Chapter 47 adds a little bit of sister-con attribute...
According to Imai Yoshiko, when she and the bartender opened the door and went in, Saito, who had died from the poison, was lying on the floor, spitting blood from his mouth. An open bottle of red wine sat on the bedside table, and a spilled goblet nearby had traces of wine stains on the wall.
The safe was opened, and its contents were now completely empty. The window was also open, but it faced a busy street. Questioning passersby ruled out the possibility that the thief had escaped through the window after stealing.
"The red wine was sent by Miss Shang." The police officer reported.
Facing the interrogating gaze, Shang Que remained calm and nodded as he explained, "My brother has an impulsive personality and had a conflict with Mr. Saito Taro. To apologize, I asked the auction house to deliver the red wine I had previously purchased to Mr. Saito's room."
【Time goes back to seven hours ago.】
A retro clock appeared on the screen. As the thin golden pointer rotated in the opposite direction, the picture gradually became distorted and blurred, followed by a burst of noisy shouting.
"Breaking News! The auction, led by the island nation's military officer Saito Taro, will take place at the Mingde Mansion at 10:00 this morning. Many prominent figures in Southeast Asia's political and business circles will be in attendance."
"Extra, Extra—"
The newspaper boy shouted and ran away, his voice becoming blurred. After a brake sound, the live broadcast room regained its picture.
A man who looked like an attendant opened the back door of the car, and a man with outstanding temperament got out. He landed, turned around, and asked the woman behind him to hold his hand and get out of the car.
A waiter immediately came to greet them, took the invitations from the two, and said respectfully, "President Lu, Madam President, Mr. Saito has been looking forward to your arrival for a long time."
A sarcastic laugh came from the side: "I've been waiting to make money from you, the suckers. Of course, I've been waiting for a long time."
The camera turned and saw a handsome young man in trendy clothes getting off a rickshaw.
The receptionist smiled apologetically and said, "Second Master Ji, that's not true. Mr. Saito just wants to find the right person for those rare treasures."
"So he's a pretty good guy, then?" the young man known as Ji Er Shao said sarcastically, "Indeed, he could have just robbed people of their money, but he gave them a bunch of junk just to keep it a facade."
[Whoever created Ji Jingchuan's character, it suits him perfectly.]
I guess it's because the other five are actors, and only Ji Jingchuan isn't a professional. To avoid being out of character, they just let him play himself.
After slapping the invitation into the receptionist's hands, Ji Jingchuan turned around and reached out to the rickshaw behind him, helping a woman dressed in Western clothes get off. He complained, "There are so many lively places in Shiliyangchang, but the old man asked me to bring you here. They are all rip-offs. If you like anything, tell me and I'll get you something better next time."
Saito's auction was ostensibly an auction, but in reality it was a pretext for extorting money from wealthy Southeast Asian merchants to finance the island nation's military invasion. Everyone knew this, but some were happy to interact with the island nation's officers, while others were forced to maintain a semblance of harmony due to the current situation. Therefore, the wealthy merchants who were invited generally either attended in person or sent envoys.
Seeing Ji Jingchuan's impatient expression, as if he couldn't wait to leave, Shang Que adjusted his gloves and said nonchalantly, "Since you're here, why not go in and have a look? It's a good time to have lunch."
"Okay." Ji Jingchuan curled his lips, looking a little reluctant, but still bent his arm to make it easier for her to help him.
["Alright"]
[I seriously suspect that Ji Jingchuan's script only has four words: Be yourself.]
[The two siblings standing together are truly eye-catching! They look like a perfect match for a young lady and a nobleman from the Republic of China era.]
The two of them didn't say hello to Lu Zhixu and Ning Sheng who were standing beside them, and walked straight into Mingde Mansion, as if they didn't know them.
The receptionist explained, "You two probably don't know, but this is the second young master of the Ji family. The person next to him is said to be his sister, who just returned from studying abroad not long ago."
"Really? I really don't know." Ning Sheng's eyes lingered on the two people's backs for a while, then turned around and smiled, "Let's go in too."
