1928: The Rise of Giants

Chapter 676: Secret Service Operation
Ming Lou was worried about Ming Tai being targeted by Dai Li. When he heard that Ye Luo was willing to help solve the problem, he nodded and said, "Okay, then I'll trouble you, Second Young Master."

"Well, I will arrange some things for you to contact Iwai Eiichi later. I will talk to Dai Li personally about Mingtai's matter. You don't have to worry about it anymore."

After chatting about this, Ye Luo looked at the time, then stood up and said goodbye.

As soon as he and his group left, Ming Jing came back and asked worriedly, "What is he doing here? Is he really just here to help Ming Tai solve his problems?"

"He has discovered my identity." Minglou lowered his voice and spoke to his elder sister.

Mingjing almost dropped the teacup in her hand.

"How is that possible? Your contact is not..." Ming Jing is also a member of the organization, and only recently learned Ming Lou's real code name.

As far as she knew, Minglou's contact person would never betray him.

And if she really betrayed him, Minglou wouldn't be able to stand here and talk to her so peacefully.

"It has nothing to do with him. I don't think there's anything wrong with the intelligence network." Ming Lou sighed and looked in the direction where Ye Luo disappeared. "Everyone says that the Second Young Master is a master of strategy and has great foresight. This time I've witnessed it."

"No problem, then how did he see through your identity?" Ming Jing remembered that she had been seducing Ye Luo and felt scared.

This man is so scary.

If I really become his bedmate, who knows when he will sell me out and I'll still be helping count the money.

"He invited me to work in Ye's Investment's intelligence system, saying that it was their intelligence personnel who discovered it." Ming Lou smiled bitterly, "I knew his people were powerful, but I didn't expect them to be this powerful."

"Is it okay for you to tell me about this?" Ming Jing couldn't help asking. She didn't know if her identity had been exposed, but it involved Ye Luo's secrets. Even though she was the eldest sister, Ming Lou's words might anger Ye Luo.

"It's okay. Big sister, haven't you realized it yet? The Second Young Master doesn't want Ming Lou alone, but the entire Ming family." Ming Lou shook his head and said, "If he really wanted to avoid you and Ming Tai, he would have said it directly instead of telling me all these things and asking me to make a choice."

"Since he told me and didn't ask me to keep it secret, it means he tacitly allowed me to tell you, and even Mingtai and the others." Minglou thought back to what happened just now, and gradually felt a little scared, "He may have discovered the problem in our family a long time ago."

"No wonder. He refused to come despite my several invitations." Mingjing blushed slightly. At that time, she thought he didn't like older women, but her figure and appearance were very well maintained. There was no difference between a girl in her early thirties and a girl in her twenties.

It's more mature and has more flavor.

Among Ye Luo’s women, Lin Ruxian is already 32 years old, a typical young mature woman.

It turned out that he was afraid of his own identity.

The organization had long said that Ye Luo did not seem to have any intention of joining, but he had not joined the National Party either, and it seemed that he was really prepared to go all the way in business.

Ye Luo is probably the first person in the Republic of China who does not involve politics in business.

What is the reason that makes him so reluctant to take a political stance?
Mingjing couldn't figure it out, but at least she realized one thing: she could no longer approach him with ulterior motives.

This man is so scary. If you are not careful, he might end up getting burned.

Five days later.

Ming Lou, dressed as a scholar, walked towards the Japanese Consulate in Shanghai beside the Waibaidu Bridge, where a press conference was being held as usual.

After the Mukden Incident and the Battle of Shanghai, the anti-Japanese sentiment was high among the people, and the receptions held by the Japanese were often deserted. The Japanese also liked to invite some influential Chinese from all walks of life in Shanghai to attend, expressing their so-called "Greater East Asia Co-prosperity" attitude.

However, most people would not dare to lick the Japanese at this critical juncture, as doing so would be tackling the label of a traitor.

And every time such receptions were held, only Feng Jingyao from the French Concession would attend.

He used to cooperate with Ye’s investment, but after the downfall of the three Yongxing tycoons and the gradual control of the French Concession by him, Feng Jingyao became more and more ambitious.

He wanted to divide the territory with Ye Luo, with one controlling the Chinese business circle in the French Concession and the other controlling the Chinese business circle in the International Settlement.

Ye Luo was in no mood to play this kind of game with him, so Feng Jingyao hooked up with the Japanese.

In addition to Feng Jingyao, there was also a business representative here today, Ming Lou.

Minglou brought a Japanese magazine and sat aside to read it quietly before the reception began.

"That's amazing! It's rare to find Chinese businessmen who know Japanese. I also read every issue of Chuokoron in your hand." The person who spoke was Iwai Eiichi, who had been watching this Chinese businessman for a long time.

In order to eliminate the adverse effects of the Battle of Shanghai and restore business in the Japanese Concession, the Japanese Consulate General has been holding various activities every day in recent weeks, inviting many people, but unfortunately the effect is very poor.

After coming here once with Feng Jingyao, this young Chinese businessman came every time. He didn't talk much, but just read books and listened to speeches seriously.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Minglou, and I’m an economic advisor at the Finance Department of City Hall." Minglou said with a smile as he closed the book and stood up to shake hands with the other party.

"I know you, Mr. Ming Lou from the Ming family, and you were also Mr. Wang's economic adviser before. I am Eiichi Iwai, working in the consulate general, and currently serving as secretary to Consul General Okamoto." Eiichi Iwai said with a smile.

Because Wang himself was pro-Japanese, and Minglou was severely suppressed after Wang left, after some investigation, he felt that there was no problem with Minglou's identity.

This was Ming Lou's lowest point. He was probably looking for an opportunity, just like Feng Jingyao.

"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Iwai Eiichi." Minglou smiled even more brightly.

After some casual chatting, this Chinese man who knew Japanese, could write articles and was quick-witted was very much to Iwai Eiichi's liking. The two hit it off and decided to go taste Japanese food together and talk about the contents of the Chuokoron magazine.

All these itineraries were planned by Ye Luo, who did it deliberately but unintentionally. With Ming Lou's outstanding spy skills, Iwai Eiichi was soon impressed by Ming Lou and became his close friend.

The Ming family was a neutral faction in the French Concession, but now they were moving closer to Japan. The reason he gave was very convincing.

I don't want to be caught between Feng Jingyao and Ye Luo and be neither of them.

Feng Jingyao and Ye Luo themselves were disdainful of making friends with second-tier wealthy families like the Ming family. Even if Ming Lou was enthusiastic, he would easily end up being rejected.

Iwai Eiichi could understand this very well, because wasn't he the one in such an embarrassing situation?
In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he was regarded as Okamoto Jusan's man, but he could not become Okamoto Jusan's confidant.

The only way is to find a new backer or to stand on your own.

After today, Minglou got to know Iwai Eiichi very smoothly. Before leaving, he secretly hinted to the other party that he was willing to work for the Japanese.

After that, all I can do is wait for his feedback.

(End of this chapter)