Chapter 1.4

CHAPTER 5

The two men made sure that the name of the hotel coincided with the one written in a small piece of paper one of them was carrying and entered it. The older and obviously senior said.

“I really do not like having an important meeting in a miserable bog in the lower part of Shanghai. Is this Xei to be trusted?”

“ Xei Fu is who is in charge of the business since his father was killed. They were very powerful people in the Burmese opium trade but now Xei is building a position in the trade of ephedrine. Fu commands one of the most important triads of Fujian.”

“And did he explain why we have to meet in this dump?”

“Yes, Ashikaga San. I think he argued that it would be harder for his competitors to detect the meeting. Let me go to announce us.”

The deputy approached the desk and spoke in his basic Chinese with the employee.

“We have an appointment with Mr. Xei Fu.”

“Who should I announce?”

“Mr. Ashikaga. My name is Higa.”

After ten minutes, a man properly dressed in a western suit descended of the elevator. He quickly detected at the two Japanese men among the occupants of the hotel lobby and addressed them in English.

“Ashikaga San, Higa. Nice to meet you. I am Xei Fu. I booked a table in a private restaurant near the hotel, please follow me.”

“I understand that you represent Mr. Hayashida.” Said Xei once they were already installed.

“Indeed, Hayashida San has honored me with his trust in all businesses with China.”

Xei quickly cut to the chase. He knew who he was dealing with. Hayashida was one of the visible faces of a powerful Yakuza dedicated inter alia in the business of narcotics, with contacts in the US and throughout the Americas. He had already studied the market he was planning to enter and decided those people were the ideal partner at that stage. He narrated his projects and ideas and explained how he was trying to accomplish them. At one point a waiter entered the private and served them tea, also offering alcoholic beverages.

“Afterwards, once we have finished.” Xei answered without consulting his guests.

Once he had completed his presentation, it was the turn of Ashikaga to ask a series of questions that were answered quickly, confirming that Xei had foreseen what doubts could arise. After a period of silence in which it was clear that Ashikaga was meditating he finally said.

“There´s a request that I should make explicit, since Hayashida San expressly asked me to.”

“I am listening.”

“ There is a strong opposition to your actions within China done by your main competitors, also originating in Fujian. I refer to the Xu family.”

“But these are small players, with no potential to face the kind of business I´m proposing.” Xie looked slightly alarmed, because he did not expect that contingency.

“However they have made numerous contacts with other members of our organization and are generating a lot of noise and confusion.”

“Then?” Asked Xie.

“Hayashida San puts a pre-the requirement for further discussions with you. That Xu be ... neutralized.”

“Perhaps Hayashida San does not know that the Xu are cousins of mine.”

“He knows that, and believes that given…your background that should not be a problem.”

Xie felt the blow. The allusion to the murder of his father could not be any clearer. He also realized the level of information that the Japanese had on him. He quickly regained his confidence and answered.

“I’ll consider it. I will shortly let you know my answer.”

“ Well. Let me clarify that if you do not satisfy our requirement you should do business with Taiwan, because none of the organizations in Japan will be willing to deal with you.”

The visitors left and Xei remained alone pondering the meeting. He knew that the alliance with the Yakuza was essential to open the doors to his project with the dimension that he had thought. The union with the Taiwanese was a course of action nearly impossible, given the ancient rivalry between the island of Taiwan and Fujian on the mainland, separated by a strip of sea. The Yakuza could not ignore this situation and when they posed it as an alternative to working with the Japanese they knew it was actually a nonexistent option. When Xie rose from his chair in the private he had already made his decision. Now he would do what he had to do, and the day would come when he would impose his conditions on the Yakuza.