In the banquet hall, people were drinking and chatting, and the gramophone was playing melodious songs. Then, the door opened again, and Saito Taro, dressed in officer uniform, entered with several soldiers equipped with rifles.
The conversation in the room suddenly became quieter, and everyone's eyes intentionally or unintentionally swept towards the guns of the soldiers behind Saito. They had all been checked when they came in, and they should not have brought any dangerous items. The deterrent meaning of Saito's action was self-evident.
"President Lu," Saito said with a smile on his face. "Long time no see. Thanks to your financial support, we were able to significantly replenish our military supplies. So, I've put a lot of effort into acquiring several rare treasures for this auction. I'm sure President Lu will be interested."
The meaning of this was nothing more than asking Lu Zhixu to give him some more financial support. He didn't answer whether it was possible or not, but said in a roundabout way: "I am not short of treasures. This time I came mainly to accompany my wife and see if she has any favorite items."
[My wife, my wife, please include more of this kind of personal stuff from the program team.]
[From the grapevine, the script for this immersive sitcom only contains the general plot, key plot points, and a few key lines that must be spoken. The rest of the lines are left to the guests to improvise.]
[So the one who smuggled in the illicit goods was actually Lu Zhixu himself!]
Saito could tell he was going to bid, but he still smiled and said, "Of course we have some. Women's jewelry, cosmetics, and Western trinkets. The president's wife will definitely like these. You'll see them when the auction starts."
Not long after, the auction officially began. As Ji Jingchuan had said, these were all worthless items, yet they were all being sold at exorbitant prices.
"Is business so profitable? Shouldn't I ask that old man to give me a little extra pocket money every month?" Ji Jingchuan watched helplessly as several people competed for a small peep show to the price of a car. He asked in confusion, "Are they crazy? Why are so many people fighting over such junk?"
Shang Que withdrew his gaze from the crowd, took a sip of the hot tea, and said in a low voice, "Yes, I have a favor."
"Look at the table in front of us on the left, and the tables in the corners at 7 and 9 o'clock," Shang Que said with his eyes. "They raise the price of each item when the auction starts, and then it goes silent. So far, they haven't sold a single item. These must be people hired by Saito to raise the price."
Everyone present knew the purpose of this auction, so they all wanted to buy a few items just for the sake of showing their appreciation. However, they didn't expect that Saito had already asked someone to raise the price. Once they placed a bid, giving up halfway would inevitably cause Saito to bear a grudge, so no matter how high the final price was, they would have to bear the loss.
Ji Jingchuan frowned: "Is there no way to cure him?"
"have."
Adults have to consider their reputation, but the younger generation doesn't have to be so roundabout. Especially her and Ji Jingchuan, one is a young lady who just returned from studying abroad and is not familiar with the situation in Southeast Asia, and the other is a playboy who is ignorant and outspoken all day long. They can plead ignorance and innocence if they do anything inappropriate.
"The next item for auction is a camera. It's made in the West, compact and portable, and easy to use. With it, you can take photos without going to a studio."
Imported cameras on the market are expensive in themselves, and the starting price here is almost five times that, but some people still increase the price little by little.
"Three thousand dollars." Shang Que suddenly called out a huge price.
There was a moment of silence in the venue. Someone looked at her. After the auctioneer struck the hammer twice, the person in the corner, receiving a glance from Saito, raised his sign and shouted, "Three thousand five hundred."
Shang Que: "Four thousand."
"Four thousand five."
"Five thousand."
The two of them competed to raise the price. When Tuo called out eight thousand, Shang Que suddenly fell silent.
"Eight thousand once, eight thousand twice—"
Tou in the corner froze and looked towards Saito in the center.
"Eight thousand three times, deal. Congratulations to buyer number 102."
Saito glanced over with a sullen expression. Although he had offered the item, the auction house was charging a 20% commission, meaning he had lost 1,600 yuan.
After this, the people who maliciously raised the prices became much more restrained, fearing that they would encounter such fearless people again, and they did not dare to raise the prices as high as before.
