Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 526 Let's try installment payments.
Hong Zhiyou certainly knew the importance of Miss Masako.

When I went to Tokyo last time to help Naoto Kojiyama secure the important position of chairman of the South Manchuria Railway Company, it was Masako who mediated and facilitated the connection.

The key point is that Masako is beautiful, well-behaved, and very radiant.

Hong Zhiyi felt it was necessary to place one of his own people on the island, given the thought that MacArthur would eventually govern Tokyo.

Without someone on your own, how can you make money happily in Tokyo in the future?
Unlike his predecessor, Hong Zhiyou was not so carefree. He slept with Masako the very night he went to Tokyo.

Of course, he was also aware that the price of doing so was offending a large number of young officers in both the Japanese Army and Navy.

This was to be expected.

Unexpectedly, the first to challenge him was someone from the Navy.

The composition of the Japanese army and navy personnel was completely different.

Most of the navy's officers and soldiers are highly skilled professionals and sons of officials and wealthy merchants.

To put it bluntly, they're just a bunch of spoiled brats.

These guys naturally had bigger tempers than the army's peasant-turned-guys, and they were more impulsive and reckless in their actions.

Isoroku Yamamoto later became a prime example, being completely misled.

Dealing with these brainless guys isn't difficult.

Hong Zhi smiled and said, "Brother Miyagawa, please rest assured."

"Suzuki can't make much of a splash."

"Moreover, he's a member of the Navy, so his influence can't reach that far and he can't affect the Army."

"Just sit here and relax, we'll make a fortune together."

Knowing that Hongzhi had extensive connections, Miyagawa Yoshio felt much more at ease.
"With Section Chief Hong's words, I feel relieved."

Hong Zhiyou picked up his teacup and drank the last sip of tea: "Kubo Taro, I'm leaving it to you."

A cold glint flashed in Yoshio Miyagawa's eyes, and he nodded: "I guarantee you will see his body tomorrow morning."

"I'm entrusting Cui Wannian and Jin Si to you."

Hong Zhiyou stood up, extended his hand, and wore his signature bright smile.

"Brother Miyagawa, it's a pleasure to work with you."

……

outside the office.

Kubo Taro was leading several trusted police officers, pacing anxiously back and forth in the corridor.

His hand remained on the gun handle at his waist, waiting for Yoshio Miyagawa's command to charge in and riddle Hong Zhiyou with bullets.

Squeak.

The office door opened.

Kubotaro perked up.

However, the anticipated tense scene did not materialize.

Yoshio Miyagawa, beaming with joy, walked out side by side with Hong Zhiyou, the two chatting and laughing intimately like long-lost brothers.

Kubo Taro's facial muscles tensed instantly, and his hand holding the gun trembled.

Hong Zhiyou walked past Kubo Taro with one hand in his pocket, his steps light and graceful, without even giving him a second glance.

The humiliation of being completely ignored was like a red-hot steel needle, piercing Taro Kubo's heart.

"Director!"

He couldn't help but shout, his eyes full of hints and urging.

Yoshio Miyagawa glared at him fiercely, and the warning in his eyes made him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

Yoshio Miyagawa personally led Hong Zhiyou downstairs and watched his car disappear around the corner before turning around and slowly returning to his office.

Kubo Taro followed closely behind, and as soon as he entered the room, he could no longer suppress his anger.

"Director! Why won't you let me kill this guy!"
"This is the Police Headquarters, our territory! Even if we kill him, what can Gao Bin and his men do?"

Yoshio Miyagawa slowly sat back down at his desk, poured himself a glass of water, and smiled: "There will be plenty of opportunities and time to kill him."

"He's in Harbin, how could he possibly run away?"

He raised his eyelids and looked at the emotionally agitated Taro Kubo.

"Besides, if you kill him, do you think Gao Bin and those people at the dock will let you off the hook?"

Do you think you can leave Harbin alive?

Kubo Taro said in a deep voice, "I don't care!"
"All I know is that I must fulfill Mr. Suzuki's instructions!"

Yoshio Miyagawa's smile instantly turned cold.

