My spy diary

Chapter 627 Intelligence (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

After about ten minutes, the nurse helped Zhang Yi change his dressing and bandage, and took away a patch of bloody gauze.

Shen Ruozhu served a bowl of steaming hot noodles.

The pulling of the wound made it extremely difficult for Zhang Yi to eat this bowl of noodles. After slurping up a mouthful of noodles, he felt pain on half of his body.

"The doctor said I should eat liquid food." Shen Ruozhu complained, turning her head to look at him. "I'll go make you some chicken soup."

Zhang Yi leaned against the bed and let out a long sigh of relief:

"The noodles are still the best, and they would be even better if they were spicier."

Shen Ruozhu was speechless. She tried to start a conversation by asking about Lu Shuer:
"How did that young policeman get beaten up like that?"

"Did you ask this, or did Boss Dai ask it?"

Shen Ruozhu stared at him blankly: "Why do you say that?"

"Didn't you go see him before you came here?"

Shen Ruozhu didn't say anything, then paused before saying, "I saw him. But it has nothing to do with this matter."

Zhang Yi said "Oh": "Didn't he say anything?"

"what?"

"Didn't he ask if our relationship had progressed?" After saying that, he added, "If he does ask, just blame it on me, say I'm a boring person, or say I like men."

These words sound like polite remarks, but they are actually a playful jest born from a good mood.

Shen Ruozhu didn't continue the conversation or joke with him. She frowned slightly and said, "You still don't believe me."

'How can I trust you? I don't even trust myself.' Zhang Yi fell silent.

Why don't you ask him why he's looking for me?

“From the first day I entered this industry, I knew I shouldn’t ask questions I shouldn’t ask,” Zhang Yi replied, lying down and looking at the ceiling.

Shen Ruozhu turned to the side, looking at his profile: "What if I wanted to tell you?"

Zhang Yi didn't speak, and closed his eyes.

Shen Ruozhu waited, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. After a long while, Zhang Yi finally spoke:
"You go back, I'm going to sleep for a while."

Disappointed, Shen Ruozhu glanced at him, then coldly picked up the bowl and chopsticks on the table and left without a word.

After she left, Zhang Yi began to review the intelligence stored in his mind.

[1. You met with Japanese spy Kuroda Nobunaga today and obtained relevant intelligence—Japanese nuclear physicist Dr. Itō Saburo has secretly arrived in Shanghai.]

Nuclear physics experts? Has the Japanese already found uranium ore?

[2. You met with Dai Chunfeng today and obtained relevant intelligence—Dai Chunfeng received a telegram that Mao Qiwu secretly took measures against Monkey and Qian Xiaosan. Monkey withstood the test, but Qian Xiaosan betrayed him.]

Upon seeing this intelligence report, a trace of indescribable sadness flashed across Zhang Yi's face, and a gloomy feeling settled over him.

But then again, loyalty and faith are never about empty words or empty promises, but about whether one can withstand the test in crucial moments. Faced with danger and death, without the support of faith, not everyone can choose to die a heroic death rather than live a life of dishonorable survival, like those righteous and benevolent people.

Does Qian Xiaosan have a religious belief?
He might think he has it, but it's definitely not what Zhang Yi thinks.

[3. You met Lu Shuer today and obtained relevant information: Mrs. Li Jue has 10,000 taels of gold hidden in the basement of the Yajixuan Hotel.]

Ten thousand taels of gold? That's equivalent to ten thousand small yellow croakers!

Zhang Yi was astonished. He had long heard that the Third War Zone was the richest military force in the Kuomintang army, with a corrupt military style. Taking advantage of the fact that Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces bordered the enemy-occupied areas, they set up checkpoints and imposed exorbitant taxes, engaged in smuggling and trafficking, and made huge profits. The generals, big and small, were all rolling in money. But seeing this figure still shocked him.

What he didn't know was that this was only a small part of Commander Li's assets, a drop in the ocean. It was originally intended to be deposited in Citibank in Hangzhou, but because Hangzhou was occupied by the Japanese, it had to be temporarily stored there.

It's often said that the front lines are in dire straits while the rear is thriving, but in the Third War Zone, it was completely the opposite.

