Chapter 1054
Convergence at Xikou
Faced with Mao Renfeng's sudden display of mercenary behavior, Zheng Yaoquan felt reassured.
Because if Mao Renfeng isn't confident, any conditions he proposes will be useless!
"Director Mao, what do you want?"
After a leisurely smile, Mao Renfeng slowly began to state his conditions.
With each word he spoke, Zheng Yaoquan's lips twitched.
Mao Renfeng was even more blunt, rattling off a full eight conditions in one go.
As Mao Renfeng had predicted, Zheng Yaoquan's face was pitch black, as black as ink.
How ruthless was Mao Renfeng?
The Second Department provides a special fund each month for joint investigations with the Bureau of Secrecy. This is called joint investigation under the model where the Second Department provides the funds and the Bureau of Secrecy provides the personnel.
This is called toll money!
The Second Department and the Bureau of Secrecy exchanged key personnel—the Bureau of Secrecy did not provide personnel, but the personnel from the Second Department came to the Bureau of Secrecy and worked under the Bureau of Secrecy’s identity. Is this what is meant by key personnel?
This is called working for free!
When it comes to matters involving officers at the regimental level or above who are comrades-in-arms, the Second Bureau and the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics jointly investigate the case—the Second Bureau provides clues and manpower, while the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics is responsible for guidance and command!
Is this what you call guidance?
That's called stealing credit!
The above measures are not the most severe. The most severe measure is the staffing system. Although intelligence agencies are expanding, only those with proper staffing can receive funding from above. The Second Bureau is required to provide the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics with no less than 500 formal staffing positions!
The conditions proposed by Mao Renfeng were clearly a butcher's knife with a blood groove; every stab into Er Ting would cause him to bleed continuously.
After stating these conditions, Mao Renfeng looked at Zheng Yaoquan with a smile, as if to say, "You can refuse at any time."
But would Zheng Yaoquan dare to refuse? Could he refuse?
The most crucial point is that these conditions will only be effective and make him feel the pinch if he continues to lead the Second Department. If he doesn't lead the Second Department, these conditions are none of his business!
"I agree!"
Zheng Yaoquan gritted his teeth: "Director Mao, I hope the move you make from the broken point will live up to the conditions you set!"
"Otherwise, it's nothing but a mirage, a reflection in the water!"
Mao Renfeng laughed heartily, feeling incredibly refreshed, as if he had drunk a large glass of ice water on a sweltering summer day.
Expanding territory, this is the real expansion of territory!
The sheer amount of money he'd extracted from the Second Department was enough to make everyone in the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics kneel before him, the director!
Zhang Anping's ability is simply due to his connection with the God of Wealth.
Mao Renfeng is now expanding his territory, and his methods are no less than Zhang Anping's!
"Mao's brilliant move, turning a seemingly hopeless situation into a victory, certainly justifies Vice Minister Zheng's efforts—"
After Mao Renfeng finished speaking with great confidence, he began to recount his "turning adversity into opportunity" strategy:
"Vice Minister Zheng, given the current situation in Nanjing, our two families are like thorns in the side of Li Dai, the Grand Chamberlain!"
Zheng Yaoquan frowned. "I asked you to talk about Feng Sheng Chess, and you're giving me this useless nonsense?"
He patiently continued listening.
"The most important thing is to protect oneself under the urging of Li Dai's chief attendant, Fa Li—what does Vice Minister Zheng think about retiring while one is still at the peak of one's career?"
Zheng Yaoquan looked at Mao Renfeng with a gloomy face. "Are you kidding me?"
Mao Renfeng said this deliberately to "tease" Zheng Yaoquan, and only then did he slowly reveal the secret:
"If the Attendant's Office can use legal arguments to undermine our authority, then why don't we just withdraw from Nanjing?"
"Chief Li requests the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics and the Second Department; fine!"
“Just leave him an empty shell to take over! Apart from the people in charge of dealing with him, all the other personnel in the Security Bureau and the Second Bureau should be moved from the open to the covert. What does Vice Minister Zheng think?”
The darkness on Zheng Yaoquan's face had long since faded, and he was now fully focused on thinking about Mao Renfeng's plan.
Doing this doesn't seem to help protect yourself on the surface, but that's only on the surface!
The shift from overt to covert operations serves several purposes: first, it directly eliminates the Li faction's control; second, it strengthens the individual's control over the Second Department; and third, and most importantly, it forces the Chief Attendant to weigh the pros and cons before attempting to remove the individual.
Of course, the most important point is that doing so can greatly demonstrate loyalty!
The chief attendant values loyalty above all else.
[By doing this, he won't be held accountable for what happened in Beiping!]
Zheng Yaoquan was overjoyed. A new move could be made from a broken piece! A new move could be made from a broken piece!
This move turned his seemingly hopeless situation around.
But after the initial surprise, his heart was bleeding profusely.
That damned Mao Renfeng managed to extract so much profit from the Second Department.
How hateful! How hateful!
He was tempted to break his promise, but when he saw Mao Renfeng's ambiguous smile, his thoughts of breaking his promise immediately vanished.
