Nuit au clair de lune des fleurs de la rivière printanière

Chapitre 10

67

As Ah-Cai was writing, he felt his bladder swell and his urinary sphincter tighten. In the past, if it were dark, he would never go through the alley to the outhouse to urinate, but would release his urine in the small spittoon in the corner of the living room. Today was different. With Teacher Lu and Aunt Ling present, how could Ah-Cai dare to do so casually?

Looking at Teacher Lu beside him, Ah Cai, emboldened by some unknown source of courage, ran into the passageway and headed straight for the outhouse in the backyard. But as soon as he entered, his heart pounded with fear. He hastily finished urinating and retreated from the dark outhouse. In his panic, he stumbled, his heel buckling, and he leaned against a flowerpot against the wall. Suddenly, he heard a sound, as if someone had fallen into the yard on the other side of the wall, causing a flock of roosters and hens in the chicken coop by the neighboring yard to cluck in alarm… When Ah Cai regained his balance, he looked up and saw that the back window of the attic was wide open. This sight truly startled him. The back window was always tightly closed. Could there really be someone up there? And what was the connection between the noise on the other side of the wall and the open back window of the attic?

Ah Cai didn't dare to think about it further and quickly fled back into the hall.

Seeing his flustered expression, Lu Ming asked, "What's wrong?"

Facing Lu Ming's concerned gaze, Ah Cai took a few breaths, trying to hide his unease. He hesitated for a moment, then finally said, "No, nothing, the outhouse is really dark!"

Ah Cai kept his thoughts to himself. He felt that there was a wall between him and these adults. Before going to sleep, when Mei Fang wasn't looking, Ah Cai hid a bunch of keys under his pillow.

68

Unable to meet Mei Fang, Han Qing felt incredibly stifled, confined to his attic. In Hong Kong, he was a free spirit, always full of energy; but on the mainland, he was reduced to a pitiful creature, huddled in his attic all day. Mei Fang worried about his well-being, Long Fei restricted his movements, and others secretly watched his every move.

Long Fei had promised Han Qing that he would be free in a week at most, able to come and go as he pleased, either staying in Chongqing or returning to Hong Kong at will. Han Qing, however, had no idea what would happen after seven days. Unless, unless those who were watching him suddenly had a change of heart and let him go, or unless they were all rounded up by the mainland public security personnel, thus relieving him of any worries, Han Qing, who had originally tried to remain impartial, now had no choice but to lean towards one side.

After dinner, Han Qing lay on the bed in a daze. He thought about it over and over again and felt that if he continued to wait like this, he would be in great danger of sitting and waiting for death. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that his situation was too bad. He realized that this map was the root of his troubles and it would not be easy to get rid of it now. Even if he destroyed the map, what would be the result? The people who were chasing the map would even want his life. Besides, Long Fei would never allow him to do such a thing.

Although there were people protecting him downstairs or around him, Han Qing was still uneasy. Another major reason for his unease was that he didn't know how much more trouble these people would cause Mei Fang.

Feeling troubled, Han Qing opened the back window to get some fresh air. Just as he opened the window, he suddenly saw a dark shadow appear on the back wall and then disappear in a flash.

A sense of fear, as if attacked from both sides, suddenly pressed down on Han Qing, who felt that this was no place to stay for long.

He continued to observe from behind the window. In the moonlight, he spotted a person standing against the wall. Upon closer inspection, he finally recognized him as Mei Fang's son, A Cai. Fearing discovery, Han Qing hid to the side.

Han Qing's tense mood quickly relaxed. He thought that his little nephew, who loved to climb, had jumped down from the wall. With that thought, Han Qing felt more at ease.

But upon further reflection, he realized something was amiss. The shadow had clearly disappeared behind the wall, so how could it suddenly appear inside? Can a person's shadow be divided into two parts?

Just as Han Qing was puzzled, he suddenly heard a series of chaotic footsteps in the courtyard. When he peeked out again, Ah Cai was gone, but the head of that dark figure reappeared on the wall.

Han Qing then fully realized that his situation was truly dire!

After calmly analyzing the situation, Han Qing realized that he had no grudges or hatred towards those who were pursuing him; it was all because of that damned Snow Moon Drunken Painting! As soon as Han Qing finished cursing the Snow Moon Drunken Painting in his heart, he immediately felt guilty, wondering if he had offended his father's spirit. After all, it was his father who entrusted him to find a way out or a final resting place for this Snow Moon Drunken Painting.

