Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 480 Everything is a good thing

In the afternoon, Hong Zhi tidied himself up, changed into a well-fitting suit, combed his hair until it was shiny, and drove to Ma Wendong's official residence in a refreshed state.

It was a heavily guarded Japanese garden, with armed Japanese military police standing at the entrance, their sharp eyes scanning the passersby and vehicles.

Hong Zhiyou parked the car, walked over, and explained his purpose to the military police in fluent Japanese.

The military police sized him up a few times, and one of them turned and went inside to report.

Inside the official residence, in an elegant Japanese-style room, Momomura Kaeko was kneeling on the tatami mats, intently pruning flower branches.

She was dressed in an elegant kimono, her long black hair styled in a bun that revealed a section of her fair and delicate neck.

She is the only daughter of Takuichi Ōmura. After marriage, she took her husband Wen-tung's Japanese surname, Momomura.

She was an extremely intelligent woman, exuding the air of a noblewoman from a prominent Japanese family. Every gesture she made revealed an elegance and composure honed through rigorous training.

The kimono completely covered her graceful figure, but it only added to her alluring charm.

"lady."

A maid entered with quick steps and bowed to report.

“There is a Mr. Hong Zhiyou outside the door who requests an audience.”

Hong Zhiyou?
Jia Huizi paused slightly as she trimmed the flower branches, her willow-leaf eyebrows furrowing slightly.

She knew very well that her father sent her husband to Harbin primarily to target Hong Zhiyou.

According to the schedule, her husband had just met with him at the Police Headquarters this morning. Why would he come to visit her at this time?

However, she is not worried that Hong Zhiyou will do anything to harm her.

She knew her man's methods; even if he wanted to kill Hong Zhiyou, he would never openly break ties with him.

Furthermore, this was the residential area of ​​high-ranking officers of the Kwantung Army, and it was heavily guarded.

For Hong Zhiyou, assassinating her would be tantamount to courting death.

He's a smart man; he wouldn't do something so stupid.

"Let him in."

Jia Huizi's voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable command.

Soon, Hong Ji was led in by a maid.

As soon as he entered, his gaze fell on Momomura Kaeko.

This woman possesses the gentle and graceful beauty unique to Japanese women, but her clear eyes also reveal the shrewdness and scrutiny characteristic of a tycoon's heir.

Unlike Keiko, Mrs. Momomura was dressed very conservatively, with only her neck and wrists showing.

This shows that she is a very conservative and cautious woman at heart.

Hong Zhiyou composed himself, bowed without looking to the side, and said, "Madam Taocun, please forgive my unauthorized visit."

Jia Huizi put down her flower shears, gestured for him to sit down, and personally brewed him a cup of tea.

The aroma of tea wafted through the air, yet the atmosphere was somewhat subtle.

“My husband is not home. If Mr. Hong has business to attend to, I’m afraid he will have to come another day.”

Her voice was gentle, yet distant: "I hope Mr. Hong will keep it brief."

"it is good."

Hong Zhi picked up his teacup but didn't drink it. Instead, he looked directly into her eyes and got straight to the point: "Madam, save me."

Jia Huizi's hand, which was holding the teacup, paused in mid-air for a moment before she casually put it down.

She looked at the handsome man in front of her, whose face showed signs of anxiety, and smiled faintly: "Mr. Hong is joking."

“If you are sick, you should go to a doctor, not come to a woman like me.”

Hong Zhi gave a wry smile and shook his head: "Only you, Madam, can cure my illness."

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice.

"Someone wants to kill me."

Jia Huizi covered her mouth and chuckled as if she had heard the funniest joke.

"Kill you?"
“Mr. Hong, you are a guest of Chief of Staff Rensuke Isogai, the king of Harbin’s underworld. Even a big shot like Saburo Shibuya has fallen into your hands.”

There was a hint of mockery in her eyes.

"In this Manchukuo, who can kill you? Who dares to kill you?"

Hong Zhiyou's face showed a helpless and bitter expression: "Madam, you think too highly of me."

"Shibuya Saburo died because he foolishly plotted to assassinate Stalin, which angered the Soviets. The Kwantung Army used him as a pawn to appease the Soviets in the north."

"It has absolutely nothing to do with me."

He sighed, looking utterly dejected.

"In the end, I'm just a small pawn caught in the whirlpool, with no choice in the matter."

He recounted exactly what had happened at the Police Headquarters that morning.

From offering suggestions for the bandit suppression plan to having Hao Guifang dragged out for a face-to-face confrontation, and finally to the table-flipping incident regarding the "poison plan."

"Madam, you see, every word your husband says is laced with murderous intent. I have no way out."

"Director Ma wields immense power, backed by President Ōmura and Commander Ueda Kenkichi. As for Chief of Staff Isogai Rensuke, he's been evasive about my request for help today, clearly having no intention of standing up for me."

