Tianjin, starting with unorthodox methods to achieve immortality

Three days later, the convoy finally staggered into Jiangning territory.

At that time, there was not a single bridge across the Yangtze River that could accommodate cars.

They stopped at Pukou, and Tie Kun went to the dock to negotiate, chartering a small steamship towing two barges, driving the two trucks on board, and having the people sit in the trucks as they crossed the river together.

The river was wide, and the gray water obscured the view of the opposite bank.

Chen Mo looked out of the car window and saw several warships flying the Rising Sun flag anchored in the middle of the river in the distance, their cannons pointing to the sky.

When we arrived at Xiaguan Wharf, it was already around three or four o'clock in the afternoon.

The river wind was strong, making it impossible to open one's eyes.

Chen Mo jumped off the truck and stretched his stiff back.

Dust fell from his body.

After three days on dirt roads, I was covered in fine yellow dust.

When Li Jinrong climbed out of the Ford, the smile on his face was gone.

He looked like a wilted eggplant, his face was ashen, and his hair was a mess like a chicken coop.

He looked listless, as if he had been hollowed out.

The high spirits I had when I had breakfast in Texas three days ago have long since vanished.

The journey from Dezhou to Jiangning is over 800 li (approximately 400 kilometers), entirely on a dirt road paved with gravel. Trucks bounce like leaves in the wind, and sitting on it is almost like sitting on a vibrating platform.

.....

Jiangning Wharf, Xiaguan.

The Xiaguan Wharf, which has stood for twelve years, is one of the busiest ports in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

Looking around, one can see boats of all sizes moored along the riverbank, with planks laid between them. Porters carrying sacks walk briskly across the planks, making the planks creak under their feet.

There were even more people at the dock.

Laborers in short jackets carried large and small bags, forming a long line as they disembarked from the barge. The jackets clung to their bodies, revealing the outline of their dark muscles.

A young woman in a floral cheongsam stood on the dock, her face lightly made up, a cigarette between her fingers, squinting at the river as if waiting for someone.

The cries of vendors rose and fell in a continuous stream.

"Tea eggs! Hot tea eggs...!"

"Cigarettes... Hademen, Sanpaotai, Daqianmen...!"

A bald boy, carrying a stack of newspapers, weaved through the crowd.

"Look at the newspapers! The Central Daily News, Shen Bao, and Xinwen Bao just arrived yesterday...!"

A breeze blew across the river, carrying a strong, fishy smell.

The dock was paved with stone slabs, which were wet, I couldn’t tell if it was from river water or rainwater, and they were a bit slippery to walk on.

The cracks in the stone slabs were filled with cigarette butts and fruit peels, and a swarm of flies buzzed around them.

Chen Mo stomped his foot on the stone slab and let out a long sigh.

We've finally arrived in Jiangning.

Along the way, he had prepared for the worst.

The highway, stretching seven or eight hundred miles, passes through more than a dozen counties, traversing mountains and valleys, and is full of good places to ambush.

But nothing happened; they didn't even encounter a roadblock demanding money.

It's going so smoothly, it's almost abnormal.

"Hopefully, nothing too big will come next."

Chen Mo muttered something to himself and quietly watched as Tie Kun and his guards began unloading the cargo.

The Li family's warehouse is located on the east side of the dock, a row of gray brick-walled, corrugated iron-roofed buildings.

More than thirty wooden crates were unloaded from the truck and stacked in the warehouse. Uncle Fu checked the crates one by one with the account book.

Chen Mo leaned against the truck, showing no intention of helping.

Li Jinrong got out of the Ford car, his complexion was still not good, but it was a little better than when he got off the ship.

"Uncle Chen, don't you think this journey has been too peaceful?"

"Yes, a little."

Chen Mo glanced at him in surprise. Although the fat man was listless, he wasn't mentally impaired.

"The way those train hijackers came was a bit suspicious. Damn it, I haven't heard of any train hijackings in all these years, but we ran into them as soon as we left Tianjin."

"Do you think there's a mole in our team, or someone else waiting for us to come along?"

Chen Mo did not answer; he did not know the answer either.

Just take one step at a time.

"Master Li."

Tie Kun walked over, his face also covered in dust, but he was in much better spirits than Li Jinrong.

"The arrangements at the warehouse are all made. Store the boxes there first, and I'll have Uncle Fu and some men guard them. We'll rest in Jiangning tonight, have a day of rest tomorrow, and then change ships early the day after tomorrow."

Li Jinrong nodded: "Okay, you arrange it. Find a nice hotel. My bones are all broken from all the bumpy rides these past few days. I need to take a good shower and have a nice meal tonight."

Tie Kun responded and turned to make the arrangements.

"Alright, let's go, let's find a place to stay first."

"I'll treat you to salted duck tonight. The real thing, not the cheap stuff from Jinshi."

