Chapter 171: Each harboring ulterior motives

Li Ya didn't stand on ceremony, sitting down and eating grapes, apples, and pears, his mouth never stopping for a moment.

It wasn't that he didn't understand etiquette.

One reason was that the Station Chief had a teacher-student relationship with him.

Another was that he was truly greedy.

In Yancheng, not to mention meat and white rice.

Fruits like these, air-freighted from Taiwan or abroad, weren't things one could just eat whenever.

"Teacher, what good news is there?" Li Ya finished eating, wiped his mouth, and smiled.

"Oh my."

"It's good that you came; none of them like to eat fruit."

"In the past, there was always leftovers every day, and they would rot, which made one's heart ache."

"Since you came, there's no waste, that's great!"

Wu Jingzhong didn't rush to say it, cracking a joke instead.

"Teacher, you make me look ridiculous."

"I suffered too much over there. When I see food, my heart itches, and I can't control my mouth."

Li Ya smiled apologetically.

"Understandable."

"For the sake of the Party and the State, it hasn't been easy for you."

"Now that you're in the city, eating well and dressing well is only right."

"This is also what the Party and the State owe you."

Wu Jingzhong narrowed his eyes and smiled comfortingly, then took out seven gold bars and pushed them to Li Ya.

"Let's talk business, this is for you."

Li Ya glanced sideways and asked, puzzled: "Teacher, the Party and the State owe me, but you don't owe me anything. This is..."

"I've thought about it; the Xiuchun Tower matter needs a conclusion."

"Right now, Jiang Jianfeng is busy rectifying corruption in Shanghai, so let's not add to his troubles."

"Furthermore, Ye Xiufeng's roots are very deep."

"He's an old CC member."

"Last time you killed his people and ruined the Jinhai Economic Investigation Group, you already violated the taboos of the top."

"It's only because Zhongtong and Juntong have old grudges that the Chairman has always turned a blind eye."

"If it were any other department, those people in the Executive Yuan would have dealt with you long ago."

Wu Jingzhong began to do ideological work on him.

"My heart is red for the Party and the State; I'm not afraid of them." Li Ya smiled faintly.

"It's not a matter of being afraid or not."

"Enmities should be resolved, not knotted."

"After all, we are all in Jinhai; we see each other every day."

"So, I've decided to release the people."

"Anyway, that Guo Liang has lost his value, what do you think?"

Wu Jingzhong persuaded him with a pleasant countenance.

"The problem is, the autopsy report clearly states that he was beheaded. It's not easy to explain if headquarters investigates." Li Ya frowned.

"Just say it was retaliation by Qi Qi Da Fu colluding with Red agents."

"Headquarters won't say anything about a person with no value."

Wu Jingzhong pointed out.

"Qi Qi Da Fu's confession says he colluded with the Dangtong Bureau."

"He even signed and fingerprinted it."

Li Ya still shook his head.

"Isn't the confession still in the station?"

"Let Department Chief Lu re-interrogate him, and Qi Qi Da Fu can write another confession and sign and fingerprint it, can't he?"

"Those few people from the Dangtong Bureau just went there for some fun."

"It was just a misunderstanding."

"Release them if they should be released."

Wu Jingzhong frowned, feeling he was being unreasonable.

"Station Chief."

"Those five people are Red agents, especially that one named Sun Cheng; he looks like a good hand from the Anti-Traitor Squad."

"Station Chief, I agree to releasing the Dangtong Bureau people."

"But these five people, especially Sun Cheng."

"We can't release a tiger back to the mountain."

Li Ya's natural hostility towards Red agents flared up, and his arrogant little eyes narrowed.

"The problem is the Red agents have no money."

"They can't afford to redeem the people."

Wu Jingzhong sneered and pulled back five of the seven gold bars on the table.

"What, you won't go against money, will you?"

"Did you not eat enough dirt in Yancheng?"

"Or have you eaten too much white rice and braised pork in Jinhai?"

Wu Jingzhong stared at him.

Li Ya bit his lip, and a plan came to mind:

"Anyway, the money is collected, how about we silence these five people?"

"Li Ya, do you know why Hong Zhiyou is doing so well in Jinhai?" Wu Jingzhong suppressed his inner dissatisfaction and asked with a gentle smile.

"Good popularity, and your support, of course." Li Ya said.

"Not to mention his later affair with my daughter Rui Rui."

