"Lu Tongcang is probably the most powerful man in all of Shanghai."

"You could say that."

"Not many people know him, but he has his hand in many industries, from gambling dens to restaurants, and even movie theaters and taxi companies. Behind every famous industry in Shanghai, there may be his investment. Now he doesn't have to do anything, he can just sit comfortably at home and enjoy the profits. Every day, people come to him with generous profits in hand."

"That's definitely true."

"Even foreigners would show him respect and courtesy. He holds power over the country while lying drunk at the feet of beautiful women. Although Lu Tongcang may not hold power over the world, he can still be considered a local emperor who manipulates the winds and clouds in his own territory. When a man reaches this point in life, he should have no other desires."

"That's not necessarily true. Some people are content with a little wealth, while others, even after becoming the richest, still want to be emperor. Their desires are endless."

Upon hearing this, Yue Dingtang smiled.

"So this is why Lu Tongcang wants to take you down? A cunning rabbit dies, a running dog is cooked, and a flying bird is shot with a good bow. You know too much about him, both the good and the bad, even his dirty work that he doesn't want anyone to know about. Now he needs to get on shore and shake off his troubles, while you continue to grow stronger in the water, posing a threat to his back."

Jiang He sighed, "Sometimes I really hate dealing with you cultured people. You always have to use all sorts of rhetoric to explain things, making my head spin and losing my patience."

Yue Dingtang didn't respond, he just held his cigarette and waited for Jiang He to speak.

Dealing with Lu Tongcang was not an easy task, but they were determined to take him down.

Jiang He couldn't make a hasty decision, and Yue Dingtang understood that.

If it weren't for Ling Shu's investigation that led to the discovery of the mastermind behind the scenes, he wouldn't have come forward to propose cooperation in getting rid of Lu Tongcang.

But now that they were in this situation, there was no turning back. They had to move forward and not only solve the case, but also take down the big tiger on the mountaintop to prevent any future problems.

The same was true for Jiang He.

He and Lu Tongcang had a strained relationship, but this "disagreement" had reached a point of no return in private.

Since the moment Lu Tongcang's assassins began to pursue him, there was no turning back for either of them.

The reason why Jiang He had been lying low was precisely because he feared Lu Tongcang's strength.

If you try to kill a snake and fail, you may easily be bitten in return.

Without adequate preparation, Jiang He would never act lightly.

Tonight was a sudden opportunity.

However, Jiang He did not expect that Yue Dingtang would come directly to his door and ask for cooperation.

Although he was usually decisive, he was a bit indecisive at the moment.

After all, his opponent was Lu Tongcang.

Jiang He was thinking, and Yue Dingtang did not urge him.

Time passed bit by bit.

If he didn't agree to Yue Dingtang, he would let him and Ling Shu go and cause trouble, and even if he failed, he could stay out of it and watch the show.

But he would also miss the best opportunity to deal with Lu Tongcang. After tonight, he may never have such an ally again.

Even if Yue Dingtang and the others fail, he will eventually face Lu Tongcang head-on, and then he may have to fight alone.

Maybe this time, he can catch Lu Tongcang off guard.

"You said earlier that he swallowed the benefits of the foreigners, and the foreigners also want to deal with him?"

"Yes, over the years, Lu Tongcang seems to be all-powerful, but he has also offended many people."

This can be seen from Lu Tongcang's methods of dealing with Jiang He.

If he treats his fellow brothers like this, what about outsiders?

Yue Dingtang said, "A while ago, a batch of smuggled goods arrived at the dock. Originally, it was a collaboration between Lu Tongcang and the foreigners, with a 50-50 split agreement. But then Morris, who was in charge of the negotiations, ran into trouble and was replaced by someone else. Lu Tongcang immediately demanded a 70-30 split, with the foreigners getting only 30%. Naturally, the foreigners refused. In the end, Lu relied on his years of experience and successfully negotiated a 60-40 split, but he also made an enemy."

Jiang He raised an eyebrow and said, "I know about this. Some people said that Lu Tongcang defeated the foreigners and became very proud. He even started to believe it himself."

Yue Dingtang said, "Before coming here, I went to see Smith and he introduced me to the board of directors of the concession bureau. Their idea is that if we can control Lu Tongcang, they can help share the burden of what comes next."

"What comes next?" Jiang He asked.

Lu Tongcang represents a powerful force. If he dies, the river may not be able to control the many other beasts without a leader. If a foreigner steps in, things will be much easier and the situation won't be so chaotic.

