Der dritte Gelehrte der Song-Dynastie

Kapitel 8

Huang Feihu was under even more pressure than Lao Diao. He had learned that someone from Taiwan had arrived in Chongqing. He didn't know who this person was until recently, but he was certain that this person was there to inspect the progress of "Operation Sword of Restoration." The higher-ups had already warned that if the plan failed, the main person in charge would face severe punishment. Huang Feihu understood the meaning of "severe punishment." Death wasn't the most terrible thing; it was the thought of working so hard only to fail and then being slaughtered like a pig—that would be incredibly humiliating, a truly gruesome death.

Huang Feihu gave the old eagle a death order: within three days, he must obtain the Snow Moon Drunken Painting.

Upon hearing this, the old eagle knelt down and bowed, saying, "Boss, I guarantee it with my head."

Seeing the old eagle's unwavering loyalty, Huang Feihu's face showed signs of choking with emotion. He immediately suppressed his tears, turned away, remained silent for a long time, and then sighed, "Brother, what I need is not your head!"

These words sounded very humane, but the old eagle felt extremely nervous. In his haste, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

53

After Hei Dou was killed, Bai Jingzhai proposed to Chiang Kai-shek that Huang Feihu be in full charge of the "Sword of Restoration" plan, claiming that Huang Feihu had a better understanding of the situation on the front lines on the mainland and that he would rather do auxiliary work. Chiang Kai-shek listened and thought about it carefully, and felt that what Bai Jingzhai said made sense, so he tacitly agreed, but Chiang Kai-shek did not express his opinion clearly.

Bai Jingzhai knew Chiang Kai-shek's intentions well. Chiang's silence was a way of telling him: Don't run away, or I'll come after you if anything goes wrong!

Bai Jingzhai didn't truly want Huang Feihu to have sole control over the operation. His statement served two purposes: firstly, as Chiang Kai-shek had predicted, he wanted to avoid trouble if anything went wrong; secondly, he was deliberately creating a smokescreen to mislead Huang Feihu and allow himself to intervene covertly. Chiang Kai-shek, uneasy about Huang Feihu, wanted to send Bai Jingzhai to supervise. Bai Jingzhai, however, cleverly recommended another person Chiang trusted: Yu Minsheng, formerly the secretary to Dai Li, the head of the Military Intelligence Bureau. Chiang Kai-shek had already heard of the power struggle between Bai and Huang. After a secret consultation with his son, Chiang Ching-kuo, who held a high position, he felt it best to avoid a direct confrontation between Bai and Huang at this crucial moment and agreed to send Yu Minsheng secretly to the mainland.

Yu Minsheng, a key member of the National Security Council, had a close personal relationship with Chiang Ching-kuo, Chiang's son. For many years, Chiang Ching-kuo had been dissatisfied with the special independence of the Plum Blossom Party. Bai Jingzhai anticipated that Chiang Ching-kuo would eventually take over Chiang Kai-shek's position. In order to create an opportunity for rapport, Bai Jingzhai, after some consideration, offered this opportunity.

No sooner had Special Envoy Yu left than Bai Jingzhai set off, but it was a secret operation, kept from everyone except Chiang Kai-shek. He told Chiang that he wanted to go to Beiping to inspect the remaining Plum Blossom Party organizations and prepare to redevelop the Plum Blossom Party in Beijing.

Bai Jingzhai felt a sense of crisis. Although he held a high position in the Plum Blossom Party, he knew that this organization was not an ordinary political party; it was a special one. Within this organization, no one could remain complacent and arrogant. To maintain one's position in the long term, one could not be content with mediocrity but had to take the initiative, attack, and attack again. In the Plum Blossom Party, everyone's position was earned through real fighting and hard work. Over the years, living on the beautiful island of Taiwan, Bai Jingzhai only felt that life was easy and time flew by. However, when he faced himself alone, he found himself very lonely, without friends or anyone he could truly talk to. He felt that he was almost becoming Chiang Kai-shek's hostage. In Taiwan, he had to be controlled by Chiang Kai-shek. He had climbed to the top of the Plum Blossom Party through hard work, and he would have to rely on his own strength to maintain his position in the future. It would be better to leave Taiwan. No matter how high he climbed in Taiwan, he would always be at someone else's beck and call. But on the mainland, it was different. He would be a king, even though there were dangers everywhere. Over the years, he has become accustomed to a dangerous life. He believes that crises are an effective way to stimulate blood circulation, and only by attacking and destroying can he maintain his vitality.