"I know you have deep feelings for Suzuki Kazuo's sister. You don't care about life or death, and you even look forward to going down to reunite with her as soon as possible."

"But don't forget, during the 'February 26 Incident,' the Emperor ordered the navy to encircle and annihilate us!"

"You are an army soldier, not a navy lackey!"

Kubo Taro's face turned bright red: "Director, I don't understand anything about the land-sea conflict!"
"All I know is that Hong Zhiyou killed Mr. Shibuya, and he was destroying the foundation of the Great Japanese Empire!"
"If this man is not eliminated, Harbin will never have a peaceful day!"

He stared intently at Yoshio Miyagawa, his eyes filled with disappointment and disdain.

"And you, sir, are releasing a tiger back into the mountains!"

Yoshio Miyagawa's anger was completely ignited.

Taro Kubo was a fanatic of the Imperial Way Faction, a group that believed in "subordinates overthrowing superiors" and had no regard for their superiors.

Previously, he thought Taro Kubo was an invaluable and capable assistant.

It is a sharp knife.

But now that Hong Zhiyou has become an ally, Kubo Taro's sword has become a hindrance.

If we don't get rid of him, who knows, one day this kid might actually stab us in the back because of a moment of madness.

Thinking of this, Yoshio Miyagawa's anger suddenly dissipated, and he put on a fake smile again.

"Taro, you can't rush things."

“I’ve already made up my mind. In a few days, I will invite Hong Zhiyou to go hunting in the mountains.”

"When the time comes, we'll find a few people to become bandits and kill him in the mountains, won't that solve the problem?"
"This way, we can stay out of it, and even if the police want to investigate, they won't be able to trace it back to us."

He stared at Taro Kubo, his tone softening:
"If you really can't wait, you can go to the police station now, rush in and kill Hong Ji-you. Anyway, the police won't dare to stop you."

"Then, you can go and keep your Ms. Suzuki company."

Kubo Taro felt as if salt had been rubbed into the wounds of yesterday's humiliation, causing a burning pain.

He was about to speak when Yoshio Miyagawa waved his hand impatiently:
"Alright, I have my own plans for this. You may leave."

Kubo Taro's lips twitched a few times, but in the end he said nothing, turned around and walked out with a long face.

boom!
He slammed the office door shut, the loud noise startling Yoshio Miyagawa.

He spat angrily in the direction of the door.

"Baka! You damned dog!"

……

Police Department.

The black sedan came to a steady stop at the entrance.

As soon as Hong Zhiyou got out of the car, Ren Changchun, who had been waiting at the door, quickly came to greet him.

"Section Chief, Section Chief Gao has ordered you and Captain Zhou to escort Lao Cui and Jin Si on their way."

Hong Zhi brushed the dust off his collar and smiled.

"Not urgent.

"I'll go have a cup of hot tea first; it's really cold now that autumn has arrived."

"Whether they die sooner or later, it's all the same—they're all going to die anyway."

"Just wait."

He went straight to Zhou Yi's office and pushed the door open.

I poured myself a cup of hot tea, took a couple of sips, and warmed myself up.

"What to eat for lunch?"

Zhou Yi, who was reading the documents, looked up at him and asked, "All done?"

Hong Zhi nodded: "Yes."

"Just think about it, what official in this world doesn't love money?"

"Not to mention poor guys like Yoshio Miyagawa who climbed up from the bottom."

A hint of relief appeared on Zhou Yi's face: "That's good, at least we can have some peace and quiet for a while."

Hong Zhi put down his teacup.

"Let's go, let's see Old Cui off."

"Send them away as soon as possible to avoid any more trouble."

The two walked out of the office and into the courtyard.

Lu Ming and two policemen were escorting Cui Wannian and Jin Si, who were covered in blood, and roughly shoved them into the back seat of a car.

Zhou Yi got into the driver's seat, started the car, and slowly drove out of the police station, heading towards the outskirts of the city.

The carriage was quiet, with only the hum of the engine.

"My wife and child have come to Harbin."

Zhou Yi suddenly spoke.

Hong Zhi was taken aback for a moment, "Sun Yuejian?"

Zhou Yi nodded: "Yes."

"Old Wei arranged for the mother and son to stay in Daowai."

