Chapter 267: Lu Qiaoshan Promoted

Wu Jingzhong walked quickly to the phone and picked up the receiver:

"It's me."

"Superior, please listen to my explanation."

"Okamura going south was absolutely not leaked by Jinhai."

"Yes, that's why this matter is suspicious."

"This is clearly someone setting a trap to bring down the Jinhai Station."

"If Li Ya is ruined and I am transferred, wouldn't some people succeed?"

"Otherwise, think about it, so many station commissioners along the way got on the car to pay respects, why did the problem only arise with Li Ya and the Jinhai Station?"

"Old classmate, you also know that since I sat in this position, Mao Renfeng, Ke Shufen, and even Ye Xiufeng, these people haven't stopped for a moment, all thinking about finding trouble for me."

"I'm frying in a wok and roasting on a fire every day; I know how hard it is."

"Open guns are easy to block, hidden arrows are hard to guard against."

"At my age, it doesn't matter what punishment I receive, but Li Ya is still young; he was already framed, and if he receives punishment for this, that would be the greatest injustice."

"How about this, later he will report to you separately in detail."

"I won't report it to headquarters; let's just have an internal punishment at the Jinhai Station."

"Okay."

"Please convey to the Chairman that whether it's open guns or hidden arrows, Jingzhong will swear to guard Jinhai and ensure the safe transport of materials and military aid."

"You should also calm down, take care of your health, goodbye!"

Wu Jingzhong stood straight, and only after the other side hung up did he slowly put down the receiver.

Li Ya's eyes were already red.

"Jiang Jianfeng called."

"The Chairman is very angry, and the consequences are very serious."

"The old man didn't even eat dinner yesterday; he wanted to execute you to give the world an explanation."

"Jiang Jianfeng is also very dissatisfied with your rashness."

"He wanted to send you directly to the Military Justice Department for trial."

"You heard it too, I took all the responsibility for you, but an internal station punishment is mandatory, otherwise I can't answer to Mao Renfeng and Zheng Jiemin."

"Who knows, maybe it was them... do you understand what I mean?"

Wu Jingzhong stood with his hands behind his back and winked at Li Ya.

"Teacher, I understand."

"If it weren't for you this time, I might have already been taken away by the gendarmes."

Li Ya said with red eyes, full of gratitude.

"Sigh."

"Who told you to be Old Liu's disciple? My old brother is gone, I can't just watch you go accompany him at such a young age."

Wu Jingzhong sighed with emotion.

"For these few days, don't go anywhere."

"Where you're staying, I reckon it's already been blocked by students; just sleep in the station's reception room for a few days."

"Once the wind blows over, I'll arrange a house for you again."

He paused and instructed again.

"Teacher, you are truly... better than a relative to me."

"The student will keep it in mind."

Li Ya placed his hand on his chest and bowed again.

"Alright."

"You are Jiang Jianfeng's man."

"But you are also the student of me and Section Chief Liu."

"We'll have a meeting this afternoon; there still needs to be an explanation for the punishment."

Wu Jingzhong said.

"The student understands, then I will withdraw." Li Ya nodded and turned to leave.

Wu Jingzhong watched him leave with his hands behind his back.

His eyes became playful.

What he wanted was stability, was to keep them in check.

The word "power" is actually nothing more than two things: "balance."

A wolf is not qualified to fight a tiger.

Only when two tigers fight is there capital to watch the show.

It's like a balance scale; if there's too much on this side, you have to reduce the weight, and if there's too little on that side, you have to add some. Only then can you control the scale to be as stable as Mount Taishan and ensure your own interests and status.

Lu Qiaoshan's first move was not bad.

It was just a bit too ruthless.

Wu Jingzhong naturally wouldn't watch Li Ya get killed.

Li Ya had some methods.

And he was quite good at finding trouble.

But it was far from the time to kill him.

If he were really sent to the Military Justice Department, it would be exactly what Zheng Jiemin and Lu Qiaoshan wanted.

