Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 572 Advance Investment
Sakura Company, a special Japanese-style room on the top floor.

Hong Zhi sat imposingly on the cushion in the middle, smoking a cigar.

To his left was Ito Shiji, the vice chairman of Mitsubishi Corporation, who had a standard mustache and sat with impeccable posture.

On the right is my old friend, Kojiyama Naoto.

After the three of them drank enthusiastically for several rounds, Hong Zhi exhaled a puff of smoke and got down to business:

"You two."

There's something I'm not sure if I should say.

Ito Shiji immediately bowed slightly: "We all know that Mr. Hong is wise beyond measure. Your suggestion last time to hoard more US dollars and find an agent to invest in the United States has benefited us greatly."

He paused, then said worriedly:

"Especially now, the empire is facing unprecedented setbacks and difficulties."

"The United States and the Soviet Union are gaining more and more prestige every day."

"The execution of Mussolini and Hitler's series of major defeats on the Soviet front... these news greatly affected our morale."

"The yen is also depreciating rapidly, and the number of refugees in Tokyo is increasing."

"Now more than ever, we need Mr. Hong's guidance."

Kojiyama Naoto nodded solemnly, and raised his glass:
"That's right. Like Mr. Saburo Shibuya, I am a follower of Yangming's philosophy of mind. We never deny the profoundness of Chinese culture."

"Mr. Hong, you are our guiding light."

"please!"

The two raised their glasses at the same time, their gesture full of respect.

Hong Zhi took a sip, put down his glass, and put the cigar back in his mouth.

"We have an old saying: 'If a person doesn't look out for himself, he'll be punished by heaven and earth.'"

His gaze swept across the two faces.

"Companies and power are ultimately given by others."

"One day, they will take it back."

"If you can come up here, someone will make you go down."

"Do you know what I mean?"

In an instant, the air inside the room.

Ito Shiji's smile froze, and he cautiously asked, "Mr. Hong... could you please be more specific?"

Hong Zhiyou laughed: "Have you ever thought about what would happen if the Great Japanese Empire were to be defeated one day, and Manchukuo... would perish?"

What should you do?
"Back to Tokyo, or fight to the death?"
"When everything is in short supply, will you still have enough yen to spend?"

"Now that Yamamoto Isoroku is dead, aren't you afraid that American planes will fly over Tokyo and land on the mainland?"

"Yes, right now in Harbin, you can still hold beautiful women and drink fine wine."

"What will you do when that day really comes?"
"Will you become a prisoner, or have all your property confiscated and end up on the streets?"

"Will your wives and daughters also become playthings for the American military?"

Ito Shiji swallowed hard, his voice dry and hoarse: "What are your thoughts, Mr. Hong?"

Hong Zhi flicked his cigar in the ashtray and continued:
"I am currently in contact with General MacArthur of the U.S. Army."

"If you two are interested, you can come together."

"Consider it as buying myself a talisman in advance."

Shiji Ito abruptly raised his head, his eyes filled with shock and anger:
Mr. Hong!

"You've betrayed the Emperor! You've betrayed the Great Japanese Empire!"

"This is a shameless act!"

Hong Zhi gave a cold laugh:
"One must always think ten steps ahead before taking one step."

"War is a matter for the Emperor and Okamura Yasuji."

"Our primary goal is to survive, and to thrive."

He leaned forward slightly, staring into Ito Shiji's eyes.

"If Mr. Itō thinks I am guilty, he can report me to Commander Yoshijiro Umezu right now."

“Shoot me.”

Shiji Ito's lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word.

report?

What evidence does he have to file a report?
Does he dare?
He could only pick up his wine glass and gulp down the cold sake to calm his nerves.

Seeing this, Kojiyama Naotori gently patted him on the shoulder.

"Ito-kun.

"To be honest, many cabinet members and even chief cabinet secretaries are secretly hoarding US dollars."

"They even do business with Americans through the influence of some powerful families within the Great Wall."

"If one day, as Mr. Hong said, we are defeated and the Americans land on the island, they will still be the superior people."

"And we... are afraid we will fall into an abyss."

Hong Zhiyou stopped pressing and waved his hand, saying, "Alright, let's not talk about it today."

"We'll just drink."

