Chapter 54 Father's Past
On the rooftop balcony, snowflakes were gently falling. Xiang Wanfeng took out a pack of cigarettes and casually offered one to Ping An.
"Any news about Mr. Ke?" Ping An asked directly.
"That's a question I should be asking you," Xiang Wanfeng said. "You're still holding back the most important piece of information, why?"
"Because I don't trust you," Ping An said calmly. "Yan Qing was too good to me, but he was plotting against me years ago. And your attitude towards me, the trust you've shown, it's not something a cautious person like you would do."
"Yan Qing's wife had met Mr. Ke once, though it was through a curtain. Mr. Ke gave Wang Li an arrow, saying it could be used to frame you at a crucial moment. He predicted you wouldn't be an easy person to deal with, hating the police for arresting your father without proper investigation, and that you wouldn't cooperate and might even antagonize them, drawing all attention away," Xiang Wanfeng explained. "Mr. Ke met Wang Li because Wang Li's lover introduced them. These two wanted to spend their lives together and asked Mr. Ke for advice. Mr. Ke then devised this criminal plan for Wang Li. Later, Yan Qing heard the plan and improved it slightly, leading to the implementation of a scheme involving fraud and smuggling, disguised by complex cases of murder, reporting, and drug trafficking."
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"So, Wang Li's lover can find Mr. Ke?" Ping An asked.
"He's dead. Died the same night Wang Li's group was apprehended," Xiang Wanfeng said.
"Another death to obscure the truth?" Ping An said. "Can I have my notebook back now?"
"I burned it!" Xiang Wanfeng declared.
"Why? Without my permission?" Ping An was somewhat angry.
"Isn't it better to live a good life? Look at your good friend downstairs, your girlfriend from your hometown, your obedient disciple. They're all so wonderful," Xiang Wanfeng said. "I've let go. Why can't you?"
"It's different, this is different," Ping An said. "I was afraid you'd say this, so I kept this last resort. Don't blame me, I need to investigate myself."
"I don't want you to do this!" Xiang Wanfeng protested.
"You're not my elder, why do you get to control me?" Ping An asked, frowning.
"Because, years ago, I already became your stepfather! My child!" Xiang Wanfeng said, a little embarrassed.
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"You and..."
"Yes, we love each other truly!"
"Then, was there..."
"No, no one knows!"
"So you've been looking at me with the eyes of a step-parent all this time?"
"That's love, my child!"
"Get lost! I don't accept it!"
"Your mother is in the car downstairs. Go and see her!"
"Why did you trick my mom into coming back?"
"You've gotten yourself into all this trouble! How could your mother in Singapore not know? She hasn't interfered because I've been vouching for you, taking care of you!"
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"You old man, you're taking advantage of me!"
"I'm prepared to not receive your blessings!"
"Are you going to let me continue investigating Mr. Ke's case or not!"
"I'll listen to your mother."
"I'm going to Japan before the new year. Are you going to manage that?"
"I'll listen to your mother."
"I want to see Old Yan. Will you approve the permit?"
"I'll listen to your mother."
"Go to hell! Can't you have any ideas of your own?"
"On your matters, I will resolutely listen to your mother!" Xiang Wanfeng stated. "If you still want to investigate cases in River Stream, you go and obediently invite your mother in right now!"
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"..." Ping An.
"Alright, you don't need to call me Dad. Just know it in your heart!"
"I didn't say anything!" Ping An replied.
...
At the New Year's Day luncheon, Ping An, with a smile, welcomed the true mistress of the house back from outside.
As An Jing pounced into her mother's arms, acting spoiled, Ping An glared at a visibly awkward Xiang Wanfeng. Mei Qian, having quickly changed into a suit, was preparing to greet his mother-in-law with surprise from Gao Xiaofei. Su Tang, somewhat restrained, looked at the middle-aged woman dressed as a noble lady, unsure how to address her as "Grandma." Fei Keqing, holding Ping An and his mother's hands, happily spoke of their longing for each other...
