In the North there was Heaven & Earth, the South had a the Red Mansion of Lost Dreams, while the middle had The Resplendent. In China, these three large nightclubs used to be without compare. The Red Mansion and Heaven & Earth had been closed down by the Chinese government, and only The Resplendent continued to stand and did not collapse. How all of this went down was difficult to relate in just a few sentences. Reportedly, The Resplendent"s boss had special methods, as his henchman had influence all over China; it was also said that The Resplendent"s boss had a criminal background, equivalent to that of a gangster. In short, opinions differed but nothing was proven, so the Royal Palace boss" background and his methods remained unknown.
The Resplendent"s rooms were categorized into 5 cla.s.ses named after the Five Virtues, Benevolence, Righteousness, Courteousness, Wisdom, and Sincerity. Depending on the customer"s status, the room given was different. If you were a local official, at most you could only go to Benevolence room. The highest level room of the Resplendent had only ever been used once since its opening, and that time was when a military bigshot came to visit.
Even though w.a.n.g Ping was merely a city-rank official, Shanghai was still a first level administrative division, he could not be treated the same as other local officials.
w.a.n.g Ping was not an ostentatious person. He maintained a low profile precisely in order to wait for this opportunity—a move to make his political enemies fall. His hard work had paid off and Ouyang Cheng"s records that he got from Ye Qian gave him help enormously. Ouyang Cheng was still under a disciplinary investigation, while the results were as of yet unknown, even if Ouyang Cheng came out unscathed from the disciplinary investigation, his political career would not. So for now, his candidacy for Shanghai"s munic.i.p.al committee secretary would have to be set aside.
From the time Ye Qian had been arrested, w.a.n.g Ping faintly felt that he had unbelievable stroke of luck, among others. Coming events cast their shadows before arriving. Since the time Zhao Tian Hao called up the munic.i.p.al committee, w.a.n.g Ping had secretly suspected that Ye Qian was certainly not just as simple as Li Hao said. Eight years. In eight years time, what had Ye Qian been doing in all that time? And where? w.a.n.g Ping was quite curious, without much of a choice, he used countless connections, however all resulted in not even the slightest bit of progress. w.a.n.g Ping felt that once he had Ye Qian, it would certainly help with his future political prospects. When he heard from Li Hao that Ye Qian had agreed to his request to meeting in person, w.a.n.g Ping was slightly surprised. However, he also knew that the reason for this business was certainly not that simple, Ye Qian certainly had his purpose; and if in case he was right, Ye Qian hardly knew the circ.u.mstances beneath, no matter what it is and he forged an alliance, or ignore it, apparently both are quite inappropriate.
After all, w.a.n.g Ping has also been official for many years, he also knew that some opportunities are often hidden in the midst of danger, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Regardless of what business in the end, it can develop something, first he must meet with Ye Qian again.
The second day in the private room, renovating it plainly for the meantime, however easily revealing its elegance. Ye Qian manage to enter the rented room, w.a.n.g Ping and Li Hao were already seated, facing a young woman wearing a Chinese-style dress carefully steeping a tea, the tea flowing from the nozzle of the pot, emitting steam.
Because there"s no time to change clothes, Ye Qian still wore his flashy clothes from last night, Ye Qian put away his sungla.s.ses as he got up. Slightly smiling, Ye Qian slowly walks towards w.a.n.g Ping and took the sit opposite of him. With w.a.n.g Ping, Li Hao don"t dare to talk first. But w.a.n.g Ping calmly watch Ye Qian"s move, without a word. Ye Qian also smiled indifferently, calmly greeting w.a.n.g Ping with a penetrating gaze.
For along time, w.a.n.g Ping regarded Ye Qian"s gaze without the slightest fear and guilt, moreover his face remained calm, w.a.n.g Ping couldn"t help but be secretly scared. From the beginning, he deliberately made Ye Qian feel a little pressure, however he did not expect this young man to not react. That calmly smiling face, w.a.n.g Ping can"t help but admire. "Please have some tea!" w.a.n.g Ping waves his hand and said.
Ye Qian also bluntly, raising the teacup in front, he lightly sipped three mouthfuls first, after that readily drink it all, the boiling tea flows directly along his throat. "Yuqian Dragon Well tea, good tea!" Ye Qian humbly smiled and said, "Good tea, good company." He simultaneously said glancing at the server steeping the tea, his face showing a casual smile.
Everyone can"t help but be startled, they didn"t antic.i.p.ate it, in this formal occasion, Ye Qian unexpectedly said such word. The server facing the tea smiled professional, working here, she was able to encounter customers who doesn"t seem to get along, therefore she wasn"t very surprised. Li Hao secretly pinched Ye Qian, helplessly w.a.n.g Ping did not speak, it was also inappropriate for him to react. w.a.n.g Ping was slightly distracted, he quickly recovered, he doesn"t believe that Ye Qian"s words are praises for the server, rather a hinting about him.
Facing the server and commanding her to finish, allowing her to leave, w.a.n.g Ping got up, extended his hand and said, "I would like to formally introduce myself, w.a.n.g Ping!"
"Ye Qian!" Ye Qian smiled and shaked w.a.n.g Ping"s hand, a superficial contact.
"Mr. Ye what business do you do?" w.a.n.g Ping asked.
"An employee nothing more, temporarily a bodyguard to a bigboss, striving for a living." Ye Qian faintly said.
w.a.n.g Ping was slightly distracted, his intention to start considering him, could it be that Ye Qian is simply an employee of another person, also behind him is a powerful man? Or, Ye Qian is simply acting modest? "Oh? Aren"t you aware of the position of your boss? I might be familiar with him?" w.a.n.g Ping continue to ask.
"A chairman in a far away corporation, Mr. Zhao Tian Hao, surely secretary w.a.n.g isn"t unfamiliar." Ye Qian said.
"I know him, of course I know him, Mr. Zhao is the leading figure in Shanghai"s corporate world, he has made large contribution to Shanghai"s economy." w.a.n.g Ping said. But, it was clear to him that, even if Zhao Tian Hao had a little influence in Shanghai, it seemed that he couldn"t have any sort of relationship with Ouyang Cheng. This was because Ouyang Cheng had some sort of a relationship with Tian Ya Conglomerate"s archenemy, the East Ascension Conglomerate. Zhao Tian Yao couldn"t have any private correspondence with Ouyang Cheng.
"Listening to Young Li"s explanation, Mr. Ye is also a Shanghai man, however you left Shanghai when you were just a child, left for eight years, I am unaware how Mr. Ye struck rich?" w.a.n.g Ping said.
Ye Qian clearly understood that Young Li was referring to Li Hao. Regarding Li Hao informing w.a.n.g Ping about his circ.u.mstances, Ye Qian didn"t put too much mind to it. Chuckling, Ye Qian said, "Struck rich? I only have enough to feed myself, that"s all. Those years I was overseas and struggling, but in the end I still found myself lacking, a falling leaf goes back to one"s roots, as a matter of fact, I returned a few days ago."
Translated by:
cze
Edited by:
DjMrT Furutze