Nubes ebrias, luna ligeramente dormida

Capítulo 12

After stealing the painting "Snow Moon and Drunkenness," the old eagle circled around the Wanlong Inn a few times. Seeing that no one was following him, he slipped into the alley behind the west wall of the inn and climbed over the wall to enter.

Entering the room, he panted as he took the map from his pocket, overjoyed. His happiness stemmed from the following reasons:

Firstly, he never expected things to go so smoothly.

Secondly, he thought that this time there would be no more mistakes (if there were, he would really be unlucky).

As soon as Lao Diao knocked the signal to the upstairs from the ceiling, Huang Feihu immediately moved the flip cover to help Lao Diao climb up.

The old eagle put the map back into its bosom, hooked its hands around the cave entrance, and swiftly climbed onto the roof. Its movements were incredibly agile, and this agility reflected the old eagle's excitement.

Huang Feihu took the "Snow Moon and Drunken Beauty" painting, opened it, and asked the old eagle in a questioning tone, "Did I take the wrong one?"

"Impossible!" Old Eagle rubbed his hands together, "Just look at the back and you'll see."

Before applying the medicine, Huang Feihu and Lao Diao were both uneasy. Because of their previous experience, they were now worried that they wouldn't feel at ease until they saw the real thing.

As Huang Feihu prepared to apply the medicine, Lao Diao's heart leaped into his throat.

Huang Feihu was in no better mood; he couldn't calm down. How could he? If he brought back fakes again, losing face was one thing, but he couldn't afford to take responsibility for what Chiang Kai-shek had entrusted to him!

Huang Feihu tried hard to control his emotions and prevent his hands from trembling and losing control when applying the medicine.

The old eagle had already stretched its neck out long, looking impatient.

After the medicine was applied, a topographical map showing the distribution of munitions was clearly revealed.

"Heh, baby!" Huang Feihu breathed a sigh of relief.

Old Eagle was so happy that his mouth watered. He looked at Huang Feihu and grinned foolishly.

Huang Feihu guessed the old eagle's feelings: "I said I would only fulfill my promise after everything was settled!"

"No, that's not what I meant. Besides, I don't need to be in such a hurry." Perhaps because he felt he had made a great contribution, the old eagle unconsciously became more casual in his tone.

Huang Feihu sensed the subtle change in the old eagle and immediately suppressed his smile: "Quickly, send a telegram to Taiwan."

We've obtained the "Snow Moon and Drunken Beauty" painting, which means we'll be receiving a huge sum of money.

The old eagle was overjoyed and jumped down from the cave entrance to arrange the telegraph transmission.

Upstairs, Huang Feihu was leisurely smoking. He first slowly exhaled a ring of smoke, and while the smoke ring was still spreading, he immediately blew another column of smoke into the center of the smoke ring, as if he had hit the bullseye. At this moment, Huang Feihu felt a sense of certainty and confidence.

81

When Special Envoy Yu requested to see the arms plans, Huang Feihu became wary. He thought, if this Taiwanese man managed to seize the plans, wouldn't all his efforts be in vain? He wouldn't be so foolish as to hand them over without permission, unless Chiang Kai-shek gave the order. He secretly had a backup plan; he had Lao Diao simultaneously send a telegram to the CIA, informing the director that he had obtained the arms plans. Huang Feihu had CIA connections; in a crucial moment, the director should speak up for him.

In fact, Huang Feihu overreacted. Although Commissioner Yu was inwardly biased towards Bai Jingzhai, he was not a member of the Plum Blossom Party and had no vested interest in the matter. Therefore, he should maintain a neutral stance outwardly; otherwise, it would be strange if Chiang Kai-shek didn't reprimand him. Besides, who knew who would ultimately prevail between Bai and Huang? In officialdom, shrewdness and composure are crucial; those who are too naive rarely achieve anything significant. Over the years, he had managed to rise from the Military Intelligence Bureau to become a key figure in the National Security Bureau by consistently maintaining a steady and cautious approach, never easily offending anyone. He had heard that Huang Feihu was reluctant to let him see the arms plans and understood Huang Feihu's intentions. He simply said, "It's not that I insist on seeing them, but I have a mission. Just let me take a look so that when I return to Taiwan, I can give President Chiang an explanation. Otherwise, he will think I haven't fulfilled my duties and question me about what I've been doing on the mainland!" He added that if Huang Feihu found it inconvenient, he could visit in person and just glance at the arms plans.

