Chapter 193: The Unlucky Lu Qiaoshan

Li Ya has zero tolerance for red tickets.

Even if it were his own father, as long as he was tainted by red, he would never let him off.

This was a conviction carved into his marrow during his time in the special training class.

"Yes, Captain Li."

His subordinate took the order and left.

……

Fortune Tea House.

Kong Fang, wearing a long gown, lowered the brim of his hat and whispered, "Secretary Hong, I think I'm being followed. Is it your Secret Service?"

"Yes."

"Being followed is exactly what I wanted."

"Don't panic."

Hong Zhiyou said indifferently.

"Understood."

"I trust you when I work with you; I'll do whatever you say," Kong Fang said.

"Take this."

Hong Zhiyou pulled two gold bars from his pocket and handed them over, pretending to be discreet.

"Good."

Kong Fang didn't ask any more questions; he cooperated by scanning his surroundings and tucking them into his sleeve.

"Can I go now?"

"This isn't the mountains, and my 'Mountain-Piercing Leopard' skills aren't as effective here; I'm afraid I won't be able to shake them off," Kong Fang said with some concern.

"You won't."

"Li Ya wants to play a long game to catch us, so he won't move to arrest you."

"We'll just play along with his act."

"Withdraw."

Hong Zhiyou placed a silver dollar on the tea table, stood up, and left quickly.

……

Back home.

Yu Zecheng was draped in a coat, taking a walk in the courtyard.

His gait was very light.

He must be in a good mood.

"Let's go, let's take a stroll through the alley," he said, coming over to meet Hong Zhiyou.

Once in the alley, Yu Zecheng said as they walked:

"Zhiyou, thanks. I met Mr. Dong at the Yong residence tonight."

"No need to thank me."

"Yong Jianqiu gave me ten thousand dollars for the two of you to meet."

"Of course, if you want to give me something, I wouldn't mind."

As Hong Zhiyou spoke, he clicked his lighter to light a cigarette and took a puff.

Yu Zecheng smiled and actually pulled a stack of brand-new American banknotes from his pocket: "Five thousand dollars. I owed you three thousand last time, so the remaining two thousand is my token of gratitude."

"Tsk tsk, American dollars aren't easy to get on the market right now."

"It seems Mr. Yong gave you quite a lot."

Hong Zhiyou took them, flicked the edge of the bills with his thumb, and listened with pleasure to the sound of the banknotes flipping.

"He knows you're expensive to hire, so he gave me plenty of money."

"He also gave me two antiques as funds for rescuing the Third Young Lady," Yu Zecheng said.

"It's nice to be you."

"I work myself to the bone every day, drained dry by women, just to earn these few pennies."

"You, on the other hand, have a wealthy patron specifically there to empty their pockets for you."

"Having 'banknote power' is truly great; I'm almost becoming your millstone-grinding ghost."

Hong Zhiyou glanced at him and said with an envious smile.

"Nonsense."

"You aren't a ghost; you are the light, the messenger sent by the two mentors, Marx and Engels, to save me."

Yu Zecheng laughed.

"Save that talk for your wife or Zuo Lan; it gives me goosebumps," Hong Zhiyou shook his head and continued walking forward at a steady, unhurried pace.

"Anything else?"

"If not, I still need to go find Old Xie."

"Li Ya is dirt poor and desperate now; I just set up a business deal for him tonight, five gold bars."

"It's clear this guy has huge ambitions; he wants to make big money and become the Deputy Station Chief."

"I'm afraid he's going to clash with Old Lu."

"Find some time to whisper in the Station Chief's ear, saying that Department Chief Lu is in charge of too many things. Didn't the Waterway Inspection Department have several incidents recently?"

"If you drop a hint, the Station Chief will hand that piece of fat over to Li Ya."

Hong Zhiyou whispered his advice.

"We were thinking the same thing."

"Old Lu is a notorious smiling tiger; if Li Ya snatches the Inspection Department, the two of them will fight to the death."

"But will the Station Chief agree?"