54

The news of Bai Jingzhai's disappearance in Taiwan was quickly relayed to the ears of the head of the Ministry of Public Security by our senior agents who had infiltrated Taiwan.

Long Fei learned of this news through his daily phone calls with Vice Minister Li. He felt both pressured and excited. He guessed that Bai Jingzhai's disappearance must be related to some major event, and the most important action of the Plum Blossom Party at present was the sabotage activities in Chongqing. If Bai Jingzhai had really come for this action, it meant that the Kuomintang authorities had made a huge gamble on this operation, almost a desperate gamble. How could this not make Long Fei feel pressured! What excited Long Fei was that Bai Jingzhai, who had once escaped from under his nose, would have a direct confrontation with him again. This time, he could not let Bai Jingzhai get away with it again.

For many years, Long Fei and Bai Jingzhai have been locked in a battle of wits and courage. One is mature beyond his years, while the other is cunning and calculating. They have both been driven to the brink of despair by the other. Long Fei has repeatedly escaped danger, while Bai Jingzhai has also managed to escape on several occasions. Long Fei has always believed that Bai Jingzhai is his greatest rival among the Plum Blossom Party members.

When Long Fei searched Liao Yanjing's antique room, he discovered that Liao Yanjing was actually Bai Jingzhai's confidant. In fact, Liao Yanjing was Bai Jingzhai's representative in Chongqing, meaning that Bai Jingzhai was secretly using Liao Yanjing to counter Huang Feihu.

Liao Yanjing was Bai Jingzhai's favorite and highly valued by him. For many years, Liao Yanjing was loyal to Bai Jingzhai and obeyed his every command. Even such a remarkable celebrity as Liao Yanjing was willing to be ordered around by Bai Jingzhai. One can imagine what kind of person Bai Jingzhai was.

The more Long Fei learned about the inner workings of the Plum Blossom Party, the more he realized how formidable his opponents were. But Long Fei was by no means someone who feared difficulties. No matter how strong the opponent was, they would only inspire his fighting spirit and would not make him retreat even a step.

Long Fei suddenly had an idea: to eliminate Bai Jingzhai's henchmen and confidants one by one from the outside, letting Bai Jingzhai see himself slowly crumbling. Long Fei longed to psychologically defeat this stubborn enemy, a thrilling prospect indeed. However, this remained just a personal thought. He was a level-headed man and would never let personal likes or dislikes affect his work. Romanticism was acceptable, but what was most needed in revolutionary work was realism; pragmatism was paramount! What does pragmatism mean? It means setting aside personal likes and dislikes, considering the big picture, and acting decisively when necessary.

55

When Liao Yanjing received Han Qing that day, one of his subordinates, Zhao Chuankui, a secret liaison, was hiding in the secret room. Zhao Chuankui had already taken his leave, but upon hearing of a new visitor, and out of concern for Liao's safety, he quietly returned and re-entered the secret room through a hidden door. After Han Qing left, Liao Yanjing eagerly retrieved the medicine to examine the "Snow and Moon Drunk" painting. Zhao Chuankui curiously peered through a hidden hole in the secret room for a while, but when he realized he might be involved in something he shouldn't have, he immediately left quietly. After Liao Yanjing was arrested, Zhao Chuankui immediately reported this scene to the Taiwan headquarters. Bai Jingzhai learned from this that Liao Yanjing might possess the secret of the arms plans. When Bai Jingzhai learned that Liao Yanjing was injured and unconscious in a Communist hospital, he secretly ordered his men to find a way to get Liao Yanjing out. After he awoke, they would extract the secret of the arms plans from him. Bai Jingzhai remembered that Liao Yanjing also had a nickname, "Liao the Camera," referring to his exceptional memory, the special ability to read ten lines at a glance and remember everything he saw.

