Chapter 1051
Zhang Anping's Complaints Li Shizhangjing
Zhang Anping, who is reflecting on himself, realizes that his biggest problem is that he has added too many buffs to himself.
Officials in the Party-state all have "weaknesses," with their most typical characteristics being a lust for power, lust for women, and lust for wealth.
But what about him?
The only thing that could be associated with it was power, but the title of a loyal subject of the party and the state could make the word "power" disappear far away.
Although the chief attendant did indeed abandon him at a crucial moment, Zhang Anping's loyalty, which he repeatedly earned, was not unfounded.
Although these things are invisible to the naked eye, once you are an opponent of Zhang Anping, a careful investigation will reveal that this accumulated, invisible and intangible loyalty is enough to make people tremble with fear.
This is also the core reason why Tang Zong, Ye Xiufeng, Zheng Yaoquan, and Mao Renfeng, these four veteran spies, have to join forces from time to time.
Zhang Anping's health bar is just too thick.
As a deputy in the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, he repeatedly suffocated the official director and the heads of other intelligence agencies, causing his opponents to occasionally make a foolish move after suffering repeated blows...
It doesn't seem that hard to understand!
Thinking about this, Zhang Anping muttered to himself, "Looks like I should make a foolish move too!"
Just as he was considering how to make a foolish move, footsteps came from outside the courtyard.
Lao Zhuang and Mao Renfeng?
Zhang Anping was surprised to hear Zhuang Shizhong's footsteps—as the chief attendant's attendant, shouldn't Old Zhuang be in Xikou at this time?
Why did he appear...?
Damn it, you idiot Mao Renfeng, did you betray Zheng Yaoquan behind his back?!
Zhang Anping immediately guessed the reason—Mao Renfeng and Zheng Yaoquan had joined forces, most likely because they were still thinking about the past when Zheng Yaoquan had tricked them, so they turned to the chief attendant to express their loyalty.
Thankfully, at least I didn't foolishly go and pledge allegiance to the Chief Attendant of the Li Dynasty...
As he pondered, the door opened, and Attendant Zhuang and Mao Renfeng entered, accompanied by several secret agents.
Mao Renfeng immediately noticed the unlocked fence. A flash of ruthlessness crossed her eyes, but she spoke gently afterward:
“Anping, don’t blame me—the review is just part of the bureau’s procedure. I was afraid you would misunderstand, so I specially asked Attendant Zhuang to preside over the review.”
Zhang Anping glanced disdainfully at the gentle Mao Renfeng, then got up and walked towards the fence:
"Attendant Zhuang, it's been a long time."
Attendant Zhuang scrutinized Zhang Anping—in his memory, Zhang Anping had always been spirited and energetic, but at this moment, Zhang Anping looked unusually haggard, with bloodshot eyes, clearly due to not having rested for a long time.
Glancing at the messy newspapers on the table, Attendant Zhuang slowly began to speak:
"What exactly happened in Beiping?"
At this moment, Mao Renfeng gestured to the agents to bring a chair for Zhuang's attendant to sit on, but Zhuang's attendant waved his hand and chose to talk to Zhang Anping, who was also standing, while standing.
"what happened?"
Zhang Anping suddenly laughed:
"Attendant Zhuang, you're asking a question you already know the answer to! I bet Fu Huabei has already sent telegrams all over the country by now!"
Attendant Zhuang remained silent. You guessed right.
Why did you come back?
Zhang Anping retorted, "Shouldn't I die in Beiping?"
Attendant Zhuang sensed the deep resentment in Zhang Anping's words and frowned, saying:
That's not what I meant!
"He needed the generals of the Central Army to temporarily stabilize the morale of the troops and to arrange for people to cooperate with his surrender, so he made a promise: those who were willing to leave could be let go directly."
Zhang Anping laughed self-deprecatingly at this point:
"I am merely the sincerity he chose, it's that simple."
Attendant Zhuang suddenly realized, "So that's why."
Seeing that Attendant Zhuang suddenly realized something, Mao Renfeng spoke up at the opportune moment:
“Anping, what exactly is going on in Beiping? Tens of thousands of agents are stationed in Beiping, yet they haven’t found a single trace of Fu Huabei’s collusion with the Communists? His negotiations with them couldn’t have been completed overnight—why hasn’t there been a single piece of news in all this time?”