Commissioner Yu's words made Huang Feihu feel somewhat in the wrong. Yes, he was the supervisor sent by Chiang Kai-shek, so he had the right to know. How could he not make a thorough understanding of such an important matter? Well then, Huang Feihu decided to personally take the map and go to see the commissioner himself.

Huang Feihu's concerns were not without reason. The internal strife within the Plum Blossom Party was far too complicated. In addition to Bai and Huang each holding their own territory, there was another prominent figure who established his own faction back then. That person was a police chief who was secretly hidden in the Communist Party ranks. His name was Ye Feng.

Commissioner Yu and Huang Feihu agreed to meet at Chaotianmen Wharf that night.

82

Wu Dengke could not defy Bai Jingzhai's wishes. No matter how high his official rank was within the Communist Party, he was essentially a Plum Blossom Party agent—an indelible mark, one he could never forget. When he joined the Plum Blossom Party, he was told that once he crossed the threshold, there was no turning back! The Plum Blossom Party's rules were extremely strict, and its members enjoyed exceptional treatment. Because it was a special force within the Kuomintang, Chiang Kai-shek paid it special attention. Roughly calculated, Wu Dengke's bank deposits in Hong Kong, managed by a special agent in Taiwan, already amounted to six figures. Bai Jingzhai promised that if he succeeded in this matter, he would be allowed to leave the mainland and settle in Hong Kong.

Wu Dengke was eager to leave the mainland as soon as possible, especially since, as he spent his days in a People's Liberation Army hospital surrounded by uniformed people, the sense of oppression he felt was constant. He often felt uneasy, fearing that one day he would be discovered, imprisoned, or even executed; sometimes, he was practically on edge. That night, Long Fei and his group suddenly appeared before him, which startled him greatly. He thought the end was near, but after calming down for a moment, he thought, "No way, I haven't done anything wrong all these years; there shouldn't be any trace of me."

Wu Dengke understood that someone of his status wouldn't be assigned to petty theft, murder, or robbery in Taiwan. If they were to use him, it would be for something very serious.

Since Liao Yanjing was hospitalized, Wu Dengke received a secret order from Bai Jingzhai. He immediately deduced that the patient must be related to some major secret.

Now, Bai Jingzhai finally spoke up, telling him to find a way to get Liao Yanjing to speak.

Fortunately, this wasn't difficult; Wu Dengke had prepared for it. As the saying goes, the one who tied the knot must untie it. Since he had secretly administered the special drug that rendered Liao Yanjing unconscious, he had a way to wake him up today. Having received his orders, Wu Dengke quietly slipped into the autopsy room near the morgue as dusk fell and began administering the drug.

Liao, wearing glasses, was placed on a mobile operating table in the corner of the dissection room, his body covered with a black cloth.

Using the dim light of a flashlight, Wu Dengke administered a special injection to Liao Yanjing. About half an hour later, Liao Yanjing finally opened his eyes and woke up. He stared blankly at Wu Dengke, who was dressed in an officer's uniform, with a wary look in his eyes.

Wu Dengke also looked Liao Yanjing up and down, feeling that he seemed to be recalling something.

Liao, wearing glasses, subconsciously shifted his body, causing the operating table to make a sound.

"Don't worry, we're on the same side, you're safe here." Wu Dengke quietly reassured him. As he spoke, Wu Dengke suddenly sensed someone behind him and stopped abruptly.

