Chapter 1022
Zhang Anping: Trading Compromise for Unity
At the previous secret meeting of the Central Army, both Commander Li and Commander Shi were certain of one thing:
The annihilation of the 35th Army and the 11th Corps was a huge blow to the Suiyuan Army, and Fu Huabei was very likely to be shaken as a result.
If we were to translate the phrase "very likely" into numbers, it would be 80%.
From a military perspective, an 80% probability is far too high!
This was a good thing for the relationship between the Suiyuan Army and the Central Army to drop below freezing point, but it was by no means a good thing for the peaceful liberation of Beiping in the future.
But Zhang Anping couldn't say directly that Fu Huabei wouldn't surrender to them—as a spy chief, he couldn't say such a thing, dared not say it, and dared not give anyone cause for criticism.
So, what methods are there to change Li Shi and the other man's judgment?
To make the generals of the Central Army relax their guard against the Sui Army and Fu Huabei.
The answer is:
Have!
……
"To establish inspection teams in each division of our army?"
"Haha, what unrealistic dreams is Zhang Anping having!"
After listening to the chief of guards' report at his official residence, several Sui Army generals couldn't help but burst into laughter.
What's going on in Zhang Anping's head?
Where did he get the audacity to say such a thing?
But as they laughed, they realized something was wrong, because Fu Huabei was deep in thought. Knowing Fu Huabei's habits well, they were shocked.
Commander Fu, are you seriously considering this matter?
This...this...
No way!
I think it's a good idea!
When Fu Huabei finished thinking and said those words, even though the Sui Army generals were somewhat prepared, they were still stunned.
Tying one's own hands, inviting suffering, creating one's own trap, setting oneself on fire...
One idiom after another flashed through their minds.
"Commander Fu, how can this be?!" A general jumped up immediately:
"If those bastards from the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics were to establish an inspection team within our army, then nothing our army does will escape their eyes!"
"Yes, Commander Fu. The Central Army's cannons and guns are already pointed at us. If we're also being monitored by those dog spies, they'll know whether we fart or not!"
"Commander Fu, please think it over!"
Fu Huabei waved his hand and explained:
"Gentlemen, the most basic trust between the Central Army and our army has been lost. If the Communist army attacks the city, will the Central Army dare to fight? And will we dare to fight?"
"This matter must be resolved!"
"In the end, we will fight alongside them. If we don't even have the most basic trust, how can we fight this battle?"
This is Fu Huabei's consideration, but it's not all he's considering.
Fu Huabei wanted to talk, but talking was just a delaying tactic—he needed to use the talks to understand the situation better.
One of the foundations of the talks was that Beiping was firmly in their own hands.
If Beiping falls in a single battle, what's the point of talking about anything else?
Therefore, these Central Army troops in Beiping were both objects he had to guard against and forces he relied on.
The gap between the Sui Army and the Central Army is now too wide. The Central Army has completely lost trust in the Sui Army. To put it bluntly, even if the North China Suppression Headquarters wanted to hold a military affairs conference now, the Central Army's top military commander in Beiping would definitely not show up. He would only make excuses to send his deputy to attend.
They only brought their ears to the meeting.
This is the last thing Fu Huabei wanted to see.
But now Zhang Anping wants to send the inspection team into the various divisions of the Sui Army, which is actually an opportunity, an opportunity for the central army generals to trust the Sui Army once again.
Moreover, Fu Huabei could see clearly that an inspection team of at most twenty people was nothing more than a few ants to a division-level unit when it came to a critical moment.
Since it can gain the trust of the Central Army and easily resolve the issue at crucial moments, why not do it?
This is the real reason why Fu Huabei agreed.
Although he didn't spell it out, the reasons he gave convinced the Sui army generals—if Beiping couldn't be defended, all their thoughts would be in vain, and right now, ending this irreconcilable defensive posture was indeed the top priority.
"Zhang Anping, that scoundrel, truly lives up to his reputation! His timing... was absolutely perfect!"
After a sigh, a Sui army general said with concern:
"I'm afraid we'll be inviting a wolf into our house, only to end up burning ourselves in the process!"
Fu Huabei gave the general who had spoken a deep look:
"Although we belong to different factions, we are ultimately both armies of the Nationalist government. The saying 'playing with fire' is an overstatement!"
"The department acknowledges its mistake."