Chapter Eleven: Mysteries in the Backyard (2)

Now, the secret behind the "Snow and Moon in Drunkenness" painting has been revealed, and he seems to have also figured out his father's intention in sending him back to the mainland to find Master Cheng. It seems his father wanted Master Cheng, who knew him very well, to decipher the secret behind the painting based on some agreement. His father's actions were truly well-intentioned, firstly to repay Master Cheng for sparing him years ago, and secondly to express his love for his hometown and homeland.

The soft moonlight filled Han Qing with melancholy. He felt that although he hadn't been able to personally deliver the "Snow and Moon in Drunkenness" painting to Master Cheng, his father's intentions had essentially been conveyed to Master Cheng in Beijing. Now, Long Fei wanted him to guard the attic with the painting—wasn't this situation also in line with his father's original wishes?

My father went into seclusion in Hong Kong in order to completely break away from the control of the Kuomintang. My father wanted me to go into business, which was also to keep me away from politics and officialdom.

After careful analysis, Hanqing concluded that since leaving Taiwan, his father had actually been secretly moving closer to the mainland. This had nothing to do with political beliefs; it was purely driven by a desire to return to his roots.

Han Qing couldn't help but pick up the Snow Moon Drunken Painting from beside his pillow. He felt a heavy weight in his hand, as if it were a solemn command from his father, a command that could not be disobeyed! Han Qing couldn't help but sigh, and suddenly felt much more at ease, becoming fearless.

69

After Ah-Cai finished his homework, Lu-Ming also got up to say goodbye to Mei-Fang and Aunt Ling. Ah-Cai was puzzled; how did Teacher Lu become so familiar with everyone so quickly?

From what Mom said, it seemed that Teacher Lu's visit was a sign of the school's care, but why did Teacher Yu come and go so quickly? And Teacher Tian was also coming and going so suddenly; how did this house suddenly become a public place?

But no matter how much Ah Cai thought about it, he could always sense that no matter what Teacher Yu, Teacher Tian, Teacher Lu, or Aunt Ling did, their different behaviors all revealed one thing: there must be something else going on in his family!

Ah Cai recalled the itinerant doctor who had volunteered to offer medicine at their door, and wondered why the old man was also interested in his family's affairs. Ah Cai also thought about the sounds he heard from the other side of the wall after relieving himself in the outhouse, as well as the strange signs on the back window of the attic, and his doubts only grew stronger.

At night, Ah-Cai stayed with his mother. Aunt Ling stayed in Ah-Cai's room. Before going to sleep, Aunt Ling specifically told him that if he felt pain or other discomfort in the middle of the night, he should call her for help. When Aunt Ling and Mei-Fang were talking, their eyes met for a moment as if they understood each other, which made Ah-Cai feel that there seemed to be some secret agreement between them.

Ah Cai felt that Aunt Ling seemed to have a lot of free time, unlike a typical epidemic prevention station worker who has to go to work all day. She was so enthusiastic about the neighborhood committee's affairs, but he wondered what her relationship was with the committee. Aunt Ling didn't seem to like working; she was always interested in other people's affairs. What exactly did she do for a living?

Although young, Ah Cai is quite shrewd. He has developed his own discernment, learned to see the world through his own eyes, and can judge a person based on his limited life experience. These days, seeing Teacher Yu, Teacher Tian, Teacher Lu, Aunt Ling, and all sorts of other people coming and going from his home, Ah Cai has begun to observe his surroundings carefully. He has not only learned to read people's expressions but also to understand adults' thoughts. For his age, this is a sign of precocious maturity. If a child who should be living carefree at his age is so eagerly focused on the complex world of adults, which shouldn't be his concern, what is that if not sadness, not helplessness?

In just a few days, Ah Cai's clear eyes showed some confusion, a confusion undoubtedly imposed on him by the complex world of adults.

Mei Fang seemed to understand the oppression her son faced from worldly forces. She always tried to keep him out of the adults' lives, naturally concealing her own emotional truths. She didn't let her child know what happened in the attic, attempting to protect the child's innocent world. A pure child, if exposed to too many complexities of the world, would inevitably have their vision clouded. How terrible it would be if a child, still innocent, learned to view the world with a worldly perspective!

When Mei Fang talked with Ling Yuqi, she often intentionally or unintentionally avoided A Cai. This deliberate protection of the child's innocent nature made Mei Fang's maternal instincts grow stronger and stronger, so strong that she could almost confidently resist the temptations of her instincts. However, this power was limitless; whenever she faced Han Qing, all her restraint might crumble. Humans are definitely emotional beings, especially women—a young woman who has been deeply tempted by emotions and has once tasted their deliciousness. A young woman's emotions are often very delicate.

