Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 435 Forging the "Sharpest Knife"

Nine p.m.

The Wei family, who had already eaten dinner, became lively again.

The cooks in the kitchen were simmering bear paws over a high flame, and the aroma of the spices filled the air.

"Old Ding, Section Chief Hong is coming. Stew it until it's very soft and mushy. He prefers it sweet, so add some honey," Wei Huanzhang's wife, Li Xiuyu, called out in a high-pitched voice, wearing a veil.

"I know, I know," Old Ding shouted without the slightest impatience.

It's this time.

If it were anyone else, Lao Ding would have gotten quite angry and dealt with them haphazardly.

But Section Chief Hong was happy to serve him.

This young master is truly generous.

Last time I ate at the Wei family's, they tipped me 300 yuan in the time it took to serve just one dish.

This is more than what I earn in a month.

What's even more remarkable is that they truly remember you. When you bump into them outside, they'll call you by name and greet you warmly, offering you a cigarette.

Even someone as influential as Section Chief Hong would have to show respect to Mr. Wei.

Old Ding will remember this kindness for the rest of his life—that he, a mere cook, was treated with such respect.

Needless to say, even when I go out to buy groceries, come home to talk to my wife on the kang (heated brick bed), or chat with the neighbors, my voice gets a few decibels louder.

Thinking of this, I scooped another large spoonful of honey into the jar.

"Huanzhang, do you think this outfit looks good on me?" Li Xiuyu asked, adjusting her scarf in the living room.

Wei Huanzhang put down his newspaper and rolled his eyes at him: "You're not going on a blind date, why do you need to be so good-looking?"

"You do not understand.

"Xiao Hong is now more famous than you in Binjiang Province."

"It's not just about money; he can also play the piano, and he plays it very well. The Japanese ladies at the club really like him."

"Even if the wife of Section Chief Kobayashi of the Special Higher Police wanted to invite him to dinner, she wouldn't be able to get a turn."
"I have the advantage of being close to the water tower, so I get the moon first."

Li Xiuyu said with a smug look on her face.

"You women are so boring. What's so great about a broken piano? You can't even understand it, so why pretend to be sophisticated?" Wei Huanzhang said irritably.

"You're just like Zhang Zuolin, a complete country bumpkin."

"This is called a trend."

"Forget it, you wouldn't understand even if I told you."

Li Xiuyu pouted.

……

Outside.

The car stopped.

Hong Zhiyou changed into a suit, and Hao Guifang, whose face was covered in bruises, got out of the car.

"This, this can't really be Mr. Wei's house, can it?" Hao Guifang couldn't keep his mouth shut when he saw the magnificent mansion; all that was left was trembling legs.

"Mr. Hong, please come in."

Immediately, someone led the two into the house.

As usual, they handed over their guns and underwent a brief body search before proceeding to the living room.

"Mr. Wei, Madam," Hong Zhiyou greeted as he entered.

"Zhiyou's here, please have a seat," Wei Huanzhang greeted him.

"And who is this?" He saw Hao Guifang.

Hao Guifang had never met Wei Huanzhang, but he had seen photos of him. Now that he had met him in person, he was so nervous that he trembled and hurriedly bowed and said, "Mr. Wei, my name is Hao Guifang."

"He is the battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion of the 26th Regiment."

"The battalion commander of the Third Battalion?"

Wei Huanzhang frowned slightly, his expression turning serious.

This kind of person isn't qualified to enter his house.

Hao Guifang, being a seasoned veteran, immediately sensed the chilling atmosphere in the air and became even more uneasy, his eyes darting around nervously.

“Oh, Battalion Commander Hao is my friend,” Hong Zhiyou said with a smile.

“Since you are Mr. Hong’s friend, please join us at the table.” Wei Huanzhang immediately changed his tune and became more amiable.

They took their seats.

Li Xiuyu personally carried over the stewed bear paw, smiling and saying, "Zhiyou, it's been a while since you've been here. You must have a good drink tonight."

"Thank you, Auntie."

"Some time ago, a friend of mine from inside the Great Wall got some good stuff from Sun Dianying, saying it was taken from Emperor Xianfeng."

"I don't understand these things either."

"I brought it along today, so please take a look, Uncle Wei."

Hong Zhi handed over the small suitcase he had brought.

"Oh, Emperor Xianfeng's burial objects? Those must be expensive." Wei Huanzhang's eyes lit up as he asked with a smile.

Uncle.

"Whether something is cheap or not depends on the person. For a country bumpkin like me, even the best things are still mundane and not nearly as interesting as a Western meal or a nice car."

"Only a refined person like you can appreciate its value."

"Uncle, you are a very busy person, and I am afraid that such trivial matters will disturb your rest."

Hong Zhi said with a guilty look on his face.

No, no.

“We’re all family, no matter how busy you are, you have to make time to look at it.” Li Xiuyu smiled as brightly as a flower.

