My spy diary

Chapter 598 Master or Fool? (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
P.S.: I've been checking work every day lately, and there have been a lot of social engagements. I've been drinking too much, which has triggered my gout, and my migraine has also gotten in on the act. It's a long story.

"Young lady, you've come all this way, and you even brought such an expensive gift!"

At noon, Mrs. Yao knocked on Commander Li's door with gifts. Mrs. Li smiled broadly as she looked at the large and small bags of gifts in her hands, and warmly took her hand to welcome her into the house.

Upon entering, music filled the room. Several middle-aged men in military uniforms sat in the living room, chatting and laughing in a relaxed and casual atmosphere.

Li Jue, with a cigar between his fingers and a smile, walked out of the study:
"You're here? Mrs. Yao, it's been a long time."

"Yes, the last time I saw you was when Madam celebrated her fiftieth birthday," Mrs. Yao said with a smile, but her expression was somewhat unnatural. Today, besides her usual visit, she also wanted to inquire with Commander Li about her husband's whereabouts. A whole day had passed since Yao Zechong left for the capital yesterday, and she hadn't received a single phone call; Mrs. Yao felt uneasy.

Li Jue noticed her worry, dismissed the officers, and then said with a smile, "Don't overthink it. Old Yao survived a great ordeal; he's probably already living a life of pleasure somewhere." As he spoke, he glanced at his watch, "Mrs. Yao rarely comes to visit, so please stay for dinner today."

After saying this, he turned and went into the study.

Mrs. Li comforted her, saying, "Sister, don't overthink it. All men are the same; none of them are immune to infidelity. He'll come back on his own once he's had his fill." As she spoke, she glanced at Li Jue's figure and whispered, "There's nothing we can do about these things. Just pretend you didn't see anything."

"Commander Li too!" Mrs. Yao's eyes widened. "You're just going to let it go like that?"

"What can we do? We can't let this mess become public knowledge, can we?" Mrs. Li chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Those kinds of things are just for the novelty. Once the novelty wears off, won't he come back? At least we can still have a hot meal at home. Let me tell you, to win a man's heart, you have to win his stomach first. Come on, my sister is thinking about a few dishes." Mrs. Li imparted her secrets to managing her husband as she pulled Mrs. Yao into the kitchen.

Soon, under Mrs. Li's direction, the kitchen was bustling with activity and everyone was in high spirits.

Mrs. Yao seemed to be influenced by her as well, temporarily putting her husband aside and seriously learning cooking skills.

Soon, plates of delicious dishes were served on the table.

Li Jue also came out of the study. The servant knew his habit of reading the newspaper while eating, and quickly handed him the newspaper that had just been delivered.

Li Jue was somewhat surprised: "An extra print? Such high efficiency?" He glanced at Zhao Longwen's signed article "Upholding Justice and Protecting the People" on the front page of the newspaper and the man's triumphant photo, and smiled knowingly, saying, "This old Zhao is certainly riding high."

"That Zhao fellow has reaped both fame and fortune this time; he's probably going to get promoted again, right?" Mrs. Li said with some envy. Zhao Longwen was a master at making money, and when he put on a sanctimonious act, he was even more adept at it. It would be strange if someone like that didn't get promoted. Pointing to the photo in the newspaper, she said, "But speaking of which, this Director Zhao is quite capable. The scapegoat he found is so convincing, isn't it?" Actually, Mrs. Li didn't care about any scapegoat. Her mind was on the dishes on the table. She picked up a piece of braised pork with her chopsticks and put it in Li Jue's bowl. "Try it. I had them make it using the new recipe."

Li Jue took a sip: "Did you add Shaoxing wine? It seems like we should add some more tea."

"Then I'll have them add some more. How about chicken soup? Did you like the chicken soup?"

"The chicken soup is good, did you add ginseng?" Li Jue savored the chicken soup while continuing to browse the newspaper. Yao Zechong's photo was published below Zhao Longwen's article, very eye-catching and bloody, especially his dead fish eyes, which were unforgettable. He smiled knowingly as he read, but his smile gradually froze as he read further.

Mrs. Li's boastful voice came from the side: "I added salt, try it again?"

