Chapter 105: Following the Trail (Please Support with Votes)

“This is your matter now. I only want the result!” Takeda Kaede said resolutely, leaving no room for refusal. “Mobilize all your connections in China— the more discreet, the better. Find it for me as quickly as possible. This seal is of utmost importance. If you can help me retrieve it, consider it a favor I owe you. I will find a way to bring your son from Japan to China so that you and your son can be reunited!”

The moment Su Yu heard Takeda Kaede’s promise, he straightened up, his eyes fixed intently on Kaede’s face. He spoke deliberately, word by word: “Takeda-kun, is what you say true?”

“Of course,” Takeda Kaede replied firmly. “I swear on the honor of the Takeda family. As long as you can recover the Takeda family crest seal, I will make sure your son is brought to your side. I will not break my word!”

It was a rather melodramatic tale, almost like something out of a romance novel. Back when Su Yu was studying at Kyoto University in Japan, he had secretly fallen in love with a female classmate. Japan was a patriarchal society, and a girl capable of attending Kyoto University was undoubtedly from an exceptional family background.

Near graduation, the girl became pregnant. By the time they graduated, her parents had found out, but it was too late. An abortion would have posed a great risk to her life, so she had no choice but to give birth.

But how could her father allow his daughter to marry a Chinese international student? The lovers were torn apart by force. Su Yu was severely beaten, nearly to death. They bought him a ship ticket and sent men to escort him onto the ship back to China.

Upon returning to China, Su Yu was filled with resentment. He wrote many letters to the girl, but never received a reply. After making inquiries, he learned that she had given birth to a son, but nothing more was known. That child was now about seven years old.

In the years since returning to China, Su Yu initially held on to thoughts of his classmate. But as time passed, his feelings faded. His family arranged a suitable match for him, and life went on. Yet, for some unknown reason, his wife never conceived, causing Su Yu great anxiety.

Among Chinese traditions, there are three great unfilial acts, and having no descendants is considered the worst. Only then did Su Yu remember the son he had in Japan. This obsession grew stronger, making it impossible to calm his mind.

He longed day and night to bring his son back to China, to have him near and continue the family line. At this moment, Takeda Kaede suddenly appeared, pressuring and tempting him with various offers, the most important being this son. Soon, Su Yu had no choice but to become a traitor to his nation.

Now, hearing Kaede promise to bring his son back from Japan, right into his arms, Su Yu was overjoyed beyond measure. No matter the danger, he would not hesitate.

Su Yu knew something of Takeda Kaede. Born into one of Japan’s most prestigious noble families, Kaede was proud and honorable, never breaking a promise.

“Takeda-kun, rest assured, I will do everything in my power to retrieve the family crest seal!” Su Yu nodded in agreement, vowing earnestly.

“This is the address of the last known location. It was stolen ten days ago. You must act quickly; the longer you delay, the harder it will be to recover,” Kaede handed him a slip of paper.

Su Yu took the paper, glanced at it, folded it carefully, and put it away. Now working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he held considerable power and had some operatives both overt and covert at his disposal. He was confident that if it was a simple theft, recovering the seal would not be difficult. The thought of soon reuniting with his son filled him with urgency.

“Takeda-kun, I must take my leave. I will immediately arrange my people to search. Please await good news,” Su Yu said, rising and heading for the door.

Watching Su Yu’s retreating figure, Takeda Kaede felt a slight easing of his anxiety. He hoped Su Yu would succeed in recovering the seal in time. Seeing that it was late, he too departed, hoping their next meeting would bring good news.

The next day, Ning Zhiheng’s office phone rang. As expected, it was Liu Datong’s voice.

“Chief Ning, we have leads!” Liu Datong said excitedly.

“What leads?” Ning Zhiheng’s heart lifted. Liu had found clues within a day—indeed, recruiting him had been the right decision.

In recent major cases cracked by Ning Zhiheng, Liu Datong and his peripheral agents had been invaluable. With their help, Ning felt as if he had countless eyes, saving much effort and avoiding many detours.

“A few rickshaw pullers recognized Dong Chengjie’s photo. Their accounts vary, but I thought I’d report to you first for instructions,” Liu said. Now, Liu’s tone was more official, a sign of his rising status.

“Good. Take your men to the Hongyun Teahouse immediately. I’m on my way,” Ning ordered.

Ning Zhiheng arrived at the Hongyun Teahouse, now a regular patron. The owner greeted him warmly, and a waiter led him to his usual private room on the second floor.

Soon, Liu Datong and Liu Yong arrived with three rickshaw pullers. Knowing Ning’s preferred room, they went straight upstairs.

“Chief Ning, these three are the rickshaw drivers. They all say they’ve pulled Dong Chengjie and remember the routes,” Liu Yong reported.

“Have you all seen the man in the photo?” Ning asked, turning his gaze to the three men.

“Yes, sir. I’ve pulled him several times. He’s very generous, always tipping well and polite,” one driver said eagerly.

“Right, he’s easy to talk to, with a good temper, looks like a scholar,” another chimed in.

The third driver nodded in agreement.

“Do you remember where he got on and got off? Point them out one by one,” Ning instructed.

The drivers excitedly recounted their experiences. They all picked him up near the entrance of Willow Alley, but the drop-off points varied.

Ning summarized on paper: five times at the Gu Lou Street intersection, twice at Er Dao Bridge, once at Xinhekou, once near the moat, and so on.

Looking at the results, Ning said, “Dong Chengjie most frequently got off at the Gu Lou Street intersection. I believe this is his usual spot. His cover job might even be nearby. Let’s go check it out.”

Half an hour later, Ning and his team reached the bustling Gu Lou Street intersection.

Faced with the throngs of pedestrians and the constant flow of vehicles crowding the streets, they were at a loss. Dong Chengjie was truly cunning. Once he got off here, he quickly vanished into the crowd, making pursuit extremely difficult.

Gu Lou Street intersection was a traffic hub with roads extending in all directions, making it impossible to tell which way to follow.

Ning sighed and looked back at the three rickshaw pullers. He said to Liu Yong, “No other way now. We have to use the old-fashioned stakeout method. Gather some rickshaw drivers, no more than ten to avoid drawing attention.

Pick sharp ones who can remember the face in the photo. Post them at every fork. Spread the net wide. I want you to take charge of this.”

Liu Yong nodded eagerly. This wasn’t the first time. Previously, he had joined Ning Zhiheng in organizing rickshaw pullers for a ten-day stakeout on Lin Mucheng. They had contributed greatly and gained experience.

“I’ll select the team immediately. Are you satisfied with the men we used last time?” Liu asked.

“Good. Those men did well and have experience. These three must be included—they know Dong Chengjie best and can identify him quickly,” Ning pointed to the three drivers.

He added, “Train your men well. If you spot him, don’t alert him. Just follow at a distance. Report his whereabouts immediately. Reward handsomely whoever finds him first.”

Liu Yong nodded vigorously.

Ning then turned to Liu Datong. “You must also keep an eye on street reports. Neither of you can slack off. With no other leads, this is our only angle. It’s all up to you.”

“I assure you, Chief Ning, I’ve already deployed my men. There will be no lapses,” Liu Datong responded promptly.