Chapter Nine: The Drug and Cotton Candy (2)

Bai Jingzhai's trip to the mainland was inextricably linked to Liao the Glasses. In fact, he was drawn to the secrets held in Liao's eyes, which prompted him to risk his life to come to the mainland. Bai Jingzhai was confident in his plan to rescue Liao the Glasses—as long as Liao was alive. This was because there was an informant for the Plum Blossom Gang in that hospital, a man codenamed "Dr. Wu," who held a high-ranking position.

Bai Jingzhai's greatest asset was his numerous capable subordinates. Years of painstaking cultivation had enabled him to build a powerful network of relationships across mainland China. The term "powerful" aptly describes the Plum Blossom Party faction he led. Like Chiang Kai-shek, Bai Jingzhai also needed lackeys. No matter how capable or competent his confidants were, in his eyes they were merely tools. He did show some affection for his subordinates, but this affection was for the purpose of better utilization. Tools must be used; otherwise, they become useless. Bai Jingzhai was extremely pragmatic in this regard, sometimes to the point of ruthlessness. No matter how useful a tool was, once it lost its purpose, Bai Jingzhai would discard it without hesitation! Of course, he wouldn't hand it over to the Communists. Bai Jingzhai's so-called discarding meant ending the existence of this useless entity—in other words, making it disappear from the face of the earth. For him, this was a special way of protecting talent; he didn't want his talented subordinates to betray him by falling into the hands of the Communists.

56

"Dr. Wu" wasn't actually surnamed Wu; his surname was Wu, and his given name was Dengke. Before the liberation, Wu Dengke graduated from Peking Union Medical College, majoring in surgery. Even before liberation, he had secretly joined the Plum Blossom Party. After graduation, Wu Dengke worked at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. After the peaceful liberation of Beiping (Beijing), he used his medical expertise to infiltrate the People's Liberation Army's medical team. During the Korean War, he was sent to a hospital on the Korean battlefield. After returning to China, he was transferred to a military hospital in Chongqing, the rear area, as vice president and head of surgery.

Wu Dengke was one of Bai Jingzhai's confidants, and usually only contacted Zhao Chuankui of the Chongqing Plum Blossom Party through a single-line communication. High-ranking cadres of the Chongqing Plum Blossom Party all possessed a secret mark—a hidden blue five-pointed star—hidden behind their ears. It could only be revealed with a special potion, and Wu Dengke was one of the few within the Plum Blossom Party who knew this, and more importantly, he possessed the formula for this potion.

When Liao Yanjing was first admitted to the hospital, it was Wu Dengke who organized his rescue and treatment. On the third day of Liao Yanjing's hospitalization, Wu Dengke heard from Zhao Chuankui that a key member of the Plum Blossom Gang had been arrested and attempted suicide, and his whereabouts were unknown. Upon hearing this, Wu Dengke remained calm and, in the hospital ward, when his colleagues were not paying attention, he applied medicine behind the ear of the unconscious Liao Yanjing and found a blue five-pointed star on it. He secretly reported this information to Bai Jingzhai in Taiwan. After learning of this, Bai Jingzhai secretly ordered him to eliminate Liao Yanjing to prevent him from revealing secrets after waking up. Before Wu Dengke could make his move, Bai Jingzhai changed his mind and instructed him to actively treat Liao Yanjing and find a way to wake him up as soon as possible. This sudden change initially surprised Wu Dengke, but he immediately realized that the person in the hospital bed must be very important to Bai Jingzhai. Therefore, in the subsequent medical care, he dared not slack off at all. During these days, every one or two days, he and Bai Jingzhai would maintain contact using coded language through Zhao Chuankui's secret radio station.

In the eyes of his colleagues at the hospital, Wu Dengke is a renowned doctor and leader with superb medical skills, a passion for his job, an approachable personality, and high moral character. Whenever the surgery department admits a high-risk patient, Dean Wu always goes to the scene in person, demonstrating a model of hard work and dedication to the patients.

