20 years of the Republic of China

Chapter 554: Lighting up the sky

Soon, Lao Chai from the British Concession Police Station finally arrived at the nearby neighborhood.

Afterwards, the police immediately split into two teams: one team rushed to the riverside to chase the Axe Gang members; the other team went into the Sanyouhui Restaurant to interrogate the Cantonese Gang members.

How many people were alarmed, how many inquiries were made, how much time was wasted, and how much money was bribed is so chaotic that it is difficult to describe.

In short, since the Guangdong Gang was able to gain a foothold in Hongkou, they naturally had no shortage of connections in the government.

Moreover, in this gang fight, the Guangdong Gang is defending itself at home, so no matter how big a commotion they make, it will be easy to explain it in the eyes of the officials.

The homemade explosives were not very powerful and were small in size. One of them had its fuse burned out and did not explode, which was not uncommon.

Although many people in the lobby suffered concussions, most of them only had minor abrasions. Apart from temporary deafness, there was no serious harm.

After searching around, we found several victims, half of them were from the Guangdong Gang and half from the Anhui Gang. Their bodies were covered with knife wounds, axe marks, bullet holes and bruises. It was hard to say that all of them died from the explosion.

Lai Chunbao immediately called a few guys and ordered them to go to the police station to make a statement, cooperate with Lao Chai's investigation, and put on an act for the foreign masters in the concession. Although it would not end in a hasty manner, it was at least a temporary end.

Soon, Cheng Maoling and several other Cantonese gang leaders also returned to the restaurant.

The guys were busy trying to appease the guests and clean up the mess. When they looked out the window, they saw the moon was setting in the west, and it was already late night.

Lai Chunbao and others had no time to rest, so they all went up to the second floor and found a private room. The leaders sat down and had a face-to-face meeting.

After an explosion, the restaurant's electrical circuit was damaged, the switches on the wall failed to work, and the overhead lights went out.

It just happened that the moon had set and the sun had not yet risen, just as day and night were changing, the darkest time in the world, and the private room was pitch black, without a single light.

There was no other choice but to fetch two oil lamps, strike matches, and light up the sinister and gloomy faces.

The tiny flame trembled slightly. Lai Chunbao raised his hand and called the two brothers over. He briefly asked them a few questions about the ins and outs of the matter, but he was not in a hurry to delve into it.

The reason was simple: there was a stranger sitting next to him.

Wan Youyuan is the leader of the eight major gangs in Shanghai. He has been active online for many years and is of course a top figure.

Although he has few disciples, he is extremely wealthy and powerful. From a businessman's perspective, he can be considered a client of the "Three Big Bosses" of the Green Gang.

Sanjin Company underwrites local products and undertakes freight insurance. Sixty to seventy percent of all local products coming from the southern seas come from the eight major Chao gangs.

Without Sanjin Company, the safety of Chaobang’s local products would not be guaranteed; without Chaobang’s local products, Sanjin Company’s profits would be greatly reduced.

The relationship between the two can be described as complementary and mutually beneficial.

Although Lai Chunbao was dissatisfied with Cheng Maoling, he was aware of the overall situation and would never attack his brothers in front of outsiders, so as to avoid being speculated and suspected of discord among the Guangdong Gang.

After thinking for a moment, he spoke tentatively, "Boss Wan, I heard from the brothers that this time it was all thanks to you for helping us out. It's a pity that you don't come here often, and the rare time you came, you ended up causing such a mess. I'm sorry to have made a fool of yourself."

Wan Youyuan was a smart man. He could tell from the other party's probing tone, but he didn't continue the conversation or explain too much. He just sighed:

"Oh, please don't say that. Uncle Kun is a man of high moral character. Since I met him tonight, there was no reason for me not to help him. It's a pity that I couldn't save Uncle Kun. I feel really ashamed."

Lai Chunbao waved his hands hastily, but said, "Well, life and death are determined by fate, and wealth and honor are determined by God. For those of us who are out there, when we encounter such things, it is better to blame ourselves than others. Boss Wan has done his best, so of course we have nothing to say, right?"

