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Chapter 23: Following Brother to Make a Name in Shanghai

  Strictly speaking, the military attaché Yamamoto Takeo was not a special envoy but an imperial army officer temporarily acting as one. This was because under Duan Qirui's government, relations with the Japanese Empire were amicable and most matters could be settled through diplomatic correspondence, without even needing diplomats to appear in person; a single phone call would suffice.

  However, there were some shady things that needed to be handled by someone, so Yamamoto Takeshi took on this heavy responsibility. His subordinates consisted of two groups: one group was ronin in China and the other group was Imperial Army soldiers stationed at Dongjiaominxiang, but the ronin were undisciplined and the soldiers were bound by conventional rules, neither of which were excellent agents who had undergone professional training.

  Three months ago, a group of Soviet spies killed two of Yamamoto's subordinates and had been at large ever since. This incident was deeply etched in Yamamoto's mind as a shame. Fortunately, the case had recently taken a turn for the better. Xu Shuzheng sent someone with a piece of paper containing information on one of the suspected Sino-Soviet spies.

  Yamamoto had always believed that there was a Soviet spy mole in the embassy district, and this person was likely to be at the Six Nations Hotel. After some investigation, he quickly locked onto a waiter at the Six Nations Hotel who played a role of leaking information in the case, causing great harm. On one hand, Yamamoto sent someone to monitor Chen Zikun's movements at the police detention center, and on the other hand, he personally went to the Six Nations Hotel to investigate.

  The Japanese style has always been rigorous and meticulous, and Yamamoto Takeo is a typical example. After sitting upright in the personnel department office for 15 minutes, the person still hasn't arrived. He glanced at his watch and said displeased: "Why isn't he here yet?"

  The personnel department's deputy director gave him a glance, still picked up the phone to ask the front desk, and was informed that Tom had been notified long ago. Yamamoto frowned, knowing that something was wrong, stood up and bowed: "Excuse me." He walked out the door immediately.

  ……

  Hui Xiantang Restaurant, the wine party has ended, and the students have returned to school. Xiong Xiling invited Chen Ziqin to take his own car back, but he politely declined, saying that he still wanted to see a friend.

  Chen Zikun came out of the restaurant, and not far away, two men who were leaning against their bicycles smoking quickly stood up. On the ground was a pile of cigarette butts. Due to the angle, Chen Zikun did not see them, but instead saw a familiar face.

  "Isn't this Yuan's journalist?" Chen Zikong smiled and said.

  Ruan Mingchuan enthusiastically stretched out his hand: "I didn't expect you to be a patriotic hero, can we make friends?"

  Chen Zikun shook hands with him and said: "You've treated me to a meal, we're already friends."

  Two people chatted while walking, on the bustling streets of spring, not far away was a fortune-telling stall, a fortune teller wearing sunglasses and a long shirt was calling out to passersby: "Madam, I see that your forehead is dark, you've recently been wronged by someone."

  The woman with a basket slung over her arm gave him a white-eyed glare and cursed, "Madman." Then she turned around and walked away.

  The fortune teller shook his head and sighed, "If you don't believe me, you'll suffer sooner or later." He turned around and happened to see Chen Zikun coming over, and shouted again, "This gentleman, I see that your face is full of bad luck, and you're about to have a great disaster!"

  "What nonsense are you talking about." Ruan Mingchuan scolded.

  Chen Zikong smiled and said: "Hu Banshen, we meet again. Why are you always changing places?"

  It turned out that this fortune teller was Hu Banzhen, who had pointed out to Chen Zikun at the gate of Fayuan Temple that his life was related to Xiangshan.

  Hú Bàn Xiān also recognized Chen Zi Kūn, he pulled Chen Zi Kūn to sit down and said: "Looking at your facial features, I'm afraid you've recently had a prison disaster."

  Ruan Mingchuan said: "You must have read the newspaper, this is the hero who set fire to Zhaojialou, and was just brought out of prison by us."

