Espionage codename: Shen Gongbao

Nine o'clock in the evening.

Dressed in a suit and tie, Wang Xuesen entered Restaurant No. 3, led by a guard.

Zhou Fohai greeted him warmly: "Oh, Xuesen, Mr. Wang and I have been eagerly awaiting your arrival. We're so glad you've finally come."

"Mr. Wang is really too busy, so I'm giving his regards to you and Mr. Wang."

Despite saying this, he kept a wary distance of two steps from Wang Xuesen.

Wang Xuesen also bowed and exchanged some polite greetings with everyone.

"Quickly, take a seat!" After the small talk, Zhou Fohai raised his hand and said.

They took their seats.

Despite it being called a welcome banquet, Wang Xuesen sat at the very bottom left.

Beside him was Lin Zhijiang, who had a gun in his pocket, and opposite him was Luo Junqiang, Zhou Fohai's confidant, not to mention the many people in between.

If it were really an assassination attempt, Lin Zhijiang would be the first to kill himself.

These traitors are utterly despicable.

"Come on, let me introduce you."

"This is Village Chief Ding Mo, and this is Director Li Shiqun..."

Zhou Fohai gave a loud and clear introduction with a friendly smile.

Wang Xuesen greeted them all with a smile.

Ding Mocun's face was pale and bluish-white, his cheeks were thin and slightly sunken, his hair was parted in the middle and slicked back, and he looked very gloomy.

Li Shiqun, on the other hand, wore a smile, his eyes sharp and bright. He appeared calm and unassuming, but in reality, his gaze sent chills down one's spine.

The others passed by one by one.

Wang Xuesen's gaze fell on Chen Mingchu's face.

This guy is the traitor who made Boss Dai lose sleep for days.

As for his appearance, he wore round black-rimmed glasses and a Zhongshan suit, looking old-fashioned like a scholar.

From the moment I walked in, this guy kept his head down, drinking, and pretended not to hear me when I greeted him.

Zhou Fohai raised his glass, delivered a welcoming speech, and then glanced at Ding Mocun.

Ding Mocun asked with a smile, "Xuesen, I heard you and Mr. Wang are old friends?"

Knowing that "swords, spears, clubs, and sticks" were coming, Wang Xuesen quickly sat up straight and replied, "To be honest, Director, when Mr. Wang was the Party Representative at the Whampoa Military Academy, I was greatly taken care of by him. Mr. Wang treated me the same way he treated Mr. Zhou, as both an elder and a mentor."

"After graduation, I was assigned by Mr. Wang to stay by his side. I was at the scene of the assassination."

Seeing how "sensible" he was, Zhou Fohai nodded in agreement: "That's right, I've heard about this from Mrs. Wang. Xuesen risked his life to cover Mr. Wang's evacuation."

"Wang Shizhong, the patriarch of the Wang family, once made remarks that were detrimental to pro-Japanese sentiments."

"Since Chiang Kai-shek values ​​the Wang family so much, why didn't you stay in Chongqing and instead came to Shanghai?"

"The reputation of a traitor is not good."

A bespectacled man with a slightly chubby face, wearing a kimono and sporting a Japanese Jintan mustache, asked in a deep voice.

He was Tang Huimin.

Haha, what a battle of attrition!

"To be honest, for those of you who have been to Shanghai, going to Chongqing is like being in prison."

"How so?"

"You can all understand the pain of having money but not being able to spend it."

Wang Xuesen smiled jokingly and continued:

"Furthermore, my beloved wife's family is in Jiangsu and Shanghai, and the separation of husband and wife cannot last long. My teacher's wife also mentioned in her secret letter to me the pain of missing Wanjia."

"I am physically in Chongqing, but my heart has already flown to Shanghai."

"Life is only 30,000 days long. If you don't live it to the fullest, wouldn't you have lived in vain?"

"Su Wanjia is a famous beauty in Shanghai. It's understandable that even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman." Ding Mocun subconsciously swallowed, which was tacitly approving of Wang Xuesen's decision.

In his view, beauty is as essential to a man as his three meals a day.

A man's true nature is to be so angry for a woman!

"Brother, I heard you have a good personal relationship with Dai Li and Jia Jinnan?" Li Shiqun asked with a smile.

"yes!"

"My elder brother, Wang Xuewen, was once a close confidant of Dai Li. In 35, he was assassinated by Wang Yaqiao at Shanghai North Railway Station while protecting Dai Li."

"After that, Dai Li and Jia Jinnan repeatedly tried to invite me to join the Military Intelligence Bureau."

"But my father thought the place was dirty and refused."

"Of course, Dai and Jia have taken care of me in private, and we've had a few casual meals together."