"He used to be very against infighting. Aren't Liu Xiong and Ma Kui bloody examples of that?"

Yu Zecheng said, not feeling very confident.

"He will agree."

"Times have changed. Li Ya was sent by Jiang Jianfeng; he is a sword hanging over everyone's head in the station."

"If we don't distract his energy, he will stare at us, including the Station Chief."

"The best way to deal with a tiger is to lure in another tiger."

"Sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight."

Hong Zhiyou flicked away his cigarette butt and exhaled a puff of smoke.

"That's great."

"By the way, I brought Xiao Hui back."

"She was scared out of her wits."

"Old Wu gave her a few slaps, her hair was burned by a soldering iron, and she took a few lashes on her body."

"If I hadn't gone, she probably would have had her fingernails pulled off."

"These guys really don't give anyone face."

Yu Zecheng sighed and said.

"I'm the one who told him to hit her."

"If she isn't beaten, she won't know how high the sky is and how deep the earth is; who knows what kind of trouble she'll cause next time," Hong Zhiyou said.

"That's true."

"Li Ya is watching very closely, and Jiang Jianfeng is a man of action who takes everything seriously. These issues that the Station Chief used to consider trivial will get people killed in their hands."

Yu Zecheng nodded in deep agreement.

"Does Li Ya know?" Yu Zecheng asked cautiously.

"He knows."

"This couldn't be hidden from him at all, so I took the initiative to confess to him."

"He knows Xiao Hui just shouted a few slogans and recited a few poems by Wen Yiduo; she didn't get too deeply involved."

Hong Zhiyou said.

"Hmm, then I'm relieved."

"This old classmate of mine is very cunning and sly," Yu Zecheng said.

"More cunning and sly than you?" Hong Zhiyou retorted.

"You really are a boring person."

"You said you're going to find Old Xie; will he sell us out?"

"After all, he's been involved in so many things."

Yu Zecheng glared at him and said.

"He won't."

"He is a refined egoist who puts money above all else."

"Let's put it this way: Liu Wensheng would defect."

"Xie Ruolin would face the electric chair, and after taking a brutal beating from Old Wu, as long as he doesn't die, he'll definitely still be doing business with us when he gets out."

"That kind of person is reliable."

Hong Zhiyou smiled and said.

"Alright then, take care of yourself."

Yu Zecheng gave these instructions, and they each headed off in their own direction.

The "Ghost Alley" where Xie Ruo lived was not far away.

When Hong Zhiyou entered, he happened to hear a woman's coquettish voice from inside:

"You dead man, hurry up and come in."

"What's the rush? Everything needs... needs to be brewed, doesn't it?"

"Brewed, my foot."

"Hurry up, I still have to go play mahjong."

It was the voice of Xu Baofeng.

"Alright, alright."

Hong Zhiyou began to time it.

One.

Two.

Thirty-three!

Not bad, an improvement over last time.

A dozen or so seconds more.

"Useless thing, don't call me next time, it's like this every single time..."

Accompanied by the sound of getting dressed.

Hong Zhiyou turned sideways and stepped aside.

Soon, Xu Baofeng stormed out in a huff, slamming the door behind her.

Hong Zhiyou waited for a minute or two, guessing that Xie Ruo had finished tidying up, and then knocked on the door: "Old Xie, it's me."

Xie Ruo opened the door wearing shorts:

"Hong, Brother Hong, here to deliver money, are you?"

"You could say that."

"There's a strong stench of a woman in here."

"Put on some clothes, let's talk in the courtyard."

Hong Zhiyou waited for him in the courtyard with his hands in his pockets.

Soon, Xie Ruo walked out draped in his clothes: "Speak, what do you want with me?"

"I've lined up a job for you."

"In the next couple of days, or maybe even tomorrow, Captain Li from our station will come to you to buy intelligence."

"When that time comes, you can drive a hard bargain."

Hong Zhiyou said.

"Li Ya, huh," Xie Ruo said.

"You're well-informed," Hong Zhiyou laughed.

