Chapter 18: The Stormy Weather of Flying Kites (5)

  "Premeditated murder?!" Akira's expression immediately turned serious, pacing back and forth in the office before suddenly stopping and turning to face Kōsuke Akagi: "Akagi-san, can you really be certain that this morning's murder was premeditated?"

  "Hey!" Akagi nodded slightly, his expression serious. "From the news coming from Guangzhou and Qingdao, combined with the current situation in Shanghai, I have a premonition."

  "What premonition?!" Akira Shikou interrupted.

  Akagi Kōken smiled slightly and said, "Consul General, I have a premonition that the 'Golden Lily Plan' jointly formulated by His Majesty the Emperor and Prince Takamatsu of the Imperial Palace is about to reach the stage where it can be formally implemented!"

  "Ah, Akagi-kun!" Shigemitsu Aoi said in a cold voice: "The 'Golden Lily Plan' is related to the Empire's dominance of the world. It's not a trivial matter!"

  Akagi Kanten bowed his head and said, "Your Excellency, please believe my intuition! The reason why China can still hold on in the domestic warlord melee is entirely because those so-called national capitals of China are secretly supporting them. As long as we thoroughly defeat these Chinese national capitals, at that time, China will be ours for the taking!"

  Akane Shigemitsu shook her head and said: "Akaogi, you're underestimating China too much! If you continue with your current way of thinking, it will be us who end up losing in the end."

  "Your Excellency, you're worrying too much!" Akagi Kōken said with a smile.

  "This isn't me being overly cautious, it's a fact!" Akira Chikaki walked up to the wall with a map of China on it and said, "China is too big, they have 450 million people, while our great Japanese Empire only has a total population of over 70 million. The Chinese are more than six times our number."

  "Then let's wipe them out! What Genghis Khan didn't do back then, we'll finish it!" In an instant, a fierce killing aura burst forth from Akagi Kojou.

  "Old master, Mr. Cheng Jincheng and Lin Guodong have arrived." Just coming out of his daughter's room, Hu Yunqiu sat in the living room with a sullen face and heard the butler's report, coldly humming to himself: "I haven't even settled accounts with them yet, they're delivering themselves to my doorstep! Go and invite them in!"

  "Yes!" The butler responded and walked out of the living room with his head down. Not long after, Cheng Jincheng and Lin Guotang entered the living room one after another. Hu Yunqiu saw Cheng Jincheng and Lin Guotang forcing a smile and bowed: "Old Master Cheng, brother-in-law, what wind brought you two here today?!"

  Cheng Jincheng smiled wryly and said, "Hu Xian nephew, you and I are both on the scene. Do we still need to beat around the bush?!"

  "Ah!" Hu Junqiu let out a deep sigh, releasing more than half of the discontent that had been suppressed in his heart. He waved his hand and said, "Please sit down, both of you!" Then he called out to the outside, "Someone, bring tea!"

  After the servant brought up the tea, Hu Junqiu spoke: "I already know about today's matter from my daughter. I also understand your intentions. Although the engagement was a mistake on my part, please spare my daughter and don't make the annulment of the engagement public."

  Cheng Jincheng and Lin Guodong exchanged a glance, saying: "You don't have to worry about this. As for Ziliang and me coming now, it can be said that we are here to break off the engagement, or it can also be said that we are not."

  Seeing the puzzled expression on Hu Yunqiu's face, Lin Guodong added: "This girl Yu Yan, my wife and I really like her. We want to recognize Yu Yan as our goddaughter."

  Hu Junqiu thought for a moment and said: "This is not necessarily a bad idea. However..."

  "Brother Hu Zhūn Qiū, what's on your mind? Just speak out. As long as Xiao Neng can do it, I won't delay!" Lín Guó Dòng hastily assured him, seeing that Hu Zhūn Qiū was somewhat hesitant.

  Hu Junqiu sighed and said: "Zi Liang younger brother, it's not that I'm talking too much. It's just that I'm worried about my little daughter."

  "Dad, I'm willing!" Before Hu Junqiu's words were finished, Hu Yuyan's voice rang out. The three people sitting in the living room looked up at the second-floor corridor without saying a word. They saw Hu Yuyan and Hu Guofu walking down from upstairs, one after the other, and came to Hu Junqiu's side.

  "Yuyan, have you really thought this through?!" said Hu Junqiu, looking at Hu Yuyan.

  Hu Yuyan nodded heavily and said, "Dad, I've thought it through! Lin Aofeng is not good to me, but Aunt Lin treats me like her own daughter. I know she really hopes I can marry into the Lin family and become her daughter-in-law. However, Lin Aofeng and I are destined to be apart. This might be the best solution for our engagement."

  Hu Junqiu stared at her daughter for a while, then looked at Lin Guodong and Cheng Jincheng. Lin Guodong and Hu Junqiu exchanged a glance, and Hu Junqiu smiled wryly, saying: "Ziliang, you may not be as good as me in business, but you have surpassed me in life. This time I admit defeat with a willing heart!"

  Lin Guodong said: "Junqiu brother, to be honest, you and I are both losers when it comes to children! I think we should just let things take their natural course when it comes to our kids!"...

  As soon as Lin Guodong's voice fell, the butler hurriedly ran into the living room and said to Hu Junqiu: "Master, Mr. Zhu Baosan has come to visit!"