70

Long Fei regretted that he couldn't be in two places at once. He was worried about the safety of the special care ward, and he was also concerned about the situation at A Cai's house in residence number 13. After thinking for a long time, he felt that he should focus on A Cai's house.

Long Fei sent Lu Ming to the hospital, instructing him to closely monitor Liao Yanjing and prevent any further mishaps in the ward. Who could possibly have managed to extend their reach into a military hospital guarded by soldiers all around? This made Long Fei extremely cautious. He vaguely guessed the opponent's intentions. The assassination attempt seemed to be a distraction, but that wasn't entirely true. Liao Yanjing was indeed an extraordinary person. If he truly possessed some secret, who would want to kill him to silence him? The more Long Fei thought about it, the more complicated things seemed.

At a secret surveillance point near residence number thirteen, Long Fei had just dispatched Lu Ming when Xiao Zhang, the liaison officer from the provincial department, arrived with a coded telegram.

Long Fei retreated to a corner, tore it open, and his expression became serious.

This was another call from Vice Minister Li. This time, the secret telegram wasn't just about the investigation into the "Snow Moon Drunk Picture," but rather it spoke with unusual concern about the central leaders' inspection of Chongqing and their speech at the Liberation Monument. Vice Minister Li demanded that Long Fei solve the case before National Day to ensure the safety of the entire Chongqing area during the holiday.

After reading the coded telegram, Long Fei immediately burned it. As the smoke and ashes disappeared, Long Fei paced back and forth in the room.

Long Fei felt that countless eyes were watching him: Vice Minister Li, his comrades-in-arms, his opponents Bai Jingzhai and Huang Feihu, and many other Chongqing citizens who longed for a peaceful life. Among these gazes were expectation, anxiety, and hatred.

Long Fei's nerves were taut. He pressed his knuckles back and forth. In the silence, the cracking sound of his knuckles was very crisp, sounding like the cracking of bamboo in a fire pit, or like the sound of bullets, which made people nervous.

Chapter Twelve: A Pair of Black Feet (1)

The pair of black feet moved stealthily and methodically across the attic floor. After probing for a while, the black feet gradually approached the direction where Ah Cai was hiding...

While doing his homework at night, Ah Cai deliberately drank a lot of water. He couldn't control when he woke up to pee!

Around midnight, Ah Cai was indeed awakened by the urge to urinate. He gently touched his mother and found that she was sleeping particularly soundly that night. Could it be the effect of the medicine? Ah Cai couldn't help but wonder. Seeing that Mei Fang did not react, he quietly got out of bed and began his actions.

Ah Cai was very perceptive. He noticed that many people were paying attention to his family, and this attention emboldened him. He vaguely sensed that he had a strange sense of security behind him.

This sense of security that had formed on its own fueled his curiosity, which he had kept hidden for many days.

It was a bright, moonlit autumn night. Although the living room was dark, the surrounding scenery was still clearly visible.

The pale, gray moonlight created a serene atmosphere. As Ah Cai cautiously stepped into the living room, he felt a sense of utter despair. In reality, Ah Cai was quite nervous. He tried his best to control his emotions. He knew that throughout history, most of the great figures who had achieved great things had shown extraordinary talent in their childhood. So, he, the heroic young man named Ah Cai, would begin his journey today.

Ah Cai touched his pocket and suddenly realized he'd forgotten the key under his pillow. He then touched his waist and found his small pistol! He hesitated whether to go back for the key, but his restless gaze suddenly fell on the door to the side room. In the dim light, Ah Cai felt the door might be unlocked. He went closer and saw that it was indeed unlocked. He was overjoyed, his heart pounding. Ah Cai looked around, then quietly pressed himself against the door, gently pushed it open, and squeezed his body inside.

Ah Cai immediately smelled a musty odor, a smell unique to that vacant room.

The side room was much dimmer and dimly lit. It took Ah Cai a moment to adjust to the environment.

The room was cluttered with old, miscellaneous items: old chairs, broken pieces of wood, and some rotten pots and pans.

Ah Cai steadied himself and began to feel his way up the narrow staircase leading to the attic.

The narrow staircase was extremely steep, like the Heavenly Ladder of Mount Emei, but it didn't feel sturdy at all. Stepping on it was shaky, as if it might fall apart at any moment. Ah Cai carefully tried not to make any noise under his feet, but first he had to control his emotions and suppress his panic so that he wouldn't panic and make any mistakes.

Ah Cai was terrified, trying to lift his entire weight off the ground. He held his breath, as if performing some kind of light-body technique, his heart pounding in his chest. The stairs weren't high, with only a few steps, but to Ah Cai, they felt like a long and treacherous journey, and he was afraid he wouldn't make it to the top.

