Chapter 41: Tianjin (Begging for Collection)

  And the mysterious disappearance of this guy made Zeng Che feel even more unthinkable. Of course, as a special agent, Zeng Che's thinking was different from others. Although it was hard to understand, he believed that this mysterious person was on the ship, and judging from the hijacking process, this person was either a first-class cabin passenger or someone related to a first-class cabin passenger who was caught by the pirates together.

  With the help of Fuxing Society, Zeng Che joined the hijacking incident investigation team and secretly observed and studied the appearance and identity of first-class cabin passengers. His purpose was not to help Shandong Province Chairman Han Fuqu, a warlord who was obedient on the surface but disobedient in secret to the central government, find the truth, but he was extremely interested in the identity of this mysterious person, and finally his attention focused on Huang Li.

  The characteristics of a special agent are good memory and calmness. Zeng Cheng searched his memories, thinking that Huang Li was not present at the restaurant that day. There were not many first-class passengers, and for a special agent like Zeng Cheng who had received strict training, it was not difficult to remain calm and look around for an opportunity to escape.

  Of course, this is just suspicion and speculation. Zeng Che also secretly hinted at the matter to Tai Li as an investigator, wanting to get some clues from her. Moreover, at this time, Zeng Che was in the same restaurant, observing Huang Li's movements in secret, and sniffed out a familiar smell.

  The corridor of the restaurant had a right-angled turn, and when Huang Li walked past just now, he seemed to naturally take a step in the opposite direction of the wall corner before turning around. It was this small detail that allowed Zeng Che to see through the flaw.

  A person who has received special training or lives in a dangerous environment is always on the lookout for potential threats, constantly on guard against sudden attacks from blind spots, increasing their turning radius to react quickly when attacked, and over time this vigilance and habitual action permeates their entire body, revealing itself unintentionally.

  This person is probably a fellow practitioner, and I don't know which organization he belongs to. Zeng Che's eyes narrowed, and he became more and more convinced that Huang Li had an unusual relationship with that mysterious person.

  Just then, a young man walked in and told Zeng Che what he had overheard from Huang Li's next room.

  "Oh, they're taking a boat to Tianjin tomorrow!" Zeng Che smiled meaningfully and let his men continue to keep watch. In his heart, he thought: Once they reach their own territory, there's no need to worry about not being able to investigate thoroughly. Such a skilled person, if they are an enemy rather than a friend, must be taken care of first, absolutely cannot be underestimated. If he is a lone hero, that would be even more ideal! He himself needs such a skilled expert, and it just so happens that there will be a big show in Pingjin soon!

  ………

  "Hoo---", the whistle sounded, and the ship slowly docked at the pier.

  Tianjin, finally arrived. The yellow calendar let out a sigh of relief, originally it was a very simple journey, but many things happened, hopefully everything will go smoothly in Tianjin.

  In the history of modern and contemporary industrial and commercial development in China, Tianjin's status was once in no way inferior to that of Shanghai: The 1930s were the heyday of Tianjin, which was then the second largest commercial city in China and the largest financial and trade center in North China. At that time, Tianjin was also a place with superior geographical advantages in terms of transportation by sea and river, with the saying "Shanghai in the south, Tianjin in the north".

  Especially after the Republic of China, Beijing lost its status as a metropolis due to the southward shift of the capital and was renamed "Beiping", while Tianjin became the most prosperous metropolis in North China.

  Tai Li was sent by the American Christian Church to go to Beiman Girls' School in North Ping as a life guide. She only stayed briefly in Tianjin and took the opportunity to sightsee. So, after getting off the boat, she bid farewell to Huang Li and others, and left her contact address with enthusiasm.

  After bidding farewell to He Tai Li, Huang Li inquired of the coolies at the dock and then got into a rickshaw with Zhen Niang, heading straight for Xing Chang Footway.

  As they were about to find their relatives, this trip had many twists and turns, but the purpose was also achieved. However, Zhen Niang's heart did not feel relieved or joyful. To say that, she had never met this relative before, and facing a new life, she felt confused and at a loss. There was another reason that couldn't be spoken out loud, which was that during this journey, Huang Li's thoughtful care made her feel dependent on him, thinking that Huang Li would soon leave them, Zhen Niang's heart had an unspeakable sense of loss.

  The road from the dock to Xingchang on foot is not far, and after half an hour, they arrived at the main street where Xingchang warehouse was located. The big sign dozens of meters away could be seen, but the rickshaw stopped.

  "What are all these people surrounding for?" Huang Li asked the driver in surprise.

  The cart driver didn't understand either and asked people around him before he knew what had happened.

  From the 19th century to the early 20th century, the expansion of the vagrant class in Chinese cities was a typical social phenomenon. Shanghai had the Green Gang, Tianjin had the Mixian Er gang, Beiping had the Qigai gang, Northwest China had the Dao Ke, and Sichuan had the Bao Ge. The organizations in China have a long history, are deeply rooted, and each organization also has its own characteristics.

  Tianjin is the lower reaches of the nine rivers, the terminal point of the canal transportation, and the intersection of the river and sea transportation. At its peak, there were tens of thousands of boats coming and going. Interestingly, no boat culture or sailor culture was left behind, but a "green skin" culture flourished. These "green skins" were actually members of gangs who made a living by competing for docks, exploiting porters, and later operating some illegal or legal businesses after developing into underworld organizations. However, the dock was undoubtedly the foundation for the "green skins" to make a fortune. Tianjin people called them "mix-mix children" or "mix-star children", most of whom were fugitives.

  The members of the hoodlums are nothing but idle and lazy young men who do not follow family rules, and some poor people who have been forced to join them. These hoodlums have nothing to do with their daily lives, only thinking about causing trouble, getting a beating, and becoming famous through it. According to their rules, they are not allowed to fight back when beaten, nor are they allowed to cry out in pain. This is called "selling flavor". If someone can't bear it and utters the words "ah ya", the other party will immediately stop hitting them, and that person will be considered a "failure" from then on, expelled from the gang, and lose their qualifications. However, those who curse loudly are not included in this rule.

  The hooligans have the opportunity to fight together, and should adhere to the spirit of "not shrinking from a fight", bravely advancing forward, striving for victory. If someone comes at you with a knife, one should bare their chest in defiance; if they come at you with an axe handle, use your head to meet it, showing no fear; if you retreat or use a weapon to parry, this is called "grabbing the tool", and although it may not lead to immediate expulsion, it will be looked down upon, becoming a lifelong laughingstock.

  The leader of the gangsters has been supporting a group of idle people for a long time, so they must find ways to make a living and maintain themselves. Opening casinos, setting up brothels, collecting protection fees, and operating footmen are common means. Generally speaking, each gangster gang has its own territory and does not invade each other. However, when someone deliberately covets and wants to compete for the site, it will also trigger a fierce struggle for the market.

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