"Without the chief of staff as my shield, I am nothing more than a lamb to the slaughter in front of Director Ma."

"If he wants to kill me, I can only stretch out my neck and wait to die."

Hong Zhi picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp, as if trying to suppress the fear in his heart.

“I, Hong Zhi, have lived a mundane life, and all I ask for is a few taels of silver. Money is certainly a good thing, but compared to my life, I can tell which is more important.”

Jia Huizi listened quietly, her face expressionless.

She spoke slowly after he finished speaking.

There is an old Chinese saying that goes, "Buddha does not save those who are not destined to be saved."

"Mr. Hong, we are complete strangers and clearly not destined to meet. What do I care about your life or death?"

She refused decisively, leaving no room for negotiation.

Hong Zhi smiled and pushed the suitcase in front of Jia Huizi.

"Madam, it is fate that we met."

"This is just a small token of my appreciation, please accept it, Madam."

Jia Huizi didn't move, she just glanced at it indifferently.

Hong Zhi understood.

There was a click.

He opened the suitcase, and stacks of brand-new Kangde coins were neatly arranged inside, gleaming alluringly in the afternoon sun.

One hundred thousand.

A full 100,000 Kant coins.

At this time, when the Japanese army is invincible and the economy of Manchukuo seems prosperous, this is definitely a number that can make anyone's breath catch in their throat.

Even Jia Huizi, a chaebol heiress who was used to seeing money, couldn't help but have her pupils contract slightly.

This is a huge undertaking.

It was so big that she couldn't refuse.

She was even certain that even if Hong Zhi had assassinated Puyi's younger brother, with this money, she was confident that she could use her father's connections to save him.

but……

Jia Huizi's mind started working at lightning speed.

This man is far more complex than he appears.

He possessed the gold mine left behind by the warlord, had his own bandit force, and had unclear ties with the Nationalist army stationed in the mountains.

I'll accept this 100,000 yuan today and let him off the hook.

Given time, this 100,000 yuan will become 1 million, then 10 million.

His Hongsheng Company will become the second South Manchuria Railway, or even surpass it.

That's digging up her father's foundation, digging up the very roots of the entire village and family!

Jia Huizi sipped her fragrant tea.

A long silence fell over the Japanese-style room.

After a long silence, Jia Huizi finally spoke slowly, her voice gentle: "Sorry, I'm not interested in money."

"Has Madam ever stayed in Tokyo?" Hong Zhiyou asked with a smile.

Jia Huizi paused, then nodded and said, "Of course, my home is in Tokyo."

That's not surprising. Everyone who's been to Ginza in Tokyo has picked up this shameless habit.

“Madam, this money isn’t a burden. I know what you and Chairman Omura want.” He smiled, showing no sign of discouragement.

“I have a gold mine, and if I’m not mistaken, the reserves are quite large, which is why you’ve come here.”

"Faced with your butcher's knife, I am just a fish on the chopping board, at your mercy."

"But I am, after all, a man of the Prince. My reputation doesn't matter, but you should at least give the Prince some face."

He looked at Jia Huizi and said, word by word, "I can accept your conditions, but I have two requests."

"First, leave me some food to eat. I can accept your investment, even if you take 90% of the profits, at least leave me some soup."

"As for how to mine it and how much you can get, that's your business."

"My meager profit is reserved for the prince. If I don't even give him that much, it won't look good if we fall out. Besides, I will lose my value to the prince."

He smiled bitterly.

"What's the difference between a worthless person and someone who's dead? I hope you can understand, Madam."

"Second, release Hao Guifang and Xu Yunying," he continued.

"Hao Guifang is my friend, and Xu Yunying is my confidante."

"A person cannot live a life without feelings and righteousness. Consider this 100,000 yuan as my redemption money."

The coldness in Jia Huizi's eyes gradually melted away, replaced by a hint of curiosity.

She re-examined the man in front of her.

"I didn't realize you were such a loyal and affectionate person," Jia Huizi laughed, her tone less distant.

"That's true. How could someone without emotions write such a perfect piano piece?"

She nodded slightly and said to herself.

Hong Zhiyou quickly took out a neatly folded origami crane from his suit pocket and presented it with both hands.

"Therefore, I am willing to use the crane as my witness to form a good relationship with you, Madam."

Jia Huizi took the origami crane; it was warm to the touch.

Curious, she opened it, only to find not a letter, but a prescription filled with tiny, neat characters.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Hong Zhi leaned closer and lowered his voice, saying, "This is a folk remedy for childbirth. I got it from a legendary doctor in Tianjin."

"Generally speaking, if you use this formula for about six months, you should be able to conceive."

Jia Huizi's smile froze instantly, and an indescribable bitterness flashed across the depths of her eyes, too fleeting to be detected.

She is thirty-four years old this year.

I had too many wild parties in Tokyo when I was young, and I secretly had several abortions.

