Yao Yile had never seen her father lose his temper so badly since she was a child, and at that moment, she was shocked and stood stupidly in place, with tears slowly flowing out of her eye sockets.

  Yao Cizhang saw his daughter's pitiful appearance and immediately lost his energy, slumping into a chair. He picked up a cigarette, but after several attempts to light it with matches, he couldn't get it lit. He crushed the cigarette and threw it aside, speaking in a hoarse voice: "Lei Lei, you also know the current situation. The Qingdao issue has spread nationwide, with Tianjin, Hankou, and Shanghai all going on strike, protesting the government, boycotting Japanese goods, and demanding punishment for traitors."

  Yao Yile's lips moved slightly, but she still didn't speak.

  Yao Cizhang sighed: "Lele, I know what you want to say. In your heart, Father is like the sky, but now the situation is different. When a nest is overturned, no egg will remain intact. Not to mention Father, even Cao Rulin has to resign and step down to apologize to the nation. As the core figure of the pro-Japanese faction, Father cannot stay out of this. Our Yao family may be ruined."

  Yao Yile still didn't speak, she was a girl and wasn't very interested in family business. In her mind, as long as she could live in a big villa, have a car to go out, have servants at home, and get cash rewards when going out, it was enough. Whether her father became the vice president or bank president didn't matter.

  "Right in the midst of troubles, your father doesn't ask you to make any contributions to the family, just don't cause trouble, okay? But look at the kind of people you associate with! In broad daylight, in Beijing, they killed five Japanese people. Luckily, the bodies weren't found, and Xu Shuzheng helped take care of it. If the Japanese embassy finds out that this has something to do with our Yao family, we'll all be doomed, no way out. Who knows, even my and your mother's lives might not be spared. We're nothing if we die, but who will take care of you?"

  Yao Yile only then realized the fear, if because of her own stubbornness, brought a catastrophic disaster to her family, harming her father and mother, what was the point of living, thinking of this, tears rolled down.

  "Dad, I know I was wrong, I'll *** tomorrow." Yao Yilei cried with tears streaming down her face.

  "Good." Yao Zicong smiled with relief.

  ……

  The next morning, Jiang Zhicheng, who had played mahjong all night, returned to the Dong Hotel with a series of yawns. He happened to meet Chen Zikun and Li Yaoting on their way out, and he warmly invited them: "Have you eaten breakfast? I'll treat you."

  Three people ate a meal of steamed buns, potstickers and roasted wheat at a small restaurant near the Da Dong Travel Inn. Chen Zikun asked Jiang Zhicheng: "Brother Jiang, do you know where Shanghai's big shot Li Zhengwu lives?"

  Jiang Zhicheng frowned and said: "What are you looking for him? He is an old man with a very high rank in the Green Gang."

  Chen Zikun himself couldn't be certain if there was a real master-disciple relationship between him and Li Zhengwu, so he just brushed it off by saying: "A friend in Beijing asked me to deliver a message to him."

  Jiang Zhicheng said: "Li Zhengwu lives on Da Xi Road in the International Settlement. You outsiders can't tell directions, I'll take you there."

  Chen Zikun was deeply moved by his enthusiasm and courtesy: "Thank you, Brother Chiang."

  "Don't be polite, we're brothers." Jiang Zhiquan waved his hand casually.

  With Jiang Zhicheng leading the way, they soon found Li's mansion on the Avenue de la Grande-Paix. It was a garden house surrounded by walls, with a large black iron gate closed tightly, and ivy crawling up the wall. The sound of wolves howling could be faintly heard from inside the walls.

  Chen Zikong knocked on the door, and a small window opened on the iron gate, revealing a vigilant face that looked up and down at the uninvited guest outside, asking impatiently: "Who are you looking for?"

  "Excuse me, is this Mr. Li Zhenwu's residence? My name is Chen Zikun, I am..."

  Before he could finish speaking, the other party interrupted him and said: "Mr. Li is not here, you can come back another day."

  With a "bang", the small iron window closed.

  Li Yaoting looked at Jiang Zhicheng, and Jiang Zhicheng shrugged his shoulders with a helpless expression.

  Chen Zikun continued knocking on the door, neither fast nor slow, with a very rhythmic beat.

