The second volume is full of glory and splendor in the capital, and the spirit is full of vitality in the foggy city. Chapter 300: Extras (Part 1)
The subtitle of this chapter: Big news, beginning to emerge.
Our Master Yuan took a "leap of faith" in front of his lover. At this moment, Tai Ge, Ao Shu, Ya Ge, Hai Ge and others were possessed by him.…
Well, actually, he swallowed a few fleas and gained superhuman jumping abilities.
The insect vein warlock is a little disgusting, but it is really powerful. Some people even cut off their own penises to gain power, so what’s the big deal about eating a few insects?
“Bang!”
When he landed, he struck a pose like a superhero making his debut, kneeling on one knee, touching the ground with his right hand, and raising his left hand behind him. He looked so cool and impressive.
Hey, why are there a pair of shoes on the ground... No, there is a person in front of me?
Yuan Yan suddenly took off her hat to cover her face, then stood up and saw that it was a British policeman wearing a bell hat.
"Good morning, Sir." He politely greeted the policeman whose eyes were about to pop out.
“Whoosh!”
Master Yuan exerted force with his legs, jumped over the man's head, and flew into the distance...
The flea man, also known as the "spring man," is an urban myth that has circulated in London since the 1920s. It is said that the flea man sucks the blood of virgins at night, returning to his lair in the morning to hibernate. He is also a skilled leaper, capable of leaping across the Thames in a single bound.
The British TV series "The Spring" is based on this urban myth..."
——Excerpt from "SCP Encyclopedia: Flea Man"
The place the "flea man" wanted to go was not the Chinatown near Buckingham Palace and Downing Street that later tourists went to.
His destination was Limehouse, the earliest Chinese settlement in London, near the port. In fact, this is an area with many shipbuilding and ship repair yards.
As early as the early 19th century, before the First Opium War, some laborers and sailors from South China came to London and settled in the shipyard area.
By the early 20th century, the growing number of Chinese residents in the area primarily targeted Chinese sailors from the nearby shipyard district, and the area gradually became known as a legal opium den and slum.
The area was not demolished until 1934, but a small number of elderly Chinese people still lived here a hundred years later.
Compared to Chinatown in the city center, this place is of course less eye-catching.
He changed several hired carriages and made sure that there were no pursuers behind him before entering Limehouse and arriving at the door of a dilapidated repair shop.
"Bang, bang, bang."
Master Yuan knocked hard on the iron door a few times. Soon the small window on the door opened, revealing Xiaokang's face.
"Second Master, you're here."
His driver opened the door for Yuan Yan suddenly and led him in.
“Xiaokang, thank you for your hard work.” Lord Fool patted Eight of Swords on the shoulder.
Condor, who knew a little bit of the inside story, said seriously, "Second Master, compared to the big things you want to do, I'm just running errands. It's not hard work."
Our Master Yuan nodded appreciatively and asked, "How many people came this time?"
"More than twenty..." Xiaokang lowered his voice tactfully, "and they are from two gangs."
"Two gangs?"
"Yes, Second Master. One group is the skilled hands that the leader found for you, and the other group is the rookies who admire you."
Needless to say, Yuan Yanshu has a large number of fans, especially in the overseas Chinese community in America, where his reputation is extremely prominent.
In the United States in 1921, he was the only Chinese person who could achieve his status. It was impossible not to admire him.
Of course, his reputation in the past few years was not very good, but now that he has become famous, it is different. He is regarded by everyone as a typical example of "if you don't make a name for yourself, you will make a big splash when you do."
As for our Master Yuan, he was uninhibited, lustful, fickle, and easily disliked the old and loved the new. These were all characteristics of a great artist, and instead added a touch of legendary color to him.
Moreover, the Hongmen disciples in Anliangtang and Zhigongtang, including Situ Meitang himself, had no sense of confidentiality at all, so everyone knew that Nintendo's sage wanted to find someone to make a big move.
Although no one knew how big the ticket would be, many people still took the initiative to sign up.
"Xiaokang, if there are so many people, we can't take them all. Too many people can only make things worse." Yuan Yan suddenly stopped and pondered for a moment before saying, "Find the two leaders for me first."
"Okay, Second Master."
Kang Erduo found him a secluded house, and soon the two men came.
