Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 481 Old Qiu has caught a big fish

"Well, when you raise a dog, you have to give it some bones to eat. Otherwise, if it gets too hungry, it might jump over the wall and bite people." Jia Huizi was very satisfied with the man's quick decision.

"Yes.

"Hong Zhiyou is currently at a disadvantage, but that's only in terms of power. However, he has many loyal followers, so it's best not to break ties with him unless absolutely necessary."

"As long as he hands over the gold mine, stops associating with bandits, and we replace him with a reliable battalion commander stationed in the mountains."

"Our goal has been achieved."

"I'll have to go back to Xinjing to report for duty then."

Ma Wendong was well aware of the purpose of his trip.

"Madam, please rest." With that, he smiled slightly and led his beautiful wife into the inner room.

……

As night deepened, the lights of Futai Leather Shop remained on.

Hong Zhiyou pushed open the door and entered, and a flurry of activity as people packed their luggage hit him.

Wu Jingzhong was shouting instructions to his men to wrap rolls of fine leather in oilcloth and pack them into several large wooden boxes.

"Old Wu, what are you doing?"

Hong Zhi walked over and casually picked up a mink pelt, finding it smooth to the touch.

"Running away, can't you see?"

"If we don't leave now, are we just going to stay here and wait to die?"

He straightened up, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and his eyes were full of anxiety:

"Ma Wendong is here. Don't you know what kind of background this kid has? Those ruthless bastards from the South Manchuria Railway Company."

"If I hang out with you again, I'm sure to be in big trouble!"

Hong Zhi smiled and said, "No."

He tossed the leather back onto the table and said slowly, "I've decided to give him the gold mine."

Wu Jingzhong was quite surprised: "You're actually willing to do that?"

"Anyway, the gold mine isn't in my hands now; it's with Guan Weilong."

Hong Zhiyou shrugged nonchalantly.

"Let Ma Wendong lead his South Manchuria Railway men to fight Guan Weilong like dogs, let them explore and dig."

"What if we really dig up a huge gold mine? Wouldn't we be rich?"

Wu Jingzhong looked at him with disdain, threw the rope in his hand to the ground, and said, "What the hell are you talking about!"

"Even if, as you say, the Japanese devils won't last long."

"Once they've worked so hard to mine the mine, the Soviets will arrive, Boss Dai will send people, and the red tickets from the mountain will come down. At that time, all sorts of powerful figures in Harbin will show their abilities, and you and I will get a share."

"You're just doing all the work for someone else!"

“It’s not that bad.” Hong Zhi pulled up a chair and sat down.

"At the latest, by September this year, Ma Wendong and his gang will have to pack their bags and get out of here."

"At that time, wouldn't my 10% stake become the only legal proof?"

He picked up the hot tea on the table and took a sip.

"Consider this period of time as hiring the Japanese to work for us for free. Let's give them a hard time."

"September?" Wu Jingzhong stared at him suspiciously.

Hong Zhiyou didn't explain much, he just smiled mysteriously.

"Just wait and see."

Wu Jingzhong knew that this kid was always cunning and full of tricks, so he didn't press the matter further.

He waved his hand, signaling his still-busy subordinates to stop.

"Xiao Jia, don't move."

He plopped down opposite Hong Zhiyou, poured himself a cup of tea, gulped it down, and let out a long sigh.

"I've gotten on your pirate ship, kid."

“It’s not a pirate ship, it’s a treasure ship,” Hong Zhiyou corrected.

"The good days ahead are long."

"Humph."

Wu Jingzhong snorted: "Gold mining can make a lot of money, and I'm envious too."

"But even if you survive until the day of liberation, you still won't be able to keep all your gold and silver mountains. They will all be used to benefit others."

"Definitely."

Hong Zhi nodded, offering no denial.

"So, once we get the gold mine back in September, we need to take advantage of the Japanese still being able to act for a few more days and desperately turn that golden stuff into real goods that can be hidden away."

Wu Jingzhong frowned: "Where should we store it?"
"Now the whole of Asia is Japanese territory, so it's not safe to hide anywhere."

"Hong Kong." Hong Zhiyou uttered two words.

The money was left in Northeast China, and the Soviets were the first to rob it after the liberation.

The Russians were far more ruthless than the Japanese.

Under the guise of protecting property, they dismantled most of the heavy industrial equipment in Northeast China, even looting the Central Bank in Changchun, and taking away assets worth billions of yen.