Li Jue stared intently at the newspaper, seemingly unable to hear anything.

"Honey, say something!" Mrs. Li, oblivious to the unusual situation, continued to urge him on.

Just then, the doorbell rang. The maid opened the door, and the adjutant rushed in anxiously:

"Commander, something terrible has happened!"

Li Jue tossed the newspaper aside with a gloomy face. Mrs. Li smiled and looked at her adjutant: "Oh, Little Liu's here. Have you eaten?"

"Excuse me for disturbing your meal, Madam." Lieutenant Liu forced a smile, then suddenly noticed Mrs. Yao at the table and visibly paused. He thought to himself, "This woman is too carefree. Her husband has been executed, and she still has the mood to eat here?"

"Don't mention it, Xiao Cui, bring another bowl of rice," Mrs. Li said to the maid.

"Alright, eat yours. Xiao Liu and I have things to do." Li Jue couldn't hold back any longer. He snorted and stood up, heading towards the study. He wanted to scold her, but remembering that she was barely literate, he suppressed his anger, gave a wry smile, and could only sigh—being stupid has its advantages; being carefree makes life less stressful.

Upon entering the study and closing the door, Li Jue immediately began to berate Li Jue:
"Is everything in the newspaper true? Why wasn't such a big thing reported earlier? If I hadn't read the newspaper, I would still be in the dark."

The adjutant also felt wronged: "Commander, the Self-Defense Corps requested weapons, and I was busy negotiating with them."

"It's Dai Zangyi again? Like father, like son." Li Jue's words sounded like a compliment, but his tone was somewhat disdainful. Dai Zangyi was Dai Chunfeng's son. Since the Japanese invasion of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, he had been taking advantage of the situation, taking in a large number of stragglers who had fled from the front lines, forming a self-defense corps, and appointing himself as its commander.

Out of respect for Dai Chunfeng, Li Jue turned a blind eye to Dai Chunfeng's occasional demands for weapons and supplies.

"Not only Young Master Dai, but also Director Yao's son Yao Jinbao. He somehow found out that his father had been executed and said that the hatred for killing his father was irreconcilable. He was clamoring to take revenge on Director Zhao. When I arrived, he had already led his men to the police station in a menacing manner."

"That brat, he's asking for it!" Hearing this, Li Jue's face turned even uglier. "So, Zhao Longwen is at the police station right now?"

"Yes, I heard he went to apologize to Boss Dai." The adjutant thought for a moment and then added, "By the way, Commander, I ran into the Military Intelligence Bureau's action team on my way here. They said that Director Zhao's nephew, Zhao Wenwu, was murdered, and Zhao Longwen is said to be a prime suspect!"

"The uncle killed his nephew?" Li Jue stared in astonishment at his adjutant, pondering his earlier statement that "Zhao Longwen is a prime suspect." He asked uncertainly, "Is the evidence conclusive? This is too absurd!"

"I don't know about that," the adjutant said in a low voice. "The Military Intelligence Bureau is being very secretive, but the more secretive they are, the closer they might be to the truth. Commander, shall we go to the police station now?"

"Go, I'll go right away, prepare the car." Li Jue realized he was a bit slow on the uptake, and while giving the orders, he took clothes from the hanger. The adjutant had just opened the study door when he suddenly remembered something and immediately said, "You don't need to go."

The adjutant paused, turned back to look at him, and asked, "Then what about me?"

Li Jue gave him a meaningful look.

The adjutant followed his gaze and saw Mrs. Yao eating at the dining table. He immediately understood and an expression of disbelief appeared on his face.

Li Jue lowered his voice and said, "If Heaven gives you something and you don't take it, you'll suffer the consequences. With everyone's attention on the Zhao family uncle and nephew, it's convenient for us to do our thing. Anyway, he promised me that money beforehand; it's just a different way to get it back, hmm?"

"Commander, isn't this a bit unfair?" The adjutant felt it was a bit unkind. Yao Zechong had already died a pathetic death; to take advantage of his misfortune now was tantamount to ruthlessly eliminating him.