Wang Xuesen gave a "frank" confession.

"I heard that Dai Li has devised a plan to eliminate me specifically? What's the news coming from Shancheng?" Chen Mingchu, who had been silent until now, suddenly asked.

"No need to hear about it, everyone in the Jiang family knows this."

"After you left, Chiang Kai-shek gave Dai Li a thorough dressing-down. Everyone knows that Dai Li now wishes he could tear you apart and sleep on your skin."

"I have to say, you're one of the best at making Dai Li and the old man so angry."

Wang Xuesen looked at him with admiration and humorously raised his glass to him.

"Likewise, likewise." Chen Mingchu gave a cold laugh, raised his glass in response, and downed it in one gulp.

"Ha ha!"

"The enemy's impotent rage is a cause for our delight."

"Come on, let's drink to Dai Li being criticized."

Zhou Fohai, true to his leadership position, raised his glass at the opportune moment to create a lively atmosphere.

Everyone raised their glasses and drank with laughter.

"Brother, I know the assassination methods of the Military Intelligence Bureau. You're so familiar with Dai Li, could it be that he sent us to assassinate us?" A cold, eerie voice drifted over amidst the laughter.

The room fell silent after those words were spoken.

All eyes turned to Wang Xuesen's face.

"Ziming, you're drunk," Ding Mocun said dismissively to his secretary, Mao Ziming.

"Secretary Mao."

Do you think I'm stupid?

"I have money, a good family background, and a beautiful wife. Do you think I would risk my life for Dai Li's mere two thousand yuan bounty?" Wang Xuesen's face darkened, and he sneered.

"In this world, some people do things not necessarily for money."

"Many of you here came from the Military Intelligence Bureau and the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics. Xu Enzeng and Dai Li were not clean, but they had many people under their command who were willing to risk their lives."

Mao Ziming took a sip of wine, curled his lip, and continued his attack.

Zhou Fohai and the others' gazes grew increasingly sharp.

Clearly, Mao Ziming was the arranged mouth double.

"Secretary Mao thinks I'm someone who doesn't value his life!"

Wang Xuesen walked up to Mao Ziming with a wine glass in hand and asked with a smile.

"You can't judge a book by its cover," Mao Ziming said with a smile.

"Snapped!"

Wang Xuesen suddenly grabbed a wine bottle from the table and smashed it down on Mao Ziming's head.

He's been mocked so closely, if he can tolerate this, would he still be the arrogant and domineering young master Wang from Shanghai back in the day?

No one expected Wang Xuesen to be so reckless.

In the midst of everyone's shock, Wang Xuesen grabbed Mao Ziming, whose head was covered in blood, pushed him down, and began punching him, his face contorted with rage as he roared:

"Fuck your mother!"

"I've been expelled from the Wang family, so I just want to have a couple of fun days in Shanghai."

"Are you deliberately trying to prevent me from gaining a foothold?"

"Whom should I kill, you?"

"You worthless piece of trash, do you even deserve it?"

"Sibao, Captain Lin, quick, pull them apart!" Zhou Fohai shouted urgently, panting as he stepped aside.

Wu Sibao and Lin Zhijiang quickly grabbed Wang Xuesen from both sides.

Wang Xuesen wiped the blood from his hands, smoothed his disheveled bangs, and regained his refined and elegant demeanor.

"I'm sorry, everyone, once I've come to Shanghai, there's no turning back."

"Anyone who wants me to go back to the mountain city might as well just shoot me right now."

"Wang Xuesen, I'll curse your ancestors..." Mao Ziming was about to yell, clutching his head, when Ding Mocun sternly reprimanded him, "What are you standing there for? Quickly take Secretary Mao downstairs to get bandaged up."

Immediately, someone helped the indignant Mao Ziming leave the table.

"Uncle Zhou."

"When I came here, Brother Sibao told me that our mentor intended for me to join No. 76."

"It seems that it's better not to get in everyone's way now."

"I will visit Mr. Wang at his residence another day. Thank you all for your hospitality."

"Excuse me!"

Wang Xuesen returned to his seat, picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp, then got up to leave.

"Why!"

"Xuesen, wait a moment. Secretary Mao is drunk and talking nonsense. There's no need to get angry." Zhou Fohai quickly stopped him when he saw that things were about to escalate.

Mr. Wang had high expectations for this student.

Entering No. 76 is a test and a trial.

We still have to hope that he can bring the Wang family over.

I messed up such a small thing. How am I going to explain this to Mr. Wang?

Furthermore, people came to seek refuge by calling him "Uncle," and if he was driven away at the welcoming banquet, it would damage his reputation as a "recruiter," and how would he recruit important officials from Chiang Kai-shek's government for the Japanese in the future?