A stepfather is also a father! Ping An's mother, who lived abroad for extended periods, rarely returned home, but this time she brought back a beloved father. An Jing, naturally, grew to love this father through her mother. Mei Qian, as a prospective son-in-law striving to win over his mother-in-law's favor, with a "killing two birds with one stone" stratagem, shamelessly called out "Uncle Xiang," which made Gao Xiaofei, who always called him Director Xiang, very uncomfortable.
...
West of Hokkaido Island in Japan lies a city called Sapporo. It's one of Japan's rare inland cities and the center of the Hokkaido metropolitan area.
Odori Park is a famous landmark in this city, and a snow festival is currently underway there.
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"Excuse me, sir, could you please move?" A staff member in a yellow vest politely shook awake a man sleeping on a bench.
"Japanese people are so bothersome. It's a public place, what's wrong with me resting for a bit!" This man was none other than Ping An. With less than ten days until the Spring Festival, he had been in Japan alone for three days. Using information obtained from Yan Qing, he intended to find a Japanese man named San Tui Pielang in this city, as this man was the one who introduced Yan Qing and his wife to Mr. Ke.
Having refused all well-intentioned entreaties, Ping An, with unwavering resolve, had come to Japan and to Sapporo. He thought finding this Japanese man would be difficult, but on his first day here, he learned that the man was actually easy to find and lived directly opposite the park.
However, easy to find did not mean easy to meet. Ping An, who had located the Japanese man's residence with ease, had failed to see him for three consecutive days. The doorman, upon hearing that Ping An was an unrelated party, would simply say, "I'm sorry," and firmly close the door, ignoring him.
Over the past three days, Ping An had tried "forcing his way in," "climbing over the fence," "deception," and "bribery," but he was always "invited" out by the clever doorman. Frustrated, Ping An did some research and discovered that the person he was looking for was a "master" who taught archery to the Japanese imperial family and held a "noble title." Furthermore, he was an Olympic archery gold medalist and quite popular in Japan...
"Damn feudalism, it'll be overthrown sooner or later!" Ping An muttered to himself as he walked around the park, having been ushered off the bench.
"What's so great about him! If my father were alive, what chance would he have had in those Olympics!" Ping An grumbled inwardly.
As he walked, Ping An suddenly saw a stone monument. Although it was inscribed with Japanese characters, he managed to decipher its general meaning after some guessing. The inscription detailed the records of various "samurai" from across Japan who had challenged San Tui Pielang over the past decade, with San Tui winning all the matches, naturally.
"Hey, how did I get here!" After reading the monument, Ping An realized he had accidentally come to the outer wall of San Tui's residence.
"Right! If I challenge that damn guy to a match, I can meet him!" Ping An smacked his head and quickly ran back to the main gate.
"Sir, our master is not available to meet guests," the doorman said, as polite as ever, but still refusing entry.
"Tell your master I'm here to challenge him!" Ping An said confidently, dropping his backpack.
"I apologize, our master does not compete with those without a recognized standing." The doorman's Chinese wasn't perfect, but his use of certain phrases was spot on.
"I guessed it! Tell your master we'll compete in 'shooting peacock eyes'!" Ping An said calmly. "And tell him he'll only get one chance. I'm probably the only person in all of Japan who can compete with him in 'shooting peacock eyes'."
"Shooting peacock eyes" was a form of archery competition from China's Tang Dynasty, passed down through generations and considered the highest honor by archery practitioners. Ping An was gambling, betting that this archery master would recognize the significance of "peacock eyes" and agree to meet him.
"Please wait a moment. I will go and ask the master!" This time, the doorman didn't refuse outright. He bowed respectfully to Ping An before entering the courtyard.
A short while later, the doorman returned to the gate, waved his right hand, and formally invited Ping An into the courtyard.
"Finally, I get to meet him!" Ping An thought excitedly.
