthinking it. Hong and I are the same kind of people. Never mind offending him; even if you shot me right now, as long as I didn't die, I'd still do business with you once I recovered."

"In this day and age, people are full of ideologies, but inside... it's all just business."

"Who talks about feelings when making friends? It all... it all has to be hard cash."

"This stuff is more reliable than feelings!"

As he spoke, he rubbed his fingers together in a mercenary manner.

"I see you've reached a point of being nearly obsessed and shameless about money." Li Ya mocked.

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

"People, you know, have to make money."

"Dignity only exists above money."

"Having money and not using it, and having no money to use, are two completely different things."

"Just like when you're eating dirt, do you dare to imagine the crabs and prawns on this plate?"

Xie Ruo tilted his head and chuckled dryly.

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

"This, this is the way."

"Cheers, my friend."

As Xie Ruo raised his glass, he deliberately brushed his sleeve, causing his chopsticks to fall to the floor.

"Apologies."

He gave an apologetic smile and bent down to pick up the chopsticks.

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

Which is to say.

Li Ya has a reaction to music and opera.

It is not that he has been trained to control his indifference toward opera.

In other words, judging by his reaction.

Li Ya is not interested in opera; what he likes is the music from the Great World in Shanghai.

Understood.

"Brother, we've had a great chat today. To show my sincerity, I'm willing to give you a head start." With the drinking nearly finished, Xie Ruo said.

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

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

"I know."

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

"That's right."

"Ordinary people can get by with just a bit of salt, but only wealthy people like Madame Jiang use it for pastries and coffee. Ever since Southeast Asia was ravaged by the Japanese devils."

"Plus the high cost of shipping, this stuff is 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? Pretty decent of me, right?"

Xie Ruo laughed.

"I'm off!"

Li Ya patted his black leather gloves and stood up, full of food and drink.

A truckload of white sugar?

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

Could a small-time intelligence peddler like him pull it off?

If not for the sake of this big meal, he wouldn't believe this empty boasting at all.

"Hehe, still looking down on me."

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

After Li Ya left, Xie Ruo bit on a toothpick and smiled playfully.

Walking out of the teahouse.

Xie Ruo 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 there is one."

"Anyway, I've seen all kinds of people and eaten at all kinds of tables; I consider my judgment to be decent."

"Three gold bars."

"Oh, and 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; the old rule of a ten percent cut."

"Thanks, brother."

"Alright, goodbye."

Nine o'clock in the evening.

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

Both of them were playing very poorly in this game of chess today.

Yu Zecheng noticed that Hong Zhiyou checked his watch several times, and even took a phone call during it.

Today is the last night of the search for Yuan Peilin.

Once it fails, Li Ya will be in position tomorrow.

There is very little time left.

The problem is that the members of the anti-traitor squad have already been exposed, Luo Anping is no longer effective, and if they try to force a search again, they will inevitably be watched.

The only person Yu Zecheng can rely on is this resourceful Secretary Hong.

"Junior Brother, drink some tea."

"You've been busy with official business lately, so I won't nag you, but once you're done with this, hurry up and practice your skills."

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

Cui Ping refilled their tea, not forgetting to urge Hong Zhiyou a few times.

"Yes, Senior Sister."

Hong Zhiyou nodded respectfully.

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

"Listening to opera?"

"I like it. Back in our village, listening to opera was a rare treat; you had to wait for a landlord to celebrate a big birthday to hear a performance." Cui Ping 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 Cui Ping looked at him in astonishment at the same time.

"Yuan Peilin has likely been found."

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

"Hiding in an opera troupe?"

"Didn't Old Lu send people to check twice? The one they caught was Li Ya's brother-in-law, Zhang Wenshun."

Yu Zecheng said while nimbly putting on his Zhongshan suit.

Cui Ping also sensibly went upstairs to change her clothes.

They both knew that Hong Zhiyou never made a miscalculation; since he was certain, it was eight or nine times out of ten that he was right.

"This is exactly what is terrifying about it."

"Who could have imagined that Li Ya would set a double-trap and sacrifice his own 'brother-in-law' in the process."

"Which troupe leader would be willing to risk his life to cooperate with him?"

Hong Zhiyou took a sip of tea, stood up, and shook out his slightly sore limbs.

"How did you know Yuan was hiding in the theater?" Cuiping asked, having changed into her black training suit and walking down while fastening her belt.

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

"Li Ya had absolutely no reaction."

"For someone who has no reaction to opera to go listen to it every few days, isn't that highly suspicious?"

Hong Zhiyou asked with a smile.

"This Li Ya is truly a seasoned fox."

"Who wouldn't be confused after stumbling in the same place twice?"

"Even the Station Master, as calculating as he is, ruled out the theater; this move is truly brilliant."

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

"I fear Li Ya has been preparing to catch a big fish since the very first day he returned to Jinhai."

Yu Zecheng sighed in disbelief.