"Don't worry, we're on the same side." It was Bai Jingzhai who spoke, imitating Wu Dengke's tone. This humor subtly created a relaxed atmosphere. Liao Yanjing recognized Bai Jingzhai by his voice.

Liao Yanjing never expected that Bai Jingzhai, who used to remotely direct operations from Taiwan, would appear before him. Perhaps due to extreme excitement, he was full of energy and, despite his physical weakness, he still had the strength to speak and his thoughts were very clear.

Bai Jingzhai pulled a gun from his waist and handed it to Wu Dengke, signaling him to stand guard outside. He then took a chair and sat down next to Liao Yanjing to chat with him, naturally about the "Snow Moon and Drunken Painting".

Although Wu Dengke had practiced medicine for many years and had seen many corpses of various shapes and sizes, he was not afraid of ghosts or phantoms at all. However, when he was holding a gun and hiding in a secluded corner outside the autopsy room, his heart was pounding like a drum. For some reason, he felt that there were unseen figures around him watching him.

Every second seemed to drag on, and it felt like an eternity before Wu Dengke heard Bai Jingzhai's cat-like meow signaling him to enter the dissection room.

Liao's glasses were now covered with a black cloth again, and he lay quietly to one side.

When Bai Jingzhai saw Wu Dengke enter, he whispered in his ear, "Clean him up, throw him into the pool, don't keep his head." His tone was extremely cold, devoid of any emotion, as if it came from a living person, more like the eerie whispers of a ghost.

Upon hearing this, Wu Dengke understood everything. Liao Yanjing had been killed, and he had to personally cut off his head and put his body into the formalin pool, just like in an anatomy class. The extra step was that he had to find a place to bury Liao Yanjing's head.

Chapter Thirteen: Who's Behind It All? (2)

83

At nine o'clock at night, Huang Feihu went alone to Chaotianmen Wharf to meet the special envoy as agreed. The agreed meeting place was in front of a snack shop called Liu Glasses Hot Pot near the wharf.

The appointed time arrived, but the special envoy did not appear. Just as Huang Feihu was wondering and suspicious, a man wearing an old military cap approached him and asked in a low voice, "Are you here to see Mr. Wu Xinyu about his paintings?"

Upon hearing this, Huang Feihu understood that it was a code. Wu Xinyu's pronunciation was the same as "Wuxin Yu" (meaning "unintentional pleasure"). "Wuxin Yu" was the character "Yu" with the heart radical removed, becoming the character "Yu" (meaning "Yu"). It referred to Special Envoy Yu. Huang Feihu looked around first, then nodded in agreement.

"Follow me!" the man said in a low voice, and hurried forward, leading Huang Feihu to a small boat on the dock. There was no one else on the boat except for a boatman.

The guide led Huang Feihu onto the boat, then left as if he had completed his task.

"Hold on tight," the boatman instructed, then untied the rope, rowed away from the shore.

The boat rocked back and forth, soon moving far away from the shore. Looking at the vast river, Huang Feihu felt uneasy. When he turned back to ask the boatman, the boatman pointed to the distance, and in the middle of the river, a small passenger boat with lights on was slowly approaching him.

Special Envoy Yu waited for Huang Feihu's arrival on the passenger ship.

As soon as Huang Feihu boarded the passenger ship, Special Envoy Yu opened his arms to greet him, saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry to make you walk a little further by water."

Huang Feihu habitually glanced around and noticed some strong, unfamiliar men on the ship. He guessed that Special Envoy Yu was also under special protection, and judging from this, Chiang Kai-shek valued him highly!

This passenger ship, named "Tianfu," was a vessel of a Chongqing shipping company secretly controlled by the Plum Blossom Gang. All the crew members were members of the Plum Blossom Gang; initially, they were unaware of each other's identities. They were all secretly arranged by key members of the Plum Blossom Gang within the upper echelons of the Chongqing Yangtze River Shipping Company. These crew members, from the captain to the sailors, were all strong and capable, having received special training. They were normally dispersed across different ships but had recently been gradually brought together as needed. In reality, they were the strike force of the "Sword of Restoration" plan. They currently all obeyed the ship's second mate, Sun Haiwang, the younger brother of Sun Hailong, the manager of the Wanlong Inn, who directly reported to his elder brother.