  The small iron window opened again, and the man's voice was already filled with anger: "I've told you, Mr. Li is not here!"

  "When will Mr. Li be back?" Chen Zikong asked with a gentle tone.

  "Alas, I don't know!" The small iron window closed again with a loud bang.

  "Come on, Old Chen," Jiang Zhiqing urged.

  Chen Zikun shook his head and raised his hand again to knock on the door, with a moderate rhythm.

  This time the doorman was really angry, and with a clang, he opened the large iron gate. Two short and stout men with furrowed brows stood behind the door, holding wolfhounds. A man in a long gown cursed: "You little red rascal, what are you trying to stir up!"

  Chen Zikong said, "I am Mr. Li's disciple, coming to pay respects to the old master. You, as a gatekeeper, not only didn't report my arrival but also spoke rudely to me. I haven't even asked you what kind of reasoning this is."

  The atmosphere was a bit tense, and both Jiang Zhicheng and Li Yaoting advised him: "Forget it, since the person is not here, let's come again another day."

  Chen Zikun said: "I just can't stand his attitude. If this continues, the old man's reputation will be ruined by them."

  The gatekeeper was furious and was about to call the bodyguards to release the dogs when suddenly the door of the mansion opened, and a middle-aged man in a suit and tie came out, asking: "Old Xia, what's going on?"

  The gatekeeper said: "Young master, there is a stranger who claims to be the old man's apprentice."

  "Oh?" The middle-aged man walked over, sizing up Chen Zikun and said: "I don't recall my father taking on a disciple like you."

  Chen Zikun had already anticipated this outcome, and he replied: "I indeed once took Mr. Li as my teacher, on the day when Xiang Tang was opened, Yuan Kewen, the second grandson of Yuan, was present at the scene."

  A middle-aged man laughed and said, "This is even more impossible. Although my father and Young Master Yuan are of the same generation, they have no connection with each other. How could he be present when Kai Xiang Tang accepted disciples?"

  "May I see Mr. Li?" asked Chen Zikun.

  The middle-aged man said: "My father has returned to his hometown in Ningbo and I don't know when he will be back."

  Chen Zikun had no choice but to say "excuse me" and turn around to leave, the large iron gate slowly closing behind him, also shutting off a door to his search for roots.

  As Chen Zikong walked on the road, he was in a bad mood. Jiang Zhicheng comforted him by saying: "Don't be angry, with this outfit visiting someone's home, you would be given antacids at any household."

  "What's a sanitary napkin?"

  Jiang Zhiqing smiled and said, "It's just a white eye. Shanghainese only recognize clothes, not people. Especially the servants of these wealthy families are even more discerning, with eyes that can see right through you. With one glance, they can tell what brand your suit is, which tailor made it, and even estimate the price to within 70 or 80 percent accuracy. If you're dressed shabbily, nothing will go smoothly."

  "He's looking down on people with a dog's eyes."

  Jiang Zhiqing smiled and said, "That's the way it is with the Shanghai gang. On the surface, people pay attention to appearances, no matter when or where, their hair and shoes must be shiny and bright. Whether they can eat a full meal or not, there's always a suit pants pressed straight under the pillow."

  Li Yaoting stretched out his foot: "My shoes are also leather, turn around and find a rag to wipe them clean, they'll still be shiny."

  "That's a big difference, Shanghai has rules, in winter wear black leather shoes, in summer wear white leather shoes, in spring and autumn wear yellow leather shoes or mixed colors. If you wear the wrong season, no matter how high-end the leather shoes are, you will be laughed at. You two brothers, if you want to make a name for yourself in Shanghai, having a good set of clothes is a must."

  Chen Zikun and Li Yaoting exchanged a glance, saying in unison: "We don't have any money."

  Jiang Zhicheng patted his chest: "Leave it to me, let's go, I'll take you to get clothes made."

  Off they went, Jiang Zhiqing led the two of them through the winding alleys to a tailor's shop. The owner warmly welcomed them and offered coffee, exchanging pleasantries before getting down to business, presenting international fashion magazines for them to choose styles from.

  "I want to use pure British wool fabric, make a three-piece English suit, single-breasted with three buttons, fully lined with silk, and the shoulder pads must also be made of wool. I'll have the shirt and handkerchief made together, all with the best materials." said Jiang Zhicheng.