"That, that's a must. Our Bureau Chief Ye and Station Chief Sun are currently itching to skin him alive."

"Do you know who that Zhong Wangguo who was beaten to death is?"

"That, that is the brother of Bureau Chief Ye's mistress."

"After killing someone's brother-in-law and uncovering a pile of dirty business, the Generalissimo was furious, yet you all got promoted and rewarded."

"Can Ye and Sun not be angry?"

"Just you wait, our Dangtong Bureau isn't someone to be trifled with; sooner or later, we'll take him down."

Xie Ruo stammered.

"Taking him down would be good."

"This kid has his eyes on me and Old Yu now."

"When the time comes, sell him some intelligence."

"Just say that I'm collaborating with Kong Fang to smuggle arms, and that Kong Fang is an underground transporter for the Red Party who has helped ship things before..."

Hong Zhiyou instructed him one by one.

"Don't worry."

"I, I have a sense of propriety. You and Section Chief Yu are my gods of wealth."

"I, I was involved in the Ma Kui and Liu Xiong affair; we are in the same boat."

"Betraying you would be the same as betraying my own father... or... mother, wouldn't it?"

Xie Ruo said, patting his chest.

"Done."

"As long as you know what you're doing."

"Take this."

Hong Zhiyou pulled a bottle of velvet antler powder from his pocket and handed it to him.

"What, what is this?" Xie Ruo asked.

"Northeast velvet antler powder gifted to our station chief by Officer Xiong Shihui, specifically for boosting yang and replenishing Qi."

"Taking it is good for you, and for women too."

"A gift for you."

Hong Zhiyou said.

"Don't, don't do that. As a veteran of the romantic scene like me, a man who plays the groom every night, why would I need this?" Xie Ruo said with a look of disdain and great confidence.

"Forget it if you don't want it."

"It's authentic, velvet antler from the primeval forest; you couldn't buy it even if you wanted to."

Seeing him putting on an act, Hong Zhiyou made a move to take it back.

"Don't."

"Just joking. I've been having too many meetings lately, running around, and I really have been feeling a bit weak."

"Thanks, brother."

Xie Ruo was quick-eyed and nimble-handed; he hurriedly grabbed his hand and laughed shamelessly.

"I'm off."

Hong Zhiyou didn't have the heart to mock him further; he gave him the velvet antler powder and walked away quickly.

Xie Ruo opened the bottle and took a sniff.

A rich scent of velvet antler, ginseng, and lingzhi wafted out.

He usually had a private interest in antiques and mountain goods.

One sniff and he knew it was undoubtedly authentic.

It definitely couldn't be cheap.

Of course, given Hong Zhiyou's stature and status, he wouldn't bother using fakes to trick him.

He really did treat him as a friend.

"Secretary Hong is a friend worth... worth making."

After stammering this, he returned to his room, hurriedly mixed a large cup, and drank it down, immediately feeling full of energy and impatient to experience the effects.

"Hello, is this Shopkeeper Tong?"

"It's me, Xie Ruo. Is Xiao Li busy right now?"

"You come, forget... forget it."

"Tell her that after she finishes with her guest, have her wash up thoroughly, dress a bit more provocatively, and come to my place for a job."

"Don't, don't worry about your man's business, I'll handle it."

"Make it quick."

Xie Ruo made a phone call to the madam of the Xiuchun Brothel.

The next day.

Wu Jingzhong arrived at the station with dark circles under his eyes.

"Sigh!"

He let out a sigh and leaned back on the sofa with his eyes closed.

"Teacher, did you not sleep well last night?" Hong Zhiyou quickly soaked a hot towel and handed it to him to press against his face.

"Indeed."

"I went to the residence in Hexi to admire the treasures."

"I couldn't finish looking at them all night."

"I just can't get enough of them."

Wu Jingzhong wiped his face and said with a wry smile.

"Teacher, although treasures are fine, prolonged appraisal can be taxing to the body."

"Besides, they are all old items, heavy with earth Qi; staying in the basement for too long makes them prone to catching wind-evil."

