Chapter Thirty-Six: Reclaiming Control of the Crescent Moon Gang

Chen Kan stood still.

Lin Tang's words revealed the ugly scheming hidden beneath his human skin. That night, when he watched her and Qiao Yuan being affectionate downstairs at the old house, he did not deny that such evil thoughts had welled up in his mind!

He thought to himself: Lin Jintang, since you are willing to collude with Qiao Yuan, then you might as well die with him!

However, when Lin Tang said those words, his pride still couldn't tolerate such ugliness being exposed to others!

Especially since she was once his lover!

“I never thought that way!” he said firmly.

"Perhaps it was all orchestrated by your Chen family and Uncle Zhong, but did you ever resist? Wasn't it you who led me to the docks, claiming that everything was caused by Qiao Yuan? Wasn't it you who insisted that I fight for the docks and the shopping mall, bribe the court, and transfer half of the assets to my name? Didn't you know that all of this would bring me death? Yes, that way I would have no choice but to rely on you and the Chen family. Didn't you always know what the consequences would be, yet you still pretended to be virtuous? When I die, are you going to shed a couple of fake tears and say that I was ungrateful for following Qiao Yuan back then?"

Lin Tang's words had perhaps been lingering in my heart for far too long.

From the initial joy of seeing him return to Jiangcheng and confirming that he was Bai Mu, her happiness gradually cooled as she saw his scheming. She initially thought it was his hatred, and she couldn't be generous enough to ask him to forgive Qiao Yuan, but his actions chilled her heart little by little.

"Chen Kan, do you know what makes Qiao Yuan better than you? It's that even though he did commit evil, he dared to admit it!"

After saying these words, Lin Tang clearly did not want to continue this topic and signaled the driver to start the car.

As the driver started the engine, Chen Kan suddenly seemed to wake up and rushed over, grabbing the car door handle. "Jintang, I don't deny that I had such thoughts, and I feel deeply ashamed of them! I was wrong! I shouldn't have listened to the Chen family! I'm willing to give up everything now, as long as you come back to me!"

Lin Tang looked at him through the car window, a hint of pity in her smile: "Chairman Chen, can you afford to give this up? The Chen family's assets, your mother's memorial tablet, your status in Jiangcheng... these are all things you've fought tooth and nail for." She raised her hand, her fingertips lightly touching the car window, as if touching a distant memory. "Do you know? I've given you many chances these past few days, hoping you would tell me the truth. But now, I don't need it anymore."

"Jintang!"

Lin Tang didn't look at Chen Kan again. She gently tapped the inside of the car door with her fingertips, and the driver immediately stepped on the gas.

The car slowly drove away from the entrance of the Qiao residence, leaving Chen Kan's shouts behind.

Lin Tang sat in the car, watching the street scenes flash by outside the window. She knew that some things, once broken, could never be put back together.

...

When the car stopped at the entrance of the Crescent Moon Gang's headquarters, she straightened her plain-colored cheongsam and stepped inside.

The courtyard of the gang was filled with its members, including several burly men with bare chests, arms crossed, their eyes filled with disdain.

Uncle Chen stood in the hall, coughed, and said, "Brothers, the lady has something to say."

A man with a face covered in scars stepped forward and sneered, "Madam? Master Qiao just left, and she's already in a hurry to act like the mistress?"

Lin Tang stood on the steps, her gaze sweeping over the crowd. Her voice, though not loud, carried an air of authority: "Scarface, last year you lost three hundred dollars at the casino, and I had the accountant forgive your debt; your mother was sick, and I sent a car to take her to the hospital. Have you forgotten all of these things?"

Scarface stiffened, then lowered his head.

Another tall, thin man stepped forward: "Even so, she's a woman, how can she lead us to help?"

Lin Tang took out a piece of paper from her bag and waved it: "This is Mr. Qiao's will. It's written very clearly on it! If you're not convinced, you can ask Uncle Chen or check Mr. Qiao's handwriting."

Uncle Chen felt a pang of sorrow in his heart, but he didn't show it on his face. He only said, "Master Qiao said that Madam has been with him for many years and she has been managing the gang's business. She is much better than us roughnecks."

The tall, thin man was speechless for a moment.

Lin Tang continued, "I know what you're worried about—that I won't be able to manage the gang's affairs. Starting today, the gang's regular allowance will increase by 30%, and the funeral expenses for the dead and wounded brothers will be doubled. From now on, if anyone dares to bully anyone from our Crescent Moon Gang, I, Lin Tang, will be the first to object."

The brothers below started discussing it, and a few began to nod in agreement.

Scarface looked up and said, "Madam, if it can really be like that, we will be convinced."

Lin Tang had been helping Qiao Yuan manage the affairs on the surface, and all the money circulating in the gang passed through her hands. She just refused to get involved in opium and fighting. During the days when she and Qiao Yuan were estranged, the brothers in the gang were not as happy as before. Now, after a period of turmoil, they naturally accepted that their wife would take charge of the gang's affairs.

Lin Tang added, "Master Qiao's funeral must be held in style. Tomorrow morning, everyone in Jiangcheng will know that the Crescent Moon Gang is still the same Crescent Moon Gang."

The brothers shouted in unison, "Madam!"

Lin Tang then said, "Let's disperse and go prepare. Uncle Chen, come with me, I have something to say to you."

Uncle Chen responded and followed Lin Tang into the inner room. Lin Tang sat down, poured a cup of tea, and said, "Uncle Chen, thank you for helping me with what happened earlier."

Uncle Chen sighed, "Madam, I'm doing this for the good of the gang. With Master Qiao gone, the gang will definitely fall into chaos if no one keeps order. I've seen your abilities over the years; you can manage the gang's affairs well."