"There's a restaurant nearby that serves really good lamb with the skin on. Let's go there for lunch."

Hong Zhi frowned. "Then we need to make some arrangements."

"Otherwise, my sister-in-law and her child's livelihood will be insecure."

Zhou Yi sighed, "Section Chief Gao is keeping a close eye on me now, so I can only ask you, my brother, to handle these matters."

Hong Zhi hesitated for a moment:
"It's still a bit deserted in Daowai."

"Can you find a way to bring it to the city center?"
"I'll just open a shop and let my sister-in-law run it."

"Besides, my sister-in-law is literate and educated. I can easily get her a job at the city hall or a newspaper."

Zhou Yi shook his head: "That's good."

"But the organization's plan was to use her place as a secret contact point."

"In the city, there are too many people and too many eyes, making us too conspicuous and increasing the risk to other comrades. If something happens, evacuation will be very troublesome."

Hong Zhi smiled and said, "Can a living person die from holding in their pee?"
"Here's what I'll do: I'll have someone open a grain store over there, and then I'll have my sister-in-law work there as an assistant."

"I will also provide them with plenty of meat and vegetables every day so that they can eat in the store."

"Putting everything else aside, at least when it comes to food, we can't skimp on it."

"Anyway, you're not short of food expenses, just pay me back later."

Zhou Yi's face showed heartfelt gratitude: "I work at the grain store during the day, and I can also take on some sewing jobs at night."

"Jiaqiao's nutrition is also taken care of."

"Thanks.

“I knew it, nothing is a problem once it's in your hands, little brother.”

Hong Zhi smiled and said, "With money, things will naturally be easier."

"Have you sorted out the school for your child?"

Zhou Yi replied, "The nearest elementary school."

"These days, schools teach all that filthy stuff written by the Japanese, so we don't care anymore."

Hong Zhiyou suddenly laughed, with a hint of mischief: "Sister-in-law... are you still the same as before?"

“When I saved her last time, Lu Ming had met her once before and knew she was my ‘girlfriend’.”

Zhou Yi's eyes dimmed slightly: "Old Wei said she suffered a lot and looked much more haggard."

"I reckon even Lu Ming might not recognize it."

The car bumped along the way and finally stopped at a desolate earthen village on the outskirts of the city.

Lu Ming waved his hand, and several policemen immediately dragged Cui Wannian and Jin Si out of the car and ordered them to kneel on the ground.

Cui Wannian opened his bloodied and mangled eyes and roared with all his might.

"Old Zhou! Section Chief Hong! Please, I beg you, give me a way out! I don't want to die!"

Master Jin was so frightened that he soiled his pants, collapsed to the ground, and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Master Hong! God of Wealth Hong!"
"Didn't you say you'd let me go if I did what you said?"

Hong Zhiyou and Zhou Yi, standing beside the car, showed no emotion on their faces.

The two leaned against the car door, lit cigarettes, and chatted leisurely.

Spending too much time in a place like the police station and killing too many people, your heart becomes numb.

Lu Ming waved his hand, and two gunshots shattered the tranquility of the desolate suburbs.

Cui Wannian and Jin Si's bodies jolted violently, then they collapsed softly to the ground, silent.

Hong Zhi threw the cigarette butt on the ground and crushed it with the toe of his foot.

"Let's go.

"It's lunchtime, Lao Zhou, Zhiyou, how about we go out for a meal together?" Lu Ming invited.

"No, Captain Zhou and I need to go pick out a printer. Let's do it another day," Hong Zhiyou refused directly.

Lu Ming pursed his lips. "Alright, I'll be going then."

He got into the car somewhat dejectedly and sped away.

"My uncle seems to have given Lu Ming a bunch of informants. I don't know what that guy's been up to lately, so you'd better watch out," Hong Zhi said as he got into the passenger seat.

"Understood." Zhou Yi silently started the car.

The car turned around and headed towards the city of HEB.

Around lunchtime, the two drove to Daowai.

Zhou Yi deliberately slowed down and parked the car across the street from "Old Seven's Restaurant".

He didn't turn off the engine; the hum of the engine was exceptionally clear.

