Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 525 Tokyo Black Hand
Binjiang Provincial Police Headquarters.

office.

Yoshio Miyagawa sat behind a large desk, his chin resting on his interlaced fingers.

Sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting interplay of light and shadow on his face, creating a chillingly eerie effect.

boom!
The door was violently pushed open, and Taro Kubo barged in, yelling and complaining:
"Chief, those guys from the police department celebrated all night at the Madier Hotel."

"This is clearly a slap in the face for us!"
"This is outrageous and arrogant! They completely disregard our Great Japanese Empire!"

He couldn't control his emotions when he thought about the humiliation of being manipulated by Hong Zhiyou in the conference room yesterday.

"Sometimes I wonder, is this still Manchukuo under the control of our Great Japanese Empire?"

Is this still Harbin?

"Why should he, a Chinese man, be allowed to hog our heads and shit and piss on us!"

Kubo Taro became more and more agitated as he spoke, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

"Director, you have the authority to appoint personnel in the department. Why don't you just dismiss them from their posts?"

"Without their positions, they're just tigers without claws. It'll be easy for us to deal with them then."

Yoshio Miyagawa finally moved.

He raised his eyelids, glanced at Taro Kubo, his eyes devoid of emotion: "You're oversimplifying things."

"It is true that we control Manchukuo."

"But on the surface, Manchukuo had its own operating system. The appointment and removal of their officials required approval from the provincial level, and even from the Prime Minister of the Ministry of the Interior."

"We can intervene."

"However, in order to maintain a semblance of peace, the Kwantung Army Headquarters usually adopted the approach of 'Manchukuo-Japan cooperation' and did not recommend that we directly intervene in local personnel matters."

"Especially after the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, we suffered a defeat."

"The loyalty of Emperor Puyi and those Manchukuo officials became even more important."

"The Army Ministry did not want to offend them at this time, and even wanted to use the slogan of 'Manchurian-Chinese friendship' to win over Chairman Chiang Kai-shek."

"Not to mention, Zhou Yi and Hong Zhi, which of them doesn't have a complex web of connections behind them?"

“Forcibly removing them from their posts is not in line with the current strategy of the Army.”

"If Puyi and Zhang Jinghui protest at that time, we will be put on the defensive."

Kubo Taro's face turned bright red: "Then... then we'll just have to swallow this bitter pill?"

"A top-secret list allowed so many red tickets to escape."

"And we also lost a shrewd and capable man, Cui Wannian, for nothing."

"Director, the price we paid this time was too high! I refuse to accept this; we cannot admit defeat so easily!"

Yoshio Miyagawa frowned and rubbed his chin, which was covered with stubble, with his fingertips.

irritable.

An unprecedented sense of unease was gnawing at his heart.

He was sent to Harbin by that important person to deal with Hong Zhiyou.

But before this, he had no grudge against Hong Zhi.

This initial shot not only failed to detonate, but instead exploded, injuring itself.

Yoshio Miyagawa's temperament was greatly affected.

He is conflicted and doesn't know whether he should continue "fighting".

He survived the bloodshed of the February 26 Incident not because of courage, but because of self-awareness.

Yoshio Miyagawa knew very well that he did not have the prestige and wisdom of Saburo Shibuya, nor did he have the deep connections and background of Wendong Ma.

He was also aware that there was no consensus within the organization regarding his appointment to Harbin.

The prevailing opinion within the Army Ministry was that they hoped he and Hong Zhi could coexist peacefully, stabilize the situation in Harbin as soon as possible, and ease the tense standoff caused by the deaths of two consecutive department heads.

Otherwise, they could have easily sent a higher-ranking and more forceful general to oversee the situation.

The other faction was led by the benefactor who had saved their lives.

They have only one goal.

He wanted to fight Hong Zhiyou to the death, a fight to the death.

Before yesterday's "battle of wits," Yoshio Miyagawa was inclined towards the latter.

