Chapter 304: This is aimed at me

The Mu Residence.

Hong Xiaohui, dressed in a light blue school uniform, skirt, and black rubber-soled shoes, walked over with a light, quick step, her schoolbag slung over her shoulder, and gently pressed the doorbell.

"Oh, the young lady is back. Please, come in." The old servant of the Mu Residence hurriedly welcomed her inside.

"Uncle Liu, just call me Xiaohui."

Xiaohui bowed politely and entered the main hall.

Hong Zhiyou was feeding Wanqiu her medicine; the tenderness between them was evident in their eyes.

Hong Xiaohui did acknowledge this one thing about her older brother.

Playful as he might be.

He was truly good to women.

Unlike those wealthy young masters who only treated women as playthings.

"Brother, Sister Wanqiu." Hong Xiaohui still knew clearly who the real sister-in-law was.

"Xiaohui is here. You haven't eaten yet, have you?"

"Mother Wu, go bring out the chicken soup and stir-fry two good dishes."

Wanqiu hurriedly ordered.

Soon, the kitchen had the meal ready. Xiaohui didn't stand on ceremony, finishing a large bowl of rice and another large bowl of chicken soup:

"Sister Wanqiu, you don't know how busy I've been, running off my feet. I haven't rested all day, and I'm starving."

"What have you been so busy with?" Hong Zhiyou watched her with a cold eye.

"We've settled over three hundred students from the Northeast in Beiping. Our student union is responsible for arranging their food and lodging, as well as distributing books and such."

"The cafeteria is stingy, too. They only give each person a cold steamed bun, or a few coarse rice crust balls, and a bowl of tofu soup."

"University students have big appetites; that little bit isn't even enough to fill the gaps in their teeth. The students who came over are all getting restless," Xiaohui said.

"That's just being spoiled."

"What time do you think it is? Still dreaming of five big steamed buns and several taels of flour per meal? What kind of fantasy is that?" Hong Zhiyou said irritably.

"They just want something to eat," Hong Xiaohui said in a low voice.

"Tell me, what is it?"

"If you're done eating, hurry up and go distribute your flyers."

Toward this fearless younger sister, Hong Zhiyou was now neither supportive nor opposed; he let her be.

Hong Xiaohui curled her lip at him.

"Alright."

"How can you talk like that? Xiaohui, don't mind your brother. Go take a good bath and get some rest for the night."

"If you're short on money or funds, just tell me."

"We're not short on money at home."

Wanqiu shot Hong Zhiyou a look and said with a smile.

"Thank you, Sister Wanqiu." Xiaohui blinked and headed upstairs.

"My old school uniform is still here. If you don't have clothes, you can wear mine," Wanqiu called out from downstairs.

A while later.

Xiaohui came back downstairs.

"Brother, can you give me some funds? The student organization is having trouble with turnover." She felt embarrassed to ask Wanqiu for money directly.

"Ask Yong Manzhu," Hong Zhiyou said.

"She doesn't have any either. The Yong family has already moved their entire household to North America, and whatever funds Miss Yong had are long spent," Hong Xiaohui said.

"Take this."

"Don't come running here for money at every turn."

"This is the last time."

How could Hong Zhiyou let Wanqiu pay? He took a stack of silver dollars from his bag and gave them to Xiaohui.

"Is that enough?" he asked.

"It's enough."

"It's just that even with money, the grain market might not be willing to release grain. Brother, can you put in a word?"

"Sell some to us."

Hong Xiaohui blinked her eyes, pleading.

Hong Zhiyou glared at her irritably, walked to the side, picked up the telephone receiver, and dialed a number:

"Manager Li, it's me, Hong Zhiyou."

"Save some flour for the Nankai students. I'll pay for it later. Yes, transport it to the school warehouse."

"Just hand it over to Principal Liao."

"Good."

"Goodbye, let's have tea together another day."

Hong Zhiyou hung up the phone.

