Chapter 52: Meeting President Chiang

"What evidence do you have to prove that what you are saying is the truth?" Given the gravity of the matter, Song Yingge needed to verify everything thoroughly before making a report.

"Once Liu Guoquan was turned, regulations prohibited him from contacting me. However, if you keep a close eye on him, you will undoubtedly find evidence." Liang Xue was not foolish enough to fabricate intelligence merely to stall for time; such an action would be entirely pointless.

After hesitating for a moment, Song Yingge decided to report the matter to Dai Li first.

"Are you saying that Liu Guoquan of the Logistics Department is highly likely to be collaborating with the Japanese?"

Upon hearing Song Yingge's report, Dai Li was somewhat indecisive. "Do you know who stands behind Liu Guoquan?"

"Your subordinate does not know. Please enlighten me, Director."

"Gu Rong," Dai Li said with a grave tone.

Song Yingge naturally knew who Gu Rong was.

A graduate of the sixth infantry cohort of the Baoding Military Academy, a Whampoa instructor, a full general of the second class, a loyal hound of Generalissimo Chiang, and a bona fide heavyweight within military circles.

Before such a figure, even Dai Li—a dropout from the sixth Whampoa cohort—could only stand while speaking.

"What is the relationship between Liu Guoquan and Gu Rong?" Song Yingge asked.

"He is Gu Rong's brother-in-law, a good-for-nothing playboy who leveraged Gu Rong's connections to secure a post in the Logistics Department." Dai Li had met Liu Guoquan a few times and held a very poor impression of him.

"Then are we simply not going to arrest this man?" Song Yingge felt a surge of indignation in his heart.

"Not long ago, Gu Rong was entrusted with a major mission by the Chairman and dispatched to Chang'an. At a juncture like this, moving against his brother-in-law would likely shake military morale."

A mere Liu Guoquan was not worth offending Gu Rong over, let alone risking the stability of military morale. Dai Li was not one to suffer such a net loss; he never engaged in unprofitable ventures.

A cold smile crossed Song Yingge's mind. Imperial relatives and high-ranking dignitaries were indeed judged by a different standard than commoners.

"First, secure the evidence. In a few days, I will report this matter to the Chairman. No doubt Liu Guoquan will escape the death penalty, but he will not escape punishment entirely," Dai Li instructed.

"Understood, sir. Your subordinate obeys," Song Yingge replied with a stern face.

Dai Li sensed the shift in Song Yingge's mood. "Yingge, you must learn to look at the broader picture and not fixate on gains and losses in a single corner."

While those words sounded lofty and dignified, would the Party-State really collapse simply from executing a traitor?

"Thank you for your guidance, Director. Your subordinate will certainly study diligently," Song Yingge said, putting on an air of acknowledging his mistake.

Returning to the office of the Fourth Intelligence Group, Song Yingge's anger had not subsided; the more he thought about it, the angrier he became.

"No! This Liu Guoquan—I must kill him. Otherwise, this lingering resentment will shorten my life by ten years."

As Song Yingge sipped his tea, a plan slowly took shape in his mind. "If heaven will not claim you, I will."

That evening, after washing up and changing into his military uniform, Song Yingge sat in his office and waited calmly.

For this upcoming audience with the Chairman, Song Yingge did not seek to shine brilliantly; he only hoped not to make as humiliating a fool of himself as Mao Renfeng had during his initial meeting with the Chairman.

Before long, Dai Li's call came through, and Song Yingge hurried downstairs to wait by the car.

Ten minutes later, Dai Li appeared.

Once they boarded the car, Dai Li offered Song Yingge a few final words of caution.

The vehicle soon arrived at the Central Military Academy, and the two men got out and walked toward the Yi Lu Lodge.

Built in 1929, the two-story Yi Lu Lodge housed a living room on the eastern side of the first floor, a dining room in the center, and a small reception room on the western side. The second floor contained the study and bedroom.

Dai Li went inside first, while Song Yingge waited outside the lodge.

By this time, Dai Li had already earned the privilege of entering and leaving the Yi Lu Lodge without prior announcement.

Upon entering, learning that the Chairman was reading upstairs in the second-floor study, Dai Li made his way there.

