Xiang Xiaoqiang returned to the hotel with a broken heart.
He slammed the door, closed the curtains with a bang, and threw his body on the bed.
After lying down for a while, he quietly got up and looked downstairs through the cracks in the curtains. Sure enough, there were a bunch of old men playing chess across the road, and a big young man crowded next to him was particularly eye-catching. From time to time, he would secretly raise his head and glance at Xiaoqiang's window.
One glance.
It was this guy. When Xiang Xiaoqiang took the tram back just now, he was on the bus.
Alas! Xiang Xiaoqiang let out a long and depressed sigh. The first sigh was that he was indeed being followed and the second sigh was that he was actually worth such a small amount of weight in the eyes of Dongchang. If someone important was being followed, at least someone would have to be replaced some distance away.
They all have to be veterans. Now Dongchang has sent one person, and he is still a young man.
In fact, it's not that Dongchang doesn't dislike him, it's mainly because he is a "friendly spy" like him. The general way of handling it is like this. Stalking is somewhere between the open and covert ones. It is not too rude to the target, but also makes people feel at ease.
The target is well known.
Originally, he wanted to go to Qiu Qiu's house today, but something happened to Qiu Qiu, and there was always a "tail" behind him, so he was not in the mood to go.
Waiting for information, waiting for information...
This is what Jiang Meilu said when she asked him to come back. She said that the incident had just happened, and many specific circumstances were not known yet. She could not make a decision rashly, and had to wait for the information from the north. She told him not to be anxious, because it was useless to be anxious. Because
Now that something has happened, everyone is as anxious as him...
You're so anxious! You're just trying to coax a child. Xiang Xiaoqiang now feels uncomfortable when he thinks of Jiang Meilu's "face". Although the "mouth" and "face" are both very attractive. Damn it, he watered the flowers and fed her as soon as he entered the door.
He even sang Yue Opera jokes. How could he look a little anxious?
Xiang Xiaoqiang knew what Jiang Meilu was thinking with his butt. Oh, anyway, Dongchang shouldn't be held responsible for this matter. The ones who should be held responsible are the navy and at most the Jin Yiwei (who asked them to take the case first, but they haven't protected the person yet)
Okay?). Anyway, her men were saved, but she used this to dig out a British spy. She gets results when others make mistakes, so why not be proud of her?
But Jiang Meilu was not bad, so he asked him to go back first, saying that he would call his hotel if there was clear information. If this was not perfunctory, it would be really interesting. After all, you are not Qiu Qiu's person now.
Worry, why should I tell you about Dongchang’s affairs?
Xiang Xiaoqiang also understood the meaning behind Jiang Meilu's words. Dongchang is divided into several bureaus, and each bureau has its own responsibility. She is from the second bureau, which is called "Southern Bureau", and
It is called the "Domestic Bureau" and is responsible for the domestic affairs of the Ming Dynasty. In addition, there is the First Bureau. The first Bureau is also called the "Northern Bureau", which is dedicated to the Qing Dynasty. It is responsible for espionage, infiltration, propaganda, sabotage, assassination, and instigation of rebellion north of the Yangtze River.
, leading underground organizations, etc., are all under the responsibility of the First Bureau.
Because the Ming Dynasty has not given up its claim to the land occupied by the Qing in the north for hundreds of years, and does not recognize the legitimacy of the Qing regime, it still counts the north of the Yangtze River as Ming Dynasty territory on various official occasions, and it is just an occupied area.
That’s it. It’s officially called the “Northern Territory of the Ming Dynasty”, which together with the “Southern Territory of the Ming Dynasty” form the Ming Empire. So strictly speaking, the first and second bureaus of Dongchang are responsible for domestic affairs, and the remaining bureaus are
Responsible for overseas.
Jiang Meilu just means that the next thing will be the responsibility of the first bureau, and there is nothing she can do. At most, I will call you to tell you something about the situation. Even if you have done your best, you kid should not have any other ideas.
…
I haven't gotten over the jet lag yet, so I slept very groggy all afternoon.
Someone knocked on the door. When Xiang Xiaoqiang opened his eyes, the room was dark. He didn't know what time it was. When he opened the door, it was the hotel clerk who asked him to go to the lobby to listen to the phone.
"Did you really call me?"
Xiang Xiaoqiang hurriedly followed the waiter down to the lobby.
"Mr. Xiang?"
A girl's voice on the phone.
"it's me."
"Oh, hello, Mr. Xiang, I'm...well, I'm Director Jiang."
"Ah...oh," Xiang Xiaoqiang understood. It was indeed Dongchang, "Well, hello."
"Do you have time now?"
What do you mean? You want me to come over? Xiang Xiaoqiang glanced at the big wooden clock on the wall. It was already past six o'clock in the evening. He said:
"Have time."
"Is it convenient for you to come over now? It's still the same place as yesterday."
Are you really asking me to come over? Xiang Xiaoqiang's first thought was that there was news from Qiu Qiu. Just as he was about to agree, another thought suddenly came to him and he broke into a cold sweat.
Did they say hello to the British side, and they didn't have me, so they called me over to arrest me and take the blame? The more I think about it, the more correct I am. If it's about Qiu Qiu's side, they can at least tell me on the phone. There's no need at all.
Invite you over to talk.
"Hello, Mr. Xiang?"
…
Xiang Xiaoqiang gritted his teeth. If it was really about Qiu Qiu, I was afraid that I would regret it if I didn't go. I had no choice but to get caught if I was caught. Who told me to love her.
Xiang Xiaoqiang took a deep breath and said calmly:
"Okay, I'll be there right away."
I put down the phone and couldn't wait for the tram, so I called a rickshaw and went straight to Dongchang Second Bureau.
In the old town at night, there were vendors pushing small carts selling cooked food on both sides of the road. Dotted with carbide lamps and shouting sounds, it made him feel like he was back to his childhood in the 1980s. That kind of carbide lamps had not been around for more than ten years.
When you see it, it's just a tin water pot with a thin iron pipe inserted in the middle. Below is a piece of calcium carbide. When the calcium carbide comes into contact with water, a flammable gas will be released and rise up through the thin iron pipe. The flame is very large and stable.
Much brighter than candles. At night in the 1980s, most roadside food stalls lit up this kind of lamp.
Sitting on the rickshaw, smelling the aroma of braised pork and listening to the "squeaking" sound of chopping salted duck, my stomach couldn't help but growl.
It was very cold at night. Xiang Xiaoqiang curled up and stroked the cashmere scarf that Qiu Qiu had chosen. Thinking about Qiu Qiu who was in jail on the other side of the river and the uncertainty of his trip, he couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness in his chest.
He looked up at the stars in the sky and felt that the stars now were much clearer than those in later generations. The shape of a "Milky Way" could be clearly seen.
Alas, Xiang Xiaoqiang thought, isn't the current Yangtze River just like a damn Milky Way? Not only does it separate himself and Qiu Qiu from the north and the south, but it also separates the entire China from the north to the south. One point lasts for hundreds of years. It seems that it is impossible not to unify.
Ah, it has been nearly three hundred years. If we are not unified, we might actually become two countries.
When we arrived at the place, the coachman asked for four and a half cents for the fare, so he gave Xiaoqiang five cents. The coachman thanked him cheerfully and left.
Oh my god, it costs four and a half cents. Xiang Xiaoqiang is still not used to Mingyang's large proportion of "condensed currency". After all, it is a gold standard currency, and money is really valuable.
Not far away, another rickshaw also arrived, and a figure came down, hiding in the shadow of the opposite trees. The young man was alone, looking left and right, rubbing his hands and stamping his feet, shivering from the cold. Xiang Xiaoqiang recognized that it was
The person who was following him couldn't help but shook his head. Alas, newcomers are pitiful. They are the same everywhere. They cannot be reused and sink to the bottom as shrimps, doing the hardest and most boring work.
"I remember when I graduated from college and just joined the company...well, I didn't say anything. Long live my understanding!"
