My spy diary

Chapter 587 Power (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

"Zhang Yi, stop right now!"

After a series of footsteps, Dai Chunfeng appeared before Zhang Yi. He glanced at He Shangyou's near-death state, his face turning ashen.
"Aren't you going to let go? If you hit him again, he'll die."

Zhang Yi glared with bloodshot eyes and angrily questioned, "Director Dai, you're not arresting the real Communists, but all you do is target me. You're bullying your own kind. There must be an explanation for what happened today!"

"What kind of explanation do you want? I want an explanation too!" Dai Chunfeng put his hands on his hips and snorted coldly, saying in a heavy tone, "Regarding the arrest of the Night Falcon, the bureau has already made arrangements. Anyone related to this matter, whether they are a division chief, section chief, or ordinary staff member, will be detained and interrogated if anything seems abnormal or suspicious."

Zhang Yi frowned, feigning complete ignorance: "Who is Night Falcon? What does it have to do with me?"

"The information provided by Lin Jingyi, Director He..." At this point, he glanced at He Shangyou, who was lying on the ground like a dead man, and suddenly swung his hand, slapping the trembling Section Chief Liu across the face. "What are you standing there for? Why aren't you getting him to safety?"

Section Chief Liu dared not speak, and covered his face as he hurriedly stepped forward to check on He Shangyou's injuries.

Zhang Yi slowly turned his face to look at Dai Chunfeng.

Dai Chunfeng stared intently at him for a moment, then softened his tone: "What happened today was indeed a rash decision by Director He, driven by short-sightedness and a desire for quick success. But it's also a good thing; at least it proves you're reliable. Yunyi, you know, if you really have a problem, the person who will be most heartbroken is me. It's because of my constant trust in you over the years, constantly giving you opportunities, that you've gradually come to where you are today. If you run into trouble, it can only mean that I, Dai Yunong, lacked the ability to judge character, that I was blind, and that I misjudged you."

"I am deeply grateful for the Director's recognition and trust. To be honest, the issue of the mole has almost become my obsession. I wholeheartedly support the Bureau's investigation into the mole, and I'll cooperate however I want. But, shouldn't everything be based on evidence? Just because I've been in contact with Lin Jingyi, you suspect me?" Zhang Yi became somewhat agitated as he said this.

“It’s not just you, we need to investigate anyone who comes into contact with Lin Jingyi.”

“I think the person who should be investigated the most is He Shangyou. He investigated the person, and he also orchestrated that Night Falcon thing. When something goes wrong, instead of thinking about conducting a self-examination, he is in a hurry to shift the blame. This is framing and setting someone up. I must get an explanation.” Zhang Yi looked at Dai Chunfeng with a resolute expression.

"What explanation do you want?" Dai Chunfeng snorted, his anger blazing. "To be honest, anyone would be just as angry as you in this situation. But you've already beaten him up like this, and your anger has subsided. Isn't that enough?"

Their eyes met, and Zhang Yi fell silent.

After a long silence, Dai Chunfeng asked, "You're not listening to me anymore?"

“I will naturally obey the Director’s orders, but he must be taught a lesson today, otherwise who can guarantee there won’t be a next time?” Zhang Yi’s emotions calmed down a little, but he still gritted his teeth.

"Discipline is certain, I can assure you of that."

Hearing this, Zhang Yi also expressed his attitude: "Since the Director has said so much, what else can I say?"

At the No. 41 Farm, Ding Henian stood behind the telegraph operator, watching him press the buttons while complaining:

"Wasn't everything fine just now? How come you can't get in touch with me all of a sudden? Keep calling!"

The radio operator's expression changed slightly. After a pause, he said, "Could it be that the Communists detected the signal? Something's happened?"

"Keep calling."

"Section Chief, we've called three times already, but we still can't get in touch."

Ding Henian gave a bitter smile. Now things were really messed up. Not only was Night Falcon arrested, but his undercover agent was also caught up in the crossfire.

He sighed, walked blankly into the next room, picked up the phone, and dialed a number.

Just then, Zhang Yi's phone rang. Deputy Jia went over and answered it, listened for a few moments, then pulled the phone cord and placed the receiver to Boss Dai's ear. Mao Qiwu's voice came through the phone: "Director, it's me, Qiwu."

