Did he trick the young marshal into becoming sworn brothers and then go south to Huangpu Military Ac

Du Yisheng stood in the shadows of the first-floor staircase, holding his breath and staring intently at the young figure slowly descending the stairs.

Those eyes were so deep, devoid of the restlessness of youth, possessing only a cold and composed understanding of everything.

With just one glance, he made up his mind.

Watching Lin Qi get into Lu Xiaojia's car and leave, Du Yisheng turned to look at Gu Jiatang behind her.

"Tell the family to bring out the deeds to the three largest warehouses in the French Concession and the Shiliupu Wharf, and to withdraw all the available cash from the books."

Gu Jiatang was taken aback: "Mr. Du, are we not going to Longhua to find Lu Xiaojia?"

Du Yisheng watched the car's taillights disappear into the rain at the alley entrance, his eyes burning with an unprecedented determination and ambition.

"Looking for Lu Xiaojia is useless; I have better candidates."

Du Yisheng said with a confident look, "Tomorrow morning, come with me to the Astor House Hotel, we'll go to seek the true Buddha."

……

Early in the morning, the thick fog over the Huangpu River had not yet dissipated, and the river wind, carrying the damp chill characteristic of midwinter, blew into the lobby through the revolving glass doors of the Astor House Hotel.

Du Yisheng stood on the wool carpet outside the presidential suite on the top floor. Although he had changed into a clean blue robe, he could not hide the bloodshot eyes.

He was carrying an extremely heavy black leather suitcase. He did not bring Gu Jiatang or any of the Green Gang's followers.

Seeking the true God requires sincerity; bringing too many people makes it seem like you're trying to force someone to submit.

Zhao Sihai stood guard outside the door like an iron tower, not even lifting an eyelid as he looked at the powerful Green Gang tycoon who held sway over the French Concession.

"Mr. Du, Mr. Lin is still having breakfast."

Zhao Sihai's voice was very low, yet it carried a unique coldness and hardness.

"I know, we'll wait here and won't disturb Mr. Lin."

Du Yisheng placed his hands together in front of him, his body slightly hunched over, adopting the lowest possible posture.

He knew who lived inside. Last night at the Huile Lane on Fourth Road, even a troublemaker like Lu Xiaojia had to serve the bureau like a junior. This powerful background meant that the Green Gang couldn't afford to mess with them.

Now, this is Huang Jinrong's only way out, and the only straw for the Green Gang.

I stood there for more than half an hour.

The heavy mahogany door of the suite finally made a soft sound, and Zhao Sihai turned to the side and pushed the door open halfway.

"Mr. Du, Mr. Lin would like to invite you in."

Du Yisheng took a deep breath, picked up his suitcase, and stepped into the reception room with extremely light steps.

The room was very warm, and in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, Lin Qi was sitting on a leather armchair, wearing a well-tailored dark gray vest with subtle patterns, over which was a pure white shirt, with the cuffs slightly rolled up.

He held a cup of black coffee in his hand, and an industrial blueprint entirely in English was spread out on his lap.

Hearing footsteps, Lin Qi slowly raised his head.

His gaze was calm, deep, and without a trace of emotion, yet it gave Du Yisheng a sense of oppression, as if he had been completely seen through.

Without uttering a single unnecessary word, Du Yisheng gently placed the black leather suitcase in his hand on the empty space next to the coffee table.

Then, this tycoon, famous throughout Shanghai, bent his knees and knelt firmly on the expensive Persian carpet.

"Mr. Lin, our Boss Huang was blind and offended Young Master Lu. The whole mistake was our Green Gang's ignorance of the rules. We've come here today with the shame of asking Mr. Lin to have mercy and save Boss Huang's life."

Du Yisheng, speaking with a heavy Shanghai accent, lowered his head deeply.

The lock on the suitcase popped open.

There were no silver dollars inside, only neatly stacked gold bars, gleaming with a captivating yellow-white luster in the morning light.

Besides the gold bars, there was also a stack of red deeds on top, which represented the lifetime use rights to three properties in the most prosperous areas of the French Concession, as well as the three largest warehouses at the Shiliupu Wharf.

This is the greatest sincerity he can offer, and all his trump cards.

Lin Qi put down his coffee cup, his gaze not lingering on the gold bars and red contracts for even a second, but instead fixed on Du Yisheng's thin shoulders.

Historical memories surged rapidly in my mind.

The three big bosses of the Green Gang.

Boss Huang is greedy and lustful; he's a complete thug with a short-sighted vision.

Zhang Xilin was an opportunist with no moral compass. When the Japanese invaded Shanghai, he did not hesitate to become a traitor and was eventually shot dead.

The only one worth mentioning is Du Yisheng, who stands before me.

Lin Qi looked at the man kneeling on the ground and made a silent assessment in his mind.

