Chapter Ninety-One: The Charming Dance Hall

"Brother Li, the house has been found. It is a Western-style garden villa, No. 8 Camellia Road. Very convenient for traffic too—only two hundred meters from the intersection of Camellia Road and Gaoyou Road."

On the third day after arriving in the great metropolis, early that morning, after checking out and having breakfast, Li Wensheng went to Golden Bridge Lane to find the man named Zuo Ban.

He had no worry at all about whether Zuo Ban could find a house within a day.

Zuo Ban, nominally attached to the Green Gang, made his living as a collector of gossip and information.

In the great metropolis, a gossip-monger did not rank highly, but to make a living in that trade was no easy matter. It required knowing many people at the lowest levels—rickshaw pullers, dock workers, beggars, all of them had to be within one’s acquaintance.

Because of that, gossip-mongers were exceptionally well informed. Sometimes they learned things even before the intelligence agencies did.

During the year he had spent at the military intelligence station in the great metropolis before, he had asked Zuo Ban to handle many petty matters.

If Zuo Ban said it would be done in a few days, then it would be done in a few days. He had never once delayed.

This time, too, he did not delay. The moment Li Wensheng arrived, Zuo Ban was already speaking of the house.

Pouring tea for Li Wensheng, Zuo Ban continued, "The only thing is, the house isn't for rent. It's for sale only. The family is in a hurry to sell it and go abroad."

"No matter. I said before that either renting or buying would do. I won't drink the tea; I'm in a hurry. Take me there now."

The house was not cheap. Though the French Concession was not exactly peaceful, compared with other places it was still fairly safe. After the outbreak of the War of Resistance, many wealthy people had fled there, driving prices up.

Three thousand French francs—Li Wensheng glanced at it twice, said nothing, and paid at once.

The main thing he cared about in a house was whether the transportation was convenient.

After arriving on Camellia Road, he had Zuo Ban take him around the area.

The traffic nearby was excellent. Less than two hundred meters to the left was the intersection of Camellia Road and Gaoyou Road; less than three hundred meters to the right was a small branch junction off Camellia Road.

And behind the villa was a vast sprawl of old houses packed into a maze of alleys. If one fled in that direction and ducked inside, it would be difficult for anyone to find them.

Three thousand French francs was more than Li Wensheng had on hand, so he paid in American dollars instead.

The homeowner was in a hurry to go abroad, and seeing that Li Wensheng paid immediately, and in dollars besides, he took Li Wensheng straight to the Concession Municipal Council to handle the paperwork.

The formalities were expedited with money from the landlord and completed on the spot.

When he returned home, he handed the keys to Li Wensheng, packed up a few valuable belongings, and left with his family, leaving all the furniture behind for Li Wensheng.

In the villa's first-floor sitting room, Li Wensheng glanced around, then took out a dollar and handed it to Zuo Ban.

"Find me two servants and one cook. I want clean hands."

This time Zuo Ban did not refuse. He took the money at once. "Brother Li, rest assured. I'll be very particular about the people I choose for you."

Li Wensheng smiled, patted Zuo Ban on the shoulder, and sat down on the sofa. "Bring them as soon as possible."

"Tomorrow, Brother Li. I'll bring them over at eight tomorrow morning."

After Zuo Ban left, Li Wensheng went out, hailed a rickshaw from the roadside diagonally across from him, and got in.

"Charming Dance Hall," he said.

By the time he had finished touring the area around the villa and dealing with the paperwork, it was already six in the evening. When he reached Charming Dance Hall, it was after seven.

At a little past seven, Charming Dance Hall was not yet at its liveliest, but the lamps and wine were already bright and gaudy. More than a dozen people were dancing in the center of the floor, and nearly half the seats around the edges were occupied.

After entering, Li Wensheng scanned the room twice and immediately lowered his head slightly.

"Damn it—why is he here? Doesn't he always go only to Fairy Music Hall?"

Meeting an acquaintance here, Li Wensheng felt truly unlucky. He hurriedly lowered his head and sat at an empty seat nearby.

Before the waiter came over, he quietly observed the room and spotted Ma Laosan sitting in a corner. He quickly rose and walked over.

When he reached Ma Laosan's table and sat down, Ma Laosan placed a briefcase on the table and pushed it over.

"Captain Li, there are a total of 4,300 U.S. dollars. I took 43 dollars for myself. The rest is all here."

Li Wensheng picked up the briefcase. "I'm leaving. I'll look for you again in a while."

Ma Laosan was overjoyed. Li Wensheng's words meant that in some time, he would have more goods to sell.

Though from 4,300 he would only get 43, he would gladly do this kind of work more often.

Western medicines were in great demand. As soon as they were put out, several buyers would come calling. By choosing the buyers himself, he could also make them owe him favors.

Easy money, no risk, and favors besides. And forty-three dollars was not a small sum—it could even be exchanged for a small gold bar.

"Captain Li, Captain Li." Ma Laosan hurriedly called him back in a low voice just as he was rising.

"What is it? Something wrong?"

Ma Laosan stood up, leaned in, and said quietly, "Well, Captain Li, there’s fighting in Xuzhou and they’re short of medicine, so prices are high.

But this battle in Xuzhou won't last much longer. When it ends, medicine prices will fall.

If you have stock, it would be best to move it quickly."

A flicker passed through Li Wensheng's eyes. He sat back down. "How do you know the war in Xuzhou is about to stop?"

This battle in Xuzhou had dragged on for months. On his way to the great metropolis, newspapers in many places had been reporting on the fighting, but whether in Nationalist-held areas or occupied territory, none had written that the situation was becoming clear. All said the war had become a stalemate, with both sides suffering heavy casualties.

Ma Laosan smiled and sat down. "Captain Li, you've returned to the great metropolis for no more than a week, otherwise you wouldn't be asking me that."

Li Wensheng frowned. "Cut the nonsense. Speak."

"Yes, yes." Ma Laosan restrained his smile and said in a low voice, "A week ago, an intelligence dealer came to the great metropolis. He was a new face, no one had seen him before, but the first piece of intelligence he sold stunned a great many people.

Captain Li, do you know what he sold?"

Li Wensheng said nothing, only looked straight at Ma Laosan. Seeing this, Ma Laosan dared not drag things out and hurried on.

"The intelligence he sold was military intelligence on the Third Theater Area of the Nationalist forces.

Captain Li, you've stayed in the great metropolis before and dealt with those intelligence dealers. You know that in the past, though intelligence dealers did sell military information, it was only minor disposition maps and the like. But this man was actually selling intelligence concerning the entire Third Theater Area.

No one knows who bought that information, but everyone believes it was the islanders. After all, only the islanders would care about Nationalist intelligence.

And the very next day, word spread that the military intelligence on the Third Theater Area contained only eight characters: urgently decide the route for withdrawing from Xuzhou.

The matter has long since spread. Now many people know that the Nationalist army is about to retreat."

Li Wensheng thought for a moment, then stood up. "I'll prepare the Western medicine as soon as possible. When the goods arrive, I'll come find you."

"Good, good, Captain Li. Then I'll wait for your good news," Ma Laosan said with a chuckle.

Whether Li Wensheng was truly unlucky or not, just as he had risen and taken two steps toward the door, he caught sight of several people by the bar beginning to stand as well.

Seeing that, Li Wensheng hurried his steps and headed for the exit.