He longed to seize this opportunity, stepping over Hong Zhiyou's corpse, and with the help of that benefactor, climb one more step up.

But now, he has discovered that Hong Zhi is a tough nut to crack.

It wasn't even a bone, but a red-hot branding iron.

If this head-on confrontation continues, I could very well become the next Ma Wendong or Shibuya Saburo.

Moreover, Yoshio Miyagawa knew exactly what was going on.

Since Hong Zhiyou was able to capture Jin Si, he must have already known about sending someone to deliver a message and letting Hong Piao go.

But did Hung Chi expose him on the spot at the meeting?

Instead, they cleverly shifted all the blame onto Cui Wannian, thus covering for themselves.

This shows whether Hong Zhi intends to fight him to the death.

This is also why he dared to leave Cui Wannian and Master Jin, these two hot potatoes, in the police department.

It was a silent transaction.

It is a tacit understanding and compromise between the two sides.

Yoshio Miyagawa's fingertips rested on his chin... He didn't know what to do next.

Seeing that he remained silent, Kubo Taro couldn't help but speak again.

"Director, what are you still hesitating about?"
"The most urgent task is to get Cui Wannian and Master Jin over immediately! Then we must immediately try to gain the support of Captain Murakami and Commander Kato!"
"Let Tokyo put pressure on them!"

Yoshio Miyagawa frowned, his eyes turning cold: "Are you trying to teach me how to do things?"

The cold sound caused the office temperature to drop sharply.

Kubo Taro straightened his expression and, instead of backing down, met Miyagawa Yoshio's gaze:
"Director, I'm just reminding you not to forget that important person's instructions, and our mission here."

Yoshio Miyagawa gave a cold laugh:
"I know my mission better than you do, I don't need you to remind me."

A hint of disappointment and disdain flashed in Taro Kubo's eyes: "Chief, as an Imperial soldier, I have doubts about your courage."

Yoshio Miyagawa suddenly chuckled softly.

"courage?"

He stared at Taro Kubo and asked, word by word, "If you really had the courage, you should have shot Hong Ji-yoo dead in the conference room yesterday."

"At that time, the gun was in your hand."

Why didn't you shoot?

Kubo Taro's face turned deathly pale, his lips moved a few times, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Just then, there was a knock on the office door.

A police officer poked his head in.

"Chief, Hong Zhi from the Police Department requests an audience."

A hint of surprise flashed in Yoshio Miyagawa's eyes.

What is he here for?
Kubo Taro, however, seemed to have been injected with a stimulant, and instantly regained his energy, his eyes shining brightly.

"Director! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

"We can immediately arrange for men to shoot Hong Zhi dead in the corridor on the grounds that he is suspected of assassinating you!"

Yoshio Miyagawa looked at him as if he were an idiot.

"Kubo-kun, you're just my assistant. It's not your place to give orders here."

He gestured with his chin toward the door, "Go and invite Section Chief Hong in."

Kubo Taro's excitement froze. He gritted his teeth reluctantly and replied with his head down, "Yes."

He turned and left, his face full of displeasure.

As Yoshio Miyagawa watched his retreating figure, a barely perceptible glint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

That damn bastard is getting more and more unruly.

Soon, the office door was pushed open again.

Hong Zhiyou walked in carrying a small leather suitcase, beaming: "Director Gongchuan, I hope my visit is not too much of a bother?"

"Not at all, I'm overjoyed that Section Chief Hong could come."

The two greeted each other politely, like old friends who hadn't seen each other for years.

Yoshio Miyagawa led him to the balcony on the other side of the office.

A low tea table was set up on the spacious balcony. The two people took off their shoes and knelt on the soft cushions.

Yoshio Miyagawa picked up the teapot and brewed him a cup of tea.

"This is tea from my hometown, Shizuoka. Please try it."

Hong Zhi picked up his teacup, took a light sniff, and then sipped it:
"Yes, Not Bad.