"Compassionate and sympathetic? You really think you're a saint." Li Jue's tone became stern. "Paying back debts is a matter of course. If anyone's to blame, it's Zhao Longwen and Dai Yunong, who did you say?"

"Yes, I'll take care of it right now." Seeing that his adjutant had been persuaded, Li Jue's tone softened: "Go ahead, be quick when you make your move, only take gold, US dollars and other valuables. That way, when they sell their furniture, they can live a decent life and won't starve to death. We'll consider this a good deed."

"Yes." The adjutant nodded, opened the door, and left.

Li Jue came out of the study, greeted Mrs. Yao, who was playing mahjong with a smile, and left. Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the police station's conference room was heavy.

Station Chief Tong was reporting the latest developments in the case to Dai Chunfeng with a serious expression.

"Director, that old devil Zhao Longwen still refuses to confess. We've already taught him a lesson, and he's very stubborn, but with so much evidence, he has no choice but to confess! We had someone listen to the recording of Zhao Wenwu, and it's definitely him. I talked to their deputy director, Lao Sun, and it was verified that Li Yishan was indeed allowed to set up a stall by Zhao Wenwu. It's said that many people didn't understand at the time, and it was Director Zhao who made the decision to suppress the criticism. From this point of view, Director Zhao is indeed a kind-hearted person. It's a pity that such a person ultimately couldn't escape Zhao Longwen's clutches."

Station Chief Tong sought to verify the situation with Deputy Director Sun of the police station. Deputy Director Sun, fifty years old, had wasted half his life in this position, and was always subservient. Initially, he did not want to get involved in the dispute between the Zhao brothers. However, after learning that Zhao Longwen had been detained and interrogated, and that Zhao Wenwu had died with recorded evidence, he was immediately filled with righteous indignation under Station Chief Tong's explicit or implicit hints. He took the opportunity to kick someone when they were down and offered some evidence.

He said he had heard that the municipal government had allocated funds to renovate the police station, but the project was later abandoned. He also heard that Zhao Longwen had misappropriated the money for personal enjoyment.

Director Zhao Wenwu complained many times that the relationship between the uncle and nephew had become very strained because of this matter.

Of course, this matter has nothing to do with him. If the higher-ups blame the second-in-command for not providing adequate assistance, it is hoped that Station Chief Tong will say a few good words for him.

The report also revealed that Zhao Longwen was power-hungry and obsessed with power. Since taking office as the principal of the Jiangsu-Zhejiang Police Academy, he had been cultivating his own faction, appointing his own people to all important positions. During his years as director, the number of people who had their jobs arranged, transferred, or promoted through connections alone, including his own family members, relatives, and students, must have exceeded one hundred.

In addition, countless people received special treatment through relationships with classmates, comrades-in-arms, fellow villagers, friends, etc. Through this method, he firmly controlled every department of the police station from top to bottom, making it airtight and turning the police station's operation into a Zhao family gang.

As for those who disobeyed, Zhao Longwen was also very shrewd in his methods of persecuting them. He was ruthless, precise, and flexible in his approach. In addition to direct methods such as demotion, dismissal, transfer, and reassignment, he was also adept at using various training programs and further education to achieve promotions that were actually demotions or promotions followed by demotions. The righteous officers in the police station suffered terribly, living in a state of utter misery.

The deputy director concluded with a deep sense of anguish, saying that he was just about to contact righteous individuals to report Zhao Longwen's problems to Director Dai and relevant departments in Shancheng, when he unexpectedly found himself arrested for a crime. "Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad." Now, he dares to defy public opinion and harm his own nephew; he has clearly lost his mind. This kind of scourge must be dealt with severely, executed outright, without any leniency!

Upon hearing this, Dai Chunfeng's face darkened, and he remained silent; no one knew what he was thinking.

Station Chief Tong continued, "By the way, Director, also, the fingerprints on the murder weapon that killed Director Zhao have been preliminarily matched, and they are indeed Zhao Longwen's."

"The fingerprints are also his own?" Dai Chunfeng was shocked.