  Hu Banzhen shook his head and said, "I never read newspapers."

  "Go ahead and blow it." Ruan Mingchuan snorted disdainfully.

  Hu Banzhen continued to Chen Zikun, "I'm not joking with you, this disaster is much bigger than the last time, and it may lead to a bloody catastrophe." As he spoke, he tilted the mirror on the table at an angle.

  Chen Zikong was half-believing and half-doubting, when he suddenly saw two men with their hats pulled low over their faces, standing about ten zhang away, staring stealthily in this direction from the mirror on Hu Banzhen's small table.

  He was moved in his heart and asked: "Is there a way to break it?"

  Hu Banzhen said: "I'll give you a word."

  He wrote a "walk" character on the sandbox.

  "Where are you going?"

  "Hehe, one word, one dollar."

  Chen Zikun stretched out his hand to Ruan Mingchuan: "Reporter, lend me some money."

  Ruan Mingchuan took out a five-yuan bill and said: "I only have the whole one, you can change it."

  Hu Banzhen took the banknote but didn't give change. On the abacus, he wrote four more characters: Hurry to Shanghai.

  Ruan Mingchuan saw the half-dead Qi and said, "Why write four characters? Can't you just write one or two? If I were a 10-yuan note, would you have to write ten characters?"

  Hu Banzhen's enigmatic smile: "You get what you pay for, you'll understand later."

  As he spoke, he began to pack up his stall. Ruan Mingchuan asked in surprise, "Why are you packing up so quickly?"

  "Today's wine money is enough, let's drink two liters." Hu Banshen returned the borrowed table to the neighboring small shop, carrying the fortune-telling sign, and walked away with a swagger.

  "This guy is a swindler." Ruan Mingchuan cursed in a low voice, but Chen Zikun seemed to be thinking deeply, occasionally glancing at the distance. Suddenly he said to Ruan Mingchuan: "Lend me your suit and hat for a while."

  Ruan Mingchuan was stunned, thinking to himself that this old brother was really too much, borrowing money, clothes and hats as soon as they became friends. This was his brand new suit, which he had only worn today for the first time at the dinner party.

  Chen Zikong said: "Someone is following us."

  Ruan Mingchuan was startled and just wanted to turn his head back when Chen Zikun stopped him: "Don't look back, keep moving forward."

  The two continued on their way and walked to a glass window, Chen Zikun pointed it out to him, and indeed there were two people following them vaguely behind.

  "Trouble, I've been spotted by the dog legs. I'll cover for you." Yan said with a sense of justice and swiftly moved into the alley, quickly taking off his hat and suit to hand over to Chen Zikun.

  Chen Zikun put on a suit and wore a bowler hat, Ruan journalist was also a tall and thin man, the two men were similar in build, wearing his clothes was quite fitting.

  "Call a rickshaw back to Baoguang, and go to the cart factory tomorrow to pick up clothes." Chen Zikong reminded.

  "Remember." Ruan Mingchuan nodded, and the two walked out shoulder to shoulder, hailed a rickshaw, and Ruan Mingchuan jumped aboard and sped away. Chen Zikun waved at him and also disappeared into the crowd.

  The two detectives who were following him indeed mistook someone else for Ruan Mingchuan and rode their bicycles to follow him.

  Chen Zikun did not dare to slack off, and gave up the idea of going to Yao Gongguan. He first sneaked back to the Purple Light Car Factory, where he strolled around the alley for a few rounds, and indeed found several suspicious faces. He then jumped over the back wall and came to his own room, only to find that Xiao Shunzi was already there.

  "Aren't you on duty? Why did you come running over?" Chen Zikun felt a slight sense of unease.

  "Something's happened, the Japanese have got their eyes on me, this is the end for me, they won't rest until I'm dead." Little Shunzi was so anxious that he was sweating all over and his hands were shaking.