"Brother, why did you let Principal Liao take charge? Once it's in his hands, he'll control the quantities again, and it'll be as if we have nothing," Hong Xiaohui said with dissatisfaction.

"Xiaohui, you're still young; there are many things you don't understand."

"You want everyone to have their fill."

"But have you thought about this? Human hearts can never be satisfied. With so many people, there will always be some who are full and some who are not."

"Once the scale isn't balanced, you will become the target of everyone's criticism."

"Right now, there are still steamed buns and tofu soup."

"In a while, I'm afraid they won't even be able to drink porridge mixed with sand."

"You can manage them for a while, but can you manage them for a lifetime?"

"Revolution also requires brains. Relying solely on hot-bloodedness often leads to failure."

Hong Zhiyou said.

"I understand," Hong Xiaohui nodded.

Watching Xiaohui leave, he couldn't help but shake his head.

"What's wrong?" Wanqiu asked.

"Miss Yong didn't ask Xiaohui to raise grain at all. This is clearly someone in the student organization instigating her."

"Why look for her?"

"Isn't it because I have money and connections?"

"In my opinion, this group of students is bound to run into big trouble."

Hong Zhiyou's brow furrowed, and he sighed slightly.

"Then hurry and bring Xiaohui back," Wanqiu said.

"I can't bring her back. Let it be."

Nankai University.

After the scorching summer sun, even the crickets on the lawn stopped their chirping.

Due to the lack of extra dormitories, the students could only spread mats and sleep in the open air. The stench of sweat, feet, hunger, and exhaustion made the students from the Three Northeast Provinces miserable.

Of course, even if there were dormitories, they wouldn't be provided.

No one wanted a group of troublemakers who could eat and drink so much to stay on their turf.

The municipal government had long ago given a death order to the school's upper management: get this group of wandering students to head south as soon as possible. Anywhere was fine, just not on their turf.

The July 5th incident had just happened; they couldn't resort to violence.

They could only use these methods to make the students retreat in the face of difficulties.

This was also the method Fu Zuoyi was implementing in Beiping.

At this moment, the students were sitting in a circle. In the center, a young man with short hair, thick eyebrows, and large eyes was sitting cross-legged on the ground, waving his arms as he gave a speech:

"The current Nationalist government is rotten to the core, relying entirely on radio and newspapers to fool the common people. We, as the younger generation, should..."

"Is that guy the student leader?" At the window of the cafeteria building in the distance, two figures were smoking side by side. A middle-aged man with a gaunt, horse-like face asked the fat cook beside him.

"That's right."

"His name is Guo Shuwen. He's the one who organized the students to make a scene all the way from outside the pass to Jinhai. And he eats a lot, too—ten big steamed buns and three bowls of porridge per meal," the fat cook said with a look of disgust.

"Make him something good and send him on his way."

The man in the Zhongshan suit said coldly.

As he spoke, he took a packet of poison from his pocket: "Make it look clean."

"Brother Zhang, you say it lightly, but if I poison him, I'll have no way to live."

"If the students make a scene, Fu Zuoyi and Chen Zhangjie will definitely make me pay with my life for the students," the fat cook said, looking uneasy.

"Eating also takes time; that's enough for you to escape."

"Take it."

Zhang Zheng took out a dozen silver dollars, and with a loose hand, they clattered onto the ground.

Then.

He took out a small shoe and flashed it, grinning hideously.

"Brother Zhang, you... you touched my family?" The color drained from the fat cook's face, and he said with a trembling voice.

"Do your job well."

"If I don't see Guo Shuwen's corpse later, you can wait to collect the bodies of your wife and child." Zhang Zheng sneered, his cold, dark eyes filled with a beast-like, bloodthirsty, and sinister light.

"Swish."

The fat cook only felt a flash before his eyes, as if a clear breeze had swept past.

Zhang Zheng walked away with his hands behind his back, unhurriedly.

The fat cook inexplicably felt his neck itch a little.

He reached out to touch it, and his neck was covered in blood.

