Chapter 31

31

Shen Po was dumbfounded.

Four in the front and two at the back door?

“Are they all in the same group?” he couldn’t help asking foolishly.

He Ting sneered. “Of course not. Two at the front are with the Japanese, two are Dai Yunong’s men, and the two at the back are from the Axe Gang.”

The Japanese aside, Dai Yunong^[1] was the famous head of the Military Statistics Bureau. It was said that the people he had ordered assassinated ranged from the Japanese to fellow countrymen, sparing no one. As for the Axe Gang^[2], it was no fictional creation from the movies; the gang truly existed at this time. Its leader, Wang Ding, was another figure fond of assassinations, though his targets were mostly traitors to the nation.

Shen Po was utterly bewildered. As nothing more than a wealthy young master, what had he ever done to deserve being targeted by so many people?

“I heard you’ve been seeing a lot of Old Mr. Zhang lately,” Feng Yun said leisurely.

Shen Po was still blank. “What does that have to do with the Japanese?”

Feng Yun sighed, as if at a loss with this clueless kid. “The Japanese have their eyes on the Commercial Press. They’ve requested to borrow books time and again, and many people know about it. Large as Shanghai is, their every move is being watched. Since you’re close to Zhang Yuanji, the Japanese naturally want to check you out. And once the Japanese show up, could Dai Yunong’s men stay away? With both sides here, Wang Ding had to find a way to keep watch too, just to see what kind of commotion is brewing.”

Seeing Shen Po still in a daze, he offered some comfort: “Don’t worry, though. You’re just incidental. Their primary focus is still on Zhang Yuanji. As long as you behave yourself over the next few days, you’ll naturally be fine.”

Wen Yan, who had stayed silent the entire time, suddenly prompted, 【Ask him why he’s helping you.】

“Why are you telling me this, Mr. Feng?” Shen Po asked. “As far as I remember, the Shen family doesn’t have any dealings with you.”

Feng Yun gave a faint smile. “Those elders of your Shen family indeed have no connection to me, nor do I think much of them. But that doesn’t mean I have no contact with anyone in the Shen family. At the very least, Shen Chong is a rare exception.”

Shen Po asked, “You know my elder brother, Mr. Feng?”

Feng Yun said, “We have some history, but not as much as my friend Old Wang. Old Wang and him are true companions in adversity, with a bond forged in life and death.”

Shen Po was completely baffled. Where had this Mr. Wang suddenly come from?

Feng Yun said, “Old Wang was the one who tipped me off this time, saying you might be in some trouble and asking me to come help you out.”

Shen Po felt his head buzzing, unable to sort through all the questions popping up at once.

If these people had ties to his elder brother, did they know his brother was already dead? If they knew, was Feng Yun in league with him too? It didn’t look like it. His brother had struggled so hard to get by, yet Feng Yun ran the Firenze Ballroom and commanded influence across both the underworld and high society in Shanghai.

Wen Yan didn’t utter a word either, unable to figure out Feng Yun’s purpose behind these words.

Was he trying to get close, or fishing for information?

But Feng Yun didn’t wait for Shen Po to answer. He added, “I know you have a lot of questions, and we have a few things to ask you as well. Why don’t you spend the night at my place?”

Shen Po was bewildered. “Is this a kidnapping or a threat?”

Feng Yun chuckled. “You’re not important enough for that, kid. What do you have that’s worth kidnapping or threatening you for? I don’t care for the petty scraps the Shen family has. Besides, even if you were kidnapped, the Shen family might not be willing to fork over their entire fortune to ransom you, would they?”

Shen Po grew displeased at once. “No matter what, I’m the Shen family’s only presentable son now. Dashing, handsome, enrolled in university, how am I not worth kidnapping?”

Wen Yan buried his face in his hands. What kind of bizarre competitive streak is this? What’s the point of winning an argument over something like that?

Feng Yun broke into full laughter, and even He Ting couldn’t resist rolling his eyes.

The car soon arrived at the Feng family villa.

Shen Po hadn’t expected that beneath Feng Yun’s unassuming exterior lay a villa no less magnificent than the Shen Residence. Even the antique furnishings inside were clearly things that money alone might not buy.