  "What's going on, tell me slowly." Chen Zikun's calm attitude made Xiao Shunzi slightly calm down and recounted the events of Yamamoto Takeshi coming to Liuguo Restaurant to find him.

  Chen Zikun suddenly understood that the person following him was also Japanese, which made things even more troublesome. He had previously killed two Japanese spies and had a big shootout at the Anfu Club, killing seven or eight of Xu Shuzheng's men. Either of these accounts would be difficult for him to settle.

  The Japanese may appear at any time, and if we don't escape, it will be a disaster for everyone.

  "He gritted his teeth and said: 'Xiao Shunzi, Beijing is no longer a place we can stay. Come with me.'"

  "But I'm about to be promoted to team leader." Xiao Shunzi cried with a sad face, feeling extremely reluctant to leave the Six Kingdoms Restaurant's vibrant atmosphere.

  Chen Zikong said: "Being a leader is nothing, when we get to Shanghai, there will be plenty of opportunities to make a fortune."

  Xiao Shunzi's eyes lit up: "To Shanghai?"

  "Right, come with me to conquer Shanghai." Chen Zikun said resolutely.

  "Good!" Xiaoshunzi suddenly became spirited and stretched out his hand to high-five Chen Zikong in mid-air.

  Chen Zikun quickly hid two box guns and bayonets on himself, took a bag of silver dollars and banknotes, and didn't bring any other clothes or soft goods. Before leaving, he still made a phone call to Yao Gongguan, but the phone was unanswered, so he had no choice but to put down the receiver.

  Just as he was about to go out, Xue Ping Shun came in and saw that he was all dressed up and ready to go, which gave him a fright.

  "Big guy, where are you going?"

  "Xue Uncle, I'll be out for a while. Please take care of the factory more, I will send you a letter." Chen Zikun didn't have time to say much, and pulled Xiao Shunzi towards the back wall, where they met Xing'er and Wang Dama again.

  "Auntie, Xing'er, take care of yourselves." Chen Zikong stopped and said.

  Xing'er was shocked: "What are you two doing?"

  "King's mother also wondered: 'Child, what happened.'"

  "Stop asking, we'll send a telegram back once we arrive in Shanghai," said Xiao Shunzi with a stamp of his foot.

  Chen Zikun nodded, confirming Xiao Shunzi's words. The two of them climbed up the wall under everyone's gaze, jumped down, and then there was a string of urgent footsteps.

  Xing'er was caught off guard by this sudden scene and muttered: "What's going on, what's going on."

  "This is fate..."

  Two men jumped out of the wall and didn't dare walk on the main road. They ran quickly in a small alley, Xiao Shunzi panted and asked: "How to go?"

  "Take a train first to Tianjin, then head south all the way to Shanghai." said Chen Zikun.

  "Good... big brother, I want to go home for a while." Little Shunzi hesitated.

  "You still want to take your luggage? Brother, we're running for our lives, you know?" Chen Zikong said.

  "I know, it's because I'm escaping for my life, and I don't know when I can come back. I want to see my sister one more time, just to say one sentence to her." Xiao Shunzi's eyes showed a pleading expression, Chen Zikong couldn't bear to refuse, saying: "Alright, let's go together."

  The two went to the willow tree alley, as soon as they entered the yard Chen Zikun felt that the atmosphere was not right. Before he could react, four strong men rushed out from both sides and pressed them to the ground.

  Chen Zikong, being a martial artist, had a quick reaction, but the opponent grabbed his waist and wouldn't let go. The two arms were as strong as iron pliers, and Chen Zikong's two guns were stuck in his waist and couldn't be pulled out. After a brief and intense struggle, he had just grasped the handle of the knife hidden on his leg when the cold muzzle was pressed against his temple.

  Chen Zikun took a glance and saw that it was a Japanese-made shotgun. No need to ask, the one holding the gun was also Japanese.

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