Chapter Nineteen: A Chess Move Leads to Power

Chen Kan received a phone call from Beiping.

My grandfather's voice came through the microphone, stern: "Chen Kan, you must immediately withdraw the anti-drug and anti-gambling bans you implemented in Jiangcheng. This morning, the British and French consuls sent their secretaries to my study, slamming their fists on the table and saying you've cut off their opium business! The Chen family's foothold in Beiping is thanks to the support of foreign dignitaries; don't be foolish!"

The veins on the back of Chen Kan's hand, gripping the microphone, bulged. He wanted to say, "Those people in those opium dens are practically smoking themselves to death," but he swallowed the words back. He knew better than ever his place in the Chen family: nothing more than a shield, a scapegoat. What right did he have to refuse?

"I understand." He finally spoke, looking sickly and seemingly devoid of any sharp edges. "I will withdraw from the opium trade in the British and French concessions."

After hanging up the phone, he turned and leaned against the windowsill. He took out a cigarette case from his pocket, but just as he was about to pull one out, he hesitated and put the cigarette case back in his pocket.

The winter plum blossoms outside the window had fallen to the ground, like scattered pieces of silver.

...

At this moment, Uncle Zhong came in with tea and said, "Young Master, Qiao Yuan has arrived and is waiting in the living room."

Chen Kan frowned: "What's he doing here?"

“He said he had something important to discuss,” Uncle Zhong said, placing the tea on the table. “It’s probably related to the ban.” He paused, then added, “It could also be related to what happened at the dock last time.”

Chen Kan lowered his gaze slightly, feeling somewhat guilty, and could only walk silently towards the living room.

In the living room, Qiao Yuan was sitting on the sofa, holding the day's "Jiangcheng Daily" in his hand. When he saw Chen Kan come in, he stood up and smiled slightly: "Chairman Chen, good morning."

Chen Kan looked away somewhat guiltily and sat down opposite him: "Mr. Qiao, what brings you here this time? You might as well speak frankly."

Qiao Yuan placed the newspaper on the table, pointing to the headline "Gangsters Cut Off Electricity, Female Workers Lose Their Livelihoods," but then changed the subject, saying, "The wording is very familiar; it's probably Lin Tang's own handwriting."

Chen Kan raised an eyebrow slightly. "What does Mr. Qiao mean?"

Qiao Yuan smiled and said, "It's nothing, just praising my wife's writing."

Chen Kan's face darkened even more.

Qiao Yuan smiled and got to the point, "My purpose in coming here today is quite clear: firstly, for public reasons, to ask Chairman Chen to withdraw the ban; and secondly, for private reasons."

“Take it back? That’s impossible!” Although Chen Kan had already changed his mind, he still couldn’t easily give in in front of Qiao Yuan.

"What lies?"

“Mr. Chen,” Qiao Yuan sized him up and said bluntly, “I, Qiao, rarely do good deeds, but I never expected that my kindness would be used like this. I suppose you took Jintang to the Shiliupu Wharf, forced Old Zhou to say those things about me wanting to kill him to silence him, and then killed him. Did you enjoy the feeling of revenge?”

Chen Kan clenched his fist.

"I overestimated your feelings for Jintang. I thought that if you had the chance to elope with her, you would abandon everything and leave. But it seems that the power and influence the Chen family has given you in Jiangcheng makes you reluctant to give it up," Qiao Yuan said coldly, staring at him. "It's not your fault. You've always been poor since you were a child, so it's natural that you find it hard to give up everything. But I really didn't expect, Bai Mu, I really didn't expect that you, a scholar, would have such a black heart! Even if you didn't want to leave, why didn't you let Jintang leave? You knew that doing so would put Jintang in danger, but you didn't care at all, did you?"

Chen Kan took a deep breath, his face pale, and remained silent.

Qiao Yuan expressed his hatred and dissatisfaction, but then laughed, "I can take the blame for this. I'll pretend it was me who did it. How about exchanging this for the ban?"

Chen Kan, his thoughts exposed, almost jumped up and immediately sneered, "Mr. Qiao is ridiculous. Do you think Jin Tang will believe you if you tell her what you're saying now? Do you think this is a bargaining chip to negotiate with me?"