The general who had spoken quickly admitted his mistake, while the other generals couldn't help but lower their heads and exchange glances. Commander Fu, it seems he has no intention of negotiating.
……
Yandu Hotel.
After Zheng Yi hung up the phone, a strange light flickered in his eyes.
Fu Huabei actually agreed to set up inspection teams in each division of the Suiyuan Army.
Moreover, there was no room for negotiation; the only requirement was to be in line with the Central Army—this was actually the biggest condition, because without this condition, what if an inspection team of a thousand or eight hundred people came...
Is this some kind of inspection team?
They're here to absorb the Sui army!
But such a quick agreement was still quite unexpected.
She thought about it for a long time before she understood the trick – under the current circumstances, Fu Huabei had to find a way to gain the trust of the Central Army generals.
Allowing the intelligence agency's inspection team to enter the division is the method that best reflects his stance.
It was precisely because Qu Zuo recognized this that he took the opportunity to establish inspection teams throughout the Sui Army's division-level units.
From Zhang Shih-hao's perspective, this was undoubtedly a stroke of genius.
But what about from Zhang Anping's perspective?
Zheng Yi was unclear about Zhang Anping's specific plans, but she understood one key point:
The stalemate and division of the Beiping garrison should be what Zhang Anping would like to see most. So what is Zhang Anping doing right now?
He was actually trying to mend the rift between the Central Army and the Sui Army!
This is the behavior of a loyal subject of the Party and the State!
[No, no! Behind every seemingly loyal act of the Party and the State, there are other calculations. This time, there definitely is one too!]
Just because I can't see through it now doesn't mean it doesn't exist!
Is it related to Luo Qiyong?
Out of curiosity, Zheng Yi reported the phone call from the General Headquarters to Zhang Anping.
"I understand—have you set a time with Luo Qiyong?"
"It's settled, tonight at 8 pm, Harbin Grand Theater."
"Okay, you'll come with me."
……
In Beiping, at Sister Qian's office courtyard.
Xu Zhongyi, who looked like a student, appeared here. This time, he didn't cause any trouble with Ma Xiaowu and was taken directly to Sister Qian by Ma Xiaowu.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Xu Zhongyi got down to business—all traces of fatigue had vanished from his body, replaced only by the shrewdness of an intelligence agent:
"Elder sister, I've contacted all the generals from the Sui Army who are eligible to attend the official residence meetings. I think they are all inclined to surrender, but they are still somewhat wary of our policies."
"Furthermore, although they showed an intention to surrender, they also emphasized that everything must be done in accordance with Fu Huabei's will. I think they were all hoping to persuade Fu Huabei in order to avoid being accused of betraying their master."
The title of "betrayal" is not good and has always been despised by the Chinese people. In the Jin-Sui Army, the situation of betrayal was not too serious. In addition, due to local factors, this reputation was obviously something that Sui Army generals were unwilling to bear.
Sister Qian nodded and asked:
"So do you think that if it comes down to the last minute, is it possible for these people to choose to side with us?"
Xu Zhongyi said cautiously:
"Based on my assessment, at present, if a choice has to be made, there won't be many Sui Army generals who can side with us."
"Huh? Why?"
"During my interactions with them, I discovered that they harbored deep resentment towards the Central Army, and at the same time, they subtly revealed a certain sentiment:"
If the Central Army hadn't disobeyed orders and ignored directives, the war wouldn't have turned out this way!
To put it bluntly, we haven't completely convinced them yet; they're still somewhat resentful and unable to accept reality!
Xu Zhongyi spoke with great certainty this time:
"Therefore, I think that if we want them to give up completely, we should make them realize that there is no way out!"
No way out?
Sister Qian had actually heard this argument from Zhang Anping, but Zhang Anping put it more bluntly:
Only by taking Tianjin will they completely abandon their illusions.
Our army is confident in taking Tianjin, but Tianjin is also a large city, and our current consideration is to avoid the war from affecting the civilian population as much as possible.
So naturally, the idea is that if we can win without bloodshed, that would be the best!
Seeing that Xu Zhongyi shared the same assessment as Zhang Anping, Sister Qian couldn't help but sigh. It seemed she had overestimated Fu Huabei's willingness to negotiate. "Comrade Zhongyi, how sincere do you think Fu Huabei is if he wants to negotiate with us now?"
Xu Zhongyi thought for a moment:
"I think even if he's negotiating now, it's probably just to buy time. He won't truly surrender until he sees the Yellow River and the coffin."
