Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 469 The Plan of a Thousand Axes

Wu Ruirui secretly glanced at Hong Zhiyou, a thought rising in her mind.

This appearance is rather...too old and too ugly.

His dark, rough skin and slovenly clothes were a far cry from the exceptionally talented and charming man in her dreams.

She was, after all, still a young girl in the throes of first love, and she always harbored some fantasies about her future prince charming.

Hong Zhi was so shrewd that he could tell what she was thinking just by looking into her eyes.

Without saying a word, he turned around, walked to the basin of water in the corner, scooped up a handful of cold water, and splashed it on his face.

He rubbed his mouth vigorously a few times, tore off the fake mustache stuck to his lips, and then took out a pair of gold-rimmed glasses with an inlaid chain from his pocket and put them on.

It only took about ten seconds.

When he turned around again, the image of the dockworker had vanished.

Instead, a fair-skinned, handsome young man with a refined demeanor was presented.

"Rui Rui, my name is Hong Zhiyou, I am twenty-two years old, the head of the Economic Section of the Harbin Police Department, and also your father's subordinate, a captain in the Military Intelligence Bureau." Hong Zhiyou gave a very formal self-introduction.

Wu Ruirui looked at Hong Zhiyou, who seemed to be performing magic.

Under the lights, he was so handsome that he looked like a protagonist straight out of a fairy tale.

The thought that he was actually her future... made her heart pound uncontrollably, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

Can you draw?

"Could you draw the beach, the houses near that island, and preferably... that little girl named Lele?"

Wu Ruirui spoke up.

Even at this point, the caution and shrewdness she inherited from her father kept her rational to the very end.

“No problem, that’s my specialty.” Hong Zhiyou agreed without hesitation.

He didn't know much about painting, but the original owner of this body was a master of it.

Hong Zhiyou took the sketchbook and pencil from Wu Ruirui, and with a flick of his wrist, the pencil tip scratched across the paper.

He painted very quickly, almost without pausing.

Soon, the image of a chubby little girl appeared on the paper, with an exquisite silver longevity necklace around her neck.

Wu Ruirui took a closer look and was completely stunned.

It was exactly the same as the little girl in her dream, even the style of the collar was exactly the same.

Even if Hong Zhiyou is incredibly powerful, he couldn't possibly sneak into his own dream, could he?
Seeing her shocked expression, Hong Zhi smiled slightly and casually added a few strokes to the background of the drawing paper.

A uniquely shaped sailboat-shaped hotel appeared in the painting.

Wu Ruirui instinctively covered her mouth with her hand, her face full of disbelief.

“Rui Rui, listen to my advice: freedom is only more important than money.”

"As for what you want to study in the US, that's something for people who have money to play with."

"As long as you have enough money, your words will be worshipped like the Bible."

"You can stand under the spotlight and shamelessly say that you don't like money at all and have no interest in it."

"Or you can point to my face and say that I actually had no idea my husband was so handsome, because I'm face-blind."

"You can charge a sky-high price of $100,000 for a shared lunch, and there will still be a long line of people waiting to make a reservation."

"In short, as long as you have money, whatever you say is right."

"So all you have to do is live well, witness miracles, and be the right person for the rest of your life."

Hong Zhi put down his pen and said humorously.

Hmm, that does have a bit of Mr. Dream's vibe... Wu Ruirui was amused by him: "You talk as if you're very rich."

"Anyway, there's enough for you to show off your skills. My teacher and I make money together, so we can't afford to support your fun."

Hong Zhi smiled and tentatively reached out to hold her hand.

Rui Rui, however, shrank back like a startled fawn, saying, "It's getting late, I... I should rest."

"I have so much to say to you."

"That's fine!"

Hong Zhi gave a wry smile.

He was at his wit's end.

Wu Jingzhong is currently the head of the Northeast District and the head of the Manchuria Station. According to the Military Intelligence Bureau's organizational structure, the head of a major district must hold the rank of major general.

