Chapter 1031
Zheng Yaoquan: I won't fall for that again!
Beiping, airport.
Zheng Yaoquan slowly stepped off the plane. Apart from the colonel who had been killed by Zhang Anping, the people accompanying him were the same ones from six days ago.
But the welcoming scene was completely different from that of six days ago.
All the middle and upper-level officers of the Second Division of the Suppression Headquarters were present, led by Director Yan. Senior officials of the Beiping Party Headquarters of the Party Communications Bureau, high-ranking officials of the Sui Army's intelligence system, and the director of the North China Suppression Headquarters Supervision Office of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics were also present. Core personnel of the Gendarmerie Regiment and the Police Station were also present.
It can be said that, apart from Zhang Anping and the officials of the Beiping Station of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, all the core personnel of the Beiping special, police, and gendarmerie system were present.
As the director of the Second Bureau and the deputy director of the GFB, Zheng Yaoquan should have been immune to such a scene, but when he got off the plane, he still lost his composure and muttered to himself:
"A new year brings new beginnings..."
Zheng Yaoquan certainly had reason to "lose his composure." After all, six days ago, he, as the vice minister, personally went to Beiping, only to be greeted by two junior officers, and even the means of transportation he used was a truck!
But just six days later, everything changed!
His gaze swept across the crowd, sensing the awe in the eyes of these high-ranking police, special agents, and military officials. A reserved smile appeared on Zheng Yaoquan's face. He then walked to the opposite side of the crowd and said politely:
"I am truly flattered that you all took time out of your busy schedules to come and greet me at the airport!"
Was he just being polite?
Do not!
He's protesting!
Six days ago, you ignored me. Six days later, don't think that a simple show of politeness will make all past grievances disappear!
Zheng has a temper too!
The people who came to pick him up were all shrewd; how could they not hear the provocation in Zheng Yaoquan's words?
They could only try to keep a low profile to avoid being affected by the new leader's initial actions—in fact, at this time, these core figures in the police, special agents, and military system all found Zheng Yaoquan's rise to power absurd.
After several upheavals, the intelligence system was finally integrated by Zhang Anping. Now, facing the siege of the Communist army, the priority should be stability. But who could have imagined that the higher-ups would suddenly change the commander with a "divine move"?
The worst thing to do in the midst of battle is to change generals. If you change generals easily at this critical juncture, how long will it take for Zheng Yaoquan to be able to use the entire intelligence system with ease?
Moreover, Zhang Anping has not been completely transferred and is still in Beiping as a deputy. Can Zheng Yaoquan really keep Zhang Anping in check?
Moreover, Zheng Yaoquan had also served as the director of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, but in the end, he was still driven out of the Bureau by Zhang Anping.
In conclusion, while everyone present adopted a humble attitude, the vast majority dared not place any bets in their hearts—in their view, Zhang Anping's dismissal was entirely due to Zheng Yaoquan taking advantage of a loophole and launching a sneak attack on him by using Gu Shenyan's matter.
A sneak attack is not a direct defeat. Their fear of Zhang Anping was far greater than that of the enemy. Therefore, even though Zhang Anping had become their deputy, they still dared not directly pledge allegiance to Zheng Yaoquan.
At this moment, Zheng Yaoquan did not sense the true attitude of these people. He felt extremely pleased with their submission. Fortunately, he was politically astute enough. After the subtle threats and warnings, he shook hands with the heads of the various intelligence agencies one by one.
After the ceremony concluded, Zheng Yaoquan said "Let's go to Yandu Hotel" and then got into his car first. The others then got into their own vehicles, and the massive convoy set off from the airport, heading straight for Yandu Hotel with an air of menace.
His car was a Stypunk, which was extremely prestigious in the eyes of some people, but in Zheng Yaoquan's eyes it was just so-so—but now, sitting in this Stypunk, Zheng Yaoquan felt an indescribable sense of comfort.
Six days ago, I rode a truck, rattling along, from the airport to the Second Division of the Suppression Headquarters to take up my post. As a result, I ran into Zhang Anping at the gate of the Suppression Headquarters. Zhang Anping had specially come to "coincidentally" meet me in a Stipunk truck. The two of us met like a country farmer going to the city and encountering the richest man in the county.
In just six days, this Stypunk became his personal vehicle, and he was determined to storm the Yandu Hotel and take over the Yandu Hotel!