"We'll continue our collaboration when Ito-kun has figured things out."

As he spoke, he clapped his hands lightly.

Chun San walked in carrying a black leather suitcase.

He placed the suitcase on the low table and opened it directly.

pat.

Twenty bright yellow croakers.

Hong Zhiyou casually pushed the suitcase in front of the two of them.

"It is a rare privilege for my two elder brothers to come to Harbin. Please accept this small gift."

No one dislikes gold.

Ito Shiji, whose face was originally gloomy, unconsciously relaxed the muscles on his face.

He forced a smile and picked up his glass again.

"Thank you, Mr. Hong."

"Then today, let's not talk about business, let's just talk about friendship."

The atmosphere became much more lively afterward.

After a heavy drinking session, Ito Shiji was so drunk that he was unconscious and had to be helped back to his room.

The two walked to the end of the corridor, pushed open a window, and the cold night wind instantly rushed in.

Hong Zhi lit a cigarette and handed one to Xiao Rishan.

Naoto Kojima took a breath, his face showing apology.

"Sorry, we couldn't make it happen."

Hong Zhi smiled and said, "It's alright."

"Ito-kun will figure it out sooner or later."

Naoto Kojiyama was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke.

"If...if Manchukuo really reaches a dangerous moment."

"I can sell you all the equipment from the South Manchuria Railway Company that you want."

"Selling at a low price."

Hong Zhiyou turned to look at him, his eyes sharp.

"My advice is that you'd better sign the contract now."

"I'll be able to receive it directly then."

Naotori Kojima was stunned: "But...but that has to go through the council."

Hong Zhi chuckled lightly: "When the Soviet tanks rolled in, what council was there to speak of?"

"As long as the contract bears your signature and the council's seal, it is valid."

Naoto Kojima's body jolted violently.

He looked at Hong Zhiyou, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Okay. I'll sign them all for you tonight.

"To be honest, over the past few years, everything you predicted has come true, including the death of General Yamamoto Isoroku. I have to admit it."

"Then I'll trust you one more time. Tokyo will be landed by the US military."

His voice carried a hint of determination.

"If that day ever comes, I hope you can help me make some plans with the Americans."

Hong Zhi patted him on the shoulder: "That's for sure."

"I will be going to see General MacArthur in a while."

Xiao Rishan Zhideng suddenly took a step back and bowed deeply to Hong Zhiyou.

"Thank you, Mr. Hong!"

Hong Zhiyou accepted the greeting calmly, smiled, threw the cigarette butt out the window, and strode away.

Watching his figure disappear around the corner of the corridor, Kojiyama Naoto slowly straightened up.

He was not a theology enthusiast.

But here in Hongzhi, he confirmed time and again that this ancient people with thousands of years of civilization do indeed have some people who possess wisdom that is almost divine.

It’s okay not to accept it.

Naoto Kojiyama composed himself and turned to walk towards his room.

As he passed by Ito Shiji's door, Ito Shiji stood behind the door, his eyes clear, showing no trace of drunkenness.

He stared at Xiaori Mountain and climbed straight up.

"Your Excellency Kojiyama."

Do you really believe what he said?

Xiao Rishan Zhiteng stopped, met his gaze, and said, word by word:

"My friend, I advise you to trust him."

"Otherwise, you'll regret it."

……

The next day.

Hong Zhiyou arrived at Liu Zhenwen's house carrying a large bouquet of beautiful roses.

As soon as there was a knock, Li Lan opened the door with a beaming smile.

"Hey, Zhiyou's here. Come in, come in."

She smiled like a blooming chrysanthemum and warmly accepted the coat that Hong Ji-yoo had taken off.

"Wenwen, Zhiyou is here!"

Li Lan called upstairs while affectionately pulling Hong Zhiyou to sit down on the sofa in the living room.

That look in her eyes was exactly like a mother-in-law looking at her son-in-law—the more she looked, the more she liked him.

In the past, she had hoped that her daughter could marry a rich and powerful man.

Well, after much anticipation, Hong Zhiyou's daughter finally brought this big Buddha home, and it seems their relationship is quite stable.

Li Lan poured Hong Zhiyou a cup of hot tea, sat down next to him, and began to speak earnestly.