“It’s not a bargaining chip, it’s a deal,” Qiao Yuan said, taking out a box of cigars from his pocket but not lighting them. He just held them to his nose and smelled them. “Besides, Chairman Chen understands that this ban will ultimately not hurt my foundation the most.”

Chen Kan looked up, his gaze sharp as two knives: "What do you mean by that, Master Qiao?"

Chen Kan stared at him for a long time.

Qiao Yuan smiled slightly, looking confident. "Chairman Chen, your ban threatens the interests of too many people. If you want to keep your position, I think you have no choice but to step down. Now I'm giving you this opportunity and offering you these conditions. What can't you agree to? Are you really not going to consider agreeing to my conditions?"

“Okay, I promise you,” Chen Kan finally said. “The ban will be lifted tomorrow.”

Qiao Yuan stood up, straightened his suit, and reached out to shake Chen Kan's hand: "Chairman Chen, it's a pleasure to cooperate with you."

Chen Kan's hand was gripped a little tightly by him. He frowned, but still squeezed back: "It's a pleasure to cooperate with you."

...

Qiao Yuan left.

As Uncle Zhong watched Qiao Yuan get into the car, he asked Chen Kan, "Young Master, are you really planning to lift the ban on Qiao Yuan?"

Chen Kan, however, became agitated and sneered, "Isn't this what you wanted me to do? If we release the British and French, how can we really control these gangs? All the money our chamber of commerce has collected over the years has come from our own compatriots, so why are you putting on this act?"

...

After doing all this, Qiao Yuan sat on the sofa, a cigar between his fingers, watching the sunset outside the window dye the sky blood red.

Qiao Yuan nodded and flicked his cigarette ash: "Let the brothers rest assured. Once the statement is published tomorrow, this matter will be over."

Ah Chen scratched his head: "Brother, are you really just going to let this go?"

Qiao Yuan smiled and said, "Of course, let it go. What, you still want to settle scores with her?"

Ah Chen hurriedly waved his hand, "Of course I wouldn't dare to settle accounts with Madam."

...

Meanwhile, Lin Tang was in the factory office, looking at the newspaper that had just been delivered. On the front page, Qiao Yuan's statement took up most of the page, with the headline in bold: "New Moon Gang Clarifies: The Power Outage Has Nothing to Do with Me, Supporting Industry is My Duty," accompanied by a photo of him in a suit, looking as serious as a proper businessman.

Lin Tang looked up and saw several female workers standing at the door, whispering among themselves. She smiled and put down her newspaper: "No matter who did it, now that the circuit is fixed and everyone can go back to work, that's a good thing."

The female workers agreed and turned to go to work in the workshop.

Lin Tang took the contract, flipped through a couple of pages, and looked up at him: "I heard that you agreed to lift the ban?"

Chen Kan hadn't expected her to be so well-informed, so he could only avoid her gaze: "Father called and said that the British and French consuls are putting pressure on us... We can't afford to offend them too much with the Chen family's business in Beiping." He took out a cigarette case from his pocket, thought for a moment, and then put it back. "Besides, Qiao Yuan said he won't bother you anymore."

Lin Tang looked up at Chen Kan, her eyes flickering like a candle flame in the wind: "So, this is your deal?"

Chen avoided Lin Tang's gaze and said, "At least the factory can continue to operate."

Chen Kan walked to her side, smelling the jasmine scent from her collar, just like before. He said softly, "Lin Tang, I..."

Chen Kan's Adam's apple bobbed, as if he wanted to say, "I will help you," but the words that came out were: "I have already had Uncle Zhong check the transportation terms in the contract, there won't be any problems."

Lin Tang picked up the pen on the table and signed her name at the end of the contract. Her handwriting was the same as before, with a stubborn hook in the stroke: "Then let's leave it at that."

The machines in the workshop started running, making a rumbling sound like thunder.

The moon outside the window grew brighter and brighter. Lin Tang gazed at the moon and softly said, "Tomorrow will be better, won't it?"

Chen Kan said, "It should get even better, right?"

Neither of them spoke again.

The sound of female workers singing drifted on the wind; they were singing "Jasmine Flower," a song she had taught them. Their voices flowed like water, circling the factory chimneys and floating into the night sky of Jiangcheng.