40. Solicitation

Several of them continued discussing the details of the assassination. Relying on the explanation he had prepared beforehand, Zhou Hongyi handled himself with ease, deftly avoiding sensitive questions and steering the conversation as much as possible in a direction favorable to him.

At last, he walked out of the Special Higher Police Agency. During the process, he had quietly studied the layout once again, allowing his gaze to sweep casually over every corner, passageway, and room arrangement while secretly committing all the key locations to memory.

By the time he emerged, dusk had begun to fall. The clouds along the horizon were crimson, as though scorched by fire, and the color was almost painfully bright. Zhou Hongyi glanced at his watch and suddenly remembered that he had arranged to meet Little Knife of the Hatchet Gang for drinks at the Tower of Welcoming the Moon.

With that in mind, Zhou Hongyi hailed another rickshaw. It sped along the dimming streets, creaking loudly as it went, and before long carried him to the Tower of Welcoming the Moon, a Chinese restaurant in the southern wharf district of Shanghai.

“Young Master Zhou, I thought you weren’t going to make it.”

The moment Zhou Hongyi arrived, he saw Chen Xiaodao—his face scarred, his hair hanging long—sitting on the balcony near the second floor and waving to him. A faint smile played across his face, though there seemed to be some other meaning hidden within it, making it difficult to read.

When Zhou Hongyi reached the upper floor, he discovered that Little Knife had already reserved a private room. There were only five people in all, including him. The dishes had been laid out on the table, sending up waves of enticing fragrance, yet the atmosphere in the room was nothing like the warmth of the food. Instead, it carried a subtle tension.

The effect of his Insight Eye had already worn off, leaving Zhou Hongyi looking somewhat listless. He swayed as he walked, like a man just recovering from a serious illness. Exhaustion had seeped into every part of his body, and each step required a measure of effort.

Chen Xiaodao caught him by the right arm, then let his gaze linger on Zhou Hongyi’s left arm. There was an inquisitive look in his eyes as he asked, “I heard that a Japanese official was assassinated at the Paramount yesterday, and that Young Master Zhou risked his life to save him, only to be shot and wounded himself. I didn’t expect the story to be true.”

Zhou Hongyi smiled and waved a hand. “Good news may not leave the house, but bad news travels a thousand miles. Don’t bring it up, Brother Little Knife. It wasn’t any selfless act of risking my life to save someone. I was simply unlucky.”

“Oh? How so? Come and tell us about it. We’re all very interested.”

As he spoke, Little Knife led Zhou Hongyi to the table and introduced the four brothers closest to him. Their eyes, too, held a mixture of scrutiny and curiosity.

Though he no longer had the aid of the Insight Eye, Zhou Hongyi had not lost his ability to read people. He could tell that Chen Xiaodao still harbored reservations about his having risked his life to save a Japanese man. Every word Little Knife spoke carried a probing undertone, and from time to time his eyes sized Zhou Hongyi up, as though trying to see through to his true thoughts.

“Young Master Zhou, you may not know this,” Zhou Hongyi began, “but I went to the Paramount to meet Miss Manyu. I wrote two songs for her, hoping to win her heart. But that damned Japanese bastard stole her away right in front of me. Naturally, I was furious, and I started wondering whether there was some way to slip something into their drinks and make them sick. Who could have guessed that an assassin had infiltrated the Paramount that day? In the chaos, he fired a shot and hit my arm. Tell me, was I unlucky or not?”

As he spoke, Zhou Hongyi watched Little Knife and the others carefully. He saw surprise flicker across their faces, along with expressions that suggested they were only half convinced.

“Oh? Is that really how it happened?” Little Knife asked skeptically. “Because what I heard was that the person Young Master Zhou saved was a colonel from the Special Higher Police Agency—and your former teacher.”

Zhou Hongyi gave a scornful laugh. “Teacher? To hell with that teacher. It’s true that I studied Japanese under him for a while, but those Japanese have reservations about anyone who isn’t from their own country. Besides, I only studied with him for a short time before going to the United States Military Academy at West Point. If we’re talking about teachers, I’ve had plenty. In any case, he would be the last person who deserved that title.”

Chen Xiaodao nodded thoughtfully. “That’s right. I forgot that Young Master Zhou is a distinguished graduate of West Point and spent many years living among foreigners. Come, come. Since you’re wounded, let’s toast you with tea in place of wine.”

Zhou Hongyi did not stand on ceremony. He knew that this meal was far more complicated than it appeared, especially now that Little Knife had learned he had saved a Japanese official. From this point onward, he would have to speak with even greater caution, weighing every word before letting it leave his mouth.