"What happened?" Dai Chunfeng asked directly, knowing that the call couldn't be for good news.

"Director, the Chairman's Office, the Military Commission's Confidential Office, the Third War Zone Command, the Chairman of the Jiangsu-Zhejiang Government, and the Chairman of the Fujian Government have all sent telegrams, urging us to find out the truth of the Plum Blossom spy case as soon as possible," Mao Qiwu said, reporting the events in a low voice. As Dai Chunfeng listened, his thick eyebrows slowly furrowed.
The so-called "Plum Blossom Spy Case" refers to a major Japanese spy case cracked by Yao Zechong, a major general in the Military Intelligence Bureau and director of the Investigation Office of the 25th Army Group of the Kuomintang stationed in Jiangshan County, Dai Chunfeng's hometown, and Wei Zheqiu, a major in the Military Intelligence Bureau and head of the Jiangshan County Action Group of the Investigation Office.

It is said that during a routine inspection, the Military Intelligence Bureau seized twelve celluloid (the earliest form of plastic, made from a mixture of nitrocellulose and camphor) plum blossom needles from the residence of a female college student from Suzhou named Liu Lianfang who had fallen on hard times. This item was one of the identification marks of the Japanese spy agency, the Plum Blossom Agency.

After Liu Lianfang was captured, she confessed under interrogation and subsequently revealed more than 90 accomplices who were hiding in Jiangshan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Fujian and other places. They were all young and beautiful female college students. The Military Intelligence Bureau arrested people everywhere, causing a great uproar in Jiangshan County. Everyone was on edge, and people from all over the place questioned the authenticity of the case. Dai Chunfeng did not pay attention to it at first and only asked the investigation office to produce conclusive evidence to settle the matter. But now that even the Chairman had inquired about it, he had to take it seriously.

"Understood." Dai Chunfeng hung up the phone with a serious expression. "The Red Party's nose has been too sharp lately. Before the game is even over, they're already stirring up trouble everywhere. And the Japanese spies are a real headache too."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yi wanted to say something, but the words stuck in his throat.

Dai Chunfeng glanced at him, then suddenly remembered something and asked, "How's the investigation going with the things they asked you to do?"

Zhang Yi's lips curled into a sarcastic smile: "I finally got some clues from Director Yang, went to the antique shop to verify them, and then people said I was passing on intelligence to the Red Party."

Dai Chunfeng said nothing more and turned to leave.

Once in the car, he slumped into his seat, rubbing his temples, looking utterly exhausted.

A moment later, Section Chief Liu helped a panting He Shangyou over. "Nothing to say?" Dai Chunfeng asked.

"I am willing to accept the investigation and atone for my sins." He Shangyou said dejectedly, his swollen lips making his voice sound somewhat incoherent.

"Then I'll be blunt and ask you to go somewhere else?" Dai Chunfeng's words were very direct.

"where to?"

“Hong Kong, perhaps.” Dai Chunfeng frowned as he looked at He Shangyou, whose face was gloomy, and then said, “Wang Xinheng has been submitting reports wanting to come back. It would be good if you could switch places with him. The situation there is serious, and the Red Party is very active, which would be perfect for you to make your mark.”

This treatment still surprised He Shangyou, who stood there stunned, speechless for a long time.

"Of course, this treatment is only temporary. You can come back when the time is right."

He Shangyou's mind was a complete mess. What did "temporary" and "when the time is right" mean? Being sent to a local post meant being a regional warlord, but it was nothing compared to being a department head with real power in the central government. Hong Kong's geographical location was important, but it was also a melting pot of all sorts of people. Not only were the Japanese invaders aggressive, but it was also uncertain whether he could even establish a foothold there, let alone make any significant progress.
"It's good to go out for a while. As long as Director He makes a contribution, it's only a matter of time before he comes back," Lieutenant Jia comforted him.

He Shangyou gave a bitter smile. He understood that once Boss Dai had made his decision, it would be difficult to change it. So, he said nothing, nodded sullenly, and accepted the outcome.

After being distraught and having his wound treated at the hospital, He Shangyou locked himself in his study as soon as he got home.

He felt as if his life had suddenly been struck by a magnitude 10 earthquake, with a clean, sharp cliff and ravine in front of him, severing the past and present, while the future was completely bottomless and shrouded in uncertainty.