Mao Renfeng's words echoed the doubts in Zhuang Shicong's mind.
There was a unified understanding within the Nationalist government:
Even if Fu Huabei were to negotiate with them, he wouldn't easily switch sides; there would definitely be back-and-forth maneuvering.
As a result, just a few days after Tianjin fell, Fu Huabei was completely demoted, and the demotion was swift and decisive.
This was completely beyond the imagination of the Nationalist government.
The core issue here is that the intelligence agencies have consistently failed to provide accurate and detailed intelligence!
Faced with Mao Renfeng's question, Zhang Anping burst into laughter again, but his laughter was filled with a sense of sorrow.
After the laughter abruptly stopped, Zhang Anping immediately started cursing:
"Hey Mao, stop pretending with me!"
"If it weren't for your and Zheng Yaoquan's selfish interests, would things have come to this? Now you're trying to act all high and mighty, like a pig with a scallion stuck in its nose?"
"roll!"
Mao Renfeng's face suddenly flushed red, and her eyes widened.
He didn't expect Zhang Anping to be so unreserved in his speech—we're all high-ranking cadres of the Party and the State, how could you be so vulgar?
Attendant Zhuang frowned and said, "Zhang Anping, watch your words!"
"words?"
Zhang Anping, his eyes bloodshot and teeth clenched, said, "If I didn't still know I was a party-state official, what I should be doing right now is to tear those two bastards, Mao Renfeng and Zheng Yaoquan, to pieces!"
Mao Renfeng recalled something that happened twelve years ago and suddenly couldn't help but shiver.
He was just angry at Zhang Anping for being vulgar, but thinking back to twelve years ago—this guy was just a major, yet he dared to compile an assassination list. Compared to back then, Zhang Anping now is really… infinitely milder!
Attendant Zhuang hadn't expected Zhang Anping to be so resentful. Watching Zhang Anping huff and puff like an old ox, he patiently waited for Zhang Anping to calm down.
Zhang Anping slammed his fist against the fence one last time. The physical pain helped him regain his composure before he spoke again:
“Attendant Zhuang, after I went to Beiping, I finally managed to integrate the intelligence system and extend my reach into the Sui Army—and then, a big shot fell from above!”
"They immediately used their cannon to destroy the pieces I had deliberately set up—and then they turned around and pinned the blame on me!"
Attendant Zhuang was stunned. He understood that the so-called "master" referred to Zheng Yaoquan, but what about the execution by cannon?
"Explain yourself!"
Zhang Anping said bitterly:
"Luo Qiyong, deputy division commander of the Sui Army, is a pawn I secretly turned to defect. He is spreading the rhetoric of defecting to the Communists everywhere on my orders. I want to use him to understand the actual situation inside the Sui Army and to judge Fu Huabei's intentions by whether Fu Huabei will give him an important position."
"The results of it?"
"After Zheng Yaoquan came to Beiping, the first thing he did was blow up Luo Qiyong! He blew him up with a mortar! And then he tried to pin the blame on me!"
Attendant Zhuang was stunned by Zhang Anping's words, and Mao Renfeng, who was standing to the side, was also shocked. Luo Qiyong was actually Zhang Anping's man?!
Zhang Anping continued angrily:
"The Northeast Communist Army deceived the North China Suppression Headquarters' air force reconnaissance from the sky, and the reconnaissance squadron directly under the Suppression Headquarters also defected at this time—I captured Yan Wu, the director of the Second Division in charge of intelligence."
"As a result, the second thing Zheng Yaoquan did upon arriving in Beiping was to release Yan Wu."
"Great placement! Brilliant placement!"
"Zheng Yaoquan thought Beiping couldn't be defended, so he ran away with his tail between his legs—and then he turned around and set me up with this bastard!"
Zhang Anping angrily pointed at Mao Renfeng, but Mao Renfeng was short of breath—he knew what Zhang Anping was about to say!
"Fine, let them set me up, but is Zheng Yaoquan blind? He actually went through Yan Wu to set me up!"
"Well done! Brilliantly done!"
Zhang Anping repeated this sentence, which sounded like a "praise," but his clenched teeth and furious, vengeful expression clearly showed that he hated it to the extreme.