Commissioner Yu ushered Huang Feihu into the cabin. Inside, there was a low table with a red lantern on it, casting a dark red glow on the cabin.

The special envoy gestured for everyone else to leave, then invited Huang Feihu to sit on the ground at the table.

On the table, there was a bottle of baijiu (Chinese liquor) and two small white porcelain wine cups.

Special Envoy Yu rolled up his sleeves, opened the bottle, and poured wine for Huang Feihu. His demeanor was very relaxed, not at all like someone who had come to discuss important matters. This puzzled Huang Feihu: This special envoy was in a hurry to see the map before, but why is he not in a hurry now? He felt that this person from Taiwan was a bit profound.

"Drink up! Have a glass of fine wine to celebrate your first victory!" Commissioner Yu raised his glass. Seeing that Huang Feihu didn't touch his glass, the commissioner said, "What's the rush? We're all sitting together now, so we're not afraid of not having a chance to talk business."

Huang Feihu wasn't unwilling to drink, nor was he in a hurry to talk business; it was just that he subconsciously touched his lower back and discovered that the Snow Moon Drunken Painting was gone.

Seeing that Huang Feihu's expression had stiffened, the special envoy said, "Brother Huang, why can't you let go of what's on your mind? Well, let's talk business first and then drink. Come on, show me the map." With that, the special envoy clapped his hands and let someone come in to take away the wine bottles and glasses on the table.

Seeing that he could no longer hide the truth, Huang Feihu had no choice but to tell the truth with a mournful face: "The blueprints are missing." He gave a disjointed account of the situation.

Upon hearing this, the special envoy was stunned for a moment. He then slammed his hand on the table: "What! You bastard, why wasn't it your head that got thrown away!" This shout and the slamming of the table startled the people outside. "Go away, this is none of your business," the special envoy dismissed his attendants, panting heavily with anger, scratching his nose and blowing his beard.

Suddenly, another person entered the cabin. "Didn't I tell you not to come in?" The special envoy glared at the newcomer, but upon realizing it wasn't one of his subordinates, he immediately became polite. It turned out that this was Liu Jiping, the messenger from Bai Jingzhai's side.

Liu Jiping whispered a few words to the special envoy and secretly slipped him something. The special envoy seemed to suddenly realize that Huang Feihu was present, so he hid the thing in his pocket and told the visitor to step back and wait.

Huang Feihu was furious after being scolded. He recalled that no one, except Chiang Kai-shek, had ever publicly humiliated him like this before. "Tell me, what are you planning to do next?" The special envoy stood up, put his hands in his pockets, and paced around Huang Feihu with a condescending air. Huang Feihu felt as if the special envoy thought he was mentally challenged.

“I also have a copy, which is a direct copy of the original,” Huang Feihu suddenly said.

"The secondary map? Let me see it!" the special envoy said indifferently.

Huang Feihu had originally brought a copy of the map with him to prevent the special envoy from taking it away, in order to show that he was prepared and to maintain the initiative. Now, he had no choice but to reveal his hand, casually pulling out the copy from his pocket and throwing it on the table. This time, it was his turn to show his attitude.

The special envoy was taken aback, glancing at the folded copy of the map: "Alright, don't try to fool me!" Though he said this, he still bent down, unfolded the map, and took out the map that Liu Jiping had just given him from his pocket. Comparing it with Huang Feihu's map, his eyes suddenly lit up. He thought to himself, "How come they're exactly the same?"

The special envoy had a plan in mind, but he was caught in a dilemma, because the situation before him indicated that the two pictures definitely reflected the truth. His eyes darted around, and suddenly he lifted the lantern. The orange flame, like a greedy tongue, licked the secondary picture, and the paper slowly began to burn.