The Shanghai Bund was a place of crouching tigers and hidden dragons, teeming with big shots. Some were in retirement, while others remained active. There were remnants of the former Qing dynasty, newly minted elites of the Republic of China, and consuls from various foreign nations. People like Feng Yun were not uncommon here. If you never inquired, he would seem like an ordinary wealthy gentleman; if you looked into him closely, the tangled web of background and connections behind him might just scare you half to death.

Someone was already sitting on the sofa in Feng Yun’s living room. He didn’t look much older than Shen Po, but carried a calm and steady demeanor, instantly marking him as someone reliable, unlike the restless and impulsive Shen Po.

“His surname is Wang. You can just call him Mr. Wang,” Feng Yun said.

That’s it? Shen Po looked at Feng Yun, but Feng Yun showed no intention of explaining further.

Instead, Mr. Wang stood up and took the initiative to shake his hand.

“Hello, I’m Shen Chong’s friend, Wang Yong. You can just call me Brother Wang.”

Shen Po asked suspiciously, “How come I’ve never heard my brother mention you?”

Mr. Wang shook his head with a smile. “How old were you when your brother left home? You two haven’t seen each other in all these years, so how would you know who he’s met?”

Who said we haven’t met?

The words nearly spilled from his mouth, but Shen Po held them back.

It was still unclear whether these two were friends or foes. Saying that would be like walking straight into a trap.

As if seeing through his thoughts, Mr. Wang’s smile faded.

“Don’t worry, we won’t harm you. The last time I saw your brother was last week. He brought you up back then, saying you grew up in luxury and acted willfully, but had a good heart. He hoped you would focus on your studies and not get blinded by the dazzling temptations of Shanghai.”

Shen Po gritted his teeth and kept playing dumb. “What are you talking about? My brother has been missing for years. My father said to act as if he never had that unfilial son. You two aren’t really scammers or kidnappers, are you?”

Mr. Wang sighed, then shifted the subject. “Did you suddenly change your major just to get close to Asai Sui?”

This man is terrifying!

Shen Po’s heart gave a violent jolt, and even Wen Yan was startled.

Wen Yan couldn’t fathom how the other side knew this, or why they had set their sights on Shen Po.

The status of a young master of the Shen family was fine for intimidating ordinary folk, but to truly powerful figures, it amounted to very little. Even Shen Po’s uncle, the deputy mayor, wasn’t important enough to be monitored at every turn.

Then why did these two men, along with the ones keeping watch outside the New World Ballroom, target Shen Po in the first place?

Was it because of The Commercial Press?

Yet Wen Yan knew that in the grand scheme of the current situation, The Commercial Press was not important enough to warrant that; otherwise, history would not have seen it left to be bombed beyond salvation.

Could it be because of Shen Po’s eldest brother, Shen Chong?

Shen Chong was already dead, though, and had not returned home in over a decade. Even if he had harbored some secret, Shen Po certainly would not know it.

Fortunately, Mr. Wang had no intention of playing games and laid out the answer directly.

“That day, you showed up at our door out of the blue, looking like you were caught in a tight spot. Then you didn’t say a word and ran off. Out of curiosity, we followed you to take a look, only to discover you went to Lin Guisheng’s house.”

“Lin Guisheng is no ordinary woman. She’s the ex-wife of Shanghai boss Huang Jinrong. Even after their divorce, her name still carries weight in the Green Gang. The Shen family has never had ties with her, so whatever trouble you ran into had to be something even the Shen family couldn’t handle, yet you refused to tell us and had to turn to Lin Guisheng for help instead. After that, we found out Old Du also went to Lin Guisheng’s house. At the same time, you changed your major.”

“Everyone else thought you did it to chase after that female student, but as I see it, you were actually interested in Teacher Asai, who teaches Eastern culture. You even arranged a meeting between him and Zhang Yuanji, and right after that, an explosion went off at the Commercial Press.”

“These events seem disconnected on the surface, but lay them out one by one, and everything clicks into place. So what you came to tell us that day, did it have to do with the Commercial Press bombing?”

Mr. Wang spoke unhurriedly, laying out each detail in measured tones.

Yet Shen Po and Wen Yan felt chills run down their spines as they listened.

What kind of ability was this?

