Chapter 8
The Mysterious Organization
(1)
With Hu Sheng’s death the clue was cut off and Shen Ying was getting a headache.
Gu Sinan said, “Chief, Hu Sheng might have been killed by their organization!”
Shen Ying said irritably, “You think this old fellow can’t see that? It’s the technique of giving up the chariot to save the general! Send someone at once to keep watch on Hundred Wins Gambling Den. Zhan Tianhong went missing there, which proves that this gambling den is is not on the up and up! Be careful, this is our only clue. Whatever you do, do not beat the grass and alarm the snake!”
“Subordinate understands. I’ll keep watch on it myself and sent two others disguised as gamblers to mingle inside.”
Shen Ying nodded and stuck his pipe in his belt. “I’m taking another trip to Ouyang Manor!”
× × ×
There was only Shen Ying, Zhao Siniang, and Foreman Chu in Ouyang Changshou’s study.
Shen Ying told them about Hu Sheng’s death, then said, “Foreman Chu, how did those guards conduct themselves here?”
Foreman Chu said, “By the book, everything as usual. Before, when getting off work they would sometimes go to the brothels and have a drink. These past couple days they haven’t taken one step away from here.”
“Oh? Then our adversary has supernatural powers, able to cut the clue off a step ahead of us!” Shen Ying felt another headache coming on again.
This adversary was more formidable than any he’d faced before. In the past he’d mostly dealt with individuals, or at most a small group of people. Now he was faced with an immense organization.
However, Shen Ying was still had unshakable confidence that he could draw his adversary out. It was just a matter of time.
He firmly believed in the principle that so long as he could be steadfast and persevering, his adversary would not be able to help themselves and would make some sort of a slip up, especially an organization that harbored unlawful aims.
× × ×
Five days passed, still no activity. The impostor gamblers came back to report that everything was on the level at Hundred Wins Gambling Den. They couldn’t find a single thing amiss.
In those days gambling dens were permitted, but cheating was not, or else they could be punished by the law.
Shen Ying took out his pipe again and puffed on it, blowing smoke into the air, making everyone aware of one thing, that cold weather was here.
Winter. The gray skies were a depressing sight.
Fortunately, a few days later Lang the Fourth and Ge Gensheng sent a carrier pigeon to Shen Ying.
(2)
Lang the Fourth and Ge Gensheng were not about to stop for a moment. The next day they arrived late outside Zhengzhou. The city gates were already closed, so the two of them abandoned their mounts and climbed over the wall into the city.
A night wind howled, kicking up dust in the street. Zhengzhou was famous for two things: a lot of sand, and a lot of wind.
Lang the Fourth and Ge Gensheng carried a lot of wind and sand with them as they pounded on the door to the inn. This was Zhengzhou’s biggest inn, and most famous. A waiter opened the door, rubbing his eyes, and before the two of them could speak said, “Rooms are all booked up, please try another establishment!” And with that the door slammed shut with a bang.
Lang the Fourth and Ge Gensheng had no choice but to a smaller inn diagonally across the street and put up for the night there.
The night passed uneventfully and the next morning they went downstairs to the hall to eat a light breakfast.
They looked at each other, not sure where to begin. If Zhan Tianhong was not in Zhengzhou, then wouldn’t this be a wasted trip? Moreover, even if Zhan Tianhong was in Zhengzhou, if he were hiding out some place, how could they know?
They walked around the city for a day, visiting all the public places, the brothels, gambling dens, teahouses, and eateries. They were so tired they were exhausted, with nothing to show for it, and could only go back to the inn to rest.
Despite their fatigue, they couldn’t sleep, their four eyes staring at the corner of the ceiling, lost in thought.
A long while later, Ge Gensheng slapped his thigh. “Tomorrow morning we’ll go see Constable Zhou and ask him for help!”
“Might as well, Constable Zhou has been in Zhengzhou for years and knows the people and has a lot of connections. Maybe he has a way!”
× × ×
Constable Zhou didn’t know what to do either. After hearing Ge Gensheng explain how they’d lost Zhan Tianhong, he said in a low voice, “Little Brother has heard that a new gambling den has opened in the city. It only accepts high rollers, and you need someone to introduce you. I wonder if it has any connection to Hundred Wins Gambling Den? If so, Zhan Tianhong might be hiding out there.”
Lang the Fourth said, “At his point I guess we’ll just have to doctor a dead horse. If Constable Zhou would show us the way, we’ll go take a look.”