"Zhiyou, you and Wenwen have been dating for a while now, I think it's time to put marriage on the agenda."

"Yesterday, your aunt and I spent a long time picking out a date, and we both felt that next month would be good."

"We all hope you can get this done soon, so we can feel at ease."

Hong Zhi picked up his teacup, smiled, and seemed somewhat helpless.

"Auntie, I'd like to do that."

"But Wenwen hasn't decided whether or not to marry me."

“I asked her tentatively last time, and she said she hadn’t decided yet, and that she probably still wasn’t completely satisfied with me.”

Upon hearing this, Li Lan's eyes widened, and she slapped the sofa.

"Bullshit! She's just pretending!"

"Back then, before you two were even dating, she was like a lost soul, listless and listless all the time. Only when she mentioned you would her eyes light up."

"That brat, she's got the same temper as her father, she's such a show-off. She wants something but won't say it."

"Zhiyou, listen to your aunt. Think about a date later and get this done as soon as possible, so that nothing goes wrong."

Hong Zhi nodded, pretending to go along with it.

"Okay, I'll listen to Auntie."

"However, we still need to hear what my uncle and Director Liu think about this matter."

“They are all my superiors. If they don’t make the decision, I can’t get married even if I want to.”

His first marriage must be to Rui Rui.

Everything else is useless.

Rui Rui is still in school, so the earliest we can talk about marriage is when Lao Wu returns to Jinhai to become the stationmaster.

Upon hearing this, Li Lan's smile widened, and she beamed with joy.

"Don't worry, I'll talk to them! I'll handle things with your Uncle Liu!"

As she spoke, she shouted it again upstairs at the top of her lungs.

"Wenwen! Come down here! Zhiyou's been waiting for ages!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a head peeked out from the railing on the second floor.

Liu Yawen was wearing a silk nightgown, her hair was still a little messy, and she beckoned to Hong Zhiyou downstairs.

"Zhiyou, come up here for a moment."

"There's a mouse in my room! Come help me get rid of it!"

Hong Zhiyou put down his teacup, stood up, and looked at Li Lan.

"Auntie, shall I go upstairs?"

Li Lan's expression immediately turned somewhat unpleasant.

She's still quite traditional in her thinking. She's not even married yet, and she's already calling men into her bedroom. What kind of behavior is that?

But Liu Yawen upstairs was already impatiently urging them on.

"Hey, hurry up! Stop dawdling!"

Li Lan could only wave her hand reluctantly.

"Go, go, and come back quickly."

Hong Zhi smiled and nodded, then quickly went upstairs.

He had just pushed open Liu Yawen's door and hadn't even seen what was inside.

The door was locked from the inside.

Liu Ya-wen clung to him like an octopus and kissed him without saying a word.

The two staggered and fell onto the soft bed.

Hong Zhiyou was a little breathless from her kiss and turned his head away.

"Your mother is downstairs, don't mess around."

"Didn't we say we were going to kill rats? Where are the rats?"

Liu Yawen skillfully unbuckled his belt, her eyes filled with a hint of cunning and longing.

"I am a mouse."

Hong Zhi grabbed her mischievous hand and lowered his voice.

Aren't you afraid your mom will find out?

Liu Yawen bent down, "I'm scared."

"But I miss you more."

Hong Zhi was amused and patted her pert buttocks.

“I told you you were addicted, but you always denied it.”

Liu Yawen blushed and punched his firm chest.

You're so annoying!
"So what if I'm addicted?"

She kissed him again, and the two rolled around, soon becoming one.

Downstairs in the living room, Li Lan listened intently for a long time.

I've been chasing this mouse for ages, but there's not a single sound.

With a question lingering in her mind, she picked up her teacup and tiptoed upstairs to the second floor, quietly pressing her ear against her daughter's bedroom door.

I was completely numb after listening for less than three seconds.

That scoundrel!
In broad daylight, how could they call someone upstairs to do such a thing?

Her face flushed red and then turned pale, and she trembled with anger.

I'll beat her to a pulp when I get back!
……

after an hour.

The door opened, and Hong Zhiyou and Liu Yawen came out together.

Both of them were impeccably dressed and radiant, as if nothing had happened.