The study door was open. Dai Li stood outside and knocked softly.

The Chairman looked up and saw Dai Li. "Director Dai, is there something you need?"

Ever since Dai Li assumed the post of Director of the Nanchang (Hundu) Field Headquarters Investigation Section, the Chairman had consistently addressed him as "Director Dai," a gesture intended to convey closeness.

Dai Li walked up to the Chairman's desk, handed over the case file, pointed to Liang Xue's photograph, and asked, "Does the Chairman have any impression of this person?"

The Chairman picked up the photograph and scrutinized it for a moment. "The waitress from the Tangshan Hot Spring Resort?"

"Precisely. She is actually a Japanese spy who infiltrated the Tangshan Hot Spring under the alias Liang Xue with malicious intent.

Yesterday, the Special Service Directorate captured a Japanese spy using the alias Qin Song at the Jinling Hotel; under harsh interrogation, he exposed this woman.

Upon capturing her today, a bottle of poison was found in her dormitory.

Under interrogation, she confessed that the poison was intended for an assassination..."

Dai Li did not continue.

"Bang!" The Chairman slammed his palm onto the desk. "Damn those Japanese!"

"Please calm your anger, Chairman. With your students here, no one shall ever be allowed to harm you in the slightest," Dai Li seized the opportunity to display his loyalty.

"With Director Dai by my side, it is as if I have an entire army," the Chairman praised.

"Your subordinate is unworthy of such praise," Dai Li said, bowing his head. "There is another matter—quite thorny—and your subordinate is uncertain how to handle it."

"What matter?" the Chairman asked, flipping through the case file on Liang Xue without raising his head.

"Investigator Zhao Ru of the Kuomintang's Investigation Section has been subverted by the Japanese invaders. The evidence is conclusive, and she has already been arrested and brought to justice. However, how this person should be punished is something your subordinate dared not decide on his own. I beg the Chairman to render a verdict." Dai Li drew Zhao Ru's confession from his briefcase and placed it on the Chairman's desk.

The Kuomintang's Investigation Section and the Special Service Directorate served as the Chairman's eyes and ears; their importance went without saying.

That the Investigation Section had actually been infiltrated by the Japanese was a laughable absurdity, and one could well imagine the Chairman's mood.

The covert struggles between the two agencies had never ceased, a fact of which the Generalissimo was keenly aware.

Contending without breaking was the bottom line the Chairman had drawn for their rivalry.

Therefore, even though the Chairman knew full well that Dai Li's move was intended to strike a blow against the Investigation Section, he felt no aversion and even offered tacit support. "Notify Xu Enzeng and have him take his person back."

Hearing this, Dai Li felt the punishment was far too lenient, yet he said aloud, "The Chairman is wise."

"Since you have patched the leaks for the Investigation Section, Xu Enzeng ought to host a banquet to treat you to dinner and express his gratitude." The Chairman laid aside Zhao Ru's confession, his face devoid of anger.

"This is merely my bounden duty as a subordinate; I dare not claim credit," Dai Li replied.

Hosting a dinner without substantive punishment dealt a heavy blow to Xu Enzeng's face.

The Chairman's verdict was nothing if not astute—serving simultaneously as a warning and a favor.

"Is there anything else?" the Chairman asked.

"Does the Chairman recall Song Yingge, whom I mentioned to you a few days ago? He is waiting outside the courtyard at this very moment," Dai Li probed.

The Huang Jun case and the recent Ma Guozheng case had made the Chairman quite interested in Song Yingge. "It is rare for you, Director Dai, to think so highly of someone. Bring him in; let me take a look."

Dai Li walked out of the Yi Lu Lodge, came to the courtyard, and told Song Yingge, "The Chairman has agreed to grant you an audience. Do not be nervous; give a good account of yourself."

"Thank you for the elevation, Director."

Dai Li led Song Yingge into the first-floor parlor. "Chairman, I have brought him."

Lagging half a step behind Dai Li, Song Yingge brought his heels together and snapped off a crisp, standard military salute. "Song Yingge of the Second Intelligence Section, Investigation and Statistics Directorate of the Military Commission, pays respects to the Leader."

