Nuit au clair de lune des fleurs de la rivière printanière

Chapitre 6

In the morning, after sending Ah-Cai to school, Mei-Fang couldn't resist going up to the attic to meet Han-Qing in secret. She had a vague feeling that the green corpse that had fallen to the ground might be related to Han-Qing.

Now that things had come to this, Hanqing had no intention of hiding anything. He told his cousin everything about the "Snow and Moon Drunkenness" painting, including all the details he knew. When he spoke of the original painting being stolen, Hanqing was heartbroken and almost choked up. He felt he had failed his father's spirit in heaven: "How can I face my father's spirit tablet?"

When Mei Fang first learned the truth about her eldest cousin, she was quite uneasy. Later, when she heard Han Qing expressing deep regret and guilt over the stolen original painting, she suddenly asked him, "Didn't you have two paintings?"

"How did you know?" Han Qing asked in surprise.

Mei Fang told the truth: a few days ago, when Han Qing went out to secretly search for Master Cheng, Mei Fang took the opportunity to go up to the attic to tidy up her things. That day, Han Qing forgot to lock his suitcase when he left. When Mei Fang was moving the suitcase, she accidentally knocked it over, spilling its contents all over the floor. When she was repacking the suitcase, she noticed that there was a ring of tape on the scroll of one of the paintings. Since she had a cut on her hand, she peeled off the tape. After thinking about it for a moment, she decided that it was inappropriate, so she picked up the painting again and re-taped the tape onto the scroll. Later, she discovered that she had taped the tape onto the scroll of another painting. She originally wanted to correct it, but then she thought that it didn't matter, so she just let it go.

Han Qing listened to her words with wide eyes, then suddenly slapped his thigh: "Cough, what a scare!" It turned out that the mark he had made was the band of tape. In other words, the painting with the tape was the original, and the one he had viewed by the window in the moonlight earlier that night was the one with the tape—but his cousin had mistakenly switched it for a fake. Thinking about this close call, Han Qing couldn't help but laugh. He was quite pleased with his copying skills; even he hadn't expected that his technique would fool his own eyes under the moonlight. It was laughable, but also gratifying. It meant that despite his usual lack of practice, his talent was extraordinary. Han Qing wondered what Mr. Qin would think of him if he knew about this.

When Mei Fang learned the whole story, she was happy for him for a while.

After the initial excitement subsided, Han Qing was plunged into worry. Although the original painting was completely undamaged, the perilous scene was enough to terrify him. It was more than just perilous; it had become a bloody scene. He had already witnessed a life lost to the "Snow Moon Drunkenness" painting. He couldn't help but clutch the painting tightly, his heart filled with an even stronger desire to unravel its mysteries as soon as possible.

Han Qing glanced at his watch and decided it was time to leave.

37

Long Fei had already noticed the suspicious figures appearing around A Cai's house day and night, and he secretly dispatched plainclothes detectives to monitor the area.

Based on the information he had gathered, Long Fei judged that the secret of No. 13 Meishan Road seemed to involve many parties.

Before figuring out the inside story, Long Fei didn't want to alert the enemy.

The green corpse at midnight was like a strong signal to Long Fei, as if a dark hand was about to act! Long Fei noticed the date and felt that there might be a conspiracy related to National Day. Every year as National Day approached, the spies would always get restless.

Long Fei learned from the Chongqing Municipal Public Security Bureau that recently, a secret radio station has been frequently changing locations and emitting strange signals.

The midnight murder made Long Fei smell the stench of blood.

The police investigation into the identity of the green-clad female corpse has made no progress yet, but one thing is certain: the murderer is a member of the Plum Blossom Gang.

The Ministry of Public Security also sent a coded telegram: According to inside intelligence, a mysterious figure dispatched by the Plum Blossom Party headquarters in Taipei will arrive in Chongqing in the coming days.