As he spoke, he turned sideways and looked at several other Cantonese gang leaders.

Some people were relieved, some were confused, and even Cheng Maoling himself seemed a little suspicious, as if he was unaware of this.

However, before the matter was made clear, everyone naturally nodded and thanked him repeatedly to avoid ruining the superficial harmony.

Afterwards, the two sides chatted for a while and said a lot of nice words to each other. Wan Youyuan also expressed a few words of condolences on behalf of the Chao Gang for the death of Yin Baokun.

Time passes quietly and dawn is about to break.

About a cup of tea later, there was a knock on the door.

All the leaders answered the door in unison, only to see a young man push open the door, peeking into the room, looking around, and finally set his eyes on Cheng Maoling.

"Brother Ling, Captain Lan from the police station wants to come in and talk."

"Oh, please invite Captain Lan in and sit down." Cheng Maoling raised his hand and greeted him hurriedly.

As soon as he finished speaking, Wan Youyuan stood up first.

He faced everyone, clasped his hands and said, "Everyone, Uncle Kun's affairs are ultimately the affairs of the Yue Gang. You guys go ahead and do your work. As an outsider, it's really inconvenient for me to stay for long, so I'll take my leave now."

Seeing this, Lai Chunbao and others stopped being polite and immediately stood up and escorted Wan Youyuan to the door of the private room.

As the two sides were saying goodbye, Captain Lan from the police station strode over.

We were all old acquaintances, and now that we were gathered at the door, we naturally couldn't avoid exchanging some pleasantries.

Wan Youyuan persuaded everyone to stay, so Lai Chunbao called two more guys and politely sent Boss Wan downstairs.

As guests came and went, the door of the private room opened and closed repeatedly.

Captain Lan was about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, of medium build, wearing a peaked cap and with a gun hanging from his waist. He was out of breath, perhaps because he had run a long way, or because the alcohol and sex had drained his body, but he was gasping for breath. When he entered the house, he first looked for water to drink. He went straight to the teacup on the table, not caring whose it was, and drank it all in one gulp. At the end, he wiped his mouth, sat down, took off his hat and fanned himself.

"Oh, Boss Cheng, what on earth are you guys up to? It's so late at night, and you've got me so busy!"

No matter how high his official rank was, Lao Chai was still Lao Chai, and what was more, it was a time when they needed him. Cheng Maoling and others hurriedly smiled and made tea and lit cigarettes to comfort him.

In fact, Captain Lan didn't really have any complaints, he just wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to make more money.

Everyone naturally understood the reason.

Cheng Maoling even immediately expressed his opinion and implied that the benefits that should be given will not be reduced by a single cent.

What about the benefits that shouldn’t exist?

Hey, this really stumps me. Anyway, I can’t think of any good thing in this world that Captain Lan shouldn’t have.

Oddly enough, Cheng Maoling's words were like a panacea. When Captain Lan heard them, his waist and legs no longer felt sore, and he immediately felt full of energy again.

"Alas, it's not easy for either of us. Let's be considerate of each other." Captain Lan sighed. "I'll try my best to help the British. This time it's the Axe Gang that's causing trouble. It's easy to explain to the higher-ups, but we must not let those red-headed Indians rip us off."

Cheng Maoling was rich and well-connected, so he immediately asked, "Captain, our brothers..."

"Don't worry, they are all fine. We will release them tomorrow!" Captain Lan took a sip of tea and added, "Oh, by the way, I was the one who talked to the higher-ups about this. Otherwise, it wouldn't be so easy to release them."

"That's right, thank you for your hard work, Captain."

"Well, it's okay for me to work hard, but you guys have to be careful. You have to be quiet for a few days. If you want to cause trouble, go to the French Concession."

As he was talking, Lai Chunbao suddenly interrupted and asked, "Captain, have you caught anyone from the Axe Gang?"

Captain Lan shook his head, holding a cigarette in his mouth, tilted his head, lit it with the help of the oil lamp, took a deep breath, and then replied:
"They ran away on a boat. By the time we got to the river, the guys from northern Anhui had already sailed to the middle of the river. It was useless to chase them. The Huangpu River is so wide. Once they reach the other side, it will be beyond our control."

