20 years of the Republic of China

Chapter 503: Cut off finger and pledge, Shanghai alliance

I have the courage, but what about the ability and determination?
Jiang Lianheng didn't want to listen to these meaningless nice words.

A blank check may fool some young people, but it can't really impress the old hands online.

There is indeed no shortage of brave and righteous Koreans, but they are doing it for their country. If it is to repay the Jiang family, whether they will still do it without hesitation, I am afraid no one can guarantee.

At this time, the performance on the stage was in full swing and the cheers from the seats were getting louder and louder.

The heated atmosphere in the open-air theater was reaching its climax.

In contrast, Jiang Lianheng's face was exceptionally calm, showing neither joy nor expectation.

He simply turned his head indifferently, looked at Li Zaichun with a slightly questioning look, and asked in a deep voice: "Anyone?"

"Of course, as long as they are Mr. Jiang's enemies, even if they are Japanese officers, our Righteous Group is willing to serve." Li Jae-soon's tone was firm.

That sounds nice.

In fact, assassinating high-ranking Japanese military and political officials was originally the duty of the Righteous Group.

Therefore, this promise looks more like a favor rather than a real reward.

Jiang Lianheng smiled, pondered for a while, and suddenly asked tentatively: "I heard that there are three tycoons in Shanghai. If it were them, could you do it?"

"Who?" Li Jae-soon seemed not to hear clearly, or was a little surprised.

Jiang Lianheng glanced at him and repeated his words again, "The three tycoons of the Green Gang in Shanghai are Huang Jinyong, Du Yong, and Zhang Xiaolin."

Sure enough, after hearing Jiang Lianheng's request, Li Zaichun's face suddenly showed some hesitation.

However, judging from the expression on his face, his hesitation did not come from fear, but rather seemed to be a little embarrassed.

The reason for this is that there is a prerequisite in his promise just now - as long as it does not hinder the liberation of Goryeo, they are willing to go through fire and water to repay the Jiang family.

The problem is that when the Koreans set up a temporary government in Shanghai two years ago, Du Yong, one of the "three big bosses" of the Green Gang, provided them with a lot of conveniences.

It is obviously not advisable to repay kindness with enmity.

More importantly, their original intention of establishing the Korean Provisional Government in Shanghai was to rely on the protection of the French Concession to summon the Korean restoration organizations scattered throughout East Asia and unite them into a whole in the hope of achieving greater things in the future.

If they offend the "three big bosses" of the Green Gang at this time, their future operations in Shanghai will definitely be full of difficulties.

The worst outcome would be that they would even be ordered to be expelled by the Governor of the French Concession.

After all, although they claimed to be the temporary government of Goryeo, they were not actually recognized by any country and were essentially just an ordinary civil group.

By then, all the efforts will have been wasted and the loss will outweigh the gain.

On the other hand, the Koreans do need the protection that the Jiang family can provide outside the Great Wall.

A dilemma, a difficult situation.

Jiang Lianheng was completely unaware of all these difficulties, nor did he think that these were issues he needed to consider.

The show on stage was about to end, and Li Jae-soon fell into deep thought.

Although it is a dilemma, there is still a way out.

In fact, Korea’s restoration organization was not the only one in Shanghai.

There are also many strongholds in Changbai Mountain outside the Great Wall, Vladivostok, Washington, USA and other places.

Although the various restoration organizations had the same goal - to restore Goryeo - their ideologies and propositions were different.

There are many factions among them, and it is common for them to sabotage each other and fight among themselves.

The devils must be assassinated, and the country must be liberated, but the internal struggle for power is the real daily work of the Goryeo Restoration Organization.

Among the leaders of various organizations, the most powerful ones are the "two Jins and one Li". The three are evenly matched and compete secretly with each other.

If we want to make a general statement, among the various factions of Goryeo and Baekjong, one group often calls themselves "Great Korea" while another group often calls themselves "Great Dynasty".