Strictly speaking, the courtyard wasn't large, but its landscaping was exquisite. Led by the doorman, Ping An passed through three or four rooms and finally arrived at what appeared to be an archery training ground.
"Young man, are you Chinese?" a voice preceded the appearance of the person.
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Ping An looked in the direction of the voice. A middle-aged man in a traditional kimono suddenly appeared before him.
"Yes! I am Chinese!" Ping An was certain the middle-aged man before him was Mr. San Tui.
"You know archery? Family tradition? Or...?" The middle-aged man's expression was unreadable as he asked in heavily accented, broken Chinese.
"It's a sort of family tradition!" Ping An replied.
"Only a few families know of 'peacock eyes'," the middle-aged man mused. "Are you from the Yang, Wang, or Ping family?"
"My name is Ping An. My father is Ping Fan, and my grandfather is Ping Chang!" Ping An stood up straight and replied politely.
Upon hearing Ping An's words, the middle-aged man immediately straightened up, clasped his hands, and bowed to Ping An, saying, "San Tui Pielang, greetings to a member of the Ping family. I pay my respects."
Seeing that the other party had finally acknowledged his identity and his attitude had undergone a 180-degree turn, Ping An, feeling a little apprehensive, also bowed.
"I competed with your esteemed father nine times, three official matches and six private ones, forging a deep friendship," San Tui politely invited Ping An into the hall, offered him a seat, and personally brewed tea to chat leisurely.
"May I ask how the matches turned out?" Ping An asked, taking a sip of tea, making conversation.
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"Alas, I lost every single one," San Tui said with some guilt. "After hearing about your father's unfortunate incident, I wanted to pay my respects several times, but due to our wager, I delayed. I never expected that today, his descendant, Mr. Ping An, would personally come."
"I didn't expect you and my father to have such a connection. I have indeed come to consult you on a matter," Ping An eagerly wanted to know the truth and casually took out the arrow from his backpack, the same arrow his father had lost, which later killed Chen Nairong and nearly implicated him.
"I know what you're here to ask about!" Upon seeing the long arrow, Mr. San Tui's initial surprise quickly subsided.
"Since you represent your family to challenge me, let's compete first! After the match, whatever you wish!" San Tui said decisively.
"Uh! I just came to ask a question! I didn't actually intend to compete, and besides, I didn't bring any archery equipment!" Ping An suddenly felt he couldn't keep up with the other party's pace.
"Bring two bows! And twenty arrows!" San Tui suddenly shouted.
Several people immediately emerged from the sides of the hall. Some carried tables, others removed vases. Soon, two young men in wide kimonos each carried a bow, with quivers of arrows on their backs. They respectfully placed the bows and arrows before Ping An and San Tui.
Ping An picked up a bow and, after inspecting it, found it to be a genuine yew longbow. Just as he was about to examine it further, he noticed that in the courtyard about fifty paces away, a painting of a peacock displaying its plumage had been set up at some point.
"Mr. Ping An, my humble abode is simple and lacks a real peacock. I only have this ancient painting, so the competition method must change!" San Tui said sternly. "Ten arrows per person, within the time it takes an incense stick to burn. The arrow must enter the eye on the peacock's tail without falling. The arrowhead must be seamlessly integrated with the eye. The distance between arrows must not exceed three eyes. What do you say?"
Here, it's worth explaining that peacocks have many eyes on their tail feathers when displaying. To showcase their archery prowess, ancient archers would shoot at these eyes. During shooting, the peacock's tail would open and close, its angle and position constantly changing, and the archer had to shoot without startling the bird, requiring speed, agility, and unfailing accuracy. Lacking a live peacock, San Tui had brought an old painting. While the competition method had changed, the basic requirements remained: the arrow must lodge in the painting without falling; the arrowhead's feathers must be close to the painting, appearing as one with it from a distance; and the ten arrows in the painting must be no more than three eyes apart, imposing a density requirement.
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After stating the rules, San Tui looked at the silent Ping An and said kindly, "Is it a bit difficult! Hahaha!"
