Espionage codename: Shen Gongbao

Wanjia buried her face in his chest, her voice filled with tension and worry:

"Ms. Mao... was shot and wounded by secret agents at the Ci'anli Building on Nanjing East Road that night."

She sniffed, looked up, and her eyes were red-rimmed.

"I asked a working woman friend, and she was shot several times and is in critical condition now."

Wang Xuesen tightened his grip on her arm slightly.

Mao Liying.

He sighed inwardly.

The woman who was arrested by Li Shiqun at No. 76 and then released by him.

He warned her to her face to leave Shanghai immediately, and Lao Du also relayed the message to the underground organization that issued the red tickets through his connections.

Despite her reluctance, she insisted on completing the task, and just a few days ago she was still preparing for a charity concert.

Hey!

Ultimately, they could not escape Li Shiqun's clutches.

"Don't worry, let me call and ask what's going on," Wang Xuesen said calmly, releasing her.

Wanjia nodded, then shook her head: "Won't it affect you?"

"No. I was in charge of her affairs before, so it's normal for me to ask a few questions."

"Even if someone complains to Li Shih-Chun, he won't care."

Wanjia then nodded in relief.

Wang Xuesen was about to pick up the phone when it rang first.

He picked it up.

It's Hu Junhe.

"Brother, have you heard?" The voice on the other end was cold and tinged with resentment.

Wang Xuesen asked with a smile, "What did you hear?"

"You'll find out in the newspaper tomorrow."

Hu Junhe hung up after he finished speaking.

Wang Xuesen put down the microphone and said to Wanjia, "Old Hu doesn't know the specifics, but it was probably done by Wu Sibao's people or Yang Jie's people."

He dialed Yang Jie's number again.

There was a lot of noise on the other end of the phone, the commotion of people playing cards. Yang Jie was playing cards.

With just a few simple words, he snapped it off.

If it wasn't Hu or Yang, then it must have been Wu Sibao's men who did it.

That makes sense.

Li Shiqun was wary of Hu Junhe. His true confidants were Wu Sibao, Yang Jie, and Liu Zhongwen. Liu Zhongwen was a "strategist" who only offered advice and did not participate in frontline operations.

Yang Jie was cunning and deceitful, and besides, he was his brother-in-law.

Therefore, the heavy lifting most likely fell to Wu Sibao.

Wang Xuesen called Liu Zhongwen directly.

There was nothing Liu Zhongwen didn't know about No. 76.

After saying a few words, Wang Xuesen hung up and turned around.

"Ms. Mao was taken to Renji Hospital by the police. She was not seriously injured and is still alive."

He paused.

"The Japanese are now intensifying their efforts to shrink the living space of foreigners. The concessions will probably protest openly, but in reality, nothing will come of it."

Wang Xuesen frowned: "What I'm worried about now is that Wu Sibao's people will interfere with the rescue."

"Then... what should we do?" Su Wanjia suddenly stood up, her voice trembling. "Two hours have already passed. If we don't start treatment soon, the blood loss alone will kill her."

Wang Xuesen nodded: "That's for sure. Interfering with and pressuring hospital leaders, intimidating doctors—these are common tactics used by the 76th Division."

"What can we do?" Wanjia grabbed his arm, tears welling up in her eyes again. "Ms. Mao is a very kind person, and she's a friend of mine and Lulu's. Xuesen, can you find a way to save her?"

Wang Xuesen did not answer immediately.

He stood in the middle of the living room, his hands in his pockets, his expression darkening.

He admires and respects Mao Liying.

Anyone who makes it onto the No. 76 blacklist deserves respect.

Maybe I can give it a try.

There are risks, but they are not significant and are largely under his control.

"I need to see Old Du," he said in a deep voice. "If he agrees, I can give it a try."

Wanjia quickly wiped away her tears, her eyes instantly regaining their capable look.

"Wanjia, let's split up."

Wang Xuesen walked to the coat rack and put the coat he had just taken off back on.

"Go find Mrs. Okamura. If things go smoothly on my end, I'll call you, and we'll go to Jinji Hospital together."

"Okay, let's split up." Su Wanjia turned and went upstairs, tucking her loose hair back up as she went.

She took two steps, then stopped.

"Xuesen, be careful."

Wang Xuesen turned around and smiled: "You too."

……

The night wind was fierce.

When the bulletproof car turned into the street where Jishi Pharmacy was located, there were no pedestrians on the street, and the streetlights were swaying in the wind.

Wang Xuesen parked his car and walked quickly to the entrance of the pharmacy.

dong dong!