Coincidentally, the Righteous Group originated in Jilin Province, and there are still some scattered soldiers near Mount Paektu, so they value the help of the Jiang family even more.

At this time, the acrobatic troupe's performance on the stage finally came to an end.

The audience in the theater stood up one after another amid cheers and applause, preparing to leave.

Li Zaichun quickly turned aside and said to Jiang Lianheng anxiously, "Mr. Jiang, it's not impossible for you to deal with the 'three tycoons', but I have to consult my superiors first about this matter."

"You don't need to ask for instructions." Jiang Lianheng shook his head contemptuously. "The negotiations are over. I will not provide you with asylum in Fengtian. That's it. Goodbye."

After saying that, he stood up, turned around and waved to Liu Yansheng, Li Zhengxi and Chuang Hu, then left without looking back.

This is a negotiation between two forces about life and death cooperation, not a bargaining in the vegetable market.

Jiang Lianheng would not allow the other party to hesitate even for half a second.

The slightest retreat or hesitation is enough to destroy all previous progress in the negotiations.

The Jiang family risked offending the Little East by providing shelter to the Korean heroes, but all they got in return was an uncertain answer, so everything was off the table.

Of course, Jiang Lianheng did not really intend to let the Righteous Group assassinate the "Three Tycoons".

If you want to kill the other party just because you were rejected, that is the act of a madman, not a way to save face.

This was just a test, and Jiang Lianheng was dissatisfied with the Korean's hesitant attitude, that's all.

Li Zaichun stood there in a daze for a moment, until he saw Jiang Lianheng and others blending into the crowd leaving the venue, then he came to his senses and called his two companions to chase after them.

"Mr. Jiang, Mr. Jiang, we are really sincere. I need to explain the reason to you!"

Jiang Lianheng turned a deaf ear to him. In the blink of an eye, he arrived at the exit of the open-air theater and walked quickly towards the main entrance of the Great World.

Li Jae-soon and the other two hurriedly followed, but there were too many audience members leaving the show, and as they walked, they were separated from them by the surging crowd.

"Mr. Jiang, Mr. Jiang!"

Li Zaichun looked around and saw Jiang Lianheng walking further and further away. He did not care about the request to keep a low profile. He made up his mind, spread his arms, pushed everyone, and rushed out of the main gate of the Great World with his two companions amid waves of curses.

"Di Di-"

A black American-made car sped past Li Jae-soon, delaying the three of them.

"Where are the people?" Li Jae-soon asked anxiously.

Three Koreans stood at a crossroads, surrounded by tall buildings, flashing neon lights, and trams, rickshaws, and bicycles flowing around them. From a small cart cooking wonton noodles on the street, clouds of white steam emerged, making people dizzy and disoriented for a moment.

Li Jae-soon sighed heavily.

It was an unexpected gain to meet the leader of the Fengtian underworld in Shanghai. Establishing contact with the Jiang family would be beneficial to their future activities outside the Great Wall.

Now, all the connections I had made were lost because of my momentary hesitation. Besides feeling depressed, I also blame myself more.

At this moment, the Korean guy next to him suddenly raised his hand and pointed, exclaiming, "Over there, not far away!"

Li Zaichun looked up and saw the backs of Jiang Lianheng and others passing by at the corner at the end of the alley.

"Hurry, hurry, catch up!" he urged twice, then ran away.

The street lights flickered by and the evening breeze whistled past my ears.

Li Zaichun and his two companions caught up with Jiang Lianheng and others in an alley.

"Mr. Jiang, please wait a moment!"

The three of them followed closely, breathing heavily.

Seeing this, Li Zhengxi immediately put his hand into his bosom, stopped, turned around and asked, "Are you done yet? Just say no and don't talk." "Brother, don't be impulsive." Li Zaichun and the other two quickly waved their hands, "We just want to explain the situation again."

"What else is there to talk about? Go find whoever you want. The Jiang family has already promised not to interfere with you. Don't you understand?" Li Zhengxi said with a cold face.