As the head of the Military Intelligence Bureau, he had seen all sorts of bizarre cases. Frankly, even with Zhao Wenwu's recording, he didn't believe Zhao Longwen could do such a thing. While it's true that people die for money and birds die for food, holding the position of police chief meant there were plenty of opportunities to make money; why would he risk killing Yao Zechong?
On this matter, he leaned toward what Zhang Yi said: either Zhao Wenwu, that bastard, did it, or someone else did it in Zhao Wenwu's name, and Zhao Longwen was kept in the dark and used as a pawn.

After calming down and thinking about it again, Yao Zechong is already dead. Even if I am heartbroken, what can I do?

Every cloud has a silver lining. His death is beneficial to reshaping the image of the Military Intelligence Bureau and can effectively thwart the political enemies' attacks. He died a worthy death. At worst, we can just treat his family well.

As for Zhao Longwen, if he hadn't done this, he would have been angry about embezzlement, bribery, and cultivating his own power, but he wouldn't have been so determined to kill him.

Furthermore, the more selfish and scheming a person is, the more leverage they provide, making them easier to manipulate and control, and thus more effective at managing them. Since his early days in the martial arts world, he has encountered all sorts of people from all walks of life. He knows that the most difficult people to use and deal with are those who are flawless, impervious to reason, and invulnerable to harm; the key is that they are not easy to control.

The most useful people are actually those with obvious weaknesses and many flaws. You can hold their tail between your legs and urge them on with a whip. How can they not obediently follow orders? One of the great lessons of being in a position of power is that sometimes you need to use people's strengths, and sometimes you need to use their weaknesses.

"Yes, is there a problem?" Station Chief Tong, unaware of Dai Chunfeng's thoughts, asked curiously, noticing his strange expression.

Dai Chunfeng said expressionlessly, "No problem, which means the chain of evidence is complete?"

"You could say that," Station Chief Tong smiled, seemingly unconcerned about Boss Dai's earlier lapse in composure. He thought to himself that Boss Dai was probably also heartbroken and in a difficult position.
Thinking this, I heard Dai Chunfeng continue to ask, "Was severe torture used?"

"We've used everything we could."

"Still not going to speak?"

"No, he did start talking, he kept talking! But it was all nonsense, nothing useful at all." Station Chief Tong sighed, then asked, "Chief, shall we continue?"

"It's up to you!"

After seeing Station Chief Tong and the others off, Dai Chunfeng kept Zhang Yi behind alone. After a moment of contemplation, he asked in a low voice:

"Yunyi, based on your intuition, did he do this?"

Zhang Yi said frankly, "Director, to be honest, it doesn't seem like it. I still maintain my previous opinion that there was no motive. Besides, he's already quite old. If it really was him, he would have collapsed long ago."

"So who do you think did it?"

"Could it be Director Zhao's political enemy?"

"The CC Clique or the Red Party?"

"That's not good."

Dai Chunfeng sighed and rubbed his temples: "Based on your experience, what kind of story do you think this would be? Hypothetically, if it were you, what would you do?"

Zhang Yi feigned surprise and stood up with a look of panic: "Chief, I... how could I do such a thing? I have no motive!"

"Sit down. I said it was a hypothesis. I completely trust you, otherwise I wouldn't have asked you."

Zhang Yi breathed a sigh of relief, thought for a moment, and said, "In my opinion, the person who did this is either an idiot or a master."

Dai Chunfeng pondered, "How should I put it?"

"If it were me, I would just find a place to bury Zhao Wenwu and make sure he is nowhere to be found, dead or alive. Recording would be more convincing. Letting us find his body so quickly is a bit superfluous. They even went to great lengths to find his fingerprints, as if they were afraid we wouldn't be able to find any evidence."

Dai Chunfeng pondered, "To put Zhao Longwen to death? Who would be so eager to do that?"

Zhang Yi feigned a troubled expression: "Is it for money? Revenge? Emotional entanglements? Unequal distribution of profits?"

Just then, Lieutenant Jia knocked on the door and came in: "Mr. Dai, Commander Li is here."

"Invite him in."

Dai Chunfeng's expression remained calm, but a ripple of unease stirred within him—this Li Jue, he rarely appeared, always seeming to show up suddenly at crucial moments, almost like a ghost. Could it be that he ordered this?

(End of this chapter)