He knocked on the door.

There were rustling sounds coming from inside the house.

Old Du straightened his long gown, peeked out through the crack in the door, and only opened it after confirming it was him.

As soon as she entered the consultation room, Old Du's mother-in-law started chanting.

"What urgent matter do you have that you need to buy medicine at this hour?" he grumbled as he closed the door. "I sell traditional Chinese medicine and write prescriptions, not Western medicine to save lives. It's inappropriate for you to come so late."

Wang Xuesen placed his briefcase on the consultation table, sat down in the chair, and said:

"Perfect timing, just as Li Shiqun ran out of Tiger Penis Pills. Ye Jiqing was quite satisfied with the medicine's effects and asked me to continue preparing more."

He sat down, took off his gold-rimmed glasses, and wearily rubbed his temples.

"I'm his lucky charm now, so it's normal for me to be proactive."

Old Du snorted and didn't pursue the topic any further. He turned around, poured a cup of hot tea, and pushed it in front of him.

Wang Xuesen took the teacup, warmed his hands with it, and continued, "The situation in Shenzhen is basically stable; we're just waiting for Yin Dingyi to arrive in Shanghai. Ye Jiqing is all about money, not people. Have you prepared the funds on your side?"

"Boss Dai gave me 50,000 yuan." Du Song sat down opposite him, his tone businesslike. "As for the rest, get it from Yin Dingyi. The boss isn't exactly flush with cash right now, and Zhan Shen is Yin Dingyi's son after all, so it's only right that he bleeds a little."

Wang Xuesen smiled and said, "To be honest, I find it unbelievable that the boss would be willing to pay 50,000."

"Rescuing Mao Sen back then wasn't so easy."

Du Song blew on his teacup to cool it down: "How can that be the same? Mao Sen is backed by the Mao family, and Mao Renfeng is the one who really bleeds the bucket."

"Mao Renfeng is so indecisive, things just drag on."

"Zhan Shen is different. The boss treats him like a tiger general, almost like his own son. He's not quite as good as you or Shen Zui, but he's not much different either."

At this point, Old Du put down his teacup and glanced at him sideways:

"No way, you came all this way in the middle of the night just to swindle money from me?"

"no."

"There was a member of the Red Ticket organization, Mao Liying, whom Ding Mocun called 'the second Shi Liangzhi Red Ticket radical.' Wu Sibao sent people to assassinate her in Ci'an Lane, and she was injured."

"I arrested this person before, and I also tried to persuade him to stay."

Wang Xuesen stared into his eyes, speaking each word clearly.

"She won't listen."

At this point, he deliberately slowed down his speech, secretly observing Lao Du's reaction.

Sure enough, Old Du put down his teacup and impatiently interrupted him:

"I know all of this."

His eyelids drooped, and he pretended to be nonchalant.

"According to our sources, the Red Ticket organization has sent an underground group to contact and rescue her, but they were blocked by Wu Sibao's men."

"The problem now is that going to the hospital is not only dangerous, but it's also very difficult to get in touch with her once we get there."

Wang Xuesen's lips curved into a smile.

"Comrade Du, you know very well."

His tone was light and cheerful, with a hint of teasing.

"Let me remind you, be mindful of the Military Intelligence Bureau's discipline; your current thinking is a bit dangerous."

Old Du was stunned.

The old man's expression was priceless: first stiff, then panicked, and finally furious.

"You... what nonsense are you talking about!" he stammered, pointing at Wang Xuesen and whispering, "Calling... who are you calling comrade! Don't think that just because you've done something good, I won't report you to the boss!"

Wang Xuesen mimicked the tone he used to scold someone last time, and said with a grin, "It was just a joke, don't be so petty."

He held up one finger and waved it towards the ceiling.

"Didn't Comrade Jianfeng say that revolutionary comrades who share the same ideals, adhere to the same principles, are committed to the same mission, and abide by the same discipline are my comrades?"

Old Du's face turned pale, and he pointed at him with a serious expression.

"You better watch yourself! If Boss Dai hears those two words, he'll rip your head off!"

He gently tapped the table.

"Quickly, get down to business. Can you save Ms. Mao?"

Wang Xuesen stopped laughing.

"She was shot and has been held up for so long, her chances of survival are slim."

He paused.

"However, I can go see her and try to get her medical treatment."

"But there is some, a little, risk involved."

"Are you sure the risks are manageable?" Lao Du asked.

Wang Xuesen leaned back in his chair and thought for a moment: "It's not a big problem."

Du Song hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.

"No, I still need to hear your risk control plan. After all, ensuring your safety is the top priority."