Long Fei felt as if he had heard a sudden burst of intense activity. He quickened his pace of work and strengthened his secret deployments. The storm was brewing, and he wondered what kind of storm it would be. Would it be a bloodbath? As a loyal guardian of the Party, his duty was to protect national security, social stability, and the well-being of the people. He could not allow the peaceful environment to be disturbed by the clutches of the reactionaries.

Long Fei requested the Ministry of Public Security to send his longtime assistant, Lu Ming, to work with him. Ling Yuqi alone wasn't enough, and the personnel sent by the Sichuan Provincial Public Security Department seemed to lack experience dealing with the Plum Blossom Gang. Lu Ming had recently been in charge of a special case for the Ministry, and although it had only been solved a few days prior, there were still many things to finish. Considering the importance of Long Fei's work, the Ministry agreed to send Lu Ming over in a couple of days. Long Fei admired Lu Ming's competence; over the years, Lu Ming had assisted him in almost every major case. While Lu Ming's personality was somewhat rough, his decisive, bold, and calmly tough style perfectly matched Long Fei's own work style.

At this critical moment, when the case took a significant turn, he especially felt the need for Lu Ming's assistance. Long Fei was self-aware; he knew the saying "a hero needs three helpers." Especially in the counter-espionage profession, it's difficult to solve problems without the tacit cooperation of colleagues. The tacit understanding developed between long-time colleagues is a highly effective secret weapon in crucial moments. He and Lu Ming often understood each other without words, just a glance. The struggle against the enemy on the public security front is extremely complex, with overt and covert threats, and adversaries could appear at any time. Long Fei considered Lu Ming his lucky charm; whenever there was a major case, as long as he cooperated, the outcome was usually good.

38

Han Qing slipped out of the secret passage and followed his memory to Mr. Qin's residence. He had the painting hidden in his arms. Under the high walls of a deep courtyard, he found Mr. Qin's doorway. Just as he was about to knock on the door, he turned around and saw a dark figure flash by and disappear in the distance at the alley entrance.

Han Qing hesitated for a moment, but still raised his hand to knock on the door.

After a moment, someone came out to open the door. The door creaked open a crack, and an elder appeared behind it—a completely unfamiliar face.

Chapter Six: The Female Corpse in the Street (2)

"Is this Mr. Cheng's home?" Han Qing asked.

The old man looked him up and down with a puzzled expression, then asked in a hoarse voice, "Who are you? Where do you come from?"

Han Qing found the old man's question strange. Where did it come from? He didn't know how to answer for a moment. He thought that since the old man asked such a question, it must be true that Mr. Qin's house had not moved. After thinking for a while, Han Qing respectfully told the old man that when he was young, he had studied under Mr. Qin. Later, he moved to another place and recently returned to Chongqing to visit relatives. He came here specifically to visit him.

The old man sighed deeply, "You're too late." He then stroked his beard and sighed again.

Han Qing had already figured out the meaning of those words. Just as he was hesitating whether to retreat or advance, a man of similar age to Han Qing walked out from behind the old man. Han Qing immediately recognized him. If he wasn't mistaken, the man should be Mr. Qin's youngest son, Qin Shuyu.

Qin Shuyu was taken aback for a moment, but quickly recognized him: "You—Han Qing!" After saying that, he led Han Qing into the living room.

Han Qing looked up and saw the portrait of the old man in a large frame in the center of the hall, and knew that Mr. Qin had passed away.

After bowing three times to the portrait of Mr. Qin, Han Qingchao sat down and started a conversation with Qin Shuyu, talking about memories of the past. Qin Shuyu now works at the Chongqing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and the old man was Qin Shuyu's father-in-law.

"What's wrong?" Qin Shuyu asked suddenly, seemingly noticing something urgent on Han Qing's face.

Han Qing felt that he had learned of Mr. Qin's death as soon as he entered the door, so he was not in a position to ask for help. Now that Qin Shuyu had brought up the topic, he might as well tell him his purpose. After explaining his intention, Han Qing took out the scroll from his bosom and slowly spread it out on the table.

