Chapter 185 Telling stories to Baiyun and creating public opinion for the master

It was almost seven when we got back to the Rising Sun Hotel. Xiao Ma had already arranged dinner. Mr. Chen and I parted ways after dinner. I went upstairs to take a good shower. In the hallway, I ran into Writer Bai.

"If you don't come back, I'll go crazy."

"I'm going to take a bath. First, wash off the smell of the sea."

After taking a shower, I called and Baiyun came over. We got straight to the point.

"You wrote 'The Taoist Priest Comes Out of the Mountains'. Why do I think my master can write about it? Because this is what my master told me personally. You only need to fictionalize the details. The time and characters are all real."

Bai Yun said, "This is God's best arrangement."

So, with a cup of tea and a cigarette, I talked and he took notes, and we began to organize the most original materials for the TV series.

"My master is called Taoist Master Hongyi. My master's master, my great master, is Taoist Master Hongyuan.

"Master Hongyuan was a skilled martial artist, well-read, and a master of both civil and military skills. When Japan invaded China, he was determined to descend the mountain and fight the enemy."

"One person or a team?"

"A single person. Of course, with a physical body, he couldn't fight the Japanese head-on. He was an assassin. Assassinating small Japanese soldiers was useless, but assassinating high-ranking Japanese officers was a deterrent. So, he joined Wang Yaqiao's Axe Gang."

"This topic is good." Bai Yun said excitedly.

"The Axe Gang leader, Wang Yaqiao, was known as the Republic of China's top assassin and was originally a member of the Tongmenghui. My master, Daochang Hongyuan, joined Wang Yaqiao's organization and participated in the assassination of Shirakawa Yoshi, the commander-in-chief of the Japanese invasion of Shanghai. He committed two assassinations in Shanghai, shocking the world."

"The assassination has a story to it." Bai Yun handed me a cigarette.

On April 29, 1932, the Japanese army celebrated the Battle of Shanghai in Shanghai. Wang Yaqiao ordered the assassination of Shirakawa Yoshi. The inspection was very strict. Except for reporters, no other Chinese personnel were allowed to enter. Master Hirohara and his companions hid a bomb and a pistol inside a camera.

"Cameras back then were really big. You could hide things."

"So, they sneaked in. First, they went to the bathroom, took out the bomb and pistol, hid them at their waists, then set up the tripod and aimed it at the table. As agreed, the accomplice would throw the bomb, while Master Hirohara would create chaos.

Shirakawa Yoshi appeared, and Hirohara Michigami and his accomplices kept shifting positions. To maximize the casualties caused by the bomb, they had to be as close to the platform as possible. Once they were five meters from the platform, they stopped moving forward.

"This is so vivid." The white cloud was like a crow, calling from time to time, interrupting my narration.

I waved my hands at him several times, asking him not to interrupt, but he simply couldn't control his mouth.

Shirakawa Yoshi was speaking when Hirohara Doshi suddenly shouted loudly, and people ran out. For a moment, no one knew what was happening on the stage or in the audience.

The accomplices took the opportunity to throw two bombs onto the stage. When the smoke rose, Shirakawa Yoshi was killed on the spot, and more than a dozen Japanese officials were killed or injured at the same time.

The Japanese army immediately opened fire, and Master Hirohara, caught in the chaotic crowd, managed to escape unscathed. Miraculously, his accomplices also escaped."

"For this shot, you could arrange for some people to be pushed down, others to hold their heads and scream. There's also a woman running, her high heels falling off, and everyone screaming and running, it's a chaotic mess."

Fortunately, I have a good memory, otherwise I would be confused by his so-called shots. I continued:

"For a time, the entire city of Shanghai was on alert. Master Hongyuan had become separated from his accomplices. He quickly broke into a house, pulled out a pistol, pointed it at the man, and asked: How many people are there?

The man said: There are three of us, my wife and a daughter.

Taoist Priest Hongyuan said: Where are your wife and daughter?

The man said: Going to the street.

Taoist Priest Hongyuan said: From now on, I am your former friend. If you reveal any information in front of your wife and daughter, he shook his gun: It is not a vegetarian.

The man was so frightened that he peed his pants. He stammered: It's just... it's just... I've never been out of Shanghai... where would my friends come from... my friends... they all know...

Taoist Priest Hongyuan said: "Then tell me that I am a fortune teller and I want to rent your house." The man agreed.

"Smart, why don't you just stay here and hide right under the enemy's nose? That way the story will be more interesting." Writer Bai ignored my protests and continued to make his crow noises.

"A day later, the news was all over the major newspapers. The host also suspected that this man was responsible for this crime. He had deep respect for Master Hongyuan and simply let him eat with him for three meals.