Seated on the sofa, the Chairman looked up and met Song Yingge's eyes, which burned with fervor, a reaction that greatly pleased him. "Not bad, a fine young talent indeed. Director Dai tells me you rendered great service in both the Huang Jun case and the Ma Guozheng case."

"These cases relied entirely on the Leader's guidance and the Director's command; this humble subordinate dares not claim credit." After locking gazes with the Chairman for a moment, Song Yingge lowered his eyes as a sign of respect.

At that, the Chairman smiled. "Where are your ancestral roots?"

"This humble subordinate is a native of Yongcheng."

The Chairman nodded inwardly; the young man was a fellow townsman.

Being a fellow townsman was a major bonus in the eyes of the Chairman.

Both Dai Li and Mao Renfeng hailed from Zhejiang Province, which naturally made it easier for them to win the Chairman's trust than others.

"Oh?" The Chairman's interest was piqued. "What business did your family pursue?"

"Reporting to the Leader, my family ran an old establishment called the Song Family Cloth Shop, which has been in operation since my grandfather's generation," Song Yingge said.

Hearing this, the Chairman burst into hearty laughter. "Could it be that cloth shop beside Yunqiao Bridge? When I was young, I even bought fabric at your family's shop."

"Such a thing actually happened? Your subordinate is supremely honored," Song Yingge said, feigning pleasant surprise.

"Chairman, this connection is truly wondrous," Dai Li interjected at the opportune moment.

"Both of you are pillars of our Party-State; sit down and speak," the Chairman said, his conversational mood fully aroused.

"Thank you, Chairman." Dai Li took a seat quite naturally.

Song Yingge deliberately hesitated for a moment before sitting down.

"Do you dare disobey the Leader's words?" Dai Li teased playfully.

"This subordinate wouldn't dare." With Dai Li providing a graceful exit, Song Yingge finally dared to settle onto the sofa.

No sooner had he sat down than the Chairman's wife walked over carrying a tray of pastries.

Seeing this, Song Yingge immediately stood up and saluted. "This subordinate pays respects to Madame."

Noticing Song Yingge's handsome appearance and well-mannered deportment, the Chairman's wife felt a rising sense of favorable impression. After placing the pastries on the table, she said, "Sit down, have some pastries, and don't stand on ceremony." With those words, she departed.

Only then did Song Yingge resume his seat.

"Which school did Yingge graduate from?" the Chairman asked, popping a piece of pastry into his mouth.

"This subordinate graduated from the National Zhejiang University, and later attended the Special Police Officer Training Class of the Police Officers' Academy." Though seated on the sofa, Song Yingge kept his upper body held straight as a ramrod.

"Chairman, speaking of which, Yingge can also be considered your student," Dai Li offered a helpful assist.

The Chairman served as the nominal head of the Police Officers' Academy.

Strictly speaking, Song Yingge genuinely was a student of the Chairman.

However, the weight of such a student status could scarcely compare to the disciples of the Son of Heaven who graduated from the Whampoa Military Academy.

"Very well, I shall acknowledge you as my student," the Chairman said, forming a favorable impression of Song Yingge.

"Student pays respects to the Chairman," Song Yingge said, standing up to execute a salute.

With those words from the Chairman, he could henceforth style himself a "disciple of the Son of Heaven" wherever he went.

"The two of you, try the pastries. These are a specialty of Yongcheng," the Chairman said with a smile.

The pastry on the plate was known as water-tower cake; it carried a faint aroma of fermented rice when smelled, and was soft and sticky upon tasting. Song Yingge had eaten it a few times before.

Dai Li picked up a piece of the water-tower cake, tasted it, and remarked, "Chairman, you haven't witnessed Yingge's martial prowess yet, have you? We all call him the Special Service Directorate's premier action expert."

"I had no idea Yingge was accomplished in both letters and martial arts," the Chairman remarked casually, assuming it was merely praise from Dai Li.

"Yingge, demonstrate for the Chairman," Dai Li urged.

Song Yingge stood up, and seeing the expectant look on the Chairman's face, cupped his fists. "Student will display his clumsy skills."