Every time Long Fei visited the hospital ward, he would see Dean Wu. Although the leaders of the Ministry of Public Security had given special instructions through local military leaders to give Liao Yanjing special treatment, as the vice dean, Dr. Wu did not need to stay in the special care ward as often as ordinary doctors. Therefore, Long Fei had great respect for Dr. Wu.

57

Old Diao also realized that Han Qing must have another painting hidden in his possession. He felt that Huang Feihu's analysis made sense, and that it was impossible for this Hong Kong man to risk coming to Chongqing with a fake.

At first, Lao Diao was puzzled as to why Han Qing had taken the painting back to Chongqing to look for Cheng Gong. What did he want with the painting? He wanted a mission. They deduced that the arms map might be in Han Qing's hands. Sure enough, that night, under the moonlight, Lao Diao saw Han Qing observing a painting through his binoculars from a high vantage point.

Old Diao thought that Han Qing must have come to Chongqing with some preparation, so it was entirely possible that he had smuggled a fake to divert attention. Old Diao also thought that the appearance of Black Bean might have already alerted Young Master Xie. If Young Master Xie did not take any precautions, then he would not be worthy of being the son of a military family.

Intellectually speaking, Lao Diao admired Han Qing quite a bit; it's a case of heroes respecting heroes. Lao Diao felt very good about himself. Years of this thrilling and exciting life as a secret agent had kept him in excellent condition, both mentally and physically, although he looked somewhat old.

Old Eagle continued to keep an eye on Hanqing.

He noticed what was happening at Ah Cai's house, learned that his mother had injured her foot, and saw that there were more caregivers at home. He also saw many people going in and out of Ah Cai's house. This unexpected situation caused his original plan to fall through, but he soon had another, even bolder idea.

A strong general has no weak soldiers under his command. Over the years, Lao Diao has not only gone through life and death with Huang Feihu, but has also been tempered by trials. He has learned Huang Feihu's ruthlessness and cunning. No matter what he does, he always uses his wits. He is a person with particularly strong individual combat ability. Huang Feihu values him highly. Lao Diao also has a strong desire to perform. This mentality often stimulates his special imagination. Lao Diao began to feel proud of his own creativity.

Old Eagle has practiced martial arts since childhood, traveled to many places, and is familiar with the ways of the martial arts world. It would be difficult for him to dress up as a refined gentleman or nobleman, and he would easily be exposed. However, if he were to play a low-class person, he would be absolutely lifelike and without much deviation.

Chapter Ten: Night Raid on the Attic (1)

The attic door was ajar, a crack allowing a beam of moonlight to stream in, gleaming like a frost-covered blade. Ah Cai was very nervous, unsure of what to do next…

After school in the afternoon, Ah Cai did not go home immediately, but stayed on the school playground with the other flag bearers to practice raising the national flag.

The flag-raising team of Heping Primary School is a well-known professional youth team in Chongqing. This team often participates in important celebrations in Chongqing.

Ah Cai noticed something strange. He rarely saw Teacher Tian these past two days because a new teacher named Lu had arrived at the school. Lu was younger than Teacher Tian, and the two seemed to have known each other for a long time. Whenever Teacher Lu arrived at the school, he would often chat and laugh with Teacher Tian. Sometimes, the two of them would hide in a corner of the playground and gesture on the ground, as if they were discussing something important. Whenever other students approached, the two teachers would look around with a wary gaze, as if they had some secret between them.

This teacher, Mr. Lu, is Lu Ming. He is temporarily not teaching classes and is in charge of the Young Pioneers' work.

Traditionally, the flag-raising team at Heping Elementary School is trained by the physical education teacher, and Teacher Tian is no exception, but sometimes Teacher Lu takes her place. In A-Cai's memory, these two young and strong men are more like soldiers than teachers, because they have a military-like competence in their speech and behavior.

As soon as the flag-raising training ended, Ah Cai ran home in a flash. When he passed the usual spot where the cotton candy stall was located, he suddenly noticed something had changed in his line of sight. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the old man who sold cotton candy was gone, replaced by a traveling doctor with a street stall. The doctor was shirtless and performing martial arts, with a few adults and children gathered around to watch.