"When he first came, no background, no faction, why was he doing so well?"

"He relied on integrity."

"A person cannot stand without trust."

"Don't look at how he flatters me and calls me teacher; that's all empty."

"And you, you are my real student."

"Can I not support you?"

"To fly high and rise fast in Jinhai, you can't just rely on brute force; you have to do things according to the rules."

"Just like these seven gold bars."

"Are these two necessarily more noble than those five?"

"Can you say that because it's for redeeming Red agents, it becomes stinking dog shit and worthless?"

"No, gold is still gold."

"It can still buy a house and eat and drink well."

"It just depends on how you think about it."

"Don't go against money."

"That will invite divine punishment!"

Wu Jingzhong said, pushing the gold bars in front of him again with a smile, but his eyes became sharp.

Li Ya sucked his teeth and grabbed the gold bars:

"Teacher is right."

"One cannot go against money."

"I was able to catch them this time, and I'll be able to catch them next time."

"I'll take this money."

Then, he paused and stared at Wu Jingzhong:

"Teacher, seven heads for a mere seven gold bars, isn't that a bit too little?"

"The Dangtong Bureau is not short of money."

Wu Jingzhong cursed him for being tactless and said in a deep voice: "Eat one bite at a time, hold a bowl according to the size of your stomach."

Speaking of this, he tapped the table seriously:

"When you were in Yancheng, did you ever think you could live in a western-style house, drive a car, and eat delicacies?"

"Could you lose your skills and still make a net profit of seven gold bars in one flip?"

"Li Ya!"

"This matter was negotiated by Hong Zhiyou."

"He and his family of five are still squeezed into that dilapidated courtyard with Yu Zecheng."

Speaking of this, he looked at Li Ya with a cold smile:

"One must learn to be content; only then can one be happy and go further."

"How did your master die?"

"Isn't it because he didn't know how to be flexible, was stubborn, and thus fell into a trap and was harmed."

"You are a smart person, you understand what I mean, right?"

Li Ya felt his hair stand on end as he was stared at, his gaze sank, and he nodded: "Student understands."

"That's right."

"Put it in your pocket and be at peace; everything else is just a reflection in the mirror."

Wu Jingzhong narrowed his eyes, withdrew his sharpness, and chuckled.

"Teacher, my report for Deputy Station Chief has been submitted for a while, is there any news from headquarters?" Li Ya wasn't one to take a loss, so he asked for the next best thing.

Wu Jingzhong was waiting for this sentence, smiled slightly and said:

"I asked Director Mao."

"He has a good impression of you. Back when Boss Dai was around, he put in a lot of effort to transfer you to Yancheng."

"Compared to Lu Qiaoshan, he has always favored you more."

"I'll call and ask for you right now."

"Thank you, Station Chief." Li Ya smiled without warmth.

Wu Jingzhong dialed Mao Renfeng's number:

"Hello, Director Mao, it's Jingzhong."

"Has Li Ya's personnel arrangement for Deputy Station Chief been decided?"

"Oh, is that so?"

"Alright, I know, goodbye."

Hanging up the phone, he looked at Li Ya helplessly: "Your appointment and removal, Director Zheng is a bit hesitant, it hasn't been approved yet."

"Zheng Jiemin has an opinion about me."

"Station Chief, you are old classmates, help me put in a word."

Li Ya frowned, unhappy.

"I'll ask."

Wu Jingzhong picked up the phone and called Zheng Jiemin again. After a few simple sentences:

"Good, good."

"I know, I will convey your meaning to Li Ya."

Hanging up, he said: "Director Zheng's meaning is that 'Yuan Peilin' was killed, and the reputation of the Juntong Bureau regarding you is not good."

"Many people have opinions about making you a Lieutenant Colonel Deputy Station Chief at this time."

"Opinions? It's Lu Qiaoshan, isn't it? Doesn't he just want to help the Old Cantonese faction get ahead?" Li Ya snorted coldly.

"This fake goods, I have reported it to Director Mao and Jiang Jianfeng."

"How did it become a bad reputation for me?"

"If I had known, I should have sent all these people from the Dangtong Bureau and the Red agents to Nanjing to see what else he has to say."

Li Ya said, annoyed.

Wu Jingzhong frowned, knowing Li Ya was complaining about him.

Wants an official position.

Wants money.

Wants all the benefits, how could there be such a good thing?