Although this man came from the underworld and had blood on his hands, he never wavered when it came to national righteousness. When the War of Resistance against Japan broke out, while Shanghai's celebrities were trying to protect themselves, Du Yisheng gave away all his wealth to buy airplanes from abroad and donate them to the front lines.

They even organized members of the Green Gang to form an assassination squad, carrying out a series of ambushes against Japanese and puppet regime agents in the concessions. They would rather abandon their immense wealth in Shanghai and flee to Hong Kong than become subservient to the Japanese.

The greater good is not compromised.

More importantly, Lin Qi desperately needs the resources in Du Yisheng's hands. In the future, he needs both the blueprints and the funds to build a modern military industrial system in the south.

But where will the equipment come from?

The south had virtually no heavy industry base. It needed special steel to manufacture gun barrels, high-precision German lathes to process parts, and reaction tower equipment to synthesize smokeless gunpowder.

These core military materials simply cannot enter the country through normal customs channels.

Even if they were transported to the coast, they would be seized by the authorities. To transport these behemoths into Guangzhou quietly, there would be an underground logistics network completely outside of government supervision.

The Green Gang's members were found all over the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The coolies at the Shiliupu Wharf, the boat captains on the Huangpu River, and even the Chinese detectives in the foreign concessions were all members of the Green Gang.

This is a ready-made, extremely large smuggling network.

This person is available, and we must befriend him.

Get up.

Lin Qi's voice was gentle, yet carried an undeniable force: "I'm not used to people kneeling to talk to me."

Du Yisheng stood up, supporting himself on his knees, still with his head down and his hands hanging awkwardly at his sides.

Lin Qi stood up, walked to the coffee table, and casually flipped through a few red contracts with his slender fingers.

"Boss Du has quite the spending power. A prime shop in the French Concession, a warehouse in the Sixteen Wharfs, plus all this hard currency. It's more than enough to buy Boss Huang's life."

Just as Du Yisheng was about to express her gratitude, Lin Qi suddenly changed the subject.

"Close the box and take the things back."

Du Yisheng suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with astonishment and despair.

He thought Lin Qi thought it was too little, or that he was simply unwilling to get involved in this troublesome matter. Not being able to send money out in Shanghai meant a dead end.

"Mr. Lin..."

Du Yisheng's voice trembled, and cold sweat trickled down his temples: "If that's not enough, there are a few more branches..."

"Boss Du has misunderstood."

Lin Qi walked back to the sofa and sat down, a faint smile playing on his lips: "I, Lin, did not return to the country to extort money. I don't care about gold and silver."

Du Yisheng was stunned.

Lin Qi extended his right hand and gently tapped the table with his index and middle fingers.

"When I make friends, I value people, not money. I've heard of Boss Du's reputation in Shanghai. He's a man of honor and loyalty, a shrewd and capable figure who can stand firm in chaotic times. Boss Huang's matter is a matter of face for Lu Xiaojia, but for me, it's just a matter of a word."

Lin Qi paused for a moment, his gaze piercing Du Yisheng's eyes.

"I'll help you get Huang Jinrong out of trouble. You can take back this money and the land deeds. I'll only take one thing from you."

Du Yisheng's Adam's apple bobbed, and he even stopped breathing: "Mr. Lin gave his orders. I'll give anything, even my life."

Give me a silver dollar.

The reception room fell into dead silence instantly.

Du Yisheng even doubted that he had heard correctly: no gold bars, no land deeds, just one silver dollar?

"Take out a silver dollar as proof that we've become friends today."

Lin Qi spoke casually, without even raising his eyelids: "In the future, I'll be doing big business in the South and the Jiangzhe region. I'll inevitably need to trouble Boss Du with his help regarding matters on the waterways. Consider this silver dollar as proof."

Du Yisheng trembled violently all over.

Having spent so many years in the underworld, he had seen countless greedy politicians and warlords.

But this young man in front of them was a man of great power, capable of easily taking away most of the Green Gang's wealth, yet he refused to take a single penny, only asking for a silver dollar.

What magnanimity! What confidence! And how much respect does Du Yisheng have for him?

In the logic of the martial arts world, if someone gives you a great deal of face, you have to repay them with your life. Lin Qi's move has already firmly bound Du Yisheng's heart.

With trembling hands, Du Yisheng took out a warm Yuan Shikai silver dollar from the pocket of his long robe, held it with both hands, and respectfully handed it to Lin Qi.

"Mr. Lin."

Du Yisheng's eyes reddened: "From this day forward, in Shanghai, whatever Mr. Lin's goods are, my brothers and I will carry them across the river safely, even if it means using our own shoulders. We will risk our lives to obey Mr. Lin's orders. If we break this oath, may we be struck by lightning!"

Lin Qi picked up the silver dollar between two fingers and casually stuffed it into his vest pocket.

"Alright, go back and wait for news. Boss Huang will be back in full force before sunset."

Du Yisheng bowed deeply, picked up his suitcase, and left the room.

The moment they stepped outside, the dark clouds hanging over the Green Gang completely dissipated.