Chapter Thirty-two: A Night Feast at the Grand Mansion

  For several days, there has been no news in the concession except for the news that British naval officer David was beaten and had his legs broken a few days ago. There is really nothing to stimulate the auditory nerves of Shanghai people. Although the parties concerned and two witnesses unanimously testified that the attacker was a Japanese, the Japanese side did not make any statement, but only issued a statement by the Shanghai garrison, showing its attitude of severely investigating the murderer, and that's all.

  What's intriguing is the attitude of the British side. The British Navy in Shanghai released a strongly worded announcement, directly pointing at Japan's passive response. However, the British government has remained silent throughout. This can't help but make Lin Xiaotang feel somewhat sorrowful. If the British had known that the murderer was actually Chinese, the situation would have been entirely different. The concessions would have probably been turned upside down by now. A weak country has no diplomacy; this saying is indeed not empty words!

  At noon, Shen Pangzi returned from outside and looked at the deserted business in the store. He couldn't help but scold a sentence. Turning his head to call up Ma Qixiang who was entwined with new prey and Lin Xiaotang who was dazed behind the bar, they all went back to the office together.

  Shen's office has a nouveau riche air, with all the decorations being dazzling European-style furniture and accessories, filling up the originally small space.

  Shen Pangzi was a member of the Green Gang, which Lin Xiaotang had known for some time. Since the ambush of British officer David, Shen Pangzi had also hinted at wanting Lin Xiaotang to join the gang, but Lin Xiaotang didn't want to be tied down in the future, so he just laughed it off and dodged the issue. Shen Pangzi was also a clever person, and after understanding Lin Xiaotang's intentions, he never brought it up again.

  Shen Baozi asked Ma Qixiang and Lin Xiaotang to come because his boss, who was also his master, Wan Molin (note 1), a well-known figure in Shanghai's underworld, wanted to host a banquet at the mansion to entertain celebrities from all walks of life in Shanghai. Since there were not enough hands on deck, Shen Baozi and Ma Qixiang were asked to bring their brothers over to help out. Upon hearing this, Lin Xiaotang couldn't help but take a curious glance at Ma Qixiang - could he also be an underworld figure?

  Ma Qixiang seemed to see Lin Xiaotang's doubts, smiled and extinguished the cigarette butt: "There's nothing strange about it, I'm a person who doesn't care about my relatives, I have to leave myself a way out."

  Shen Pangzi specially reminded Lin Xiaotang to greet those partners and chefs, tonight, all the guests are celebrities from Shanghai, everyone must be in high spirits, absolutely cannot make any mistakes.

  Wan Mo Lin's mansion was located in a villa area, Lin Xiao Tang and Da Tou led a group of servants and chefs, carrying essential tools on a not-so-wide tree-lined path, looking at the exquisite and luxurious houses on both sides of the road, everyone was amazed.

  Shen Pangzi changed into a carefully chosen tailcoat, his round belly bulging against the white shirt, as if it might burst open at any moment. He patted the back of his head: "All of you keep your voices down, you bunch of country bumpkins! Do you know what kind of people live around here? We can't afford to offend any one of them!"

  As soon as they entered the mansion, someone came to greet them and led them directly to the servants' quarters in the back, where they were instructed to change into uniform attire. Then, a butler-like person arrived to teach them etiquette, because some foreigners would also be attending the banquet today, so knowledge of Western-style dinner party etiquette was essential.

  The whole afternoon, a group of brothers were being tossed around until they were dizzy and confused, but Shen Pangzi was watching the decorations in the banquet hall with Ma Qixiang, chatting occasionally, their faces gradually becoming serious.

  At 7 o'clock in the evening, guests from all walks of life arrived one after another. Wan Mulin met with them in the banquet hall accompanied by his disciples. Shen Baozi and Ma Qixiang were also among them, and during this time, people kept calling them "Glasses Brother" and "Young Master".

  Lin Xiaotang guessed that this might be their nicknames, but then she thought of a well-known Shanghai proverb: Thirteen Taibao, January is the way, Teaching Head Fast Knife, Playboy Rich Man, Student Young Master, Bear Tiger Eagle Leopard, Glasses Smoke Mouth, Long Gun Can't Escape.

  Isn't Shen Baozhen and Ma Qixiang among the famous Shanghai Thirteen Guardians?

  Suppressing the curiosity in her heart, Lin Xiaotang held a full tray of wine and water, weaving through the officials and nobles. Although it was already December, the room was warm as spring, with men and women guests wearing long robes, cheongsam, suits, and long dresses, holding their wine cups and smiling, making one feel as if they had forgotten about the wind and rain outside.

  A commotion at the entrance, the host shouted loudly: "Deputy Director Li Shiqun of the Shanghai Special Operations Headquarters and Mr. Zhang Xiaolin, a renowned businessman, have arrived!" The crowded banquet hall suddenly fell into a commotion, with people turning their heads to look in the direction of the gate.

  Wan Mo Lin was taken aback for a moment, but immediately regained his composure and led the crowd of disciples to go and greet them.

  A man under forty, tall and wearing a suit, and an older man in his fifties with a long gown and top hat walked through the gate arm-in-arm, followed by over ten burly men in black clothes carrying short guns who moved stealthily behind them.