Shang Que also bought a bottle of red wine, two pieces of jewelry, and a tie clip.
"Why are you bidding for that tie clip? It's not worth much." After the morning auction ended, Ji Jingchuan asked in confusion as he walked out.
"It's for you," Shang Que raised his hand to adjust his suit collar, then stood at a distance and looked at him. "The style matches the clothes you're wearing. Let's take a look at it after it's delivered. If you don't like it——"
"I like it." Ji Jingchuan raised an eyebrow. "I only said it's worthless, but I didn't say I don't like it. Besides, if you give it to me, it's mine. Don't even think about giving it to someone else."
As the two were about to rest, Saito and his soldiers suddenly blocked their path. The others cast glances at them, either watching the drama or sympathizing with them, and walked away without lingering.
Saito's face was gloomy. "Are you the one who bid against me for the camera?"
Shang Que acted innocently: "So you were the one who got the photo of that camera. Congratulations."
"You!" Saito knew most of the rich and powerful people in Nanyang. The person in front of him was unfamiliar, and he didn't know where this arrogant kid came from. Saito took out his pistol without hesitation and pretended to point it at her head.
However, the next second, the hand was suddenly grabbed by someone and bent to the side, followed by a fist.
The soldiers behind him hurriedly caught Saito who was falling backwards, then raised their guns and stepped forward to surround the two men.
Shang Que held onto Ji Jingchuan, who had spoken up for her, and said calmly, "Sir, I really like that camera, but unfortunately I don't have enough money to give it up. My younger brother is young and impulsive, and I'm really sorry for offending you. I just returned from studying abroad not long ago and don't know much about the current situation in Southeast Asia. I'll talk to you later."
Then have my father bring him to your house to apologize."
"Your father is—"
"Nanyang Ji family, Ji Mingcheng."
Although the two people in front of them were unfamiliar, Ji Mingcheng was a major client with whom they had financial dealings. Upon hearing this, Saito's expression immediately changed. He waved his hand to signal the soldiers to step back and said, "Mr. Ji is also a good friend of our island nation. Since they are his children, then these are all misunderstandings."
He gave Ji Jingchuan an admiring look and said, "You are very responsible in protecting your sister. When you go back, tell Mr. Ji that Saito Taro will visit him in person when he is free in the next two days."
Who is this actor? How could he portray such a two-faced person so well? I'm so excited to see him.
He even praised Ji Jingchuan for his responsibility, almost saying he played well.
[It seems like he wants to take this opportunity to make a killing from the Ji family.]
[It's a pity that we don't have this chance anymore. He's going to die soon. If there was a banquet, maybe our father Ji could go and give a gift.]
"Thank you, Mr. Saito, for not making a fuss. As an apology, I'll have the auctioneer deliver the bottle of red wine I just bought to Mr. Saito's room after lunch. Please accept it, or my father will probably blame us when we get home."
This was a perfect statement, and Saito didn't refuse. At this time, a waiter came over and said, "Mr. Saito, President Lu and his wife would like to invite you to have lunch with them."
The camera follows Saito as he leaves. In the restaurant, Lu Zhixu and Ning Sheng are sitting at a dining table.
Lu Zhixu had bid on a few items at the auction, but these were far from enough to satisfy Saito's appetite. Therefore, during the meal, he tried to bring up the fundraising issue several times, but Lu Zhixu always brushed him off with Tai Chi.
On the surface, the two of them seemed to be having a pleasant conversation, but after the meal, they were unable to get anything out of Lu Zhixu. Saito was thinking deeply about this, while the waiter handed them hot towels to wipe their hands.
"President Lu——"
"Mr. Saito, try some of the grapes here." Lu Zhixu interrupted him and asked casually, "Is there another round of auctions this afternoon? My wife said she wants to see what new things there are then."
Saito felt relieved and picked up a grape: "Yes, there are more in the afternoon. President Lu, see you then."
