My spy diary

Chapter 658 Banquet VS Acting (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

"Hey, Brother Yunyi, no, I should call you Deputy Director Zhang now, it's been a long time!"

"Director Yang, please stop teasing me. I've just changed jobs and am just running errands. How can it compare to how successful you are here? You look radiant! Have you found some good stuff recently?"

"After much searching, I finally found a purple clay teapot, which is somewhat comforting." Yang Rong smiled broadly, his eyes narrowing into slits, a halo of light shimmering on his oily forehead. He first praised Boss Dai, then lauded Zhang Yi, before leaning closer to Zhang Yi and whispering meaningfully:

"I heard you had a very fruitful trip to the Southeast?"

Zhang Yi naturally understood his meaning and immediately smiled and said, "A good teapot deserves good tea, and fragrant tea is served in a fine vessel. I happen to have two jars of good tea that I brought back from the Southeast. I'll send them to you tomorrow."

"Haha, then I'll gladly accept."

"What are you chatting about, you seem so happy?" At this moment, He Zhiyuan, the head of the action department, came over with a smile.

"We're just congratulating Deputy Director Zhang!"

"Oh, then count me in. Brother Yunyi, you have a bright future ahead of you, may you achieve great things!"

Zhang Yi chuckled self-deprecatingly: "Alright, you two section chiefs, stop joking with me. I'm just occupying a position to make a living. I just need to avoid being accused of being a 'household hog'."

"I disagree with that!" Yang Rong shook his head and said seriously, "Which of you here didn't follow Director Dai and make outstanding contributions to the Party and the country? To put it bluntly, if we are considered to be just occupying positions without doing any work, then wouldn't others not even bother to put on an empty show? The current atmosphere is very bad. There are always some people who like to stir up trouble and attack us, saying that our Military Intelligence Bureau is some kind of hooligan or parasite. And what about them? They can only be considered maggots. Basically, they are a group of people who eat and defecate without doing any work, and they are just good for stirring up trouble and gossiping about those who do work. All they have left is a mouth. They are purely misleading the country and the people!"

“Hmm, that’s right.” He Zhiyuan nodded repeatedly in agreement.

As they were talking, the other section chiefs and directors arrived one after another. Except for Xu Renji, the director of the management department, who was on leave, Gong, the director of the personnel department, Wei Daming, the director of the telecommunications department, Liao Huaping, the deputy director of the supervision office, and Zhang Guanfu, the director of the chief audit office, all came and went through the procedure of shaking hands and greeting each other.

Just as everyone was about to sit down, Wei Daming came up and pulled Zhang Yi aside, saying:
"There's something small I just wanted to report."

After leaving the living room, the two stood in the entryway and talked.

"You know about the Military Commission's Technical Research Office, right?" Wei Daming asked as soon as he arrived.

"What is it?" Zhang Yi asked, feigning ignorance.

"Sigh, I thought you had heard about it." Wei Daming sighed and said indignantly, "Ever since Mao took over the Military Commission's Technical Research Office, he has made a lot of personnel changes and squeezed out our Military Intelligence Bureau people. He has turned the Technical Research Office into an impenetrable block. I heard that they have cracked the SF code. If this continues, our own research office will fall far behind."

SF code is the Japanese diplomatic code.

The person surnamed Mao that Wei Daming mentioned was Mao Qing, a fellow townsman and family friend of the Chairman, who served as the head of the Second Section of the Generalissimo's Office and the director of the Confidential Office. He is currently replacing Wei Daming as the acting director and serving as the deputy director of the Military Commission's Technical Research Office.

Both men were ambitious and resorted to various means to vie for the top position, attacking each other and turning the technical research lab into a chaotic mess.

Wei Daming went even further. When he realized that his attempts to gradually erode, infiltrate, and win over his enemies had failed, he resorted to threats and persecution.

First, he instructed his trusted subordinate, Zhu Liemin, the head of the second section of the sixth group, to set a trap. While avoiding Japanese bombing raids, he had a prostitute he had bribed in advance seduce Huang Jinmin, a trusted subordinate of Deputy Director Mao, in the air-raid shelter. Then, he caught them in the act and finally imprisoned Huang Jinmin on charges of improper conduct.

Next, he instructed his subordinates to secretly take photos of several of the other party's key men from their personnel files and send the photos to the Garrison Command's Inspection Department, saying that these men were suspected of being members of the Communist Party and suggesting that they be secretly investigated and monitored.

Fearing to offend Deputy Director Mao, the inspection department simply used the excuse of insufficient manpower to send Wei Daming a formal letter of refusal.

Unexpectedly, this reply ended up in the hands of the secretary of the research office. This person was Mao's man, and he directly made the matter public, saying that Wei Daming was going to poison us non-military intelligence personnel.

Upon hearing this, the crowd was outraged and immediately united to write a joint letter of complaint to the Chairman.

As a result, Wei Daming stepped down.