However, Jiang Lianheng never stopped, and without turning his head, he ordered: "Xifeng, don't pay attention to them, let's go."

Li Zhengxi looked back twice, and of course he did not take it lightly. His right hand always remained in his arms, keeping a fixed distance from the three Korean sticks.

"Mr. Jiang, if you want to deal with the 'Three Tycoons', our Yilie Group can help, but this matter may affect our organization, so I must consult with the higher-ups."

Jiang Lianheng walked quietly through the alley without saying a word.

His answer had already been given in the Great World Theater - no need to ask, that's it.

Xifeng looked alert. Since Li Jae-chun and the other two had a request to make from the Jiang family, they naturally did not dare to step forward easily. They could only follow behind while explaining in a hurry.

However, no matter what they said, they still received no response.

Li Zaichun and the other two had no idea whether Jiang Lianheng was listening or not.

When they were close to the apartment building, Liu Yansheng could not help but turn around and remind them, "Brother, it's useless for you to keep following me like this. The boss has already spoken. If we don't want to talk, then we don't want to talk. Explanations are not bargaining chips!"

Upon hearing this, Li Jae-soon and the other two were stunned.

Only then did they realize that no one cared whether Goryeo could restore its country, and their predicament was not the Jiang family's problem.

The Jiang family took risks and should be rewarded.

But the Righteous Group had no money, and even all the Goryeo Restoration Organizations had little money. The only thing they could offer in return was their own lives.

Li Zaichun thought for a moment, ran forward a few steps, and said, "Mr. Jiang, I can help you kill the 'three tycoons', but this matter has nothing to do with the Righteous Group. It is purely my personal reward to you. Is this okay?"

Jiang Lianheng didn't look back and didn't say anything.

Li Zaichun had to reiterate his position: "Inspector Huang and Zhang Xiaolin, we can help you solve it, but for Boss Du, I can only use my own name."

Finally, Jiang Lianheng stopped at the steps at the entrance of a nearby apartment building.

He turned around with his hands behind his back and said with a smile: "Thank you, brother. Although I am unhappy with the 'Three Tycoons', it is not a blood feud, so I will not trouble you. Please go back."

"Mr. Jiang, please think about it again. We will never let down those who have helped the Righteous Group." Li Jae-chun tried his best to persuade them.

However, Jiang Lianheng still shook his head: "No need, this kind of unfounded guarantee is meaningless, anyone can say nice things."

"Do you want proof..." The three Koreans looked at each other.

Jiang Lianheng didn't bother to pay attention and just wanted to get rid of Li Zaichun and others as soon as possible.

However, just as he was about to turn around and continue walking, Li Zhengxi behind him suddenly shouted: "Fuck you, what are you doing?"

Everyone looked over alertly.

But a cold light flashed in Li Zaichun's palm, and he suddenly pulled out a dagger from his waist.

When Xifeng saw this, he immediately took out a pistol from his arms and confronted the three Koreans opposite him.

Liu Yansheng looked around nervously, and Chuanghu quickly took a few steps back and hid behind Jiang Lianheng.

Li Zaichun looked stern, weighed the dagger in his hand twice, and nodded to Jiang Lianheng: "Mr. Jiang, I am a member of the Righteous Corps, this is my determination!"

After saying that, he walked to the stone steps at the door of the apartment, slammed his left hand on the railing, swung the sharp blade in his right hand, and chopped at the ring knuckle.

Under the cover of night, the evening breeze was raging, and then a "dong" sound was heard - the dagger was too light and failed to chop off!

The skin on the ring finger was torn and blood was dripping down the railing, but the finger bone was still firmly connected to the tendons and had not been broken.

The fingers are connected to the heart, there is no reason why they wouldn't hurt.

Li Jae-chun's face was pale and a layer of fine sweat beads immediately seeped out of his forehead. Although his expression was painful, he could not hide the embarrassment of the failed finger amputation.