This was partly due to Dai Li's promotion and training, and partly due to his envy of Wu Jingzhong's ability to raise money for Zheng Jiemin at the Sino-Soviet intelligence agency.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that as long as Lao Wu could return alive from Northeast China, his future was limitless.

Meanwhile, Mei Shao was in a hurry to get Rui Rui to America and also wanted to arrange a marriage between her and the Su family, which was almost out of favor.

If there's nothing fishy going on here, nobody would believe it.

It is highly likely that the Su family gave Mei Shao a large sum of money.

Old Wu was concerned about saving face at the moment, and with his own life hanging in the balance, he didn't think that far ahead.

If Mei Shao were to push things along, and Rui Rui went to America and slept with Su Jianhua, by then it would be too late.

This might be his only chance to dissuade Rui Rui.

Therefore, he had no choice but to take a risky gamble and engage in this seemingly crazy, almost charlatan-like act.

At this critical juncture, who cares about logic? Just do whatever works.

"I... I'll think about it some more... But what about my uncle..." Wu Ruirui pursed her lips, her eyes filled with conflict and helplessness.

Hong Zhi smiled and said, "You should be glad that your uncle still sees you as an easy fool."

"If you calm down and observe him carefully, you will find that he may not be thinking about your life, but about his own selfish desires."

Wu Ruirui lowered her head and remained silent, a hint of wariness and worry flashing in her eyes.

“Of course, you have to be flexible in handling things. To survive in chaotic times, you have to use your brain,” Hong Zhiyou continued to guide her.

"Just treat your uncle as your first whetstone."

"If he asks, just say you still want to go to America, and do everything he wants to avoid causing chaos at home."

"Sometimes when people are pushed to the limit, they're capable of anything."

"He might use the pretense of doing it for your own good to kidnap you and take you to America."

"Just tell them you want to stay in Tianjin for a few more days."

“I will be in Jinhai for the next few days. If you are determined to stay when I leave, I will take care of all these things for you.”

"Okay, thank you." Wu Ruirui nodded.

……

In the courtyard, Mei Shao was already getting impatient.

He paced back and forth, complaining to Mei Qiuju, "Sister, what are those two talking about in there? They have so much to say."

Mei Qiuju wasn't in a hurry: "It's alright, young man, we'll just chat for a bit."

Upon hearing this, Mei Shao became even angrier: "Still chatting? It's been half an hour, enough time to have a baby!"

Just as he was about to push the door open and go in, Hong Zhiyou came out from the inner room.

"Madam, it's getting late, I should take my leave." He had already put on a beard and pulled his hat brim low to make sure that Mei Shao and the other man couldn't see his face.

"Xiao Hong, take it easy and be careful on the road." Mei Qiuju saw him to the door.

As soon as Hong Zhi left, Mei Shao rushed into the room and questioned Wu Ruirui: "Girl, what did he talk to you about? Why did it take so long?"

In order to curry favor with Wu Jingzhong, who was related to the official, the Su family secretly gave him a full one hundred taels of gold.

As long as Rui Rui goes to the United States, he will arrange for her to stay in Su Jianhua's rented house for the entire time.

When the time comes, a lone man and woman in a foreign land, once the deed is done, it's a done deal.

Mei Shao would never allow anyone to ruin his plans.

Of course, he claimed that this was for his niece's own good. Putting aside the Su family, weren't the Song and Kong families also studying in the United States?
"We talked about studying abroad. He said his father didn't approve of me going abroad and wanted me to stay in Chongqing or Tianjin."

As she spoke, she subtly observed Mei Shao's reaction.

She hadn't realized it before, but now, thanks to Hongzhi's guidance, she discovered that her uncle was indeed being overly stubborn about this matter, and his concern seemed too deliberate.

Mei Shao never imagined that his usually innocent niece had already begun to scheme.

He quickly pressed on, "So what did you say?"

Wu Ruirui adopted a haughty, girlish demeanor and snorted, "Is there even a choice? My dad's an old fogey; he has no idea how good America is. Of course, I'll listen to you, Uncle."