Wang Xuesen raised his index finger and twitched it:

"Firstly, Wanjia and I have already discussed it. We will visit Ms. Mao Liying under the pretext of obtaining her access to disaster relief supplies. Okamura Aizawa will definitely agree."

"Secondly, Wanjia and Mrs. Okamura did have a relationship with Mao Liying, so it was perfectly legitimate for them to visit her."

"Even if Li Shiqun questions me, or even if I call Captain Okamura to inquire, the greedy Okamura will definitely say yes and vouch for me."

After listening, Lao Du slowly nodded:

"I trust you to handle things reliably."

"Remember, if anything unexpected happens, call me immediately. Be careful."

Wang Xuesen stood up, picked up his coat and put it on: "I know, you too."

"If the transportation station gets raided one day, don't fight back to the death. Let them arrest you. I'll have someone beat you to a pulp and then figure out a way to get you out."

Old Du paused for a moment, a look of gratitude flashing in his eyes.

In an instant, he put on a stern face and said arrogantly, "Stop jinxing me, get lost."

Wang Xuesen did not leave.

He sat back down, his tone changed.

"Damn it, you interrupted me like that, I almost forgot something important."

"I'll dictate a telegram; you write it down and send it to Boss Dai."

Old Du didn't understand what he was up to, so he pointed to his head and said, "You tell me."

Wang Xuesen cleared his throat and began to speak slowly, word by word:

"Brother Yu Nong, Shanghai has recently been rife with bloodshed and violence, and many brave men have sacrificed their lives."

"I believe that indiscriminate assassinations will only deepen the hatred and invite even more bloody retaliation from the Japanese and the 76th Division, resulting in the deaths and injuries of many innocent people."

"I hope my brother will uphold benevolence and harmony as his foundation."

There was a three-second silence in the examination room.

Old Du's eyes widened, and he asked in a trembling voice:

"Are you... are you insane?!"

He stood up abruptly, nearly knocking over his teacup.

Would such a message be sent to Dai Li?

Advise Boss Dai to be benevolent? Do you think he's a bodhisattva?

You're just too arrogant and cocky.

Wang Xuesen remained unfazed: "You always have to have a backup plan."

Read Chapter 104, "Rapid Rescue," now to begin your exciting day.

Wang Xuesen remained unfazed: "You always have to have a backup plan."

His voice trailed off.

"Hu Junhe once vaguely mentioned that Chen Bijun and the Japanese had a very powerful spy group in Chongqing that had been secretly investigating me. To this day, I still don't understand why Chen Bijun keeps targeting me."

He glanced at Lao Du.

"If it involves the secrets of Young Master Wang before his death, Boss Dai must have his own considerations, which are not for me to inquire about."

Old Du slowly sat back down, his anger fading and replaced by a solemn expression.

"Keep this in mind, in case we get wiped out by Li Shiqun or the Japanese someday, the boss won't be able to help us."

"This may be our only chance to survive." After saying this, Wang Xuesen's tone returned to calm. "From now on, I will have you send a telegram like this every now and then."

Dusson stared at him for a long time.

He never expected that this young man would say such inappropriate and "rebellious" things.

Even more unexpectedly, Wang Xuesen could see so far ahead.

They're laying the road now.

Their will to survive has truly reached its limit.

Sending this telegram was like buying a potentially effective "insurance" policy from the Japanese. Although it might not be useful, it was better than nothing.

If it works, that would be a brilliant move.

Old Du, being so shrewd, immediately understood his meaning, and scoffed:

"Don't worry, I'll keep a copy."

"But the boss will probably be furious. When he meets with Chen Gongshu, I'll be the one getting yelled at, while you'll be all relaxed," he said irritably.

Wang Xuesen grabbed his briefcase and the tiger penis pills that Lao Du had taken, stood up and walked out: "Go ahead and curse, it's not like I'll lose a couple of ounces of meat."

"Wait a minute," Old Du called out to him, "What code name should we use? If the Japanese really arrest us, using our real names will seem too fake and deliberate, and we might not be able to hide it."

Wang Xuesen's hand, which was pushing the door open, stopped.

He turned his head and thought for two seconds.

With a slight smile, he uttered three words:

"Chu Liuxiang".

Old Du was stunned.

The door is already closed.

The night wind blew in through the cracks in the door, making the prescription papers in the lobby rustle.

Du Song pondered the three words and shook his head slightly.

Chu Liuxiang!

Ok.

No wonder he's a playboy.

The code name is quite elegant and refined, like Wang Xuesen.

……

Wang Xuesen drove home on his way back, called the Okamura family to inform Wanjia, and then drove to Renji Hospital.

When they arrived at the hospital entrance, Wanjia and Mrs. Okamura were already waiting.

Mrs. Okamura is not very tall, only about 1.5 meters. She has thin lips and long, narrow eyes, and looks very friendly with a smile.

In reality, she possesses the shrewdness and cold-bloodedness inherent in Japanese women.

It's not easy to hold onto a woman like that.

This shows that Wanjia is indeed likable, and she has done her homework in her daily life.

As Wang Xuesen walked, he said, "Madam, Wanjia may not have explained things clearly enough to you. I will use the excuse of saving her life to inquire about the supply warehouse and goods."

He lowered his voice.

"This woman is a real catch; we have no reason to let her go."

Mrs. Okamura smiled and said, "Wanjia has already told me that your sworn brother is very interested in this proposal. I know about Ms. Mao and the charity performances by working women to raise funds, and I know her capabilities."

Perhaps realizing she had been too blunt, she paused, then feigned sadness and said:

"Of course, Ms. Mao is also my friend, and it's the right thing to do as a friend to save her."

"Wang Sang, what do you think?"

Wang Xuesen looked on with deep admiration: "Madam's loyalty and righteousness truly move me. It is a blessing for Ms. Mao to know you."

"You're so good with words, no wonder my husband values ​​you so much." Mrs. Okamura smiled with obvious pleasure.

"I owe my success today entirely to your esteemed brother's appreciation," Wang Xuesen said with a smile.

We arrived at the hospital.

Wang Xuesen went directly to the dean's office.

He made his name known.

Soon, Dean Yang Hongchang and the chief physician in charge of surgical treatment arrived.

Wang Xuesen showed his ID: "Dean Yang, how is Mao Liying doing?"

Yang Hongchang pulled him aside and poured out his grievances, saying, "Director Wang, to be honest, the French Concession police have made arrangements, and quite a few people have called me privately, all asking me to do everything I can to save her."

He wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Director Li and I are both determined to save them."

"But your people are blocking us from leaving."

"That Captain Jiang is like a gatekeeper, always squatting outside the emergency room. He has publicly declared that anyone who dares to save Ms. Mao will have their whole family killed and the hospital bombed."

"How are we supposed to save you like this?"

"I really can't help you with this."

Wang Xuesen smiled and said, "What a coincidence, this lady is the wife of Mr. Okamura, the captain of the Shanghai Military Police. Ms. Mao is her friend, and she wants you to do everything you can to save her."

He adjusted his glasses.

"You decide which is lighter and which is heavier."

Yang Hongchang looked troubled: "This..."

The captain of the military police was either a colonel or a major general, one of the top figures in Shanghai. He was someone the officer could not afford to offend.

The problem is that number 76 is a troublesome kid.

These people are from the Green Gang; they're shameless and ruthless.

Yang Hongchang was overjoyed: "That's great! Since you're on our side, it's easy to talk to you."

He turned and instructed, "Director Li, prepare for Ms. Mao's surgery."

Then, he looked at Wang Xuesen: "Director Wang, please."

The group arrived at the entrance of the emergency room.

Jiang Jun, the deputy captain of the guard brigade under Wu Sibao, was smoking, with several staff members in black suits beside him.

Upon seeing Wang Xuesen, he frowned, but didn't show much respect: "Director Wang, what brings you here?"

Wang Xuesen said with a smile, "Captain Jiang, please do me a favor and let me through."

Jiang Jun hesitated, then asked, "Director Wang, who are the people inside...?"

Wang Xuesen nodded: "I know, I'll give you face."

Jiang Jun's expression turned serious: "Captain Wu has given orders that no one is allowed to go in, let alone provide any assistance. Don't make things difficult for the brothers."

Wang Xuesen's eyes sharpened as he stared directly at him: "Captain Jiang, are you saying you're not going to give me any face?"

Jiang Jun chuckled, unmoved, and said, "Director Wang, I'm sorry."

Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at Wang Xuesen, and Wanjia's heart leaped into her throat.

If Wang Xuesen can't handle Chiang Kai-shek's army, he'll be in trouble.

Okamura couldn't get involved himself, and it would be even more troublesome to alert Li Shiqun.

Wang Xuesen took off his glasses and looked at Jiang Jun with a smile: "Captain Jiang, it seems I can't order you around."

Jiang Jun remained unfazed, sneering, "Sorry, I..."

Before he could finish speaking, Wang Xuesen raised his hand and slapped him across the face, roaring, "You bastard, you think you're so great?"