Wu Jingzhong became even more curious: "Hong Kong?"
"Guangzhou is about to be lost, and Hong Kong isn't far away. Won't it just fall back into Japanese hands sooner or later?"

Hong Zhi scratched his head, looking like he didn't know how to explain.

He certainly couldn't say that after the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, Isogai Rensuke would be dismissed, but would make a comeback in 1942 and become the Governor of Hong Kong.

Ma Wendong's trip to Harbin to frame me was a huge favor because Isogai Rensuke had taken so much gold but hadn't done much work.

If I go to Hong Kong beforehand to find a secluded place to store the gold and slip some money over there, Isoya Rensuke will definitely be happy to turn a blind eye.

After Japan's defeat, Chiang Kai-shek and Dai Li could no longer extend their influence to Hong Kong.

They then manipulated the situation further, creating the illusion that the gold mine had been plowed up twice by the Japanese and Soviets.

Finally, let Lao Wu symbolically hand over a small batch of gold to Boss Dai, and that will get the matter over with.

Of course, he couldn't say these things too clearly to Wu Jingzhong.

There's no point in talking about the future; a pragmatist like Wu Jingzhong, who won't act until he sees the benefits, would never believe it.

Seeing his constipated expression, Wu Jingzhong waved his hand impatiently.

"Alright, alright, figure out all the ins and outs yourself."

He tapped the table heavily with his fingers and said, word by word, "I only have one claim. Not a single penny less of what belongs to me!"
"Otherwise, I'll just hand in my resignation to Boss Dai right now, and you can have your fun here by yourself!"

"Understood, understood!"

"Don't worry, we wouldn't dare to shortchange you, even if someone else's share is missing."

"Without your guidance and support here, I wouldn't be able to have any fun."

"You are my teacher!"

Hong Zhi said knowingly.

"I don't deserve it."

Wu Jingzhong glanced at him sideways, "Being your kid's teacher, I'm afraid it will shorten my lifespan."

"You're too modest!" Hong Zhiyou quickly replied.

"I have read the teaching materials that you personally compiled in the Qingpu Special Training Class back then. They were incredibly professional and insightful!"
"It is truly deserved and comes from the bottom of my heart for me to call you teacher!"

Wu Jingzhong was a little flattered by his flattery, but he still kept a straight face: "Don't try to sweet-talk me!"

"I'm asking you, what did you do when you tricked my daughter into going out for several hours in the middle of the night a few days ago in Jinhai?"

Hong Zhiyou's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly raised his hands, looking completely wronged.

"She's innocent! Rui Rui, she..."

Seeing that Wu Jingzhong's eyes were practically spitting fire, he immediately changed his tune:
Miss Wu!

She said that Mei Shao was like a fly bothering her every day, and even though she finally came to Jinhai, she couldn't go out to play, which made her feel depressed.

"Plus, I was afraid of the Japanese, so I didn't feel at ease."

"So before she left, she insisted that I take her out for a walk to clear her mind."

"I took her for a walk along the Haihe River to enjoy the breeze. We ended up getting a little late and didn't make it back until now."

Wu Jingzhong stared intently at him: "Is that really all?"

"Absolutely true! You can ask Lao Xiao if you don't believe me."

Hong Zhi thumped his chest loudly.

He knew Xiao Guohua wasn't the type to gossip. If Old Wu really knew he and Rui Rui had booked a room together, he wouldn't just be speculating; he would have slapped him across the face.

"Besides, you, sir, possess the unique skills of black guns, explosives, and being knocked out by a single cup of wine."

"Even if I, Hong Zhi, am incredibly audacious, I wouldn't dare to touch a single hair on your precious daughter's head!"

He continued to explain.

Wu Jingzhong scrutinized him for a long time before slowly nodding, his murderous aura fading away.

"I'm sorry you don't dare either."

As he spoke, he picked up the teapot and poured a cup of tea for Hong Zhiyou.

"This mission went fairly well. I never really approved of Rui Rui going abroad."

"Why are the children of the Song, Kong, and Chen families willing to go to the United States to get a prestigious education? It's because their families are rich, and the Chairman likes to fall for the Americans' ideas!"
“I’m barely making ends meet right now, where would I get the spare money for her to squander?”

"Besides, wasn't the eldest daughter of the Song family detained for a long time when she went to the United States? There isn't a single good foreigner!"
"If I were to fall for some damn God and bring back a foreign grandson, wouldn't I be utterly humiliated?"

