Chapter 68: Discovering the Enemy Nest
Hangzhou, Yulu Alley.
The car carrying Kawada Eikichi and his group arrived at a large residence.
The residence faced east from a west-facing position. Its entrance gate featured brick carvings. Upon entering was a three-bay entrance hall, and beyond the courtyard, slightly to the south and west, stood another brick-carved gate.
The main residence sat north-facing south, with three visible bays and five concealed bays, supported by seven-beam construction. It was lofty and spacious.
This was the residence of the wealthy Hangzhou magnate Yang Million.
Yulu Alley extended more than 400 metres (~1,300 ft) deep. Three families lived there, all among Hangzhou’s richest. The Yang family was one of the three.
“Whose residence is that?” Cheng Qianfan asked the rickshaw puller after getting out at the entrance to the alley.
“That’s Manager Yang’s residence.”
Having received a tip, the puller answered cheerfully.
Cheng Qianfan nodded.
Instead of entering the alley, he entered an opera house diagonally opposite it.
He selected a private room on the third floor, ordered a pot of fine tea and several plates of pastries, and pretended to watch the opera while actually observing the residence.
Yang Million welcomed Sanben and his party with a face full of smiles.
“Mr. Sanben, my apologies for the disturbance,” the short, stocky Sanben said with a smile.
“It is this old man’s honor to be of service to you, Mr. Sanben.”
Yang Million smiled and then looked toward another man.
“And this gentleman is?”
“This is Professor Yoshino of Tokyo Imperial University, my close friend.”
Sanben answered casually.
“So it is Professor Yoshino. I’ve heard much about you, much indeed.”
“Mr. Yang, I apologize for the intrusion.”
Kawada Eikichi smiled and bowed.
“Professor Yoshino’s visit honors my humble home.”
Yang Million was all smiles.
Noticing Sanben’s somewhat serious expression, he added apologetically,
“Gentlemen, I’ve already instructed the servants to attend to you properly. This old man still has some matters to handle. I’ll return shortly. Please forgive my discourtesy.”
“Yang-san, attend to your business.”
Sanben nodded.
“Please excuse me.”
“I like that little old man.”
Watching Yang Million’s departing figure, Kawada Eikichi commented.
“He’s a very sensible fellow.”
“Yang Million is one of Hangzhou’s wealthy magnates. Much of his business benefits from the Empire’s patronage.”
Sanben sneered.
“A Chinese merchant who at least knows his place.”
A servant from the Yang residence led Sanben and Kawada Eikichi into a side room.
Tea and exquisite pastries were brought in one after another.
Sanben waved his hand.
His subordinates immediately withdrew and stood guard outside the room.
“Sanben-kun, have you found out what happened?” Kawada Eikichi asked gravely.
“More or less.”
Sanben nodded.
“The Kuomintang’s Party Affairs Investigation Department set a trap at the wharf to capture Chinese Communists.”
“Oh?”
Kawada Eikichi frowned.
“Their target coincides with ours?”
“It appears so.”
Sanben nodded.
“It is highly likely that activities by the Chinese Communists at the wharf attracted the attention of the Kuomintang’s political investigation authorities.”
“What a pity.”
Kawada Eikichi shook his head.
“Then we can only use the second plan.”
“Yes, there is no other choice.”
Kawada Eikichi nodded helplessly.
“What a pity. I rather appreciated Wen Changjian as a person. Never mind. Being able to sacrifice himself for the Empire of Japan, Wen-san should be extremely pleased.”
Sanben smiled but said nothing.
His friend was excellent in many ways, except for his fondness for putting on airs.
The so-called second plan was to use Wen Changjian’s real identity as bait to lure the Communists into carrying out an assassination of a traitor.
As for this plan, they did not care about the bait’s safety.
They only cared whether the bait could catch fish.
“Kawada-kun, are you certain you won’t return to the Japanese Concession?”
Sanben asked with concern.
“After all, this isn’t the concession. As for safety...”
“I’m not going.”
Kawada Eikichi shook his head.
“The concession has always been a major focus of surveillance by Chinese government agents. Staying there would attract more attention instead.”
Seeing that Sanben still wished to argue, Kawada Eikichi smiled.
“Don’t worry, my friend. My visit to Hangzhou has been kept highly confidential. It is actually safer here.”
“Very well.”
Sanben nodded.
He also felt Kawada Eikichi’s reasoning made sense.