He gritted his teeth and tried to chop again, but the dagger was too short and the blade was too light, so he couldn't gain any leverage.

Turning around, Liu Yansheng and Chuang Hu looked at Jiang Lianheng, but Jiang Lianheng just stood there motionless, without expressing his opinion or obstructing them.

When Li Jae-chun saw this, he suddenly felt a surge of ruthlessness in his heart.

But he suddenly bent over and pressed his bloody left hand on the stone step. He then placed the tip of the dagger against his ring finger joint, forming an angle with the stone step. He then slowly lowered the blade until the dagger touched the flesh. Then he slowly raised his left foot, stepped on the back of the knife, and gradually applied force.

"His-"

Blood quickly spread along the wound onto the stone steps, and the sound of flesh breaking could be faintly heard.

Liu Yansheng and Chuanghu turned their heads away immediately, unable to bear to look any longer; even Li Zhengxi frowned, secretly feeling admiration in his heart.

Only Jiang Lianheng watched with interest, carefully observing the changes in expression on Li Zaichun's face.

The Korean boy raised his eyebrows, endured the severe pain, and did not show the slightest expression of fear.

“Click, click—”

Accompanied by the sound of breaking finger bones, Li Jae-chun's left foot suddenly fell and the ring finger knuckle was cut off.

The two Koreans nearby immediately took out their handkerchiefs and handed them over.

It is said that the Goryeo hero An Jung-geun also cut off his finger to swear an oath when he assassinated the former Japanese Prime Minister.

The Goryeo and Korean countries were destroyed, and the restoration organization and temporary government established by righteous people were not recognized by any country. They had no economic sources, no independent armed forces, and only a heart for restoration. They could only demonstrate their existence by risking their lives on assassinations time and time again.

The promise was too empty, and cutting off a finger was the only way to show determination.

Li Zaichun wrapped his left hand tightly with a handkerchief, picked up the ring knuckle on the ground, walked to Jiang Lianheng with a pale face, handed it to him and said:

"Mr. Jiang, please understand our current situation. This is my personal sincerity and determination. As long as you can provide shelter for our country's righteous people outside the Great Wall, even if you only save one person, we will not forget your kindness. The enemy of the Jiang family is the enemy of the Righteous Group. Even if the Righteous Group and the temporary government do not help, I will never break my promise."

Jiang Lianheng looked down at the knuckle of Li Zaichun's ring finger and didn't speak for a long time.

Seeing this, the other two Koreans thought that the Jiang family still doubted their determination, so they walked to the steps and prepared to imitate the finger-cutting oath.

However, Jiang Lianheng had changed his mind at this time, so he smiled and waved his hand, then looked at Li Jae-chun and patted him on the shoulder heavily.

"Brother, okay, you are a real man, but I won't keep you company!"

"Mr. Jiang, you don't have to accompany us. We are the ones asking you to do something. We should express our opinions!" Li Zaichun finally breathed a sigh of relief. "So, Mr. Jiang agrees to help us?"

Jiang Lianheng nodded in response with a smile.

Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind him.

Everyone looked back and saw that it was Wen Tingge who happened to see Jiang Lianheng on his way back to the apartment, so he hurried over.

At first, he thought there was some trouble here, but when he got closer, he realized that the two sides were not enemies.

"Boss, I have something to tell you..."

Wen Tingge glanced at the three Koreans opposite him. Since he had never dealt with them before, he swallowed the words back when they were on the tip of his tongue.

Jiang Lianheng waved his hand and said, "We are one family, so just say what you want to say."

Wen Tingge was a little surprised. After hesitating for a moment, he said in a low voice, "I have found out about Wang Laojiu's situation. I heard that we are willing to donate money to support their hometown association. Someone from their side brought a message saying that they are willing to meet with us to chat."

"If I have to meet, I will only meet with Wang Laojiu. Do they know about this?"

"Well, the one who proposed the meeting was Wang Laojiu himself."

(End of this chapter)