My spy diary

Chapter 591 Scapegoat (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Under the old locust tree in front of the police station, there was a shoe repair stall. The drab shoemaker's box was open, with shoe nails, shoe polish, awls, needles and thread, shoe lasts, hammers and other tools arranged in layers and compartments. Behind it was a small stool, and sitting on it was Fatty Li.

He was wearing a faded blue cotton short jacket, the rolled-up cuffs were frayed, but his belly stretched the jacket so much that it looked like he was carrying a small flour sack.

Just then, he had a moment to spare and suddenly saw Zhao Wenwu walking over with his hands behind his back. He quickly stood up and greeted him respectfully.

"Director Zhao!"

Zhao Wenwu looked him up and down a few times, then asked with a smile, "Fatty Li, how's business?"

Fatty Li smiled ingratiatingly, "It's all thanks to you. Since moving here, no one has bothered us, and business has been pretty good." As he spoke, he seemed to remember something, hurriedly pulled out a few crumpled bills from his pocket, counted them while spitting on them, frowned, then pulled out a few more from his pocket and awkwardly handed them forward, "Director Zhao, this is a small token of my appreciation, please accept it."

Zhao Wenwu didn't even glance at him: "What are you doing?"

Fatty Li maintained a humble smile throughout, saying, "This is a gift from me to you. I don't have a license or permit and have been chased around everywhere. I'm so grateful for your help."

Zhao Wenwu interrupted him, his face stern: "I thought you were honest, so I helped you out, that's all. Did I do this for personal gain? What do you take me for? Put it away now, or people will think I did something to you!"

Fatty Li awkwardly put the money away, saying, "Director Zhao, you're such a good person."

Zhao Wenwu just chuckled, paused, and asked:

"Are you literate?"

"I am illiterate. When I was a child, my family was so poor that we couldn't even afford to send me to a private school."

"Oh, that makes things easier." Zhao Wenwu put on a helpful face. "Without a license, this can't go on forever. How about this, I'll go all the way and get it done for you."

"Such a good thing?" Fatty Li was stunned, suddenly feeling like the goddess of fortune had descended upon him. He rubbed his hands together, "Director Zhao, the cost of processing these certificates isn't a small amount, I..."

“If you don’t have the money, just owe it to me for now. I’ll pay you back slowly when you have the money. I believe you’re not the type to default on your debts.” Zhao Wenwu waved his hand. “Come with me.”

He walked a few steps with his hands behind his back, and seeing that Fatty Li was excitedly packing up his stall and hadn't followed, he became a little impatient. "At the police station entrance, are you afraid someone will steal your stuff? Hurry up."

Fatty Li smiled awkwardly and quickly followed.

Thus, one person walked proudly in front, while the other walked awkwardly behind, and they arrived unimpeded at the door of Zhao Wenwu's office on the second floor.

Zhao Wenwu took out his key, opened the door, and gestured for them to enter.
"Want to come in for a cup of tea?"

Fatty Li looked at the brand-new wool carpet, as if it were another world. His dirty cloth shoes unconsciously shrank back: "No, no need, I'll just wait at the door."

"Oh, that's okay too."

Zhao Wenwu sat behind his desk, took an arrest warrant from his drawer, and asked with a smile:

"Oh, by the way, what's your full name again?"

"Li Yishan".

"Good name, doing a good deed every day? Just a moment, it'll be quick." Zhao Wenwu clicked his tongue in praise, his pen never stopping as he wrote in the blank space at the top, "This is to inform you that rapist Li Yishan has voluntarily surrendered and confessed." After finishing, he signed his name in a flourish, then grabbed the official seal from the table and stamped it with a "snap," before taking out his personal seal, which he kept close to his body, and stamping it on his name. He glanced at it a few times, nodded in satisfaction, got up, and strolled over with his pen and inkpad, saying with a smile, "Alright, all that's left is for you to sign and affix your fingerprint."

The permit he had been longing for was finally in his hands, and Li Yishan was overjoyed: "Director Zhao, thank you so much. Don't worry, I will definitely work hard to earn money and try to pay you back as soon as possible."

"I still trust you. Here, sign it."

"I...I can't read."

"It's okay, just draw a circle and then sign it."

"Thank you so much, I don't know what to say." Li Yishan awkwardly drew a circle, pressed his handprint on it, and bowed deeply with tears of gratitude as he looked at the bright red seal.

Zhao Wenwu smiled, helped him up, patted him on the shoulder, and pointed to an office not far away with a sign that read "Interrogation Room," saying:

"Go ahead, go there and save your file, that'll do it."

Li Yishan was overjoyed and bowed sincerely again. Then, holding the "permit," he walked towards the "archive room" with lighter steps.

Zhao Wenwu stared at his retreating figure with a knowing smile, then walked over and picked up the phone.

Li Yishan arrived at the interrogation room door and respectfully knocked.