This continued until early November 1932, when the situation calmed down and he was about to sneak out of the city. At this time, he received another assassination mission.

"Another assassination mission?"

"Yes. Master Hongyuan asked someone to pass on the information about his stall to the Axe Gang. The accomplice who came to contact him arrived. He squatted in front of his stall and said, "Sir, please tell me your fortune."

Taoist Priest Hongyuan said: Please tell me your birth date.

The man said: "To calculate for others. I don't know the day and month of his birth, but I can calculate the day and month of his death."

Taoist Priest Hongyuan said: A bowl of rice and a basket of flowers.

The visitor said: There are many boats and apricot blossoms in the city.

Bai Yun found an opportunity to interrupt and said, "This is a code. There are many secret societies among the lower ranks of the Tongmenghui. The origin of the secret societies is that after the disbanding of the Hunan Army, the stragglers who were scattered around had nothing to do and formed gangs."

I nodded. "These gangs still judge their rank based on seniority in the Hunan Army. For example, the first people to join the Hunan Army were from Xiangxiang. When someone asked them what flower it was, they would answer: City Dragon Flower."

Then those who joined the army during training in Changsha were called Shachanghua, those who joined the army in Hengzhou were called Zhouxinghua, those who joined the army in Wuchang were called Changwuhua, those who joined the army in Jiangxi were called Xijianghua, and those who joined the army after the battle of Tianjing were called Lingjinhua.

They were all read in reverse order according to the place of enlistment. No matter how the secret society developed, this set of code words was passed down.

Upon hearing this, Daoist Master Hongyuan knew the visitor was an accomplice, and of lower status than him. He said, "Please go to the hotel across the street to discuss in detail." He and the visitor booked a room at the International Hotel, and after closing the door, he asked, "Code name?"

The other party answered: 008

So, 008 verbally conveyed the Axe Gang's "Anti-Japanese Traitor Squad" instructions to Master Hongyuan:

After the August 18th Incident, British diplomat Lytton led an international investigation team to Shanghai to investigate the Sino-Japanese conflict. After arriving in Shanghai, Lytton made a series of speeches that favored Japan, causing a negative international impact. The gang leader ordered the removal of Lytton.

Taoist Priest Hongyuan said: We have recently found out the hotel where Leighton is staying, and we will meet at the original place three days later.

008 was ordered to leave.

On November 10th, Master Hongyuan met up with 008 at the flower shop across from the Qiao Rina Restaurant. Reconnaissance revealed that Litton would leave the hotel at 10:00 AM and head for the Japanese Concession.

The two men disguised themselves as customers and rickshaw drivers, parked opposite the hotel, and waited for Leighton to appear.

At ten o'clock, Litton walked out of the hotel lobby. As he was walking down the stairs, Master Hongyuan and 008 raised their guns at the same time. But something unexpected happened: Litton slipped and fell to the ground. The bullets hit the two attendants, and Litton narrowly escaped death.

At the sound of gunfire, the police patrolling outside the hotel immediately drew their guns and engaged in a firefight. The two fought and retreated, but 008 was unfortunately shot in the leg and arrested. Master Hirohara escaped.

Lytton was frightened by this and fled China in a hurry. International public opinion was full of ridicule and mockery. Lytton was completely humiliated.

Bai Yun sighed, "So your master had such a passionate experience and heroic deeds."

"Later, my master also suffered a leg injury, so he retired from the martial arts world and retired to Qinglong Temple."

Bai Yun asked, "Then how did your master and Taoist Master Hongyuan become connected?"

"My master went out to apprentice at the age of 15. At 17, he had an argument with a shop owner and was forced to rush home. He eventually fainted from hunger at the gate of Qinglong Temple and was revived by his master with ginseng water. Later, Taoist Master Hongyuan took my master in."

Bai Yun concluded, "Your master's life was both eventful and magnificent, but after he retired, no one knew about his life."

"Yes. When carrying out assassinations, there were no names, only code names. Even if there were names, they were fake. After Wang Yaqiao died, the Axe Gang disappeared, and most people no longer knew my master's name."

Bai Yun sighed, "A story like this would be a good film, but we need to add some emotional scenes, like a woman falling deeply in love with your master."

I said, "It's not that you can't. Zhengyi Taoist priests can get married. But please don't include sex scenes. Just hugs at most, and try to make the heroine seem innocent."

"What else do you want?"

"We must find a way to integrate my master. Even if we say he's an orphan he adopted since childhood, that's fine."

"There is a way."

Bai Yun stood up and said, "I can't accompany you anymore. I'm too excited and I have to start writing right away."

I said word by word, "Please don't make my master look so vulgar. I know you writers and directors often use the banner of art to include sex scenes. But in reality, it's just you who want to see the actresses."

His face turned red and he said, "I will restrain myself in this play."