"OK."

The black Ford started and drove out of the dock.

On the river, a large white ship was slowly approaching the shore, with the two large characters "Jianghua" printed on its hull, and the deck was full of people.

Inside a luxurious suite on the top floor of the Jianghua, a set of blue and white porcelain teaware sat on a sandalwood tea table, the tea soup was clear and yellow, and the aroma was wafting.

Li Zhong stood by the window, lifted a corner of the velvet curtain with his fingers, and glanced down.

People were coming and going at the dock. Two dark green Dodge trucks and a black Ford were slowly driving out of the dock area and disappearing around the corner of the street.

He lowered the curtains and turned around.

"Master, the Third Young Master's convoy has left, heading south of the city."

The old man on the sofa did not respond immediately; he was Li Jinrong's biological father, Li Xiaoqian.

He is 58 years old this year and has been working in the business world of Jinshi for 40 years, starting from a small cloth shop and working his way up to become the owner of one of the most prominent businesses in Jinshi.

"Where are you staying?"

"Jinling Inn," Li Zhong said, standing to the side with his hands at his sides. "The one in the south of the city, run by Old Zhou."

"Old Zhou is a reliable guy." Li Xiaoqian opened his eyes, pausing as he turned the walnut in his hand. "Where's the goods?"

"It's been stored in the warehouse in Xiaguan, and Uncle Fu is guarding it with his men." Li Zhong paused, then continued, "Master, that batch of goods..."

"I know," Li Xiaoqian waved his hand to interrupt him, "It's gilded, right?"

Li Zhong did not respond.

Li Xiaoqian placed the walnuts on the coffee table, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and slowly said, "Those thirty-six boxes, the top layer is full of large yellow croakers, the bottom layer is full of lead ingots, and the outside is plated with gold."

"In total, less than 20% is actually gold."

"Did the master never intend for this shipment to go to Ganzhou in the first place?"

Whether it arrives or not depends on the situation.

He put down his teacup, leaned back on the sofa, and looked at the crystal chandelier on the ceiling, its crystal beads swaying slightly in the river breeze.

"This shipment is a hook; someone has been trying to take over the Li family's things for a long time."

"Jinrong's trip south was ostensibly to deliver goods, but in reality, he was setting me up."

Li Zhong was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Does the master mean the mole is in Ganzhou?"

"It doesn't necessarily have to be Ganzhou."

Li Xiaoqian shook his head and tapped his fingers lightly twice on the sofa armrest. "The Li family supports at least several hundred people along the Jinshi to Ganzhou line."

"Among these people, there are always one or two who feel that the position is not worthy of their abilities and are always thinking of taking shortcuts."

"So, Master wants Young Master to take the highway?"

"How would we know so many people were interested if we didn't let him take the goods on the trip?"

He sneered, pulled a telegram from under the coffee table, and threw it on the table.

The telegram was filled with text, a summary of messages sent back by informants at various stations along the route.

Li Zhong didn't reach for it, but just glanced at it and saw several names listed on it. They were all elderly members of the Li family who had worked on the Jinshi-Jiangning line for many years.

"These people have all served the master for more than ten years."

"So what if it's been ten years? They haven't raised loyal servants, they've raised ingrates. I've had people keeping an eye on them for more than just a day or two. Jinrong's trip south is a perfect opportunity to see who can't keep their temper in check."

"Your Excellency is wise."

"What's so brilliant about it?" Li Xiaoqian snorted, leaning back on the sofa, a hint of weariness in his eyes. "These dogs I've raised for so many years are all vicious when they bite their owners. And these are just the people on the street. Who knows how many more are hiding in Ganzhou?"

Li Zhong was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "After the young master arrives in Ganzhou..."

"Proceed as planned." Li Xiaoqian waved his hand. "Once the goods arrive in Ganzhou, we'll see who tries to take advantage of us. Anyone who tries to take advantage will have their hands chopped off, and anyone who tries to stick their neck out will have their head chopped off."

He said this in a very calm tone.

But Li Zhong had followed him for over twenty years and knew that the calmer the master appeared, the more genuinely angry he was.

"Yes," Li Zhong replied, his hands hanging down.

"That young man next to Jinrong, the one surnamed Chen, have you checked him out?"

"I checked." Li Zhong took out a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to him.

"Hmm, only nineteen? A year younger than Jinrong..."

"Yes." Li Zhong nodded. "The young master is twenty, and he is nineteen, but judging from his behavior, he doesn't seem like someone that age."

Li Xiaoqian hummed in agreement, adjusted his reading glasses, and continued reading.

The more he looked at it, the more his brows furrowed. Finally, he put the paper on the coffee table, took off his glasses, leaned back on the sofa, and tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest.