"Yeah, Xuesen, that's just how Secretary Mao is. When he's drunk, he bites randomly. Don't even mention you, who here hasn't been choked by him? It's not worth arguing with." Li Shiqun chimed in smoothly, subtly mocking him.

"Yes."

"Without your help, I would have no way to get anywhere even if I stayed in Shanghai."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it was Xuesen who acted impulsively and rashly."

Please forgive me.

Wang Xuesen also pretended to be sober and frightened, and spoke in a way that followed the advice given.

The meal resumed after the waiters finished cleaning.

Zhou Fohai said, "Mo Cun, please announce the personnel appointments and dismissals."

Even when beating a dog, one must consider its owner. Ding Mocun's pale face darkened further after his trusted secretary was publicly beaten, and he announced resentfully:

"Wang Xuesen, effective immediately, you will serve as the deputy director of Accounting Office No. 76, and concurrently as the deputy director of the Confidential Section."

"From now on, you're part of Unit 76."

Just as Wang Xuesen was about to raise his glass, Li Shiqun secretly gave his confidant Wu Sibao a look.

Wu Sibao understood and hurriedly and rudely reminded him, "Xuesen, why don't you thank Director Ding?"

"With a department and an office on your shoulders, money bags on your left and intelligence files on your right, you carry most of the 76th Division on your shoulders."

"You should know that Mr. Zhou's favorite, Lao Luo, wanted to join No. 76, but Director Ding rejected it."

"Don't let Director Ding down."

"Cough cough!" Ding Mocun coughed loudly, trying to cover up his embarrassment.

Zhou Fohai also looked embarrassed and frowned.

This was a well-known joke within the company.

Zhou Fohai initially wanted to control No. 76 and installed his confidant Luo Junqiang as the director of the confidential office. However, Ding Mocun, fearing the old traitor's growing power, flatly refused and had the deputy director Tang Huimin take on the role concurrently.

Li Shiqun is deliberately bringing up a sore spot, clearly using Wu Sibao to sow discord.

"Sibao, have you lost your mind? What nonsense are you spouting? Xuesen is Mr. Wang's top student; how can he be compared to an ordinary person?"

"Who do you think you are, daring to question Director Ding's appointment?"

Li Shiqun scolded sternly with a stern face.

"Fine, I'm just a piece of trash who's worse than anyone else..." Luo Junqiang's cheeks flushed red, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into, and his gaze toward Ding Mocun deepened with hatred.

"Yes, yes."

"Mr. Zhou, Director Ding, Mr. Luo, I misspoke, I misspoke."

"I'll punish myself with three drinks."

Wu Sibao quickly raised his glass and gulped down several cups.

Wang Xuesen never expected to witness such a spectacle; it seems the struggle between Ding Mocun and Li Shiqun has reached a point of irreconcilable conflict.

good good!

"Mr. Zhou, Director Ding, I will be grateful for your continued support." Coming to his senses, he raised his glass in thanks.

Ding Mocun smacked his lips unhappily.

Zhou Fohai's face softened, and he smiled, "Xuesen, from now on you'll be working for Director Li and Director Tang, so hurry up and offer them a toast."

"Director Li," Wang Xuesen raised his glass.

"We're all on the same side, sharing joys and sorrows!" Li Shiqun used his habitual "Jianghu" (江湖, a term referring to the world of martial arts and江湖义气, a code of honor among江湖 people) jargon, making no attempt to conceal his intention to win them over.

"Director Tang," Wang Xuesen raised his glass to Tang Huimin again.

"Momura!"

Tang Huimin didn't even glance at him, and after clinking glasses with Ding Mocun, the two started drinking.

Wang Xuesen gave an awkward smile and stopped drinking.

Then everyone was in a harmonious mood again, chatting and laughing. As it was coming to an end, Ding Mocun glanced at the Linzhi River.

Lin Zhijiang pretended to need to urinate and got up to leave his seat.

As the event drew to a close and everyone prepared to leave, a glamorous woman in a white Western-style fishtail dress swayed her shapely hips as she walked in:

"Xuesen, you've come to Shanghai, why didn't you tell me?"

"Wanjia is really tight-lipped. If Mrs. Zhou hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known either."

As she spoke, she headed straight for Wang Xuesen.

Wang Xuesen felt a chill run down his spine.

That son of a bitch, I knew those Wang Jingwei regime guys wouldn't be that simple.

The trump card is waiting here.

The information Dai Li gave him did not include this woman at all.

I don't know them at all.

What should I do?

This is going to give us away!

……