Chapter 179: Not Sparing This Body

Yesterday morning, Cheng Qianfan was officially appointed Deputy Patrol Inspector of the Third Patrol at the Central Police Station.

Yesterday afternoon, Deputy Inspector Cheng, having just assumed office, requested leave.

Very quickly, news spread that Deputy Inspector Cheng had once again requested half a day’s leave.

Although some people said they had seen Deputy Inspector Cheng run into a friend at the police station gate and therefore take personal leave, everyone was still discussing it animatedly.

Aside from a few sarcastic voices saying that “Little Cheng has become arrogant after gaining success,” that he was becoming indulgent and no longer focused on official duties, the general opinion was:

Little Cheng was righteous and loyal.

This was a sign that he was unwilling to immediately seize Ma Yishou’s authority upon taking office.

Especially Ma Yishou himself, who sighed repeatedly in admiration. His apprentice was truly a man of principles.

Even Qin Detai, upon hearing of the matter, nodded in approval: achieving success at a young age without becoming arrogant, not pressuring Ma Yishou, showed understanding of human relationships; proceeding gradually rather than rushing forward showed steadiness. Very good.

Yande Lane.

Inside Cheng Qianfan’s home.

After entering, Shen Huaiming first paid his respects with utmost reverence before the memorial tablets of Cheng Wenzao and Su Zhifu, then offered incense.

Shen Huaiming’s father, Shen Chengxiang, had been an old friend of Cheng Wenzao. Shen Chengxiang had also honored Cheng Guzhi as a teacher and had been influenced by Cheng Guzhi’s anti-Qing revolutionary ideals. Before the Xinhai Revolution, Shen Chengxiang had studied at a Japanese military academy and joined the Tongmenghui. Later, he participated in the Xinhai Revolution.

Because of the ties between the two families, Cheng Qianfan and Shen Huaiming had known each other since childhood.

After Cheng Wenzao and Su Zhifu were martyred, and after Shanghai was recovered, Shen Chengxiang and his wife Wei Chengchu brought their two sons from Zhenjiang to Shanghai to pay their respects. Later, they searched for Cheng Qianfan’s whereabouts. By then, Cheng Qianfan had already been sent by Comrade Xiangwu to the orphanage of Saint Peter Church to be raised. Unable to find him, the Shen family returned home disappointed.

In the twenty-first year of the Republic, the January 28 Incident erupted.

At only sixteen years old, Shen Huaiming, led by his elder brother, came to Shanghai and enlisted in the student volunteer corps attached to General Cai Tingkai’s Nineteenth Route Army.

The First Battle of Shanghai ended in defeat for the National Revolutionary Army. According to the Shanghai ceasefire agreement, only local security forces could remain stationed in Shanghai, and the National Revolutionary Army withdrew.

After the National Revolutionary Army withdrew, the Japanese military and Japanese intelligence organizations brutally suppressed the student volunteers who had remained in Shanghai.

On a rainy night, Shen Huaiming was hunted by Japanese agents.

Though highly skilled in martial arts, Shen Huaiming was unarmed and outnumbered. He could only flee and hide.

He was nearly driven into a dead end.

“Xingge wrote to me, advising me not to harbor unrealistic expectations toward the Japanese,” Cheng Qianfan said with a smile as he poured Shen Huaiming a cup of tea. “Xingge also said that if I ever became a traitor to China, he would personally kill me.”

As he spoke, he winked at Shen Huaiming. “You’re a dignified second lieutenant pilot in the National Revolutionary Army, a proud eagle of the skies. Why would you come visit someone like me, a fellow who is friendly toward the Japanese?”

Perhaps outsiders did not strongly notice Cheng Qianfan’s amicable attitude toward the Japanese, but his good friends Lu Xingge and Shen Huaiming had sensed it first.

Lu Xingge had openly fallen out with Cheng Qianfan.

Shen Huaiming had also gradually reduced his contact with Cheng Qianfan.

“You really made Xingge suffer from all your secrecy,” Shen Huaiming said with hearty laughter. Naturally, he did not believe Cheng Qianfan was genuinely friendly toward the Japanese. On that rainy night when he had been hunted by Japanese agents and nearly met his death, three gunshots had suddenly rung out, and three Japanese men had been killed.

A figure emerged from the rainy darkness and mist. This person led Shen Huaiming through twists and turns until they escaped danger.

Only after reaching a brightly lit place did Shen Huaiming discover that the man was his childhood friend Cheng Qianfan.

Cheng Qianfan himself had not realized that the person he rescued was Shen Huaiming.

Shen Huaiming had kept the matter secret ever since and had never mentioned it to anyone.

Precisely because of that incident, Shen Huaiming absolutely refused to believe that Cheng Qianfan was truly friendly toward the Japanese. He firmly believed Cheng Qianfan had his own reasons for acting that way.

“That brat actually wanted to cut ties with me,” Cheng Qianfan snorted coldly. “Any news about him?”

“No,” Shen Huaiming said.

If Cheng Qianfan and Shen Huaiming had become friends because of family ties, then their friendship with Lu Xingge had been forged through fighting.

Shen Huaiming was highly skilled in martial arts. After Lu Xingge came to Shanghai to study and heard about it, he repeatedly sought him out for sparring.

Shen Huaiming lost more often than he won.

Lu Xingge remained relentless.

Cheng Qianfan then said, “That kid is using you for practice,” and personally stepped in and beat Lu Xingge up.

That was how they somehow became friends.

Among the three, Lu Xingge was the oldest. Lu Xingge was two years older than Cheng Qianfan, while Shen Huaiming was one year younger than Cheng Qianfan.

Nanjing, Xu Mansion Lane, headquarters of the Special Service Office.

Dai Chunfeng glanced at the young man standing before him with chest out and head held high.

Qi Wu was about to hand the file folder to Dai Chunfeng, but Dai Chunfeng waved his hand, indicating it was unnecessary.

“Lu Xingge, native of Yunlin, Taiwan. Taiwan was under Japanese colonial rule from 1895 to 1945. His father, Lu Zhiqian, engaged in anti-Japanese activities in Taiwan during his early years. He suffered six knife wounds from Japanese attackers, fought his way out, and fled to Xiamen. Officials from the Fujian provincial administration of the Qing dynasty attempted to persuade him to surrender, but Lu Zhiqian remained unmoved. He changed his name to Hanchen and swore never to submit to the Qing.”

“During the Xinhai Revolution, Lu Hanchen raised troops in Zhangzhou, Fujian, in support of the uprising and became one of the revolution’s distinguished contributors.”

“Lu Guoxing was born in the second year of the Republic. Because the Qing dynasty had fallen and China was destined to prosper, Lu Hanchen named his eldest son Lu Guoxing.”

“After the September 18 Incident, when the Japanese invaded China, Lu Guoxing followed his father’s example and changed his own name to Lu Xingge, meaning that when the nation faced calamity, a man should take up arms and defend his country.”

“Lu Xingge, trained at the Hangzhou Special Training Class in the twenty-fourth year of the Republic, achieved excellent academic results and is now deputy leader of the Third Action Team of the Nanjing Operations Section of the Special Service Office. Highly skilled in martial arts and an excellent marksman.”

Dai Chunfeng spoke at an unhurried pace, his voice deep and powerful.

“Qi Wu, have I misstated even a single word?” Dai Chunfeng asked.

“Not a single word is wrong,” Qi Wu said admiringly after glancing at the file in his hand.

“The Lu family, father and son alike, are loyal patriots. How could I fail to remember a servant of the Party and nation such as Xingge?” Dai Chunfeng said seriously. He glanced at the visibly excited and inspired Lu Xingge before continuing:

“Comrade Lu Xingge, I intend to send you to Shanghai to join the Operations Section of the Shanghai District. Are you willing?”

“How many days can you stay in Shanghai?” Cheng Qianfan asked Shen Huaiming.

“I’m leaving tomorrow afternoon,” Shen Huaiming said with a smile. “That’s why I specifically made time to see you today. Loyal enough, wouldn’t you say?”

He was not telling the truth. In reality, he would leave that afternoon, first transferring through Nanjing and then flying from Nanjing to North China the next day.

Recently, the Japanese North China Garrison Army had been moving troops frequently, and the skies of war hung heavily over the Beijing-Tianjin region. No one knew on what day a major war might suddenly break out.

Cheng Qianfan also suspected that Shen Huaiming was heading for the North China front.

Looking at Shen Huaiming calmly drinking tea and chatting with a smile, Cheng Qianfan felt a trace of worry.

He understood Shen Huaiming. The more calm and composed the man appeared, the more firmly he had made up his mind.

“Huaiming...” Cheng Qianfan said.

“Brother Fan,” Shen Huaiming suddenly said.

“Yes?” Cheng Qianfan answered reflexively. Then his heart jolted. Shen Huaiming was half a year younger than him. The fellow rarely called him Brother Fan. Every time he did, it was because he had gotten into trouble and needed Cheng Qianfan’s help.

“Brother, if war truly breaks out, Huaiming will not spare this body. I will gladly repay the nation with my death. My elder brother also serves in the military and likewise harbors the ambition of returning wrapped in a horsehide. If I truly fall in battle, I hope Elder Brother will look after my aged parents and my young sister.”

Shen Huaiming rose to his feet, smiling as he looked at Cheng Qianfan.