Mei Shao's tense nerves immediately relaxed, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face: "That's right, people should aim higher and have a long-term vision."

"Uncle," Wu Ruirui changed the subject, reaching out to take Mei Shao's arm and acting coquettishly, "I don't know when I'll be back after I leave. I want to stay in Jinhai for a few more days, okay?"
"Uncle, please."

Mei Shao was in a great mood at the moment, and taking it as just a little girl's playful idea, he agreed without thinking.
"Okay, okay, let's stay a few more days, no rush. We can take a ferry from Hong Kong to the United States later, it's the same thing."

Wu Ruirui's face immediately lit up with a bright smile:
"Thank you uncle!"

……

The next day, at Mu Liancheng's mansion.

The president of the Jinhai Chamber of Commerce, who made a fortune by collaborating with the Japanese, was leisurely strolling in the courtyard, holding two shiny walnuts in his hands.

He was accompanied by his current wife, Du Juan.

Du Juan was originally a leading actress in the Peking Opera world. Because of her sweet voice, good figure, and ability to cater to the Japanese, she is now a highly sought-after "Peking Opera master" in Tsushima City. Even Masaharu Honma specially invited her to perform at private gatherings.

To outsiders, she and Mu Liancheng were a match made in heaven.

In order to consolidate his relationship with the Japanese, Mu Liancheng spent a fortune to get married in a grand wedding at the end of last year, which caused a sensation throughout Tianjin.

"Oh dear, I heard that Hong Zhi from beyond the Great Wall has arrived in Tianjin?" Du Juan asked sweetly, swaying her slender waist.

Mu Liancheng grunted in agreement, his steps unwavering: "Yes, they're staying at the Astor Hotel, making quite a grand entrance."

“I suspect he came here specifically for me.” Mu Liancheng stopped, the walnut spinning in his palm slowing down.

“Last time he had a batch of leather goods, which I confiscated.”

"I originally wanted to give him a hard time and discourage him from entering the pass, but now it seems I've bitten off more than I can chew."

"Hmph, why be afraid of him?" Du Juan curled her lip in disdain.

"Just a bunch of bumpkins from beyond the Great Wall."

"This is Jinhaiwei, not some backwater in the Northeast. In this city today, which Japanese official or municipal dignitary doesn't give you, Chairman Mu, some face?"
"Furthermore, after Master Zhang replaced the Qin family, the entire canal gang sided with the Japanese."

"Master Zhang is like a brother to you, and you can do whatever you want in both the legitimate and underworld circles. Everyone who sees you has to respectfully call you Master Mu."

Du Juan leaned closer, her breath sweet as orchids: "Ever since Hong Zhiyou took control of the fur trade outside the pass, our supply has been cut off. How many gold bars have we lost in the past few months?"
"We couldn't touch him in Manchukuo, but now he's come to us of his own accord. Isn't this God giving us the perfect opportunity to get rid of him?"

Mu Liancheng's face was gloomy, and he did not reply.

He knew, of course, how much money he had lost; the figure kept him up at night.

“It’s not that simple,” he said in a deep voice. “Hong Zhiyou recently took down Shibuya Saburo.”

"Shibuya Saburo?" Du Juan was taken aback. "Is he that remarkable?"

“It’s remarkable.” Mu Liancheng said solemnly, “He is the de facto ruler of Harbin and wields considerable military power.”

"Hong Zhiyou has only been in Harbin for a few months, but he first swallowed up Guan Dashuai's territory, and now he has killed Shibuya Saburo."

"This person's skills are extraordinary."

"Then we should get rid of him even more!" Du Juan's voice became shrill. "Once he gains a foothold here, will we still have any good days ahead of us?"

Mu Liancheng remained silent, his eyes filled with calculation.

Just then, the butler, Old Pang, hurried over and bowed to report, "Master, Madam, Officer Matsuda Nobubu has arrived."

"Oh my, what are you waiting for? Please come in!" Du Juan's eyes lit up, and she swayed her plump, round hips in her high heels, eager to greet them.

Mu Liancheng stood still, his eyes instantly turning cold.