In a dilapidated building next door, Sun Yuejian was cutting fabric by the window.

The familiar, rhythmic sound of the engine made her pause slightly in her hand holding the scissors.

This is a habit and vigilance ingrained in one's bones.

She instinctively looked out the window. A black sedan was parked on the curb.

The car door opened, and Zhou Yi and Hong Zhiyou got out of the car.

After Zhou Yi got out of the car, he looked up at the window on her side, his gaze lingering briefly, deep and unfathomable.

Then, the two crossed the road one after the other.

Hong Zhiyou walked straight into Lao Qi Restaurant.

Zhou Yi stopped at the restaurant entrance, took out a cigarette case from his pocket, lit one, and stood outside slowly smoking.

Sun Yuejian's heart clenched suddenly inside the room, then began to pound wildly.

She quickly put down the scissors, walked to the mirror, and roughly smoothed her somewhat disheveled hair with her hands.

When she looked at herself in the mirror, she saw fine lines around her eyes and her complexion was sallow due to long-term fatigue and malnutrition.

There wasn't time to put on makeup.

She took a deep breath, picked up the coal ash dustpan from the corner of the wall, and pushed open the door to go out.

The cold wind blows in my face.

Two people who had been separated for a long time gazed at each other from afar across a dusty street.

Zhou Yi's gaze was deep and sorrowful. Looking at her face, which was much thinner than he remembered, and her old, faded clothes, his eyes instantly reddened.

Sun Yuejian also raised his head, and the moment their eyes met, his eyes reddened and tears welled up.

A thousand words were stuck in my throat, yet I couldn't utter a single one.

Pooh!
Zhou Yi suddenly turned his head and spat on the ground.

Sun Yuejian immediately understood.

She reluctantly pursed her chapped lips, forcibly suppressing her longing, lowered her head, and quickly walked to the trash can, emptying the coal ash into it.

Zhou Yi exhaled the last puff of smoke, stubbed out his cigarette, and turned to walk into the restaurant.

After emptying the coal ash, Sun Yuejian didn't linger for a moment and quickly returned to the house.

She closed the door, leaned against the cold door panel, and could no longer hold back, covering her mouth and sobbing silently.

A moment later, she wiped away her tears, stood up again, and sat back down on the windowsill in a daze.

She stared intently at the small restaurant across the street, as if trying to see through the door.

……

Night falls.

Hong Zhi drove to Futai Leather Shop.

What he brought back from Tianjin this time were all carefully selected Western goods and a few small antiques given to him by Mu Liancheng.

Wu Jingzhong is a man who lives life with great clarity.

He disliked opium, gambling, and was not as obsessed with women as other high-ranking Kuomintang officials.

According to Anita Mui's description in "Lurking", Lao Wu may have had some romantic affairs when he was young, but at least Hong Zhiyou has never seen him visit a brothel.

His enthusiasm for antiques and calligraphy doesn't seem to have reached the level of obsession.

Right now, his only, and greatest, hobby is the bright yellow, heavy gold bars.

Squeak.

The door was opened a crack, and Xiao Jia peeked out.

"Section Chief Hong."

Hong Zhi handed him two suitcases: "These are for the station chief and the brothers."

"The stationmaster is listening to music inside."

Xiao Jia took the box and said in a low voice.

Hong Zhi nodded, straightened his collar, and stepped inside.

Inside the main hall, an old-fashioned gramophone was playing Peking Opera.

Wu Jingzhong, dressed in a loose silk robe, lay on a rattan chair in the courtyard with his eyes closed. His fingers were gently tapping on the armrest in time with the drumbeats, looking completely at ease.

He didn't even lift his eyelids when he heard footsteps, but he hummed the tune even louder.

Hong Zhiyou walked up to him, stopped, and stood up straight with his feet together.

"Teacher, I've come back from Jinhai to see you."

Wu Jingzhong then slowly opened his eyes, his face showing just the right amount of surprise.

"Oh, it's Zhiyou."

"When did you come back?"

Hong Zhi raised his hand and gave him a standard military salute: "Reporting to the teacher, the student has lived up to the mission and successfully completed the task."

