Chen Rou really had a great time today, so much so that she forgot all about home.
Colonel Lango originally intended to use Chen Rou to inquire about the Nie family's business in the Philippines.
But a man's mind is always active, and when it comes to his cigarette case, Colonel Rango would have to boast about it.
He smiled and said, "This was given to my grandfather by the local officials in Shanghai during the Tsarist era when he was redeeming tobacco. It is said to have been made using the most advanced cloisonné enamel technique in China. Why do you think they wanted such an exquisite cigarette box from my grandfather?"
Chen Rou opened the cigarette case, admiring it inside and out, and asked with a smile, "What do you want?"
Colonel Rango laughed and said, "It's just a tobacco purchase receipt."
A strong, pungent smell wafted over as Sir James arrived. He sat down next to Chen Rou and explained with a smile, "Colonel Lango's grandfather was a big opium dealer. That's right, not tobacco, but opium."
The so-called Tsarist Russian era was the period when the Qing government disintegrated.
Those who came to Shanghai to sell opium in those days were the opium dealers who were severely cracked down on during the Self-Strengthening Movement.
Colonel Lango's grandfather was a major opium dealer, and while the local officials in Shanghai listened to the imperial court's call to ban opium, they still gave such exquisite gifts to tobacco dealers in order to obtain tobacco purchase vouchers. Where is their integrity?
That's why they say opium can destroy a country.
The opium trade is, after all, dishonorable, and Sir James's actions can be seen as digging up Colonel Rango's ancestral graves.
Colonel Rango was unhappy and wanted to dig up Sir James's secrets.
He suddenly smiled and said, "I remember you retired in '76, Sir. By the way, do you still keep in touch with Reilly? How is he doing now?"
While the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) may have its share of scandals and shady dealings today, they pale in comparison to those of the 1970s.
Corruption was rampant in the 1960s and 70s. For example, the infamous Inspector Lei Luo openly seized territory and accepted bribes. James was Lei Luo's subordinate and also amassed a fortune.
Back then, when the citizens rioted, the government had no choice but to establish the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) to thoroughly investigate the police station. People like Sir James, seeing that things were not going well, quickly withdrew. But even though he has now earned a knighthood, his background is dirty, and the wealth he has accumulated is not clean either.
If we're talking about who's the worst, Colonel Rango is just as bad as Sir James, and they're both worse than each other.
Chen Rou had a bugging device in her bag, which Yue Zhongqi had gotten for her. It was the thinnest and smallest kind, and it could be inserted into a slot in the corner of a cigarette box. It should be able to keep Colonel Lango company for a long time.
But just as she was about to put on her act, a bright light dazzled her.
She immediately put away the listening device, closed the cigarette pack, and looked up in the direction of the light source.
She wanted to know who was waving her eyes.
However, apart from a few waiters, there was no one else at the location where the light source was found.
At this time, all the guests had taken their seats in twos and threes, chatting quietly with each other.
On stage, the erhu solo "On Weishan Lake" had just ended, and as the applause subsided, the lights came on and the piano began to play, followed by the piano solo "Bleeding Wolves".
Although the cigarette case was an excellent place to hide a listening device, and it's possible that the light was just something that caught Chen Rou's eye when the waiter passed by with a wine glass, she decided to abandon the plan out of caution.
She returned the cigarette case to Colonel Lango, smiling as she said, "It's exquisite and a perfect match for your wisdom and elegance, Colonel."
Colonel Lango took the cigarette case and said with a smile, "It's a pity it belongs to my grandfather, otherwise I would have given it to you."
Chen Rou felt that the light she had just seen was very strange. While being cautious, she took the opportunity to remove the listening device from Colonel Lange's sleeve while handing him a cigarette box. She decided to let it go for today and gave him a few compliments, laying the groundwork for their next meeting.
Find an opportunity to see him, and then plant the listening device.
And people are like that; the more they lack something, the more they like others to praise it.
In terms of cultural depth, Colonel Rango was certainly no match for Sir James, who could read classical Chinese and write articles.
But Mrs. Nie praised him for his refined manners, so he had to show off a little.
He smiled and said, "I heard that Sir James is currently a visiting professor at three universities. I happen to be preparing to publish my autobiography next year. Although I can't wait to let my friends, including Miss Nie, see it, I would like to ask Sir James to make some revisions to the wording before publication. But I wonder if you have time?"
Chen Rou smiled and said, "WOW, I can't wait to read it."
But Sir James gave a cold laugh and said, "Are you sure your autobiography wasn't ghostwritten by Lieutenant Colonel Wally?"
Isn't this unfair? As the last garrison commander who witnessed Hong Kong's return to China, Colonel Lange, like the Governor, had the privilege of writing an autobiography, and their autobiographies would be available for sale in all bookstores in Hong Kong, which was considered an honor.
But with his limited writing skills, what could he possibly write? Of course, his subordinates wrote it for him.
But for Sir James to say it so openly in public, wasn't he deliberately trying to undermine him?
Colonel Rango finally couldn't take it anymore, and it was only thanks to his gentlemanly nature that he managed to hold back his anger.
But glancing at his watch, he said, "Excuse me, everyone, I should go back now."
He then smiled and said to Chen Rou, "There will be an auction at Christie's next month, which includes several items from my family. If you are interested, you are welcome to attend. I will be there to personally explain the stories behind the artifacts to you."
Chen Rou smiled and said, "It would be an honor. I look forward to your invitation."
She couldn't stand Sir James any longer. As soon as Colonel Rango stood up, she said, "Excuse me, I'm going to the restroom."
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