The special envoy watched with great interest as the flames gradually consumed the secondary map, as if playing with fire. When only a tiny unburnt part remained, he pushed open the porthole on the side of the cabin and waved it into the river.

Huang Feihu, however, appeared remarkably calm. He seemed to understand why the special envoy had acted this way; indeed, he was protecting Bai Jingzhai! From the special envoy's earlier glance at another blueprint, Huang Feihu guessed what was going on. He knew Liu Jiping.

"What else do you think you can fool me with?"

Huang Feihu jumped to his feet, leaned close to the special envoy's ear, and said through gritted teeth in a low, deliberate voice, "Let me tell you, I have a backup!"

"Hahaha." The special envoy suddenly laughed loudly, then shouted, "Show the guest out." As he spoke, he secretly squeezed Huang Feihu's hand, giving him a certain hint.

Huang Feihu was confused. He wondered what the special envoy was up to, but he did have a clue. Perhaps the special envoy had something he couldn't say, because Bai Jingzhai's messenger, Liu Jiping, was still waiting outside. Who was the special envoy putting on this show for?

84

In room number twenty-six, Huang Feihu lay on the bed, trying to recall how the Snow Moon Drunken Painting had been stolen from him. After thinking for a long time, he gradually focused on the guide and the boatman. He wondered, if both of them were working for the special envoy, would one of them have needed to steal the painting from him? Then, going back to the point, what if one of them was working for Bai Jingzhai? Huang Feihu pondered for a moment, then nodded thoughtfully, as if he understood something. He suddenly remembered that when he left the special envoy's passenger ship, the envoy had patted his jacket pocket. Huang Feihu immediately jumped up, grabbed the jacket from the hanger, and reached into the pocket. Good heavens! There was something inside, and it was a folded piece of paper. He took it out and was dumbfounded. The picture was a sub-image of the "Snow Moon and Drunken Beauty" painting. Huang Feihu thought he was seeing things; the original painting had clearly been burned by the special envoy. How could it be recreated? Could it be that the special envoy was playing a magic trick or a smokescreen? Connecting this to the special envoy's subtle pinching gesture, he became even more puzzled. Did the special envoy secretly support him? On what grounds?

Yu was a seasoned official, extremely adept at reading people and adapting to changing circumstances. When he first arrived, he was unaware of the deeper intrigues within the Plum Blossom Party. Because Bai Jingzhai had showered him with praise, he unconsciously harbored some indifference or prejudice towards Huang Feihu. After a couple of encounters with Huang Feihu, he realized his bias and began to be more mindful of his behavior. However, he was also a master of performance, readily displaying his emotions at the opportune moment—anger, laughter—appearing capricious, yet actually perfectly measured. Just now, upon hearing that Huang Feihu had lost the "Snow Moon and Drunken Beauty" painting, while he was certainly shocked, he didn't erupt in rage. His feigned anger was merely a pretext to project his authority.

Yu had initially heard that Huang Feihu was less cunning than Bai Jingzhai. When he saw two sets of arms plans, one from Bai and the other from Huang, he couldn't help but want to test Huang Feihu. At the time, he burned Bai Jingzhai's plan, knowing that the old fox always had a backup plan. He hadn't expected Huang Feihu to be so clever, possessing the main plan, a secondary plan, and a backup plan, and possibly even more ambushes. People say a cunning rabbit has three burrows, but judging from Huang Feihu's actions, he probably had seven or eight burrows. It seemed that Chiang Kai-shek didn't understand Huang Feihu very well. But then he thought, maybe not. Perhaps Huang Feihu had improved in recent years. As the saying goes, "a scholar should be looked at with new eyes after three days of separation." Moreover, in a dangerous situation where one needs to use strategy and brains to deal with things at all times, a person like Huang Feihu, if he doesn't become a shrewd and cunning person, is just a big waste.