In those days, due to inflation and scarcity of supplies, the overall treatment of most Nationalist soldiers was extremely low and varied greatly. Because their pay was siphoned off at every level and supplies were scarce, rank-and-file soldiers often suffered from hunger and cold. Nominally, a soldier's monthly salary was about 1 to 3 yuan, but due to inflation and embezzlement within the army, the actual amount received was very little, and sometimes it was even delayed. The staple food for soldiers was coarse rice mixed with sand, with a daily ration of about 0.75 kilograms. Side dishes were basically just pickled vegetables and wild greens, and meat was a rare treat, occurring only once a month. Military uniforms were mostly made of coarse cloth, worn and thin, with insufficient cotton-padded clothing in winter, leading to frequent deaths from the cold. Firearms and ammunition were also scarce; many soldiers only had rifles, with each soldier receiving only 3-5 rounds of ammunition. Medical supplies were even more scarce.

Of course, the Central Army's elite troops received much better treatment, at least they could get priority in some supplies, but so what? The officers were rolling in money while the soldiers were starving, how could they be willing to risk their lives? And where would their fighting power come from?

Just as Zhang Yi was pondering how to get his hands on the ten thousand taels of gold, a knock sounded at the door, and Dai Chunfeng strode in, followed by his adjutant, Jia.

"Director!" "Lie down, lie down now!" Dai Chunfeng waved his hand, seemingly hesitant, then paused before saying, "You probably don't know what's going on in the bureau, do you?"

Zhang Yi stared at him, his face completely oblivious.

"Mao Qiwu did something stupid. He heard from somewhere that your subordinates Monkey and Qian Xiaosan were corrupt officials, and eager to make a name for himself, he tortured them without any solid evidence."

Zhang Yi stared wide-eyed in shock, struggling to turn over:
"That bastard! I risked my life on the front lines, and he stabbed me in the back. I'm going to kill him."

"Don't rush. Lie down and listen to me." Dai Chunfeng pressed Zhang Yi down to lie down, and after trying his best to calm Zhang Yi down, he sat on the edge of Zhang Yi's bed and said in a low voice:

“I understand you. If I were you, I would have done the same.” He looked at Zhang Yi as he spoke, “You know, sometimes you’re just like me when I was younger.”

"What results have been found in the investigation?" Zhang Yi seemed to have calmed down a bit.

"It turns out they are both loyal and reliable. I don't know if Mao Qiwu's brain is filled with mush, but he dared to act without asking for permission. When we get back to Shancheng, I'll skin him alive." Dai Chunfeng spoke with great indignation, as if he had never known anything about it.

"Wouldn't that be letting him off easy?" Zhang Yi said, his voice trembling with excitement.

Dai Chunfeng frowned, seemingly still undecided: "Then what do you suggest? I haven't decided either, that's why I came to ask you. A pay cut? Demotion? Transfer from the Military Intelligence Bureau, or arrest him too?"

"Old fox," Zhang Yi cursed inwardly. It was clearly you who wanted to protect him, then passed the buck to me. Did my opinion matter? If I really said we should arrest Mao Qiwu, would you agree? But it was clear there was nothing he could do. At this level, Zhang Yi was still just a pawn, with no leverage. Seeing Zhang Yi fall silent, he asked:

Why did you stop talking?

"I'm afraid the Director won't listen."

“What are you saying?” Dai Chunfeng immediately sat up straight and looked at Zhang Yi intently, saying, “Go on.”

"Oh," Zhang Yi replied somewhat tactfully.

"Just say what you have to say, why are you 'oh'ing me?"

Zhang Yi pondered for a moment, carefully organizing his words: "Mao Qiwu's real intention is not what it seems, but is clearly aimed at me. I really don't understand why he has such a deep prejudice against me and targets me time and time again. Isn't this just settling a personal score? If he can investigate me, can't I also conduct a routine investigation on him?"

Dai Chunfeng paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Of course, monitoring and reporting illegal and irregular activities and dissidents within our unit is everyone's right and responsibility. As long as you can find valuable clues, you can report to me at any time."

"Yes. Also..." Zhang Yi hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

"Speak directly!"