The leader was tall and strong, with a sturdy build and steady steps. He looked like a martial artist. However, he had a very pink and baby-like face, and even with his old-fashioned beard, it looked a bit out of place.
As soon as he saw Yuan Yan, he grabbed a handful of "Three and a Half Incense" and introduced himself very straightforwardly: "This must be Mr. Yuan Er, right? My surname is Xiao, and my bandit name is Po Hai."
Xiao Kang, standing nearby, introduced, "This Xiao Da is the Double-Flowered Red Stick of the Boston Anliang branch. He's not only highly skilled, but also extremely hostile to evil. He's known in the martial arts world as 'Nezha the Sea Breaker'..."
This nickname is really descriptive. Has anyone here read "100,000 Whys"?
"What a double-flowered red stick! What a sea-breaking Nezha!" Sage Second Master praised him first, then returned the greeting, saying, "Master Xiao, you're here to help. I'm deeply grateful, brother."
After greeting Nezha, he looked at another man, who was much more refined. He was of medium height, with a kind face, a plump build, and a warm smile. In four words, he was harmless.
However, he was dressed very appropriately and thoughtfully, and he must be a student from a wealthy family with a good background.
The little fat man didn't use Hongmen etiquette. Instead, he stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Dr. Yuan, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Fu Changsheng."
Xiaokang introduced himself again, "Second Master, Mr. Fu is a top student at the University of Southern California. He's currently the White Paper Fan of our Anliang Hall Sacramento branch..."
Since he was an intellectual, Master Yuan did not dare to neglect him. He extended his hand and said, "Brother Fu, thank you for your hard work. I am also very happy to meet you. What is your major?"
"I studied mathematics." Fu Changsheng shook his hand and said with a wry smile, "But I'm a useless scholar, so I have no choice but to beg for a living at Anliang Hall and work as an accountant for my father."
I understand. Logically speaking, a top student in the mathematics department can at least become a high school teacher. However, this talented and educated person cannot display his talents in America, where there is a strong anti-Chinese atmosphere, so he comes to make money through unconventional means.
"Master Xiao, Brother Fu, please take a seat." Yuan Yan suddenly offered a seat to one of them, then asked, "Did Master Situ tell you why we came to London this time?"
The two exchanged glances, and Xiao Pohai spoke first, "He only said that the Second Master wanted to start a big business that would make our Hongmen famous, but he didn't say what it was specifically."
Fu Changsheng added: "He also said that this was absolutely an act of righteousness, not a crime."
"Famous throughout the world, hahahaha... a stunning act of righteousness, hahahaha..."
Our Master Yuan smiled and nodded, saying, "Well said, Big Dragon Head. Brother, I am indeed going to do something righteous and earth-shattering that will be known throughout the world."
"But..." He leaned forward, staring into their eyes, and said in a deep voice, "In front of the two True Lords, I will not lie. This matter is extremely dangerous. If you are not careful, you will be imprisoned or even your life will be in danger..."
"Besides, brother, I'm only making a loss to gain publicity. Giving everyone some money to settle down is only natural. But if you want to get rich, I'm afraid it's impossible."
The two people reacted differently when they heard this.
Xiao Pohai didn't show any disappointment, but instead narrowed his eyes and looked at Master Yuan. Fu Changsheng, on the other hand, seemed a little excited, his lips trembling as if he wanted to ask something.
Xiao Pohai thought for a moment and said, "Second Master, could you tell me what your plan is about?"
Master Yuan said without hesitation, "Absolutely. Listen carefully, both of you. The key word is..."
The ugly bride would eventually have to meet her parents-in-law. He couldn't keep this plan secret until the last moment. He had to at least let the leading figures know what he was going to do and what he was going to achieve. So he had to explain it clearly to these two people now.
Of course, if one of them refuses to agree, or even shows the slightest reluctance, then the plan will have to be scrapped.
"Fight to the death and return Qingdao to me!"
Fu Changsheng, a top student in the mathematics department, was quick-witted and well-informed, and he immediately connected his thoughts with current affairs. He blurted out, "The Crown Prince of Japan?!"
Upon hearing these words, Xiao Pohai also reacted.