Ah Cai thought the man's voice sounded a bit like an old man selling cotton candy. He found the quack doctor's pretentious manner amusing, so he stopped to watch.

The itinerant doctor would sometimes smash pebbles with his bare hands, and other times demonstrate how he could break an entire brick with a single palm. His most impressive feat was that he would lift his jaw joint with his hand, causing his chin to droop, and then playfully put his chin back in place. It was quite frightening. Finally, as if by magic, he produced a packet of medicine from his hand, claiming it was made with an ancestral secret recipe for treating bruises and sprains. He said he didn't normally sell it, but because he had made a vow to the Bodhisattva to accumulate merit and do good deeds, "What can a poor doctor like me do for good? A secret recipe? But ancestral knowledge is not to be passed on. A miracle cure? My father told me not to use it to make money. So I can only charge for the cost of raw materials, plus a small meal and a small fee for my labor." The itinerant doctor, with sharp eyes, spotted Ah Cai through the crowd: "Kid, kid, come here and help me distribute a few packets of medicine. Those without money, step back; those with money, stay. No, no, those who aren't sick, step back; those who are sick, stay. Ugh, what did I say? Who's sick? I'm sick! Everyone, I'm not cursing, I'm saying, those who need it, stay. If you take the medicine and respect this poor doctor, give him a small fee for materials and tea. If you don't trust me, hey, then why are you even taking the medicine?"

Ah Cai remained motionless, while the itinerant doctor smiled at him: "Young man, it's alright if you won't help me. I can tell your family member is in trouble. Did they fall or get hurt? You need to tell me honestly!"

Ah Cai paused for a moment after hearing this, then remained silent.

"I'm sure he fell down."

"How did you know?" Ah Cai suddenly blurted out.

"Do you live nearby?" the itinerant doctor asked again.

Who told you that?

"Young man, if you don't live around here, how dare you still be out watching the commotion at this hour?"

Ah Cai looked around and then up at the twilight sky, realizing it was getting late and he needed to hurry home. Just as he turned to leave, the itinerant doctor called out to him, "Young man, we're destined to meet."

What is fate? Ah Cai was very puzzled.

Seeing Ah Cai's puzzled expression, the traveling doctor said, "Meeting is fate. In this vast sea of people, so many pass by each other. What else could it be but fate that we meet? Come on, tell me the truth first, was your parent hurt badly in the fall?"

Ah Cai had no choice but to tell him the truth.

“Come on, I’m willing to treat your mother for free. I guarantee she’ll be pain-free for one night, better in two days, and able to walk within three days.” As he spoke, he pulled a small bottle containing black powder from his waist: “This is a miracle cure.”

Ah Cai was deeply moved upon hearing this and, without hesitation, took the itinerant doctor home.

In fact, the itinerant doctor was actually Old Eagle in disguise.

59

Ah Cai's encounter had been observed by Long Fei, who was secretly watching.

After observing, Long Fei recognized the itinerant doctor as the old man who sold cotton candy, but he remained calm and did not want to alert him.

Long Fei had a clever plan to have Han Qing continue to hide the map in the attic.

Long Fei's ingenious plan had three layers of purpose:

First, use the method of monitoring Han Qing to put pressure on the Plum Blossom Party members who covet the arms plans, so that they dare not make a move easily. Then, delay until a favorable opportunity arises, and then have Han Qing cooperate to deliberately leak the plans to the Plum Blossom Party members.

Second, lure the snakes out of their holes, exposing as many key members of the Plum Blossom Party as possible.

Third, the various arms depots are numerous and scattered. It is estimated that after obtaining the arms maps, the Plum Blossom Gang members, considering the urgency of the situation, will urgently mobilize as many people as possible to dig up arms and explosives. In that case, our side may take the opportunity to severely damage or even annihilate the Plum Blossom Gang's forces in the Chongqing area. This is called "following the trail to find the melon" and wiping them out in one fell swoop.

60

As soon as he stepped into the house, Ah Cai called out, "Mom—" and greeted Aunt Ling right in front of him.