There were still a few hours before the afternoon auction, so Saito returned to his room to rest. Not long after, the auction house staff delivered the bottle of red wine that Shang Que had bought.
*
"Then I knocked on the door and found no one answered. I asked the bartender to go downstairs to get a spare key and come to open the door. I found Mr. Saito dead inside."
The scene returns to the restaurant, and Lin Jinyi recounts what happened.
Shang Que added, "I haven't opened the wine yet. When the auction house brought it to me, I immediately had them deliver it to Mr. Saito's room."
A police officer trotted over and said in a low voice, "Sir, the test results are in, and there's no poison in the wine."
"We've finished the questioning and the investigation, so when will we be let go?" Ji Jingchuan said impatiently, "I have a drink planned for tonight."
"Not yet. The matter is still under investigation. Please stay here for a while."
Ji Jingchuan frowned and was about to speak when Shang Que interrupted him. She said quietly, "This is just in time to save you from hanging out with those bad friends. You went out drinking every day while I was away?"
"Of course not."
"You better be."
[It's similar to how I and my brother get along, hahahaha.]
[As expected, only siblings can act like siblings.]
Several suspects were left in the restaurant. Not long after, a group of island soldiers came in. The leading officer waved to the sheriff to come over and whispered a few words in his ear.
"The poison in Mr. Saito has been detected. Now we are going to search you all to see if you have any drugs on you." The police chief said with a serious face.
【Who would be so stupid as to hide poison on their body?】
[It shouldn't be a search for poison, right? Didn't they say the battle map was lost?]
Someone searched them and soon found a piece of paper in Lin Jinyi's shirt pocket.
The police officer shouted, "Here."
Upon hearing this, several soldiers surrounded Lin Jinyi with guns drawn. The officer stared at her fiercely and opened the folded paper to take a look.
Dear Father and Mother: I am fine here, please don't worry...
"It's a letter I wrote to my family. I originally wanted to send it out after the auction was over." Lin Jinyi explained.
Shang Que asked in confusion, "Aren't you looking for poison? Why are you looking for paper now?"
The news of the lost battle map was blocked, and no one knew about it except the person who stole it.
Therefore, seeing Shang Que's puzzled expression, the island officer's expression towards her actually improved a little. "Of course, we want to see if the murderer who killed Commander Saito has left any written evidence with the mastermind behind the incident. Although you are not suspected for the time being, you still cannot leave Mingde Mansion until the truth is investigated. But now, everyone can go back to your rooms and rest."
It was getting late, so Shang Que and Ji Jingchuan returned to the room, glanced around, and said, "It's been turned over."
The things in the room were not missing, but their positions had slightly changed. It was obvious that someone had come in, rummaged through them, and restored them to their original state.
"Let him turn over," Ji Jingchuan said nonchalantly as he lay down on the rocking chair, "It wasn't us who killed him anyway."
"That's not necessarily true."
Ji Jingchuan was stunned: "What do you mean?"
Shang Que didn't answer. Instead, he walked to the window, opened it, and felt around the windowsill until he found a button in the corner. It was the kind of ox-horn button you see on coats, long and hollow in the middle. Shang Que pinched the ends and twisted it left and right, and the button popped open.
She took out a very thinly rolled piece of paper from inside and shook it open. On it was written: Military Operation Plan for Attacking Pingwu.
Ji Jingchuan stood up in shock and walked a few steps to her: "Is this the battle map they lost? No, why did you do such a big thing without saying anything?"
Why is Ji Jingchuan so surprised? Doesn't he know about this? I thought it was a murder on the Orient Express, like everyone involved.
I was wondering why his style is different from the others. Everyone else seems to be burdened with a heavy story, but he is the only one who looks like a frivolous young master who messes with cats and dogs.
I thought he was hiding his talent, but it seems I overestimated him. I was wondering where Ji Jingchuan got such great acting skills from.
Ji Jingchuan was indeed unaware of this. The script only allowed him to play a dandy young master, and the director told him to just play the role in his true self, so he secretly added a little bit of sister-con attributes.
That's all!
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