Jiang Jun, who was used to being arrogant and domineering under Wu Sibao, would never tolerate such a slap.

His face contorted with rage, and he was about to unleash his fury.

Wang Xuesen drew his gun from his waist and pressed it against Madam Okamura's forehead, saying, "Do you know who this is? Captain Okamura's wife. Ms. Mao is her good friend."

His voice was frighteningly cold.

"Just for offending Madam, I could kill you right now."

As he spoke, he released the safety latch and gestured as if to pull the trigger.

Jiang Jun's forehead instantly broke out in a cold sweat. He raised his hands and forced an awkward smile: "Director Wang, we're all brothers, there's no need to ruin our relationship."

"Brother, I was blind! Please have mercy!"

"Get lost!" Wang Xuesen turned his gun away.

Jiang Jun covered his face, forcing out venomous, chilling words through gritted teeth: "Yes, Director Wang!"

After saying that, he glared fiercely at Wang Xuesen, coldly snorted, and waved his hand: "Brothers, let's retreat!"

Jiang Jun and his gang left.

Wang Xuesen breathed a sigh of relief and quickly instructed, "Wanjia, let's go to the dean's office to rest for a while and let Director Li and the others do the emergency treatment."

After saying that, he bowed slightly to Director Li and the several medical staff who were resuscitating him: "Director Li, this person is very important to us. Thank you for your help."

Director Li nodded, and the group quickly pushed the medicines and sterilized surgical cart inside.

"Madams, Director Wang, please come to my office for a cup of tea."

Seeing Wang Xuesen's imposing manner, Yang Hongchang couldn't help but become somewhat obsequious.

I arrived at the office.

After some awkward small talk, Mrs. Okamura's face showed that she had arrived at her destination. She didn't want to smell the disinfectant or listen to Yang Hongchang's broken and incomprehensible Japanese. She said goodbye and was accompanied by Wanjia to go back first.

Wang Xuesen had to wait for the results of the rescue, while Yang Hongchang chatted with him.

Wang Xuesen handed him a cigarette: "Old Yang, I saw your wife buying a house on Lafayette Road with Wanjia last time. Did she buy it?"

Yang Hongchang sighed: "What's there to buy? With the devaluation of the RMB, it's now worth 170,000 or 180,000. The problem is, the landlord is preparing to go abroad and only wants US dollars."

He shook his head, then continued to complain:

"You said that Citibank now stipulates that you can only exchange a maximum of $500 a year, and you have to apply for permission to exchange money. The regulatory agency also has to report to the embassy or even the mountain city for approval."

"The black market is even more ruthless. Zhang Xiaolin and his gang are offering exchange rates that have broken 8 for the US dollar, and when you factor in the commission, it's almost double the price quoted by banks."

"Not to mention, that thing is completely unsafe."

"Once the money gets there, it's very likely to be like throwing a meat bun to a dog."

Yang Hongchang became increasingly angry as he spoke.

"You know Old Chung from the tax bureau, right? Last month, he exchanged over six thousand US dollars on the black market, half of which were counterfeit. He didn't even keep a receipt, and we still can't find him."

"I've spent most of my life working for others."

"Not to mention, what if..."

He glanced at Wang Xuesen, but didn't dare to continue.

Wang Xuesen pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "How about this? I'm a friendly person, and I happen to have some US dollars that I had stockpiled at home. How many US dollars do you need? I'll go with you to the landlord to hand them over."

He flicked off his cigarette ash.

"I'll give it to you at the bank rate."

Yang Hongchang was overjoyed: "Director Wang, is this really true?"

"certainly."

"Tomorrow, you arrange a time with the landlord, and I'll bring the money over then," Wang Xuesen said.

Yang Hongchang quickly replied, "Okay, I want to exchange 30,000 US dollars."

"Okay, but I don't want legal tender. You have to give me silver dollars and gold." Wang Xuesen nodded.

Yang Hongchang frowned: "I have some gold, but this way of exchanging it would require thousands of taels and hundreds of large yellow croakers. Where would I get that much?"

Wang Xuesen said with some helplessness, "As you know, the legal tender is constantly depreciating. Holding it in your hand might turn it into worthless paper one day."

Yang Hongchang sighed: "That's true. I just regret that I was blind back then. Who knew the Japanese would invade? I should have exchanged some gold earlier."

Wang Xuesen's gaze suddenly fell on a box of medicine on the side of his desk, and a smile appeared on his lips.

"Old Yang, you're like a god of wealth guarding a mountain of gold, crying poverty."

……