Spy Wars: Return of the Red Luan

After the meeting, Chen Jiehua drove to the place where he had found Zuo Liuge. Based on his intuition, he slowly drove forward along a road and soon entered a quiet residential area. On a tree by the roadside, the same mark appeared.

Just like last time in Shanghai, the sign opposite Zuo Liu's house.

Chen Jiehua drove the car away and parked it on the side of the road. Then he got out of the car and slowly walked back, found a house, and knocked on the door.

Who is it? (Japanese)

"An old friend is visiting, shall we not see him?" (Japanese)

Zuo Liu opened the door, pulled Chen Jiehua inside, and closed the door.

"It's very impolite of you to come here so directly! It scared me to death. I was wondering why someone would come looking for me when I had only been renting the place for a few days."

"The main problem is that your marking is too basic and you don't know how to change it."

"Okay, this marking method wasn't exposed in Shanghai, so I'm too lazy to change to a new marking method."

"This isn't how a top-level agent works. Be cautious, always be cautious, understand?"

"Now I finally believe that you are indeed a secret agent, a qualified one."

"So, Mr. Ramsey, would you be willing to join my group?"

"Does joining make any difference? It seems like all your group members were taken from me."

"No, no, no, I can only say that Mr. Ramsey knows nothing about Chen Jiehua's special agent team."

"My team is now missing only you as the missing piece of the puzzle."

"what do you need?"

"As I said before, I need intelligence from Europe and from your Red Russia, especially regarding the Far East."

Why don't you talk to your superior?

There is an old Chinese saying: If you accept gifts from your parents, you will never grow up. Only what you earn through your own efforts is the best.

"I think I can accept your invitation, but I need to share information."

"No problem! Welcome to the team, esteemed Brother Zuo Liu."

Seizing the opportunity, Chen Jiehua extended his right hand to Sorge.

The two hands were clasped together.

From their first meeting on April 7, 1929, to now, more than four years later, Chen Jiehua has finally completed the last piece of the puzzle for his strategic intelligence system.

Chen Jiehua took out a scalpel blade and placed it on the table.

“This is my token. You can use it to contact Hadgmarkdo at the Bair Pharmaceutical Laboratory; he's now in your group.”

"Oh I got it!"

"It's been four years, are you still troubled by this question?"

"I just can't understand how you got the formulas for two different drugs!"

"You may not fully understand now. I can tell you the truth: both drugs originally came from my laboratory."

"It was simply due to my mismanagement that the leak occurred."

"So you're just using me to make them public?"

"How can you say it's exploitation? It's more like mutual assistance, don't you think, Mr. Ramsey?"

"I won't argue with you; your ability to argue is better than mine."

“I have reason to believe that you are jealous.”

Sorge rolled his eyes in response.

"Brother Zuo Liu, let's get serious now. From now on, if you need any information, ask Mr. Ozaki first. If Mr. Ozaki doesn't have it, then ask me. Don't take risks on your own. These days, Japan is full of Special Higher Police spies." "I need the blueprints for the Yamato."

"I don't recommend that you take the design blueprints for the Yamato."

"Why?"

"I remember telling you that I designed the parameters for the Yamato for the Navy."

“Что?”

"First of all, you can't use it to exchange for intelligence in the intelligence market."

"Secondly, you can't give it to the German Empire, because the Japanese Navy will hand it over to you without hesitation."

"Finally, you cannot hand it over to the Red Russia you serve, because it will not help the Red Russia at all, but will only deplete its national strength."

"OK, Ramsey understands."

"What else do you want?"

"What I want, you can't give me."

How do you know I can't give it to you if you don't ask?

"Can you get information about the Japanese Army, including their operational plans against Red Russia?"

"..." I do have one, fresh out of the oven, still piping hot.

But I really can't give it to him now.

Chen Jiehua spread his hands, making a Western-style humorous expression, thus defusing his embarrassment.

"Alright, here's my telegraphic call sign, my code name is Red Phoenix. You can contact me directly, or you can contact Mr. Ozaki. Your group is still called the Ramsey Group. Give me your call sign."
-
At the joint summit of the mainland and provincial leaders, Chen Jiehua skillfully achieved his goal.

Chen Jiehua was not eligible to attend the subsequent five-phase meeting.

Army Minister Sadao Araki's proposed "strategy for war against Red Russia" and his advocacy for expanding military capabilities were opposed by Finance Minister Korekiyo Takahashi and Foreign Minister Koki Hirota, with the Finance Minister citing a lack of funds.

Just as Chen Jiehua, who had learned the news immediately, was preparing to go to the Emperor in person, things took another turn for the better.

At the end of April, Karakhan, the acting People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of Red Russia, submitted a formal proposal to Japan regarding the sale of the northern Manchurian section of the Chinese Eastern Railway, which was under Soviet control.

The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided on the basic policy of having the puppet state of Manchukuo acquire the territory, but this was opposed at the Five Ministers' Conference by Army Minister Sadao Araki and Finance Minister Korekiyo Takahashi. The Finance Minister's reason was also that there was no money.

In short, I oppose any policy that requires me to spend a lot of money.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided to deal with the Minister of the Army first.

The two policies have once again led to the joint summit of the heads of the mainland provinces.

On May 7, in the Cabinet's main conference room, the heads of the Army Ministry, the Army General Staff, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs discussed two policies, seeking common ground while reserving differences. Finance Minister Korekiyo Takahashi was also invited to attend.

These two policies are actually in conflict.

Chen Jiehua seized on this point and immediately killed the conversation.

"If Obata-kun's plan to wage war against Red Russia is implemented, the Imperial Army will occupy the area near Lake Baikal by 1937, or at the latest 1938. At that time, the North Manchurian Railway will naturally become the Empire's possession. Therefore, there is no need to acquire it now."

"Moreover, if the Empire were to acquire the North Manchurian Railway now, it would be very financially advantageous to Red Russia, which is currently implementing its second five-year plan. This would be tantamount to funding the enemy and would lead to Red Russia recovering its strength ahead of time and launching an attack on the Empire's homeland ahead of schedule."

"How do you know that Red Russia will attack the Imperial mainland instead of Manchuria?"

“If I were the leader of Red Russia, and I were to attack your Manchuria, you would keep sending troops from your homeland to Manchuria, and I would never be able to finish fighting them.”

“But if I attack your homeland directly, you might have to transfer troops from Manchuria back to your homeland to resist, and then Manchuria will still be in my pocket.”

"Gentlemen, you can do the math, right?"

Chen Jiehua's method of accounting first won over Finance Minister Takahashi Korekiyo; it saved him a lot of money, which was good. (End of Chapter)