From a single trivial incident, he had deduced nearly the entire truth.

Just who on earth was this man named Wang?!

He claimed he meant Shen Po no harm, but how could someone so inscrutable, who had effortlessly seen right through the secret plan Shen Po and Wen Yan had painstakingly built over these past days, not keep them on edge?

Mr. Wang said, “I know you have many doubts in your heart and suspect I harbor ill intentions. All I can tell you is that not only do I mean you no harm, but because of your brother’s entrustment, I treat you as a younger brother as well. I said all this merely to remind you that while what you did seemed flawless, anyone who took the time to investigate would not find it difficult to uncover traces.”

Shen Po said, “Why did you investigate me? You say you knew my brother, so did my brother tell you to investigate me too?”

Mr. Wang replied, “We wanted to help you. At first, we found your reckless actions amusing, but when we saw you getting involved with Lin Guisheng and Old Du, we worried you might go astray. Factoring in our connection with your brother, we wanted to see what you were up to so that if you got into minor trouble, we could clean up the mess for you.”

Feng Yun chimed in, “Looking at it now, it doesn’t seem like minor trouble at all. How did the Japanese pick up the scent and come sniffing around too?”

Shen Po watched warily as the two men claiming to be his brother’s friends played off each other, remaining silent.

【What do you think?】 He was in a heated discussion with Wen Yan. 【How much of what they’re saying is true, and how much is a lie?】

Wen Yan: 【It’s hard to say. They claim to be your brother’s friends without offering any proof, yet the fact that he deduced practically the entire truth just from us visiting Lin Guisheng proves he’s exceptionally capable. What did he say his name was earlier? Wang Yong? I’ve never heard that name before. Could it be an alias?】

Seeing Shen Po’s guarded stance, like a little squirrel terrified someone might snatch away its pinecone, Mr. Wang felt both amused and somewhat touched.

“I have a letter here from my correspondence with your brother. If you don’t recognize his handwriting, then no matter how much evidence I present, you won’t believe me anyway.”

He retrieved a letter from his pocket and held it out.

Half-doubting, Shen Po took the letter.

Sure enough, it was a letter written to Wang Yong in Shen Chong’s tone. The content was quite ordinary, merely asking after his well-being and asking him to look in on his mother and younger brother, namely Shen Po and his mother, whenever he had free time. It also mentioned that the situation in Shanghai might take a turn for the worse over the coming years, urging Wang Yong to take good care of himself, among other things.

“Shen Chong wrote this letter last year. He was facing danger at the time and thought he might not survive, so he had someone deliver it to me. But he managed to escape unharmed later, only to meet his end just days ago,” Mr. Wang said. “Living in comfort and wealth with the Shen family, I thought leaving you undisturbed was best for you. Yet here you are, stirring up trouble.”

Shen Po: 【He sounds very sincere. Should I believe him?】

Wen Yan was still racking his brain: 【Wang Yong must be a pseudonym. It really does sound familiar. Where have I heard it before?】

Shen Po fumed inwardly: 【What time do you think it is to care about irrelevant details? If he’s a Japanese lapdog, both of us are going to die right here today!】

Seeing him bristle, Wen Yan had no choice but to placate him: 【Let’s use the process of elimination. First, rule out the Japanese. If those two were on the Japanese side, our plan would have been exposed long ago. Second, rule out the Axe Gang. According to historical records from a century later, Wang Ding, the leader of the Axe Gang, favored assassinations. He wouldn’t use such a roundabout method to coax information out of you, and besides, you wouldn’t be worth the trouble of him using such means. That leaves only two possibilities: either they are Dai Yunong’s men, or they truly are your brother’s friends.】

Shen Po: 【I heard my eldest uncle say he would rather offend the Chairman^[3] than cross Dai Yunong. He is a terrifying figure.】

Wen Yan: 【I’ve watched documentaries in the future describing Dai Yunong’s actions. He made no distinction between friend and foe; as long as he perceived someone as a threat, or as a threat to his superior, he would strike without hesitation. But our plan itself doesn’t threaten anyone except Japanese interests. In Dai Yunong’s eyes, it might even be considered a great service to the nation. So even if these two are his men, telling the truth shouldn’t be an issue. And if they aren’t his men and really are your brother’s friends, all the better.】

Shen Po hesitated: 【So you’re leaning toward telling the truth?】

Wen Yan fell silent for a moment: 【In established history, the Commercial Press is bound to be bombed, and the books in the library will be reduced to ashes. Even if we fail to protect them in the end, that is the worst possible outcome. But Shen Po, I don’t want anything to happen to you. I don’t want more innocent lives lost on top of history’s worst-case scenario. If that happens, we won’t be doing good at all.】

Shen Po had not expected to receive such an answer.