After he finished speaking, he added:
"Of course, this is just my personal opinion. After all, I have never dealt with him directly. I am just making judgments based on the situation and judging others by my own standards."
Faced with Xu Zhongyi's emphasis that it was for reference only, Sister Qian smiled and said:
"You're such a slippery character!"
"However, your judgment is very valuable, and I will report it to my superiors—is there anything else?"
Xu Zhongyi hesitated for a moment and said, "Sister, what I'm about to say is just my personal judgment and should not be taken as a reference. Please don't mind if there's anything inappropriate about it."
"You said."
"I think there are still some generals in the Sui Army who cannot be trusted."
Xu Zhongyi thought for a moment and then directly pointed out a name:
"Luo Qiyong!"
“I’ve met this person before—he’s very enthusiastic, more so than anyone else. But it’s this enthusiasm that makes me uneasy. I secretly investigated his reputation and found that he’s also too greedy, a typical person who is greedy for money and lustful. I think we need to distinguish between people like this in our work and not treat them all as targets for unity.”
After he finished speaking, Xu Zhongyi looked at Sister Qian with unease, unsure whether she would criticize him, since uniting the Sui army generals was the organization's designated focus.
My words sound like I'm contradicting myself.
But Sister Qian secretly praised him, saying, "No wonder he's Anping's apprentice!"
The target group that Xu Zhongyi contacted was defined by "her," but in reality, it was all people Zhang Anping had identified—these people were not two-faced and could be united.
But it's normal for a husky to be mixed in with a wolf pack, and Luo Qiyong was one of those huskies.
After seizing money from Tanggu, this person colluded with the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics. Now Zhang Anping has promised to return double the money and grant him an official position. He is working for the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics with utmost dedication.
Even his contact with Xu Zhongyi was carried out at Zhang Anping's behest.
Unexpectedly, Xu Zhongyi easily discovered the only landmine.
“Comrade Zhongyi, your consideration is very thorough. I was short-sighted before. Contacting them is the focus of your work. It is up to you to decide what decision to make!”
Sister Qian solemnly instructed: "Since you think it's unreliable, then just cut off contact."
Xu Zhongyi shook his head: "No, we can't cut off contact so easily. But I'll be careful with our contact in the future, and I won't let our comrades get involved. What do you think?"
"You've thought this through very well. The organization made the right choice in entrusting this task to you!"
Sister Qian was extremely gratified.
She always had a sense of unease about Xu Zhongyi—just like when she first appeared as Zhang Anping, she was always full of worries about Zhang Anping.
This comrade is too radical!
But later I realized that I was too conservative, while Zhang Anping, though seemingly radical, was actually more stable than anyone else.
Now, having been "fooled" again by Zhang Anping's eldest apprentice, Sister Qian felt only gratified:
This is the kind of apprentice Anping trained!
……
With the army besieging the city, many entertainment businesses in Beiping had already ceased operations, including theaters and cinemas.
However, in order to put on a show and create a false impression, many industries are forced to operate, even if ordinary people don't come to them at all.
Thus, this place became a "paradise" for the military men.
Whether they can understand it or not, the soldiers just love to join in the fun.
Harbin Grand Theatre.
Zhang Anping, dressed in civilian clothes, appeared at the door with Zheng Yi, who was dressed in formal attire, attracting the attention of many soldiers.
Zheng Yi, dressed in his finest attire, was extremely eye-catching. Unfortunately, Zhang Anping's demeanor was too cold. Whenever someone looked at him with unrestrained gaze, he would cast a cold stare in return. No fools dared to look at him blindly. These "military officers" realized that this was a big shot they could not afford to offend as soon as they met Zhang Anping's eyes.
After someone quietly revealed Zhang Anping's identity, the previously noisy theater quickly quieted down, and soon more than half of the people in the quiet theater were gone.
Few military officers dared to spend too much time with a spy chief like Zhang Anping, especially since the vast majority of them were just watching the show for free...
Zhang Anping seemed unconcerned about these circumstances, only watching with great interest the unfolding of "Coal Hill Hatred"—undoubtedly the final act of the Chongzhen Emperor.
While everyone was enjoying themselves, someone suddenly shouted angrily:
"Absurd! How can they put on this show? Change them! Change them right now!"
