Carefully designed

After watching Pei Zhiyuan leave, Zhang Xiande turned around and walked to his desk, taking out the investigation report that he had read countless times.

The edges of the paper were slightly curled, the ink was clear, and it contained a few very familiar words: "Zhangyun Wharf" and "Tongji Trading Company".

On the surface, "Tongji Trading Company" was just a small shop selling cloth, with scattered storefronts and unremarkable accounts; at first glance, it even seemed somewhat shabby. But the more it seemed that way, the more something seemed amiss.

“Large-scale monthly purchases, sourced from multiple provinces in the north and inland areas…”, his fingertip slowly gliding over the list of quantities.

However, the sales records are so meager they are almost laughable.

"More in than out, the destination is unclear." He closed the last page and tapped the table lightly with his slightly bent fingers.

Especially that batch of specially marked cotton fabric—the purchase volume was huge, the time was concentrated, and the transportation route avoided the normal path.

The goods arrived at "Tongji Trading Company" less than half a day ago, and were then transported away in batches by a group of people whose identities are shrouded in mystery.

"Disappeared completely."

He stood up again and walked to the map on the wall. Shanghai, Suzhou, Jiaxing... he matched the coordinates with the flow of goods, and finally his gaze settled on a blank space on the outskirts of the city.

"Where...is this place?"

The third brother had been gone for several hours. He had just returned silently from the night, carrying a new piece of information that should raise alarm.

The third brother reported, "We found traces of goods movement of 'Tongji Trading Company.' Those marked cotton cloths were not put into storage for sale, but were transported to this area by a few suspicious people. This is the place where they have been frequently moving goods recently."

Zhang Xiande slowly put down the report, his slender fingers clasped in front of him, his voice low and firm: "Continue the investigation, but don't alert them. Especially..." He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over a dark shadow outside the window, "...don't let Jiale know for now."

The third brother bowed his head in response, his figure disappearing into the night like a ghost.

Zhang Xiande began to observe You Jiale's every move more closely, like a patient hunter, not missing any abnormality.

One day, it was quite late when they returned to Yunyin Hall. Madam Zhang had already gone to bed, leaving only Zhang Xiande and You Jiale, who silently ate the rice in their bowls.

"You've been going to the south of the city a lot lately, haven't you?" Zhang Xiande suddenly blurted out, his tone quite casual, as he picked up a shredded bamboo shoot with his chopsticks.

While munching on braised duck, You Jiale replied quite naturally, "Yeah, a few new shops have opened over there. The location is pretty good, and there are a lot of repeat customers. We deliver fast, so our reputation has grown."

"Which ones are they?" Zhang Xiande's tone remained calm and nonchalant.

“A steamed bun shop, a dessert stall, and a grain shop on the outskirts of the city.” You Jiale glanced at him.

Zhang Xiande hummed in agreement, put down his chopsticks, picked up his teacup, and took a sip: "Do you have enough manpower? You've hired quite a few new people recently."

You Jiale grinned, chewing as he said, "It's enough, but I'm still clumsy. I need to keep a close eye on the training. Just talking about it isn't enough; I have to take you on a trip."

“If you hire the wrong people, trouble can easily arise.” Zhang Xiande put down his teacup, speaking slowly and deliberately. “Don’t let any unsuitable people in.”

"How could I dare to be careless?" You Jiale said with a smile.

"Hmm." Zhang Xiande's tone remained unchanged, and he squinted at Zhang Xiande's face for a moment.

There was no conversation for a moment, and the two continued to eat with their heads down.

Zhang Xiande's questions were always brief and to the point, seemingly casual, but upon closer examination, they carried a hint of probing. He wanted to find some flaw in You Jiale's answers to see if he was being evasive or deliberately hiding something.

At the same time, Zhang Xiande secretly launched a more in-depth investigation into Shanhe's past. He realized that the background information You Jiale reported when she joined Zhang's must have been deliberately concealed.

He must investigate You Jiale's, or rather Yu Shanhe's, true identity and family background through deeper and more clandestine channels. He also needs to ascertain Yu Shanhe's specific whereabouts before his disappearance and who he had close contact with.

He admitted that he was very interested in the current Yu Jiale.

Zhang Xiande's expression became complicated.

And most importantly, is the person currently residing in Yunyin Hall Yu Shanhe, who is on a mission, or You Jiale, who has truly lost her memory?

Finally, after days of covert investigation, Zhang Xiande's spies sent back some scattered but extremely valuable clues.

Zhang Xiande carefully stroked the thin sheets of paper. The information his informant had relayed about Yu Shanhe's early years studying in the south was like a spark falling into his already troubled mind. "Open-mindedness," "freedom of speech," "progressive youth groups," and "radical student movements"—these words echoed in his mind, confirming his long-held intuition that Yu Shanhe was out of place.

Zhang Xiande was not unaware of information related to the underground Communist Party. In the face of national crisis, various forces were stirring beneath the surface. Being in the business world, he had naturally heard about the propaganda of anti-Japanese and national salvation ideas among the working class and young students.

If Yu Shanhe is indeed a member of the underground Communist Party, then what is his ultimate purpose in approaching me?

Was he lurking by my side, secretly investigating the Zhang family's businesses and connections, or even trying to use the Zhang family's resources to facilitate their secret operations?

A bolder idea, one that also gave him a jolt, emerged. Were the underground Communist Party members also trying to win the support of national bourgeoisie like himself? After all, the Zhang family's businesses held an important position in the transportation industry, and this influence undoubtedly had significant strategic value during times of war.

Zhang Xiande's gaze sharpened.

Zhang Xiande slowly stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the flowers and trees in the courtyard, which appeared somewhat blurred in the night. If Yu Shanhe's target was truly him, then had You Jiale really lost his memory? Was everything he was showing now—his cuteness, his quick wit, his abilities, even his ingratiating manner in front of his mother—a carefully designed strategy?