Before Yu Minsheng set off, Chiang Kai-shek had a private talk with him. Although Bai Jingzhai had publicly stated that he would assist Huang Feihu, Chiang Kai-shek knew very well that the "white fox" would never be content to play a supporting role. Yu Minsheng also had this concern and didn't know how to handle the situation. Chiang Kai-shek gave him some advice: test them several times, and whoever has the ability will eventually be promoted.

How is it tested? Yu Minsheng looked puzzled after hearing Lao Jiang's words. He wanted to ask, but didn't know where to begin.

Old Jiang noticed Yu's confusion at the time. He simply smiled and looked at Yu for a while without commenting, letting Yu figure it out for himself.

On the passenger ship, Yu Minsheng finally seized the opportunity to test Huang Feihu, and this test was enough. Yu Minsheng felt that if Huang Feihu was a tiger or leopard in the past, he had now cultivated himself to be as shrewd as a human. He hadn't expected Huang Feihu to become so meticulous in his thinking. Entrusting him with the power to wield the "Sword of Restoration" might be more appropriate, which was completely different from his original intention. On the way to the mainland, he had always believed that he would still have to rely on Lao Bai in the future. It wasn't that he looked down on Lao Bai, but rather that Huang Feihu truly possessed extraordinary qualities. However, he couldn't reveal his attitude, because he didn't know which of his companions was Lao Bai's spy. He had already given Huang Feihu enough hints just now; the rest could be discussed later.

Huang Feihu suddenly remembered something and quickly stomped his feet three times to send a secret signal to the old eagle downstairs. When he left earlier, he had the eagle secretly follow him, partly to avoid being watched by the police and partly to guard against Bai Jingzhai's attacks. After leaving the passenger ship and disembarking, he still noticed the old eagle protecting him. They parted ways near the inn. Remembering he had something to discuss with the eagle, Huang Feihu used his old method to signal it to come up, but there was no response. Huang Feihu carefully lifted the floor flap and looked down. The place was empty. He was quite surprised, thinking, "Where has that guy gone off to mess around again?"

85

Ever since the old eagle stole the Snow Moon Drunkenness painting and sneaked back to his residence, the area around Wanlong Inn has been under surveillance by our public security personnel.

Considering the diverse group of people at the inn, Long Fei and his team dared not rashly investigate. That night, Huang Feihu slipped out of the inn and was immediately spotted by Lu Ming, who was secretly observing him. Lu Ming was surprised to find such a big fish here, and he was extremely excited. Controlling his emotions, he considered his next move: tracking someone like Huang Feihu was too difficult. Danger aside, Lu Ming had already experienced Huang Feihu's counter-surveillance skills firsthand. To be on the safe side, he sent his scout Liu Yong to report to Long Fei, while he and female scout Wan Xiaodan disguised themselves as a couple to follow Huang Feihu. After Huang Feihu had walked a short distance, Lu Ming suddenly noticed that Lao Diao had also followed. Lu Ming felt incredibly lucky, because if he and Wan Xiaodan had followed first, they might have been discovered by Lao Diao. Judging from the appearance, Lao Diao was protecting Huang Feihu; it seemed Huang Feihu's counter-surveillance methods were too formidable. However, this also shows the pressure Huang Feihu is under. It seems that he is really carrying a heavy responsibility, which is why he is so cautious. Lu Ming thought again, how can Huang Feihu be cautious now? He has already come into the city and even stayed in an inn. Isn't that a desperate move, a last-ditch effort? Huang Feihu and Lao Diao got on different tricycles one after the other, maintaining a long distance between each other.

Lu Ming and Wan Xiaodan also hailed another tricycle, driven by one of their own.

The tricycle weaved through the streets and alleys. Lu Ming instructed the driver to simply bite the old eagle. Biting the old eagle was equivalent to controlling Huang Feihu. When they arrived at a hot pot restaurant near Chaotianmen Wharf, after some temporary disguises, Lu Ming and Wan Xiaodan went into the restaurant and found a place where they could easily observe the outside world.

Huang Feihu stood at the door, while Lao Diao hid behind a telephone pole some distance away.