Espionage codename: Shen Gongbao

Inside the office, Wang Xuesen put down the phone and frowned.

wrong.

That's not right!

It wasn't about the content of the phone call, but rather Li Shiqun's attitude.

Li Shiqun has won big in the Zheng Pingping affair, and his position as the top leader of No. 76 is now completely secure.

However, Yang Jie's arrest and the theft of his goods directly implicated Yongxinglong Company and Ye Jiqing.

The strange thing is that he couldn't detect a trace of frustration in Li Shiqun's few words.

There was no anger.

When Wang Xuesen worked at the oil company, he studied psychology diligently in order to please his female boss and pick up girls. He had his own methods for analyzing human emotions.

Li Shiqun is an unfathomable person; outsiders can hardly fathom his thoughts when dealing with him face-to-face.

But he has a weakness.

Call up.

When face-to-face, he can control his facial expressions and body language, but on the phone, his tone of voice occasionally reveals a little bit of emotion.

Fatigue, unhappiness, joy—these subtle feelings can reveal clues over time.

Over the past few months, Wang Xuesen had already figured out most of Li Shiqun's speech patterns through daily phone conversations.

When in a bad mood, I speak more slowly and my voice trails off at the end.

When angry, the tone becomes cold, the words are pronounced sharply, and the speech is faster.

When happy, the tone is relatively steady, but the ending of the voice will rise slightly.

During that phone call, Li Shiqun's voice was steady and gentle, with even a slight upward inflection at the end.

I wouldn't say I was happy, but I was definitely not depressed at all.

That's strange.

Wang Xuesen locked his office door and went upstairs, continuing to dissect the problem in his mind.

The goods were purchased with his own capital; if they were robbed, so be it. Li Shiqun simply didn't make a profit, so there was no need to get upset.

But Yang Jie was arrested.

That was his brother-in-law.

Bai Junqi openly detained the captain of Operation 76 in the Special Higher Police, which was tantamount to slapping Li Shiqun in the face.

Even if Li Shiqun didn't have deep feelings for Yang Jie, he should still show some reaction on the surface.

Unless... he genuinely despises Yang Jie from the bottom of his heart.

They even hoped to take this opportunity to teach Yang Jie a lesson.

Wang Xuesen clicked his tongue.

This is really troublesome.

His original plan was to use the goods and Yang Jie's matter to escalate the conflict between Li Shiqun, Bai Junqi, and Zhang Xiaolin.

The second strike is aimed at using that same amount of force to chop downwards.

It now seems that Li Shiqun's attention to Yang Jie was far less than expected; his efforts were likely wasted.

Today's dialogue must be approached with extra caution.

Thinking of this, he took a deep breath, went to the office door, and knocked twice:

"Director, it's me."

"Come in." Li Shiqun's gentle voice came from inside.

Wang Xuesen pushed open the door and went in.

Li Shiqun, sitting behind his desk, raised his hand and smiled, "Sit down. How's Zheng Pingping doing?"

Wang Xuesen immediately understood.

Li Shiqun must know that Wanjia went to the hospital.

This statement, seemingly concerned about Zheng Pingping's situation, is actually a veiled interrogation.

Wang Xuesen remained calm and smiled faintly: "Zheng Pingping still has reservations and hasn't decided whether to work for us. I'll have Wanjia go and keep her company; she can try to persuade her gently."

Li Shiqun smiled and said, "Yes, now that the Guangming Daily is back in our hands, and Miss Zheng is a socialite in Shanghai, we can let her shine in the propaganda field."

"This will also help to dismantle her father's reputation and bring the Zheng family completely under our control."

"Brother's insight is brilliant," Wang Xuesen chimed in. "I'll call the hospital later and hint to Wanjia to convey your wishes."

Li Shiqun nodded, then his brows furrowed:

"Your sister-in-law just came by and gave me a hard time."

"This Yang Jie is more trouble than he's worth; he's a real headache."

"By the way, how much did you lose?"

Wang Xuesen replied, "It's probably around two thousand five hundred US dollars."

Li Shiqun frowned: "This is no small sum."

He paused for a moment and said, "Don't worry, let's negotiate and see if we can get the goods back."