"Once found, that damned traitor won't live." A murderous glint flashed in Cuiping's eyes as she began to change into her cloth shoes.

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

"Didn't you hear my junior fellow apprentice say he was going to kill someone?" Cuiping retorted.

"You're really going?"

"There's no need for you to carry out 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 critical the moment, the more we must stay calm."

Yu Zecheng hurriedly grabbed her.

"Senior sister, you find the prospect of fighting and killing more enticing 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 naively.

"We are going to actually watch a play."

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

"By the way, the Station Master and Mrs. Wu will also be there."

Hong Zhiyou fished several theater tickets out of his pocket.

He didn't like watching plays either.

But he had to attend tonight's performance, and he needed the Station Master and the Security Section's Li Ya as his cover.

Otherwise, if something happened to Yuan Peilin, Li Ya would make things very troublesome.

"Right, watch the play."

"It's almost time for the show to start, go change your clothes."

Yu Zecheng understood and said hurriedly.

"The anti-traitor squad has already been exposed; if I don't go, who will kill that dog of a traitor?" Cuiping pouted, unhappy.

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

"A brother of Wang Qiao."

"His skills are absolutely no less than yours, senior sister."

Hong Zhiyou smiled and comforted her.

Cuiping remained silent.

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

Yu Zecheng adjusted his glasses and organized his thoughts:

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

They arrived at the theater.

Mei Qiuju and Cuiping sat together, chatting enthusiastically.

Hong Zhiyou sat with Wu Jingzhong, while Yu Zecheng sat on the far end next to Cuiping, very tactfully not interfering.

"Are you sure about this?" Wu Jingzhong asked.

"The one finding him is a professional."

"The one doing the killing is also a professional."

"Regardless of whether we are 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 early."

Wu Jingzhong sighed in a deep voice.

"It will be done," Hong Zhiyou nodded.

"This Li Ya is too cunning."

"I'm worried that after Yuan is dead, he will refuse to admit it and continue to make trouble."

"It would be best to tip off Lu Qiaoshan."

"Have him send police to keep watch nearby; once it's done, have the police be the first to arrive at the scene to handle the body."

"That will save us from Li Ya's bickering."

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

Wu Jingzhong instructed solemnly.

"Don't worry, Teacher, I have already arranged all of this."

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

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

Hong Zhiyou whispered.

"Hmm, letting Lu Qiaoshan take the lead is a good choice."

"He has Zheng Jiemin behind him."

"The Cantonese clique 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 him immersed in the opera and applauding repeatedly, he couldn't help but show a gratified smile.

Yu Zecheng was highly suspicious.

But his strength lay in understanding the current situation.

At critical moments, he didn't cause trouble or 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.

The Drum Tower opera troupe.

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

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

Knock, knock!

He tapped the bed frame a few times.

Soon, the hidden compartment at the edge of the bed moved aside, 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 by, I didn't dare go out." Having not seen the sun for a long time, Yuan Peilin's complexion under the oil lamp was as pale as a ghost.

"How was it, did you catch a big fish with the intelligence I gave you last time?"

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

"We 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 a promotion and a reward."

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

"When are you sending me to Jingling?"

Yuan Peilin had truly had enough of these days of living in fear.

"We leave tonight."

"At three in the morning."

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

"Good."

"When I get there, will there be a mission?" Yuan Peilin asked.

"Yes."

"This time, you are being sent directly to the Jingling headquarters of the Confidentiality Bureau."

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

"He needs you to verify and confirm it."

"Headquarters has a deep-cover agent in Yancheng who has been silent for a long time."

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

"The Generalissimo has already approved Mao Renfeng to execute the airplane-dropped bomb precision elimination plan."

"You have met Yancheng Number One, haven't you?"

Li Ya asked.

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

"Then you are the right person for the job."

Yuan Peilin said.

"That's great."

"If the plan succeeds, you will have performed a great service, and the Generalissimo will have to promote you to at least a Lieutenant Colonel."

"By then, you can just wait to live the high life."

Li Ya slapped his thigh in delight.

"I have no interest in living the high 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 entered into the ancestral hall and buried on my own hillside."

"That is all."

Yuan Peilin said indifferently.

"You should rest first..."

Li Ya had just spoken when he heard a rustling sound coming from the roof tiles above.

Both men's expressions changed simultaneously.

"Shh!"

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

But then he heard the tiles clatter again.

"Meow! Meow!"

A few cat screeches drifted over.

"It's just a cat."

"No need to be afraid; I have my men protecting us from the shadows nearby."

"Get some sleep first."

"Rest assured, since people are being sent directly from the Jingling headquarters, your safety is absolutely guaranteed."

"I'll come to pick you up when the time comes."

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

He had just left.

On the ridge of the tiled roof.

An eye was peering through a gap in the broken tiles, taking in everything inside the room.

"So that's how it is!"

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 vaulted over the courtyard wall and vanished into the vast night.

(End of chapter)