Constable Zhou said, “Hold on, Little Brother doesn’t quite understand the situation yet. If you want to get in you need connections, but that’s no problem for Little Brother. You two relax, tonight I’ll have some good news to tell you two big brothers!”
Ge Gensheng said, “I wonder what the background of this gambling den is?”
“The manager is a fatty surnamed Qi, but I heard there’s someone behind him. Qi is a well-known person in the city, with some power and wealth, and he gets on well with the yamen. Though Little Brother can take you there, doing that would easily expose you!”
× × ×
The next day, Constable Zhou took a young man who looked like the son of a rich man to Lang the Fourth’s room at the inn.
“This is the city-renowned Second Lordson Peng. He’s most familiar with all the places to have fun in the city!” Constable Zhou introduced the two of them, “These two are distant relatives of mine. This one is surnamed Xu, this one Shi.”
The three of them said cordially, “Please to meet you, pleased to meet you!”
Constable Zhou laughed. “These two distant relatives of mine have long heard of the city’s renown and have come here especially to go sightseeing and have some fun, but I have some business at the yamen to tend to, so Second Lordson will serve as a tour guide for the next few days!”
Second Lordson Peng said, “Little Brother was just getting bored being all by myself, now that I have Brother Shi and Brother Xu accompanying me, what could be better?”
Lang the Fourth said, “Second Lordson is too modest, Little Brother is coarse and boorish, I just fear I will ruin your image!”
“Brother Shi exaggerates! I wonder what kind of fun you two were thinking of having?”
Constable Zhou gave Lang the Fourth a look and said hastily, “You all talk it over, I have to hurry back to the yamen!”
Lang the Fourth said, “Cousin, take care, Little Brother won’t see you off!”
Ge Gensheng said, “Second Lordson, we’ve always been really itching to gamble, but it’s not been convenient back home. Now that we’re here, we’re like birds escaped from their cages, we want to gamble it up!”
Second Lordson Peng laughed. “In that case you two have come to the right person. As they say, a young man who doesn’t live it up is wasting his youth. But Little Brother believes that not gambling is wasting one’s youth!” With that, he roared with laughter again.
Lang the Fourth said, “But we don’t like mingling with the masses, slumming it with the lower classes. Does Second Lordson know of a quieter, cleaner place?”
Second Lordson Peng thought for a moment. “There is one place. Not only is it clean and quiet, it’s only frequented by the higher classes, but, but it’s…”
“Second Lordson, if you have something to say, just say it!”
“It’s not that Little Brother looks down on you two big brothers, it’s just that the place has rules. To enter that place you have to have at least 5,000 taels of silver on you.” Second Lordson Peng said, “Little Brother was just afraid you two big brothers, being travelers, would not find it convenient to be carrying so much on you at once, so…”
Ge Gensheng hurriedly put in, “Everyone has to be carrying that much?”
“Precisely.” Second Lordson Peng said helplessly, “Even Little Brother, whose gone no less than five or six times already, still has to. To enter you first have to show the silver drafts!”
Lang the Fourth said, “Second Lordson Peng is right, we really aren’t carrying that much silver on us. But my dad did business here last time and made a lot of money. Before he left he deposited 20,000 taels of silver at Big Cousin’s place. Wait and Little Brother will go collect it from Big Cousin. I have to stop by and see him anyway. Second Lordson, please wait a moment!”
Second Lordson Peng was delighted. “That’s wonderful, Little Brother also has to go back home and get some silver. We’ll meet back up here later!”
(3)
Lang the Fourth ran to the yamen to find Constable Zhou and immediately asked him to get together 10 to 20,000 taels of silver. Constable Zhou certainly had the means within the city, and in a short while he had a silver draft for 6,000 and one for 7,000 taels of silver withdrawn from the bank!
This gambling den was within a small manor. From the outside it didn’t look like anything at all, no wonder Lang the Fourth and Ge Gensheng looked all over the place but couldn’t find it.
The manor house had a signboard hung at the entrance reading Myriad Winnings Manor, and two men in family retainer garb stood at the entrance. These two men weren’t big and stalwart, but their eyes were sharp and twinkled, clearly martial artists.
Peng the Second led Lang the Fourth and Ge Gensheng to the manor and talked them up a bit and took the silver drafts out, and the retainers pushed open the big doors and let them enter.
They entered into a garden which was exquisite if not large. Behind the garden was a little building two storeys high with vermilion railings and carved ridgepoles, a magnificent building.