"Then I'll have to trouble Uncle Wei and Aunt Wei to do this for me," Hong Zhi said gratefully.

"No, please sit down."

"Xiuyu, go and fetch the bottle of imperial wine that His Majesty the Emperor bestowed upon me. Tonight, I'm going to have a good drink with Xiao Hong," Wei Huanzhang said, stroking his mustache in high spirits.

Having lived for so many years, I've received quite a few gifts.

But those who receive such a comfortable harvest are indeed very few and far between.

That's one of Hong Zhiyou's strengths; he can give gifts that truly touch people's hearts.

They came to deliver gifts, but it turned out to be a good thing for the host family to profit from.

But he gave the impression that he was there to ask someone for a favor.

This allows the family to receive the money with peace of mind, without any psychological burden.

That feels great!

"Okay, I'll go get it right away." Li Xiuyu readily brought the wine.

"Come, let us wish His Majesty the Emperor a long and prosperous life!"

"Let's drink together!"

Wei Huanzhang raised his glass in a toast.

"Long live the Emperor!" Hong Zhiyou raised his hand slightly.

Imperial wine!

Hao Guifang held the cup with both hands, almost above his head, before daring to take a small sip.

I couldn't taste what it was like.

But in one word, it was awesome!

"Don't just drink, Zhiyou, try some bear paws," Li Xiuyu urged.

Hong Zhiyou didn't stand on ceremony and picked up a piece with his chopsticks.

It's tender and flavorful, with a slightly sweet taste; the flavor is quite good.

"Old Ding's cooking skills are probably unmatched in all of Harbin," he exclaimed in praise.

"Zhiyou, don't praise him anymore, or Lao Ding will ask us for a raise," Li Xiuyu said half-jokingly.

Chatted for a while.

Knowing that no one visits a temple without a reason, Wei Huanzhang asked, "Zhiyou, you didn't come here today just to have me appraise the treasures, did you?"

To be honest...

"I do have something to ask Uncle Wei."

"Commander Hao was stationed at Laotuo Mountain under harsh conditions, fighting bandits and suppressing the Anti-Japanese United Army, which was truly not easy."

"However, the winter clothes, food and oil from the quartermaster department were delayed in being delivered to the mountain, and many of the Nationalist soldiers on the mountain suffered frostbite and died."

"I would appreciate it if Uncle Wei could mediate and make some adjustments."

Seeing that Hao Guifang didn't dare to breathe loudly, Hong Zhi simply spoke for him.

"Those bastards."

"The mountain-stationed troops already live a tough life, and to further exploit them is utterly depraved."

"Huanzhang, you need to do something about them."

Upon hearing that it was such a trivial matter, Li Xiuyu immediately expressed her opinion.

"Ok.

"This is a serious matter, and it is time to thoroughly investigate those people in the quartermaster department."

"I'll take care of it for you right now."

Wei Huanzhang stood up, walked to the telephone, and dialed the quartermaster's number:

"it's me!
"You guys have some nerve, daring to embezzle even the food and winter clothes of the Third Battalion stationed in the mountains. Prepare them for me right now, or I'll take your jobs off tomorrow."

"From now on, all soldiers stationed in the mountains in the three battalions will receive three times the usual amount of supplies."

"Send it to the mountain right now, immediately."

Snapped!
He angrily hung up the phone, then returned to the table with a gentle smile, raised his glass, and said:

"Battalion Commander Hao, you and the soldiers of the Second Battalion have worked hard. I'd like to toast you."

Hao Guifang's eyes were almost red with excitement. He quickly raised his wine glass, stood up and bowed: "Commander Wei, you are too kind. On behalf of the soldiers of the Second Battalion, I would like to express my gratitude to you."

"You are welcome.

"Work hard, and His Majesty the Emperor will not mistreat any loyal subject or citizen," Wei Huanzhang said with a smile, adopting an official tone.

Full of wine and food.

Hong Zhiyou and Hao Guifang got up to say goodbye.

Wei Huanzhang personally escorted her to the door, then returned to the hall. Li Xiufen eagerly opened the small suitcase, pointing to a piece of white jade inside, and said:

"Look at the quality, it's obviously a good product."

"Why is this child so lovable?"

"Think back to your old fellow villager, Commander Guan. He never gave us anything, and he was always so stingy with the monthly allowance."

"It's as if we beggars don't need his little bit of food."

"Look at Xiao Hong, he's so efficient, and he's really generous when it comes to money and gifts."

"Huanzhang, you should give him more opportunities to advance in the future."

"Oh, it's a pity our daughter is married, otherwise we would definitely have found him to be our son-in-law."

"You're overthinking it. He doesn't need my promotion. With his abilities and the favor of Ichiro Sakanishi, I wouldn't be surprised if he became the Prime Minister of Manchukuo in the future," Wei Huanzhang remarked.