"If there's really no other way, I'll assign you two lucrative outposts later to make up for it."

Wang Xuesen waved his hand: "I appreciate your kindness, brother. But the building is short on funds right now. Brother and sister-in-law have to take care of so many brothers; they're already struggling to make ends meet. We'll just have to make do."

"Besides, Shanghai is a mixed bag; doing business is never a smooth ride."

"I can handle this loss."

Li Shiqun was very satisfied with this answer.

He pulled a cigarette from the pack on the table and tossed it across the table.

Wang Xuesen caught it and lit it.

Li Shiqun also lit a cigarette and took a puff: "The Bai family has repeatedly been my enemy, first the checkpoints, now the American goods."

"Clearly, he intends to curb the development of No. 76 and Yongxinglong Company by cutting off our financial resources."

He stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to Wang Xuesen:

"Money is a very interconnected thing; if you touch one part of it, it affects the whole situation."

"If our work doesn't go smoothly, the Japanese will fall into Zhang Xiaolin's trap and further support an intelligence agency led by Zhang Xiaolin's Green Gang."

"Zhang Xiaolin has tens of thousands of disciples; he certainly has the advantage and the resources to do so."

At this point, he let out a long sigh:

"Ultimately, with my master's death, I lost the Green Gang's backer."

"Even if Sanhetang and Zhang Deqing join forces right now, they are no match for Zhang Xiaolin."

"Bai Junqi only dared to act as Zhang Xiaolin's pawn because he was relying on his master's power."

"Alas, the situation is very unfavorable for us."

Li Shiqun turned around, his gaze landing on Wang Xuesen's face, a half-smile playing on his lips: "You're quite clever. I'd like to hear your opinion on the Bai family."

He did not downplay the matter in order to win against Liu Zhongwen.

Instead, he laid bare the threats posed by Zhang Xiaolin and Bai Junqi, the risk of funding disruption, and the potential threat of the Japanese starting their own venture.

It emphasized the urgency and severity of the crisis.

A trap has been set.

If Wang Xuesen truly had ulterior motives, he would definitely have taken this "bait," followed his words, fanned the flames, and instigated the elimination of Zhang and Bai.

When Wang Xuesen met his gaze, alarm bells rang in his mind.

In the past, he would have definitely gone along with what was said.

However, the information Li Shiqun had given on the phone earlier did not show any sign of worry.

Li Shiqun did it on purpose.

Could it be that he has revealed a flaw somewhere, and that Shen Gongbao has already doubted his purpose in sowing discord among No. 76?

Thinking of this, Wang Xuesen felt a cold sweat pour down his back, but his expression remained as gentle as a spring breeze, and he continued the conversation without the slightest hesitation or pause:

"Big brother is right, I suggest we get rid of Bai Junqi."

Li Shiqun's eyelids twitched slightly.

He turned around, his back to Wang Xuesen, a hint of disappointment flashing across his face.

Could it be that I really misjudged him and lost to Lao Liu again?

He suppressed his displeasure, turned back calmly, and asked with a smile, "Why?"

Wang Xuesen foolishly said, "First, calm your sister-in-law down."

Li Shiqun's smile faded.

A woman's emotions are nothing compared to important matters.

He doesn't even care about Yang Jie, so why would he decide whether to kill someone based on Ji Qing's mood?

Clumsy.

Wang Xuesen continued:

"Bai Junqi intends to establish a new intelligence agency. Killing him will deter those with disloyal intentions and alleviate pressure from that area."

"Furthermore, this scoundrel has repeatedly provoked us openly, and this time he even openly arrested Yang Jie, completely disregarding the director."

"Whether it's for the sake of the deal, or for the sake of the director and the reputation of No. 76, I feel it's necessary to make an example of him and get rid of him."

Not a single word was meaningful, it was all utter bullshit… Li Shiqun cursed inwardly.

He had expected Wang Xuesen to come up with something substantial, at least to analyze the current situation, weigh the pros and cons, or even to come up with some insightful underhanded tactics.

Is that all?

It's no different from street thugs shouting threats of violence.

It seems we overestimated this person in the past.