A little pageboy led them inside. The gambling den was set up in the building’s main hall, and if the outside was magnificent, the inside was like comparing starlight with the bright moon.
Even for Lang the Fourth and Ge Gensheng, those seasoned catchquicks, stepping onto a Persian rug was a peculiar feeling, like they’d entered the imperial palace.
There were three large eight-immortals tables set up in the hall with pearwood highbacked chairs and little tea tables all around.
The pageboy led them to their chair and they were seated. At once a maidservant brought tea. As soon as they lifted the teacup lids, before they’d even tasted it, the fragrance assailed their nostrils, and the teacups themselves were also works of art from Jian’an.
It took all Ge Gensheng had to keep his hand holding the teacup from trembling, but after taking a sip his nerves settled down. Not only wore the tea leaves of the highest class, the skill with which the tea had been steeped was first-rate as well.
With this kind of installation and service, no wonder the owner has decided that only gamblers with at least 5,000 taels of silver could enter.
Peng the Second said, “Little Brother will gamble in every manner of way, but what do you two big brothers like? Dice? Pai Gow? Or something else?”
Lang the Fourth though a moment and said, “Let’s play Pai Gow!”
“Alright, today Little Brother will keep you two big brothers company!”
The game started up at once, the croupier as the banker, Ge Gensheng sat at the side, Lang the Fourth was opposite the banker, and Peng the Second was on the other side.
“Esteemed guests, please place your bets!”
Lang the Fourth gave Ge Gensheng a look and placed down 500 taels. Ge Gensheng placed 300 taels, and Peng the Second placed 500.
The banker deftly stacked up the dominoes and grabbed the dice and shook them. It was seven, Lang the Fourth went first.
He swiftly brought two dominoes together and flicked one up to glance at it, just a corner, and he knew it was the Heaven tile. Good god, that’s an easy play. But when he turned his hand over, the other side was a Red Head Ten and the air went out of his sails at once. Heaven and Red Head Ten, two points!
“Call!” the banker cried and flipped over two tiles.1 One was Mixed Eights, the other was Plum Sixes, four points! That beat Lang the Fourth’s tiles!
But the banker was unlucky too, winning one and losing two, and lost 300 taels as well.
Ge Gensheng this hand added the 300 taels he won, Lang the Fourth only placed down 300, and Peng the Second placed 500.
Peng the Second went first, Lang the Fourth went last. He drew a tile out a bit, revealing a single black plum, then drew it out further, a red dot. It was the Plum Blossom Six! The rear one revealed a dot and tensed up. The best would be a pair of Plum Sixes, then a three and two. If he drew a four or a seven then it did not bode well.
It was a Plum Six, a pair, and Lang the Fourth breathed a sigh of relief, though he was kicking himself for betting so little. He was almost certain to win this hand and he casually flipped the tiles over.
The banker exclaimed “Ah”. He had a Heaven and a Seven, a Heaven High Nine! This hand the banker gained, beating Ge Gensheng and Peng the Second and only losing a little.
They continued playing, Peng the Second coming out even, Lang the Fourth losing every time he bet high, and would win win he bet low. Ge Gensheng also lost more than he won!
After ten hands, Lang the Fourth only had 1,000 taels left. He put down the entire 1,000 and got a pair of Plums. He was pretty sure he was going to win, fingers lightly drumming on the table.
“Call!” the banker called.
Lang the Fourth flipped over and spread out his tiles. “A pair of Plums, a winner for sure!”
Ge Gensheng flipped and called, “Nine points!”
Peng the Second grinned as he spread his out. “Supreme Pair! Banker pays all!”
The banker called out, “Not necessarily. Look at mine!’ He spread out a a pair of Heavens! Peng the Second won, Lang the Fourth lost all 7,000, and Ge Gensheng lost over 2,000 taels.
The banker said, “Sorry, just happened to eat you!’ He reached over to take Lang the Fourth’s silver.
Lang the Fourth suddenly flipped his hand and pinned his hand down and said coldly, “Hold it, there’s something fishy with your hand! Or else how are you so lucky?”
The banker said, “What are you talking about, what’s wrong with the tiles? Don’t blame me you lost!”
Lang the Fourth stood up, left hand pointing at the tiles. “Let me examine them one by one. If there’s no cheating, then there’s nothing I can say!”
Ge Gensheng took over, “Yeah yeah, several hands I lost were too egregious, too coincidental. If you’re not up to anything fishy then you won’t mind us checking!”