Everyone says that Japanese people are rigid, inflexible, and principled, but that's all bullshit.

As long as one is human, one is bound to have social skills and social interactions.

The Japanese are more receptive to this approach.

The upper echelons of the Kwantung Army and Mitsubishi Corporation were all controlled by powerful Japanese families.

It's only a matter of time before Hong Zhi climbs up.

This kid has a bright future ahead of him.

……

inside the car.

Hao Guifang covered his face and cried, a half-smile on his face. "Are you alright?" Hong Zhiyou asked.

"fine.

"I never dreamed that I would have the chance to drink imperial wine and share a meal with Mr. Wei."

"Section Chief Hong, is this enough... enough for me to brag about for the rest of my life?"

"What else could this be but a sign of good fortune coming from my family's graves?"

Hao Guifang was still immersed in ecstasy and could not extricate himself.

"Be happy."

"Enough of the fun, let's get down to business," Hong Zhiyou said.

Upon hearing this, Hao Guifang touched his face and suddenly realized, "Right, brother, why did you help me?"

"Would you believe me if I said I wanted to form a good connection?" Hong Zhiyou asked with a smile.

Forget it.

"Manchukuo was all about killing and hatred; there was no kindness whatsoever."

"Brother, just tell me straight. I'll do anything for you, even if it means going through fire and water."

Hao Guifang patted his chest and said.

"I have a mine on the mountain."

"Guan Weilong has taken over the area, and there are several bandit groups in Laotuo Mountain, so I need your Third Battalion to grow bigger and stronger, so we brothers can get rich together."

"Don't you like gambling?"

"I'll give you 10% of the profits from that side later."

"Furthermore, once we bring back the gold mine, I'll give you ten percent of it."

"I don't care about anything else, but I'm confident I can make you the richest Nationalist military officer in Harbin."

Hong Zhi lit a cigarette and said slowly.

As he spoke, he stopped the car, took a black cloth bag from the back seat, and tossed it to Hao Guifang: "To show my sincerity, this is a small gift from me."

When Hao Guifang opened it, he found five six-tael gold bars and a stack of one-hundred-yuan Kangde coins inside.

"None of the things you mentioned are problems for me."

"Brother, you've helped me enough. I know my own limitations."

"Those traitors under Lao Hei don't take me seriously at all."

"Your brother took me to see Lord Wei today and we even drank imperial wine. This is a blessing that I, Old Hao, have accumulated over eight lifetimes."

"I may be a bit of a muddle-headed person, but I'm never ambiguous when it comes to loyalty."

"Your business is my Third Battalion's business. You hold the gun, I'm responsible for pulling the trigger. If I even flinch, I'm a son of a bitch."

"take it back."

Hao Guifang bluntly threw the cloth bag back, looking as if Hong Zhi looked down on him.

"Good brother."

"Listen to me, take the money."

"You saw what happened today. Money makes the world go round. If you don't have money, how can your brothers starve?"
"What I hope for is that not only I and you become rich, but all the brothers in our Third Battalion become rich."

"Old Camel Mountain has more than just gold mines."

"You take care of clearing the mountains, and I'll take care of finding money. We'll make money together."

"In addition, I will apply to the military police to equip you with two Type 94 mountain guns and ten Type 92 heavy machine guns, and strive to arm your Third Battalion into the strongest national army force."

"At that time, we will be able to hit any target we point at and be invincible."

Hongzhi has the Way.

Making money was not difficult for Hong Zhiyou.

His biggest headache was dealing with the bandits in the mountains and Guan Weilong, and lacking an army that could be used by him.

The Anti-Japanese Alliance was composed of a diverse group of people and posed extremely high risks.

Even if Zhou Yi could contact them, it would be fine to use them occasionally, but Hong Zhiyou dared not even think about having a team organized and led by the political commissar to do odd jobs for him.

But the national soldiers were different.

These seasoned soldiers can do anything with money; to put it bluntly, they're somewhat like mercenaries.

As long as you have the right equipment, you can fight bandits and seize mountain strongholds.

This is also why he was willing to invest heavily in Hao Guifang.

"Brother, how did you manage to get this?"

"If I had the Type 94 mountain gun, fighting bandits would be a piece of cake. With that gun's range and power, the bandits wouldn't even be able to touch me. I could blast their stronghold to smithereens."

Hao Guifang said excitedly.

Most of the soldiers in Manchukuo were still using outdated equipment from the Northeast Army's arsenal.

The Japanese did have some obsolete rifles and such.

Those are the "vanguard" troops who get priority; it's not their turn to be on the fringes.

"certainly.

"I will go to see the village head tomorrow to finalize this matter."

"In addition, I will apply to Wei Huanzhang to get you all Japanese-style equipment."

Hongzhi has the Way.