The door opened quickly, and a burly man with a menacing face poked his head out. He recognized him immediately and asked fiercely:
"Fatty Li, who let you come here?"

Li Yishan politely handed over the "permit": "It's for Director Zhao."

"You? A stinking cobbler, you know Director Zhao?" Just as the man was about to tell him to get lost, a young policeman suddenly walked up from behind, grabbed him, and said to Li Yishan with a grin:

"Is this Li Yishan? Please come in. Director Zhao has already given instructions." As he spoke, he gave his companion a wink, and before Li Yishan could speak, he pulled him inside.

The moment the words left his mouth, Li Yishan was completely dumbfounded. This wasn't a filing room at all; it was clearly an interrogation room, with bloodstained interrogation equipment hanging everywhere, and a wave of heat hitting him. In the very center of the room, a prisoner, handcuffed and beaten beyond recognition, sat on a chair. "I... I'm here to file documents."

"Archive?" The young policeman, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world, approached him with a cold laugh and provocatively slapped his face:
"Are you stupid or am I stupid? The arrest warrant clearly states that you are a rapist! It's ridiculous that there are still people who voluntarily turn themselves in these days."

Li Yishan was stunned and said in a panic, "It wasn't me, it really was Director Zhao. He sent me. You can call him if you don't believe me."

A sharp slap landed on his face, and the young policeman demanded an explanation:

"It's written clearly in black and white, and your fingerprint is on it. How dare you deny it?" Li Yishan was speechless. He really couldn't understand why Director Zhao would want to harm him. They had no grudge against each other. Why? He felt like his brain couldn't work anymore. His eyes were glazed over, and his ears were ringing.

"Going back on your word? Trying to recant your testimony? Let me tell you, it's too late!" Li Yishan was slapped so hard he crashed into the wall. The policeman continued his aggressive approach, relentlessly slapping his face. "Who do you think you are, calling Director Zhao to ask him? You stinking cobbler, a vermin, even if I crushed you to death here today, no one would utter a sound for you."

Li Yishan, unable to bear it any longer, blocked it with his hand.

"Still dare to resist? Assaulting a police officer, huh!" The young policeman punched him several times in the stomach. "Your stomach's pretty big. I'll let you vent it today. Old Liu, don't just stand there, let's move on to the interrogation room."

Old Liu, with a face full of scars, chuckled, took the handcuffs, handcuffed Li Yishan, dragged him to the interrogation chair, and began to whip him.

It's getting late.

A few kilometers away in a shantytown, in a family with a "Fu" character pasted on their door, a skinny little girl, about seven or eight years old and dressed in tattered clothes, was cooking in front of the stove while standing on a stool.

She added water to the shepherd's purse, placed a steamer rack on it, carefully put two dry steamed buns on top, then covered the pot with the lid. Satisfied, she went outside and sat on the doorstep, waiting for her father to come home.

But as they waited and waited, it grew completely dark, and Dad still didn't come back.

The Jiangshan Hotel was brightly lit at night, and well-dressed dignitaries, gentlemen and ladies came and went in a lively atmosphere. Everyone was looking forward to seeing the legendary General Dai, the third great figure to emerge from Jiangshan County in history.

But how could Boss Dai be so easily met?
The small private room in the banquet hall was closed. Army Group Commander Li Jue sat in the main seat without hesitation, and the others sat in order of their official rank.

Zhang Yi sat near the door. Normally, at Military Intelligence Bureau banquets, he would at least sit in a seat very close to the head guest, but today, he could only sit here. Although there was only one table, among those present, apart from Li Jue's adjutant and the waiters, he had the lowest rank and seniority. Zhao Longwen, Tong Xiang, and Director Gong of the Personnel Department were all veterans.

However, Zhang Yi thought this position was good. It was by the door, which allowed him to maintain a distance that was neither too close nor too far from the main seat, while also being able to enter and exit at the right time and place to observe the situation in the hall.

After exchanging pleasantries, the door to the private room opened. Dai Chunfeng arrived with his adjutant, and bowed to Li Jue.
"Commander Li, am I not late?"

"Yu Nong is here? Please have a seat!"

At this moment, Li Jue's adjutant leaned in, nodded to Li Jue, and indicated that everything was ready.

Li Jue nodded, then habitually picked up his cup, took a sip of tea, and cleared his throat. The private room, which had been filled with pleasantries, immediately fell silent. This was one of the great advantages of officialdom: no words were needed, just a hint, and everyone would understand. This was the prelude to a speech; if someone couldn't even understand this hint, then he wouldn't just have a difficult time navigating the officialdom, but he would at least be considered poor at navigating the complexities of official-business relations.

The whole city fell silent.