The fat cook looked at that lean back, and the hair all over his body stood up.

He hadn't even seen how Zhang Zheng had made his move.

If he had been a little more ruthless, his own life...

The fat cook knew he had encountered a ruthless person. Not daring to hesitate, he wiped the bloodstain from his neck, hurried back to the kitchen, took the poison, and mixed it into one of the buckets of tofu soup.

Then, he called a few cafeteria workers to carry the steamed buns and carry the tofu soup to the playground.

"Dinner is served."

As soon as the fat cook shouted, the students stopped listening to Guo Shuwen's slogans and swarmed over.

The steamed buns and tofu soup were distributed.

The fat cook carried a separate half-bucket of soup and a few steamed buns to Guo Shuwen and his group.

"This is all that's left. Once it's gone, it's gone. Eat up," he said.

"Thank you, Uncle Fatty."

Guo Shuwen was indeed hungry. The group hurriedly took the steamed buns and began to eat heartily with the little tofu soup they had.

"It's delicious."

The fat cook watched them swallow it down, left the playground without a sound, and rushed home in a panic.

As soon as he arrived home, the door was ajar.

A sense of foreboding surged in the fat cook's heart, and he rushed in.

His wife and eight-month-old child were already lying in a pool of blood.

"You son of a..."

He stood up, not yet having time to roar a curse.

A cold light flashed before his eyes.

The next second, his throat felt cold, and his voice turned into an indistinct whimper.

Fresh blood sprayed out wildly.

Zhang Zheng appeared before him like a ghost.

That sallow, long, horse-like face was sinister and extremely cold.

Thump.

The fat cook fell to the ground.

Zhang Zheng flicked his fingers, hid the knife in his long sleeve, closed the door properly, and walked out.

The next morning.

On the streets of Jinhai.

"Extra, extra! Seven students, including Northeast exiled student Guo Shuwen, have been poisoned to death."

"Extra, extra..."

The newsboy shouted at the top of his lungs.

Hong Zhiyou stopped the car, took out a silver dollar, and shouted: "Give me a copy."

Seeing the newsboy about to count out change in legal tender from the basket beside him, Hong Zhiyou raised his hand to stop him:

"Keep the change."

"Thank you, sir," the newsboy thanked him repeatedly.

Hong Zhiyou took a rough look, and his brow couldn't help but furrow.

This was clearly someone trying to stir up chaos in Jinhai.

The Confidential Bureau was going to be busy.

Arriving at the station.

As soon as he entered the office, Li Ya, Yu Zecheng, and Mi Zhiguo were already standing in punishment.

"What's going on?"

"Li Ya, and you, didn't you say there were undercover agents in the student groups?"

"Why didn't we hear a whisper of such an important matter beforehand?"

"The one who died was the leader of the exiled students."

"Now Nankai University is in a total mess. Just wait, Jinhai city will be full of parades and demonstrations again."

Wu Jingzhong pointed at Li Ya and Mi Zhiguo and scolded them angrily.

"Station Master, you can't blame me for this."

"My undercover agents were wiped out by Lu Qiaoshan before. The new people I developed are unreliable, can't endure hardship, and couldn't infiltrate the Northeast student groups."

"Besides, poisoning is impossible to guard against. Since it happened in the kitchen, the responsibility should also fall on the Nankai principal."

Li Ya raised his eyebrows and said.

"I don't care who takes the responsibility."

"This isn't something an action team leader should say. Investigate immediately. I need a clear investigation result."

"Chen Zhangjie is asking me for the culprit."

"I'm asking you for the person."

"At most three days, you must catch the person for me."

Wu Jingzhong pointed at Li Ya and Mi Zhiguo and said.

"Yes, Station Master," Mi Zhiguo hurriedly accepted the order.

"Fine, I'll try. The suspect for the poisoning is basically confirmed to be Li Erbao from the kitchen. I'm going to his house to make the arrest now," Li Ya said, and walked out.

"You all sit."