Attendant Zhuang asked uncertainly, "Yan Wu...is there a problem?"
"He's a Communist!" Zhang Anping roared. "He had Zheng Yaoquan's secret telegram, yet he pinned the assassination attempt on me—what the hell am I? A scapegoat!"
“Fu Huabei placed me under house arrest until he surrendered—Attendant Zhuang, put your hand on your heart and tell me, what could I do? What could I do!”
Zhang Anping, his eyes red, angrily shook the iron fence.
Attendant Zhuang remained silent. If this was the truth, then Zhang Anping…
That would be such a misunderstanding!
At this moment, Zhang Anping adopted a venting attitude, saying everything he had to say, and angrily pointed at Mao Renfeng again: "And him—" "He bypassed me and gave orders to the deputy director of the Beiping Station's operations department, while still holding the titles of adjutant and director!"
What can I do? What else can I do?
Mao Renfeng angrily said:
"The act of 'striking the mountain to scare the tiger' was an order from above!"
"Pah!" Zhang Anping unexpectedly spat in Mao Renfeng's face.
"Screw this intimidation tactic! This is clearly an attempt to make the Sui Army disloyal enough!"
Mao Renfeng ignored the spit and remained silent, but he was secretly overjoyed—Zhang Anping's words were satisfying, and he was "satisfied" listening to them as well.
Because Zhang Anping's overwhelming resentment all pointed to a "mastermind behind the scenes":
Chief Attendant!
Zheng Yaoquan's trip to Beiping was the decision of his chief attendant;
The decision to "make an example of someone" was also made by the chief attendant!
Zhang Anping wasn't incapable of bringing up these issues, but the most basic tactic for a politician is to avoid mentioning those in power—to bring up these issues, he had to avoid the chief aide and could only target Zheng Yaoquan.
But what about Zhang Anping?
Although there was no open resentment towards the chief attendant, these words were clearly directed at him, both openly and subtly—especially in front of Attendant Zhuang!
Do you really think that because Attendant Zhuang had a good relationship with your dead uncle in the past, he would hide your grievances against the head attendant?
Innocent!
After Zhang Anping started ranting, Attendant Zhuang deliberately darkened his face slightly, clearly trying to remind Zhang Anping to watch his words. But Zhang Anping continued his tirade with unrestrained rage.
If Mao Renfeng weren't here, he could have interrupted, but now he could only let Zhang Anping vent his anger.
Seeing that Zhang Anping had finally finished speaking, Attendant Zhuang composed himself and said:
“The Chief Attendant-in-Chief, Li, personally wrote the order—the investigation into you can now end.”
This is the last chance that Attendant Zhuang is giving Zhang Anping!
Previously, when faced with the order from Li Dai, the chief attendant, Mao Renfeng did not hesitate to say that it was against the rules. What about Zhang Anping now?
Zhang Anping naturally understood what Attendant Zhuang meant. The best way to deal with the ladder offered by Attendant Zhuang was to refuse it directly, while also indicating that he was a guilty man and awaiting the Attendant's decision.
With that said, all previous complaints could be completely wiped away—this was the greatest kindness from Attendant Zhuang!
But can Zhang Anping accept the offer?
He has to make a terrible move!
Without making any blunders, based on his accusations alone, Zheng Yaoquan and Mao Renfeng are in serious trouble.
Therefore, Zhang Anping snorted:
"There are still some sensible people out there!"
A hint of joy involuntarily appeared on Mao Renfeng's face—Mao Renfeng was furious at Zhuang Shizhong's act of handing him the ladder earlier, and he had even started thinking about how to complain about Zhuang Shizhong, but he never expected that Zhang Anping would actually…
He actually said, "There are still some sensible people out there!"
A windfall!
What a windfall!
Attendant Zhuang's eyes narrowed sharply; he hadn't expected Zhang Anping to utter such absurd words!
"Zhang Anping! How dare you!"
After shouting angrily, Attendant Zhuang pointed to the unlocked fence and said coldly:
"Director Mao, an investigation should look like an investigation—is this an investigation?"
After saying this, Attendant Zhuang turned and left.
Mao Renfeng glanced at Zhang Anping with a mischievous look in his eyes.