The theory of winning may sound plausible, but when it comes to a real fight, it's nothing special.

He nodded in agreement, then tentatively added, "You seem to harbor quite a grudge against Bai Junqi."

Wang Xuesen stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray: "Of course."

"Brother, Bai Junqi used to be my rival in love, and now he's ruining our business and constantly stealing the limelight."

As he spoke, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes: "Damn it."

"If I had to pick the person I hated most in Shanghai, it would definitely be him."

"Between him and me, we're not exactly mortal enemies, but we're absolutely irreconcilable."

"But Zhang Xiaolin is behind him." Li Shiqun said in a flat tone, as if he were just mentioning it casually.

He was already prepared.

If Wang Xuesen were to take advantage of the situation and suggest that he should confront Zhang Xiaolin, the outcome of his own conflict with Lao Liu would be secondary; the real issue is that this person's potential is limited.

From now on, we should listen to Lao Liu more often.

Wang Xuesen pondered for a moment.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and organized his thoughts: "Brother, Zhang Xiaolin must be eliminated, but we must be careful about the methods and approaches."

Li Shiqun raised his eyebrows and said "Oh".

"Furthermore, Bai Junqi and Zhang Xiaolin are completely incomparable."

Wang Xuesen's voice turned serious: "In my opinion, Zhang Xiaolin is someone who can only be flattered to death, not confronted head-on."

Li Shiqun felt a little relieved.

He squinted, placing his teacup on the corner of the table: "What is meant by 'praise to death'?"

Wang Xuesen took another sip of water; his throat was a little dry.

"Zhang Xiaolin is extremely arrogant. Not only are people in Shanghai afraid of him, but the Japanese are also wary of him."

"His hometown is in Zhejiang Province, and he has always wanted to extend his influence into Zhejiang Province and dominate the region."

"Using the power of the Green Gang, they monopolized taxes on salt, cotton, grain, and opium, and used this to support their forces in Shanghai."

"As far as I know, Wang Ruikai of Zhejiang Province has deep ties with the local garrison and military police."

"Wang Ruikai was a well-known wealthy man from the Beiyang period. He even had to personally appoint county magistrates down to the lowest level. He had a deep pocket in that area from top to bottom."

Wang Xuesen tapped his finger on the table and smiled shrewdly:

"Hasn't Zhang Xiaolin always wanted to seek the support of the Mei Agency? I think you might as well give him a hand."

"Let's take this plague god elsewhere to fight him."

"Given Zhang Xiaolin's domineering and arrogant nature, he has always been unstoppable. Why not send him to Zhejiang Province and let him fight Wang Ruikai like dogs?"

"At the same time, we can also take this opportunity to gain some benefits."

"For example, asking him to give up some territory and interests in Zhabei and Nanshi."

He paused for a moment and looked into Li Shiqun's eyes.

"In this way, we kill two birds with one stone. Not only is the pressure greatly reduced, but we can also reap tangible benefits."

"Without Zhang Xiaolin, isn't Bai Junqi just a dog on the street?"

Li Shiqun threw his head back and burst into laughter.

He rarely laughed so unrestrainedly.

These words truly touched my heart.

Zhang Xiaolin had been weighing on his chest for more than just a day or two.

A head-on clash?

He knew his own resources well; the Green Gang had tens of thousands of members. What could he possibly do against them?

But it's a different story if you praise someone to death.

Let's get rid of this plague god and let him go and harm others.

wonderful.

"Tell me, how are you going to carry it?" Li Shiqun stopped laughing and leaned forward.

Wang Xuesen straightened his posture:

"Big brother can introduce Zhang Xiaolin to the head of the Kagesa Agency, but the Mei Agency only provides political support and assistance, not any protection or funding from the Japanese army."

He spoke slowly and deliberately, clearly and logically.

"Zhang Xiaolin has always been close to Chief of Staff Sakurai, which makes him a target of jealousy from Chief of the Kagesa Agency."

"I believe that Director Kagesa would also be very happy to get rid of this plague god from Shanghai, which would also break the bond between Zhang Xiaolin and Sakurai."

Li Shiqun's eyes lit up.

Differentiation.

This word is used precisely.

He knew all too well the feud between Kagesa and Sakurai.

Zhang Xiaolin had tied up Sakurai, and Kagesa had long disliked him.

If I were to take the initiative to introduce him, it would be like resolving a knot in Kagesa Teisho's heart.

Three birds with one stone.

"In general, apart from the 13th Army and the Bai family, from the heads of government agencies and Captain Okamura to ordinary people in Shanghai, probably no one didn't want Zhang Xiaolin to get out of Zhejiang Province as soon as possible."

"Therefore, I think that praising someone to death is the best solution at present."

"From the perspective of winning strategies, elder brother's move is called using softness to overcome hardness, a clever and skillful way to win with minimal effort."

Wang Xuesen continues to employ his winning strategies:

Li Shiqun slammed his hand on the table, exclaiming with delight, "What a brilliant and ingenious win!"

"happy!"

"Xuesen's words have relieved my worries!"

Li Shiqun was in a great mood and walked to the sofa to personally pour him some tea.

"To be honest, Zhang Xiaolin has been secretly trying to get in touch with Chief Yingzuo, but the chief has never given him a way."

"The Zhang faction members in Zhabei gave me some benefits, but they didn't say it outright because of their status and qualifications. In reality, they were trying to make peace with me."

He picked up his teacup, his expression relaxing considerably.

"These past few days I've been thinking about whether I should take this opportunity to talk to Zhang Xiaolin and introduce him to the head of the agency."

"You've really hit the nail on the head today."

Wang Xuesen quickly waved his hand: "I'm ashamed, I'm ashamed. To be honest, I also had my own selfish motives."

"I'm thinking that once my elder brother and Zhang Xiaolin cooperate, as long as Zhang Xiaolin doesn't support Bai Junqi, we'll have a much better chance of crushing the Bai family and expanding Yongxinglong Company."

"Of course, I can also avenge Bai Junqi and quell the hatred in my heart."

Li Shiqun smiled and shook his head.

This kid never forgets to openly display his ulterior motives; he's greedy and never hides it.

On the contrary, it makes people feel at ease.

Wang Xuesen paused for a moment, then said, "Brother, since Zhang Xiaolin has already shown goodwill, why don't we give him a way out?"

"Isn't he just concerned with saving face, relying on his high status in the Green Gang, acting like the underground emperor of Shanghai?"

"Brother, why don't you take a step back, visit him first, and discuss this matter openly?"

"This way, it will be easier for us to speak up when negotiating terms."

"He gains face, we gain benefits, it's a win-win situation."

Li Shiqun nodded and tapped his fingers twice on the rim of the teacup:

"That's true, but getting to see him is harder than climbing to heaven."

"Especially right now, when our relationship is strained, he might not be willing to take the easy way out of this."

"besides."

"He would rather bleed than call me. If I call him personally to discuss this, it would be abrupt and beneath my dignity, and he might take advantage of me."

Wang Xuesen agreed, saying, "Brother's concerns are very valid."

"Perfect timing. I have a friend who knows Zhang Xiaolin's beloved disciple, Liu Fabao. He's also from the Tong generation. Why don't we have him go and give Zhang a heads-up first?"

"Liu Fabao?"

Li Shiqun nodded: "Okay, I know this person."

"He's more senior than me in the Green Gang, and he's been following Zhang Xiaolin for many years. It would be best if he could speak up."

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and as he put it down, his gaze suddenly became playful:

"I...I heard you're pursuing Ms. Miyako?"

Wang Xuesen scratched his head, a little embarrassed: "Yes."

Li Shiqun smiled.

"I can understand that young people love beauty and are jealous of each other."

"However, if you want Zhang Xiaolin to give up on the Bai family, you'll have to ask him yourself."

He pushed the cigarette pack aside, his voice neither hurried nor slow.

"And as for Fujita Hajime, you'll have to fight for that yourself too."

"You know, it's not appropriate for me to get involved in your love affairs, as people would laugh at me."

Wang Xuesen stood up and bowed deeply, saying, "Thank you, elder brother."

"If you can take me to see Boss Zhang, this is the best opportunity I can have. I ask for nothing more."