After Li Ya was far away, Wu Jingzhong raised his hand and said.

"Zhiguo, you've just taken over the Intelligence Division. This is a crisis, but also an opportunity. You must seize it."

"I just received a call from Bai Shiwei."

"Li Erbao's entire family was wiped out. Clearly, there is someone behind this, organized and premeditated, trying to stir up chaos in Jinhai."

Wu Jingzhong analyzed with seasoned experience.

"Could it be the Red Ticket?" Mi Zhiguo asked.

Wu Jingzhong shot him a look: "Stupid!"

"The Red Ticket follows rules. First of all, these Northeast students are inclined toward them in terms of public opinion. Guo Shuwen's death is also a heavy blow to them."

"Furthermore, they wouldn't do such low-life things as killing an entire family."

"This is clearly aimed at me."

"Teacher, please clarify." Hong Zhiyou handed him tea.

Wu Jingzhong held it in his hand, took two sips, and said:

"Student riots—are those something to play with?"

"Chen Jicheng of the Beiping Garrison Headquarters was a nail planted by the Generalissimo beside Fu Zuoyi. Just because his subordinates in the Youth Army shot at students, Fu Zuoyi was able to use public opinion to drive him out of Beiping."

"Look at the newspapers from other houses."

"Suspected poisoning by Confidential Bureau agents... doesn't this point to me, Wu?"

"If they can drive away Chen Jicheng, they can drive away me."

"I even suspect that Li Ya did this."

"Someone once saw Li Ya meeting privately with Wei Jin of the Party-Communication Bureau. Furthermore, after Lu Qiaoshan left, he is the only colonel; it's indeed possible he wants to move up," Yu Zecheng nodded and said.

"Mi Zhiguo, a new official applies three fires. I want you to use all the resources of the Intelligence Division to investigate this group of people as quickly as possible and find the culprit before Li Ya does," Wu Jingzhong pointed at Mi Zhiguo and instructed solemnly.

He didn't want to waste resources and opportunities on a piece of trash.

If Mi Zhiguo really couldn't be helped up,

then there would be no face to speak of; he would just go back to running errands.

"Yes, Station Master," Mi Zhiguo respectfully accepted the order.

"You, also put some thought into this. Furthermore, go move around the Police Bureau and the Garrison Headquarters. To guard against student riots, there must be an emergency plan," Wu Jingzhong instructed Yu Zecheng again.

"Understood," Yu Zecheng nodded.

After he and Mi Zhiguo left, Wu Jingzhong sat down on the sofa:

"Zhiyou, who do you think did it?"

"That depends on who benefits the most," Hong Zhiyou pondered and said.

"The water is a bit muddy right now, and many things haven't surfaced yet."

"But what is certain is that it's unfavorable to you and unfavorable to the Red Ticket."

"The most unfavorable might be Chen Zhangjie or Zheng Tingfeng."

Hong Zhiyou analyzed.

"How so?" Wu Jingzhong asked with narrowed eyes.

"You think Chen Jicheng was the Generalissimo's trusted confidant. He was driven out of Beiping by Fu Zuoyi; the Generalissimo must be unhappy."

"Now, 'using their own methods to treat them,' if someone uses the student riots to create another blood case in Jinhai, then Chen Zhangjie is very likely to take the blame and be replaced."

"Right now, the infighting among the Nationalist government's high-level factions has reached a fever pitch. He Yingqin has lost power, Chen Cheng is at the height of his influence, and Bai Chongxi is eyeing things covetously."

"It's entirely possible for someone to operate at this time to support a general who leans toward the Central Army to replace Chen Zhangjie."

"This is also the reason why Commander Chen is very nervous and angry."

"Once Chen Zhangjie is replaced, they can pinch Fu Zuoyi's lifeline of grain and supplies."

"The Generalissimo is also happy to see that."

"I have to say, this move is truly ruthless; it can hurt many people."

Hong Zhiyou said.

"Indeed."