Unexpectedly, Ping An glanced back at San Tui and said incredulously, "Is that all?"
The incense stick was lit!
San Tui let out a loud shout, smeared colorful paint on his face, slapped his thigh forcefully, and then raised his bow to prepare for the competition!
Meanwhile, on Ping An's side – he had already shot ten long arrows into the painting according to the rules.
"Nani! You! How is this possible?" Seeing the ten long arrows artfully placed on the painting fifty paces away, and then looking back at Ping An, who had just put down his bow and was drinking tea, San Tui asked in disbelief, "Aren't you from the grassland school? Don't you excel at shooting moving targets, not stationary ones?"
"I don't know about schools or whether they're moving or stationary. When I was six, my dad made me secretly shoot hawthorns at the neighbor's house from the rooftop. To avoid detection, I had to shoot them evenly and beautifully..." Ping An yawned.
Thus concluded a challenge where the form outweighed the competition. San Tui, looking somewhat dazed, put down his bow, dismissed his servants, and cautiously said to Ping An, "Alright then, you pick a date. After the Chinese New Year, you can take Mako away. I will provide a generous dowry..."
"Sir! What Mako are you talking about! I just came to ask about this arrow and Mr. Ke. Why are you bringing up marriage?" Ping An shot up abruptly, agitated.
"You came to my house, weren't you calculating that Mako is already eighteen and came to fulfill the agreement between your father and me?" San Tui asked, confused.
"What agreement! I had no idea!" Ping An grew more confused.
"Look for yourself, your father's written agreement is right there on the table!" San Tui rubbed his head and said firmly, "I haven't forgotten a single day!"
Ping An strode to the table and indeed found a letter on a wooden stand. He quickly opened it and recognized his father's familiar handwriting.
"I hereby pledge that if I defeat Lord San Tui again in eighteen years, and the parties involved are willing, I agree to let my eldest son, Ping An, marry San Tui's daughter, Mako... The hundred-year enmity between our two families, may it end with our generation and be renewed with the next generation..."
After reading it three times, Ping An was certain it was written by his father. But he was already fourteen at the time. Why hadn't his father told him?
"The following year, your father had that incident. To be honest, I was very regretful, but I never broke my promise," San Tui said. Earlier, through a friend, he had met the Yan Qing couple, who were supposedly as close to Ping An as family. To show his sincerity, he gave the long arrow as a "token of trust" for the Yan Qing couple to take back to China. He just hadn't expected that the arrow would later nearly implicate Ping An.
"Sir, my father was framed by that arrow. How did you originally obtain this arrow?" Ping An asked.
"When we made the agreement, both your father and I were drunk. I asked him for a token of trust, and he casually gave me an arrow. What, did your father not remember later?" San Tui said. The day after the agreement, he had returned to Japan in a hurry. After some time, he heard about Ping An's father's incident, but he didn't know the specifics. Could it really be because of this arrow?
"Isn't it precisely because of this arrow?" Ping An suddenly remembered that when his father was being interrogated by the police, he was vague about the lost arrow. At first, he said he might have given it to someone and even asked the police to verify it, but the police at the time apparently thought his father was lying and joked, "Why don't you say you gave it to the Emperor of Japan?"...
So, his father had indeed given the arrow to San Tui!
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More than ten years later, this case is finally clear.
"Sir, let's put the past aside. I want to ask you now, who is that Mr. Ke to you?" Ping An asked, suppressing his anger.
"Oh, that Mr. Ke was an assistant to the lawyer your father hired. She was a very elegant woman. Later, I heard she was in a car accident and always wore a mask. After your father's incident, she was entrusted by your father to come to Japan to find me and instructed me to say that we only competed and didn't know each other if anyone asked. At the time, I thought your country was still prejudiced against the descendants of war criminals, and I was afraid that your father might face even worse consequences because of me." San Tui explained.