"Deputy Director Zhang, the Yandu Hotel is very well cleaned up!"
Zheng Yaoquan kept rehearsing his expression and actions when he said those words—he wanted to "specially" thank Zhang Anping for providing him with a "very satisfactory" office space.
This is what you call killing someone by destroying their spirit!
Unfortunately, my good mood didn't last long; Director Yan's words made it vanish without a trace.
"Sir, they actually came to see Zhang Anping off."
Zheng Yaoquan was taken aback.
Ok?
Director Yan explained: "Twenty minutes before your plane landed, Zhang Anping 'coincidentally' boarded a plane to Tianjin. Although he didn't make a big fuss about it, strangely enough, we all received news that he was going to inspect Tianjin."
Zheng Yaoquan suddenly felt as disgusted as if he had eaten a fly while eating cake.
So these people just happened to be passing by and picking me up from the airport?
By the way...
Shun...
Zheng Yaoquan, suppressing his nausea, asked, "Is everyone here?"
Director Yan nodded with a gloomy expression.
Zheng Yaoquan was even angrier now—if anyone really intended to side with him, they could have come to the airport to pick him up after Zhang Anping left. With Director Yan as his "informant," he would definitely have seen their attempts to show loyalty and take sides.
But nobody does that!
Undeterred, Zheng Yaoquan asked, "Did the man surnamed Qiao come too?"
The "Qiao" he mentioned refers to Director Qiao of the General Headquarters' Inspection Office, who was nominally the head of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics in North China. He was only nominally in charge because the Pingjin and Beiping stations completely ignored him, and his position as Director of the Inspection Office was entirely nominal.
This person was one of Mao Renfeng's men, and had almost been kicked out of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics by Zhang Anping before. It was after Zheng Yaoquan came to Beiping that he allowed him to attend the meeting under the pretext that Director Qiao was the legally appointed director of the Supervision Office, which was considered to have brought this person back into the circle of power.
I have saved his life, so he can't do anything that would make me misunderstand, can he?
Director Yan's shake of the head was a fatal blow to Zheng Yaoquan.
It was obvious that even though Director Qiao had been mistreated by Zhang Anping, he still sided with Zhang Anping at this crucial moment.
Zheng Yaoquan almost coughed up blood.
That damned Zhang Anping, this is... a blatant slap in the face!
No, this isn't a slap in the face; it's like stomping his face on the ground, scrubbing it repeatedly, and then throwing it into the toilet.
Zheng Yaoquan gritted his teeth: "I'll make sure all these bastards..."
The sound stopped abruptly, and Zheng Yaoquan suddenly realized that Zhang Anping was simply slapping himself in the face.
Do not!
He was deliberately provoking him, deliberately forcing him to take action against these intelligence chiefs, so that these people would unite around Zhang Anping, and Zhang Anping could effectively sideline him as his deputy.
It's the same old story again!
Thinking of this, the anger on Zheng Yaoquan's face suddenly vanished. Director Yan, who was carefully observing his expression, was puzzled - what's wrong with Zheng?
Zheng Yaoquan then sneered at Director Yan, "That scoundrel Zhang Anping is really arrogant!"
"Do you really think I, Zheng, am some kind of fool? You think you can undermine me with such a simple method? Hmph! How naive!"
Director Yan asked with timely doubt:
"Why do you say that, Your Excellency?"
Zheng Yaoquan smiled arrogantly: "He wants to provoke me with this little trick so that I will take tough measures against these powerful spies. He can use this to consolidate his power and sideline me!"
"Just a petty trick!"
Since you want me to make a quick and decisive mistake, then I'm sorry, I have plenty of patience—I'm determined not to let you have your way!
Director Yan suddenly realized and said admiringly, "The Director really has sharp eyes; an ordinary person would surely fall for his scheme."
Zheng Yaoquan waved his hand and said calmly:
"He's just arrogant! Does he really think he can get by with just one trick?"
……
Tianjin Airport. Wu Jingzhong and his core team from the Tianjin Station were waiting at the airport—the waiting group included not only personnel from the Tianjin Station of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, but also members of the Tianjin Party Headquarters of the Party Information Bureau and the Tianjin Garrison Command.
With such a large welcoming party, the airport's management naturally wouldn't be left out. He chatted with Wu Jingzhong and his inner circle of power, and the conversation eventually turned to personnel matters:
"Old Wu, I heard that your Commander Zhang has been transferred to Nanjing?"