In his position at the Party and Government Intelligence Department, he would get up at seven o'clock every morning, wash up, brush his teeth, eat breakfast, and go to the toilet, meticulously following the order and time constraints of each task. At eight o'clock sharp, his driver would honk the horn three times outside the door, and he would come downstairs, get into his car, and arrive at the headquarters at eight-thirty sharp.

Typically, his secretary would be waiting for him at the door, helping him with his bag, making tea, hanging up his coat, and handing him the newspaper. Then, he would quickly browse the day's newspaper, organize the tasks, intelligence, and official documents that needed to be handled, issue orders, or discuss intelligence, hold meetings, and report on his work.

He had a habit of taking a nap at noon, usually on the small bed in his office suite, or in the suite at the Shulu Reception Office, or in the long-term private room outside the intelligence office. Occasionally, he would go home.

From evening onwards, there are all sorts of social engagements and receptions, often moving from one restaurant to another, from one banquet to another, with endless smiling faces, countless compliments, and a plethora of delicious food and wine.

Now, suddenly being separated from that rhythm of life, He Shangyou feels very uncomfortable and out of place.

Putting everything else aside, take his own home phone, for example. It used to ring incessantly all day long, with people asking for instructions, reporting, having meals together, and trying to get close to him, which annoyed him to no end, often disrupting his meals and sleep. But now the phone has suddenly fallen silent, not ringing for hours on end, and he's not used to it.

In the darkness, he sat silently at his familiar desk, memories flashing through his mind like a movie playing in his head.

He couldn't understand how the Red Party obtained the intelligence, and his heart was filled with hatred and resentment towards Zhang Yi. The fist that landed on his face was not only a humiliation, but also a sobering warning.

He Shangyou grew increasingly resentful and frustrated. Everyone thought they were wrong, but for him, suspicion could arise in an instant, while dispelling it required a long process. He couldn't even remember the exact moment he began to suspect Zhang Yi. Perhaps, as he had told Zhang Yi, Zhang Yi had not only escaped implicated in several leaks but had even been promoted. He always had a feeling that Zhang Yi seemed detached yet secretly involved, with some inexplicable connection to these cases.

Lost in thought, He Shangyou was suddenly interrupted by the phone ringing. He paused for a moment before answering. It was Mao Qiwu, whose first question was:

"well enough?"

He Shangyou understood the meaning behind his "it's alright"—it sounded like concern, but it was actually a probe.

He replied, "It's nothing, just a minor setback. A man endures humiliation and shame; who knows, I might make a comeback. But..."

"Yes, who would have thought? Zhang Yi's side..." Mao Qiwu hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Upon hearing this name, He Shangyou was furious: "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Mao Qiwu suddenly lowered his voice: "Old He, are you really willing to accept this?"

"What can I do if I'm not willing to accept this?" How could he accept it? But did he have any evidence? He Shangyou secretly made up his mind that once he found the evidence, he would make sure that bastard Zhang Yi died without a burial place.

Mao Qiwu chuckled: "A gentleman takes revenge even after ten years. If you need my help, just let me know."

These words were cleverly phrased, yet they conveyed a deep sincerity. He Shangyou was actually somewhat moved. At this moment, everyone was silent, everyone was watching him from behind. It's rare to find someone who would speak so directly these days.

"Thank you, Director Mao." He Shangyou hesitated for a moment before saying, "Even in Hong Kong, I will continue my investigation. But if possible, I suggest that the other two people also be screened at the same time."

"I understand." Mao Qiwu seemed to know who he was talking about.

The warm breeze of early summer blew in through the window, and Zhang Yi felt that the night air was so fresh. The camphor trees had sprouted new tender red buds, which quietly bloomed with fragrance in the night.

He stood in the night for a while, taking several deep breaths of the fragrant air. Many people believe that camphor trees neither shed their leaves nor sprout new buds. But according to Zhang Yi's observation, camphor trees do shed their leaves, but unlike other trees that shed them in autumn, they do so quietly throughout the year. They also sprout new buds, quietly sprouting throughout the year.

He thought to himself, perhaps this quiet thing is more powerful than anything else.

(End of this chapter)