Zhang Anping made a gesture as if he was about to spit out thick phlegm, which startled Mao Renfeng so much that she quickly jumped away.
"The Party-state has been destroyed by scoundrels like you!"
Zhang Anping angrily rebuked him, but Mao Renfeng ignored him, turned and left the house, then called to the guarding agent and said in a low voice:
"Attendant Zhuang asked me, 'Is this what an investigation looks like?'"
What...do you think?
The spy was terrified and hurriedly admitted his mistake.
Mao Renfeng then said:
"He is, after all, the deputy director of my Security Bureau; don't treat him harshly—"
"I notice that Deputy Director Zhang has a lot of phlegm. Have you not been paying attention to the food?"
The spy felt even more uneasy—he wasn't stupid, so how could he not understand that Mao Renfeng's words were ironic?
Entering the room with trepidation, the agent cautiously addressed Zhang Anping behind bars:
"Commander Zhang, it's not that I want to make things difficult for you, it's just... it's really unavoidable, please forgive me, Commander Zhang."
Zhang Anping gave the other person a cold look, but didn't say anything.
Seeing that Zhang Anping ignored him, the agent almost burst into tears. He steeled himself, stepped forward, locked the fence, and after taking a few steps back, cautiously said again:
"Commander Zhang, Director Mao asked me to prepare some light meals for you. I apologize for my insolence."
Zhang Anping remained silent until the agents left, after which he couldn't help but chuckle.
Old Mao, Old Mao, your vision is a bit... small!
……
Attendant Zhuang could understand Zhang Anping's anger and resentment.
However, as the chief attendant's attendant, and with Mao Renfeng as a "witness," he could not openly favor Zhang Anping.
But he felt guilty about filing a complaint against him.
He had a very good relationship with Dai Chunfeng. After Dai Chunfeng's death, Zhang Anping devoted himself to protecting Dai Chunfeng's "cause". He really didn't want such a pure-hearted person as Zhang Anping to be completely abandoned by the chief attendant.
Therefore, after this round of investigation, he did not return to Xikou directly, but instead used the pretext of investigation to delay the process.
Attendant Zhuang knew that Mao Renfeng was petty and could indeed swallow his pride, but how could the petty-minded Mao Renfeng really not care about such humiliation?
Therefore, Mao Renfeng will definitely take down Zhang Anping next.
Zhuang's plan was to have Mao Renfeng deform Zhang Anping and then find a way to make Zhang Anping appear in front of the chief attendant. At that time, even if he had a "crooked mouth", the chief attendant might soften his heart when facing the haggard and deformed Zhang Anping and give up on holding this "little guy" accountable.
This was the only thing he could do to help.
What Zhuang Shizhong didn't expect was that the very next day, several planes flew from Beiping to Nanjing!
Commanders Li and Shi, along with several army commanders and division commanders, returned from Beiping together!
Not all the army commanders and division commanders returned—if Zhang Anping were at the airport, he could easily identify who hadn't come back!
"Godson!"
That's right, it's the "Godson Alliance".
None of the "adopted sons" alliance that Zheng Yaoquan had built in Beiping returned to Beijing.
……
airport.
After disembarking from the plane, Li Shi and the others, facing the people who came to greet them, said uneasily:
"Commander Gu, I, Li, am a criminal... I am filled with trepidation!"
"Brother Zuobin, you flatter me—this defeat was not a failure of the war effort! The fact that Brother Zuobin and the others were able to return to Beijing shows their unwavering loyalty to the Party and the country!"
Faced with this reassurance, Li Shi and the others finally felt relieved.
Commander Shi glanced at the crowd and saw Mao Renfeng, Zheng Yaoquan, and Attendant Zhuang from the entourage, but he didn't see Zhang Anping. He couldn't help but ask in surprise:
Where is Deputy Director Zhang?
Commander Gu was puzzled. Commander Shi was such an arrogant person, why was he now concerned about a spy chief? He then looked at Mao Renfeng.
Mao Renfeng forced a smile and said:
"As is customary, Deputy Director Zhang is currently under investigation."
"Inspection?" Commander Shi found it utterly absurd.
"If even Deputy Director Zhang has to be investigated, then what about us criminals? Wouldn't we be... executed?" (End of Chapter)