Afternoon.

After Yu Zecheng and Lu Qiaoshan returned from their errands, Wu Jingzhong announced the punishment for Li Ya in front of everyone.

Station-wide reprimand.

Suspension of salary for three months.

Because Li Ya was involved in the Okamura south-trip leak, he was no longer suitable to be responsible for internal supervision; Li Ya's position as Supervision Group Leader was canceled, and Deputy Station Chief Yu Zecheng would take over.

"Everyone, the meeting is over. The streets are chaotic these days, so everyone be careful."

"Meeting adjourned."

Wu Jingzhong announced.

After the others left, Li Ya stopped Wu Jingzhong with a gloomy face.

"Why, are you dissatisfied with this punishment?" Wu Jingzhong asked with a smile.

"I wouldn't dare."

"The Okamura leak, now the blame is on my head; until it's cleared up, I can't wash it off, so I'm indeed not qualified to hold the internal supervision position."

"It's just Deputy Station Chief Yu's matter, I had just gotten a clue and now I have to give it up, it's a pity."

Li Ya said.

"You can investigate this matter secretly."

"Once the wind blows over, you can investigate his wife as you should, and arrest that intelligence peddler from the Dangtong Bureau."

"Remember, haste makes waste."

Wu Jingzhong instructed lightly.

"With your words, I can rest easy." Li Ya nodded.

It just so happened that the news from the "Butcher" in Yancheng hadn't arrived yet, so there was no rush.

"Go."

"Look at your dark circles, they're deeper than mine, an old man's; it's good to rest for a few days." Wu Jingzhong nodded.

As soon as Yu Zecheng returned to his office, Lu Qiaoshan followed him in.

"Old Lu, is something the matter?" he asked with a smile.

"Nothing, I'm feeling stifled, just came to chat with you for a bit."

"Sigh."

"It's good to have people in the imperial court."

"The sky was poked full of holes, I heard the old man was cursing, but after a bit of smoothing over, it ended up being just an internal station punishment and three months' salary docked."

"Who's short of that three months' salary?"

"Not even a headquarters record, still a Colonel rank; this is just too unfair."

Lu Qiaoshan complained.

To get rid of Li Ya, he had spent a fortune from Xie Ruolin to buy first-hand intelligence, only for it to go down the drain like this.

"Look at it this way."

"He's the Crown Prince's man; of course, it's easy for father and son to smooth things over."

"Not to mention Li Ya only leaked a secret."

"Even if he had... believe me, he would still be protected."

Yu Zecheng made a throat-slitting gesture and said.

"Old Lu."

"I still advise you to endure it."

"The connections are too strong."

"Hard to move!"

"Stop the internal fighting."

He sighed and advised.

"Dream on."

"Just wait, I won't let him go."

Lu Qiaoshan's face darkened, and he said immediately.

"Forget it, I have a few documents to approve, I'm leaving." He got up to leave.

"Wait, Old Lu."

"Since you're here, I'll save myself a trip."

"Have the people in the Telecommunications Division dismantle the official wiretaps in each office." Yu Zecheng said.

"Almost forgot."

"You're responsible for internal supervision now."

"Dismantling them is good."

"Some people are just annoying, making it impossible to even make a phone call."

"I'm off."

Lu Qiaoshan got up and walked out.

The next few days.

Students and workers held street rallies and protests, opposing the Nationalist Government's shameless and traitorous behavior.

The Jinhai Station's dog secret agent Li Ya was the primary target.

Intense confrontations and standoffs occurred, and the gendarmes had to set up checkpoints at the entrance, firing warning shots from time to time.

However, this turmoil didn't last long.

Because... Lu Qiaoshan made a move.

As an expert on student issues, Old Lu's methods were like thunder and fire.

He first issued orders to all universities.

Any school whose students took to the streets would have its person in charge punished.

All students on the streets would have their household registrations investigated.