“I’ll leave half my men behind with you. If you need anything, you can ask Okazaki-kun to contact the consulate.”
“No, Sanben-kun. Take all your men.”
Kawada Eikichi shook his head.
“Your people have been operating in Hangzhou for a long time. Sooner or later they may attract the attention of Chinese agents.”
The gates of the Yang residence opened.
Cheng Qianfan saw a short, stocky middle-aged man emerge under the protection of seven or eight subordinates.
Three of them escorted the man into an automobile.
The rest walked out of the alley, hailed rickshaws, and departed.
He carefully observed them.
Among those leaving, he did not see Kawada Eikichi or the bespectacled gentleman.
Cheng Qianfan remained in the opera house until evening.
Even lunch was brought to his private room.
By the time the sun was setting, he concluded that Kawada Eikichi and the others were still staying at the Yang residence and did not appear likely to leave for the time being.
Cheng Qianfan immediately left the opera house.
After walking a street away, he found a telephone booth at a telegraph office.
Inside, a man in telegraph-office uniform was dozing.
Cheng Qianfan knocked on the windowsill.
“What do you want?”
The disturbed man yawned and replied irritably.
“I need to make a call.”
Cheng Qianfan glanced around.
“To where?” the man asked impatiently.
“Number Sixty Fanghua Street, Limin Trading Company.”
The man picked up the receiver and cranked the handle.
“Connecting Number Sixty Fanghua Street, Limin Trading Company.”
Cheng Qianfan took the receiver.
“Please give me some privacy.”
The other man was about to lose his temper, but seeing the banknote Cheng Qianfan handed over, he smiled.
Picking up his enamel mug, he said,
“Make it quick.”
Only after the man had moved away did Cheng Qianfan cover the mouthpiece and speak quietly.
“I’d like to speak to Boss Wu.”
“Speaking. Who is this?”
“I’d like to order a shipment of seafood. Old Mister Yu is fond of it.”
“Wait.”
Number Thirty Xiongzhen Tower.
The Little White Building.
Yu Ping’an was in a towering rage.
A perfectly good operation had been ruined by the Party Affairs Investigation Department.
He was furious.
Earlier, Wu Yuanfang had reported that Cheng Wufang had discovered traces of Kawada Eikichi and gone to follow him.
That rekindled a trace of hope in Yu Ping’an.
Yet half a day had already passed, and Cheng Wufang still had not reported back.
Yu Ping’an was extremely anxious.
He feared Cheng Wufang had met with disaster.
Whether Cheng Wufang lived or died did not concern him much.
What enraged him was that Kawada Eikichi might have slipped away again.
The man was exceptionally cunning.
Capturing him again would be difficult.
At that moment, Wu Yuanfang hurried to the doorway.
“Report!”
“Come in!”
Wu Yuanfang pushed open the door and strode forward.
“Deputy Director Yu, telephone call from Cheng Wufang, Line Three.”
Yu Ping’an crossed the room in two large strides, picked up the red receiver, and said,
“Connect me to Line Three.”
“Hello, this is Yu Ping’an.”
“Deputy Director Yu, this is Cheng Wufang.”
Hearing Cheng Wufang’s hoarse voice, Yu Ping’an finally let out a long breath.
“Where are you now?”
“I’m at the telegraph office on Sanmin Road.”
Cheng Qianfan lowered his voice.
“Deputy Director Yu, I’ve found Kawada Eikichi’s hiding place.”
“Where is it? Has Kawada returned to the Japanese Concession?”
Yu Ping’an asked urgently.
His greatest concern was that Kawada Eikichi had returned to the concession.
The National Government and Japan were not formally at war.
If Kawada Eikichi hid inside the Japanese Concession, the Special Service Office could do nothing to him.
“No.”
Cheng Qianfan spoke gravely.
“Yulu Alley, at the residence of the Hangzhou magnate Yang Million. I’ve kept watch the entire time. Kawada Eikichi has not come out.”
“Good! Very good! Excellent!”
Yu Ping’an was overjoyed.
“You’ve done extremely well. Continue watching him closely. I’ll arrange personnel to move in immediately.”
“Understood. I’m watching from the third floor of the opera house diagonally opposite Yulu Alley.”
“Excellent! Keep him under constant surveillance!”
Yu Ping’an put down the telephone.
Unable to suppress his excitement, he immediately pressed the call bell.
“Everyone assemble!”