Given the current situation, his priority must be securing his position. If he breaks his promise, he will inevitably face a fierce backlash from Mao Renfeng, which will lead to unexpected complications.
It might even lead to losing more than you gain.
Thinking of this, the regret on Zheng Yaoquan's face faded, and he said in a deep voice:
"Director Mao, Zheng...is completely convinced!"
"How about we go see Attendant Zhuang tomorrow, and then go to Xikou together to meet the Chief Attendant?"
Mao Renfeng nodded slightly: "Of course!"
……
airport.
The airport was quiet at night.
A truck with its headlights flashing drove into the airport, and the guards' expressions suddenly changed after checking the documents:
"Good day, Commander Zheng!"
In the truck's passenger seat, a veteran in a sergeant's uniform said with considerable authority, "Take me to see your superior—don't make a sound!"
The guard was stunned, thinking to himself, "What a coincidence!"
Why are all the important figures suddenly launching "ambush" attacks in pairs?
He summoned his companions:
"Take them to see Commander Wang."
The companion, unaware of the person inside the car's identity, asked in confusion:
"Huh? Didn't Old Qi just take some men there?"
"Stop talking nonsense—just go when I tell you to!"
Inside the truck, Zheng Yaoquan, dressed as a sergeant, had a bad feeling. He asked in a low voice, "What's going on? Did someone else just want to see your supervisor?"
The guard who was summoned spoke his mind:
"Yes, just ten minutes ago, it was also a truck."
Zheng Yaoquan's vision went black:
"Mao! Ren! Feng!"
Sure enough, on the runway, Zheng Yaoquan blocked a plane that was warming up. After he entered the cabin, a familiar figure was looking at him with a dry smile.
"Deputy Minister Zheng, what a coincidence!"
Mao Renfeng!
Mao Renfeng, who had promised to meet with Attendant Zhuang at Feixikou tomorrow!
Zheng Yaoquan responded with the same words, albeit with a forced smile:
"Director Mao, what a coincidence!"
……
Nanjing.
Morning. Attendant Zhuang did not wake up naturally, but was woken up by his subordinates.
"Director Zhuang, a call from Xikou—the Director of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, Mao Renfeng, and the Deputy Director of the Second Department, Zheng, have arrived in Xikou together and are waiting for the Chief of Staff to summon them."
This news left Attendant Zhuang completely baffled.
Wait, why did Mao Renfeng and Zheng Yaoquan end up in Xikou?
It's not that they can't go, but that if they're going, they should go with me—and it was precisely because of this absurdity that my colleagues in Xikou sent a telegram.
What's going on?
At first, Attendant Zhuang was puzzled, but then he was suddenly startled.
Damn, Mao Renfeng and Zheng Yaoquan went to Xikou together, are they trying to screw themselves over?
Because his attitude of favoring Zhang Anping was too obvious?
Attendant Zhuang immediately tensed up. He knew that as an attendant, losing his objective stance was a major taboo. Some things are insignificant on the scale, but become extremely important once weighed!
Should we return to Xikou immediately?
Attendant Zhuang nearly lost his mind, but fortunately, he was experienced and knowledgeable, and at the critical moment, he calmed himself down and, after much deliberation, decided to approach the matter from two angles.
First, immediately contact Commanders Li and Shi, and form a team with these high-ranking officials returning from Beiping to prepare for their return to Xikou.
Second, mention Zhang Anping!
He wanted to take Zhang Anping with him to Xikou.
Regardless of whether Mao Renfeng and Zheng Yaoquan went to Xikou to file a complaint, I will go back to Xikou with Zhang Anping. That way, I can be sure of everything!
……
Generals like Li and Shi naturally had no objection to Zhuang's "invitation"—the most important thing for them upon returning from Beiping was to meet with the chief attendant so that he could give them a final verdict.
However, they encountered some trouble when they mentioned Zhang Anping.
Attendant Zhuang went to Outpost No. 3, but Outpost No. 3 refused to release him!
The people at Outpost Three weren't unreasonable either; their demands were simple:
Attendant Zhuang, you are a big shot, while we are just a bunch of ants. But there is Director Mao in between us. Without Director Mao's order, how can you expect us to release the people?
But how could Zhuang's attendant possibly wait to get the warrant from Mao Renfeng?
That damned Mao Renfeng is about to shove something up his ass, how can he wait?
So, Attendant Zhuang contacted Commanders Li and Shi again, subtly asking them for help.
Li and Shi were not political novices; they knew that Attendant Zhuang was using them as scapegoats. However, Attendant Zhuang's favor was still extremely valuable, and he was a legitimate close advisor to the emperor. After a brief discussion, the two transferred troops from the Nanjing Garrison Command and headed directly for Outpost No. 3.
……
Outpost No. 3
Zhang Anping chuckled as he looked at the intelligence report.
The scene that Mao Renfeng and Zheng Yaoquan put on at the airport was truly a "surprise"—it's hard to say whether the two are "brothers in arms" or just birds of a feather!
It's absolutely hilarious!
After destroying this interesting piece of information, Zhang Anping glanced at the glaringly conspicuous cornbread on the table, his eyes full of mischief.