The Hongkou District of the Guangdong Gang is located in the middle of the International Settlement, and is not adjacent to any other places. If they wanted to escape to the French Concession or the Chinese Concession on foot, the distance was too far and some people would inevitably be arrested along the way. Unexpectedly, the Axe Gang actually dragged people directly to the other side of the river. Although it was not a surprise victory, it was indeed a bit surprising.

Lai Chunbao frowned and could not help asking, "They fled by boat? There are at least a hundred of them!" "Yes!" Captain Lan held up two fingers, "Two small steamers carrying cargo, can't they hold more than a hundred people?"

"Where did they get the boat?"

"It was too dark, I couldn't see clearly."

As the two were talking, Cheng Maoling took over the conversation and said in a deep voice, "I know, it must be a ship from the China Merchants Steam Navigation Company. That Li Guodong and Wang Laojiu are from the same hometown."

Captain Lan had an idea when he heard this, and said hurriedly: "Hey, that's possible. No, I have to report to the police station immediately."

After that, he got up and left.

When he reached the door of the private room, he suddenly turned around and repeatedly warned: "Big brothers, please remember this. If you want to take revenge, you must wait a while before you act. Don't make a big noise. Damn it, I thought there was going to be another revolution. If you have anything to say, tell me in advance, don't forget it!"

So everyone stood up again and sent Captain Lan out of the private room.

Lai Chunbao had a gloomy face throughout the whole process. Now that there was no one around, he was mentally prepared to hold Cheng Maoling accountable.

Unexpectedly, just as everyone settled down, there was another knock on the door.

"Who the hell is it this time?"

Lai Chunbao was extremely impatient and immediately rushed out of the door and asked loudly.

But a young man pushed the door open and poked his head in, saying respectfully, "Brother Hei, the club's car is here, and Uncle Kun's body has been packed up. Do you still want to see it?"

Just now, the dead and injured in the Sanyouhui Restaurant had already been carried out. Because Yin Baokun was highly respected, he simply tidied up the bodies and waited for the car to pick them up. He temporarily deposited them in the charity cemetery of the guild hall. Whether to return the bodies to their roots or bury them on the spot was something that everyone had to discuss.

When everyone heard this, no matter what they were thinking in their hearts, they all showed expressions of grief on their faces. They immediately swarmed forward, clamoring to go and see Uncle Kun again, and instead blocked Lai Chunbao and Cheng Maoling behind them.

The guy didn't dare to be negligent and hurriedly led several leaders to the private room next door to visit Uncle Kun.

Lai Chunbao and Cheng Maoling looked at each other, then each held up an oil lamp, protecting the candle flame with their hands, with the dim light reflected in front of them, and followed closely.

Turning into the private room next door, he saw that the tables and chairs in the room had been removed, leaving only a wooden board on the ground. Yin Baokun was lying flat on the ground, covered with a layer of white cloth, with only his feet and head exposed. At the age of seventy-three, the King of Hell did not say whether to take him away, but the old man went there on his own.

Everyone mourned in silence and looked grieving.

In fact, it was not necessarily an act. All the people present had, more or less, been taken care of by Yin Baokun when they were young, but later they grew up and each had their own interests to consider, so it was difficult for them to follow the arrangements of the old man, and they were even less willing to talk about the past.

This is not because the world is cold and indifferent, it is just human nature.

Now that the old man is dead, everyone can finally feel free to think of the old times without any worries.

After the mourning, the two brothers walked into the private room and prepared to carry the old man’s body out.

Seeing this, Lai Chunbao finally couldn't bear it anymore, and turned around to blame Cheng Maoling and asked him harshly: "Four Eyes, you f---"

"Uncle Kun!"

Before Lai Chunbao could finish his words, he heard Cheng Maoling suddenly wailing, then he fell to his knees with a plop, and fell on Yin Baokun's body, and burst into tears, his tears pouring down like rain.

His howl frightened the two brothers so much that they almost knocked the old man's body to the ground.