“By the way, Brother Little Knife, we agreed that I would pay for this meal. I’ve always enjoyed making friends with heroes of the martial world. The other day, when you told me that the brothers of the Hatchet Gang hated evil, traitors, and the Japanese, I admired you all greatly and wanted to become friends. So don’t stand on ceremony today! I can’t drink, but there’s plenty of wine for everyone else. You know the Tower of Welcoming the Moon better than I do, Brother Little Knife. Order whatever fine wine and meat you like and have them bring it all up!”

Chen Xiaodao threw his head back and laughed. He did not hold back, calling over a waiter and ordering more dishes and wine. Before long, the table was covered with an abundant feast, and several jars of wine had been brought in. The lively bustle of ordering food seemed to ease the tension in the room somewhat.

Zhou Hongyi could tell that the knot in the other man’s heart had not yet come undone. So, while urging everyone to drink, he began making pointed remarks about how vile the Japanese were. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh, one filled with helplessness and indignation.

“What has you sighing so deeply, Young Master Zhou?” Chen Xiaodao asked, setting down his cup.

Zhou Hongyi knitted his brows tightly. “Brother Little Knife, there’s something you may not know. Although my official position is that of a police officer, every time I go out on assignment and see ordinary people suffering and being bullied, it feels as though a knife is twisting in my heart. Yet that isn’t what troubles me most. What troubles me most is that the Japanese and those traitors seem to think highly of me. I’ve been wondering whether I can make use of their trust to do something practical for the people of Shanghai.”

Chen Xiaodao’s eyes lit up at once. “What sort of practical things do you mean?”

Zhou Hongyi thought for a moment before answering. “I won’t hide this from you, brothers. The Japanese seem intent on establishing a chamber of commerce here and competing with our local forces for a share of the market. When I learned of this, I had an idea. Could I enter that chamber of commerce, bleed the Japanese dry, and use their money to do something worthwhile for the people of Shanghai?

“For example, we could help disaster victims and those struck by misfortune overcome their difficulties with food, clothing, and shelter. We could also provide a measure of protection and covert financial support to patriotic men and women who resist Japan. And then there are brothers like those in the Hatchet Gang. You’re all men of spirit. If we can use Japanese money to cause trouble for the Japanese and fill our own coffers in the process, we can weaken the enemy while strengthening ourselves. It would serve two purposes at once. Why wouldn’t we do it?”

Seven parts of Zhou Hongyi’s words were true, and three parts false. He had indeed intended to use the Japanese plan to establish a chamber of commerce as a means of infiltrating their organization. Presenting the idea in this way would also win him greater favor with the Hatchet Gang.

Moreover, he wanted to recruit the gang to work with him. He had few reliable men at his disposal, and the police were hardly capable of much. With the Hatchet Gang on his side, it would be far easier to carry out operations in secret.

Holding his wine cup, Chen Xiaodao took a thoughtful sip. A short while later, he slammed his palm onto the table, making the bowls and chopsticks tremble.

“That’s a fine idea, Young Master Zhou! Spend Japanese money to strike at the Japanese! You’re right, too—someone in your position can do far more than most. Young Master Zhou, you truly are an educated man, a man of culture. If you ever need help, just tell me. Chen Xiaodao will never refuse!

“Not only that, I’ll report this idea to our boss. Ordinarily, our Hatchet Gang can only carry out assassinations. We know that assassination is the most direct solution, but it doesn’t resolve any fundamental problems. Our boss has said before that only a strong army and prosperous people can resist Japanese aggression to the greatest extent.

“Those four words—‘a strong army and prosperous people’—are easy enough to say, but putting them into practice requires money, and not just a little. The sum needed would be enormous!”

After hearing this, Zhou Hongyi likewise slammed his palm onto the table. He used rather too much force, sending the sauce in one of the dishes splashing high into the air and spattering several Hatchet Gang members nearby. No one paid any attention. Everyone had been swept up by the stirring words and the passion they had ignited.

“Brother Little Knife is right! Your boss is right as well. Building a strong army and a prosperous nation isn’t something that can be accomplished through empty words. It requires immense manpower, material resources, and wealth. If we can use Japanese money to arm our own forces, all the better.

“I was already worrying that, even if I won the Japanese’ trust and took up this position, I would have no capable people at my side. But after speaking so frankly with you today, Brother Little Knife, I’m no longer concerned.

“As long as the brothers of the Hatchet Gang share my hatred of the enemy and fight alongside me, what do I have to fear? Could you introduce me to your boss so that we can discuss this cooperation in detail?”

Zhou Hongyi looked earnestly at Chen Xiaodao, his eyes filled with expectation.