From initially doubting this plan to now participating wholeheartedly, he had never considered the possibility that he might lose his life over it. In fact, working together with others toward a shared goal had brought him unprecedented joy, making him enthusiastic and thrilled.

Yet he had never imagined that the companion who was even more eager than him to see the plan through would prioritize his safety.

It felt like the very first time someone cared about him not because of his lineage or background, but simply for who he was.

Feng Yun had no idea that two minds were currently in a fierce debate inside Shen Po’s head. Watching the rapid shifts in Shen Po’s expression, he found it rather amusing.

“Have you made up your mind? If you choose not to trust us, you can walk out of here right now, keep being followed, and perhaps even risk your life.”

Shen Po took a deep breath and decided to lay everything bare, just as Wen Yan had suggested.

“All I actually want to do is one thing: protect the books in the library.”

He did not mention Wen Yan’s existence, nor did he bring up the bombing. That would only strike these two old foxes as an excuse and make them even more suspicious of his information sources.

“It all started that night at the cultural salon, when the Japanese came looking for my granduncle…”

He began with Asai Sui approaching Zhang Yuanji, explaining how determined the Japanese were to get their hands on the library, even resorting to both carrots and sticks to threaten him. Shen Po added that ever since Shen Chong told him years ago that the Japanese harbored malicious intentions, he had been wary of the Eastern Seas; after witnessing Asai’s conduct, he feared the Japanese would inevitably make a move on the library sooner or later.

Shen Chong was dead anyway, so dragging his eldest brother in as a shield was safe; neither of these two men could go interrogate a dead man.

“But my granduncle is stubborn as a mule. No matter how I tried, he wouldn’t listen. I had no choice but to consult his grandson, Zheng Sheng. The two of us have limited strength, and even if we managed to sneak the books out, we wouldn’t know where to send them, so-“

Mr. Wang picked up where he left off: “So you thought of approaching Old Du through Lin Guisheng?”

Shen Po nodded. “Our plan doesn’t intend to harm anyone. It’s just to steal the books, hide them in a safe place first, and tell my granduncle once the Japanese give up.”

Mr. Wang and Feng Yun exchanged a glance. They ran through the whole sequence of events in their minds and found no obvious flaws.

They were already half-convinced.

The remaining half was not something Shen Po could settle with just a few words.

Feng Yun said, “It seems Old Du has already believed you and joined your plan.”

Shen Po said, “I don’t know if you and Old Du are friends or foes, but I’m the one who pulled him into this, and our original intention wasn’t for our own benefit. Please don’t give Old Du a hard time! My granduncle said that besides Asai, another Japanese man named Hayashishita came asking for the calligraphic rubbings in the library. With them being so relentless, they’re definitely eyeing those rare volumes and unique copies. For the sake of our shared Chinese heritage, please don’t obstruct our plan, gentlemen!”

Feng Yun laughed. “Don’t be so quick to flatter or lecture us. We never said we were going to stop you. Earlier, we only worried you might cause a catastrophe without realizing it. Under these circumstances, I might actually be able to lend a hand.”

Shen Po looked at him with skepticism.

Feng Yun said, “Old Du owns several warehouses by the river. Once your books are out, he will almost certainly store them in one of those warehouses. But books are vulnerable to moisture, making that location unsuitable. Besides, if the Japanese are keeping an eye on these books, they will never be safe in Shanghai. Old Du may have some influence, but he ultimately can’t go head-to-head with the Japanese. If you really want to move them, you can only ship them inland. My shipping routes and cargo vessels can come in handy.”

Shen Po was stunned. “Shipped where?”

Feng Yun replied, “Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan. Once a few years pass and things quiet down, we can bring them back.”