Those whose parents were in the municipal government or military would be dismissed and investigated on the spot.

Those who were merchants would have their taxes strictly investigated and increased. They would not be allowed to participate in any trade or business dealings with government departments.

Those whose parents were ordinary citizens didn't have it easy either.

Anyone recorded would be treated as a blacklisted person.

Several major grain markets would ban sales to them for three months.

At first, no one took it seriously.

As a result, after the three-pronged attack, many people were dealt with, and some families didn't even have a place to buy food.

Under the dual pressure of parents and school leaders, no matter how hot-blooded the students were, they couldn't fight their parents.

The parade, which had been so boisterous, quickly died down.

A few days later.

Zheng Jiemin personally visited Jinhai.

Station Chief's office.

Lu Qiaoshan, in full military uniform, walked in quickly.

He had been really busy lately.

Running between the Garrison Command and the Jinhai Station, busy dealing with the registered students.

He wasn't afraid of having too much work.

Regarding students, he had always been strict rather than lenient; every single one had to be dealt with.

Of course, the rules weren't set in stone.

Students willing to sign a confession and commitment letter could have their family's food sales restored and be exempt from investigation and punishment.

For a time, the entrances to the Jinhai Station and the Garrison Command were filled with long lines of students and accompanying parents.

So much so that Division Chief Lu was so busy he didn't know which way was up, and he had lost a circle of weight.

"Station Chief, you called..."

As soon as he entered, he saw Zheng Jiemin sitting on the sofa.

Lu Qiaoshan hurriedly walked two steps and saluted:

"Deputy Minister Zheng, why are you here?"

Zheng Jiemin stood up, reached out, and laughed heartily:

"Qiaoshan, you did well; you didn't lose face for me."

"The Chairman is very gratified and appreciative of your handling of the student protest this time, calling you a sharp weapon of the Party."

"And in a closed-door meeting, he personally praised: 'If everyone in the Nationalist Government were as practical as Lu Qiaoshan, with less empty talk and more theoretical practice, why would the great cause of the Party not succeed, and why would the Red tickets not be wiped out?'"

"Capable people and officials like Lu Qiaoshan should be heavily rewarded and heavily used."

"Qiaoshan, you let the Chairman have a long-awaited good night's sleep; you are a hero of the Party and State."

"Thank you for the Chairman's praise; loyalty to the leader and fulfilling my duties is my duty, I dare not speak of merit." Lu Qiaoshan saluted respectfully toward the portrait of the Chairman on the wall.

Turning his head, he saluted Zheng Jiemin again: "It is also the superior's cultivation that gave Qiaoshan this opportunity to show his skills."

"Hmm."

"Cultivation by the Party and State, personal performance."

Zheng Jiemin was very satisfied with his respectful attitude and turned to look at Wu Jingzhong:

"Jingzhong, how is it? Is the helper I found for you not bad?"

Wu Jingzhong looked at his old superior and hurriedly laughed:

"More than just not bad."

"He is simply arsenic to the students, and nectar to me."

"Arsenic?" Zheng Jiemin was slightly stunned.

"The Station Chief is right; to the students, I am an executioner, I am arsenic!" Lu Qiaoshan felt this evaluation was extremely appropriate.

"Hmm."

"Arsenic is good; if you can destroy the Red tickets in the hotbed of students and truly pull out and poison this malignant tumor, it will surely be another extraordinary merit."

"All along, the Red tickets have used the guise of American democracy to incite students to cause trouble, making the Chairman and various departments of the Nationalist Government extremely headache-ridden."

"Qiaoshan, you have truly surprised the Chairman this time."

"Now I officially announce..."

Zheng Jiemin waved his hand, and the adjutant beside him immediately handed over a document.

"Lu Qiaoshan is both capable and virtuous, with practical merit; he is specially awarded a Third-Class Cloud Banner Medal and promoted to Colonel."