[Old Zhuang, who let me off the hook, is probably going crazy with worry right now!]
He came to Outpost Three to take me away, probably wanting to take me to Xikou to "prove himself"—now that Outpost Three has turned him away, he won't give up, given his personality, he'll probably try to find Old Li and Old Shi to take the blame...
Thinking of this, a smile spread across Zhang Anping's face.
Almost no one knows that their real secret to making a fortune is... a self-inflicted injury!
The real show is about to begin!
Time passed slowly, and soon the noise outside could be heard. Hearing the booming footsteps and the sound of machine guns cocking, Zhang Anping immediately suppressed his smile, then grabbed a cornbread from the table and took a big bite.
A few minutes later, soldiers burst through the door. As the soldiers poured in, Commanders Li and Shi, along with Zhuang's attendant, stepped into the room where Zhang Anping was being held under house arrest, all under the watchful eyes of the crowd. Then, the three of them froze on the spot.
What did they see?
The notorious spy Zhang Shih-hao and Zhang An-ping, the deputy director of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, were at this moment gnawing on a cornbread that looked extremely hard—less than a quarter of the small cornbread remained, and his hands were covered with crumbs...
As for Zhang Anping's condition, it was even worse. Not to mention his unshaven beard and other features, his thin appearance alone made the three of them want to spit fire.
Commanders Li and Shi last saw Zhang Anping six days ago in the conference room of the North China Suppression Headquarters. At that time, Zhang Anping had been under house arrest by Fu Huabei for nearly a week, but he was only listless.
And now?
He's gotten so thin!
Just six days!
The last time Attendant Zhuang saw Zhang Anping was five days ago—at that time, Zhang Anping was full of anger, but if he could throw such a tantrum, how bad could his mental state be?
As for her physique, it's even more impossible for her to be this thin.
Faced with the three people who suddenly entered, Zhang Anping froze for a few seconds before hurriedly clutching the small half of the steamed bun. Because of the large movement, crumbs fell from his hand, and he instinctively tried to catch them with his other hand. However, he realized his mistake halfway through and pulled his hand back.
After this embarrassing situation, Zhang Anping actually laughed calmly:
"Haha, you three are too kind..."
Commander Shi felt a lump in his throat—the Zhang Anping he remembered had fallen into such dire straits in just six days!
He stepped forward, but was blocked by the iron fence. He kicked the fence in frustration, but only heard a clanging sound.
Commander Shi roared angrily, "Open the door!"
Several soldiers then stepped forward, wielding hammers to smash open the iron lock. Ignoring the pungent stench inside, Commander Shi crawled into the fence and carefully examined Zhang Anping's condition, his anger growing stronger.
There is a line in "On Horses":
To be disgraced by the hands of slaves!
What we're seeing right now is a real-life version of that statement!
Someone like Zhang Anping is someone you could kill, so why... treat him with such humiliation!
At this moment, Zhang Anping said in a dry, self-deprecating tone:
"I've been enjoying life all these years and can't handle any hardship. After having diarrhea for a few days, I'm in this state."
Did you just suffer a little?
The three men already harbored prejudices against spies. Zhang Anping claimed it had been going on for several days, but they instinctively filled in a false "fact" in their minds:
Someone tampered with Zhang Anping's cornbread, deliberately causing him to have diarrhea.
Such a simple trick doesn't even require poisoning!
Commander Shi looked at the cornbread that Zhang Anping was still hiding, his eyes reddening, and said:
"Brother Anping, let's go! Let's go now!"
After saying that, he turned to look at Commander Li, who was panting heavily, and said, "Call a doctor!"
"I said! Call the doctor!"
He's taking his anger out on Commander Li.
Commander Shi had previously wanted to visit Zhang Anping, but Commander Li stopped him. In Commander Li's words:
Nanjing is not like Beiping. Anping has a special status, so it is not appropriate for us to have too much close contact with him on the surface.
But now Commander Li regrets it—if he had known that Zhang Anping had suffered like this these past few days, he would have damned not been a good friend!
“I’m not that dramatic—” Zhang Anping interrupted, then asked doubtfully:
"What are you three up to?"
At this moment, Attendant Zhuang had recovered from his negative emotions. Facing Zhang Anping's question, he composed himself and calmly replied:
"Deputy Director Zhang, come with us to Xikou to see the Chief Attendant! Let's go now!"
Commander Shi glared angrily at Attendant Zhuang and said without room for argument, "Go to the hospital first!"
Attendant Zhuang shook his head and repeated, "Go to Xikou! Now!"
Seeing that Commander Shi was about to lose his temper, Commander Li spoke first:
"Brother Jingcheng! We're going to Xikou right now—Brother Anping, please make do with us for a moment and come with us to Xikou!"
Commander Shi only realized it at this moment:
Zhang Anping's current state is perfect for playing the victim in Xikou! A rare opportunity!
But his first reaction was to look at Zhang Anping and see what Zhang Anping would do.
After a slight hesitation, Zhang Anping said:
"Alright, let's go to Xikou first!" (End of Chapter)