"Is it feasible? Commander Li and the Japanese probably won't agree," Hao Guifang said.

"I'll pay for it, what's there for them to disagree with?"

"Things discarded by the Japanese just gather dust in the warehouse."

"As for your Commander Li, there's no need to worry about his attitude."

"From now on, Murakami and I will be your strongest support."

After Hong Zhi finished speaking, he handed the money bag back to him.

"All right.

"It's a great honor for me, Lao Hao, to have met you, brother."

"From now on, we're brothers. I'll share the good times and the bad. I'll take the blame for you, brother."

Hao Guifang patted his chest and said.

"share weal and woe.

“It’s getting late.

"Go back to the quartermaster and take inventory of the supplies, including Japanese firearms and cannons. I'll let you know after I've coordinated with Captain Murakami," Hong Zhi nodded and said.

"it is good.

"See you later. This is the phone number up in the mountains. Call me if you need anything."

Hao Guifang left a number, took the money, and left on his own.

Hong Zhiyou looked at the vast night sky and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

With the three battalions, things will be much easier in the future, whether it's suppressing bandits or secretly transporting medicine to the Anti-Japanese United Army.

……

inside the room.

Gu Qiuyan, wearing a bathrobe, sat on the edge of the bed.

Zhou Yi soaked his feet, his eyes filled with exhaustion and worry.

"You seem to be in a bad mood. Is something wrong?" she asked.

"It's very troublesome."

"When Li Songquan was alive, he applied to Shibuya Saburo for a top-secret plan targeting the Anti-Japanese United Army."

"Judging from the level of secrecy and the cautious attitude of the Japanese, as well as Gao Bin's optimism about the battle situation, I estimate that it is very likely that they intend to use those filthy things made by Shiro Ishii on the mountain."

Zhou Yi frowned.

“Shiro Ishii, isn’t that the Togo Epidemic Prevention and Water Supply Unit?” Gu Qiuyan asked.

"This is just a cover-up."

"Shiro Ishii secretly used living people to conduct bacterial experiments in Nakama City. There were homeless people on the streets from time to time, as well as criminals specially transferred from prisons and special agents. It is very likely that they were sent to that hellish place."

"The previous outbreak of plague was very likely caused by them."

"Nobody knows how far their research is going."

"It is certain that Shibuya Saburo and the Kwantung Army General Staff were determined to use the Anti-Japanese United Army in the mountains as test subjects, and Gao Bin even boasted that it was a plan that could be recorded in the history of the war."

"Once this plan is actually implemented, it is very likely to completely wipe out the Lao Tuo Shan team."

Zhou Yi said in a deep voice.

"Ah!" Gu Qiuyan's face paled.

Her husband, Zhao Pingru, was still on the mountain. If bacteria or plague were used, given the Anti-Japanese Allied Forces' limited medical resources, it would be a dead end.

"No, we need to send a message up the mountain right away," Gu Qiuyan said.

"Foolish."

"I told you this was just a plan."

"Gao Bin has always been suspicious of us. He and the Security Bureau have sent people to investigate your identity at least five times."

“I even suspect that this was a setup he made with the Japanese to lure me in.”

"Because Gao Bin specifically asked me to take charge of this plan, which may or may not be true."

“Once I agree, he will lock us in.”

“At this point, any slight disturbance, even if you just go to the store across the street to buy a pack of cigarettes, they will find out exactly what brand it is and what banknote you used.”

"In his view, my acceptance of the task was already a stupid mistake."

"Perhaps he's already waiting to see me make a fool of myself, to confirm his neurotic speculation."

Zhou Yi sneered.

"Then why did you agree?" Gu Qiuyan asked, puzzled.

“It’s very simple.

"Gao Bin suspected that I was a loyal voter, but my behavior was just like that of a loyal lackey to him, so I had to show my loyalty to him."

"It must appear clumsy, yet... clever."

"It's a delicate balance, hard to grasp, but I have to do it."

You can understand it this way.

“This person has gone mad. Sometimes he thinks I’m on the left, and sometimes he thinks I’m on the right. I have to make a slight movement to shift his thinking a little.”

"Only in this way can I remain hidden amidst his endless self-doubt."

Zhou Yi wiped his feet and stepped onto the oven mat.

"So, are you going to answer or not?" Gu Qiuyan was completely confused.

"catch.

"We can't accept it either."

He picked up a thick fur coat from the wall and wrapped himself up tightly, then sat down by the fireplace and picked up a book to read.

Soon, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

My whole body was soaked in sweat, and my pores were wide open.

"Zhou Yi, you, what is this..." Gu Qiuyan was stunned.

Zhou Yi took off his coat and walked straight to the bathroom.

Then, in the bathtub filled with cold water, amidst the biting cold, he let out a muffled groan and submerged himself head and toes.

Gu Qiuyan listened to his low, miserable screams.