Every time Ah-Cai looked up and took a step, he felt a sense of uncertainty, as if his life was hanging in the balance.

Just as he stepped onto the steps, he suddenly had the urge to turn back, but the thought was fleeting. He gritted his teeth and thought that there was no way back now, and it would be a shameful thing to desert in the face of battle.

Finally reaching the last step of the stairs brought a sense of relief, but this feeling was fleeting. He was faced with a new problem: the attic door was ajar, a sliver of moonlight piercing through the crack. Ah-Cai gripped his toy gun tightly, unsure how to get in. Should he kick the door open like a policeman and shout, "Don't move!" or tiptoe in like a thief and stealthily enter? Ah-Cai was extremely nervous.

72

Old Eagle, posing as a traveling doctor, took the opportunity to enter Ah Cai's house. After careful observation, he quickly learned about the layout of the house.

When Old Eagle encountered Lu Ming, he sensed a dangerous aura in Lu Ming's eyes. He had a premonition that he might have run into an old rival. He had clashed with Lu Ming before, but time had passed, and Old Eagle couldn't recall Lu Ming's true appearance. Back then, without hesitation, he had made a hasty retreat—if he couldn't afford to offend him, he could at least avoid him. But now was not the time to hide. The Snow Moon Drunken Painting was within reach, and he would inevitably fight to seize it.

While observing from the side room, the old eagle glanced sideways at the backyard at the end of the passage. He took advantage of the moment to inspect the backyard and then had another idea.

Huang Feihu seemed anxious and impatient. He had rushed from the suburbs under the cover of night and settled in a pre-selected contact point near the Liberation Monument. It was a small inn, located in an alley near A Cai's house, inconspicuous in appearance. The place was called Wanlong Inn, originally a rest stop for medicine merchants. Although it was deep in the alley, business was decent, and its customers were mostly insiders who knew the business well. Outsiders generally didn't know about it, so it didn't attract much attention. After liberation, with the public-private partnership, Wanlong Inn changed its signboard to a collective one, and the manager was still the original owner of Wanlong Inn, a man surnamed Sun named Hailong.

Sun Hailong was about fifty years old. Before liberation, he was a secret agent of the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics (CBIS). Later, he was recruited as a member of the Plum Blossom Party. He was originally very well hidden and rarely got involved in the activities of the Plum Blossom Party. It was only because Huang Feihu was really anxious that he used his territory.

Old Eagle was only staying at Wanlong Inn on Huang Feihu's orders. He didn't know Manager Sun's true identity and only regarded him as an ordinary boss.

Members of the Plum Blossom Party often maintain single-line communication, making the Plum Blossom Party organization in the Chongqing area even more secretive, and making it quite difficult to wipe them out in one fell swoop.

Huang Feihu chose to stay at the Wanlong Inn not only for the "Snow and Moon Drunken Painting," but also for a more important mission: to blow up the Liberation Monument and assassinate a high-ranking CCP official on October 1st. Meanwhile, a secret telegram arrived from Taiwan informing him that a high-ranking CCP leader would attend a commemorative event at the Liberation Monument on National Day, possibly Zhou Enlai.

Huang Feihu was eager to get started. He had already received a state-of-the-art silenced pistol secretly delivered by Taiwan. It was extremely powerful and had been modified for excellent concealment. Huang Feihu planned to detonate explosives in the Liberation Monument area on the day of Operation "Sword of Restoration," and then take the opportunity to assassinate key CCP officials.

To achieve this goal, Huang Feihu is prepared to use his most beloved trump card, which is the most powerful hidden bomb in his mind.

Huang Feihu was reluctant to use this secret weapon unless absolutely necessary. He cherished this mysterious subordinate under his command with a delicate touch, knowing the consequences of using him. Whether successful or not, this subordinate would be completely exposed, like a thrown grenade—self-destruction regardless of whether it hits its target. The Wanlong Inn's rooms were two-story buildings. Manager Sun arranged for Huang Feihu to stay in the south-facing room at the far end of the second-floor corridor—room number twenty-six. This arrangement was deliberate; room twenty-six was against the west wall, outside of a small path leading to a fork in the road nearby, connecting to different densely populated residential areas. In case of emergency, jumping out of the window would be an easy escape.

Old Eagle lives in room number fourteen on the west end of the first floor. Room number fourteen also faces south and is located just below room number twenty-six.

As a special guest, Sun Hailong asked Lao Diao to keep the key to room number fourteen so that he could come and go at any time without disturbing the staff too often and arousing suspicion.

