Spy game? Stop guessing, I really am an undercover agent!

Chapter 166 "Maple" Project

As soon as those words were spoken, the air in the living room froze instantly.

Kong Er's eyes suddenly turned icy cold, like a dagger tempered with ice, piercing straight at Tang Baozhang.

The two bodyguards behind her did not move, but their eyes locked onto their target instantly, and their right hands slid imperceptibly toward the bulge at her waist.

An invisible killing intent spread out.

Tang Baozhang's expression changed slightly, and he involuntarily took a step back.

"Young Master Tang, what explanation do you want?" Kong Er repeated, slowly extinguishing the cigarette in his hand, and slowly standing up. His movements were elegant but carried a chilling aura.

She wasn't tall, but the imposing aura she exuded made the towering Tang Baozhang feel suffocated.

He slowly walked up to Tang Baozhang, who could almost smell the faint scent of tobacco and the cool fragrance on Kong Er's body.

“Young Master Tang, my father sent me here to show compassion for the orphans and to mourn the old ministers of the Party and the State.”

"And you're asking me to explain?"

"Think before you speak. Sometimes, it's better for everyone if you just leave it at that."

"Hide your talents and bide your time, live a peaceful life, and safeguard Mr. Tang's reputation. This is true filial piety."

"As for those things that shouldn't be said or thought... I advise you to give up on those thoughts as soon as possible."

"The water in the Huangpu River is very deep. If someone drowns, you won't even hear a sound."

Madam Tang shuddered and quickly stood up to apologize, saying, "Second Miss, please don't be angry. Baozhang misspoke; it wasn't what you thought."

Kong Er's gaze sharpened slightly as he looked at Madam Tang, who suddenly put on a smiling face again: "Madam Tang, that's not what I meant."

"The deceased is gone, we should prioritize the greater good." As soon as he finished speaking, the secretary stepped forward and respectfully placed a bulging manila envelope and a letter bearing the bright red seal of the Ministry of Finance of the National Government on the coffee table.

"This is a small token of our appreciation from Madam and Dean Kong, a token of our condolences."

She paused, her eyes behind the smoke carrying an undeniable sense of transaction. "My father always respected Mr. Tang. He specifically instructed that if the family wishes to sell the ancient books and paintings that Mr. Tang collected during his lifetime, the Central Library is willing to accept them at the best price. It can be considered as... preserving the cultural heritage of the country and preventing these pearls from being tarnished."

Acquiring rare items? What kind of rare items? This is clearly kicking someone when they're down...

You keep saying you're prioritizing the big picture, but after all this time, it turns out your Confucius family is the big picture, isn't it?

They call it "concern" in a grand way, but it's more like a blatant threat, even hinting at "hush money."

Tang Shaoyi was an avid collector of antiques and books. Although his collection was not priceless, it was by no means a small amount.

Kong Er said he would donate it to the Central Library. Please, that's a cultural relic, not a manuscript.

If you were to donate it to a museum, that would be understandable…

But now...

Thugs, robbers...

The Tang mansion was deathly silent. Tang Baozhang, as if all his strength had been drained, slumped down in a chair covered with a white cloth, covering his face with his hands.

The bulging envelope and bright red official document lay quietly on the coffee table, as if silently mocking their grief and helplessness.

Kong Er took a step back, the chilling threatening look on his face instantly vanished, and he returned to his slightly lazy arrogance.

“Alright,” she said, buttoning the top two buttons of her suit jacket, her tone as casual as if she were ending an insignificant meeting.

"I have conveyed my sentiments. Shanghai is not a peaceful place, so I will not bother you any longer. Madam Tang, please take care of yourself."

"Farewell."

As soon as he finished speaking, Kong Er turned around deftly, and the bodyguard immediately handed him a top hat.

She took the hat and put it on, then raised her hand to pull the brim down again, covering most of her face except for her hard, angular jawline.

The riding boots clattered on the floor with a heavier thud than before, each step seeming to pound on the already fragile heartstrings of the Tang family. The secretary followed closely behind, with the bodyguards bringing up the rear, and the group quickly disappeared at the end of the dimly lit corridor.

"Brother, what should we do?" Tang Baorong said in a low voice, "The second young lady said she came to offer condolences, but she's actually after Father's belongings."

Tang Baoyue said angrily, "Baorong, how dare you say that? Isn't this all the work of your Guangde?"

"I heard that the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce has stopped its cotton purchasing plan."

"The Kong family spent so much money and went through so much trouble to bring down the price of cotton, and now you're just packing your bags and refusing to play anymore."

"The second young lady of the Kong family is ostensibly here to offer condolences, but in reality, she's here to collect debts."

Tang Baorong sneered and said, "Second Sister, what do you mean by that?"

"The Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce is not under Guangde's control. Without the approval of big shots like Yu Qiaqing, Shen Xingshan, and Gao Baoan, Guangde would not dare to make decisions on its own."

“You’re a woman who can’t even keep an eye on your husband, yet you want to meddle in business matters.”

Tang Baorong's words completely enraged Tang Baoyue.

Tang Baoyue's husband is Han Dehui, a senior executive at a Shanghai-listed bank. When Tang Shaoyi was alive, he acted like a dutiful son-in-law.

But just a few days after Tang Shaoyi died, Han Dehui revealed his true colors, and Tang Baoyue then learned that her husband not only had a mistress outside, but also a three-year-old illegitimate child.

"Enough! The master's body is barely cold, and you're already hurling insults at each other in front of his coffin. Don't you even respect me? I'm not dead yet..."

Tang's mother roared, and the others immediately fell silent.

After a long pause, Tang's mother slowly said, "Those paintings, calligraphy, and ancient books are just material possessions. If they want them, just give them to them."

"Baozhang, deliver the items to the Kong family mansion. Send someone back to the old house in Zhongshan to take a look. Repair what needs repairing and add what needs adding."

"Without the protection of the master, Shanghai is not safe for us."

"The master always wanted to return to his roots, so let's grant his wish, pack up, and escort his coffin back home."

Mountain town, Yangjiaping, Lujia Teahouse.

Kumano Ryohei, using the alias Lu Qiaosong, hurriedly entered the room where Minami Yoko was resting at the back.

With a creak, Kumano Ryohei pushed open the door to the side room and walked in without any hesitation.

"Kumano-kun, hasn't anyone taught you how to spell the word 'manners'?"

"You don't even know to knock before coming in?"

Yoko Minami's languid voice rang out, carrying a hint of reproach in her tone.

"Miss Yoko, I'm not in the mood to discuss manners or upbringing with you right now,"

Ryohei Kumano took out the telegram from his pocket and handed it to Yoko Minamida, saying, "It's an urgent order from headquarters. Tang Shaoyi has been killed, and your teacher, General Doi-mado, is urging us to speed up the mission."

"We must get in touch with the Wang Group as soon as possible."

"He has already given you the maximum authority; I hope you won't delay any longer."

Yoko Nanada took the telegram, glanced at it, and her expression turned slightly grave: "It seems we really don't have much time left."

"Kumano-kun, I have a plan here. Try to get to Shanghai as soon as possible. Under no circumstances should you use the radio. If the intelligence is leaked, the Empire will be in a very passive position."

As she spoke, Yoko Nanada took out a document from a hidden compartment under the dressing table.

Ryohei Kumano took the document, glanced at it briefly, and was immediately shocked, a strange bitter taste appearing in his mouth.

"Yoko, you...you actually wanted to assassinate the principal? Are you crazy...?"

(End of this chapter)