20 years of the Republic of China

Chapter 544: Cruel and Evil

The setting sun, French Concession, Zhang Mansion.

Zhang Xiaolin had just finished dinner and was sitting upright on the sofa, crossing his legs and sucking his teeth. He looked relaxed and complacent, but not complacent enough, or rather, there was something a little imperfect.

It has been several days since the Zhabei assassination, so there is no need to elaborate on how the Laochengxiang County Government handled it.

All in all, with the collusion between black and white and the behind-the-scenes manipulation, the storm gradually subsided.

However, due to their conflicting opinions, Zhang and Du have been having an unpleasant argument recently and have not been in contact for several days.

Zhang Xiaolin didn't care at all.

He felt that he had won, but his victory was not beautiful enough.

At this moment, he was drinking tea in the living room to help digest his food.

On his left sat his wife's nephew Lou Jingyuan and Yan Chaosheng, who had just been rescued from prison; on the guest seat on the right sat a middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

This person's name is Cheng Maoling, and his identity is extremely complex and changeable.

Born in eastern Guangdong, it is natural to classify him as a member of the "Guangdong Gang"; but he is also a registered disciple of the Green Gang, and belongs to the same "Wu" generation of disciples as Du Yong; if we go further, we will find that he seems to have some relationship with the old Hongmen.

Cheng Maoling started from scratch and is not good at fighting, but he relies on his brain.

Precisely because he started from scratch, he is practical, accustomed to taking advantage of situations and never sticks to old conventions - this is a nice way of saying it.

To put it bluntly, it means that there are no principles.

He runs whichever way the wind blows.

In his early years, he worked as an accountant in a brothel. Because of his fair appearance, many prostitutes came to him for money.

The Cantonese people call loose women "咸湿妹" in colloquial language. The Shanghai people misunderstood the term and gradually spread the rumor that it became "咸酸梅".

Cheng Maoling was ambitious and of course looked down on those "dirty girls", but he raised some money and started a small business in the British Concession.

He is very popular with women. From rouge and powder to fur dresses and gold and silver jewelry, all the "slutty girls" come to support him.

In just a few years, his business grew more and more prosperous, his network of contacts expanded, and his ambitions grew even bigger.

Later, when he made a lot of money, he started to care about his face. Whenever he talked about his experience of making a fortune, he would stammer and felt more and more that his past was not so glorious. His business gradually turned to local products, and through this he got to know Zhang Xiaolin of Sanjin Company.

Cheng Maoling was very averse to people saying that he made his fortune by relying on women.

Till today, more than 20 years have passed. Although Cheng Maoling is enjoying great success, whenever people around him talk about the "white gang", he immediately looks around as if in a state of stress, always suspecting that someone is deliberately exposing his past and feeling guilty.

Besides, he always puts profit first.

It was for this reason that he was willing to get involved and use his influence to help Zhang Xiaolin calm the discontent of the "Guangdong Gang".

After all, one is a foreign northerner and the other is a local leader. Even if you use your toes to think, they should serve the Sanjin Company wholeheartedly.

Zhang Xiaolin finished picking his teeth, then lit a cigar, turned to look at his wife's nephew, and asked quietly, "Jingyuan, has Jiang Lianheng been found yet?"

"No." Lou Jingyuan shook his head.

"Have you searched carefully?"

"We've looked everywhere. Over the past few days, there have been people following us at the docks, train stations, hotels, and even near the Anhui Provincial Association Hall, but we still can't find him."

Zhang Xiaolin turned his head to Cheng Maoling again and got the same answer.

Lou Jingyuan continued, "Uncle, it's been several days. In my opinion, they have probably escaped through wild means."

Zhang Xiaolin snorted, then sneered, "My dear, I really think too highly of him."

It was thought that after the Zhabei assassination, they would keep their troops in place for the time being and not rob the Shilipu Wharf, thus creating a rift between Jiang Lianheng and Wang Laojiu.

But now it seems that it is a bit unnecessary.

Zhang Xiaolin blew out a smoke ring and then asked, "How is the little red-blooded guy they left behind in the American Concession? Has he woken up?"

Cheng Maoling shook his head and said helplessly: "Not yet, but the detectives from the police station have been helping to keep an eye on it, so there shouldn't be any problems."

"It's been five or six days and he still hasn't woken up. Is he pretending?" Yan Chaosheng asked immediately.

Cheng Maoling did not deny it, but said: "I heard from the nurses there that he has indeed shown signs of waking up recently, and his swallowing reflexes have returned, but he just can't wake up." "Well, then stop his liquid food, and do something. Let's see if he can still pretend!"

Yan Chaosheng was eager to capture a living person and torture him severely, trying to find out who the Jiang family's helper was on the train platform that night.

The Laochengxiang County Court had already arrested Xi Wenzhao, but after several rounds of torture, they still could not get any information out of him. Some members of the Axe Gang were also rescued, but they still knew nothing about anything.

In the Zhabei assassination case, Yan Chaosheng did not do his job properly and felt ashamed, so he vowed to investigate it thoroughly.

"Can't we find a way to get the person out directly?" Lou Jingyuan asked.

