The reception began at seven o'clock in the evening, and at six o'clock, the guests of the club arrived by car. All members who are eligible to participate in the reception usually have their own private cars, and no one comes in a rickshaw.

For such high-level social events, it is common to bring a female companion to participate, but there are no strict restrictions. The wife of the family can find a temporary female companion to accompany them, and some guests even take this opportunity to bring their daughters over to see the world.

Han Lin, who was in a suit and leather shoes, and Tang Ying, who was wearing a French dress, seemed to be a perfect match, standing at the door of the hall to greet them in person.

As the initiators, Smith, Bratton and Kagezo Zhenzhao greeted the members they invited and introduced everyone to Han Lin. And this approach allowed Han Lin to step into the upper class of the Shanghai Stock Exchange in the shortest possible time.

Inside the hall, the foreman Shen Xueyan is in charge of entertaining guests, especially female guests, which is the best opportunity for her to get acquainted with the members, while the deputy foreman Liu Nina is in charge of directing the waiters and the kitchen.

Han Lin's connections in Shanghai are relatively shallow, so even the director of the police department, Louis, and the French Concession Rao Boze, were also entrusted by Smith to join the reception work.

When it came to speaking at the reception, the U.S. Consul General in Shanghai, Davis, the German Consul General in Shanghai, and the Japanese Consul General in Shanghai, Iotaro Ishi, arrived at the club around half past six and immediately raised the level here.

Immediately afterwards, the British Consul General in Shanghai, Sir John Wall, and the French Consul General in Shanghai, Bernard, arrived at the club by car.

"The consulates of the United States, Germany, and Japan in Shanghai have quietly set up a private club in your French Concession, and looking at the grand occasion in front of you, it is simply an international club of diplomats and high society from various countries in Shanghai." Wall John took a glass of wine from the waiter's tray and whispered.

The relationship between Britain and France is complicated when it is complicated, and simple when it is said to be simple. Britain is said to be a European country, but it does not border the European continent, and there is an English Channel in between!

Britain is accustomed to being the boss, and naturally has the ambition to dominate European affairs, so it does not want to see France rise to become a European hegemon, so it secretly connives Germany to increase its strength.

However, Britain was afraid that Germany would be too strong, bringing war to Europe and affecting British interests, and it united with France to constantly exert pressure on Germany, and the two sides were both cooperative and competitive.

This time, he was invited by the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai to attend the opening of the club, and as the consul general, John Bi was very difficult to understand the background of the club.

According to the information he received, the US Senate and the two houses were arguing over the introduction of the "Neutrality Act," and in China's Shanghai market, the US foreign affairs department actually set up a private club with the foreign affairs departments of Germany and Japan, and this made him suddenly sensitive.

"No, this is indeed a private club, the owner of the club is called Han Lin, a young officer of the Jinling government, but his connections in the Jinling government are very wide, the first to initiate the concept of the club, the original intention is also to expand and maintain his network, but the military attachés of the consulates of the three countries in Shanghai, actively participate in the formation of this club, which has evolved into the current situation."

"Smith used to say hello to people from our police department, but the purpose of opening this club is to add a place where you can communicate privately at any time, mainly the event of military attachés, and the consul general usually only participates in large events." Bernard shook his head and said.

"Smith used to say hello to people from our police department, but the purpose of opening this club is to add a place where you can communicate privately at any time, mainly the event of military attachés, and the consul general usually only participates in large events." Bernard shook his head and said.

The French intelligence department has also had some investigations into this matter, combined with the contact of the police department, don't look at the words very easily, but he knows that Han Lin's identity is not simple, he wears many positions in the Jinling government, and his job also involves intelligence work.

The police inferred that Han Lin may have been an informal channel for the Jinling government's diplomatic department in Shanghai, responsible for contacting the diplomatic missions of various countries in Shanghai. The U.S. consulate in Shanghai brought in French and British diplomatic missions in Shanghai to verify this judgment.

Everybody's engaged in diplomatic work, I believe you are a ghost!

John did not believe in Bernard's words at all, or the credibility was not high, and it was not easy for diplomats to hear the truth, especially in the relations between Britain and France, and Bernard would not tell him directly.

A private club can actually involve the military attachés of the diplomatic missions of three countries in Shanghai, and even the identity of the consul general has to come to cheer, can there be any insider behind it?

"Breel, before the club was founded, you didn't pay attention to the situation here, from now on, you have to find out the situation of this private club, I feel that the role of the club is not so simple." John said to Lieutenant Colonel Breel, the military attache beside him.

"Your Excellency, Smith once told me about the club, but it was very vague, I will investigate it and give you a report!" Brell said quietly.

Sometimes, people tend to complicate simple things, but in fact, this club, which is Han Lin's private club, was formed to expand his contacts and improve his status in the "upper class", and it is also to lay the groundwork in advance for future intelligence work in the Shanghai concession area.

Smith, Bratton and Kagesa's active participation was due to Han Lin's close intelligence cooperation with them, and in order to win over and stabilize the relationship between the two sides, they made some resource investments, such as sponsoring event funds, such as inviting members, etc., and did not do much work.

However, the diplomats and intelligence personnel of various countries are very vigilant and prone to associations, and when they see that the club has close ties with the diplomatic institutions of the three countries, they think too much.

At seven o'clock, the band stopped playing temporarily, and Han Lin appeared as the owner of the club.

"Ladies and gentlemen, good evening, I am Han Lin, the founder of the Yinglin Club, and I am also the manager and owner of this club, first of all, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Mr. Davis, Consul General of the United States in Shanghai, Mr. Fred, Consul General of Germany in Shanghai, Mr. Iotaro Ishizuku, Consul General of Japan in Shanghai, Sir John Wall, Consul General of the United Kingdom in Shanghai, and Mr. Bernard, Consul General of France in Shanghai, and extend a warm welcome to all the members and companions who participated in the club."

Han Lin ended his speech with warm applause, followed by Davis, the US Consul General in Shanghai, the German Consul General in Shanghai, and the Japanese Consul General in Shanghai, Iotaro Ishizu, who also took the stage to speak, which was very brief for more than 10 minutes.

Roughly speaking, the reason why the consulates of the three countries support the club is also to have closer ties with all walks of life in Shanghai, enhance understanding, have a good atmosphere, and wish the club can become a bridge between each other and contribute to the friendship between each other.

(End of chapter)