Chapter 65: Kawada Eikichi’s Scheme

Cheng Qianfan handed the wonton stall owner a cigarette.

The stall owner accepted it happily, sniffed it, and, unwilling to smoke it, tucked it behind his ear.

As a result, he no longer minded that Cheng Qianfan continued occupying the bench after finishing his meal.

Lighting a cigarette for himself, Cheng Qianfan sat on the bench, leaning against the wall in the corner, taking a contented drag. He looked exactly like an idle loafer basking in the sun.

Yu Ping’an had needed only a single night to uncover Kawada Eikichi’s identity.

The efficiency of the Special Service Office shocked and alarmed Cheng Qianfan.

He became aware of just how extensive the Nationalists’ intelligence organization’s reach was, and how formidable its capabilities were.

Why had Kawada Eikichi come to Selling Fish Bridge Wharf?

What was here that deserved Kawada Eikichi’s attention, or rather, his designs?

Kawada Eikichi was Dofihara Kenji’s assistant.

His status even surpassed that of Okada Toshihiko, the military attaché in Hangzhou’s Japanese Concession.

For someone as travel-weary and “distinguished” as Kawada Eikichi to come here without pause on his second day in Hangzhou...

Yu Ping’an had hinted that he should “get closer” to He Qichen.

Cheng Qianfan understood what that meant.

He Qichen was the captain of the Action Team of the Special Service Office’s Hangzhou District.

One was a senior figure from the Special Service Office headquarters, the other a powerful local authority within the organization.

Was this an internal power struggle within the Special Service Office?

Or did He Qichen genuinely have problems?

And why had a trainee from the special training class like him been assigned to this matter?

These questions swirled through Cheng Qianfan’s mind and left him irritated. In particular, he had no desire to involve himself in the conflict between Yu Ping’an and He Qichen.

He was only in Hangzhou for training.

After graduating from the special training class, he would return to Shanghai.

These matters were not something a newly recruited Special Service Office agent like him should be meddling in.

Most importantly, he was not one of Yu Ping’an’s trusted confidants. If anything went wrong, Cheng Qianfan had no doubt that Yu Ping’an would be the first to distance himself and might even kill him personally to prove his own innocence.

On the western side of Selling Fish Bridge Wharf stood a three-story teahouse.

A private room on the third floor had been reserved early in the morning by the wealthy Hangzhou businessman Yang Million.

Yang Million himself had not come. It was his steward who had used Yang Million’s calling card to reserve the entire room.

The proprietor had received instructions to provide the finest tea and refreshments and, beyond that, not to disturb the distinguished guests under any circumstances.

“Mr. Kawada...”

Wen Changjian, wearing small round spectacles, had barely begun speaking when he saw Kawada Eikichi frown. He immediately slapped his own mouth lightly.

“Mr. Zhou, please try this osmanthus cake.”

Kawada Eikichi nodded, picked up a piece of pastry, took a bite, and revealed a satisfied expression.

“Excellent indeed. China is vast and rich, with a splendid civilizational heritage. Just consider the food. There are so many regional cuisines. Even a simple snack can be admirable.”

“Indeed. And all these wonderful things will soon belong entirely to our Empire of Japan.”

Someone pushed open the door, walked over to the table without ceremony, sat down, and spoke in a low voice.

“Sanben-kun, have all the arrangements been made?” Kawada Eikichi asked.

“Rest assured, Kawada-kun. If the Communists appear, they absolutely won’t escape.”

Sanben answered in a deep voice.

“Let tea stand in place of wine. Thank you.”

Kawada Eikichi clinked cups with Sanben.

The two laughed heartily. No one would have guessed that they had been at odds throughout the previous evening’s banquet.

“Kawada-kun, I don’t understand. Why didn’t you tell Major Okada the real plan?”

“Okada-kun is the military attaché of the Japanese Concession. He has always been a primary surveillance target of the Nationalist Special Service Office.”

Kawada Eikichi shook his head.

“If he becomes involved, the likelihood of attracting the Special Service Office’s attention will increase greatly.”

“I understand.”

Sanben nodded with admiration.

“Mr. Wen.”

Kawada Eikichi rose and personally poured Wen Changjian a cup of tea.

Wen Changjian was overwhelmed by the honor. Deeply touched that Kawada Eikichi was preserving his dignity in front of an outsider, he quickly stood up.

“We must capture Butterfly Flower within three days.”

Kawada Eikichi spoke in a grave tone.

“We must obtain the codebook. Everything is ready on the Manchukuo side. They are only waiting for news of our success.”

As he spoke, he bowed deeply to Wen Changjian.

“Mr. Wen, I am counting on you.”

Wen Changjian hurriedly returned the bow.

“Please rest assured. As long as we can capture Huang Lei today, we can use him to reach Butterfly Flower.”

“And what if this Huang Lei doesn’t appear today?” Sanben asked coldly.

“Mr. Miki, I am ninety percent certain he will appear.”

Wen Changjian replied.

“Huang Lei was my sponsor when I joined the Party and was also my former superior. Right now he must hate my decision to abandon darkness and embrace the light. Based on my understanding of him, unless something unexpected occurs, he will appear.”

After a pause, Wen Changjian carefully took a sip of tea. Seeing the encouraging look in Kawada Eikichi’s eyes, he felt invigorated and continued.

“Even if Huang Lei doesn’t appear, whoever comes to kill me today will certainly be an important member of the Communist Party Municipal Committee of Hangzhou. If we capture that person, we can force him to reveal Huang Lei’s new address. I don’t believe he won’t talk.”

Wen Changjian was completely confident of this.

He himself had once endured interrogation by the South Manchuria Railway Investigation Department. In his view, the torture had been beyond human endurance. No one could resist without speaking.

At that moment, Wen Changjian selectively forgot Feng Jiazhang and Li Dingyun, whom he had betrayed, and who had endured terrible torture without yielding before finally dying heroically.

Kawada Eikichi nodded in satisfaction.

He liked Wen Changjian’s attitude very much.

When this Chinese man had first been captured in Manchukuo, he too had been stubborn and refused to talk.

After two days of interrogation, he had finally broken.

What surprised Kawada Eikichi was that once the man decided to confess, his behavior and temperament became completely different, as if he were another person altogether.

Kawada Eikichi enjoyed such transformations. They gave him a great sense of accomplishment.

Wen Changjian had also provided an important piece of intelligence.

He had been sent by the Hangzhou Communists to support anti-Manchukuo and anti-Japanese activists. Accompanying him was a radio operator carrying the latest codebook.

The compiler of that codebook used the codename Butterfly Flower.

Wen Changjian did not know the person, but his former superior Huang Lei did.

If they could capture Butterfly Flower and obtain the codebook, the Kwantung Garrison Army stationed in Manchukuo could track the movements of anti-Manchukuo and anti-Japanese militants. They might even set a trap to lure Yang Zhijun’s forces into it and catch them like a turtle in a jar.

In one stroke, they could eliminate Yang Zhijun, a major threat.

The surface of the Qiantang River shimmered with reflected light.

This mother river of Zhejiang had long since begun another busy day.

Cargo sailing vessels moved across the river.

Compared with ordinary cargo boats, they were broader and heavier, and their sweeps were much larger.

Standing directly on the deck made them difficult to control, so the boatmen had to stand on wooden frames.

The boatmen shouted work chants as they struggled to row.

The Qiantang River’s complex water system could not accommodate ocean-going passenger liners. As a result, many ocean-going liners first arrived in Shanghai.

Passengers holding through-tickets would then be transferred by the shipping company onto inland passenger vessels of thirty to forty tons capable of navigating the Qiantang River.

Cheng Qianfan stared thoughtfully at a passenger vessel approaching in the distance.

Was Kawada Eikichi here because of a particular passenger ship arriving at the wharf today?