The others also subconsciously took half a step back. Although they felt surprised, they were not shocked. Every time there was a funeral, there would always be people like this, right?

Cheng Maoling didn't care about his face, he just kept wailing: "Uncle Kun, it's all my fault, it's my fault for being careless for a moment, Maoling deserves to die, Maoling deserves to die!"

Lai Chunbao frowned and said with disgust: "Four-eyed boy, stop pretending. Uncle Kun's matter——"

"Ah - Uncle Kun, Uncle Kun, without your help back then, I wouldn't be where I am today, Uncle Kun..."

"Cheng Maoling, I, I'm asking you a question, you——"

"Uncle Kun, don't carry him away yet. Why are you in such a hurry? Let me take a look at what's wrong with Uncle Kun."

"Cheng Maoling, please answer my question first——"

"Clap! Clap! Clap!"

Cheng Maoling didn't say anything, but suddenly started slapping himself hard, crying as he did so. His voice was so painful that it made me feel sorry for him. It was really rare to see a grown man crying like this.

It wasn't just wailing, but real tears were flowing.

Lai Chunbao looked left and right, horizontally and vertically, and although he could sense that Cheng Maoling was exaggerating, it was definitely not just a show. No one could cry so loudly if they didn't feel truly guilty in their heart.

It is true that he has made all the calculations, and it is also true that he feels guilty. This is what it means to be a human being.

"Maoling, forget it, just accept my condolences."

Lai Chunbao had no choice but to step forward to stop it. Otherwise, if he started the fight at this time, the other brothers might not agree with him. After all, no one is perfect.

Cheng Maoling continued to wail, "Uncle Kun, Maoling is incompetent and has no chance to block the knife for you, but Maoling swears to avenge you. Not only me, but all the brothers will avenge you, right?"

His cries of grief gradually infected the other leaders.

Grief begets hatred, and everyone immediately expressed their opinions: "Yes, Uncle Kun is a veteran of the Yue Gang, and revenge must be taken!"

Of course Lai Chunbao would not go against the tune, so he immediately raised his arms and swore an oath.

Cheng Maoling wiped his tears and suggested, "Brothers, Uncle Kun's death was caused by me. If you want revenge, I must take the lead. Just wait for my news. If you are willing to help, just give me a few people."

"That won't do, Brother Ling. Uncle Kun's affairs cannot be blamed on you alone. We are all responsible. If we want revenge, let's do it together!"

Cheng Maoling shook his head and sighed: "With Uncle Kun not here, we need a backbone. If you can trust me——"

Before he finished speaking, Lai Chunbao suddenly volunteered: "Maoling, you are a businessman, so leave the fighting and killing to me. Uncle Kun is not here, so I have to take on the responsibility!"

"No, Brother Hei, revenge cannot be achieved by fighting and killing alone. We also need to get in touch with the officials, which will definitely cost a lot of money. Needless to say, I am the only one who can represent the Guangdong Gang to negotiate with the white side." Cheng Maoling naturally refused to give in.

"Maoling, I appreciate your kindness, but for Uncle Kun, even if I have to sell everything I have, I am willing to do it..."

"Brother Hei, don't look down on me as a businessman. For Uncle Kun, I, Cheng Maoling, dare to stick my neck out..."

The two of them talked to each other and tried to win over other Guangdong gang leaders. On the surface, they were on good terms, but in fact they were both vying to become the leading figure of the Guangdong gang.

Everyone looked at each other, feeling quite embarrassed.

While the two sides were arguing, one of the leaders of the Cantonese gang suddenly said:
"The Axe Gang has gone too far. Since they want to fight it out, why not invite back Wang Huaimeng from 'The Trouble in Heaven'?"

As soon as the words fell, there was silence in the private room for a moment.

Lai Chunbao and Cheng Maoling suddenly stopped arguing, looked at each other, and each seemed to be thinking about something, and neither of them spoke again.

After a while, the two oil lamps in the private room seemed to dim inexplicably.

Everyone couldn't help but look out the window - it turned out that it wasn't the lights that went out, but the day had dawned.

(End of this chapter)