Cheng Maoling waved his hands repeatedly and said, "That's the Anglican Hospital. That bad boy is as good as dead now. How are you going to get him out? Even if you get him out, you have to give an explanation to the hospital. Even if you don't give an explanation to the hospital, there are spies from the Axe Gang and Yin Baokun near the hospital. Can you get him out?"

In fact, if this happened in the French Concession, Zhang Xiaolin could have settled it at any time with his power, but if it happened in the American Concession, it would be another story.

When it comes to the influence of the Green Gang's "Three Tycoons" in Shanghai, it can be summed up in one word:
Trees were planted in the Old Town, the French Concession bore fruit, and the International Settlement took advantage of the shadow, and their influence gradually decreased.

The reason is simple: the power structure of the International Settlement is too special.

Although it was originally formed by the merger of the British Concession and the American Concession, today the International Settlement has essentially evolved into a joint autonomous region for expatriates from various countries. The directors of the Municipal Council are jointly appointed by people from various countries, and even the British cannot dominate the market alone.

Therefore, if one wanted to do something shady in the International Settlement, the actual operation would be much more complicated than in the French Concession.

"Moreover, the hospital has agreed to cooperate with the police station." Cheng Maoling said, "As long as the bad boy wakes up, Lao Chai from the police station can hand him over to the police station at any time. Now we just need to keep an eye on him."

"It's such a hassle!" Lou Jingyuan couldn't help but complain.

Yan Chaosheng had a gloomy face, but said: "I don't care about that half-dead ghost, I'm just worried that their helper is still in Shanghai, maybe waiting for an opportunity to take revenge."

Zhang Xiaolin nodded and said nonchalantly: "Chaosheng, you don't have to be so nervous. I'll think of a solution!"

"I think so too." Lou Jingyuan immediately echoed, "Brother Yan, didn't you say that the situation was very chaotic at the time? That means that the Jiangs were not prepared. Even if the little bastard in the hospital wakes up, he may not be able to get anything out of him, right?"

As he spoke, he leaned forward, facing Zhang Xiaolin, and asked with a smile: "Uncle, since there is no movement from Jiang Lianheng, what do you think... should we take back Shiliupu?"

"Well, go prepare the manpower and equipment tomorrow!"

Zhang Xiaolin gently placed the cigar in the ashtray, then looked up at Cheng Maoling.

"Maoling, this time we have to thank you for helping us stabilize the 'Yue Gang'!"

"The Marshal is too polite!" Cheng Maoling said hurriedly, "I was just speaking a few fair words to the Yue Gang. Even without me, they wouldn't dare to fight the Marshal!"

Zhang Xiaolin was particularly pleased with the flattery and laughed out loud, "You clever little fellow, you come to flatter me again."

"Maoling is telling the truth. Besides, since I am a disciple of the Qing Gang, of course I have to work for the Qing Gang."

"Okay, you are a pragmatic person. Work hard. From now on, you will be the first one to make the local products of the Yue Gang."

"Oh, then I would like to thank the Marshal for his support."

"Don't say that. You deserve all this. In my opinion, the Yue Gang should promote you as the leader. That Yin Baokun is just an old stubborn man!"

Cheng Maoling was delighted and thanked him immediately, saying, "Marshal, if you support me, there will be no need to talk about the 'Yue Gang' in the future. We are all disciples of the Qing Gang."

Zhang Xiaolin nodded and smiled, then asked, "Hasn't Wang Laojiu gone to cause trouble for Yin Baokun yet?"

"No." Cheng Maoling explained, "Now the 'Yue Gang' is also worried that the Axe Gang will harm Yin Baokun, so they are on high alert. Recently, the black man has been in charge of security, but it doesn't matter. Starting tomorrow, it will be my people's turn to watch the scene. By then, I will expose Wang Laojiu's flaws, and Yin Baokun's good days will be over."

"Kill someone with a borrowed knife!" Zhang Xiaolin laughed, "You have a very good plan. No wonder you came to us for cooperation."

"Excuse me, Marshal. If the Axe Gang kills Yin Baokun, the Yue Gang will definitely not sit idly by. When the time comes, I will call on the Yue Gang to avenge Uncle Kun. Then it will be a natural progression for us to join forces with you to deal with Wang Laojiu."

"Haha, you want profit, morality, and status in the Yue Gang. You're almost like Ah Yong!"

Cheng Maoling and Zhang Xiaolin are almost the same age, but because one is of the "Wu" generation and the other is of the "Tong" generation, they should call the old man "grandpa" in terms of seniority, so they are always humble in their words and deeds.

"Marshal, I'm not bragging. There are no more than two people in the Yue Gang who can compete with me. We are equal. If you are willing to use your power to push me up, you can pick any place in the Yue Gang in Hongkou District."

Zhang Xiaolin chuckled, turned sideways to pick up the tea bowl on the table, opened the lid, and blew into it twice.

Just as he was about to drink the tea, his eyes suddenly moved over the edge of the bowl, looked at Cheng Maoling meaningfully, and then took a sip of tea.

"I think... the Three Friends Club is a pretty good place!"

(End of this chapter)