Lin Tang picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "Uncle Chen, you know my character. If you want to leave now, I will definitely prepare enough travel expenses for you to go back to your hometown in Jinan to live out your old age in peace."

Uncle Chen could only smile bitterly: "What's the point of talking about enjoying your retirement now? Master Qiao is gone. If I leave you alone, how can I live up to his expectations?" He paused, then added, "Besides, who else can keep these brothers in check besides me? I'm just an old man, so I'll stay in the gang and keep an eye on those troublesome people for you."

Lin Tang nodded and looked out the window. The wind swirled the sycamore leaves into the courtyard and they landed on the offering table in the mourning hall.

...

When Lin Tang returned to the Qiao residence, it was already dark.

The white silk in the mourning hall fluttered in the wind, and the incense on the offering table burned halfway, its smoke twisting and turning like thin snakes as it climbed upwards.

As soon as she stepped across the threshold, she heard crying and commotion coming from the backyard. Several servants were pulling on Cheng Qing's arm. She was wearing a moon-white cheongsam, one of the pearl buttons on the collar was crooked, her hair was messy like crumpled paper, and tears had washed away the powder on her face.

"Let me go! I don't believe Master Qiao is dead! I want to see him one last time!" Cheng Qing struggled to lunge at the coffin, her nails digging into the servant's hand, leaving several red marks.

Lin Tang walked over and stood in front of the coffin.

Her plain cheongsam was stained with a bit of dust from the hall, but she stood like a white plum blossom, her eyes so cold they could freeze a person: "Miss Cheng, didn't you say that Master Qiao wanted to kill you before he died? Now that he's dead, why are you putting on such a sentimental act?"

Cheng Qing looked up and saw her, her sobs paused, then she rushed over to grab her arm: "Sister Lin, I didn't! Brother Qiao misunderstood me before he died, but I still think of him the most!"

Lin Tang smiled and said, "Do you really miss him that much? Then I'll send you off on your journey!"

Cheng Qing's face turned pale instantly, and she took two steps back, forcing a smile as she said, "Sister Jintang, you... what are you joking about?"

"A joke?" Lin Tang drew her gun, pointing it at Cheng Qing's forehead. "How long are you going to keep up this act... Sato Sakura?"

Cheng Qing's lips trembled, and the tears in her eyes dried instantly, revealing a ferocious look: "Lin Tang, don't make false accusations! I am Cheng Qing! Did you know that Master Qiao was gone and wanted to take the opportunity to kill me? If I had known you would treat me like this, I would have died with my eyes wide open in disbelief!"

"He'll die with his eyes open?" Lin Tang pushed the gun forward. "He'll truly die with his eyes open if he knew I didn't kill you."

Cheng Qing's face contorted instantly. She wanted to scream, but Lin Tang's gaze forced her to shut her mouth. The servants around her were too frightened to utter a sound, and the mourning hall was so quiet that the crackling sound of burning incense could be heard.

"Get out." Lin Tang put away her gun. "If you dare to come to the Qiao residence again, I'll put your affair with Sato in the newspaper and let everyone in Jiangcheng know that the Cheng family's young lady is a Japanese spy."

Cheng Qing gritted her teeth, turned around, and ran out.

Lin Tang watched her retreating figure, then turned to the butler and said, "Tomorrow, publish the obituary on the front page of the Jiangcheng Daily, in the largest font. Qiao Ye's funeral must be grand; all shops should hang white silk, and no monetary gifts should be accepted. But we must let the whole of Jiangcheng know that the Crescent Moon Gang has not fallen."

The butler nodded and withdrew. Lin Tang walked to the coffin and looked at Qiao Yuan's photo.

A breeze blew in through the window, causing the photograph to sway slightly. Her eyes were filled with complex emotions, and it was impossible to tell what she was thinking.

...

The next morning, the front page of the Jiangcheng Daily was filled with Qiao Yuan's obituary, framed in black, with a headline that was glaringly large: "Mr. Qiao Yuan of the Crescent Moon Gang has passed away. His funeral will be held on the riverbank in three days."

Shops in Jiangcheng were all draped in white silk, and even foreign firms in the concessions were flying white flags. Passersby were talking about it, saying that Master Qiao's funeral was even more grand than the warlord's.

Cheng Qing sat in the living room of Sato's mansion, holding a newspaper in her hand, gritting her teeth, and tore Qiao Yuan's photo to shreds.

Sato Ichiro walked over with a cup of sake, a cold smile on his lips: "Miss Cheng, it seems we underestimated Lin Tang."

"She's just a woman!" Cheng Qing slammed the newspaper on the ground. "What makes her think she can control the Crescent Moon Gang?"

Sato took a sip of his drink, a playful glint in his eyes: "Women can be more ruthless than men sometimes, especially women who have lost everything." He squatted down and picked up a newspaper from the ground. "Look, the way she put on such a grand funeral is to tell everyone that the Crescent Moon Gang is still hers."

Cheng Qing gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with jealousy: "Mr. Sato, we must get rid of her!"

Sato laughed and put the newspaper on the coffee table: "Why do you hate her so much? I remember you grew up with her! Miss Gu!" He patted Cheng Qing on the shoulder, "Miss Gu, you need to learn to endure, just like Lin Tang."

Cheng Qing stared at the sky outside the window, a sinister glint in his eyes.

...

Lin Tang stood on the terrace of the Qiao residence, gazing towards the riverbank. A breeze carrying the scent of white silk blew by. She looked up at the sky; the clouds drifted slowly, like crumpled cotton wool.

She knew the road ahead would be difficult, but she wasn't afraid.

Because she is Lin Tang, Qiao Yuan's wife, and the leader of the Crescent Moon Gang.

Yes, it's about protecting everything.