Zheng Jiemin read out in a loud voice.

"Slap!"

Lu Qiaoshan saluted solemnly.

"Qiaoshan."

"From now on, you are a Colonel Division Chief." Zheng Jiemin personally pinned the medal on him and handed over the document.

"Thank you, superior." Lu Qiaoshan bowed in gratitude.

"You should strive to do better and make persistent efforts!" Zheng Jiemin patted his shoulder.

"Old brother, what are we eating for lunch today?"

Seeing that the ceremony was almost complete, Wu Jingzhong asked.

"I won't eat here; I have to rush back to Jingling. Siping must be retaken, and He Yingqin has three meetings a day; if I don't go, he'll have opinions again." Zheng Jiemin sighed.

"That's fine, I won't delay your official business."

"I prepared some local specialties for your wife; they're already in your car. Don't forget to send my regards to her."

Wu Jingzhong laughed.

"Thoughtful."

"Jingzhong, you go ahead and get busy; Qiaoshan, you walk a few steps with me."

Zheng Jiemin waved his hand with satisfaction and turned to look at Lu Qiaoshan.

Out of the station.

Zheng Jiemin said with his hands behind his back: "Just now in front of Wu Jingzhong, there were some things I couldn't say."

"How is your plan going?"

"Strike while the iron is hot; now that you are a Colonel Division Chief, it will be more convenient to do things."

"You must eat up Hong Zhiyou's resources as soon as possible."

"With the current war situation, if we drag it out any longer, I'm afraid we won't even have soup to drink."

"I'm already working on it; I've already made contact with the Americans and even specially assigned a secretary who speaks foreign languages." Lu Qiaoshan said.

"Hmm, that's right, but you must speed up the progress."

"Make a careful plan; whatever Hong Zhiyou has, you go and dig it up."

"Doing business, in the end, isn't it just about money?"

Zheng Jiemin pointed out.

"Superior, the current difficulty is that many things require startup capital."

"I really am..."

Lu Qiaoshan said realistically.

Being an official can make money, but the business Hong Zhiyou does starts with several truckloads of white sugar, and he can't even pay the deposit or down payment for the Americans, so how can he do business?

In this day and age, let alone a Colonel Division Chief, even if the Chairman came, just with empty words, people wouldn't buy it.

When not doing business, one always feels everything is simple.

Once you really step in, you know the water inside is really deep, not something an ordinary person can grasp.

"Cough, cough."

"Qiaoshan, your 'Opinion Paper on Anti-Red Studies' last time was not bad."

"However, I think it's not perfect enough."

"You must hurry up and add more constructive things to it, so that when it is implemented, it can adapt to the current complex and changing domestic situation."

Zheng Jiemin pointed out while walking with his hands behind his back.

"Deputy Zheng, you, you have read the opinion paper I wrote?" Lu Qiaoshan was overjoyed.

He had painstakingly created the opinion paper and submitted it to Zheng Jiemin several times in the past, but there had been no response.

He hadn't expected to finally reach this day.

"Read it long ago."

"I said, we are fellow countrymen, you are my brother."

"How could I not read what you wrote?"

"It was inappropriate to talk about this in the past, but now, it's time to talk about it."

Zheng Jiemin laughed amiably.

"Good."

"I will definitely revise and supplement it when I have time, and then send it to you for review." Lu Qiaoshan was overjoyed.

"Not when you have time."

"You must take it to heart and hurry up as much as possible."

"Now that the students are causing trouble, your experience is very worthy of study and reference by other colleagues in the Ministry of National Defense."

Zheng Jiemin flicked his fingers and said.

"Yes!" Lu Qiaoshan took the order respectfully.

"Alright, stay here."

"Handle these things I entrusted to you as soon as possible; I'll look at your results at the end of the year." Zheng Jiemin raised his hand.

"Then, then the funds..."

Before Lu Qiaoshan could finish speaking, Zheng Jiemin had already climbed into the car.