Wu Jingzhong stood up from the rattan chair, patted him on the shoulder with satisfaction, and smiled sincerely.

“Well done.

"Boss Dai sent me a telegram specifically praising you highly."

"They say you are an elite of the Party and the country, a pillar of the future."

“Manchuria Station needs ten or a hundred Hong Zhiyous.”

Hong Zhiyou pursed his lips, his expression falling. "Teacher, please don't mention the reward."

"Boss Dai wants me to raise one million Kangde coins, plus ten thousand taels of gold, as military expenses."

"We'll have to deliver next year."

"Tell me, where am I supposed to get so much money for him?"

Wu Jingzhong's smile faltered slightly, and his brows furrowed: "Ten thousand taels of gold?"

He pondered for a moment, then sighed.

"Hey, Boss Dai has his eye on you."

"You... just do your job well."

Hong Zhi had a wronged and helpless expression on his face. "Sigh, this is really troublesome."

"I was originally thinking that after the country was restored, I would split the gold I had accumulated over the years with you, teacher, and live a peaceful life for the rest of my days."

"Now that's good, with Boss Dai keeping such a close eye on us, I bet we'll be stripped naked as soon as we enter the pass, with nothing left but our underwear."

He took a step closer and lowered his voice.

"Teacher, don't you understand?"

"It's no longer a matter of ten thousand taels of gold."

"Ten thousand taels of gold and one million Kangde coins, I can manage that for you if I grit my teeth."

"But people's hearts are never satisfied. If you give it to him today, he'll demand an exorbitant amount next time, like 20,000 or 30,000 taels."

"No matter how much wealth we've accumulated outside the Great Wall, he'll scrape it all clean for you."

"You don't want us to go back to the interior of China naked in the future, watching others live a life of luxury while you two stare at each other, starving for nothing, do you?"

At this point, he rubbed his fingers together and winked as he said:

Why were Chiang Kai-shek, Soong Mei-ling, Kung Fu, Chen Shui-bian, and Dai Li, among others, willing to engage in revolution?

"In the end, isn't it all about getting gold and US dollars?"

"Their sons and relatives are all studying in the United States, driving luxury cars, living in mansions, and enjoying a life of luxury and wealth."

"What about us? We're fighting tooth and nail with the Japanese, while they're enjoying themselves and womanizing in the background."

"Tell me, what are we after?"

Wu Jingzhong frowned deeply: "Your thinking is dangerous!"
Is this something you should be saying?

Hong Zhiyou stuck out his neck, looking indignant: "Teacher, I'm just telling the truth."

“Take Zeng Che, for example. Station Chief Zeng, he is more valued by Boss Dai than you or me, right?”
"As a result, the person was detained, but Boss Dai just kept shouting slogans and refused to spend a single penny."

"In the end, I had to swallow my pride and go to Station Chief Zeng's relatives to ask for the ransom, and I had to act like a coward to get the person out of jail."

He paused, his voice filled with sarcasm.

Do you know why Boss Dai went to Jinhai?

"In Shanghai, No. 76 seized several boxes of goods that he had secretly transported to his lover, which were said to be worth tens of thousands of US dollars."

"For the sake of a woman, he was willing to risk his life to go to Jinhai to find Ding Mocun."

"To save Zeng Che, his trusted and beloved general, he pretended to be dead."

"Teacher, tell me, is this something a human being would do?"

Hong Zhiyou became increasingly angry as he spoke, and ripped open the collar of his shirt: "Do you know how I met Dai Li?"

"Have Ye Ziming hold a gun to my head and take me there!"

He pointed to his temple, his eyes slightly red.

"How dangerous was the rescue I did? Others may not know, but you certainly do."

"That was a trap that Yoshio Miyagawa set specifically for me in Tsukai. It was a near-death experience!"
"I finally managed to rescue him, but he didn't say a word and had someone point a gun at me first."

Is this how you treat meritorious individuals?
"Then, upon seeing me, he didn't say a few words of praise before cutting the price to the last drop, one million or ten thousand taels of gold!"

"To be honest, teacher, I don't even know who I'm working for anymore."

"It's disheartening."

Wu Jingzhong frowned, his hands behind his back, pacing back and forth in the room.

