Chapter 58: Miss Mei Acts as a Matchmaker (Seeking Collections and Monthly Tickets)

"What do you want to do?" Yong Manzhu asked with a trembling voice.

"My dear young lady, being a Red is not as easy as you think."

"Let's start you off with an appetizer!"

Hong Zhiyou picked up a bamboo skewer and shook it with a smile.

He was not playing around with her.

Revolution has always been cruel and blood-soaked.

For a young lady like Yong Manzhu who treats it like a hobby.

It is simply ridiculous to think that shouting a few slogans about justice on the street constitutes a transformation of one's life.

If you can't hold on, wake up sooner.

Going back to donate money and supplies is also fine, so as not to become a traitor later.

"Hong Zhiyou, you, you dare!" Yong Manzhu shrieked.

"Try it!"

"It's only a little bit of pain."

Hong Zhiyou smiled coldly, and the bamboo skewer pierced into her fingernail.

"Ah!"

Finger pain reaches the heart.

Yong Manzhu screamed incessantly, struggling wildly in pain, her beautiful face twisted.

"Can't take it already?"

Hong Zhiyou picked up the chili water and poured it onto the bloody wound.

"You, you are simply a devil!" Yong Manzhu cursed him through gritted teeth.

"This is just the beginning."

Hong Zhiyou took a few more bamboo skewers and pierced her toes one by one.

Whenever Yong Manzhu was about to faint, he would splash cold water on her to wake her up.

After piercing all ten toes.

Hong Zhiyou took a few photos.

Then he instructed Lao Wu:

"Don't give her water."

"Don't let her sleep; you can give her an injection if necessary."

"Let her suffer for a while and see if she still dares to be stubborn."

"Understood." Lao Wu grinned and accepted the order.

Sitting at the head of the table, Yu Zecheng breathed a sigh of relief.

Hong Zhiyou was indeed a man who cherished beauty.

These skewers looked like they were driven in hard, but in reality, they only went in half an inch.

If it were Lao Wu, the skewers could have pierced right through the finger joints.

It's good to scare her a little.

It will save her from acting rashly and causing trouble.

Leaving the interrogation room.

Hong Zhiyou was so sleepy he couldn't even open his eyes.

"Brother, I can't hold on anymore, I'm heading back first," Yu Zecheng said, yawning repeatedly.

"I'm going to the Falanxi Club; the station is too noisy during the day to sleep," Hong Zhiyou said.

"Alright."

"I still have to go to the Station Chief's house for dinner tonight, I'm leaving now."

The two parted ways.

Villa No. 1, Changde Road.

Wu Jingzhong lay on a rattan chair, enjoying a moment of brief tranquility.

Liu Xiong walked in quickly: "Station Chief."

"How is the investigation going?" He closed his eyes and gently rocked the chair.

"According to Ma Kui's statement, after the convoy was hijacked by Sun Meiyao's men, it did not follow the transport route; he believes it was intentionally led into the bandit's den."

"In other words, Yong Jianqiu knew your plan in advance."

"This is the key to the failure."

"Secretary Hong had contact and conversation with Yong Jianqiu in the small house in the back garden..."

Liu Xiong reported.

"You suspect Secretary Hong is a Red?" Wu Jingzhong asked with his eyes half-closed.

"At the very least, there is suspicion of collusion."

"I went to the interrogation room just now according to your instructions."

"Director Yu ordered Lao Wu to use torture, but Secretary Hong stopped him and did it himself."

"I looked at the wounds; they are very shallow."

"It is clearly intentional leniency."

"Therefore, I think Secretary Hong is highly suspicious."

Liu Xiong analyzed keenly.

"Is that so."

"Then Secretary Hong is fine." Wu Jingzhong smiled.

"Subordinate does not understand," Liu Xiong frowned.

"Secretary Hong is lustful and greedy for profit."

"If he had been ruthless, it would have shown he had a guilty conscience and wanted to wash away his collusion with Yong Jianqiu by torturing Yong Manzhu."

"But he didn't."

"Because he loves beauty, and the Yong family's young lady is as beautiful as a flower; feeling sorry for her is human nature."

"Furthermore, he still has important matters to attend to and will inevitably have to deal with Yong Jianqiu."

"Selling a favor is just a habitual trick of his."

Wu Jingzhong explained with a smile.

"But the matter of the medicine cannot be explained."

"This move should have been flawless; if no one had leaked the information, at least the transport route could have been cut off."

"I secretly captured one of Sun Meiyao's subordinates."

"He confessed that someone paid them to take action; they were originally going to take another path, but the other party changed the route at the last minute, which is why they ended up in the bandit's den," Liu Xiong said.