Doesn't understand human affairs.

"After Director Dai died, the Old Cantonese faction's influence in the Juntong Bureau is not small."

"Yes, the Chairman asked Director Mao to be in charge of routine affairs."

"But Zheng Jiemin is the Director after all, holding personnel power."

"Director Zheng's meaning is also very simple."

"Catch two Dangtong Bureau people, Ye Xiufeng doesn't acknowledge it, and he can't do anything to him."

"As for those Anti-Traitor Squad members, they are even more worthless."

"These people only kill, they don't participate in intelligence handover. Even if you use all ten tortures of the Qing Dynasty, you won't get a sesame seed of real information."

"Therefore, both directors, including Jiang Jianfeng, hope you can use this trump card in your hand well and catch a real big fish."

"One shot that rings."

"By then, everyone in the Juntong Bureau will celebrate for you."

"Who would dare to question you then?"

Wu Jingzhong said with his hands behind his back.

"Don't forget, the person belongs to Station Chief Qiao. After the wind blows over in Beiping, he will have to take him back to perform a great service."

"You've spent a lot of brainpower and money in private to monitor and protect him, haven't you?"

"If you don't use him, Yuan will become a useless piece."

"Good food should be eaten early, hurry up!"

After a pause, he persuaded again.

"I forgot if you didn't mention it."

"Yes, eating and drinking well every day, and hiring so many people from Baoding and Jixian to watch him, it must cost a lot of money."

"Hanging him every day, I can't even sleep soundly."

"Fine, I know what to do."

"Thank you, Station Chief, I'll get busy."

Li Ya expressed gratitude without much emotion and walked away with his hands in his pockets.

"Go, go."

"Waiting for your good news, promotion to Deputy Station Chief."

Wu Jingzhong smiled cordially.

As soon as Li Ya turned around, the smile on his face instantly turned into frost:

"A dog thing that doesn't understand human affairs!"

Drum Tower.

Li Ya sat under the stage, his head swaying gently with the drumbeats, appreciating the opera on stage.

Around him were several trusted section members of the action team.

After the show ended.

Li Ya took the flower basket handed over by his subordinate and went straight backstage.

"Little Yunxian, Captain Li has come to see you again."

The troupe leader called over a young female dan who hadn't removed her makeup yet.

"Brother Ya."

The female dan, eighteen or nineteen years old, walked over as happily as a bird.

"You sang well today."

"Hungry, right? I'll treat you to something to eat."

Li Ya pinched her cheek, which was painted with rouge, and asked with a smile.

"Hmm, hungry." Little Yunxian nodded.

They had met half a month ago.

Li Ya often came to watch the opera, and Little Yunxian had a good voice and was good-looking, youthful and lively. The two got to know each other after a few visits.

Watching movies.

Going to restaurants, eating western food.

Getting a room.

They had done everything they could do.

In the eyes of outsiders, the two were already a couple.

It was just that Li Ya was very low-key when dating her, and few outsiders knew about it.

"What do you want to eat today?"

"There's a restaurant by the Haihe River that has good braised fish, do you want to try it?"

Li Ya asked with one hand in his pocket and a faint smile.

"Okay, wait for me, I'll go take a bath and change my clothes." Little Yunxian left happily.

Li Ya looked around.

He walked to a wooden interlayer backstage, took a quick look while no one was around, pulled out a note, and put it in his pocket.

Then, he returned to the entrance as if nothing had happened and continued to wait.

A while later, Little Yunxian came out after her bath, looking fresh and moving:

"Brother Ya."

"Let's go."

"Let's go!"

Li Ya hooked her hand, glanced at the old sheng with a big black beard talking on the stage, and headed towards the side door.

As he walked, he glanced at Mi Zhiguo, who was peeking sneakily in the dark, and a cold smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

Arriving at the restaurant.

After eating, Little Yunxian said shyly:

"Brother Li, I've already told my family about us. They were so happy to know I'm dating a Lieutenant Colonel officer from the Juntong Bureau."

"In the village, they hold their heads high when they talk now, and even the village head and Master Wang respect them."

Little Yunxian was from a rural area in Jixian.

Li Ya knew this.

A flash of displeasure crossed his eyes.

Dating Little Yunxian was just to cover people's eyes, to make it convenient to interact with Yuan Peilin.

Of course, he had thought about settling down with her when he was having fun.