"It has a similar aroma to Biluochun tea, just like your so-called culture, which has a bit of our Chinese flavor."

Yoshio Miyagawa's smile remained unchanged. "Yes, we have never denied the long history of your country's culture and its profound influence on us."

He changed the subject.

"However, Hong Sang always refers to himself as 'China,' which seems somewhat disrespectful to His Majesty Puyi."

"After all, this is Manchukuo, so please be careful with your words and actions."

Hong Zhi laughed loudly and waved his hand:
“I consider Mr. Miyagawa a friend, and I know you are a gentleman, so there is no need for me to say those false or empty words.”

"Manchukuo has only been around for a few years?"
"Even if a person leaves their home due to the pressures of life, they will never forget where their roots are, let alone a few years, or even ten or a hundred years."

"Isn't it?"

Yoshio Miyagawa gave him a deep look: "If you weren't wearing this police uniform, I really wouldn't believe why His Highness the Prince and Chief of Staff Isogai would think so highly of you."

“You are not like a lackey of Manchukuo.”

"It's more like a red ticket."

Hong Zhiyou's smile widened: "Perhaps it's because of my sincerity."

Yoshio Miyagawa laughed as well, “Sincerity is indeed a rare virtue.”

He put down his teacup and finally got to the point.

"Have Cui Wannian and Jin Si confessed?"

Hong Zhi leaned forward slightly: "I came here today precisely for this matter."

He took out a document:
"Jin Si has confessed everything. It was Cui Wannian who called him and leaked the information."

"The time was around 2 p.m. yesterday."

"This timing perfectly matches Captain Zhou Yi's statement."

"In other words, Cui Wannian took advantage of Captain Zhou's trip to the restroom in the restaurant to peek at the intelligence, and then immediately revealed the intelligence to Jin Si after sending Captain Zhou onto the train."

Hong Zhiyou’s voice was calm and capable, as if he were stating a very simple fact.

"After receiving the intelligence, Jin Si sold the ticket to the contact person of the Red Ticket at a high price around 3 p.m.

"It was precisely between 3 and 5 o'clock that, according to some surveillance records, we were able to confirm that some of the red-ticket operatives had gradually withdrawn and escaped our surveillance."

"Therefore, the testimonies and statements of the two individuals, combined with the peripheral evidence, can basically form a closed loop."

"It can be confirmed that the complete failure of this operation was indeed caused by the collaboration between Cui Wannian of the Jiamusi Police Department and Jin Si, a local intelligence broker in Harbin, who leaked the information."

Hong Zhi handed over a document: "This is their confession record, please take a look."

He spoke these words in a calm tone, with clear logic, and his eyes even showed a hint of earnestness in trying to solve his superior's problem.

At that moment, Yoshio Miyagawa was in a daze.

He even began to suspect that it was indeed Cui Wannian who leaked the secret.

The Hong Zhiyou before him was no longer the arrogant and uncontrollable opponent he once was.

Instead, he seems like a loyal, cooperative, and extremely capable confidant who is adept at cleaning up his own messes.

Yoshio Miyagawa adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose, his movements slow and deliberate.

He picked up the stack of documents and flipped through them page by page.

The sound of papers turning was particularly clear on the quiet balcony.

With each page turned, his tense shoulders and back visibly relaxed.

The heart that had been hanging in suspense since the end of yesterday's meeting finally slowly settled back into its cavity.

He closed the file, and that gentle, enigmatic smile returned to his face: "Hong Sang, you've worked hard. What do you think we should do with them?"

Hong Zhiyou was respectful in demeanor, but his tone carried an unquestionable decisiveness.

"Director, this matter is of utmost importance."

"It not only concerns the success or failure of a top-secret operation, but also your personal reputation."

"After all, you are new here and this is your first time personally overseeing such an important operation, and such a big mistake has occurred."