When she married Ma Wendong and wanted to settle down as a good wife and have children for her husband, she discovered that her belly had stopped showing signs of pregnancy.

Ma Wendong didn't say it, but she knew he was unhappy.

This matter quickly became a source of anxiety for her.

"That's certainly original." Jia Huizi quickly concealed her embarrassment, covering her mouth and chuckling softly. "Does it work?"

"It works!" Hong Zhi said decisively. "As far as I know, several concubines in their fifties, some even postmenopausal, have gotten pregnant after using this formula. And most of them gave birth to boys!"

He knew very well that when a woman had an extreme desire for something, her IQ would usually plummet.

The more fantastical and exaggerated the propaganda, the more interested they tend to be.

Sure enough, the light in Jia Huizi's eyes grew brighter and brighter, and her breathing became somewhat rapid.

She carefully folded the prescription again and put it into the sleeve pocket of her kimono, her movements delicate and respectful.

"Since Mr. Hong is so sincere, I, as a Buddhist, cannot be insensitive."

Jia Huizi's smile became much more genuine.

"I've made this good connection."

She reached out and pulled the suitcase full of money to her side.

"Don't worry, I will persuade my husband to reach a compromise and cooperation with you as soon as possible. After all, harmony brings wealth."

"Okay, thank you, Madam." Hong Zhi bowed and scraped, his face full of gratitude.

……

As Hong Jiyou got into his car after leaving the heavily guarded official residence, the humility and fear on his face vanished instantly.

He started the car, a cold smile playing on his lips.

He randomly picked a folk doctor on the roadside and paid him one yuan for the prescription.

In short, it won't kill you.

He meant six months.

Six months later, the Battle of Khalkhin Gol should be over.

Before she could even get pregnant, Ma Wendong and his gang would either die or be forced to retreat.

He can't control what others do, but Ma Wendong won't be able to leave Harbin alive.

Whether the couple wants money or their lives, as long as he can keep them hanging on for six months with this worthless piece of paper, even if they slowly bleed him to pieces, Hong Zhi doesn't care.

Anyway, he'll get his money back with interest in the end.

As for those 100,000 Kant coins, they are indeed valuable right now.

But if you leave this money unspent, it will just become a pile of worthless paper in a few years. Compared to gold mines and leather goods, which truly hold their value, it's nothing at all.

On the contrary, he felt that this was an excellent opportunity for him at the moment.

He could begin secretly investing in Yoshijiro Umezu, the future commander-in-chief of the Kwantung Army, and Naoto Kohiyama, the next president of the South Manchuria Railway Company.

The latter, in particular, was expelled from the council of the South Manchuria Railway Company because he was framed by Ma Wendong.

Offering help when someone is down on their luck is far more useful than offering prayers and incense later when they come back to haunt you.

Hong Zhiyou even wished that Ma Wendong and the technicians from the South Manchuria Railway could immediately go to the mine that Guan Weilong had seized and conduct a large-scale professional exploration.

Once they've painstakingly explored and completed the survey, I can simply reap the rewards in a few months.

Isn't this delicious?

Hong Zhiyou was driving, in a great mood, when he suddenly remembered a very wise saying.

Everything that happened was for the best!

……

That evening, Ma Wendong returned home.

After dinner, Jia Huizi placed the suitcase in front of Ma Wendong.

Ma Wendong opened it and was very surprised: "Where did so much money come from?"

Jia Huizi knelt down beside him, pouring him tea while recounting Hong Zhiyou's demands from that afternoon in detail.

After hearing this, Ma Wendong couldn't help but frown.

This Hong Zhiyou, who is very assertive in his office during the day, turns around and comes to his wife's house to use her back door.

After a moment's thought, he realized that Hong Zhiyou didn't want to lose face in front of Zhou Yi and Lao Qiu.

He's a smart person, though.

Ma Wendong asked, "Did he really say he was a fish on a chopping board, and even plead for Xu Yunying and Hao Guifang?"

“That’s right.” Jia Huizi nodded. “This man seems to value relationships a lot. He said that 100,000 yuan is a good deal to buy the lives of his friend and his lover.”

Ma Wendong sneered:
"If he were truly acting out of loyalty and righteousness, rather than being an ambitious and ruthless tyrant, I might spare his life."

"The problem is that he's really rich and wants to emulate the four lords of the Warring States period and become a righteous and loyal Lord Mengchang."

Jia Huizi gently advised, "No matter what, we've taken so much money, we have to show some appreciation."

"As for the gold mine, you can take it over little by little."

"He also said that even if we don't care about the monk, we should at least give face to the prince."

Ma Wendong nodded and picked up his teacup: "Madam is right."

He pondered for a moment and then made a decision.

"Then let Hao Guifang go for now. Anyway, this kid is worthless. It's not a loss to release a piece of trash for 100,000 yuan."

With that, he stood up, walked to the phone, dialed the police headquarters number, and ordered the release of the man immediately.

……

(End of this chapter)