Upon hearing this, the others immediately perked up their ears.
Wu Jingzhong didn't hide anything: "Yes, that's true."
The airport official couldn't help but complain: "What was Nanjing thinking? They can't believe they'd do something like changing commanders right before a battle—Commander Zhang was doing a great job, and suddenly he's just a deputy!"
A person with strong selfish desires does not necessarily disrespect a person with a strong sense of public duty—as long as it does not involve one's own interests, people always admire noble qualities.
Zhang Anping's actions after arriving in Beiping were observed by everyone in the North China Suppression Headquarters. A spy who could act as a lubricant between the Central Army and the Sui Army, and who repeatedly disregarded his own interests, was someone who deserved admiration.
Faced with this criticism, Wu Jingzhong smiled wryly:
"So what if he's a deputy? He's always been a deputy in the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics!"
Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback for a moment, and then couldn't help but smile knowingly.
If Wu Jingzhong hadn't reminded them, they would have completely forgotten that Zhang Anping had always been the deputy director of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics.
In fact, Wu Jingzhong saw the situation most clearly—since betting on and siding with Zhang Anping, Zhang Anping had always been the deputy of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics. A deputy is inherently inferior to the head, but what about Zhang Anping, the deputy?
He was born to be superior to Mao Renfeng, who was in his primary job!
Zheng Yaoquan was so stupid as to betray Zhang Anping. Well, you succeeded. Now you've successfully stolen the position of head of the company from Zhang Anping. You think you've stolen the glory of the head of the company?
Is it possible that what you've taken away is the pot? Or one scapegoat after another!
Wu Jingzhong was even secretly speculating about one possibility:
Was Gu Shenyan's mistake really due to Zhang Anping's negligence?
Is it possible that Zhang Anping did this on purpose?
Wu Jingzhong carried a copy of "Blue Star Animal Kingdom" in his arms. Ever since he learned that the real author of the book was Zhang Anping, he had read the complete "Blue Star Animal Kingdom" again and again. Combining the past events, he was filled with admiration and even fear for Zhang Anping's strategic vision and control over people's hearts.
In the latest final volume of [Blue Star Animal Kingdom] (Is the final volume and the last volume the same thing?), Zhang Anping proposes a standoff across the river, accumulating strength before launching a counterattack. Although the timing isn't explicitly stated, the underlying meaning can be sensed between the lines:
The Nationalist government will only have the possibility of launching a counterattack after it has undergone a phoenix-like rebirth!
The clear strategic understanding in "Blue Star Animal Kingdom" is based on the retreat of the North China army to the south - now that the retreat to the south is hopeless, how could Zhang Anping, with such superb strategic vision, not see the fact that Beijing and Tianjin cannot be defended?
Since it was impossible to defend, was the position of head of the North China Suppression Headquarters' intelligence system really attractive to Zhang Anping?
Letting go at this moment was perfectly timed!
Therefore, Wu Jingzhong made this "malicious" speculation—that Zheng Yaoquan, as the deputy, was putting immense pressure on Mao Renfeng, the head of the bureau, while Zheng Yaoquan was already eliminated in the internal power struggle within the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics. Now, he could easily defeat Zhang Anping in six days; perhaps Zhang Anping himself was behind it all!
At that moment, a plane appeared in the sky and began to land. Upon seeing this, Wu Jingzhong couldn't help but mutter to himself:
Whether he released the water or not should be answered soon!
After landing, the plane gradually slowed down on the runway and eventually came to a stop.
After Zhang Anping disembarked with a group of entourage, a crowd of people surrounded him and greeted him one by one according to their rank.
"Commander Zhang, I have come to greet you on the orders of Commander Chen!"
"Director!"
"District Chief!"
"Commander Zhang!"
"teacher!"
Zhang Anping responded calmly to each question, but paused for a moment when faced with the title "teacher".
Most of those who can call him "teacher" on this occasion are students from the first cohort of the Guanwang Temple program, but there are also students from the Qingpu class, though in very small numbers.
The team was led by Yu Zecheng and Zuo Lan, a husband and wife couple. Yu Zecheng is now the deputy stationmaster of Tianjin Station, and Zuo Lan is the head of the general affairs department. The senior Wu Jingzhong has given Yu Zecheng a lot of authority, allowing him to act as the stationmaster in his capacity as deputy stationmaster, so much so that many people jokingly call Tianjin Station a husband-and-wife business.
