After leaving the newspaper office, Takeda Kaede walked all the way to the intersection of Gulou Street. He chose this location because the intersection of Gulou Street is a key node in the road network, connecting six passageways. The surrounding area is well-connected and bustling with pedestrians, making it the perfect place to hide his tracks!
He hailed a rickshaw and headed west to the gate of a Western-style courtyard. After getting off and paying, he stepped into the courtyard.
The gatekeeper saw someone come in, looked up, and saw that it was Takeda Kaede. He was momentarily stunned, but quickly recognized him and said, "It's Mr. Kaede. It's been a long time. Please come in!"
Takeda Kaede smiled and nodded, then slowly entered the hall. Inside, several well-dressed men and women were chatting, and the doors to several rooms nearby were wide open, with people also talking inside.
Without lingering, Takeda Kaede went straight to the second room, where two men were playing chess.
Upon seeing someone enter, one of the middle-aged men greeted him with a smile, saying, "It's Mr. Tian! It's been a while since we've seen such a master like you. Come and take a look, I'm almost at my breaking point!"
Another man also turned around and nodded politely in acknowledgment.
Takeda Kaede politely waved his hand: "A true gentleman observes the game without speaking. I'll just stand by and watch the two of you play!"
After speaking, he stepped forward and stood beside the two men, watching quietly without saying a word. The two men were also engrossed in their game, so they didn't stand on ceremony and continued playing.
This is actually a private club owned by Song Hong, a well-known wealthy businessman in Nanjing.
Song Hong was a very successful businessman with a vast fortune. He was also a man who traveled extensively and had extensive connections in both political and business circles. He was an extremely influential tycoon.
This man was an ordinary person in his early years, but he was generous and loved making friends. Ultimately, it was because of this that he made a powerful friend, who helped him, and afterwards, he had a smooth and successful life, becoming extremely wealthy over several decades.
This courtyard is a private club under his name, frequented by social elites, high-ranking officials, dignitaries, and cultural figures—in short, a gathering place for the upper class. It is also where Song Hong interacts with celebrities from all walks of life.
When Takeda Kaede first arrived in Nanjing, his first mission was to turn Wuyun into a member of the club. Wuyun was a regular there, so Takeda Kaede used the hidden power of the Japanese intelligence organization to become a regular at the club.
For a period of time after the mission was completed, Takeda Kaede still frequently came here. After all, the people who came and went here were all from the upper echelons of society, and the information they exchanged was something that ordinary people could not access. Some of the content involved certain fields, and with careful analysis, some valuable intelligence could be obtained. Therefore, Takeda Kaede's frequent visits here were not a bad way to hunt for intelligence!
However, after joining Min Sheng Daily, I worked less and less of the 9-to-5 job except for rest days!
Time flew by, and after two more games of chess, several more chess players with refined manners joined the room. Finally, Takeda Kaede couldn't resist starting another game with one of his friends, and the two began to battle it out.
Inside the room, the fighting was in full swing when a refined-looking young man entered. He was of medium height, with regular features and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose.
He stepped into the room and saw everyone engrossed in the chessboard. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly saw Takeda Kaede sitting there. His eyes paused for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure and said nothing. He went to Takeda Kaede's side and watched the two of them play chess.
Takeda Kaede's Go skills were indeed impressive. His opponent lost two games in a row and refused to continue. The onlookers were not satisfied with the game and persuaded each other to go up and play another game.
At this moment, the refined young man rolled up his sleeves and said in a feignedly generous manner, "As the saying goes, a worthy opponent is a worthy general. Let me handle Mr. Tian!"
"Yes, yes, Brother Su's chess skills are superb; only he can rival Brother Tian!" Everyone chimed in, eager to watch the game.
So the two deployed their chariots and horses, and went back and forth, advancing their pawns with cannons, creating quite a lively battle.
Time flies when you're playing chess, and the morning passed quickly. They played until noon before stopping and going their separate ways.
Takeda Kaede and the man surnamed Su exchanged a smile, gestured for each other to sit down, and went to a quiet corner.
A waiter brought two drinks and then bowed and withdrew.
"Takeda-kun, did you come here specifically for me?" Su Yu asked in a low voice.
Su Yu felt a deep sense of fear towards his colleague. He and Takeda Kaede were classmates at Kyoto University in Tokyo. During their school years, he knew about his classmate's extremely prominent family background, especially since Takeda Kaede was the first in line to succeed the head of the Takeda family and a prominent figure at Kyoto University.
After returning to China, Su Yu worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but his job was not satisfactory. Until two years ago, his old classmate came to him, appearing suddenly in front of him at this very club.
Su Yu himself loves playing chess, and this club is a gathering place for high society elites, including many important figures. He believes that if he could find an opportunity here, his life might change. Many people share Su Yu's sentiment and frequently visit the club.
The appearance of Takeda Kaede did indeed change Su Yu's life. He used both soft and hard tactics, threats and inducements, to eventually make Su Yu submit and successfully turn him to join the Blackwater spy group.
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