The banker shouted, “If everyone acted like you all, how could we run this establishment?”
Lang the Fourth bellowed and turned the table over and jumped the banker!
The banker shouted, “Is this the place for you to act up?” His five fingers formed a claw snatching at Lang the Fourth.
Lang the Fourth leaned to the side, his momentum not yet exhausted, right first slamming toward the banker’s chest!
The banker was shocked, not expecting Lang the Fourth, who didn’t look like much, would be so strong, and he quickly took several steps back!
The gambling den guards swarmed at once.
Peng the Second was greatly alarmed. “Don’t fight, don’t fight, hurry and get Boss Qi out here!”
Ge Gensheng pretended to be scared and kept hiding behind Lang the Fourth. These people paid no mind to Ge Gensheng, but Lang the Fourth all of a sudden knocked down several guards.
Peng the Second groaned inwardly and shouted, “Don’t fight, don’t fight, they’re with me…”
A gaunt man ran out from the inner hall and said coldly, “Whoever’s with him, let them know who’s boss today, or else if he goes of running his mouth, how will we have a leg to stand on!”
He stepped through the guards and shouted, “Fall back, let Daddy Su get a taste of his fists!” Probably because of his high position, everyone immediately fell back.
Lang the Fourth gently pushed Ge Gensheng away and said coldly, “I’ve traveled all over and have never encountered such boorish behavior, you thief actually making false accusations!”
This Su was a thin man. He said coldly, “Enough talk, see these hands!” He came in at an angle, right palm striking at Lang the Fourth’s ribs.
Lang the Fourth spun around, right hand passing under his opponent’s elbow to counterpunch his chest. This move changed so super fast that the Myriad Winnings guards’s hearts sank.
Unexpectedly, the thin man’s grasp was a feint. His wrist turned and shot quick as an arrow at Lang the Fourth’s eyes. This move turned the tables, because they were in such close quarters, so that it was launched later but arrived sooner. Lang the Fourth was shocked and quickly turned around, his right palm’s momentum continuing as before.
The thin man’s wrist was incredibly nimble. He sank his force and turned the claw to a fist and struck violently at from the top down onto the top of Lang the Fourth’s head. If he connected with this, even ten Lang the Fourth’s would lose their lives! Lang the Fourth’s foot stepped to the side and pushed off and he left out at an angle. The thin man anticipated this, offhandedly sticking close to him!
Ge Gensheng felt a chill in his heart. He wanted to step in and help, but Lang the Fourth landed on both hands, doing a handstand, feet coming up to kick the thin man in the face!
The thin man’s momentum was too fast, he couldn’t pull back, so with a shout he leapt straight up a stave and seven spans, left hand pressing against the ceiling, then his body slammed down like a hammer!
Lang the Fourth darted away, ducked and straightened up. “Nice move, too bad it’s used for evil purposes!”
The thin man said, “Talk all you want for now, in any case there’s no way you’re leaving here today alive!”
Lang the Fourth said angrily, “Not necessarily! If anything happens to Young Master, it’s gonna happen to you first!” His fist technique changed, using speed to hit slow.
The thin man’s claw technique was quite skillful, seeing his opponent’s moves and dismantling them, not giving in a bit. Ge Gensheng knew full well what Lang the Fourth was capable of. Right now Lang the Fourth seemed to have the upper hand, but actually the thin man had not yet used his full strength> If he were to counter, Lang the Fourth would lose!
He swept a look around and suddenly saw a man come out from behind a screen behind a curtain and his heart began hammering. They’d expended so much painstaking effort and it had finally paid off! It was none other than Zhan Tianhong.
Zhan Tianhong took a look at the scene unfolding and his expression changed and he turned back behind the screen at once and abruptly coughed twice. The thin man warded off Lang the Fourth, then followed it up right away by going on the offensive. Ten moves later, Lang the Fourth was on the losing end, being pushed back again and again.
Ge Gensheng went over to Peng the Second and whispered, “Second Lordson, Brother Shi is Constable Zhou’s younger cousin, if anything happens to him, how are we going to explain ourselves?”
Peng the Second was a philanderer, picking flowers and trampling grass. Though he was a master of wining, dining, whoring, and gambling, when had he ever seen a scene like this? He had long been at a loss what to do, just shaking all over. When he heard Ge Gensheng he was even more scared, and with a quavering voice said, “Stop… Stop, stop fighting… Run and get Boss Qi out here… We need to speak to him!”
One of the guards bellowed, “Second Lordson don’t you say a word, this has nothing to do with you!”