Li Jue waved for the waiter to leave, stood up with a smile, and everyone else could only follow suit. He said:
"Yu Nong, today is a welcome feast for you. Although this is your hometown and you are the proper 'host,' I am also a half-host, right? Many of the dishes on the table are fresh local ingredients that have just come into season. I am using the 'freshness' of our hometown to offer to you and specially prepare this feast to welcome you. Come, taste the flavors of home. We are all the same, so please don't be shy and eat as much as you like!"

The entire audience erupted in applause, and Li Jue clapped along with himself. The applause was like a brush, rising and falling in a flash. It was spontaneous and perfectly synchronized. Li Jue continued:

“Yu Nong, we’re all on the same side, so I’ll be frank. This Plum Blossom spy case has caused quite a stir, everyone’s panic, and the people back home are very upset. Since you’re here on a mission, you must investigate thoroughly and restore order to our hometown.” He emphasized, “Of course, you must investigate thoroughly, but you can’t go too far. You have to be just right, okay?”

At this point, he gave Dai Chunfeng a meaningful look.

The second half of the sentence was the key point, and Dai Chunfeng naturally understood his implied meaning. He glanced at Zhao Longwen without showing any emotion, and seeing him nod slightly, he smiled and said:
"Commander Li, rest assured, we will investigate thoroughly and restore justice to our hometown."

Li Jue finally revealed a satisfied expression: "Come, let me toast you all!"

Next came the toasting ceremony. Since everyone present was a high-ranking official of the Party and the State, the rules for drinking became even more subtle. For example, toasts were made according to rank and seniority. There was no one to guide the toasting, but no one could make a mistake. Once someone in front toasted, the next person would automatically follow suit.

After one round of drinking, it was mostly symbolic; Zhang Yi didn't actually drink much. However, he knew that the drinking later on would be unconventional. Those who could drink would drink, and those who couldn't would just sit. But there were some drinks he absolutely had to have. Although he disliked Zhao Longwen and Tong Xiang from the bottom of his heart, they were local strongmen, and he couldn't afford to offend them over a few drinks. Of course, he absolutely couldn't drink too much. Since the beginning of the day, he had noticed Dai Chunfeng and Zhao Longwen plotting something, and the tacit interaction between Li Jue and Dai Chunfeng earlier only deepened his suspicions. A few phrases inexplicably came to mind: "Doing nonsense professionally, doing professional nonsense in a very nonsensical way, doing serious things flawlessly, and doing bad things flawlessly."

Even if it's flawless, he still has to find flaws in the details.

Thinking this, he smiled and raised his glass to Zhao Longwen: "Director Zhao, may I toast you again?"

"Where? Director Zhang is the fifth-ranking official in the bureau headquarters. I should be the one offering you respect," Zhao Longwen said with a forced smile.

"You are a senior with extensive experience, so it is my turn to respect you." Zhang Yi smiled slightly, tilted his head back, and drank it down.

Zhao Longwen smiled reservedly, took a sip, and was about to say something when his nephew Zhao Wenwu peeked in at the door. He then smiled insincerely and said, "Director Zhang, it's only polite to return the favor. I'll toast you later and hear your stories about catching spies."

As he spoke, he walked over to Dai Chunfeng, whispered something in her ear, then put down his wine glass and left.

Zhang Yi seemed lost in thought, but the closed door blocked his view, and it wasn't convenient for him to follow. Glancing at the table, he saw Station Chief Tong Xiangtong seemed a little drunk, rubbing her temples and lost in thought. An idea struck him, and he poured two full glasses, walking over to her.

"Station Chief Tong, let me offer you another toast. Here, I'll drink it all, please feel free to drink as you please!"

"I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it. I'm just a nobody as the stationmaster, I'm so sorry." Hearing Zhang Yi say this, Tong Xiang felt a little embarrassed, so she stood up, took the wine, and said to Zhang Yi:
"Director Zhang, no, Brother Zhang, this toast is on my behalf. I'll drink it!"

As he spoke, he tilted his head back and downed his drink, slurring his words, "Brother, your headquarters is still the best, I..."

"Station Chief Tong is drunk. Someone, help him down to rest." Zhang Yi helped him up and opened the door to the private room. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zhao Wenwu and Zhao Longwen standing on the terrace not far away, talking in hushed tones. Zhao Wenwu had his back to him, so his expression could not be seen, but Zhao Longwen was smiling mysteriously.

Station Chief Tong's secretary, who was waiting at the door, immediately ran over to help him up, but unexpectedly, Station Chief Tong shook him off:
"I'm fine, Secretary Liu. Didn't you realize that Director Zhang is concerned about me? Did you really think I was drunk? I'm not! Come on, Director Zhang, let me return the favor with a toast!"

As he spoke, he grabbed the wine glass that Zhao Longwen had just put down, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp. Then, after only drinking half of it, he vomited it out with a "goo".

Upon hearing this commotion, Dai Chunfeng, who was whispering something to Li Jue, turned pale.
“Zhang Yi, take him out; he’s making a fool of himself.”

This was exactly what Zhang Yi wanted.

(End of this chapter)