Chapter 44: Avenue Massenet

Chapter 44: Avenue Massenet

Cheng Qianfan followed Wang Jun and the other man all the way.

The two men had absolutely no idea that someone was trailing behind them. They went directly to the entrance of a garden apartment on Avenue Massenet.

Cheng Qianfan gently shook his head. These two comrades were far too lacking in vigilance.

Wang Jun belonged to the Shanghai Municipal Committee. The place he came to deliver his message in the middle of the night was obviously the residence of a high-ranking official of either the Shanghai Municipal Committee or even the Jiangsu Provincial Committee.

He also truly felt the immense danger posed by traitors. If he himself were a traitor, this would have been a super trap.

Moreover, it would have been a super trap capable of wiping out the entire upper leadership of the local Party organization in Shanghai in one stroke.

In addition, in Cheng Qianfan’s view, Wang Jun had made another mistake.

He should not have brought that tall young man along.

Every additional person who knew meant one additional hidden danger.

Peng Yu’ou had not yet gone to sleep. His public identity was that of a professor in the Chinese Literature Department at Fudan Public School.

Earlier that evening, he had just finished a meeting with other comrades from the municipal committee to discuss how to rescue the student leaders of the Student National Salvation Association at Fudan Public School who had been arrested.

Ten days earlier, the Shanghai military and police authorities had suddenly surrounded Fudan Public School and arrested seven Student National Salvation Association cadres from off-campus dormitories.

Afterward, military police had rushed onto the campus and beaten teachers and students. The students fought back and drove the military police out.

The military police then opened fire outside the campus, accidentally killing a policeman, and falsely accused the students of being responsible.

The Shanghai Municipal Committee had decided to call upon National Salvation Associations from all sectors of Shanghai to unite and pressure the authorities into releasing the arrested anti-Japanese student leaders.

Bang, bang, bang.

The knocking at the door in the dead of night made Peng Yu’ou shudder all over.

He put on a coat and came into the sitting room, where he saw that Aunt Shao, the servant, was already awake and holding a Mauser pistol.

“Sir.” Aunt Shao’s expression was grave.

Taking a deep breath, Peng Yu’ou walked to the door.

“Who is it?”

“Professor Peng, it’s Old Wang. The telephone at home is broken. I have an urgent matter and need to borrow your telephone.”

“What matter?”

“My child’s grandmother is ill.”

“What illness?”

“Dysentery.”

In the sitting room, Peng Yu’ou watched as Aunt Shao led the young comrade into another room to avoid overhearing, then he turned to Wang Jun with a serious expression.

“Comrade Wang Jun, what exactly has happened?”

This time he did not say anything about violating organizational discipline. Wang Jun was his important assistant and was qualified to see him at any time.

“Old Peng, how far has the organization’s rescue operation for Comrade Zhuang Ze progressed?”

“You came to see me in the middle of the night just for this matter?” Peng Yu’ou said angrily. The rescue operation for Zhuang Ze was proceeding according to plan. It was not some urgent crisis.

“Oh, Old Peng.” Wang Jun said anxiously. “I know the organizational rules. Would I have come to you if it weren’t an emergency? First tell me how far things have progressed.”

“Lawyer Song Liu has already met with Comrade Zhuang Ze and confirmed his identity.” Peng Yu’ou said. “Qin Detai, the Chief Inspector of the Central Police Station, has always maintained a friendly attitude toward the revolution. The chances of a successful rescue are very high.”

As he spoke, he gave Wang Jun a puzzled look.

“What? Has something gone wrong?”

“That was close, Old Peng.” Wang Jun pulled the envelope wrapped in kraft paper from his clothing, removed the wrapping, and handed the envelope to Peng Yu’ou. “Take a look. We almost let a wolf into the house.”

Peng Yu’ou accepted the envelope. He glanced at the words To Be Opened Personally by Wang Jun written on it, then drew out the letter and read it carefully. Before long, his expression became increasingly serious.

