Chapter 119: At Last, It Has Arrived

"Can't the terms set by the New Stage be renegotiated?"

"It's not that we can't talk, but there is very little room for adjustment. You know as well as I do that we aren't a local troupe. We don't know how long our popularity will last, so naturally, they want to squeeze every last bit of profit out of us," Sun Qingkui replied.

"Is there no leeway at all?"

"It’s not that there isn't any, but Boss Tang said that if you are willing to spend the night with him, everything can be discussed..." Sun Qingkui stammered.

Jiang Rou furrowed her delicate brows. So, this was the real reason Sun Qingkui came to see her today. All the talk about difficulties earlier was just a setup for this. Boss Tang of the New Stage was fifty years old, old enough to be her father, yet he still harbored such filthy intentions toward her.

"Xiao Rou, I know this is very difficult for you, but in our line of work, everyone has a first time. If you can sell yourself for a good price, it really isn't such a big deal," Sun Qingkui said.

For an opera singer, if you have a bit of beauty but haven't achieved great fame, how many can hope for a good marriage? You either end up as a concubine or are kept by some powerful man. Once your youth fades, the future is bleak. This was the industry norm; had it changed at all in these past few hundred years?

"Godfather, once I take this step, there is no turning back. Have you never considered your daughter's feelings?" Jiang Rou said. "Today it’s Boss Tang, tomorrow it will be Boss Li. I am an opera singer, but I earn my living through my own skills. I haven't stooped so low as to sell myself."

"Xiao Rou, don't you understand that this is how the world works? You can refuse Boss Tang today, but what about tomorrow? When someone even more powerful than Boss Tang comes along, what will you do then?" Sun Qingkui showed not a shred of guilt.

"I would rather die than submit."

"Xiao Rou, you disappoint me too much. Why do you think Boss Tang lets us perform at the New Stage and promotes you so heavily? Don't you understand?" Sun Qingkui said, his voice laced with anger and frustration.

"If the New Stage won't have us, we can go to other theaters," Jiang Rou said, her voice soft but firm.

"Naive! Do you have any idea how much influence Boss Tang has in Bingcheng? If he throws out just one word, we won't be able to find a foothold anywhere in this city!" Sun Qingkui scolded.

"He hasn't reached the point where he can cover the sky with one hand, has he?" Jiang Rou sneered. The boss of the New Stage was only a second-rate figure in Bingcheng, after all.

"I see you won't turn back until you hit the southern wall." Sun Qingkui’s face turned red with rage. "Anyway, Boss Tang said that as long as you comply, the terms of the theater rental agreement can be discussed. Think about it yourself. Consider your godfather's fate for his later years, too."

Sun Qingkui left, filled with resentment and anger. Jiang Rou was his cash cow; naturally, he couldn't push her too hard. With a little more pressure, once she realized the reality of the situation, she would eventually come around willingly.

...

"Sir..."

Su Wenqing stepped out of the Musashino restaurant. As the cold wind hit him, he shivered. Failing to see the steps in front of him, he nearly fell, but Su Xing caught his arm just in time. Otherwise, he would have ended up with a bruised face at the very least.

"A-Xing, help me to the car. Let's go home." Su Wenqing regained his composure and gave the order.

"Yes, sir." Although Su Xing didn't know what had happened inside, he could feel that Su Wenqing’s mood was off. Something had definitely happened. As a long-time servant, he didn't dare ask. Once in the car, he ordered the driver to head home.

Back at the residence on Wenchang Bridge, Su Wenqing commanded: "A-Xing, prepare a generous gift for tomorrow, and send it to the Ningxiang Pavilion."

"Sir, in whose name should I send it?" Su Xing asked, startled.

"A get-well visit."

"A get-well visit? Is Boss Bai ill?"

"No, it's for Zhou Sen," Su Wenqing sighed, looking up at the sky. "I never imagined that after all my years of striving, it would all come to nothing in the end. Fate is truly cruel."

"Sir, this..."

"Old Four is in his hands; we have no choice but to bow our heads," Su Wenqing explained. "I estimate that ransoming him will cost a significant sum. You go and negotiate with him. The limit is two hundred thousand."

"Understood."

...

At the Qunxian Clubhouse, Lin Dakuan was drinking alone when Li Shaotang poked half his face in from the doorway and grinned.

"Come in. Old Zou can't make it today," Lin Dakuan said, having already spotted him.

"And where is the little sister-in-law?" The "little sister-in-law" Li Shaotang referred to was Lin Dakuan's mistress, not his official wife at home.

"She went off to play cards. It's actually quite peaceful drinking by myself," Lin Dakuan said, lifting his glass and taking a small sip.

"If she heard you say that, she’d think you were bored of her," Li Shaotang chuckled and sat down.

"Anything going on?" Lin Dakuan ignored him. Being with one woman for too long certainly left little room for novelty.

"Well, Big Brother, care to guess?"

"Why would I guess? Spit it out if you have something to say."

"Tonight, at Musashino, Commander Kato of the Gendarmerie Headquarters hosted a dinner for Su Wenqing. Besides Su Wenqing, one other person was invited."

"Don't tell me it was Zhou Sen?"

"Big Brother, where is your mind? It was our Officer Shibuya," Li Shaotang laughed.

"Oh?"