Zhang Yixin said, "You're a tech guy, why don't you focus on your technical skills? Instead, you resort to these underhanded and ruthless methods. Now that your schemes have been exposed, you're reaping what you sowed. Not only did you not learn your lesson, but you're still harboring these wicked intentions."

He frowned and asked:

"Does Boss Dai know about this?"

Seeing Zhang Yi's evasiveness, Wei Daming became somewhat displeased. After a moment of silence, he said bluntly, "Isn't this just asking you to report to Boss Dai?"

"This is a very important matter. You should personally consult and report to the Director. It's not appropriate for me to relay it, is it?" Zhang Yi said with a forced smile, cleverly passing the buck back and making a clean getaway.

"Okay, I understand." Wei Daming gave him a deep look, then turned and left.

"What are you all talking about? It's so lively!" Just then, Dai Chunfeng came out of the study accompanied by Deputy Officer Jia, and habitually wiped his nose with a handkerchief.

The noisy living room immediately fell silent.

After the room fell silent, Dai Chunfeng walked to the head seat, first scanning the room with his eyes as if checking if everyone had arrived, then he waved his hand:

"Please sit down. This is a private gathering, so please relax."

He sat down with an air of authority, and everyone else followed suit.

Dai Chunfeng pointed at Yu Bin: "I know everyone else, but I'd like to introduce Mr. Yu in particular. He's an old friend of mine. He came all the way from Leshan to offer advice and support for the development of our Military Intelligence Bureau. His kindness is truly commendable! I won't say anything else. It's rare to have such a leisurely time, so let's all have a good drink together. I'll treat Bishop Yu well, and we won't leave until we're drunk tonight!"

Yu Bin smiled broadly: "Brother Yu Nong, you flatter me. It is a rare opportunity, and I am truly honored. Tonight, I am honored to meet so many outstanding talents and pillars of the Military Intelligence Bureau, and to share a drink with you all!"

Dai Chunfeng waved his hand: "Let's relax a bit today, Mr. Yu, what do you think? Sitting in the office all day with a tense face must be so uncomfortable. Now, let's remove our masks, let's be real, really real!" Mao Qiwu loosened the buttons on his Zhongshan suit, half-raised his buttocks, and joked with a beaming smile:

"Be more truthful? Mr. Dai, surely we can't all be completely open with each other? There are women here, aren't there? Director Jiang, right?"

Jiang Yiying smiled, smoothed her hair, rolled her eyes at him, and didn't say anything.

"What nonsense are you talking about? It's fine for us to joke around, but don't embarrass yourselves in front of Mr. Yu." Dai Chunfeng chuckled and scolded, stroking his slicked-back hair. "Getting back to the point, our distinguished guest today is Brother Yu. Brother Yu, there should be some religious figures among you..."

“I never get involved in politics. I never get involved in politics!” Yu Bin stretched out his slender fingers, which were as fair as a woman’s.

Wang Xinheng smacked his lips and said, "Not getting involved in politics doesn't mean I don't know about it. I'm someone who doesn't get involved in politics either, but who can live without it?"

“That makes sense,” Mao Qiwu interjected. “Politics is indispensable. It’s like air; how can people live without air? Of course, I understand what Mr. Yu means—not that he’s ignorant of politics, but that he doesn’t concern himself with it!” As he spoke, he glanced at Zhang Yi beside him and asked meaningfully, “Deputy Director Zhang, what do you think?”

Zhang Yi was somewhat surprised that the topic had suddenly turned to him. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Dai Chunfeng staring at him with deep eyes, which made him wary, but he remained calm and hesitated for a moment before saying:

"In my humble opinion, politics is something we can't live without. The key is that the politics we're talking about here is a narrow concept. Different concepts mean that when Mr. Yu says he doesn't care about politics, I think he's just not caring about politics in a narrow sense."

In truth, very few people are qualified to inquire about politics. Politics is a system, its most prominent characteristic being that it is possessed by a very small minority. Among those present, besides Director Dai, who else is qualified? We are merely followers, fortunate enough to be by Director Dai's side. We should take Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People as our foundation, be loyal to the Party and the nation, diligently perform our duties, and serve the Military Intelligence Bureau and the great cause of the Party and the nation with utmost loyalty!

His words were passionate and his expression sincere, drawing cheers from the crowd.

Mao Qiwu was instantly both angry and helpless, feeling as if he had punched a cotton ball. He chuckled in agreement, about to retort, when Dai Chunfeng stopped him with a look. Dai Chunfeng smiled faintly and changed the subject:

"Stop with the pedantry and flattery. Yunyi, I heard you visited Zheng Mingyuan today?"

“Yes, this is the task assigned by Director Mao.” Zhang Yi nodded frankly. Dai Chunfeng remained silent. Zhang Yi felt that Dai Chunfeng’s tone was a little strange, but he couldn’t figure out what was strange about it.