"Descendant of a war criminal?" Ping An pondered and understood. His father must have entrusted Mr. Ke, then his lawyer's assistant, to find San Tui in Japan and retrieve the arrow. But why would Mr. Ke say that? Had she already intended to harm his father from the beginning?
"I'm ashamed to say, my grandfather was a regimental commander in the invading Japanese army. Your great-grandfather, a hero from the grasslands who resisted Japan, was killed by my grandfather. Or rather, they competed for their lives through archery, but my grandfather's adjutant, basely fearing my grandfather would lose, secretly switched your great-grandfather's glasses..." San Tui recounted. "The sixth art of the gentleman, archery, is a profound subject. Our family was originally named San Yuan. For centuries, the heads of the family served as royal archery attendants and were later granted the surname San Tui. After World War II, my grandfather was convicted by the International Military Tribunal. He had no regrets about his crimes, except that he felt he had wronged your Ping family and believed that victory in that match was dishonorable."
"I grew up in a peaceful era. From my father's generation, although we were no longer royal attendants, we became a sporting family and frequent participants in national shooting competitions," San Tui said with emotion. "Twenty years ago, by chance, I met your father. On the field, we were opponents, but off the field, we unexpectedly became friends!"
"He was truly a respectable man! I still remember him telling me that he had no right to forgive the atrocities the Japanese army committed in China on behalf of the deceased ancestors, but he had the right to look optimistically towards our future with a forgiving heart," San Tui continued. "I was impressed by Mr. Ping Fan's character and skill, and I wholeheartedly accepted my defeat! During the last competition with your father in Rome, my wife had just given birth to our daughter. He jokingly said that if possible, she should marry you in the future. I took it seriously and, half-jokingly, half-seriously, signed the agreement with your father."
So that's how it was!
He never expected his father to have such a past.
Ping An sighed profoundly.
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"Ms. Ke, oh, I should say Mr. Ke now. Shortly after she visited me, news came of your father's suicide. Having had a few encounters with Mr. Ke, I thought she was a good person, and she also told me at the time that she wanted to develop her career in Japan. We became friends for many years," San Tui said. "Although we were friends, we rarely met. I always wanted to inquire about your family's situation, and for some years, I couldn't contact her. Later, one of my disciples, who was involved with gangs, casually told me that Mr. Ke had actually joined a Japanese gang. This greatly surprised me, and I slowly distanced myself from her. About a year ago, she suddenly visited me, bringing the Yan Qing couple with her. She said this couple was like your current parents. After I hosted them warmly, and with Mr. Ke's hint, I gave them that arrow, expressing my willingness to let you come to Japan to marry Mako. They left a few days later. Soon after, you arrived."
It's clear now! Everything is clear. If she was indeed the lawyer's assistant hired by his father at the time, then her name and background could be investigated. This trip to Japan was not in vain.
"Sir, one last question. Could you please look at these two photos and tell me if you recognize these two women?" Ping An asked.
"Ah, yes. I remember that when the Yan Qing couple came, there was also a very beautiful woman. Strangely, I remember the Yan Qing couple saying they were meeting Ms. Ke for the first time. But that night, when they stayed at my place, I unexpectedly saw that woman talking with Ms. Ke in the pavilion outside the hall. That woman is the one in this photo," San Tui said, earnestly pointing at one of the photos. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"This one? I'm sorry, I don't recognize her, never seen her!" San Tui returned the other photo to Ping An. This photo was of Ping An's ex-girlfriend, Peng You.
Just then, a girl in a white dress ran quickly from outside the hall.
"Is this uncle the one who's going to marry me?"
The girl, impolitely, squatted opposite Ping An and asked.
"Oh, that matter hasn't been definitively decided yet, and I'm also..." Ping An immediately realized the girl was San Tui's daughter, Mako. He stammered for a long time, unsure how to explain, when the girl interrupted him.
"Hurry up! Marry me! Let's consummate our marriage tonight!" the girl said innocently.
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"What?" Ping An felt as if he had been struck by lightning. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead.