Chapter 101: Hangzhou Bay

Inside Yu Ping’an’s office.

The Hangzhou Garrison Commander, Xuan Chengwu, and Yu Ping’an were engaged in a heated argument.

The fact that Luo Zhichuan, deputy commander of the 343rd Regiment, had colluded with the Japanese had an extremely negative impact and placed Xuan Chengwu in a very difficult position.

He attempted to keep the matter under military control and demanded that the captured field-grade and company-grade officers, including Luo Zhichuan, be taken back to the military camp and interrogated by the military judicial department.

Naturally, Yu Ping’an would not agree. It was rare for the Special Service Office to gain an opportunity to extend its reach into the Hangzhou military establishment. How could he let go so easily?

Moreover, this time they had obtained an imperial authorization.

“General Xuan, defending the nation and fighting the enemy is your responsibility. Capturing spies and clearing out hidden threats is the work of the Special Service Office. We need not trouble you with it.”

“You’re overstepping your authority. Matters concerning the military will be handled by the military itself.” Xuan Chengwu slammed the table.

“An order from Chairman Chiang instructs the Xiongzhen Tower branch of the Special Service Office to take full responsibility for investigating the matter of Japanese collusion within the Hangzhou Garrison Division.” Yu Ping’an was not angered. He directly produced the telegram order that Chiang Kai-shek had sent only half an hour earlier.

Xuan Chengwu glared fiercely at Yu Ping’an. Faced with Chiang Kai-shek’s order, no matter how unwilling he was, there was nothing he could do.

Since the matter involved the grave crime of collaborating with the enemy, he felt both helpless and furious.

Xuan Chengwu was a graduate of the first class of Huangpu, and his father had been a sworn brother of Chiang Kai-shek in his youth. As a result, Chiang Kai-shek regarded him almost as a nephew.

Even Dai Chunfeng of the Special Service Office had to respectfully address him as Brother Xiwo in person.

In the end, it was because traitors collaborating with Japan had emerged from among his own subordinates, giving the Special Service Office leverage against him.

Had it been any other matter, he would have had the confidence to challenge the Special Service Office. He would not even have feared taking the dispute all the way to the leader’s residence.

“Yu Ping’an, I hope you will handle this impartially,” Xuan Chengwu said coldly. “I do not believe that so many officers are collaborating with the enemy. You understand what I mean.”

This was also Xuan Chengwu’s greatest concern. He feared that the Special Service Office would use the opportunity to expand the scope of the case and create a major purge within the Hangzhou Garrison Division.

The military was instinctively hostile toward and wary of the Special Service Office.

“Rest assured, General Xuan. These men will be escorted to Nanjing shortly. The Section Chief will personally oversee the matter. If you do not trust me, Yu Ping’an, surely you trust the Section Chief?” Yu Ping’an said with a smile.

“I certainly hope so.” Xuan Chengwu let out a cold snort.

“We found two documents on the Japanese spies. I believe General Xuan will find them quite interesting.”

Xuan Chengwu took the documents and read through them carefully. His face became extraordinarily ugly.

He had only been responsible for the military arrests and knew nothing about the situation at Hengrun Teahouse.

“Shameful! They deserve execution!” Xuan Chengwu flew into a rage. The minutes of a Garrison Division military conference were top-secret documents, yet they had appeared openly in Japanese hands. How could he not be furious?

“Luo Zhichuan was only a deputy regimental commander. He was not qualified to attend that meeting,” Yu Ping’an said slowly.

Xuan Chengwu snorted coldly. He understood Yu Ping’an’s meaning. It indicated that even higher-ranking officers were implicated, perhaps collaborating with the enemy like Luo Zhichuan, or perhaps leaking information through negligence.

Xuan Chengwu privately suspected that the latter was more likely.

He was quite familiar with the situation within the military. Security awareness in the National Revolutionary Army had always been poor.

Several years earlier, on the Jiangxi anti-bandit front there had been an incident in which the operational plan of a division was leaked. It was later discovered that a cook at division headquarters had accidentally leaked it while boasting to a friend.

As for how the cook had learned the operational plan?

A staff officer had gone to the kitchen looking for food and casually let the information slip while chatting with the cook.

“Hm?” Xuan Chengwu picked up the other document. At first he was puzzled. “Hydrological Data of Hangzhou Bay”?