Old Diao hastily ate a bowl of dan dan noodles outside that night, then quietly returned to his room to rest for a while, intending to clear his mind and prepare for the next move. He had just entered the room and locked the door when he suddenly felt a gust of wind behind him. Before he could react, something cold and hard was pressed against his spine—a gun! That was his first thought. "Damn it," Old Diao realized, sensing something was wrong. He wondered if he had been completely exposed. But he tried to remain calm. After all, he was a seasoned veteran, someone who had weathered many storms. Old Diao silently encouraged himself.

"Did I scare you?" A rough voice rang out from behind the old eagle; it was Huang Feihu.

Old Eagle sighed, "Boss, when did you arrive? What brings you here in such a hurry?" Huang Feihu's sudden appearance in the dark surprised Old Eagle greatly, but after the surprise came the pressure.

As expected, Huang Feihu went straight to the point and whispered something to him. The old eagle rubbed his hands together, as if he had encountered a problem.

Huang Feihu whispered a few more words to the old eagle. After a moment of contemplation, the old eagle suddenly clapped its hands to show its courage and signify its submission.

"Boss, how did you get in?" Old Diao still had questions.

Huang Feihu grinned and pointed towards the ceiling: "I descended from the sky."

Old Eagle looked down and saw a large hole in the corner of the ceiling, connecting to the upstairs. It turned out that there was a hinged flap in the corner of the floor of room number twenty-six upstairs, usually hidden under a cabinet. When needed, the cabinet could be moved to flip the flap and jump downstairs. This was a secret of Wanlong Inn, and even more so, Sun Hailong's secret. Outsiders were unaware of this secret, and Boss Sun had his reasons for placing Huang Feihu and Old Eagle in such a cleverly designed room.

The Plum Blossom Party has internal rules that if members meet outside the party, they must not speak to each other casually, but pretend not to know each other, so as not to arouse suspicion from outsiders and avoid causing any complications.

Old Eagle then realized that Wanlong Inn was their hideout. Huang Feihu didn't say anything, and Old Eagle didn't feel comfortable asking any more questions; this was also one of the rules.

Since the Plum Blossom Party's Beijing headquarters was destroyed by our side, the Plum Blossom Party has shifted its focus from Beijing to Chongqing.

During the Republic of China era, Chongqing served as the wartime capital of the Kuomintang. During the War of Resistance against Japan, it became the political center of China. Historically, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party clashed and interacted repeatedly in this rugged mountain city: the Third United Front took place here, with Mao Zedong flying from Yan'an to Chongqing to negotiate peace with Chiang Kai-shek; the Zengjiayan CCP office was where Zhou Enlai dealt with the Kuomintang; and the Sino-American Cooperation Organization was a den of iniquity where the Kuomintang persecuted Communist Party cadres and progressives. Chongqing bears countless marks of the fierce struggle between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. In the past, Kuomintang secret agents ran rampant on this land; now, remnants of the Plum Blossom Party are attempting to rise again and regain their strength.

Chongqing is also an important base for the Third Front construction in Southwest China. Many important national defense and economic construction facilities are located in the surrounding areas, making it a major rear area of mainland China and a strategic stronghold.

The Kuomintang authorities chose Chongqing to implement the "Sword of Restoration" plan, and their intentions were very clear: first, to demonstrate their power in the former wartime capital; and second, to disrupt the Third Front construction in Southwest China. Their sole purpose, however, was to actively build momentum for the "counterattack against the mainland." The core of this heinous plan was to detonate bombs on important buildings and facilities around the Liberation Monument and take the opportunity to assassinate our central leaders.

Huang Feihu has recently received repeated urging orders from Taiwan, while Special Envoy Yu inquires about Huang Feihu's daily progress. According to intelligence, the original military drawings are very likely still in residence number thirteen.

Old Diao had reported to him that it seemed the Communist Party's public security personnel had also noticed the movements of the Thirteenth.

Taking it by force is probably not an option, as that would only benefit the Communist Party.

Time ticked by, and Huang Feihu grew increasingly restless, as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. That day, he had just ordered Lao Diao to retrieve the map within three days when he received a secret telegram from Taiwan. Chiang Kai-shek had sent someone to question him about the lack of progress. Huang Feihu adjusted his plans overnight and decided to stay at the Wanlong Inn to personally direct Lao Diao's operations from the front lines.

73

Ah Cai lay down and hesitated for a full minute by the crack in the attic door before daring to gently pry it open with the gun barrel. He heard a creak, and the door made a slight sound, as if something was being torn apart. Although the sound was brief, lasting only a few seconds, it made Ah Cai feel as if he was enduring a long and dangerous period, which was unbearable!