"Surprised, right? But this dinner couldn't have been that simple. If yesterday's gunshots at the Small South Garden had anything to do with Su Wenqing, and Officer Shibuya knows the truth, it’s very likely he went there to warn the high-flying Chairman Su," Li Shaotang analyzed. "Everyone knows Su Wenqing has Kato behind him. Officer Shibuya warning Su Wenqing while subtly involving Kato—the intent is clear. He doesn't want to tear up his relationship with Kato, nor does he intend to deal with Su Wenqing directly."

"Why would Shibuya Saburo warn Su Wenqing for no reason?"

"It must be because of Zhou Sen. Zhou Sen has suddenly garnered the attention and importance of Officer Shibuya. Big Brother, haven't you thought about the reason for that?"

"Why should I think so much? The more you know, the bigger the disaster," Lin Dakuan laughed. This was his way of surviving.

"Big Brother, I made that call to Zhou Sen as you instructed. Guess what happened?"

"Did he refuse?"

"He didn't exactly refuse. His subordinate answered the first call and said he wasn't in. I called again later, and though he still wasn't there, a message was left: he is bedridden and cannot keep the appointment, but will visit in person to apologize once he recovers," Li Shaotang said.

"Ill? That kid isn't the most robust, but he doesn't seem like the type to get sick so easily, does he?"

"What if it's an injury?"

"The gunfire at the Small South Garden..." Lin Dakuan suddenly woke up, a flash of horror appearing in his eyes.

"There's one more thing. Official Akiyama from the Nangang Police Station sent a formal letter urging us to find the murderer of Yuan Wenfu as soon as possible. He specifically mentioned the Qunfang Pavilion, telling us to focus our investigation on that woman Yuan Wenfu was involved with, claiming she might be suspicious," Li Shaotang said. "This is clearly a pretext—what could a prostitute possibly have to do with it? It’s aimed at the Qunfang Pavilion itself."

"Have you checked that prostitute?"

"She was brought in for questioning after the incident, but nothing suspicious was found, so she was released," Li Shaotang said. "I questioned her myself."

"Maybe it wasn't thorough enough. Perhaps she wasn't the one who leaked Yuan Wenfu's whereabouts. The Qunfang Pavilion is a chaotic place; maybe it was someone else," Lin Dakuan said, looking at Li Shaotang.

"Big Brother, you mean to raid the Qunfang Pavilion and screen everyone?" Li Shaotang was startled; this was no small matter. The Qunfang Pavilion was backed by Seventh Master Qin, a relative of the old Police Commissioner. Who knew if the Commissioner himself had a hidden stake in it?

"Yuan Wenfu's job was to monitor the Soviet Consulate. Even if he was a small fry, his line of work wasn't ordinary. Do you think the Japanese will let it go without finding the killer?" Lin Dakuan said.

"But if we do this, we'll be offending Seventh Master Qin!"

"Then would you rather offend Seventh Master Qin, or be marked by Akiyama no Suke and have him cause you trouble later?" Lin Dakuan sneered, retorting. "Old Seven Qin might have a relative who is a Police Commissioner, but that power is far removed, and the local official is more important than the one in the capital. Besides, I haven't received any favors from Jin Rongsheng."

"Then we'll investigate. It's not like we have any valuable leads anyway."

...

Once the price was agreed upon and the contract signed, thirty percent of the construction payment was paid immediately, and the renovation team from the Fucheng Company moved in right away.

It was still cold, so they could only work indoors. However, the renovations for the Ningxiang Pavilion were extensive and required careful planning. They had to account for development twenty or thirty years down the road, so the scale of this project was quite large, eliminating the need for future work.

As for the underground sewage treatment system, only a few luxury hotels in the entire city of Bingcheng had one. The original construction of the Ningxiang Pavilion hadn't considered it, so this major renovation naturally included it.

Bai Yulan had money in hand and bought all the shops and houses adjacent to the Ningxiang Pavilion, increasing the actual footprint of the venue by a third. Now, it bordered the street on all sides. Of course, the back door led to a small alley, and while it also faced a street, this side could be developed into shops.

The benefit of this was that on this plot of land, Bai Yulan could build whatever she wanted without interference from neighbors. However, she had poured all her savings into this; if this venture failed, she would be destitute.

Insisted upon by Zhou Sen, the renovation work at the Ningxiang Pavilion began very discreetly. They signed a non-disclosure agreement with the Fucheng Company, and the workers lived and ate on-site. Bai Yulan didn't want to be high-profile; it would only invite trouble and attract unwanted attention.

After lying in bed for a day and a half and two nights, Zhou Sen felt the pain in his chest had subsided, only flaring up slightly when he moved his arm too much. Bai Yulan's ancestral medicine was truly miraculous, as was the herbal decoction he had to take three times a day—thick, dark, and incredibly bitter. But after drinking it, his entire body felt comfortable, and he slept like a log for the past two days, essentially sleeping until dawn.

Tired of lying in the room, his bones feeling stiff, Zhou Sen had A-Xiang get him a lounge chair. He lay in the courtyard, listening to the radio and watching Wu'en chop wood. He also played with Lucy; the little creature wasn't shy at all and had become the neighborhood cat boss around the Ningxiang Pavilion. The mice living in the pavilion were the most unlucky ones, suffering a bloody disaster. Lucy was afraid of Bai Yulan but was very close to A-Xiang, probably because she brought it dried fish whenever she went to the market.

"Brother Sen, the butler for Su Wenqing is here, and he brought gifts! He is talking to Sister Lan in the front hall right now!" Just as he was relaxing, A-Xiang rushed in, bringing him back to reality.

"Finally."