"If this matter were leaked to the Kwantung Army General Staff or even the Army Ministry in Tokyo by some people with ulterior motives, it would undoubtedly be a disaster for your political career."

Hong Zhiyou's words were like a precise scalpel, each one cutting right into Miyagawa Yoshio's most sensitive nerves. Miyagawa Yoshio's brows furrowed deeply.

Hong Zhiyou continued:
"Therefore, I believe that this matter should not be publicized."

"It would be best to execute these two directly, swiftly and secretly, in accordance with the strict wartime disciplinary regulations."

"Only the dead can remain silent, and only this can completely prevent malicious people from using this matter to their advantage."

These words struck a chord with Yoshio Miyagawa.

His brows relaxed, and a hint of appreciation appeared in his smile: "I knew Section Chief Hong would not let me down."

"It wasn't for nothing that I overruled everyone's objections yesterday and entrusted Cui Wannian and Jin Si to you."

Hong Zhi bowed slightly: "As the director's subordinate, it is my duty to share the burdens and solve the problems of my superior."

Yoshio Miyagawa nodded in satisfaction, picked up his teacup, as if he had made a final decision.

"Okay! Let's do it your way."

"However... I hope that Assistant Kubo can be present to observe the execution."

Hong Zhiyou shook his head. "Director Gongchuan, as I said, I am a sincere person."

"This applies to friends as well as superiors."

"IMHO.

"I, Section Chief Gao, Captain Zhou, and everyone in the police department involved in the operation, whatever we guessed or suspected, were all guesses without evidence."

"Even if you were to confront the Emperor, you could veto it openly and generously."

"But what do those people who specifically passed on intelligence to Cui Wannian and knew the inside story think during this operation?"
"Are you sure they will be satisfied with the execution of Kim Si and Choi Man-nyeon?"
"Can you guarantee that they won't stab you in the back for some reason in the future?"

Yoshio Miyagawa's eyes suddenly sharpened.

He picked up the teacup, the scalding tea went down his throat, but he couldn't suppress the chill that rose in his heart.

He remained silent, as if weighing his options or struggling with a dilemma.

After a long while, he finally put down his teacup, and following Hong Zhiyou's words, tacitly absolved himself of responsibility, directly pinning the blame on Kubo Taro:

“Hong-san, as far as I know, the one who directly gave the order to Cui Wannian to leak information to Jin Si was my assistant, Taro Kubo.”

"As for Section Chief Zhu and Section Chief Gao, they didn't even know the specific contents of that top-secret list, so they can't be considered as the people who directly handled it."

Hong Zhiyou gave a cold laugh: "Then let Kubo's assistant disappear."

These words, though spoken lightly, exploded like a bombshell in Yoshio Miyagawa's ears.

Hong Zhiyou knew very well that it was very difficult to bribe a fanatical Imperial soldier like Taro Kubo.

He was like a nail wedged between the two of them.

Without removing this thorn in his side, his so-called "cooperation" with Yoshio Miyagawa will forever remain a mirage, fragile and easily shattered.

Yoshio Miyagawa's expression changed, and he hypocritically rebuked:
“Hong Sang, your suggestion is a bit too bold.”

"Kubo Taro is my friend, my brother."

“He followed me all the way from Tokyo to Harbin. I had only been in office for a few days when he died during my tenure. How am I supposed to explain this to the Ministry of War? How am I supposed to explain this to his family?”

Hong Zhi stared at him with a forced smile:
"Of course I know that Assistant Kubo is 'very' important to you."

"So, I brought something with me today, as a way to help the director with his work."

As he spoke, he picked up the small leather suitcase at his feet and placed it on the low table.

Click.

The lid of the box was opened and pushed in front of Yoshio Miyagawa.

Twenty brand-new large yellow croakers were neatly arranged.

Next to it were five rolls of 100-yuan Kangde coins bound together with paper strips.