It was just that when he thought about how poor her family was, with two older brothers, a younger brother, and a younger sister, all relying on him, Li Ya's head hurt.

He was truly afraid of poverty.

With the little money in his pocket, he had to hide it under his pillow every day and count it twice after waking up.

Raising a bunch of poor ghosts for nothing.

Just for this little bit of physical pleasure, it felt too worthless.

Couldn't he become a sage just by using Ma Kui's wife's photo?

Spending this unjust money.

Cheap.

"Hmm, as long as you're happy. Are your parents' health okay?" Li Ya asked with a smile, heartlessly.

"Very good."

"My parents' meaning is, how about we settle things by the end of the year."

"Or, you take me to see your uncle and aunt."

Little Yunxian said with a flushed face.

"When the Japanese devils were causing trouble, my parents were long gone."

"You handle this matter as you see fit."

"Pick a day, and I'll go back to my hometown with you."

Li Ya said warmly and gently.

Once he caught the big fish and sent Yuan Peilin to Beiping, he wouldn't come back to this ghost place again.

Listening to opera.

Yi-yi-ya-ya, slow and sluggish, it made him irritable.

Western blockbusters, aren't those big white beauties fragrant?

"Thank you, Brother Ya."

"Meeting you is the greatest luck of my life."

Little Yunxian said simply and seriously.

"Me too." Li Ya nodded with a smile.

After eating.

Li Ya naturally couldn't spend this money for nothing.

Before they had even finished strolling, Li Ya drove her back home and had his fill.

Two hours later, he sent her out the door with sore limbs.

He was too lazy to see her off.

He called a rickshaw directly and sent Little Yunxian back.

Returning to the room.

Li Ya took the note out of his pocket.

On it was an address: "No. 69 Yanjin Road."

Last time he went.

He left a note in the interlayer, telling Yuan Peilin to reveal a big fish in Jinhai no matter what.

And, not from the local committee.

That stall of the Jinhai local committee, with the infiltration and sabotage of the labor movement and student union, and the successive accidents of Liu Wensheng and Zhou Yunyi, was basically a mess.

It was nothing more than that idiot, the third Miss of the Yong family, jumping around.

Taking it down would be a matter of minutes.

What Li Ya wanted to know was the Pebble, Brother Ouyang, the Rattlesnake, and their contact points.

Right.

And the Emei Peak.

Regarding Ma Kui being Emei Peak, Li Ya always had doubts.

He was more inclined to believe his master and Ma Kui's testimony that Yu Zecheng was the real Emei Peak.

And last time at the Hongqiao Hotel.

Although he messed up his skills and made a blunder by killing Zhong Wangguo.

But Li Ya thought.

If it weren't for Zhou Yunyi's betrayal before death, Yu Zecheng, who was watching the opera opposite that day, might have come in to hand over.

Otherwise, why such a coincidence?

Yu Zecheng and his wife happened to be in that vicinity?

Li Ya never believed in coincidences.

He only believed that everything happens for a reason.

Not mentioning it in front of the Station Chief didn't mean he had given up on investigating Yu Zecheng.

Likewise.

The news of "Yuan Peilin" was released.

The Red agents not only got the intelligence but also organized the Anti-Traitor Squad in the first place.

In other words, there was still a high-level Red underground intelligence contact point in Jinhai.

Even if it had nothing to do with Yu Zecheng.

If it could be destroyed, it would definitely be a great achievement, a miraculous achievement.

Wouldn't the position of Deputy Station Chief be stable then?

"Hello, Gao Yuan."

"Find a few reliable people to watch No. 69 Yanjin Road."

"Remember not to startle the snake."

"Be very, very cautious, there will be a big operation later."

"If it succeeds, I will reward you heavily."

Li Ya picked up the phone and called his trusted subordinate at the Delong Inn.

The Delong Inn was a piece of fat meat he had just taken over from Lu Qiaoshan.

Li Ya had formed a trusted detachment that was impenetrable, recruiting graduates personally from the police academy.

There weren't many people, just nine.

But each one was loyal and had strong execution.

Hanging up the phone.

Li Ya let out a long breath.

He was very confident in this intelligence.

Yuan Peilin was one of the builders of the Red intelligence network.

For someone like this, who had been active in Yancheng and the Central Plains in the past, the amount of intelligence gathered in his hands was astonishing.

I'm afraid even those people on Line 1 don't know how much intelligence this Yuan actually knows.