Hong Zhiyou advised in a soft, gentle voice.

"That is true."

"But if you say I shouldn't look, my heart feels itchy again."

"How about this, when you have time, go pick out a few good ones and send them to my residence."

"I will look at them slowly."

Wu Jingzhong reflected to himself.

"Fu Zuoyi is already urging; has that batch of munitions been shipped out yet?" Wu Jingzhong asked.

"It can be shipped out tonight."

"The main concern is Sun Lianzhong intercepting it, so we are taking the abandoned mountain roads established by the Red Tickets before; there are many bandits there, so we must make arrangements in advance," Hong Zhiyou replied.

"Hmm."

"Handle it quickly and efficiently."

"The Generalissimo is still waiting for them to attack Zhangjiakou."

Wu Jingzhong instructed.

Just as they were speaking, Yu Zecheng walked in:

"Zhiyou is here."

"Teacher, there is good news."

"Speak quickly." Wu Jingzhong immediately perked up.

"After watching the execution yesterday, Wu Taixun and Zhu Jiu were both quite frightened and expressed a willingness to operate privately."

"I had a meeting with Zhu Qiling."

"He expressed a willingness to offer thirty thousand US dollars, plus a few antiques as a guarantee."

Yu Zecheng said in a low voice.

"Is thirty thousand US dollars a bit too little?" Wu Jingzhong frowned slightly, not very satisfied with how he had handled this errand.

"It is a bit low."

"The main issue is that US dollars are hard to exchange right now."

"Otherwise, the upper echelons would all be scrambling for news from the Sales Committee, wanting to buy US bonds."

"However, those few items are definitely good things."

"They were collected in Shaanxi by Lu Qinzhai when Mr. Zhu was a high-ranking official in the Beiyang government; they have quite some age to them, and among them is a bronze tree that is truly spectacular and worth quite a lot of money."

Yu Zecheng said.

"Fine then."

"Go and manage it; have Wu Taixun voluntarily confess to a few traitors and corrupt officials, and I will grant him a 'meritorious assistance' status and handle it leniently."

"Lock him up for three months."

"As for Mr. Zhu's daughter, release her."

Wu Jingzhong thought for a moment and arranged.

"Actually lock him up?" Yu Zecheng blinked, somewhat surprised.

"Actually lock him up."

"He is one of Boss Dai's men; we lock him up firstly to show Director Mao, and secondly to show Jiang Jianfeng."

"To demonstrate our methods and determination."

"Never mind that we used to eat from the same pot; when it comes to who should be arrested or punished, we will never go soft."

Wu Jingzhong raised his eyebrows and pointed firmly.

As he spoke, his brows knitted again, and he whispered: "Don't forget, this Wu Taixun and his guards humiliated Secretary Hong."

"Our people are not to be bullied so easily."

"The necessary lesson must be taught."

"Teacher's sincere care—if Zhiyou knew, he would surely be moved to tears; does the prison side need to be notified?" Yu Zecheng asked respectfully.

"No need, if they have the ability, let them make their own arrangements."

"How much money is given determines how much work is done."

"With me, it's thirty thousand US dollars for three months, it's that simple."

Wu Jingzhong said readily.

"Teacher, I saw this morning that there is a newcomer at Captain Li's place."

"It is Chen Hu, the son of the wealthy Hexi landlord Chen Wengong."

Yu Zecheng did not forget his "errand" and lowered his voice.

"I know, Li Ya just reported it."

"The Action Team is under his management, so inserting a person or two is no problem; I've seen the young man, he's quite sturdy and will have no trouble with field work," Wu Jingzhong said.

"By the way, how is the investigation going regarding those bastards at the Water and Land Inspection Office colluding to smuggle flour?" He paused and asked again.

"Director Lu has already dismissed them," Yu Zecheng said hurriedly.

"Bastards, does he think a simple dismissal settles it?" Wu Jingzhong frowned, displeased.

"Teacher."

"To be honest, Director Lu has it hard; the burden on his shoulders is too heavy."