Du Juan took a few steps and felt a chill down her back, then realized something was wrong.

She quickly turned her head and gave Mu Liancheng an awkward smile: "I was just afraid of neglecting our distinguished guest."

Mu Liancheng forced a smile and replied dryly, "Yeah, the Japanese, we can't afford to offend them."

In the living room, Matsuda Shin, with his fair complexion and thick short beard, had already sat down, and Mu Liancheng personally set out a tea tray for him.

Matsuda Shin didn't waste any words and went straight to the point: "Chairman Mu, do you and Hong Zhi have some kind of grudge?"

Before Mu Liancheng could speak, Du Juan interrupted with a laugh: "Mr. Matsuda, what are you saying?"

"It's not just a holiday; cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents."

“What Hong Zhi did was tantamount to digging up my old Mu’s ancestral graves.”

As she spoke, her beautiful legs, clad in flesh-colored stockings, gently rubbed against Matsuda Shin's trouser leg under the table, her eyes subtly alluring.

She had affairs with many Japanese and high-ranking traitors in the past.

His favorite was Matsuda Shin.

This Japanese military officer was not only handsome, but also far superior to Mu Liancheng, who was only half-baked, in bed.

If it weren't for Tumuliancheng's money, she wouldn't bother serving this old man who relies on medication to keep him going.

Even with his excellent composure, Mu Liancheng couldn't help but feel embarrassed at this moment.

He married this woman only so that she could get in touch with the Japanese; some things are an open secret.

But today's matter concerns life and death, and this woman actually rushed to speak and made decisions on her own. She really doesn't respect herself at all.

He suppressed his anger and spoke with great composure: "Mr. Matsuda, do you perhaps have a grudge against Hong Zhi? Or are you here specifically to remind me not to act rashly?"

He then passed the ball back to Matsuda Shin.

“I know that Boss Mu’s sworn brother, Master Zhang, has a lot of desperados under his command.” Matsuda Shin picked up his teacup and blew on the steam.

"It shouldn't be too difficult to chop down one person with a thousand axes, right?"

"I can tacitly allow you to take action."

Mu Liancheng felt weak in the back, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

He took out a handkerchief to wipe his face, his mind racing with calculations.

He didn't want to have any enmity with Hong Zhi.

In business, harmony is paramount.

The trade in furs is extremely profitable. Although he seized a batch of goods from Hong Zhi, now that the supply of goods from outside the pass has been cut off, his own path has also been blocked. This is a case of killing eight hundred enemies while losing a thousand of his own.

He even considered going to Harbin in person to have a proper talk with Hong Zhiyou.

He believed that Hong Zhi hadn't retaliated for so long because he wanted to talk to him.

After all, who in this world would turn down money?

Mu Liancheng even felt that Hong Zhiyou's visit to Jinhai was most likely to negotiate with him.

Since he could make money through peaceful means, he couldn't think of any reason to help Matsuda Shin become a murderous blade.

However, if he refused outright, it would be tantamount to revealing Matsuda Shin's plan to kill Hong Zhiyou.

If Hong Zhiyou leaves Jinhai safely, Matsuda Shin will inevitably suspect that he betrayed him.

The Japanese have always been domineering and ruthless, and since Matsuda Shin was Honma Masaharu's adjutant, he couldn't afford to offend him either.

Matsuda Shin has blatantly laid out a scheme on the table, forcing him to choose sides.

This move left even the seasoned and shrewd Mu Liancheng momentarily speechless, his throat dry and unsure how to respond.

After a long silence, Mu Liancheng forced a smile that looked more like a grimace and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Matsuda Shin: "I am ignorant, and I would be grateful if Mr. Matsuda could enlighten me."

Matsuda Shin put down his teacup and said simply and directly, "Boss Mu, settle your scores and avenge your grievances."

"I can help you get rid of the police, and at the same time, I will secretly lend you a hand."

"If we join forces, this time we must ensure that Hong Zhiyou rests in peace in Tianjin forever."

……

(End of this chapter)