  "Oh?!" Hu Junqiu was startled, looking at Lin Guotong and Cheng Jincheng, hesitated for a moment, then quickly walked out of the living room: "Mr. Yixing (Zhu Baosan's courtesy name), Happy New Year! What's the matter, why bother coming in person?!"

  Zhu Baosan smiled and said, "Junqiu, we don't need to be polite anymore!" As he spoke, Zhu Baosan looked behind Hu Junqiu and said, "Brother Jincheng and Zi Liang are also here! It saves me a trip!"

  Cheng Jincheng and Lin Guodong greeted Zhu Baosan, then followed Hu Junqiu and Zhu Baosan into Hu Junqiu's study. After the four of them sat down, Hu Junqiu asked: "Yi Xinggong, what exactly happened?!"

  Zhu Baosan said: "I just got reliable news. Yesterday, a child laborer's corpse was found in the spinning workshop of the eighth factory of Nichi-Nichi Spinning Co., Ltd."

  Hu Junqiu said: "The discovery of child labor corpses in Japanese factories is no longer a one-off or two-off event."

  Before Hu Junqiu finished speaking, Zhu Baosan interrupted him with a bitter smile and said: "If it were the same as in the past, I wouldn't have come to find you! After investigation, the child laborer had more than ten severe injuries on his chest. According to the investigation, he was beaten to death by the Japanese factory's diary manager with an iron rod. Because this child laborer died so miserably, it triggered public outrage. The workers in the Japanese-owned factories are preparing for a full-scale strike."

  Cheng Jincheng said: "The situation in various parts of the country is very chaotic at present. If Shanghai becomes chaotic again, it will be even more unfavorable for us. In my opinion, this matter cannot be delayed! The Chamber of Commerce should make a mediation as soon as possible and not let the situation get out of control."

  Lin Guodong said, "Father-in-law, I think this matter won't be so simple. The Japanese have always been two-faced and treacherous. Even if we mediate the situation well, after the storm passes, the Japanese will definitely find trouble with the workers, and the stirred-up waves will be even bigger."

  "Zi Liang said that makes sense. I'm worried about this too!" Hu Junqiu involuntarily looked at Zhu Baasan. At this time, Zhu Baasan had lost the calmness he had when he first came in, and his face showed a solemn expression. Meanwhile, due to the oppressive atmosphere, the entire study became very quiet.

  After about ten minutes, Cheng Jincheng broke the silence: "Song Ziwen is now in Shanghai. With his current status, he can fully represent the National Government of Guangzhou. I think we should invite him to come and listen to his suggestions. What do you gentlemen think?"

  Hu Junqiu, Zhu Baosan and Lin Guodong looked at each other and nodded in agreement with Cheng Jincheng's opinion.

  "Ding ding ding, ding ding ding, ding ding ding"

  Just as Soong Tzu-wen returned to the mansion and hadn't even had time to drink a cup of tea, an urgent phone call rang out. Soong picked up the phone and said: "I'm Soong Tzu-wen, who is this?!"

  On the other end of the phone, Hu Junqiu laughed and said: "Ziwen old brother, you returned to Shanghai without even giving a notice, isn't that too much?!"

  "Brother Qiongchu, I've just returned to Shanghai too. I'll take care of some things and visit you in a few days!" Song Ziwen's tone changed as he asked, "Brother Qiongchu, you're not calling just to catch up, are you?"

  "I know I can't hide it from you!" Hu Junqiu coughed lightly and said, "Ziwen, are you free now? Come to my house for a visit. Both Xing Gong and Jin Cheng Gong are here with me, we have something to discuss with you!

  "Soong Tzu-wen hesitated for a moment and said: 'Alright! I'll be right there!'"

  The story splits into two threads. More than an hour later, when Soong Tzu-wen arrived at the Hu Mansion by sedan chair, a Japanese man wearing a Western suit and sporting a Van Dyke beard walked into the office of Akagi Kanzo, head of the Japanese intelligence agency in Shanghai.

  "Vice-Chairman, an hour and a half ago, Zhu Pei-san, the chairman of the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce, went to Hu's residence. About an hour later, Soong Tse-ven, who had just arrived in Shanghai, received a phone call from Hu Yunqiu, and judging by the time, he should have already arrived at Hu's residence."

  "What?!". Upon hearing the report from his subordinate, Akagi Kojuro's eyebrows immediately furrowed, and he thought to himself: "It's New Year's now, according to Chinese custom. It shouldn't be Zhu Baosan's turn to go to Hu Gongguan. And even if Zhu Baosan going to Hu Gongguan could be explained, why did Hu Junqiu call to invite Song Ziwen to Hu Gongguan?!"

  After thinking for a while, Akagi Kojin couldn't figure out the reason and stood up, walked past his desk in the office, and suddenly thought of something. He picked up the file folder on his desk, opened it to take a look, and then showed an expression of "I see" on his face. He muttered to himself: "It seems that the death of the child laborer at the Imperial Spinning Mill won't be so simple." After regaining his composure, Akagi Kojin ordered his subordinates: "Notify everyone to closely monitor all Imperial Spinning Mills in Shanghai. If any suspicious signs appear, report back to me immediately!"

  "Hey!" His subordinate responded with a single word and quickly left Akagi Kōken's office.

  Half an hour later, the phone on Akagi Koshin's desk rang. Akagi picked up the phone and hadn't had time to ask who it was when Shikō Akebono's voice came from the other end of the line: "Akagi-san, this is Shikō Akebono. What's going on with the textile factory?!"