With that, he walked over to the solid wood dining table, grasped its legs with both hands, and gave a low shout. "Up."

The dining table, weighing six or seven hundred catties, was hoisted above Song Yingge's head by his sheer strength.

After spinning around once in place, Song Yingge gently set the table back down.

"Clap, clap, clap."

The Chairman applauded. "Inborn divine strength! Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed it."

Even Dai Li was astonished; he had merely known that Song Yingge possessed extraordinary martial skills, but had never imagined he wielded such monumental physical strength.

"Student merely possesses a bit of crude brawn—at best enough to take on ten men. Unlike the Chairman, who commands grand strategies where millions are required to match him," Song Yingge flattered.

This piece of flattery struck right at the heart of the Chairman, who adored micromanaging operations.

Half an hour later, Dai Li and Song Yingge took their leave of the Chairman.

Once back inside the car, Dai Li remarked, "This time, you have truly caught the Chairman's eye. Your future prospects are boundless."

"At any time, your subordinate will follow your lead, Director," Song Yingge hastened to pledge his stance.

"You rascal, your words are always so pleasing to the ear," Dai Li scolded with a laugh.

"A nephew's loyalty to his uncle is something even the heavens can witness," Song Yingge said.

When they returned to Tianyin Lane, it was already past ten o'clock.

After applying a disguise, Song Yingge ventured out once more and made his way to Bailu Academy.

"Old Zhao, it's Lushan," Song Yingge said, vaulting over the back wall and knocking gently on the door.

The door opened, admitting Song Yingge into the room. "Why are you here at this hour?" Old Zhao asked.

"The night is dark and the wind high; no one is paying attention. Has the money been collected?" Song Yingge asked.

Old Zhao drew a cloth bundle from beneath the bedding. "Twenty thousand yuan, it's all here."

Song Yingge took the cloth bundle. "Any hitches when you collected the money?"

"Rest assured, everything went smoothly," Old Zhao replied.

Song Yingge nodded. "Today, Dai Li took me to meet the Chairman."

"Oh? How did it go?" Old Zhao's interest was piqued.

"Old Jiang couldn't stop praising me." Song Yingge held back a trace of a smile as he spoke.

"If he knew you were a Red, I wonder what expression he'd wear?" Old Zhao asked with a smile.

"Haha, let's hope he never finds out."

"It sounds like you're about to be promoted again?"

"I expect so."

"There are two pieces of news I need to brief you on," Old Zhao said, his expression turning serious.

Song Yingge straightened up. "Comrade Old Zhao, please speak."

"The first piece of news: after discussion and study by the organization, Zhao Rui will not be withdrawn for the time being. When necessary, the organization will have her assist you in completing your mission," Old Zhao said.

A flicker of joy crossed Song Yingge's heart, though he immediately calmed himself. "Does Zhao Rui know my identity?"

"To protect you, the organization will not disclose your identity to Zhao Rui," Old Zhao said, perceiving Song Yingge's concern.

Song Yingge let out a sigh of relief; after all, every additional person who knew his identity added a layer of danger.

"And the second piece of news?"

Hearing this, Old Zhao pulled out a piece of paper and read aloud: "In recognition of Comrade Lushan's outstanding contribution in the fund-raising mission, this certificate of commendation is hereby issued as encouragement."

Song Yingge accepted the certificate with both hands, read through it carefully several times, then stood up and saluted. "Comrade Lushan will certainly redouble his efforts and forge new merits."

Old Zhao patted Song Yingge on the shoulder and reclaimed the certificate. "For safety's sake, the certificate must be destroyed. But do not be discouraged; this merit will be duly recorded in your dossier."

Watching the certificate turn to ashes in the flames, Song Yingge maintained a calm expression, deep in thought—perhaps contemplating the distant future.

"There is one more matter: that name you asked me to look into—I've found it," Old Zhao said.

"What is his name?" Song Yingge thought once more of the comrade he had shot and killed during the screening process.

"Jiang Hui," Old Zhao murmured softly.

"Jiang Hui, Jiang Hui... Across the great rivers, stars and moon shine bright together. Truly a fine name," Song Yingge whispered to himself.