After examining the painting for a long time, Qin Shuyu was unsure of its origin and value. He then recommended a renowned connoisseur, Mr. Liao, to Hanqing. Mr. Liao lived in Shapingba and usually only received guests after 3 p.m. He had many people seeking his appraisal, but he rarely met with anyone who wasn't introduced by an acquaintance. Qin Shuyu wrote a note and gave it to Hanqing as a letter of introduction.

Before they knew it, the conversation was approaching noon. Qin Shu insisted on having Han Qing stay for lunch, but Han Qing suddenly remembered the shadow he had seen before entering the room. He felt it was not advisable to stay any longer, fearing that he might cause trouble for the Qin family, so he quickly bowed and took his leave.

Having been away from Chongqing for many years, Hanqing longed to eat Chongqing hot pot, but whenever he thought of the Snow Moon Drunken Painting in his arms and smelled the aroma of hot pot wafting from the restaurant, he could only suppress his appetite and swallow his saliva.

Once he stepped out of the Qin family's gate, he felt a pang of regret. The streets were crowded and noisy, posing a safety risk. He felt embarrassed to turn back to the Qin family's house, and going back to his cousin's house was out of the question. Since he had already left, he should get things done.

Over the years, Chongqing has undergone great changes. Hanqing suddenly had the idea of sightseeing. Just then, he caught sight of an empty rickshaw coming up from behind. On a whim, Hanqing asked the price, jumped on the rickshaw, and asked the driver to be his guide.

The driver wore a baseball cap, revealing a pair of shrewd eyes, but he was very straightforward when negotiating prices, which initially surprised Han Qing. However, upon reflection, he realized that Chongqing people were known for their honesty and generosity, so he didn't find anything wrong with it.

The roads in Chongqing, a mountain city, are undulating, and the residential buildings are often built according to the terrain, making them appear well-arranged. The alleys along the roads are often rugged and narrow, like secret passages extending deep into the dense residential areas.

At first, the driver pulled Han Qing along, stopping and starting, introducing some of the city's changes. But when they reached a flat section of road, the driver suddenly accelerated and sped off in a secluded direction.

Han Qing sensed something was amiss. As he passed a staircase leading down into an alley, he seized the opportunity, jumped off the car, and fled. He made several turns along the steps and cleverly escaped.

Han Qing, panting, looked around and saw many elementary school students nearby. He looked closer and realized that this was the Sino-American Cooperation Organization. In his panic, he tripped and fell into the group of students.

Ah Cai was in the crowd of elementary school students when he noticed a sweaty uncle getting up from the ground. He looked at him curiously for a couple of seconds. For some reason, he felt that the uncle looked familiar.

Hanqing also noticed Ah Cai's figure. He could hardly believe that he would meet Ah Cai here. Once, when Ah Cai was fast asleep, Hanqing had looked at Ah Cai's handsome and spirited face by the bedside.

Hanqing and Acai looked at each other, but Hanqing didn't dare to acknowledge his little nephew.

39

Following the address provided by Qin Shuyu, Han Qing finally found Mr. Liao's residence after several twists and turns.

Mr. Liao, over sixty years old, with a scraggly beard and unkempt appearance, wore reading glasses on his nose. Only after seeing the invitation from his family did he allow Hanqing to enter. When Hanqing met him, Mr. Liao was engrossed in examining the seal and signature of an old calligraphy painting with a magnifying glass. Upon recognizing that he was introduced by the Qin family, Mr. Liao instructed his family to serve tea. Later, Hanqing learned that this was a courtesy, demonstrating the great influence the Qin family held.

After learning the purpose of the visit, Mr. Liao took the painting "Snow, Moon, and Drunkenness" and spread it out on the table. After examining it for a while, he frowned and finally uttered calmly, "Where did this painting come from?"