"Black Tiger Gang, Dock Gang, Chang Le Gang, Green Gang..." Li Xiaoqian muttered these names under his breath. Each name was a well-known and powerful force in the area. "How much blood has this kid got on his hands?"

"Conservatively speaking, there are over a hundred." Li Zhong paused, "But this is just speculation, there's no empirical evidence."

"A true master is one who has no concrete evidence." Li Xiaoqian picked up a walnut and slowly turned it. "What you can find out is what he wants people to find out. What he doesn't want people to find out, you can't even catch a glimpse of."

"This young man is no ordinary person."

"The master is right."

"Was he involved in that incident in the Japanese concession as well?"

"There's no direct evidence, but it's pretty close," Li Zhong said in a low voice. "Back then, the young master supplied him with 500 catties of gunpowder..."

"I encountered the Meishan Duo on the train a few days ago, and he was the one who took care of them. According to the news that Tie Kun sent back, the Meishan Duo didn't last more than a few moves against him."

Li Xiaoqian paused for a moment, then slowly started turning the walnut in his hand again.

"Jinrong, that kid, has a better eye for people than his father."

"Alright, there's no need to investigate this person anymore. Whether he's a killer or a jinx, as long as he doesn't have any ill intentions towards Jinrong, the Li family's door will always be open for him."

"Yes."

"Have things been arranged in Ganzhou?"

"It's all arranged. The people over there have arrived and are just waiting for the young master's ship to dock."

"Tell them to keep a close eye on things, but don't alert them."

Li Xiaoqian closed his eyes, the walnut slowly rotating in his palm. "No rush, it's not time to close the net yet."

------

Jinling Inn.

When Li Jinrong came out of the shower, he seemed like a completely different person.

Her hair was slicked back and shiny, her face was covered in face cream, she had changed into a brand new silk long gown, and she was wearing a pair of black leather shoes.

"Chen Mo! Master Tie!" He pushed open the second-floor door, his voice so loud the whole building could hear, "Come on, let's go eat!"

Chen Mo had just come out of the room, changed into clean clothes, but his hair was still wet.

The three of them went downstairs and had dinner in the lobby.

Manager Zhou personally cooked several local Nanjing dishes, including salted duck, braised crab meat lion's head meatballs, braised shredded tofu, and braised fish tail...

The taste was indeed many times better than the simple meals at roadside inns.

Shen Yunjin also came downstairs, having changed into a plain blue cheongsam and tied her hair up again. She sat quietly next to Li Jinrong, her eating posture still as elegant as ever, holding her chopsticks properly and gently tucking her sleeves around her mouth when picking up food.

After finishing his meal, Li Jinrong put down his chopsticks, his expression becoming mysterious.

"Do you two have any plans for tonight?"

Chen Mo glanced at him: "No."

"That's good." Li Jinrong chuckled and took out a folding fan from his pocket. The fan was painted with a night scene of the Qinhuai River and inscribed with four characters: "Oars and Lanterns".

"I've inquired around; in Jiangning, the brothels along the Qinhuai River are the most famous."

The fat man raised his eyebrows, his expression conveying a meaning any man could understand. "Sixi Hall is a century-old establishment; every girl there is skilled in poetry and painting, and plays the pipa beautifully. Shall we go for a stroll tonight?"

Chen Mo put down his chopsticks, picked up his teacup, and took a sip: "I'm not going."

Why?

"Not interested."

Li Jinrong snapped his folding fan shut and tapped it twice on the table: "How can you be so clueless? We've finally come all this way to Jiangning, and if you don't see the night view of the Qinhuai River and listen to the music of Jinling, what's the difference between us not coming at all?"

"You can go, I'm going back to my room to sleep."

"No way!" Li Jinrong grabbed his arm. "It'll be so boring if I go alone. Master Tie is coming too, right, Master Tie?"

Tie Kun was drinking tea when Li Jinrong asked him this question, and he almost choked.

He put down his teacup, coughed twice, and a hint of unease flashed across his face.

After all, he's over forty years old and has traveled all over the country for so many years. What place hasn't he been to?

I've been to brothels a few times, but those were just for show, for the sake of the excitement.

Now that Li Jinrong is asking in front of Shen Yunjin, he feels somewhat embarrassed.

"This..." Tie Kun stroked his chin, glancing at Shen Yunjin. "Master Li, isn't this a bit inappropriate?"

"What's wrong with it?" Li Jinrong waved his hand casually. "What man hasn't been a few times? Don't pretend, Tie Ye. You've traveled all over the country for so many years, I don't believe you haven't been."

Tie Kun blushed slightly at his words and coughed twice, "I have been there, but that was years ago..."

"Then let's go!"

Li Jinrong slammed his hand on the table, then turned to Chen Mo, "Look at that Iron Master, how straightforward he is. You, on the other hand, are like a woman, dawdling and hesitating."