“Where did this letter come from?” he asked in a deep voice. “Is the intelligence reliable?”

“Old Kang and I analyzed it. It should have been delivered by a comrade on the inside.” Wang Jun took a drink of water to moisten his throat, then carefully explained the entire story behind the letter, including the analysis he and Kang Erniu had made, as well as how they had dug up grenades and silver dollars in the room next door.

Peng Yu’ou’s expression changed repeatedly. After listening to Wang Jun’s account, he paced back and forth through the sitting room before finally nodding.

“Your analysis is correct. The intelligence was indeed provided by one of our comrades.”

He knew about that safe house. It had been prepared for the Shanghai Municipal Committee by Comrade Zhulin from the Special Operations Section.

He immediately arrived at a conclusion.

This was most likely the handler of the martyred Comrade Old Liao, namely the Special Operations Section comrade who had long been hidden inside enemy ranks.

“Old Peng, do you know this comrade?” Wang Jun immediately asked.

“All I can say is that this comrade is absolutely trustworthy.” Peng Yu’ou said slowly.

“Shameless traitor.” Wang Jun cursed angrily.

Peng Yu’ou knew exactly whom Wang Jun was cursing.

“Yes, a shameless traitor.” He sighed and waved the letter in his hand. “This intelligence arrived at exactly the right moment. Otherwise, there would have been serious trouble.”

The organization placed enormous importance on Zhuang Ze, the supposedly loyal fighter who had once served in the Anti-Japanese United Army. Peng Yu’ou had even planned to meet him personally. Thinking back on it now, the prospect chilled him to the bone.

It was no exaggeration to say that this intelligence had protected him, Peng Yu’ou, and saved the Shanghai Municipal Committee.

“Exactly. We must properly thank this comrade.” Wang Jun nodded in complete agreement. “Fortunately the intelligence arrived in time. We can still halt the rescue plan for Zhuang Ze.”

“No. The plan proceeds as scheduled.” After some thought, Peng Yu’ou said.

“What?”

“The plan proceeds as scheduled.” Peng Yu’ou’s expression was serious. “First get him out. We need to thoroughly interrogate him about the process of his betrayal.”

After considering the matter for a moment, Wang Jun also nodded in support of the plan. As for what would happen to Zhuang Ze after the interrogation, he did not ask. The organization’s attitude toward traitors had always been extremely firm.

“That works too.” Wang Jun said. “It will also protect this comrade.”

Seeing that Wang Jun had understood this point as well, Peng Yu’ou nodded approvingly.

Previously, he had often speculated about the identity of this deeply concealed inside agent placed within the enemy by the Special Operations Section.

He had once guessed that this comrade was working within the governmental institutions of the French Concession, perhaps as a policeman or perhaps somewhere within the concession’s civil administration.

However, now he was beginning to doubt his own theory.

The Zhuang Ze affair was a conspiracy devised by the Party Affairs Investigation Department. Such a plot could not possibly be known by outsiders. Only insiders within the Party Affairs Investigation Department itself could have learned of it.

Since this comrade had managed to uncover the conspiracy, the most likely explanation was that he was hidden inside the Shanghai Party Affairs Investigation Department.

The reason he had decided to continue with the “rescue” of Zhuang Ze, apart from the reasons he had already stated, was mainly to protect this comrade.

Because if the organization suddenly abandoned the rescue plan for Zhuang Ze, it would appear extremely unreasonable from the enemy’s perspective.

The Communists would never abandon the rescue of an Anti-Japanese United Army fighter who had seemingly endured enemy torture without cause.

The only explanation would be that the trap had been exposed.

The enemy would certainly investigate, and such an investigation could very well endanger the safety of this inside comrade.

“This inside comrade risked his life to deliver this intelligence. We must protect him.” Peng Yu’ou sighed. “Comrades working undercover inside enemy ranks are truly remarkable people.”

Outside the apartment.

Cheng Qianfan remained hidden in a concealed corner.

The cold rain pattered against his raincoat, yet his heart felt as warm as a blazing furnace.