Wu Jingzhong muttered curses.

"Teacher, you are wise!"

Hong Zhiyou quickly chimed in, "Women, in these chaotic times, it's best to live a peaceful life."

"Where did Mei Shao go?" Wu Jingzhong asked again.

“He seems to have some urgent business to attend to and will be going to Shancheng in a few days. Mr. Mei has a wide network of connections, so you don’t need to worry about him,” Hong Zhiyou replied.

Wu Jingzhong rolled his eyes and sneered:

"I'm worried about him?"
"I'm worried that if he falls into the hands of the Japanese, he won't be able to keep his mouth shut and will spill all my secrets!"

He picked up his teacup, his eyes becoming deep.

“Those of us in this line of work deal with all sorts of people, and who knows when we might get betrayed by some bastard.”

Hong Zhi nodded: "That's right, that's right."

He had already thought of this. With Mei Shao's mouth, he would spit it all out on his own without needing to pry it open. Cutting it off with a knife was the best option.

……

The following day, Hong Zhi arrived at the police station in high spirits.

To be honest, he really misses Huizi now that she's gone. The nights are long, and he has nowhere to kill time.

Upon arriving at the office, he went to his uncle Gao Bin's office as usual to wipe the table and make tea.

A moment later, Ren Changchun came in to report that Battalion Commander Hao had arrived.

Back in his office, Hong Zhi met Hao Guifang.

The battalion commander looked rather pathetic at that moment, his face covered in bruises, and one of his arms was in a sling across his chest.

Upon seeing Hong Zhiyou, he quickly stood up from his chair, bowed, and forced a smile that looked more like a grimace.

"Young Master Hong."

Hong Zhi gestured for him to sit down, then casually took a box of pastries from the cabinet and pushed it in front of him: "You came out tonight, didn't you?"

Hao Guifang nodded and said indignantly, "Ma Wendong had me released last night."

"Do you think that old Qiu is crazy?!"

He gets angry whenever this is mentioned.

"He's Section Chief Gao's informant. You brought him down from the mountains and fed him a life of luxury, but he doesn't appreciate your kindness at all. Instead, he even helped that bastard Ma Wendong to ransack my house and try to destroy me!"

"What crime have I committed? All I did was get a little too close to you, Master Hong?"
"That's called retaliation."

"You bastard, you'll get struck by lightning sooner or later!"

Hong Zhi smiled and poured him a cup of hot tea: "That's why you say, you can't see into someone's heart. The most unpredictable thing in this world is the human heart."

He looked at Hao Guifang and asked with a smile, "Old Hao, seriously, why didn't you sell me?"

Hao Guifang was taken aback, then grinned and chuckled dryly: "Young Master Hong, do you think I'm stupid?"

"To be honest, I, Lao Hao, am used to eating delicacies from land and sea. Who would want to go back to eating potatoes and radishes?"

"I've never been so comfortable and wealthy in my life since I started following you, my brother."

“If I sell you, I won’t get anything good out of it. I’ll have to live frugally from now on. It would be better to let them shoot me dead.”

He chuckled, a hint of smugness in his voice.

"Of course, I believed that you, Little Hong, weren't the kind of person who would stand by and watch someone die. Now it seems that I, Old Hao, made the right bet!"

Hong Zhi patted him on the shoulder: "Yeah, I spent a lot of money to get you out."

He held up one finger.

"I personally delivered 100,000 Kangde coins to Madam Ma Wendong's hands. Fortunately, they released him in the end, so the money wasn't wasted."

"One hundred thousand!"

Hao Guifang was so shocked that his eyes almost popped out of their sockets, and he jumped up from his chair.

my darling!

One hundred thousand Kangde coins! Even if you sold Hao Guifang ten times over, inside and out, he wouldn't be worth that much!

His lips trembled as he bowed deeply to Hong Zhiyou, his voice choked with emotion: "Young Master Hong, I... I could serve you like a slave for ten lifetimes and still not repay your immense kindness!"

Hong Zhi reached out to support him, his face full of sincerity: "Old Hao, just because you stubbornly refused to sell to me inside, you're worth this price. Don't say 100,000, even a million would be worth it!"
"Anything that can be solved with money isn't a problem."

"Money's gone, but we brothers can earn it back. People are priceless!"