"It's from my father's collection," Han Qing said cautiously, while watching Mr. Liao's expression, as if waiting for the teacher to announce the results.

What was your father's profession before his death?

"I used to work in the military, but later retired and went into seclusion," Han Qing answered cautiously. He didn't understand what Mr. Liao meant by that.

"Hmm!" Mr. Liao nodded, pacing back and forth in the center of the room, as if he was trying to think of the right words to explain something.

Han Qing was even more confused.

“It’s a fake,” Mr. Liao said casually, as if afraid of hurting General Xie’s spirit or Han Qing’s pride. “It’s in the style of Shi Tao, and it looks very much like Shi Tao’s work. However, this painting is quite old, probably made in the late Qing Dynasty or early Republic of China period. The painter was quite skilled. Although it’s a fake, it can still be worth some money.” Mr. Liao’s last words sounded like he was trying to comfort Han Qing, because Han Qing looked dejected. Han Qing couldn’t understand why this forgery would interest some people so much that they would go to such lengths, even resorting to violence, to follow him from afar.

"Could you leave this painting here so I can admire it closely overnight? It's quite a good imitation." Just as Han Qing was lost in thought, Mr. Liao suddenly made this request.

Upon hearing this, Han Qing suddenly became suspicious. He looked at Mr. Liao with a puzzled expression, unable to fathom the meaning behind the look in Mr. Liao's eyes behind his reading glasses. Han Qing had heard a rumor that a famous painter, while authenticating a painting, would, after confirming its genuineness, keep it at someone's home for several days under the pretext of making a copy, only to return it later to the owner who would discover that the painter had switched it with a forgery. Han Qing thought, the art world in Hong Kong and Taiwan is very complex; could it be the same on the mainland?

Seeing his hesitation, Mr. Liao smiled and said, "If it's inconvenient, just pretend I didn't say anything."

Upon hearing this, Han Qing felt a pang of guilt. Perhaps he was being petty and narrow-minded. Thinking of Qin Shuyu's evaluation of Mr. Liao, he realized there was nothing wrong with it. At the same time, he also considered this: why not leave the painting with Mr. Liao for the night, and take the opportunity to let him reveal to the outside world that it was a forgery? This would allow those interested in the painting to hear the truth and give up completely, thus saving him a lot of trouble in the future! With these thoughts in mind, Han Qing readily agreed to Mr. Liao's request, took his leave, and went home.

Chapter Seven: A Dull Dinner

Ah Cai's doubts swelled up like popcorn; he simply couldn't understand why his mother, who used to be so secretive towards him, was acting this way today...

During dinner, Mei Fang frequently looked up at the grandfather clock on the nearby incense table, appearing absent-minded. Several times, when picking up food, she even stretched her chopsticks off the plate onto the table.

When Ah Cai first saw Mei Fang make a fool of herself, he couldn't help but burst out laughing. But Mei Fang was unmoved by Ah Cai's reaction. She seemed very annoyed: "Eat quickly." She banged Ah Cai's rice bowl hard with her chopsticks. The silver chopsticks tapped the edge of the porcelain bowl, making several crisp sounds that echoed around the large living room, sounding very hollow.

Mei Fang was anxious because it was already past seven o'clock in the evening and Han Qing still hadn't returned.

Before leaving, Han Qing made a promise to Mei Fang that if he had not returned by 6 p.m., she should hide all his belongings in the attic.

Ah Cai had just finished eating when he saw Mei Fang, unusually, take out a key and go into a side room. Seeing this, Ah Cai wanted to follow Mei Fang in.

"Go do your homework, don't come in, Mom has something to do." Mei Fang blocked A Cai from the door and locked the door from the inside.

Ah Cai's doubts swelled up like popcorn. He couldn't understand why his mother, who used to be so secretive about things, was so impatient today.

When Mei Fang reappeared, she looked exhausted.

That night, Han Qing did not return home.

