Tuesday, 15 September

Geng Chengzhi called. Went with him to dine at restaurant. He told me the story of one Mrs. Li, the mistress of Yin Fengzao (尹鳳藻). Since his separation with his French wife, Yin kept this Mrs. Li in Saigon for five years. She is an opium smoker and behaves so notoriously that the Chinese community there brought up charges against Yin. So he asked Zhu Yisheng (朱怡聲) to take her to Paris. After less than a year she has squandered the two million francs he gave her. Now without money to buy even her opium she became desperate and went to the Chinese Consulate every day making it impossible for the staff to work. So Duan telephoned to his father to find Zhu Yisheng and brought him to the Embassy. At first Zhu refused to do anything but Duan threatened to make his stay in Paris difficult if he refused: “I know what you are doing here (meaning deals on the black market and opium and smoking).  Since you brought her here you have to take her back to Saigon.” Zhu had to promise that he would get her an airplane ticket. Yin is a member of the secret service and is notorious in Saigon. Such are the sort of men our government trusts!

Business very good. Almost 90 clients.