"Second Master/Dr. Yuan, are you going to..." the two men said in unison, "Assassinate/kidnap him?!"
"Boss Xiao, why kill him? I don't want to start a war." Yuan Yan smiled and said, "Brother Fu is right, just kidnap him."
"In short, what we want to do is kidnap the Japanese Crown Prince, and then use his life to threaten the British and Japanese governments to abolish the Shandong Treaty and return Qingdao to us, China!"
"Is this possible?!" Fu Changsheng asked loudly, "Dr. Yuan, is it possible that Britain and Japan will agree to such a national event just because the Japanese Crown Prince is in our hands?!"
"That's unlikely." Our Master Yuan nodded in agreement, then said calmly, "So we have to add the British Crown Prince to the mix."
At that time, the King of England still held the title of Emperor of India, so he could call George V's son, Prince of Wales, Edward VIII, who "loved beauty more than power", the Crown Prince.
“…”
Silence, silence, and more silence. None of the four people in the room spoke a word. It was so quiet that one could hear the faint hum of the light bulb.
"Hahaha..." Xiao Pohai suddenly laughed out loud, looking up to the sky. "Kidnapping the British and Japanese crown princes respectively, regardless of success or failure, will indeed make our Hongmen famous throughout the world..."
Yuan Yan suddenly corrected him, "Master Xiao, you're wrong. It's not separation, it's one time!"
He explained, "You should know that the Crown Prince of Japan's visit to the UK is to enhance the friendship between the two countries and continue to maintain the Anglo-Japanese alliance. So the Japanese side will definitely hold a diplomatic reception to entertain local British dignitaries..."
"Even if the British want to break the alliance, it won't embarrass the Japanese. As a reciprocal move, the British Crown Prince will likely attend the reception. Of course, there might be other cabinet ministers as well. With just one operation, we can kidnap quite a few people..."
“So the chances of success are far greater than failure!”
"Impossible, impossible, impossible..." Fu Changsheng shook his head and said, "I'm not saying that Dr. Yuan's plan can't succeed, but even if it succeeds, Britain and Japan can't use such a national event as a condition for a hostage exchange."
"Brother Fu, you're right again." Master Yuan smiled slightly and said, "Then would you like to hear my overall plan..."
Xiao Pohai and Fu Changsheng exchanged a glance, both revealing a focused expression as they said, "Please speak."
"The first step is a surprise attack. Actually, I think this is the easiest step..."
It wasn't that Yuan Yanshu thought he had the aura of a protagonist and could do whatever he wanted. It was simply that the security provided to important figures in various countries around the world these days was far inferior to what it would be a hundred years later.
Not to mention the distant past, the trigger for World War I was the Sarajevo incident where Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated. The dignified Austrian Crown Prince and his wife were shot to death by Serbian nationalists.
Take him as another example. When he entered the White House to meet the Hardings, he was carrying two large boxes, and no one opened them to check. If there really were two Boomers inside, the dignified President of the United States and his "poker...mahjong cabinet" would have been doomed.
"Step two, standoff. We need time for this news to ferment..."
He was not so naive as to kidnap the Prince of Wales and Prince Di Gong and use their lives as a threat to force Britain and Japan to abolish the Treaty of Shandong. He just did it to gain fame and cover up his true purpose.
The longer it drags on, the bigger the matter will become, and by then the British government will not be able to conceal it even if it wants to.
"The third step is retreat. This is the most crucial and difficult step. Brother, I can't guarantee 100% success..."
This plan was, after all, a terrorist act, a terrorist act that caused both Britain and Japan to lose face.
If this falls into the hands of the British, life imprisonment is the minimum, and the death penalty is not impossible.
Therefore, the plan must include an arrangement for everyone to evacuate, at least it seems feasible.
"Boss Xiao, Brother Fu, this is my overall plan!"
Silence, silence, and silence again. The four people in the room remained silent, but this time they could hear the heavy breathing of Xiao Pohai and Fu Changsheng.
A full quarter of an hour passed, and the two still didn't speak. Master Yuan sighed inwardly, thinking that this news story would be a failure...
"Done."
"Excuse me, Mr. Xiao, Brother Fu. I didn't hear you clearly. What did you say?"
“Done!”
This time, they both said in unison, "I say, do it!"