The midday sun shone obliquely in, falling on the gold bars and reflecting a scorching light that would make any cold-blooded animal's heart race.

Boom!
Yoshio Miyagawa's eyelids twitched violently.

Before coming, he had imagined countless possibilities and was mentally prepared for Hong Zhiyou to bombard him with sweet words and flattery.

Otherwise, how could people like Section Chief Yamanari and Murakami be so devoted to a Chinese person?

However, when the box of gold was actually placed in front of him, the overwhelming tension still made his heart race.

Twenty gold bars.

This is a level of wealth that an ordinary Japanese family could never achieve, even in a lifetime.

Hong Zhiyou's voice drifted over, carrying a bewitching magic: "There's an old Chinese saying, 'If you're not going to be an official for a house of gold, you might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes.'"

"As far as I know, Director Miyagawa, you are not from a prominent family in Tokyo, and your family background is quite ordinary."

"I'm afraid your wife and children in Tokyo are also struggling to make ends meet each month."

"I know it's vulgar to talk about money."

"But it is a real thing."

"Isn't it far more meaningful than some people following you around every day, flattering you with 'commander' at every turn?"

Yoshio Miyagawa maintained his stern face, keeping the proper posture of a high-ranking imperial official, but his eyes could not leave that golden expanse.

Hong Zhiyou continued:
"I know you are a person of integrity and uprightness."

"But as long as he is human, he has to live and make sure his family has a good life."

"Besides, what kind of man is he if he can't even take care of his wife and children?"

Yoshio Miyagawa finally smiled, but his smile was somewhat stiff:
“Hong Sang is truly a gifted debater; he can even make something as trivial as bribery sound so elegant and refined.”

Hong Zhiyou smiled and waved his hand.

"Director Miyagawa has misunderstood."

"This is not a bribe, nor is it to curry favor with you. I simply want to cooperate with you and make friends."

"Given my relationship with the Kwantung Army General Staff, all I need to do is hand over Kim Jong-un's confession, and that will be enough to send you packing and heading back to your hometown immediately."

"At worst, I can just find a few guns and that will completely resolve all our disputes."

"But fighting and killing is really boring."

"That was a foolish and low-level approach, and it was by no means the proper attitude to treat a guest who had come from afar."

His tone seemed humorous, but every word he spoke was sharp and cutting.
“From Captain Murakami and Commander Kato, you should be able to sense that I, Hong Zhiyou, am not a belligerent person.”

"On the contrary, what I like to do most is make friends and spend money."

"Therefore, people on the streets of Harbin call me 'Hong the God of Wealth'."

"If the God of Wealth is chasing after you to give you money, can that be called bribery?"

These words were both a gesture of goodwill and a display of fangs.

Yoshio Miyagawa understood completely.

There were only two paths before him.

Either accept this box of money and stay to make a fortune with Hong Zhiyou.

Alternatively, prepare to face swift and decisive action, and end up like Shibuya Saburo and Ma Wendong.

He picked up his teacup and slowly sipped it, the aroma of tea filling his mouth, but his thoughts were as chaotic as a sea of ​​clouds.

Silence spread between the two.

Hong Zhiyou wasn't in a hurry; he knew the fish had taken the bait.

He decided to add fuel to the fire.

"Director Miyagawa should know that I own a gold mine."

"After Chairman Naoto Kojima took over the South Manchuria Railway, the gold mine returned to my hands, and I was fully responsible for its mining and sales."

"I made a decision."

Hong Zhi looked at Miyagawa Yoshio and said, word by word.

"To show my sincerity, I am willing to give 10% of the annual output of the gold mine to Director Miyagawa."

"I can't guarantee anything else, but I can promise you that when you step down and return to Tokyo, you, your wife, children, and parents will be able to live a life free from worries about food and clothing."

"how?

"You're a good friend, aren't you?"

One-tenth of the annual output of the gold mine!
Yoshio Miyagawa's hand holding the teacup trembled almost imperceptibly.