The one who spoke was Luo Qiyong, who had come to meet Zhang Anping.
Zhang Anping shook his head helplessly. This person...
No one at the scene actually recognized himself as the head of the secret service, so why was his identity revealed in the end?
That's because Zhang Anping deliberately arranged for someone to reveal his identity—so that "interested people" would "reasonably" know that he was meeting with Luo Qiyong.
However, judging from Luo Qiyong's performance, it was clear that he had overestimated him. This guy dared to shout about changing the "channel" as soon as he entered the theater, showing a terrible sense of secrecy.
He spoke up to stop them: "Deputy Division Commander Luo, no need!"
"Oh? Deputy Director Zhang? You're here too!"
Luo Qiyong only noticed Zhang Anping at this moment. After shouting something out loud, he cursed, "It's only because of Deputy Director Zhang's influence that I didn't tear this theater down today!"
"Coal Hill Hatred—do you really think I'm illiterate and don't know what's going on in this performance?"
He approached while cursing at him:
"Deputy Director Zhang, what a refined taste you have!"
He then sat down next to Zhang Anping, putting his feet up on the ground. While appearing arrogant, he actually lowered his voice and said to Zhang Anping:
"Commander Zhang, please don't misunderstand. I'm making a scene on purpose. The more I do this, the less likely anyone will suspect that I'm in contact with you."
Zhang Anping retracted his judgment of Luo Qiyong, gazed at the performance on the stage, and said in a low voice:
"Commander Luo is just like the reckless Zhang Fei."
"No, no!"
Zhang Anping cut straight to the point: "Commander Luo, have the Communists contacted you in the past two days?"
"I did look for them, but they were very tight-lipped, and I didn't get any useful information out of them."
"Quite active..." Zhang Anping said quietly, then said coldly, "In that case... then remove it!"
"Commander Luo, next you should spread the word that you support Fu Huabei in negotiating with them, and it would be best to show this stance in front of a large crowd."
"Luring the snake out of its hole? Commander Zhang, what a brilliant plan!" Luo Qiyong exclaimed in admiration.
"In this way, we will surely be able to wipe out the underground party in one fell swoop!"
Zhang Anping stared straight at the stage, but said in a cold, eerie voice:
"It's not just about luring the snake out of its hole, it's also about... testing the waters."
Testing the waters?
Luo Qiyong instantly realized that Zhang Anping wanted to use him to see if Fu Huabei had talked to the other side!
“Since Commander Zhang trusts me, I will naturally not let Commander Zhang down, but…”
An awkward expression appeared on Luo Qiyong's face: "It's just that recently, I... I mean..."
"I know!"
Zhang Anping waved his hand: "After this matter, I will return the money to Commander Luo first, how about that?"
Luo Qiyong cursed Zhang Anping inwardly for being stingy. These were his own belongings, and Zhang was returning them to him as if it were a reward.
However, he had complete confidence in Zhang Anping's character and was not worried that Zhang Anping would break his promise. Although he had not yet gotten his hands on the "fat meat," he was confident that the "fat meat" would eventually come into his pocket.
"Don't worry, Commander Zhang, I, Luo, will handle this perfectly!"
After leaving the theater and getting into the car, Zheng Yi, dressed in her finest attire, pondered for a moment before finally asking Zhang Anping, who was acting as her driver:
"Chief Qu, he... he's that 'chicken,' isn't he?"
Chicken, chicken used to scare others!
Zhang Anping gave Zheng Yi a strange look, then quickly concealed the odd expression on his face before saying:
"Why do you say that?"
"He is not on the record."
In other words, there is absolutely no record of Luo Qiyong being Zhang Anping's "mole"!
Yes, that's him.
Zheng Yi was even more bewildered. He had just added an inspection team to the division-level organization of the Sui Army, which was an act of uniting the Central Army and the Sui Army. But then he carefully selected a chicken—if Luo Qiyong was killed, wouldn't that immediately cause conflict between the Central Army and the Sui Army again?
What exactly is Qu Yuan's intention in manipulating the Central Army and the Suiyuan Army like this?
Despite his growing doubts, Zheng Yi did not ask.
The reason she dared to ask Luo Qiyong was this "chicken" was because Zhang Anping had introduced her to Luo Qiyong, and she knew the boundaries and knew she could ask the question.
But Zhang Anping didn't let her access much of the unseen information, and she wouldn't ask further questions. (End of Chapter)