pdf-ebookys Chapter 55 The Troublesome Meng Jia
Chapter 55 The Troublesome Meng Jia
This Hu Erkui was a marginal disciple of the "Tong" generation of the Green Gang. He was affiliated with Zhang Xiaolin, but in reality, he was clinging to the coattails of the 76th Special Agent Headquarters.
Born in Yancheng, Jiangsu, he fled famine to Shanghai at the age of sixteen. He started as a porter at the Shiliupu Wharf and was taken in as a follower by a minor leader of the Green Gang because of his daring and fighting spirit. He also took advantage of the opportunity to eliminate dissidents for the 76th Division and sell opium to take over the Taifeng Hotel and turn it into a transit point for opium trading and intelligence transmission.
He had over two hundred henchmen, including more than thirty core thugs armed with Hanyang rifles, Mauser pistols, and other firearms. They ran rampant in the Zhonghua Road area, but they were well aware of the power of the concession and the foreign firm's background. However, they were enraged this time and mistakenly thought that Yan Shuo was just an ordinary foreign firm employee, which is why they dared to challenge him.
At six o'clock in the afternoon, Yan Shuo, dressed in a gray suit and carrying a brown leather suitcase, walked calmly into Taifeng Hotel.
Two thugs in black silk jackets with pistols at their waists stared at him menacingly. The hall was full of Hu Er Kui's henchmen, who all stopped eating when they saw him come in, their unfriendly gazes piercing him like needles.
"Are you Liu Jie?" A burly man in a traditional Chinese jacket approached and asked in a gruff voice.
"Exactly." Yan Shuo smiled. "Where's Boss Hu?"
The burly man led him up to the second floor and pushed open the door to the "Pine and Crane Hall" private room.
Five people sat around the octagonal table. At the head of the table was Hu Er Kui, who had a mustache and wore a dark blue long gown. On each side of him sat two strong thugs with the gun handles sticking out of their waists.
Hu Erkui, without looking up, fiddled with his snuff bottle, his tone languid: "Liu Jie, right? You've got some nerve, daring to have your men kill three of my underlings."
Yan Shuo pulled up a chair and sat down, placing his briefcase on the corner of the table. His tone was calm: "Boss Hu, you need to make things clear. How could my subordinate, Meng Jia, a young girl, kill someone for no reason? As far as I know, it was your henchmen who followed her in Shicao Alley, physically assaulted her, and even tried to steal her car and briefcase. She was simply acting in self-defense."
"Bullshit!" Hu Erkui slammed his fist on the table, his mustache bristling. "What kind of person are my men? Would they steal from a woman? Liu Jie, stop spouting nonsense! On Zhonghua Road, if my men step on someone's foot, it's their good fortune! Your men dared to shoot and kill someone; they're disrespecting me, disrespecting 76!"
Yan Shuo raised an eyebrow, his fingers lightly tapping the leather suitcase, his tone carrying a barely perceptible chill: "76th Division? Boss Hu certainly knows how to pull strings. But you probably don't know that Count Lucas von Wolf of the West American Trading Company met with Mr. Li Qun of your 76th Division last week, along with the German Consul in Shanghai. My real name is Bernd Krauss, the financial director of the trading company. I only use Liu Jie for convenience. Meng Jia is a senior employee of the trading company, holding a legal gun license issued by the Municipal Council. Her actions are entirely in accordance with the defense regulations of the concession and the Chinese-controlled area."
Hu Erkui's expression changed slightly, and his eyes flickered uncertainly.
Despite his arrogance, he was well aware of the power behind the German trading company. However, he was in a difficult position and forced himself to say, "So what if it's a German trading company? In Chinese territory, you still have to listen to our rules! Three lives lost, how do you plan to compensate?"
"Boss Hu is a straightforward man, so I won't beat around the bush." Yan Shuo chuckled, opening his briefcase. Inside, neatly stacked Chinese currency and a small amount of US dollars gleamed enticingly. "Here's a thousand yuan plus two hundred dollars, enough for you to pay your underlings' pensions and buy a few new guns. Taifeng Restaurant is thriving; Boss Hu doesn't need to make enemies with foreign firms for a few ignorant underlings. If Earl Wolf knew his employees were threatened in the Chinese-controlled area, not only Mr. Li Qun, but even our friends at the Japanese naval intelligence department in Shanghai would have to give him an explanation."