  Wan Mo Lin took a step forward and floated up to the old man: "Young uncle, this small wine gathering of mine has startled you."

  The old man took off his hat and handed it to the servant, touched his short white hair, stared at Wan Mulin for a while, and said with deep meaning: "Mulin! Now that Huang Lao is no longer in charge of affairs, and Yue Xiang has gone to Hong Kong, if I don't keep an eye on this big Shanghai, it's hard to prevent others from taking advantage. So, I heard you're having a banquet here, I came to take a look, also to help you stabilize the situation, what, not welcome?"

  Wan Mulin's eyes flashed with a hint of sharpness and then disappeared, followed by repeated nods of approval. He then exchanged pleasantries with Li Shiqun and the two were escorted into the meeting hall.

  As soon as the two men entered the venue, they were surrounded by a crowd of people. Zhang Xiaolin and Li Shiqun chatted and laughed, responding to everyone with ease, as if they were the main characters of tonight's banquet. Wan Mulin, who was being ignored, looked coldly at the backs of the two men, called over a doorman, and said in a low voice: "Tell Xiao Shen and Xiao Ma to pay attention to the movements on that side at all times. Zhang Laoban and Li Shiqun suddenly came just to stare me to death. Let them adapt to changing circumstances. Tonight's affairs will not end well!"

  Shen Pao Tzu silently listened to the message from Wan Mo Lin, nodded and turned his head to Ma Qi Xiang: "See, Wu Si Bao and Duan Bai Hu didn't follow, they must have gone to do something, don't know what's going on outside."

  Ma Qixiang lazily stretched his waist: "Calm down, it's still early, recharge your energy, tonight many people will definitely not be able to sleep." He said, standing up and putting his suit on his shoulder: "I'll go to the back kitchen to find something to eat."

  Lin Xiaotang walked among the crowd, watching everything that happened in the banquet hall. For Zhang Ailing and Li Shiqun's arrival, he had a natural feeling of danger approaching. As far as he knew, one of Shanghai's three big shots, Huang Jinrong was idle at home, refusing to see guests, Du Yuesheng did not want to be a traitor, fleeing to Hong Kong, only Zhang Ailing wore the hat of a traitor and threw himself into the arms of the Japanese. There was also Li Shiqun, a very strange figure, who first betrayed *** and later defected from Military Unity to Nanjing, relying on Wang Jingwei, truly becoming a "three-surname family slave". Currently in the newly established Wang Puppet Special Operations Headquarters, also known as 76th Division, he was ruthless and sharp, another popular figure.

  What is the purpose of these two unexpected guests coming to Wang's mansion tonight?

  Thinking of these things, Lin Xiaotang couldn't help but get distracted and completely didn't notice that a slender jade hand had taken a cup of red wine from the tray in his hand. The owner of the hand inadvertently saw Lin Xiaotang's profile and suddenly exclaimed: "Xiaoqi, how is it you?"

  Lin Xiaotang suddenly heard this familiar voice, dazedly turned his head, saw the woman's appearance in front of him, and his chest felt like it had been heavily pounded for a moment. All the blood in his body seemed to have gathered on his head at once. At this moment, he was a little suspicious whether he was dreaming or not. Looking at that face which often appeared in his dreams, Lin Xiaotang subconsciously pressed the handkerchief in his pocket, and his thoughts had already flown back to those youthful years.

  "Xiao Qi, if I leave, will you come find me?" The gentle tone and the deeply etched smile on that flower-like face were forever imprinted in Lin Xiaotang's heart.

  Lin Xiaotang thought back to that drizzly spring night, her heart full of anticipation as she shivered and hid in the corner, holding a bouquet of flowers and a carefully prepared gift, waiting for her crush to appear, fantasizing about spending a romantic birthday with him.

  But what came into view was a scene that shattered his heart to this day, the girl he loved walking hand in hand with another man towards home, her face filled with a sweetness and satisfaction that Lin Xiaotang had never seen before, seemingly something that would never belong to him.

  Two people laughed softly, hugged and kissed under the streetlight, while Lin Xiaotang hid in the shadows, trembling, with the flowers and gifts in her hand falling to the wet mud, shattering along with a young and immature heart.

  Because Lin Xiaotang saw clearly, the man who kissed his beloved girl was his best friend.

  Ma Qixiang and Da Tou stood bored at the entrance of the banquet hall and the back kitchen, each holding a cigarette in their hand, occasionally taking a cup of wine from the passing waiter to drink.

  Ma Qixiang's eyes scanned the crowd, where beauties and charming women gathered. Tonight's banquet was absolutely suitable for his style, but he didn't have the mood for it now, because there were still big things to be done.

  Suddenly, Ma Qixiang elbowed Da Tou: "Hey! Look over there, I'm not mistaken, am I? Xiao Qi is flirting with that girl, and she's pretty good-looking!"

  Big Head carelessly turned his head: "It's him! He was still okay after being soaked, where is he?"

  Ma Qixiang pointed, and Da Tou took a closer look: "Pfft", he spat out the wine in his mouth clean.