The food and drinks were served quickly. Dai Chunfeng first proposed a toast to Yu Bin from Leshan. Everyone drank, but Yu Bin only took a sip, saying he had a bad stomach and couldn't drink alcohol, which made the atmosphere a little awkward.

As the saying goes, when friends get together, the food doesn't have to be fancy or the wine doesn't have to be expensive. What matters is sincerity and enthusiasm. If you say you won't drink, wouldn't that be a spoilsport?

Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Mao Qiwu quickly stepped in to smooth things over:
“Mr. Yu does indeed have a weak stomach. Despite being a bishop who associates with the elite and converses with learned scholars, Mr. Yu lives a life devoid of worldly affairs and extravagance, extremely simple—he neither smokes nor drinks, and eats simple meals every day, displaying the demeanor of a venerable man.” As he spoke, he asked Dai Chunfeng, “Mr. Dai, since Mr. Yu cannot drink alcohol, how about using tea instead?”

“Sure, of course!” Dai Chunfeng smoothed his slicked-back hair again, signaling the servant to serve Yu Bin tea, then changed the subject, “Brother Yu, you are a distinguished guest today. Since we’ve already had some wine, let’s speak frankly!”

“Since Mr. Dai has spoken, I won’t beat around the bush. I’ve come to visit Director Dai today because I really need his help.” Yu Bin sighed, then recounted indignantly how their Catholic Church had struggled to develop in the border region and how it had been suppressed by the Red Party. “Brother Yu Nong, gentlemen, as I just said, I don’t care about politics and don’t participate in politics; I’m only focused on missionary work. But despite my sincerity, they’ve repaid me with indifference.” With that, he slammed his fist on the table and said through gritted teeth, “Since that’s how it is, I’ll repay evil with evil. If they won’t let me have an easy time, then no one else will have an easy time either!”

Dai Chunfeng looked surprised: "Is it that serious?" Without waiting for Yu Bin's reply, he looked at Wang Xinheng and asked, "Director Wang, did we also lose a group of brave soldiers who infiltrated the border region?"

Wang Xinheng replied solemnly, "Yes, less than one in ten survives."

Dai Chunfeng was heartbroken: "Those were hundreds of well-trained warriors! Damn it, this is outrageous!"

"This is truly outrageous! We swear we won't rest until we avenge this!" Yu Bin echoed, his plump face full of malice. "Director Dai, in this critical situation, we should unite as one and fight the enemy together. I can help your Military Intelligence Bureau establish a network. We'll provide manpower and funding as needed, and we're willing to share all our intelligence channels. All we ask is for unity of purpose to wipe away this humiliation!"

Hearing this, Zhang Yi finally understood the purpose of today's gathering. Dai Chunfeng and Yu Bin, working together, were putting on a show for them, with the audience as the main targets, but primarily himself.

He understood that everyone present was shrewd and had also noticed something amiss, but they felt it was none of their business and decided to stay out of it, since it was ultimately a matter for the Party and government intelligence department.

Dai Chunfeng naturally understood their thoughts, and stood up with a cold snort:

"Don't think that just because it doesn't concern you, you can stay out of it. Humph, I'm warning you all, the Red Party's influence is growing stronger every day. If you don't wake up and rise up, once they really gain power, you and I will all die without a burial place."

My mind is made up. This plan will be called "Thunderbolt." Wang Xinheng will be in overall charge of coordinating the entire operation and analyzing core intelligence. The Action Department will assign elite personnel to lead the frontline operations. The Communications Department will ensure encrypted communication throughout the entire process to guarantee accurate transmission of instructions and prevent leaks. The Personnel Department will prepare cover identification and guarantee documents in advance. The General Affairs Department will prepare weapons, equipment, and supplies in advance. All departments must perform their duties, cooperate closely, and work seamlessly to ensure that "Thunderbolt" strikes with unwavering success!

"Yes!"

Half an hour later, the banquet ended, and the department heads left with heavy hearts.

It was completely dark.

As soon as they left the Dai residence, Monkey ran over and asked, "Chief, are we going home? The car has already started moving."

Zhang Yi nodded and walked towards the car, but just as he was about to get in, he stopped and said to the monkey:

"You haven't eaten yet, have you? You drive back first, I'll walk by myself."

The monkey hesitated for a moment, then remained silent. After thinking for a moment, it went to the car, grabbed a flashlight, and handed it to Zhang Yi.

After Zhang Yi accepted the gift, he slowly walked down the mountain. A gust of wind blew, and the little bit of alcohol he had was completely gone.

In the dead of night, the fog began to rise again in the mountains, enveloping everything.

The fog, like a kitten's paw, gently scratches, making one's heart begin to drift.

The dense, impenetrable trees and bamboo blocked the moonlight, so Zhang Yi turned on his flashlight and walked slowly.

At that moment, he seemed to hear footsteps behind him.

(End of this chapter)