In other words, the foreigners are here to share the spoils.

It sounds good, but Jiang He can't handle such a big piece of the pie alone. He must find someone to cooperate with, and finding a foreigner is not a bad choice.

"And what about you? Mr. Yue has paved the way and made connections. What can you get?" Jiang He asked.

He knew the Yue family was powerful, and he knew that Yue Dingtang was a man of impeccable character who never got involved in the disputes and interests of the martial world, let alone dealings with both sides of the law.

"Ling Shu has already stepped into it, and unless we completely resolve this matter, we cannot leave unscathed." Yue Dingtang looked at him with a meaningful gaze, as if he had detected his probing.

"Mr. Jiang, just focus on how to deal with Lu Tongcang and the foreigners. We don't want any share of the benefits afterwards. I just want Ling Shu to be safe and sound."

Jiang He's eyes flickered slightly. "You seem to care a lot about Ling Shu."

"It's a karmic bond." Yue Dingtang was concise and to the point, not wanting to say more. He wore glasses tonight, even though the prescription was not high, he habitually pushed them up. The gold-rimmed glasses gave him an elegant appearance.

Although he was concerned, Jiang He couldn't detect any signs of him being flustered.

"Time is running out, Mr. Jiang, what are your thoughts?"

Jiang He remained silent for a moment.

"Lu Tongcang has seven properties in Shanghai, two in Nanjing, one in Hangzhou, and one in Tianjin. But as far as I know, he hasn't left Shanghai recently. So every night, he will impulsively choose one of his properties to stay in, just to avoid being tracked."

Lu Tongcang knew he had many enemies, all of whom wanted him dead. He was surrounded by bodyguards day and night, and he was always on guard, afraid that Jiang He would strike back at any moment and send ten or eight assassins to attack him. Even with his tough skin and bones, he might not be able to withstand the barrage of bullets.

Since Jiang He was convinced by Yue Dingtang to join forces against Lu Tongcang, he would do everything in his power to succeed.

Either do it or don't do it at all.

"His wife and children are in their hometown in the countryside. Only his eldest son was brought over to work by Lu Tongcang's side. However, this kid is useless and only has his father's cruel and ruthless nature. He can only bully others with false bravado and lacks ability. Lu Tongcang knows this well. He has many mistresses and hopes they can give birth to a smart and clever successor for him. Among the seven houses, three are where his mistresses live. Two of them are already pregnant and need to be taken care of. Lu Tongcang sends people to look after their daily lives, but he rarely goes there himself for fear of enemies tracking him down and harming the mother and child."

Upon hearing this, Yue Dingtang smirked.

"So, he's also afraid that his sons will fight and harm the younger ones, right?"

Jiang He couldn't help but laugh. "Indeed. Apart from these two places, I know the addresses of the remaining five houses, but I don't know where he will spend the night tonight," said Jiang He.

The addresses of these houses, except for the Lu Manor, which is open to the public, are kept secret.

Jiang He knew because he had long wanted to deal with Lu Tongcang, so he had made all the necessary preparations.

Yue Dingtang asked, "What kind of person is he?"

Jiang He replied, "He is suspicious and jealous. He appears to be very loyal, and I have saved him three times. One time, I almost died, and he told me that no matter how much he achieved in his life, half of it would always belong to me."

Yue Dingtang asked, "Did you believe him at that time?"

Jiang He said, "I believed in him. I followed him through thick and thin, blocking countless bullets and arrows for him, and even did some dirty work for him. But in the end, he started to suspect me. He called me his good brother to my face, but sent people to chase and kill me behind my back. He thought I was becoming too powerful and uncontrollable, and even trained his son to compete with me for territory and business."

Yue Dingtang asked, "Does he have any recent movements?"

Jiang He replied, "One of his most profitable businesses, the hornet's nest that Ling Shu stabbed, is now under his control and he doesn't let anyone else touch it. He also set up an auction house called Chunshan Club, only inviting wealthy young gentlemen and political and business elites that he knows well. It happens once a week and there are rare antiques, live performances, and auctions."

Yue Dingtang furrowed his brows slightly and asked, "Slaves?"

Jiang He sneered, "Some people are two-faced. They don't want to be too conspicuous for the sake of their reputation, so they don't buy people. They just go to his place to have fun, bidding on these people. In fact, it's just renting. When they get tired of playing with them, they can return them. Lu Zude is the actual manager of this business. Because of his unusual physique, he is loyal to Lu Tongcang and will not betray him."

As he spoke, there was a sudden knock on the door.