The floorboards creaked under his feet.

Of course he knew what kind of people Dai Li and Zheng Jiemin were—they were all greedy creatures who only took in money and never gave it back.

I just didn't expect Dai Li to go so far this time, and to behave so rudely.

Hong Zhiyou is right. This is no longer about money; it's about killing the goose that lays the golden eggs and chilling the hearts of our brothers.

"Okay, stop talking."

Wu Jingzhong raised his hand to stop him.

He stopped and turned to stare at Hong Zhiyou with sharp eyes.

I know you're upset.

"But that's reality. You're in Northeast China now, in Harbin, you can be a kingpin, nobody can control you."

"But don't forget, unless the Japanese can control Manchukuo forever, once it is restored, Boss Dai will be an obstacle you can't overcome."

"At that time, not only Boss Dai, but also Mao Renfeng, Xu Enzeng and those people, none of them will be easy to deal with."

"Just think of it as... getting used to it in advance."

Hong Zhiyou raised his eyebrows and snorted coldly:
“I don’t care who they are, I only care about our money, our gold bars.”

Looking at his stubborn and unyielding demeanor, Wu Jingzhong shook his head helplessly:

"How about this.

"I can cover for you for a while."

"When the deadline comes next year, I will send a telegram to Shancheng, saying that the situation in Harbin is complicated, the Japanese are watching closely, and it is really impossible to produce so many."

"I'll help you arrange an installment plan, you can pay me slowly."

"If the day of liberation really comes, we'll think of another way."

He said it word for word.

"In short, I'll buy you time. And you'd better not skimp on Boss Dai's money either."

As he spoke, he winked and tapped Hong Zhiyou's chest, whispering, "If you push him too far, the boss will really go all out."

That's exactly what Hong Zhi wanted to hear.

Given Wu Jingzhong's intelligence and seniority within the Military Intelligence Bureau, if he were willing to step forward and explain his difficulties, even the most domineering Dai Li would have to give him some face.

Being able to pay in installments would be the best outcome.

There are still five years until the victory of the War of Resistance. If we pay 500 taels a year, we can get by with 2,500 taels of gold.

As for the rest, after the restoration, Hong Zhiyou will naturally have plenty of ways to appease Dai Li.

"Thank you, teacher!" Hong Zhiyou said quickly.

Wu Jingzhong waved his hand and sat back down in the rattan chair.

"I think you're a loyal and affectionate person."

"But don't forget, I have to make up half of this."

Hong Zhiyou's face immediately lit up with a smile. "Teacher, don't worry."

"Let alone half, even if it's 60% or 70%, it would be only right to give it all to you as a token of our respect."

Wu Jingzhong naturally didn't take it seriously.

But having spent so much time with Hong Zhi, he knew the guy's character quite well.

Judging from the effort he put into saving Zeng Che and the things he did in Harbin, this guy may seem slick, but he actually values ​​his promises very much.

Wu Jingzhong wouldn't even dare to think of giving himself half.

But getting one or two percent should be pretty close to the mark.

Hong Zhi glanced at his watch; it was getting late.

"Teacher, then I won't disturb your rest any longer."

Just as he was about to turn and leave, Wu Jingzhong called him back:

"and many more.

"There's one more thing you need to explain to me."

Hong Zhiyou's heart skipped a beat, and he turned around.

"what's up?"

Wu Jingzhong's eyes, however, glared at him like knives.
"When you last went to Tianjin and met Rui Rui, what did you talk about during the long time you spent together?"

"Your teacher's wife told me that after she came back, she was like a lost soul, absent-minded all day long."

"I still want to find out about you from time to time."

He put down his teacup, his voice becoming deep:

"You better tell me honestly, what exactly did you do to her?"
"If you can't explain yourself clearly today, don't even think about leaving this room."

Wu Jingzhong had a vague idea of ​​what was going on.

Hong Zhiyou is always cunning and always tries to pocket everything; he probably has something to hide.

There was nothing he could do; she was his only precious daughter.

So many people are watching and plotting against it.

The worst thing is that this kid might think he's keeping me safe.

……

(End of this chapter)