Chapter 11: The Party Affairs Investigation Department’s Conspiracy

Chapter 11: The Party Affairs Investigation Department’s Conspiracy

Yesterday, the Action Team of the Party Affairs Investigation Department attempted to arrest Old Liao on Avenue Joffre.

Shots were fired in full view of the public, and people died.

The Police Commissioner of the French Concession, Ferguson, was extremely dissatisfied.

He lodged a formal protest with Liang Fangshu, Inspector General of the Shanghai Garrison Command.

Ferguson threatened to arrest illegal armed personnel operating within the French Concession.

The threat was aimed directly at the Action Team of the Party Affairs Investigation Department.

That very night, Wu Shanyue, chief of the Action Section of the Shanghai Party Affairs Investigation Department, personally visited Lieutenant Marais, director of the French Concession Political Department, under the introduction of Qin Detai, Chief Inspector of the Central Police Station, to negotiate over the matter.

Wu Shanyue openly stated that the daytime incident had been a misunderstanding.

Naturally, such an explanation was unacceptable.

However, the important point was that Wu Shanyue suddenly expressed the Shanghai Party Affairs Investigation Department’s willingness to hand over responsibility for arresting Communists to the French Concession authorities.

Not only that.

To demonstrate sincerity, Wu Shanyue also submitted a list and dossiers of several Communists under surveillance by the Party Affairs Investigation Department, requesting that the police carry out arrests the following day.

This move by the Party Affairs Investigation Department “won” the appreciation of the French Concession authorities.

The concession authorities’ previous anger had never stemmed from Communists being arrested or killed.

They themselves had always been hostile toward Communists.

Communists could be arrested.

The only requirement was that the arrests had to be carried out by the police.

It was a matter of prestige and law enforcement authority.

The French regarded themselves as the foremost power in Europe and had always behaved arrogantly.

With the Party Affairs Investigation Department taking the initiative to lower its head, the French were undoubtedly pleased.

Of course, the large gold bars inside the wooden box Wu Shanyue presented to Lieutenant Marais also proved highly persuasive.

Among the list of targets provided by the Party Affairs Investigation Department to the French Concession authorities, three targets contained accurate information.

One of them was actually an unfamiliar member of the Party Affairs Investigation Department’s Action Team acting under cover.

This man would withdraw a few minutes before the police arrived.

Moreover, he would narrowly escape after making direct contact with the police.

Another target was Fang Muheng, a Shen Bao reporter whom the Party Affairs Investigation Department had monitored for a long time.

He frequently published articles attacking the National Government and its leader.

Although he was not a Communist, he belonged to the pro-Communist camp.

He had legitimate employment, and his family enjoyed a certain reputation in Shanghai.

Even if arrested by the police, he would be released quickly.

This operation would simply kill two birds with one stone, serving both as a warning and as an opportunity for exploitation.

The only person who would genuinely be arrested and subjected to the police station’s “punitive interrogation” was Zhuang Ze.

The police station’s use of torture could also conceal Zhuang Ze’s fresh injuries.

That required the covert cooperation of Qin Detai, Chief Inspector of the Central Police Station, both before and after the operation.

“Communists.”

Wu Shanyue chuckled softly.

“Do you think they’ll take the bait?”

“They will.”

Wang Kangnian lit a cigarette for Wu Shanyue and replied with a smile.

“The information we intend to leak is that Zhuang Ze once served in the Anti-Japanese United Army and fought on the anti-Japanese front lines. People like that are highly valued by the Communists and exactly what they need.”

When the police arrested Communists, the normal procedure was for them to be tried, convicted, and imprisoned within the concession.

Meanwhile, the National Government would naturally request that the concession authorities extradite the suspects for government prosecution.

Before a suspect was extradited to the National Government, or more precisely, during the trial stage, the Communists’ best opportunity for rescue was through legal defenses, personal connections, and similar methods aimed at securing acquittal.

At the very least, they would attempt to delay extradition by the French Concession authorities.

Two years earlier, in the sensational L Case that shocked Shanghai, the Communists had managed to rescue a senior Communist leader through operations within the French Concession before he could be extradited and tried in a National Government court.