After meeting with the welcoming personnel one by one, Zhang Anping first apologized to Commander Chen's representative, saying that he would come to the Flood Control Headquarters to apologize immediately after inspecting Tianjin Station. Then he pulled Wu Jingzhong and Yu Zecheng into the car.
Wu Jingzhong, who was once hospitalized due to anger caused by Zhang Anping, is now a typical example of "being easygoing and overweight." Even his well-fitting Zhongshan suit cannot hide his weight gain—which is not actually weight gain, but rather the result of being "fed" fat by Yu Zecheng.
Over the past year, Yu Zecheng has been able to act as station chief in name only because Wu Jingzhong has delegated a great deal of authority to him. And Wu Jingzhong was able to delegate a great deal of authority because Yu Zecheng "fed him meals."
After the situation in the Northeast became unfavorable, this old fox realized that the overall situation was not good. He then used the delegation of power as a bargaining chip to start accumulating wealth.
Many people think they can have it all, but unfortunately, such people, especially under Zhang Anping in the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, almost always face certain death. A prime example is Lu Yaohui, who was personally executed by Zhang Anping.
This person sided with Zhang Anping during the War of Resistance against Japan. Although he was not a direct subordinate, he always strongly supported Zhang Anping, especially after Dai Chunfeng's death, when he sided with Zhang Anping without hesitation.
But because of corruption, he was personally executed by Zhang Anping!
On the contrary, although Wu Jingzhong was tempted by the anti-corruption campaign, he did not cross the line. However, after the situation in the Northeast became unfavorable, he assessed the situation and began to amass wealth at the cost of delegating power.
It was this strategy of retreating to advance that prevented Zhang Anping from striking him with his knife.
And that's why he's not guilty in front of Zhang Anping now.
"Old Wu, that's settled," Zhang Anping said, getting straight to the point after starting the car.
"How's the infiltration mission at Tianjin Station going?"
Upon hearing this, Wu Jingzhong sighed inwardly, "As expected, I guessed right!"
Zhang Anping's concern about the deployment of the hidden force clearly indicates that he believes Tianjin cannot be defended.
If Tianjin cannot be held, Beiping will surely fall next!
He couldn't help but look towards the unseen sea in the distance. He feared that all the water in the sea was what Zhang Anping had released for Zheng Yaoquan this time!
Seeing that Wu Jingzhong did not intend to answer, Yu Zecheng had no choice but to answer himself: "It is in the preparation stage."
Zhang Anping frowned: "Still in the preparation stage?"
Didn't I call you before?
Yu Zecheng forced himself to say, "I believe that Tianjin and Beiping form a strategic triangle, and the Communist army will not be able to take them easily."
Zhang Anping said angrily, "Beijing may still be able to hold out, but with Xinbao'an and Zhangjiakou falling, Tianjin and Tanggu will inevitably be the Communist army's next targets. Tanggu is by the sea and has a way to retreat, but Tianjin does not!"
"If the Communists attack Tianjin, how many days can the Tianjin Defense Headquarters hold out? Ten days? Half a month?"
Faced with Zhang Anping's questioning, Yu Zecheng bowed his head and said, "This student knows his mistake."
He was deliberately stalling for time.
After Zhang Anping's "Hidden Edge" plan was issued to Tianjin Station, Yu Zecheng was shocked by Zhang Anping's multiple betrayal schemes.
Most importantly, as the actual person in charge of Tianjin Station, although he was responsible for implementing the Hidden Edge Plan at Tianjin Station, he suspected that he only had a 30% grasp of the real core personnel list at most. Among the first wave of betrayals, there were a large number of real "Hidden Edge" personnel, but he could only confirm a dozen or so people.
Therefore, he was unwilling to carry it out and kept delaying it.
Faced with Yu Zecheng's "acknowledgment of wrongdoing," Zhang Anping glared at him fiercely, then said to Wu Jingzhong with annoyance:
"Old Wu, you're a veteran now, so don't hold back at crucial moments! Zecheng is still young after all, and his thinking isn't always thorough. You need to take charge of the execution of the Concealing Strength Plan!"
Wu Jingzhong outwardly responded cautiously, but inwardly he was secretly groaning:
This is a mess... (End of Chapter)