"Tsk!"

He clicked his tongue in boredom and let out a stifled breath.

Without money, without funds, you can't do a fart of business.

Take it one step at a time.

However, once the opinion paper is adopted by Deputy Zheng, and if he's lucky enough to have it submitted to the Chairman, his future career will undoubtedly take another step forward.

Next, once he uncovers Deep Sea, he might have a chance to become Deputy Station Chief.

Even waiting for Old Wu to retire, or... it's not impossible for him to become the Jinhai Station Chief himself.

Back at the station.

Wu Jingzhong was eating fruit with Hong Zhiyou.

"Qiaoshan is back."

"Quick, our Jinhai Station's, no, the Party and State's great hero, come, eat some fruit."

Wu Jingzhong stood up personally to greet him.

Hong Zhiyou also put down the fruit and raised his hand with a smile.

"Station Chief, I won't eat; there are hundreds of people waiting for me to deal with at the Garrison Command." Lu Qiaoshan smiled, his tone mixed with a bit of triumphant officialese.

"Look, you're being a stranger, aren't you?"

"No matter how busy you are, you can't neglect your body; look at how busy you are every day, your throat is hoarse, not to mention Guifen, we feel sorry for you too."

"Come, eat some fruit to moisten your throat."

Wu Jingzhong beckoned.

"That's fine, the subordinate will respectfully obey." Lu Qiaoshan sat down and started chatting while eating.

"Qiaoshan."

"You handled this errand beautifully; have you thought about returning to headquarters? I estimate the old man and Deputy Zheng will heavily use you."

"Going there to grind for two years, maybe you'll get a Major General rank."

Wu Jingzhong asked.

"It's too early to grind for a General rank now."

"Qiaoshan is still willing to be on the front line and do more practical things." Lu Qiaoshan laughed.

"I see your handling of the students this time, you really got the true teachings of Deputy Zheng." Wu Jingzhong wiped his hands and said.

"Got the true teachings of Deputy Zheng?"

"Maybe... maybe so."

Lu Qiaoshan was afraid he was fishing for information, so he hurriedly nodded.

"Otherwise, how could he be the Deputy Minister of National Defense? He really has the level."

"Qiaoshan, look."

"This is the white paper guidance book on student movements personally written by Deputy Zheng, the Chairman reviewed it overnight and personally approved it with a 'Good' character."

"And it was issued to the Ministry of National Defense, the Secret Service, the Dangtong Bureau, and other agencies at all levels for study."

"I just finished flipping through it, it's really written well."

Wu Jingzhong took a small booklet out of the drawer and handed it to Lu Qiaoshan.

Lu Qiaoshan frowned slightly.

He had stayed in Jingling for so long, when had Zheng Jiemin ever cared about student affairs?

Could it be...

A sense of foreboding surged in his heart, and he took it quickly:

"On the 'Opinion Paper on Anti-Red Studies'!"

Lu Qiaoshan panicked and trembled as he flipped open the cover.

"On the current student radical movement..."

Every single word was so familiar.

Every word burned the eyes.

Every word pierced the heart.

Wasn't this the painstaking work he had labored over in Jingling, only for Zheng Jiemin to sneer at it and treat it like dog shit?

He slammed the white paper shut.

On the cover, the three characters "Zheng Jiemin" were like a knife, stabbing him with unbearable pain.

That son-of-a-bitch, old thief Zheng!

Stealing his hard work.

Claiming credit for his achievements.

How shameless and base!

This was something that the Generalissimo himself had personally approved with a "Good" written in his own hand.

And just like that, the old thief had snatched the credit for nothing.

The exhaustion of the past few days, combined with the sudden flare-up of anger.

Lu Qiaoshan felt everything go black before his eyes, the world spinning, and he could barely catch his breath.

A moment later.

His head buzzed, and with a thud, his body went limp and he collapsed to the floor.

He fainted on the spot.

(End of chapter)