"I'm also in a dilemma now. If the student matter isn't handled well and Chen Zhangjie is folded, Fu Zuoyi will definitely think I did it."

"After all, Jinhai is under his nose. If one day he calls me to the Beiping Headquarters and arranges a car accident or poisoning, I'll have no place to be buried."

"If Chen Zhangjie doesn't take the blame, this matter will have to be counted on my head."

"Losing this chair is a small matter, but if there's a trial, my old bones will have to squat in prison like Lu Qiaoshan. That would be truly unjust."

Wu Jingzhong also looked worried.

"If you look at it this way, I think the possibility of an inside traitor at the Garrison Headquarters is the greatest."

"Commander Chen previously reshuffled the deck and supported Deputy Chief of Staff Lin Yuan to establish the Jinhai Garrison Brigade."

"Because the 62nd and 94th Armies were transferred to the Beining line, Commander Chen now relies on the Garrison Brigade's strength, plus the full support of Du Jianshi and the assistance of Fu Zuoyi."

"He now truly holds the military and political power of Jinhai."

"This is a huge blow to the original staff system."

"According to reports from my undercover agents in the Inspection Team, Chief of Staff Huang Yunxian has expressed dissatisfaction many times after being squeezed out."

"Is it possible that someone from the staff system is taking the opportunity to bring Commander Chen down?"

Hong Zhiyou analyzed.

"Hmm, the situation you mentioned is very possible."

"Huang Yunxian is from the Whampoa clique and was originally a nail. If Commander Chen goes down, he is very likely to step up and reap the benefits," Wu Jingzhong nodded.

"So, Teacher, the most urgent thing for you right now is to have a heart-to-heart talk with Commander Chen and clarify the pros and cons, to avoid any misunderstandings between you."

"After all, 'when under someone else's roof, one must bow one's head.'"

"It's better to make things clear."

Hong Zhiyou said.

"Hmm."

"As long as the other side keeps making moves, there will definitely be flaws."

"You put more heart into this; I'll go talk to Chen Zhangjie," Wu Jingzhong said.

As soon as Hong Zhiyou returned to his office and sat down, Mi Zhiguo brought Li Dong from the Police Bureau inside.

"Secretary Hong, Detective Li says he has intelligence to report," Mi Zhiguo said.

"Li Dong, what is it?" They were old acquaintances, so Hong Zhiyou signaled for the two to sit.

"Secretary Hong."

"The autopsy results for Li Erbao and Guo Shuwen are in."

"The poison Guo Shuwen ingested is refined from a Southeast Asian plant, which is very rare here. Perhaps you can inquire through the Confidential Bureau veterans from Southeast Asia."

"Li Erbao's knife wound is extremely sharp. Preliminary judgment is that the killer is very skilled at using short blades and thin-bladed knives."

"Li Erbao's wife and child died in the same way."

"The knife wound is fast and smooth."

"From the poisoning of Guo Shuwen to the silencing, the other party is very likely an organized group of thugs."

"You and Station Master Wu must be careful."

Li Dong truthfully announced the investigation results.

"Thank you."

"You've worked hard." Hong Zhiyou pulled open a drawer, took out a stack of silver dollars, and handed it over.

"Secretary Hong, everything I have today is thanks to you. This is all part of my duty; I absolutely cannot accept this," Li Dong hurriedly refused.

"Take it."

"Right now, this is the only thing that's useful on the market."

"You also have to eat and support your family, don't you?"

"Take it, don't be a stranger, we're brothers."

Hong Zhiyou stuffed it into his coat pocket.

"Alright, thank you," Li Dong was deeply grateful.

"Zhiguo, you send people with Li Dong to follow the clues. Since the other party had contact with Li Erbao, there must be witnesses."

"Go find people in the alleys, schools, and cafeterias to feel out the situation."

"Find this person as soon as possible."

Hong Zhiyou instructed.

"Yes," the two respectfully accepted the order.

After the two left, Hong Zhiyou leaned back on the sofa and furrowed his brow to analyze.

