“Jiro, Hirayama-kun was suddenly assassinated, and I can no longer stay in Suzhou City. The Miyata Trading Company, which I co-founded with Hirayama-kun, has now been swallowed up by the Fujiwara Company. All that can be taken away are these assets, which is Hirayama-kun's share. I will be leaving here soon, so please take good care of yourself.”
Hirayama Jiro looked at the suitcase in front of him but did not reach out to take it. Their parents had died early, and the two brothers depended on each other for survival. Hirayama Tokumoto was much older than Hirayama Jiro, and to Hirayama Jiro, the elder brother was like a father. The two had a very deep relationship and never expected that such a thing would happen.
Hirayama Jiro's face was as gloomy as if it were about to rain. He forced back his grief and looked at Miyata Yasutoshi. After a long while, he asked, "Since you know it was the Fujiwara Company that did it, why didn't you report it? We could have sought justice. And that Shirakawa Hideyoshi, I want to kill him with my own hands to avenge my brother."
Miyata Yasuhisa gave a wry smile and explained, "Jiro, the Fujiwara Company has a very powerful background. The military police and the Special Higher Police were with them before, forcibly suppressing other chambers of commerce. They are all accomplices. Only your brother refused to submit, which is why he got himself killed. Now, the other party has assassinated Hirayama-kun in the name of anti-Japanese elements. We have no evidence. Even if we report it, it will only be left unresolved."
Especially you, you can't be exposed to them. Once Shirakawa Eiei and his men find out you're investigating this matter, given their style, they'll quickly take action against you. Take my advice: with Hirayama-kun dead, his connections in the military are severed. No one will fight against the behemoth Fujiwara Company for the sake of a dead man. We can only endure this. I can no longer stay in Suzhou. I'm informing you specifically this time. Take good care of yourself.”
Hirayama Jiro grew angrier as he listened. His brother's death had been a huge blow to him, and he wanted to kill those people to avenge his brother. How could he possibly endure it any longer?
"Miyata-kun, where do you plan to go after leaving Suzhou?" Hirayama Jiro asked.
"I don't know, but I need to get out of here first, otherwise that madman Shirakawa Eiji won't let me go. I want to go back to Shanghai first, and then either go back to my country or go to southern China to do some business."
After pondering for a long time, Hirayama Jiro finally spoke, "I need to avenge my brother, so I don't need this money for the time being. Miyata-kun, please take the money to Shanghai for me and wait for me there for a few days. Once I kill that bastard Shirakawa Eiei, I'll come to Shanghai to get the money from you, and then we can discuss it further."
Hirayama Jiro's decision startled Miyata Yasutoshi, who quickly advised him, "Jiro, are you crazy? You'll ruin your future doing this. Besides, what good will it do if you kill Shirakawa Hideyoshi? In the end, Shirakawa Hideyoshi was just a tool in this assassination attempt. Who knows whose idea it was? It might even be Chairman Fujiwara's idea! You kill one, and he'll send a second, a third. Don't be foolish. Take this money and don't take any more risks."
"Then I'll kill even Chairman Fujiwara! Anyone who could possibly have killed my brother, I'll kill them all!" Hirayama Jiro gritted his teeth and said viciously, the hatred in his eyes making Miyata Yasuhisa feel uneasy.
After thinking for a long time, Miyata Yasuhisa finally nodded in agreement to Hirayama Jiro's request. After all, Hirayama Tokumoto was his childhood friend, and how could Miyata Yasuhisa not be heartbroken by Hirayama Tokumoto's murder? However, he was a nobody and had little influence. Now that Hirayama Jiro wanted to avenge his brother, he could not help him, but he could stay in Shanghai for a few days for him.
“Alright, Jiro, I will wait for you at the Songlai Hotel in the French Concession of Shanghai. It’s not within the Fujiwara Company’s sphere of influence. After you arrive in Shanghai, we will go to Hangzhou to lay low. We have some of our fellow countrymen and friends there. We will go and seek refuge with them.”
After discussing it, the two parted ways in a hurry.
That evening, outside a restaurant in Suzhou, Shirakawa Hidee hosted a banquet for the officers of the Suzhou Special Higher Police and the Military Police. These two officers were originally allies who supported the Fujiwara Company, and now they had a new understanding of Shirakawa Hidee's decisiveness and ruthlessness. They were quite wary of him, knowing that he was ruthless and unscrupulous. With several generous gifts presented, they quickly agreed to classify the case as an assassination of a local garrison officer by anti-Japanese elements.
Everyone raised their glasses in celebration, congratulating each other until they were thoroughly satisfied with their meal and drinks.
By the time everyone had left, it was already late at night. Shirakawa Hidee waved goodbye to the other two people and then walked unsteadily toward his car.
Several bodyguards were already waiting at the door, so they stepped forward to greet Shirakawa Eiji and prepare to get into the car and leave.
But no one expected that in the darkness, the muzzle of a Type 38 rifle was already aimed at Shirakawa Eiji's head. As he moved, just as Shirakawa Eiji paused at the car door, a crisp gunshot rang out, and blood spurted from Shirakawa Eiji's head. He then slumped softly to the ground.
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