Yu Zecheng praised on the surface while mocking underneath, counting on his fingers:

"The Intelligence Section, because it involves telecommunications, means the Telecommunications Office's Lieutenant Colonel Hou Yun has to listen to him."

"The General Affairs Section—Zhiyou still hasn't received the official seal to this day."

"The Postal Bureau, the Police Department, the Waterway Inspection Office, and even the archives and equipment rooms under my Confidential Section are all primarily his responsibility."

"Even for what vegetables to buy for the canteen, Old Luo has to go ask him first."

"In the station, besides the Security Section, he manages everything else."

"It's exhausting."

"He is managing a bit too much; go, call the main department heads to the conference room, it's time to relieve some pressure for Director Lu," Wu Jingzhong understood the subtext perfectly and ordered immediately.

Why was he keeping Lu Qiaoshan?

Wasn't it just for this day of dogs biting dogs?

In the past, letting Lu Qiaoshan bite Ma Kui was a bit of a waste of talent.

But using him to bite Li Ya now was a fair match.

It was going to draw blood.

Following Yu Zecheng's telephone notification.

The heads of each section arrived at the conference room one after another.

"Zhiyou, today isn't Monday."

"Why is there a sudden meeting?"

Lu Qiaoshan walked quickly in the corridor to catch up with Hong Zhiyou and asked in a low voice.

"I don't know."

"I drank too much last night and just dozed off in the office for a while," Hong Zhiyou laughed.

Just as they were speaking, Li Ya walked over from the side.

"Brother Hong, what's the matter?" he asked.

"Oh, Captain Li," Hong Zhiyou's smile became even brighter.

"I don't know."

"You are the Station Master's favorite; you don't know either?"

He moved two steps away from Lu Qiaoshan and walked alongside Li Ya.

"Is there some operation?"

"We'll know once we listen."

Li Ya intended to win over Hong Zhiyou, and the two began chatting like old friends of many years.

Lu Qiaoshan was left on the side, his expression instantly turning gloomy.

That damn little Hong.

Too much of a snob.

I am still a Director, the number two person in the station.

A Li Ya comes along, and he can't even tell who's who anymore?

They arrived at the conference room.

Everyone sat in their respective places.

Because Hong Zhiyou had to take the meeting minutes, he did not sit down, but instead stood by Wu Jingzhong's side with a fountain pen and notebook to take orders.

"Everyone, we are holding an internal meeting today."

"According to the latest instructions from Director Mao regarding internal affairs, after streamlining the establishment, each department and section must be precise, coordinated, and efficient."

"Everyone must manage their own affairs well."

"We will implement a system of specific responsibility; whoever is in charge is responsible, and it must be specifically implemented down to every single section."

"The personnel issue in our station has always been a trouble."

"Therefore, there has been a recent scandal involving internal personnel of the Waterway Inspection Office colluding in smuggling."

"Because of this trivial mess, the Jinmen Station has appeared in the newspapers again."

"Director Mao is very angry."

"Therefore, I am announcing new personnel appointments."

Wu Jingzhong first set the tone.

"Zecheng, you announce the new personnel appointments and removals." He gestured toward Yu Zecheng.

Yu Zecheng stood up and said solemnly:

"According to the instructions of Director Mao and the Station Chief, the new personnel appointments are as follows:

"The Intelligence Office will be under the responsibility of Lieutenant Colonel Lu Qiao.

"The Telecommunications Office will be under the responsibility of Lieutenant Colonel Hou Yun.

"The General Affairs Section will be under the responsibility of Major Hong Zhiyou.

"..."

After reading through the list, Yu Zecheng finally said:

"Due to the shortage of field-grade officers in the station, there are two important departments remaining: one is the Police Office, and the other is the Water and Land Inspection Office.

"The Police Office will be concurrently headed by Director Lu Qiao.

"The Water and Land Inspection Office will be concurrently headed by Captain Li Ya.

"The above is the latest personnel arrangement."

(End of chapter)