That's why they were so panicked.

"Zheng Jiemin, let's see how you can block me this time?" A cold smile appeared on the corner of Li Ya's mouth.

The next day.

Wu Jingzhong was feeling unwell and didn't come to the station.

Hong Zhiyou was bored and reading the newspaper in his office.

A while later, Lu Qiaoshan and Yu Zecheng wandered in.

"How is it, Old Lu, do you have any news on your side?"

Now that the three of them were grasshoppers on the same rope, Yu Zecheng asked directly.

"No."

"This Li Ya is very sinister, his subordinates have been very quiet recently."

"Including those at the Delong Inn."

"Moreover, this guy has many secret outside hires not registered in the station's field operations."

"So I can't guess what he wants to do at all."

Lu Qiaoshan said, feeling a headache.

"You say Yuan is such an important card, he holds it in his hand and doesn't use it, isn't it a waste?" Yu Zecheng said.

"Could it be that he has already used it, but we don't know?" Hong Zhiyou said.

"Little brother, you have wide connections, didn't you detect any wind?"

Lu Qiaoshan asked.

"No."

"You said last time, Li Ya didn't have a girlfriend?" Hong Zhiyou looked at Lu Qiaoshan.

"I was just mocking him."

"He has one."

"A dan from a pear garden troupe in the Drum Tower, called Little Yunxian."

"The two have been interacting for a while."

"Before Yuan came, they were already dating."

Lu Qiaoshan explained with a smile.

"Captain Li likes listening to opera? That's a nice elegant hobby." Hong Zhiyou touched the bridge of his nose.

He had also found out this news from Mi Zhiguo.

There was nothing too suspicious.

Because according to Mi Zhiguo, every time Li Ya went, it was to meet Little Yunxian, and he hadn't contacted any outsiders.

"The Red side is not like the flowery world of Jinhai."

"Usually there are only some makeshift operas, I guess he got used to listening to them over there." Lu Qiaoshan said.

"I had people check the bottom."

"There are thirteen people in the troupe."

"Including those beating gongs and drums, costumes, and props."

"I had the police station people recognize them one by one according to the list, point them out one by one, and Yuan wasn't there."

Lu Qiaoshan moved his body slightly, changed to a more comfortable sitting posture, crossed his legs and continued:

"Think about it."

"If Li Ya, a person as sinister as him, really hid someone there, the police station would have transferred him away long ago."

"That's true, could it be that this person hid in a mouse hole?" Yu Zecheng brushed the hair on his forehead and frowned.

"Maybe he has already been transferred to Beiping."

He asked again.

"That's impossible."

"Director Zheng has already suppressed his appointment and removal as Deputy Station Chief."

"Saying Li Ya has no great merit and it's hard to convince the public."

"With Li Ya's character of wanting to eat even shit, having been busy for so long, Beiping wanting people is out of the question."

"If Yuan doesn't leak some real goods, he won't be able to leave Jinhai City."

Lu Qiaoshan sneered.

"Don't rush, check again."

"Old Lu, if it really doesn't work, find a reason to get that troupe leader over."

"Better to kill three thousand by mistake than let one go."

"I don't believe that after eating Old Wu's set, he won't confess."

Hong Zhiyou conveyed Wu Jingzhong's original words.

He had reported this information to the Station Chief this morning.

Wu Jingzhong was no saint.

If Yuan isn't found for one day, Li Ya might perform a great service. With the full support of Mao Renfeng and Jiang Jianfeng, Zheng Jiemin won't be able to stop him then.

Therefore, Old Wu was actually more anxious and angry than Yu and Lu.

But he couldn't say this directly.

If Li Ya found out, Wu Jingzhong would be caught in the middle.

Only Hong Zhiyou could propose it lightly.

And, only if Lu Qiaoshan did it would it be reasonable.

"Makes sense."

Lu Qiaoshan slapped his thigh, pointed at Hong and Yu with fierce eyes:

"You two, I think we are just too kind."

"For a person like Li Ya, one cannot be soft-hearted."

"Torture."

"Only by torturing them severely will these people honestly open their mouths."

Lu Qiaoshan said and did it, stood up and said:

"I'm going to catch people right now."

"The reason is suspicion of colluding with Red agents, scare them to death."

"If Yuan Peilin jumps out, we'll have picked it up for nothing."

"Wait for my good news."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 172 =====