Aunt Ling immediately cast a wary glance at the stranger who had arrived.

Ah Cai quickly explained, "He's a doctor. I asked him to treat my mother's foot injury."

Old Eagle nodded and bowed to Ling Yuqi, forcing a smile on his face: "This kid said his mother twisted her ankle. I just happened to be passing by today. I guess this is the Bodhisattva's arrangement, letting me do a good deed along the way." As he spoke, he quickly sized up Ling Yuqi.

Ah Cai thought the quack doctor was very glib, but he didn't think too much about it. He pushed aside Aunt Ling who was blocking his way and went into his mother's bedroom.

The mother frowned and whispered to Ah Cai, "Son, why did you bring a stranger home?"

“He’s a doctor, and he’s really amazing.” Ah Cai vividly described the scene of the old eagle playing with its jaw joint. “Mom, he also has miraculous medicines.”

Upon hearing this, Mei Fang chuckled and said, "That shouldn't be called 'miracle medicine,' it should be called 'divine elixir.'"

"Hey, how do you know he has some kind of miracle cure?"

Upon hearing this, Mei Fang laughed even harder: "I meant you mispronounced the word. It's 'miracle pill,' not 'miracle elixir.'"

“That’s right, that’s what the doctor said too.” A-Cai was unconvinced. He grabbed Lao Diao’s hand and dragged him to Mei Fang’s bedside. Ling Yuqi followed closely behind. She gave Mei Fang a wink, which A-Cai saw. A-Cai didn’t know what kind of tacit understanding existed between his mother and Aunt Ling.

Seeing that the doctor had arrived, Mei Fang couldn't refuse him, so she stretched out her foot for the old eagle to examine. Perhaps the movement was too hasty, because Mei Fang cried out in pain.

The old eagle observed for a moment with an air of seriousness and said, "It's nothing serious. Use my medicine, and I guarantee you'll be free of pain in the time it takes to smoke a cigarette." He patted his chest, as if he were confident. Seeing the hesitation on Mei Fang's face, the old eagle added, "I'm doing this to help others, so I won't charge you."

Upon hearing this, Mei Fang felt embarrassed and could only say, "Then thank you." She then stretched out her foot so that the old eagle could reapply the medicine and bandage it. Mei Fang was busy dealing with the old eagle and did not notice that Ling Yuqi had been winking at her.

Ling Yuqi had studied medicine, and she didn't believe in the unorthodox methods, secret medicines, or folk remedies of quack doctors. More importantly, she sensed that something was off about the visitor.

Ah Cai was very enthusiastic. He felt that he had solved a big problem for his mother today, and he acted as if he were the little host, pouring hot water and moving chairs to warmly welcome the good doctor in his heart.

"Have you finished your work?" Mei Fang whispered to A Cai, urging him to go to the kitchen to help Aunt Ling wash vegetables and prepare dinner or to do his homework.

Old Diao made an excuse that he wanted to smoke, so he went to sit down in the living room and kept getting up to walk around and look at things.

Ah-Cai watched the doctor light a cigarette, then glanced at the clock behind him. He wondered how long a cigarette would last. He pretended to take out his books from his bag, spread them on the table, and assumed the posture of doing his homework.

As Ah Cai wrote with his head down, he kept glancing at the old eagle sitting nearby. He noticed that the doctor was frequently looking around Ah Cai's house with a sly look in his eyes. Ah Cai felt that look was familiar, and he suddenly wondered, "Who exactly is this doctor? Is he a bad guy? No way!"

While smoking, the old eagle would occasionally get up and walk around the four walls, his eyes having already thoroughly observed the environment inside the room, and he had even discovered some flaws.

"Child, come here for a moment." Mei Fang suddenly called Ah Cai into the house.

Ah Cai quickly dropped his pencil, pushed aside his workbook, and dashed into his mother's room.

Mei Fang was already sitting on the edge of the bed, excitedly telling A Cai, "Oh, this is truly a miracle cure! My feet don't hurt anymore." Mei Fang was overjoyed and even misspoke in her excitement.

"Yes, if I say it's a miracle cure, then it is a miracle cure."