  The shopkeeper immediately had the young apprentice take down various fabrics, one by one, to look at from a distance and up close, draping them over his shoulders and wrapping them around his legs. After selecting the fabric, he took measurements and when measuring Chen Zikun, the shopkeeper praised: "Mr. Duan making clothes is really delightful, even movie stars don't have such good taste as Mr. Chen."

  Jiang Zhicheng chuckled with his legs crossed and said, "This brother of ours is even more handsome than a movie star."

  After settling on the size and paying the deposit, the three of them left the tailor's shop. Chen Zikun suggested going to the telegraph office to inform their relatives in Beijing that they were safe.

  Arriving at the telegraph office, Chen Zikun first sent a telegram to Che Factory and Xiong Xiling respectively. After some thought, he also sent one to Yao Yilei, with only a few short words: Arrived in Shanghai, don't worry, Zikun.

  Sending a telegram is not cheap, six jiao per word, and three copies of the telegram would cost over ten yuan, no need to ask who paid for it, it was still Jiang Zhiging.

  "Brother Chiang, I've put you to trouble, I'm truly grateful." said Chen Zikun.

  Jiang Zhicheng smiled and said, "At home rely on parents, outside rely on friends. I'm a person who has nothing good about me except that I like to make friends. Compared to friends, what's money? It's getting late, let's go drink."

  Three people found a restaurant serving authentic local dishes, ordered some rich and savory local specialties, a bottle of fine Shaoxing wine, and chatted while eating.

  "What specific plans do you two brothers have?" Jiang Zhiming refilled their cups with wine and asked sharply.

  Li Yaoting said: "I plan to settle in Shanghai, I used to be a waiter at Liu Guo Restaurant in Beijing, so I might as well stick to my old profession."

  Chen Zikun said: "I still have two things to do, and I can only consider other things after these two things are done."

  "What's up? I can probably help out a bit."

  Chen Zikun said: "The first thing, I want to go to Shanghai's Jingwu Gate once. The second thing, I want to find a girl named Lin Wenjing, from Fujian, her stepmother is from Shanghai, with the surname Mi."

  Jiang Zhiqing said, "The first thing is easy to do, the Jingwu School is on Beikeer Road in Zhabei, but it's called Shanghai Jingwu Sports Association. The person in charge is Liu Zhen Sheng, a big apprentice of Huo Yuanjia. I'm familiar with him and can introduce you. But the second thing is difficult to do. Shanghai is so big, finding someone is like looking for a needle in the ocean."

  "Alright, I'll go find Liu Zhen Sheng at the Jingwu Sports Association first."

  Off they went, Jiang Zhiqing took them to Zhabei and found the Jingwu Sports Association at No. 73 Beika Road, a complex of four small foreign-style buildings with a large empty space in between, where dozens of young people wearing white shirts and black trousers were lined up in neat rows, practicing martial arts under the guidance of a man in his twenties.

  Jingwu Association is open to outsiders, and there are always reception staff waiting at the door. They took Chen Zikun and others from the practice field, where the students were shouting loudly, vigorous and lively, refreshing people's spirits.

  Jiang Zhiqing indeed knew Liu Zhensheng, the master of Jingwu Sports Association, but not as familiar as he boasted. They were just acquaintances. After sitting down in the reception room, Chen Zikun made his intention clear, saying that his kung fu came from Jingwu Gate, but he couldn't remember things from when he was a child and hoped Liu Zhensheng could help him recall them.

  Liu Zhen Sheng was around thirty years old, with a lean and wiry build, prominent temples, and an air of a seasoned practitioner. He was very straightforward and directly invited Chen Zi Kung to come down and engage in hand-to-hand combat.

  After exchanging a few moves, Liu Zhen Sheng stopped and said: "Some time ago, someone from Beijing came to ask about this matter. I just tested your skills, it is indeed the Mízōng Fist, but the Mízōng Fist is not unique to the Huo family, thousands of people in the Cangzhou area practice this skill, so it's hard to confirm that you are from Master Huo's school."

  He put down his teacup and a disciple beside him shouted: "See off the guest!"

  The three of them had no choice but to bid farewell and leave the Jingwu Sports Hall. Chen Zikun was lost in thought when he suddenly heard a shout from behind: "Chen Zhen!"