Then his expression became increasingly serious.

What did the Japanese want with the hydrological data of Hangzhou Bay?

Were they preparing to make a move against Hangzhou?

Were they planning to use Hangzhou Bay as their point of breakthrough?

Xuan Chengwu could no longer remain seated. The matter was of enormous importance. He felt it necessary to make an immediate trip to Nanjing and personally report it to Chiang Kai-shek.

Compared with the military implications revealed by this document, the fact that officers of the 343rd Regiment had collaborated with Japan no longer seemed like such a major matter.

“Deputy Director Yu, take care of yourself.”

“I, Yu Ping’an, conduct my affairs with a clear conscience. General Xuan should concern himself with managing his own subordinates.”

“Hmph!”

Watching Xuan Chengwu leave in a hurry with a gloomy expression, Yu Ping’an’s own face became solemn.

He sighed.

“These are troubled times.”

He understood what Xuan Chengwu was worried about.

It was also what worried him.

Several years had passed since the Battle of Shanghai. Were the Japanese finally preparing to make another move in the Zhejiang-Shanghai region?

“Director, regarding your attitude toward General Xuan...” an adjutant cautiously said. “After all, General Xuan is one of the Chairman’s favored commanders and controls military power over an entire region.”

Yu Ping’an turned around and glared at the man.

“I spoke out of turn.”

“Remember this. We are the Special Service Office,” Yu Ping’an said in a deep voice.

The Special Service Office was the leader’s watchdog and claw, tasked with supervising local governments and the military. Its status was exceptional, but it was also feared by all sides.

If you became too friendly with these people, what exactly would you be trying to accomplish?

There was another sentence Yu Ping’an would not say aloud:

Within the Special Service Office, only one man was qualified to sit down with Xuan Chengwu on equal terms, exchange pleasantries, and discuss matters calmly. That man was Director Dai Chunfeng.

No one else could do so, including Yu Ping’an himself.

It was not merely a matter of unequal status.

As for how others conducted themselves, he neither knew nor cared.

Yu Ping’an had to remain vigilant and strictly observe his proper place at all times.

“Deputy Director Yu, Cheng Wufang has arrived.”

“Send him in.”

After listening to Cheng Qianfan’s report,

Yu Ping’an revealed a smile. He was extremely satisfied.

The more he looked at this young man, the more he liked him.

Successfully capturing Kawada Eikichi had already been a major achievement.

Now he had successfully destroyed another Japanese spy cell and had even seized a radio set and a codebook. It was yet another significant accomplishment.

Previous battles between the Special Service Office and Japanese spies had yielded rather disappointing results. It could even be said that casualties had been heavy while achievements had been meagre.

Ever since Cheng Qianfan arrived in Hangzhou, he had repeatedly cracked major Japanese espionage cases.

This was Cheng Qianfan’s achievement, but it was also Yu Ping’an’s achievement.

Even the Section Chief had benefited greatly. In the Kawada Eikichi case, it was said that the Chairman had been quite pleased upon hearing the news and had praised the Section Chief extensively.

“Team Leader Wan has already reported to me. He praised you highly.” Yu Ping’an smiled. “Well done.”

“It is all thanks to your strategic planning, Director, and Team Leader Wan’s excellent command. I merely did what I was supposed to do,” Cheng Qianfan said respectfully.

“Neither arrogant nor impetuous. Very good.” Looking at Cheng Qianfan, Yu Ping’an felt even more gratified. A young man who remained humble in victory and did not become conceited after success was indeed admirable.

“Who do you think is the best point of breakthrough?” Yu Ping’an asked.

“Gu Changyou,” Cheng Qianfan replied immediately.

A traitor was not a Japanese spy. They did not possess the same determination to resist.

Those willing to betray their country and people and become collaborators did so for personal gain. They were selfish opportunists who had forgotten their roots.

Such people feared death and could not withstand interrogation.

“Go. I don’t care what methods you use, pry their mouths open,” Yu Ping’an said. “Tomorrow morning, these people will be escorted to Nanjing.”

Cheng Qianfan was quite surprised.

He had previously assumed he would merely participate in the interrogation.

But from Yu Ping’an’s tone, it seemed he was actually being placed in charge of it.