Li Shiqun raised his hand and gestured: "Okay, sit down."

He hesitated for two seconds, then his tone became more casual.

"Right now, I have another headache."

"Yang Jie, could you bring him back for me when you have some free time?"

"Of course, there's no rush, it's fine to do it sooner or later."

After taking a couple of sips of tea, Li Shiqun said with a hint of sarcasm:

"This kid occupies a high position all day long, and all he does is make money and have fun, wasting a lot of human and financial resources."

"Your sister-in-law is protecting him. It's good to let him suffer a bit."

really.

Wang Xuesen's judgment before going upstairs was confirmed.

Li Shiqun disliked his brother-in-law from the bottom of his heart and was eager to use Bai Junqi to teach him a lesson.

But what needs to be said on the surface must be said.

"Brother, let's not delay any longer. After all, he's the apple of your sister-in-law's eye. If we drag this out any longer, she'll start making a scene."

I'll go this afternoon.

Wang Xuesen took on the task.

Li Shiqun glanced at him.

He didn't expect Wang Xuesen to say that.

If Wu Sibao had been replaced, he would have been more than happy to have Yang Jie detained in the Special Higher Police Department for a few more days.

Hu Junhe would not say a single good word for Yang Jie.

Ironically, it was this person, who had absolutely no connection with Yang Jie, who thought of ensuring the safety of his own backyard.

Li Shiqun's eyes showed a hint of appreciation: "You're so thoughtful, let's do it this way."

Wang Xuesen stood up, straightened his suit, and said, "Brother, if there's nothing else, I'm leaving."

"etc."

Li Shiqun opened a drawer, took out a box of cigars, and tossed it to him: "A friend gave it to me. I don't like this stuff, so you can have it."

Wang Xuesen's eyes lit up, and he unceremoniously stuffed it into his pocket.

"This is good stuff, thank you, brother."

He pushed open the door and went out, his steps light and quick.

The door to the lounge next door opened.

Liu Zhongwen came out with a blank expression on his face.

He stood opposite Li Shiqun without sitting down.

Li Shiqun crossed his arms, looked up at him, and asked with a smile, "What do you mean?"

"You heard it all. I didn't agree with him at all; I was just trying to trick him into believing what you wanted to hear."

Liu Zhongwen was silent for a moment: "Well, I didn't see wrong. Wang Xuesen was indeed instigating the conflict between the director and Zhang and Bai."

"But his tactic of subtly using praise to his advantage is truly admirable."

"It is indeed very advantageous to the director."

"I...I lost."

Li Shiqun didn't laugh at him, but patted him on the shoulder: "You know, once your stubbornness kicks in, no one can persuade you."

"He's only willing to accept it verbally, not in his heart."

He sat down: "You heard it inside too. Wang Xuesen is not as talented as Zhuge Liang or Sima Yi as you think."

"He's at best a young man with some brains."

"When it comes to women and money, he will still be jealous and act impulsively."

"It's not as exaggerated as you say, it's not that difficult to control."

"Old Liu, I've said before that you are my Crouching Dragon and Phoenix Chick. Now that the test is over, and you've acknowledged it, it's time for you to give your opinion."

Liu Zhongwen adjusted his glasses and nodded, saying:

"Director, it's gambling, but I'll still give you the reminders you need to."

"I only promise not to say anything negative about him in the future, but I will not close my eyes."

Li Shiqun smiled.

That's exactly what he wanted to hear.

A loyal dog can't not bite, but a loyal dog that only knows how to bite can't be loyal either.

You have to bite the right spot.

"Keep an eye on it." Li Shiqun walked back to the table, sat down, and opened the documents in front of him.

"However, from today onwards, your relationship with Xuesen should still primarily be based on cooperation."

"Internal oversight is a tradition; we must not let it damage harmony or our sense of duty."

Liu Zhongwen nodded and accepted the order: "Yes."

He got up and went outside.

Once outside, Liu Zhongwen stood with his hands behind his back, his steps light and quick, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Praise to death!

A brilliant win!

This kid is getting more and more interesting!

……

The latest chapter is packed with exciting plot twists! Come check it out!