This matter wasn't that simple.

Just like when Kong Lingwei was operating behind the scenes, he inexplicably had a feeling of being pricked by thorns.

It was just that he couldn't get a handle on it for a moment.

It seemed he would have to wait for the other side to make a move before he could find a flaw.

The next few days.

The deaths of Guo Shuwen and several students fermented completely.

The students carried their corpses and began to parade on the streets, and Jinhai became lively again.

Kunlun Road.

The slightly chubby Huang Yunxian sat on the sofa smoking a cigar.

Zhang Shaojie was accompanying him with small talk on the side.

"Shao-jie, this move of yours was brilliant. My people reported that Chen Zhangjie didn't sleep all night; it seems he's panicked."

"The next step is for your people to pretend to be the Garrison Brigade and open fire."

"Then lure Lu Qiaoshan back and kill him in a river of blood."

"Chen Zhangjie won't be able to sit firmly anymore."

Huang Yunxian exhaled a puff of smoke and laughed in a low voice.

"It's also because you, Uncle, were willing to give me the opportunity."

"Rest assured, once Chen Zhangjie is taken down, you will sit in the position of Garrison Commander, and Lu Qiaoshan will sit in the Confidential Bureau. Jinhai will be ours," Zhang Shaojie said with full confidence.

"Hmm."

"It seems you didn't waste your time in Southeast Asia."

"Rest assured, as soon as I sit in that position, I will help you restore the Cao Gang immediately. From then on, all supplies, munitions, etc., in Jinhai will be your responsibility."

Huang Yunxian began to paint a big picture.

"Thank you, Uncle. Wait for my good news tomorrow," Zhang Shaojie said.

The next day.

Students began to parade and demonstrate again, especially the exiled students from the Northeast, whose emotions were extremely agitated. Led by students secretly bribed by Zhang Shaojie, they began to storm the Garrison Headquarters, demanding that Chen Zhangjie preside over justice.

At first, Chen Zhangjie and Du Jianshi tried to persuade them with kind words.

But under the instigation of those with ulterior motives, the students' emotions became increasingly agitated, constantly storming the municipal government, the Confidential Bureau, and so on.

Chen Zhangjie had no choice but to mobilize the Garrison Brigade responsible for city defense to maintain order and public security.

A long standoff.

Nankai, Beiyang, and other universities sealed their campuses again, and the food supply for the exiled students was cut off.

3:00 PM.

Hungry and angry, the students changed direction and swarmed toward the grain market. With the addition of refugees along the way, the original team grew to several thousand people.

Instigated by refugees and local thugs, these people began to loot the grain warehouse.

The conflict between the martial law soldiers and the starving refugees, thugs, and students had already reached a fever pitch.

"It's about time. Let them make their move."

In a building in the distance, a cold sneer appeared on Zhang Shaojie's face, and he waved his hand.

Immediately, a subordinate took out a pot of flowers and placed it on the windowsill.

Several killers dressed in military uniforms, hiding in the Garrison Brigade, understood simultaneously. Intentionally taking advantage of being pushed by students, they accidentally fired, and the submachine guns in their hands spat out flames.

Immediately, students fell into a pool of blood.

"They're shooting! The soldiers are killing people!"

Another group of people hiding in the crowd, thinking the chaos wasn't big enough, followed suit and shouted to create panic.

"Don't be afraid! There are many of us, charge them! There's grain inside!"

Someone shouted.

Those refugees pushed the students in the front row toward the soldiers.

Under heavy pressure.

The people Zhang Shaojie arranged on the other side fired again.

Once the shooting started, the situation deteriorated extremely.

Public opinion from newspapers and the like flew toward the whole country like snowflakes.

Many cities, such as Jinan, broke out in parades in response.

Jingling, prison.

"Lu Qiaoshan, come out." The jailer walked to the door and shouted.

Lu Qiaoshan put down the newspaper in his hand, and a smile appeared on his face.

He knew his opportunity had arrived.

(End of chapter)