Under the light outside the guard room, a figure in a trench coat stood there, waiting for someone. Seeing Xiang Xiaoqiang approaching, he immediately greeted him and came up to him. Only then did Xiang Xiaoqiang recognize that he was Jiang Meilu's subordinate.
, the one who reminded her to wear glasses in the office in the afternoon.
"Haha, Mr. Xiang, how are you? You haven't eaten yet?"
"I've eaten, I've eaten."
However, Xiaoqiang's stomach growled loudly.
"Haha, it doesn't matter. Eat more after you eat." The man put his arms around his shoulders in a familiar manner and said with a smile, "I just haven't eaten yet. Come on, let's go get some more. There is a duck blood shop over there.
The vermicelli soup is very good, Director Jiang asked me to take Mr. Xiang to try it!"
He smiled at Xiaoqiang, said a few polite words, and stopped refusing. He was just curious why he didn't say anything and went to eat first.
This man's surname is Li, Li Zhien. He is in his twenties, a little stronger than Xiang Xiao. He is an assistant director of the fifth branch. He is not under the control of the department or group below, but is directly under the command of Jiang Meilu. He is equivalent to a secretary, but more powerful than Xiang Xiao.
The secretary's scope of authority is broad.
The two of them sat down in a nearby small restaurant. Li Zhien ordered a bowl of duck blood vermicelli soup for each of them, a dish of crab shell biscuits and a dish of roasted duck shreds. Li Zhien did not hesitate, and took the lead in eating.
Get up. The food is tempting and I'm hungry. I don't show any politeness to Xiao Qiangtun and starts eating.
Don't tell me, the food here is really good. After eating for a while, Xiang Xiaoqiang couldn't hold it in any longer. He wiped his mouth and began to ask him about the situation in a roundabout way.
Li Zhien didn't make any fuss, he smiled and said it directly.
As expected, it is about Qiu Qiu and the others. Information from the North Bank has come over. The First Bureau of the Dongchang Bureau will hold a meeting overnight tonight to study countermeasures. This time there is a lot of noise, and many big shots will be present, at eight o'clock. Specific information
How, people of Li Zhien's level don't know. Even Jiang Meilu doesn't know.
"Oh..." Xiang Xiaoqiang narrowed his eyes and nodded thoughtfully, "Then what can I do to help Director Shang Jiang...and Brother Li?"
Hearing Xiang Xiaoqiang call him "Brother Li", Li Zhien nodded with a smile, patted his shoulder hard across the table, and also called him affectionately:
"Brother, someone personally called your name and asked you to participate!"
"Oh," Xiang Xiaoqiang smiled, and it turned out to be exactly what he thought. He slowly said, "Someone asked me to participate, this... someone."
"Haha, by the way, 'someone'. I don't know who it is."
Then, Li Zhien started chatting with him again with a smile, trying to get close to him in a roundabout way. No, it felt like he was trying to get close to Jiang Meilu. There were twinkling hints in his words: what should be said and what should not be said, Brother Xiang naturally
There are quite a few...
That's right. A certain big shot heard about Xiang Xiaoqiang. Maybe he wanted him to talk about the situation at Pukou Sticking Rod at the meeting. Maybe it was for some other reason. In short, he told him to go too. Probably this
It was a high-level meeting of the East Factory, and all those present were Jiang Meilu's immediate superiors. Jiang Meilu didn't want to leave a bad impression on his boss, so naturally he had to show his kindness to Xiaoqiang first.
After finishing the meal, as usual, they were rushing to pay the bill. Li Zhien smiled and grabbed the hand that took the money from Xiang Xiaoqiang, effortlessly stuffing it back into his pocket, and used the other hand to pay the bill out of his own pocket:
"No, no, it's useless for us to argue. Haha, this meal was given to us by Jiang Chu. Even my brother, I'm eating for nothing!"
Xiang Xiaoqiang also smiled, but he couldn't use his hand at all, and he cursed in his heart: Damn, these Dongchang guys are so strong.