Peng the Second said urgently, “No, he… he… Brother Shi is Constable Zhou’s younger cousin, Constable Zhou entrusted him to Little Brother, if anything really should happen… I won’t be held responsible!”
A moment later a ball of flesh came out from behind the screen. To say he was a ball of flesh was no exaggeration, his neck and shoulders, his shoulders and chest, his chest and waist, his waist and legs, all merged together, indistinguishable from the other. A pair of eyes the size of soybeans rolled and said, “Is that really Constable Zhou’s younger cousin?”
Peng the Second breathed a sigh of relief and hastened, “Boss Qi, make them stop fighting quick, he really is Constable Zhou’s cousin, Little Brother…”
Fatty Qi’s expression turned and he suddenly busted out laughing. “It really is surging waters flooding the Dragon King temple, Foreman Su, stop fighting pronto!”
The thin man immediately dropped his hands and leapt to the side. Ge Gensheng also gave Lang the Fourth a look and the latter stopped and stood there.
Fatty Qi patted Lang the Fourth’s shoulder affectionately. “Lordson Shi, don’t take offense, this was all a bit misunderstanding. Heehee, It’s like they say, from an exchange of blows, friendship grows. Henceforth we’re all good friends, good brothers!” He extended his right hand in a gesture of friendship.
Lang the Fourth hmphed and didn’t so much as look at him.
Fatty Qi smiled obsequiously, “Lordson Shi, how much did you two lose, we’ll return it to you and this conflict will be resolved, what do you say?”
Lang the Fourth finally said, “That’s more like it.” He extended his hand and shook hands with him.
× × ×
Word of Zhan Tianhong’s presence at Myriad Winnings Manor spread to Shen Ying’s place in Luoyang. On the third day, Lang the Fourth’s carrier pigeon once again carried word to Luoyang that Zhan Tianhong’s activity in Zhengzhou continued.
At the same time, Luoyang’s Hundred Wins Gambling Den suddenly went out of business.
Shen Ying breathed a sigh of relief, faintly feeling that this matter was close to being resolved.
However, was Zhan Tianhong really Ouyang Peng and Chao Xiaoyan’s killer?
Shen Ying’s mind was at a loss. Up to now he only had a suspicion, and that suspicion was just a gut feeling, a feeling born out of his decades of dealing with criminals.
What made him suspect Zhan Tianhong was merely how evasive he was being. If he had nothing to do with the murders, then why did he want to shake off Ge Gensheng?
Also, those seven mysterious guests were brought in by Zhan Tianhong, there was no question about that. Had one of them slipped into the inner hall and killed Ouyang Peng? If things really were as he suspected, Zhan Tianhong was definitely involved somehow.
Hu Sheng’s sudden murder, did that mean he was the killer? And someone was sent by Zhan Tianhong to sever this clue?
It very likely wasn’t him, no way Zhan Tianhong was this secret organization’s leader. At most he was no more than a petty chief.
The very evening after Hu Sheng’s identity was divulged he was killed proved that Ouyang Manor will had Zhan Tianhong’s men within. Were those nine guards the moles?
However, Foreman Chu said the nine guards had not taken one step away from the manor gates. Then who transmitted the information outside?
Shen Ying’s mind was swimming, a maze of doubts he couldn’t clear up. He decided to go once more to Ouyang Manor.
(4)
Zhao Siniang listened to Shen Ying’s analysis, then said calmly, “In any case, Zhan Tianhong is the most likely suspect. Since we know he’s in Zhengzhou, we should go there and seize him for questioning!”
Shen Ying gave a wry smile. “What evidence do we have? What kind of person is this old fellow go running wild like other people do?”
Zhao Siniang’s face flushed and she laughed awkwardly.
But Foreman Chu said, “Then we can do it and you can direct us from the side, then once we have evidence you can come out and arrest him!”
“Balderdash!” Shen Ying said gravely, “I won’t have you all acting like that! Foreman Chu, this old fellow suspects there are moles still in the manor. You must investigate thoroughly. Also, are those nine guards still here?”
“They’re still in the manor,” Foreman Chu said. “However, they can all be cleared of suspicion. These days they have not taken a single step outside the manor gates, nor have they conversed with their colleagues! I’ve already sent trusted subordinates to keep watch on over them day and night.”
Shen Ying said, “I can’t believe there’s still no clues to this case so far!” He heaved a long sigh and left in a huff with a flick of his sleeves.