41

As soon as Hanqing left Mr. Liao's residence, seeing that it was getting late, he hurried towards Meishan Road. He had been away for too long that day, and he couldn't help but think of Meifang, worried that she might be too anxious. These days, he had caused his cousin a lot of trouble. Although his cousin never showed it to him, Hanqing knew all too well the pressure Meifang was under. Now, he wanted to get home quickly so that his cousin could feel at ease and perhaps relieve some of her pressure. Going home? Hanqing's thoughts lingered on the word "going home." He was surprised; how could he have considered his cousin's place as his home? This feeling was strange. Perhaps he craved a peaceful life too much. Not long after leaving Hong Kong, he longed for home. In a sense, his cousin's feelings for him were his emotional support. But why hadn't he realized this feeling before? Hanqing carefully assessed his feelings for his cousin. Was it lust or true love? He admitted that there was an element of unbearable loneliness within him. Imagine the immense pressure of being on the run; lust was a convenient way to relieve that pressure. Hanqing wondered if there was anything immoral about his heart. He tried to objectively assess the purity of his feelings. He couldn't help but delve deeper into his emotions. After much thought, he felt that his feelings for his cousin were genuine. How pure and sincere were the emotions of his childhood! Even if this sincerity one day boarded the ship of lust, there was nothing wrong with it. Lust is about food and sex; it's just about the relationship between men and women. As Han Qing walked, he pondered. Perhaps because he had figured out the origin of the Snow Moon Drunken Painting, he felt the danger might have disappeared. In his relaxed state, he naturally thought of his cousin. Han Qing hadn't gone far when he suddenly heard a noise behind him. Before he could turn around, he felt a strong, thick hand grab his shoulder.

42

It was truly a remarkable coincidence that Mr. Liao was a key member of the Plum Blossom Party, a confidant of Bai Jingzhai, and Na Lihua was his assistant. Within the antique world, Mr. Liao was known as "Liao the Glasses." Although Liao the Glasses had poor eyesight, his connoisseurship was absolutely superb. His reputation had long since spread beyond Chongqing, throughout the antique world of Sichuan and Chongqing, with people even coming from as far as Beijing and Shanghai to seek his advice. Some colleagues even said with a touch of envy, "This guy's eyes didn't grow from human flesh; they were born from a demon's womb!" Demons are born from demons, and Sichuan and Chongqing have always been known for their geniuses. If there were a contest for geniuses in the antique world, Liao the Glasses would certainly be one of them. Some say that Liao the Glasses' success depends entirely on his glasses; if he took them off, how much of his eyesight would he still have? Of course, he couldn't live without his glasses, but Liao the Glasses had another skill he could do without them: he could smell the age of calligraphy and paintings, and distinguish the age of Xuan paper by its texture. These unique skills, learned from who-knows-where, were the envy of his peers. Even those who outwardly disagreed secretly admired him and dared not underestimate him. Few social elites didn't know him, and in the world of calligraphy and painting connoisseurship, Liao the Glasses was practically a flag bearer. When Liao the Glasses spoke, it was a settled matter; no one dared question his authority. Over the years, opportunistic individuals had tried to bribe him with large sums of money to authenticate fake paintings, but he had refused them all. Professionally, he was a paragon of virtue, but politically, he was a treacherous and cunning man who couldn't stand the light of day. He had long operated underground as an antique connoisseur, a highly secretive figure.

Upon seeing the painting "Snow, Moon, and Drunkenness," Liao Yanjing was instantly filled with excitement, his heart pounding. He had received orders from Bai Jingzhai to keep an eye on the painting's whereabouts, but being a seasoned veteran, he quickly controlled his emotions, subtly dealing with Han Qing and sending him away. He then eagerly retrieved a revealing potion from a hidden compartment in the antique shelf, applied it briefly, and in an instant, a secret military map appeared before him.

Before Liao Yanjing could even feel smug, a large hand seemed to descend from the sky and cover up the arms distribution map.