But as soon as he reached the stairwell, he saw Li Lan sitting on the sofa with a dark expression.

That look in his eyes was murderous.

Hong Zhi touched his nose, lowered his head, and remained silent.

Liu Ya-wen acted as if nothing had happened, affectionately taking the man's arm as they walked to the entrance to change into her high boots and carefully tied her scarf.

Then, pulling Hong Zhiyou along, they went out the door looking quite elegant.

Once on the bus, Hong Zhiyou breathed a sigh of relief.

"Your mom doesn't seem too happy."

Liu Ya-wen curled her lip indifferently.

"It's like she was never young, just ignore her."

Hong Zhi glanced at his watch.

"The movie is already past its end."

"How about we pick a quieter place? I'll take you ice skating; I've packed some skates in the trunk."

Liu Yawen's eyes lit up.

"OK!

"To be honest, ever since we got together, most of the time we've been... intimate, and we haven't really gone out to have any serious fun."

Hong Zhi started the car and glanced at her with a wicked smile.

"Can you blame me?"

“If you catch me, you’ll waste an hour or two before you’ll give up.”

Liu Yawen blushed and laughed as she scolded him.

"Hate!"

The car drove smoothly out of the city and onto a spacious ice rink in the suburbs.

The area is sparsely populated, and the ice surface is as smooth as a mirror, gleaming in the warm winter sun.

Hong Zhiyou had just parked his car and was about to get out to get his ice skates when his gaze inadvertently swept across the distance, and he suddenly stopped.

He saw a familiar figure.

Gu Qiuyan.

She was holding Sasha's little hand, gliding slowly on the ice with a man wearing a hat, the three of them laughing from time to time.

Even though they were quite a distance apart, Hong Zhiyou recognized him at a glance.

Liu Yawen followed his gaze, somewhat curious.

"What's wrong? Do you know them?"

Hong Zhi looked away and started the car again.

"The woman knows him."

"Let's go somewhere else."

He didn't offer any further explanation and simply turned the car around.

That man was not Zhou Yi.

He was a complete stranger.

He didn't want to care, and he was too lazy to care.

It's best not to meddle in other people's family affairs.

However, the car had only driven a short distance.

His eyes suddenly narrowed.

Across the curb, a black Ford sedan was moving at an abnormally slow, snail's pace.

The car window was rolled down halfway, and you could vaguely see the figures inside.

Hong Zhi recognized that car.

That was the car of Xu Zhong, the deputy captain of the Special Operations Team under Lu Ming.

These guys are keeping watch.

Gu Qiuyan has been targeted.

Hong Zhiyou's heart sank, but he remained calm and pretended not to see anything, stepping on the gas pedal.

Cars whizzed by.

He found another ice rink and spent the whole morning playing with Liu Yawen, as if nothing had happened.

After dropping Liu Yawen off at home, Hong Zhi drove into a quiet alley and stopped in front of an inconspicuous mailbox.

He pretended to read the newspaper, but his hand reached into a compartment at the bottom of the mailbox and felt around.

I touched a thin envelope.

Good luck, I received a letter.

This was his and Yunying's private contact point.

Back in the car, he quickly opened the letter.

The letter was as brief as ever.

Yunying led her men to take down another Japanese checkpoint and seized a batch of supplies.

Hong Zhiyou finished reading it, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

Damn it, that stupid woman.

He never asked his son or himself, the man in name only, when he wrote a letter.

Every time, it's about fighting, fighting the Japanese, and reporting war achievements.

Let's just stop communicating altogether; it's pointless.

He took out a lighter and burned the letter.

He then went into a public phone booth on the street corner, closed the door, and dialed Zhou Yi's office number.

The call was answered quickly.

"Old Zhou, who did your wife go flirting with?"

He got straight to the point, his tone carrying his usual mockery.

“I just saw Xu Zhong staring at her.”

"okay, I get it."

"I'll get someone to kick him out right now."

"Goodbye."

The call was hung up.

Hong Zhi didn't dare to delay for a moment and quickly dialed Peng Hu's number again.

As soon as the call connected, he gave the order.

"Tiger, go to the ice rink next to the Special City Park."

"Beat up that bastard who's with Gu Qiuyan."

"Then they tied him up!"

……

(End of this chapter)