"There are many problems."

"The lowlifes Ma Kui found are naturally big-mouthed and unreliable."

"A person who never visits brothels goes there every few days; if a Red had an informant there, it could easily be exposed."

"And there is Ding Defeng at the Army Hospital."

"There are loopholes in many places."

"This time, we were careless; when dealing with the Reds, one cannot be sloppy in the slightest."

Wu Jingzhong shook his head and sighed.

"Put the investigation into Secretary Hong on hold; he cannot be a Red," he instructed after a pause.

"What about Yu Zecheng?" Liu Xiong asked.

"He wasn't involved this time, so the possibility of him leaking the secret is small."

"We still need to dig deeper into Zuo Lan and his Jibei wife."

"Has the Buddha Shrine replied?"

Wu Jingzhong stood up and stretched his limbs.

"No," Liu Xiong said.

"Alright, put these two aside for now."

"The military mediation is coming soon; the Second Department sent someone named Zhang Luolin to be responsible for the negotiations."

"Chen Zhangjie doesn't like these shady things and pushed it onto us."

"These big shots have no real skills, but they are experts at eating, drinking, and having fun."

"You go and make arrangements; let's set it at the Falanxi Club, and make the accommodation and dining top-tier."

"The Falanxi Club has a partnership with the municipal government."

"Isn't there a traitor shareholder? Let him pay; they are most happy to show off in this way."

Wu Jingzhong thought for a moment and instructed.

After a pause, he tapped the railing and whispered:

"Remember, the receipts must be written under the station's name so I can get reimbursed by Boss Dai later."

"Understood, I will go handle it immediately." Liu Xiong accepted the order and withdrew.

"Jingzhong, our niece Yingxue has returned from England."

"Little Hong is so capable."

"He has raked in half a mountain of gold for us these past few months; didn't you say last time you were interested in playing matchmaker?"

"Since both of them are unmarried, I think it's feasible."

Mei Qiuju walked over, cracking melon seeds, and started chatting idly.

Wu Jingzhong was very respectful toward his wife.

He would even discuss many important station matters with her.

The winery in Yuezhou was not registered under his own daughter's name, but instead under his brother-in-law Mei Changshan's name, and many other businesses were also entrusted to his banner.

This was enough to show how much he valued the Mei family.

"Your niece is arrogant and high-minded; I'm afraid she won't look favorably upon Secretary Hong."

"The one she likes is Xu Zhimo."

"Not some dog secret agent with no background."

Wu Jingzhong shook his head and smiled.

"Just try to play matchmaker."

"I think Little Hong is quite good; he is ruthless at raking in money, has a sharp mind, and knows how to handle affairs."

"If we become family, when you retire in the future, with him helping to manage the company, aren't you afraid it won't flourish?"

"Don't you always say our family foundation is thin and we lack talent and capable people?"

"It's a pity to let someone ready-made go."

Mei Qiuju began whispering in his ear.

She didn't understand what Xu Zhimo was, or what love and talented scholars were.

She only knew that Hong Zhiyou could rake in money.

He raked in enough to make her daughter's life in Yuezhou and Xiangdao flourish.

What is Xu Zhimo worth?

Can he be as useful as money?

"Let's see; there's the military mediation, and then Madam Jiang is coming—a pile of messy business."

"According to rumors from above, Jianfeng is about to take action."

"Either to Shanghai or to Jinhai."

"If he really comes to Jinhai, I don't know who my old classmate's blade will strike."

Wu Jingzhong was very annoyed; how could he have the heart to consider these trivial domestic matters?

"Anyway, Yingxue is coming to Jinhai in a few days."

"If you won't say it, I will."

"I just don't believe I can't play this matchmaker well."

Mei Qiuju curled her lips and hummed.

Evening.

Hong Zhiyou climbed out from the arms of Mrs. Kang, Fang Min.

"You dead man, why not sleep a while longer?"

Fang Min hooked her arms around his neck, acting coquettishly, still unsatisfied.

"I have to go to the station chief's house for dinner."

"How have the red wine sales been lately?"

Hong Zhiyou got up to put on his clothes.

"It's alright."

"It's just that the American goods are too expensive, and on top of that, I have to rely on favors; like that batch of goods for Section Chief Lu last time, I even lost quite a few silver dollars." Fang Min pouted, pretending to be pitiful.

"It is indeed a trouble; there are too many connections, and the profit margins are thin."

"I have to think of other ways."

A flash of inspiration struck Hong Zhiyou, and he already had an idea.

Thank you all for your support, mwah.





(End of chapter)