Hao Guifang's heart was warmed by these words. He had traveled all over the country in his life and never thought that one day his worthless life would be valued so much.

For a moment, he was so moved that his eyes welled up with tears.

He lowered his head with some shame: "But now I've been dismissed from my post, I'm just a useless person, and I'm afraid I won't be able to serve you anymore."

Hong Zhi waved his hand: "Everyone has their ups and downs in life."

"Don't worry, this isn't over yet. Just stay put for a few months, and you might get your job back."

"By the way, you don't have anywhere to go right now, do you? How about this, you go to Yong Sheng Kui for a while, play cards and drink tea every day, just treat it as a long vacation for yourself."

Upon hearing this, Hao Guifang was overjoyed: "Thank you, Master Hong!"

"I'm not saying anything more. From this day forward, my life belongs to you, Young Master Hong!"

Hong Zhi patted him on the shoulder and laughed, "We're all brothers, there's no need to be so formal."

As he spoke, he opened the drawer, took out a thick wad of banknotes, and stuffed them into Hao Guifang's hand.

"Knowing that you, Lao Hao, are a person who cares about your reputation, you definitely wouldn't have the nerve to ask Lao Hei and the others for money."

"This is a small token of my appreciation. Take it and spend it; don't be stingy."

Hao Guifang's hands trembled as he held the wad of money.

He hadn't expected Hong Zhiyou to be so meticulous, even thinking of such a small thing for him.

He said nothing, but bowed deeply to Hong Zhiyou once again.

Stepping out of the office, Hao Guifang suddenly felt as if all the pain in his body had vanished.

To have met a wise ruler like Master Hong, honestly, even if he were to be beaten up or die inside, he wouldn't feel a single grievance or complaint even if he went to hell.

……

Binjiang Provincial Police Headquarters.

Old Qiu strode excitedly into Ma Wendong's office, his voice brimming with barely suppressed joy.

"Director, great news! Fantastic news!"

"Last night in a small hotel in Harbin, I caught an important member of the Anti-Japanese United Army!"

Ma Wendong looked up and said, "Oh: Important personnel?"

Old Qiu said excitedly, "This man is called Fu Jun. He is the right-hand man of Political Commissar Zhou of the Anti-Japanese United Army. He is nicknamed Old Fu and is the number three in their Fourth Brigade!"

Ma Wendong smiled gently: "How did you catch him?"

Old Qiu explained, "They brought a batch of hides down the mountain, probably to exchange for grain. One of his deputies, who used to be on good terms with me, I turned him against me. I took my men over last night and wiped them all out on the spot!"

Ma Wendong nodded and praised, "Section Chief Qiu is very experienced and did a good job."

Old Qiu straightened his back even more and said eagerly, "Director, this man is extraordinary! As long as he's willing to speak, he can definitely testify against Hong Zhiyou! He can also reveal the inside story that the main force of the Anti-Japanese United Army was not severely damaged in the bacteriological warfare!"

"Furthermore, we can follow this old Fu and uproot the underground Red Ticket organization in Harbin!"

"This is absolutely a huge fish!"

Seeing Lao Qiu's eagerness to make a contribution, Ma Wendong smiled, took out two thousand yen from the drawer, and handed it over.

"Old Qiu, you've worked hard."

"You interrogate him first, and see if he'll open his mouth or not."

"Yes, Director!" Old Qiu took the money and left happily.

The moment the office door closed, the gentle smile on Ma Wendong's face vanished, replaced by a cold, sinister expression.

He picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Director Miao, it's me, Ma Wendong."

Miao Futian's respectful voice came from the other end of the phone.

"I heard that Lao Qiu arrested someone from the Anti-Japanese Alliance?"

"My suggestion is to have Director Chen Jingyu from your Security Bureau serve as the deputy interrogator and participate in the entire interrogation process. This will ensure that there are no instances of forced signatures or fingerprints during the interrogation."

Ma Wendong's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable weight.

We must not repeat the mistakes of Mr. Shibuya Saburo.

"Furthermore, Director Chen Jingyu should report directly to me if anything happens, and he can interfere with Qiu Daqiang's interrogation if necessary."

"Yes, I'm glad you understand."

"Remember that no matter what the outcome of the interrogation, the interrogators involved must be detained immediately after the case is closed, awaiting my instructions."

"Including you, do not inquire or ask questions."

"Okay, then thank you for your hard work, Director Miao."

……

(End of this chapter)