"There's a rumor that Mao Qiwuchang claims to be the reincarnation of the Director, the fourth big shot in Jiangshan County. He says that Jiangshan County's terrain is high in the west and low in the east, and the rainwater flows down for miles, so the mountains are barren and the water is dry, unable to support a great dragon. The big shots who come from here all die badly. The Director is lacking water in his destiny, while he himself is lacking fire, talking about his future." Zhang Yi stopped there when he noticed Dai Chunfeng's dark face.

Dai Chunfeng felt a jolt of fear and immediately became suspicious. Was this something Zhang Yi had fabricated, or did Mao Qiwu really believe it?
He suddenly remembered that when he recommended Mao Qiwu as acting chief secretary, he had said to him:

“I know you are a person who can shoulder great responsibilities. Besides your seniority, you are steady and diligent in your work, and you handle interpersonal relationships well, which are qualities that people from Jiangshan do not have. I trust you. You need to learn about the Military Intelligence Bureau and consider issues from a macro perspective. In the future, you will be in charge of the internal affairs. I am currently holding many positions. In the future, people from Jiangshan will have great development. Isn’t it said that Jiangshan has never produced any great figures? You and I are going to break that taboo.”

Mao Qiwu said respectfully, "I will certainly live up to Brother Chunfeng's expectations, work hard, and strive to make something of myself."

And indeed, although Mao Qiwu became the acting chief secretary, he still lived a frugal and hardworking life, treated people with utmost respect, and completed every task with care and caution.

“I’m afraid that these irresponsible rumors will affect you. He’s a smiling tiger, known for his patience and ruthlessness. You may think he’s obedient, but who knows what he’s really thinking?”

Zhang Yi's words pulled Dai Chunfeng back from his reverie. He remained noncommittal, offering a forced smile, but inwardly he became wary. He trusted Mao Qiwu, his relative, classmate, and fellow villager, but if the other party wanted to replace him, he needed to be vigilant.

Zhang Yi didn't care whether he believed it or not; he was simply using Dai Chunfeng's suspicious nature to sow a seed of doubt, which would naturally sprout and grow under certain conditions.

"The so-called feng shui is nothing but feudal superstition, not worth believing." Dai Chunfeng shook his head, then changed the subject, "However, this matter also exposes Mao Qiwu's incompetence. He's good at internal affairs but knows nothing about external work. Therefore, after careful consideration, I've decided to appoint you as acting deputy director's secretary to assist him. I hope you two can work together seamlessly and achieve excellent results, taking the work to a new level. Hmm?"

"Me, the deputy director's secretary? How can that be? I've never been a secretary before!"

"You won't know how to learn if you haven't done it before? That's settled!" Dai Chunfeng said firmly, waving his hand and turning to leave.

Leaving the ward, Dai Chunfeng's face darkened again. Recalling what Zhang Yi had just said, especially those two once-powerful figures from Jiangshan County, Mao and Chai, who both met tragic ends, he couldn't help but feel a tightness in his chest.

He instructed his adjutant, Jia, to summon Director Gong, and with a blank expression, ordered, "We'll stay in Jiangshan County for a few more days. Tomorrow, you'll go to Shimen and Changtai to find out what the locals think of Minister Mao and General Chai. Also, find a feng shui master to tell us why Jiangshan, a place blessed with outstanding people, produces such talented individuals, yet none of them meet a good end."

Upon hearing this, Deputy Officer Jia and Director Gong exchanged bewildered glances, wondering what kind of spell Zhang Yi had cast on the boss that had caused him to suddenly become so anxious.
Just as Director Gong was about to offer some words of comfort, suddenly, a person darted in from outside the building, slipped past the sentry post, and knelt down in front of Dai Chunfeng from a distance:
"Director Dai, Mr. Dai, you must stand up for our hometown people!"

Because of the assassination attempt, the hospital was under heavy guard inside and out to prevent any unforeseen circumstances. There were armed guards everywhere. To be on the safe side, Station Chief Tong temporarily transferred more than a dozen well-trained agents from the station to guard the hospital, making it as secure as an iron barrel.

No sooner said than done, several agents rushed forward, grabbed him, and dragged him aside.

"Wait a moment." Dai Chunfeng waved his hand to stop them. The agents released their grip, and the man rushed over and knelt down again. Dai Chunfeng asked him gently:
"Get up quickly, just tell me what's wrong."

(End of this chapter)