He could hardly believe his ears, and even wondered if Hong Zhiyou had gone mad.

"Actually, you're right."

He gave a wry smile, tinged with self-deprecation:

"But you could easily find a way to get rid of me; there's no need to spend such a high price."

Hong Zhiyou smiled nonchalantly, "That would be very tiring."

"Furthermore, I believe in first impressions."

"From the first moment I saw the director, I knew we weren't enemies."

“You are not Ma Wendong, much less Shibuya Saburo. There is no irreconcilable conflict between us.”

"If that's the case, why can't we be friends, sit down together, and make money in harmony?"

"I think the Ministry of the Army sent you to Harbin not just to fight me endlessly."

Yoshio Miyagawa let out a long sigh of relief.

That tone contained a release of defenses, a decision made, and a hint of relief.

"Yes.

"I never intended to target Section Chief Hong."

"Our plan this time, from beginning to end, has only been aimed at those red tickets."

"I just didn't expect that two traitors, Kubo Taro and Cui Wannian, would appear along the way, almost causing Captain Zhou Yi to suffer an injustice."

"In this matter, I certainly bear some responsibility for the mistakes made by my leadership. I would like to express my sincere apologies to the Police Department, Captain Zhou, and Section Chief Hong."

As he spoke, he stood up and bowed respectfully to Hong Zhiyou.

Hong Zhiyou quickly stood up and helped him up.

"You're too kind, Director!"
There is an old Chinese saying: "No fight, no friendship."

"From now on, we're friends!"

Yoshio Miyagawa straightened up, beaming. "Of course, it's my honor."

After saying that, he bent down, closed the lid of the leather trunk containing the gold, and placed it at his feet.

This action signifies that the transaction has been completed.

Hong Zhiyou's smile deepened. "Then... your loyal good brother, Assistant Kubo?"

Yoshio Miyagawa's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes were as cold as ice.
"Kubo's wife unfortunately passed away this spring."

He always missed his deceased wife deeply and often couldn't sleep at night.

"I think that for a person who is deeply affectionate, being able to reunite with their family as soon as possible might be a good choice."

Hong Zhi chuckled inwardly.

They truly are "loyal and devoted" brothers.

"Mr. Miyagawa is wise."

He nodded, then, as if remembering something, asked casually:
"By the way, there's one more thing I'd like to ask you, brother."

"I have no grudge against you. Who is this important person who thinks so highly of me that they want to kill me?"

Yoshio Miyagawa sighed, a headache-ridden look on his face: "This is also what I'm most worried about."

"Logically speaking, I absolutely cannot reveal this matter to outsiders."

"But now that we are friends, if I don't tell the truth, I'm afraid our friendship will not last long."

He lowered his voice.

"The person who wants your life is Kazuo Suzuki, the only son of Vice Admiral Shinzo Suzuki of the Navy Ministry."

"Suzuki Kazuo is currently a staff officer in the General Staff, and he is classmates with Masako, the daughter of the Emperor's chief bodyguard."

"But as far as I know, Miss Masako's mind seems to be on you right now, so she rejected Suzuki Kazuo's advances."

Yoshio Miyagawa's expression became complicated.

"So, Kazuo Suzuki came to me hoping I could get rid of you."

"And promised that after the matter was accomplished, I would be promoted to the Joint Fleet Staff Department."

"Think about it, if Suzuki Kazuo can win over Miss Masako, it's the same as gaining the support of the Chief of the Bodyguard."

"The Navy can gain more say in front of the Emperor, which is a great advantage for the Navy, which has always been fighting with the Army."

"After all, His Majesty the Emperor usually conveys his decrees through the chief of the Imperial Guard."

"Marrying his daughter means having more opportunities to meet the Emperor."

"This is an immense honor."

"It's something that almost every young officer in the Army and Navy dreams of."

(End of this chapter)