43

As dusk fell, Long Fei and his group entered the Qin residence. Accompanied by Director Wang from the Chongqing Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department, Long Fei inquired with Qin Shu about Han Qing's purpose in coming earlier and other relevant clues.

Qin Shuyu realized the importance of the matter and explained the situation to Long Fei truthfully.

Thanks to Director Wang's company, Qin Shuyu, a cultured man with a rather proud air, was not only born into an artistic family and inherited his father's lofty ideals, but also because he had experienced a period of hardship that forged his unyielding spirit. It turned out that during the Anti-Rightist Movement, he had been wrongly labeled a counter-revolutionary and imprisoned for two years. He had an almost instinctive resistance to anyone from the public security system. If it weren't for Director Wang personally guiding him, Long Fei might have been turned away.

Director Wang was a reserved and introverted Party and government official. He had his own opinions but did not easily reveal them. He had a good personal relationship with Qin Shuyu. After Qin Shuyu was unjustly imprisoned, it was he who secretly worked to exonerate Qin Shuyu, enabling Qin Shuyu to be removed from the label of counter-revolutionary and reinstated to his public office.

Encountering characters like Qin Shuyu, who had experienced many hardships, constantly reminded Long Fei that he needed to treat every person objectively and calmly, never letting the bad guys get away with it nor wronging the innocent. Long Fei gained some insight from this, making him hesitant to jump to conclusions about Han Qing. Frankly, he couldn't help but have doubts about Han Qing. Those in the police force often first suspect those they encounter, then systematically eliminate any suspicious points—this is called subtraction; after removing the suspicious stains, what remains is innocence. Long Fei thought about it and decided that he shouldn't let Han Qing off the hook so easily.

44

Long Fei and the others arrived near Liao's residence and happened to run into Han Qing.

Upon learning that Han Qing had just left the Liao residence, Long Fei quickly climbed over the wall and entered the house, where he saw Liao looking at a blueprint at a table.

Liao, feeling guilty, tried to steal the map and escape, but his escape route was blocked by the accompanying police officers.

Han Qing was also led into the house. He saw that the Snow Moon Drunken Painting was facing away from him, revealing a strange topographical map. He was very surprised. He never expected that such a topographical map was hidden behind the Snow Moon Drunken Painting. In an instant, he understood what had caused his experiences these past few days.

Long Fei took Han Qing and Liao Yanjing to a secret location for separate interrogation.

Han Qing was quite at ease when he encountered mainland police officers. He truthfully explained the ins and outs of his trip and the background of the Snow Moon Drunken Painting, but he insisted that he did not know there was a hidden image on the back of the painting.

Han Qing had only been living in Mei Fang's house for a few days when the unusual situation in Mei Fang's house caught the attention of the neighborhood committee. This news quickly reached the ears of Long Fei, who had come to Chongqing specifically to investigate the mystery of "No. 13" residence.

When Han Qing first disguised himself and sneaked out of Mei Fang's house to inquire about Cheng Gong's whereabouts, he had already caught Long Fei's attention.

At first, Long Fei thought that Cheng Gong had connections with foreign organizations, but after careful investigation, Long Fei ruled out this possibility.

Cheng Gong's suspicions were cleared up, but Long Fei still doubted whether Han Qing had a secret mission. At one point, the relevant authorities wanted to detain Han Qing for questioning using security measures. Fortunately, Long Fei remained calm. He felt that before the overall situation became clear, it was better to monitor him first, observe the situation, lure him out, and then use a long line to catch a big fish.

Just as Long Fei was about to continue questioning, he suddenly heard a muffled thud from the wall next door. He was surprised and was about to go and check when he saw Xiao Yang, the city police officer in charge of guarding Liao's glasses, walk in in a panic. Xiao Yang quickly leaned close to him and whispered something in his ear. Upon hearing this, Long Fei frowned, stood up immediately, and went with Xiao Yang to check.