Afterward, the Party Affairs Investigation Department noticed that the Communists were placing increasing emphasis on rescuing their members within the concessions.

Within the French Concession, several top lawyers, including Song Liu, maintained close ties with the Communists and repeatedly did everything possible to defend Communist suspects and secure their acquittal.

The arrest of Zhuang Ze by the police was itself intended to serve as an endorsement from both the police and the Party Affairs Investigation Department.

By exposing his Communist identity, they hoped to lure the Communists into rescuing him and smoothly accepting him back into their organization.

“Let’s hope so.”

Wu Shanyue nodded.

After the Shanghai Communist organization had been shattered during the previous winter, its strength had suffered severe damage.

The remaining Communists were like rats in the sewers, hiding everywhere.

For the moment, the Party Affairs Investigation Department had few effective methods to deal with these fugitives.

“Section Chief, Qin Detai required the police not to fire their guns and to take the target alive. Won’t that make the Communists suspicious?” This was something Wang Kangnian had never understood.

In Wang Kangnian’s view, knives and guns could have been used.

Even injuries would have been acceptable.

As long as Zhuang Ze’s life was not endangered, it would have appeared more realistic.

“That wasn’t Qin Detai’s requirement. It was mine.”

Wu Shanyue narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Qin Detai is extremely slippery. Do you remember the Li Zhongyun Case?”

Wang Kangnian frowned.

“In the twenty-third year of the Republic, Communist Li Zhongyun was arrested by the police and placed on the wanted list. The National Government repeatedly sought extradition but failed. Six months later, Li Zhongyun was released on bail, then absconded.”

After a brief pause, Wang Kangnian inhaled sharply.

“Section Chief, was Qin Detai involved in that affair? Is he...”

“Qin Detai cannot be a Communist.”

Wu Shanyue shook his head gently.

“In the Li case, at most he accepted money and conveniently went along with the situation. The plot behind the bail arrangement involved someone else.”

Looking at Wang Kangnian and understanding what he meant, Wu Shanyue continued in a deep voice:

“There are many people like that. Qin Detai also has backing in Nanjing. We can’t swallow him. It’s better to make use of him.”

“Section Chief, what do you mean?” Wang Kangnian pondered for a moment but remained confused.

Wu Shanyue chuckled.

“After the Li case, didn’t the Party Affairs Investigation Department receive some intelligence reports concerning the Central Police Station?”

Wang Kangnian nodded.

Informants within the Central Police Station had reported that the station treated Communist prisoners rather favorably.

This “favorable treatment” meant that the station still arrested Communists when required and still used torture when required.

However, conditions during detention were noticeably improved.

At minimum, prisoners could eat until eighty percent full.

Their food contained more oil and seasoning.

After torture, medicine was administered relatively promptly.

In the eyes of the Party Affairs Investigation Department, that was practically equivalent to being sympathetic to Communists.

Wang Kangnian had repeatedly recommended taking private warning measures against the Central Police Station.

However, Wu Shanyue had consistently rejected those proposals.

“Section Chief, all of this was deliberately arranged by you through Qin Detai?” Wang Kangnian suddenly understood and said admiringly, “A brilliant plan. Among the Communists, Qin Detai has probably already been classified as one of their so-called friends sympathetic to the revolution.”

“Now you understand.”

“Kangnian was slow-witted and failed to see through it. I even thought Qin Detai had made a mistake.”

“Kangnian, in some matters, you must think more deeply and not focus only on surface appearances.”

Wu Shanyue smiled smugly.

“Why do you think I have remained completely inactive despite all the unusual intelligence reports concerning Qin? Reflect on such matters more often, and you’ll naturally begin to perceive some of the clues.”

Wang Kangnian lowered his head and displayed a guilty expression.

It was not that he did not understand.

He had long speculated about Qin Detai’s situation.

The moment Wu Shanyue mentioned the Li Zhongyun Case, everything had suddenly become clear, and every previously confusing detail made sense.

However, as a subordinate, one needed to appear not quite so clever at the appropriate moments.