Hu Erkui stared at the money in the briefcase, his Adam's apple bobbing. His tone softened considerably, but he remained defiant: "Mr. Liu is indeed generous... but I, Hu Erkui, am a man of honor in this world. You have to get Meng Jia over here to kowtow and apologize."
Yan Shuo's eyes suddenly turned cold, his fingers already touching the gun handle in his pocket: "Boss Hu, that's enough. Meng Jia is a member of the foreign firm and an employee of a German citizen. You think it's possible for her to kowtow and admit her mistakes? I'm giving you the money to avoid trouble; if you push your luck, there's no point in discussing this business."
Hu Erkui was intimidated by the coldness in his eyes. He glanced at his men and finally gritted his teeth, saying, "Fine! Mr. Liu is tough enough! I'll take the money, and I won't bother looking for the man! But let me make this clear: your men should stay away from Zhonghua Road in the future, to avoid any more accidents!"
"Deal." Yan Shuo closed the briefcase and pushed it in front of him, his tone indifferent. "And a word of advice to Boss Hu: keep a close eye on your men and don't mess with the wrong people."
Hu Erkui waved his hand and said nothing more.
Upon returning to his office at the West American Trading Company, Yan Shuo slammed the door shut behind him, his face instantly darkening. He sat down behind his desk, tapping his knuckles on the surface: "Tell me, how many people are causing you trouble? Why are they causing you trouble?"
Meng Jia shrank back, her voice barely audible: "They...they said they wanted protection money, and when I refused, they stole my bag!"
"Tell the truth!" Yan Shuo's eyes widened, his tone suddenly becoming more forceful. How could he possibly hide the cunning in this girl's eyes?
Startled by his shout, Meng Jia immediately flashed a sheepish grin, as if she'd been caught red-handed. She scratched the back of her head, making the grime on her cheeks even more noticeable. "Hehe... actually, they started it. I was passing by the entrance of Shicao Alley when I saw three guys overturn Old Zhang's vegetable stall and steal his money box, which he'd been saving for a long time. The old man was sitting on the ground crying, and they were laughing. I couldn't stand it, so I quietly followed them to a secluded spot, stole the money box back, and wanted to return it to the old man."
She paused, and seeing that Yan Shuo didn't interrupt, she added in a low voice, "Who knew they'd find me and chase after me. There were five of them, and I couldn't outrun them, so I pulled out my gun... I shot three, and the other two escaped. I thought it was over, but on my way home, a group of people ambushed me. They asked me whose people I was, and I had no choice but to give them your name."
"Idiot!" Yan Shuo rubbed his forehead, looking at the girl in front of him with a headache. He reached out and tapped her on the forehead. "I went to so much trouble to teach you firearms, combat, and assassination, just so you could meddle in these street brawls? Huh? Do you think you're some chivalrous hero who stands up for justice, or Bao Zheng from the foreign concession police station?"
Meng Jia covered her forehead, pouted, but her eyes were unconvinced: "But they went too far! Old Zhang's vegetable stall is small to begin with, and that little bit of money is enough for him to pay for his grandson's tuition..."
"What does that have to do with you?" Yan Shuo laughed angrily. "What are we for? We live on the edge of a knife! It's better to avoid trouble. But you, for some unrelated old man, not only got yourself into trouble, but also exposed your relationship with the foreign firm! What if Hu Erkui is a Japanese lackey, or in cahoots with the 76th Division? How many things will be affected by your outburst?"
"I was wrong..." Meng Jia lowered her head, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her clothes, her toes shuffling on the floor, her voice full of grievance, but a secret smile played on her lips. "But speaking of which, Mr. Liu, I was really accurate this time! All three were between the eyebrows. I used all the 'three points in a line' technique you taught me, and I didn't hurt any innocent people!"