Shen Po asked, “Why do you make it sound like a war is going to break out in Shanghai?”

He was asking this on Wen Yan’s behalf.

Feng Yun said, “I don’t know whether war will break out in Shanghai or not, but it’s clear the Japanese haven’t given up their ambitions toward China. They have already swallowed the Three Northeastern Provinces, and they will never be satisfied with just the Northeast; what happened in Shandong is proof enough. When the time comes, even if the battlefield isn’t Shanghai, it will be somewhere else, and Shanghai will become a refuge flooded with displaced people from surrounding areas. These books will never be safe here. Since you want to protect them, you must prepare a foolproof plan and see it through to the end.”

Shen Po: 【Why does he sound so similar to what you said? Could he have come from a hundred years in the future too?】

Wen Yan: 【Probably not. It just shows that China has no shortage of people with foresight.】

Seeing him stay silent, Feng Yun added, “If you don’t trust me, I can arrange a meeting with Old Du as well. He knows who I am, and with his word, you should be able to set your mind at ease.”

Shen Po asked, “Didn’t you say I was being followed? Can you still arrange a meeting with Old Du?”

Feng Yun said, “If people want to meet, there’s always a way. I can’t stand Old Du’s methods, but he does possess a sense of righteousness. For that alone, I’m willing to make an exception and cooperate with him this once.”

Mr. Wang, who had remained quiet all this time, suddenly chimed in, “Old Mr. Zhang hasn’t decided to close the library for renovations yet, right? With the Japanese watching the place, sneaking the books out right under their noses won’t be an easy task.”

Shen Po said, “I’ve already agreed with Zheng Sheng that he will handle persuading my granduncle. If that fails, I’ll step in to stoke the flames. We’ve also turned Old Chen, the library guard, to our side. When the time comes, we’ll pick a night to transport the books, and Old Chen will turn a blind eye.”

Mr. Wang smiled. “It seems that even without us, your plan is already quite thorough.”

Shen Po could not help but feel proud. “Of course. Our plan doesn’t put anyone’s life in danger. It’s solely to preserve a trace of cultural heritage for this nation. We don’t want future generations to have to cross the sea to Japan just to study ancestral knowledge or view cultural treasures, only for them to turn the tables, build a museum, and charge admission before letting you in, or even post a sign at the entrance saying Chinese people aren’t welcome. Tell me, wouldn’t that be infuriating?”

These words had not been fed to him by Wen Yan; rather, through gradual exposure after spending so much time around Wen Yan, he had picked up enough to speak with considerable eloquence.

Feng Yun laughed in exasperation, pointing a finger at Shen Po. “Cut the crap, kid. Trying to drop subtle hints and test us? You still don’t fully believe we’re really your brother’s friends, do you? So how did you dare lay everything on the table?”

Shen Po answered honestly, “As long as someone is a fellow countryman, they’d be glad to see what I’m doing succeed, or at the very least wouldn’t go out of their way to stop me. Even if you aren’t my brother’s friends, you wouldn’t be working for the Japanese. That’s enough for me.”

Feng Yun nodded slightly and finally stopped nitpicking.

Mr. Wang asked, “When will Zheng Sheng get back to you?”

Shen Po said, “Tomorrow. He’ll give me an answer tomorrow. If it still doesn’t work, we’ll have to use stronger medicine.”

Mr. Wang asked, “What kind of strong medicine?”

Shen Po said, “Another fire?”

Mr. Wang chided with a chuckle, “Don’t mess around! This time can still be chalked up to an accident, but a second time would really draw suspicion. The old master loves books more than life itself; this time, he’ll definitely close the library for repairs.”

Shen Po scratched his head. “My only worry now is what to do about the tails following us. There must be people watching my granduncle too, right? If we secretly move the books out, won’t they notice?”

Mr. Wang nodded. “That is indeed an issue. I’ve come up with an idea that might work.”

Shen Po asked, “What idea?”

Mr. Wang gave a sly smile. “Create even bigger chaos. Draw everyone’s attention elsewhere, and what happens here will become a minor detail.”

Shen Po looked at him and suddenly felt that Mr. Wang’s mischievous, victorious grin was quite like the smirk his eldest brother used to have after playing pranks on him as a child, watching him bawl his eyes out.