Chapter 269: Bad Name
At Wang Ni’s residence, the core few held an emergency meeting.
Wang Ni, Chen Biqun, Chen Gongbo, Chu Minyi, Minister Zhou, and also Gu Yansheng whom Minister Zhou had brought along.
The others were either not close enough or currently of no use.
Wang Ni was very anxious and couldn’t sit still, pacing back and forth in the room.
“I knew long ago that this Gao Zhongwu was a waste, but I just didn’t expect this guy to have a rebellious streak growing from the back of his head!
Have you all listened to the broadcast? He actually says he was forced into it, and after seeing the secret agreement, he felt deceived by me, so he turned back from his misguided path to set things right.
Listen to that!
Back then, he begged to meet three times a day and proactively asked to fly to Japan behind Old Jiang’s back to negotiate with the Japanese Cabinet!
Now he’s even cursing me, utterly shameless! Utterly shameless!”
Chen Gongbo frowned and chimed in, “This person has always had issues, young and reckless. I remember it was in twenty-six, when he was interviewed by the media.
As Director of Asian Affairs, theoretically he should negotiate with Japan on lowering tariffs, introducing technology for cooperative affairs, but he said he had no interest at all.
What he wanted to do was to make a one-hundred-eighty-degree turnaround in China-Japan relations, to achieve historic change in East Asia.”
“Arrogant!” Wang Ni turned and scolded: “What does he mean by historic change? Can he persuade Japan to withdraw troops? Or persuade Old Jiang to hold peace talks?
I can’t do it, and he can? He truly doesn’t know his own weight!”
Chen Biqun interjected: “Alright, don’t get angry over him. We’re not holding a criticism meeting about him now; we still need to focus on the current situation.
We must come up with a plan as soon as possible, and settle it today.
It’s not just about giving an explanation to the public to keep them supporting us; more importantly, tomorrow’s meeting will definitely have people bringing up this content. It’s urgent—what do we say when others ask?”
Now the broadcast is playing twenty-four hours a day, nonstop, always cursing him.
Wang Ni was quite furious and felt really upset without venting a couple curses, but the situation was urgent. “Do you have any ideas?”
Chen Gongbo frowned and said: “We’re indeed very passive now. Gao Zhongwu participated in the entire negotiation and knows all the agreement contents clearly, and most critically, he has photocopies of the agreement original and several copies of the negotiation drafts.
For now it’s just broadcast; tomorrow, photos of these contents will appear in newspapers.
We won’t even be able to deny it easily.”
“We must deny it.”
Minister Zhou spoke up to set the tone: “We cannot admit this matter; denial is the only path. Directly figure out how to deny it, come up with a way to make the transition smooth, acceptable to everyone, without making us seem like unreasonable deniers.”
With photos of photocopies as evidence, pictorial proof with both witness and material evidence complete—how to deny that?
Chen Biqun suddenly spoke: “Minister Gu, you’ve been a lawyer. If you look at this matter as a lawsuit from a lawyer’s perspective, how would you handle it?”
What a clever question. Gu Yansheng thought for a moment and said: “Attack the witness, attack the plaintiff, attack the evidence, expose their logical flaws.”
“How so?” Chen Biqun pressed.
Gu Yansheng scanned the room, meeting everyone’s eyes.
“In this matter right now, they’ve painted us as traitors, and Gao Zhongwu this traitor has become the side of justice, so the public attacks us because we’re not just.
But we can strip Gao Zhongwu of his justice, make him also a target of attack, an unreliable witness.
Simply put, Gao Zhongwu came out from Chongqing, and now he’s back in Chongqing—this is flip-flopping; no matter how you calculate it, he’s a traitor, inherently lacking credibility.
Right now it’s just because he came from us that people believe what he says about us.
But actually, as long as we find a reason for Gao Zhongwu’s departure that’s not the ‘turning back from misguided path’ he claims, the credibility of his words is ruined.”
“Is there such a reason?”
“Yes, Gao Zhongwu once came to me to borrow a sum of money, five hundred thousand silver dollars. The reason he gave me was…”
“He borrowed fifty thousand from you?” Minister Zhou suddenly widened his eyes and asked.
Gu Yansheng nodded: “Right before the incident, he came to me, saying he was already very familiar with the Japanese negotiation personnel, and during private drinks he learned this person needed money for his father’s illness at home. He felt he could try monetary bribery to get the Japanese bottom line on some clauses.
If successful, the money spent is spent; if not, return it to me.
He also said that because of the previous negotiation matter, Mr. Wang had criticized him, and he grumbled that he lost his minister position because of it, and without making some big effort, he had no future.
So he came to me, wanting to try something.
I thought if this matter could really be negotiated, it’d be good; anyway if unsuccessful the money wouldn’t be spent, so letting him try was fine. I gave him fifty thousand and he wrote an IOU.
I truly didn’t expect he was planning to run.
I bear responsibility for this matter.”
Gu Yansheng didn’t mind taking some non-intentional fault.
“This bastard was scheming all along, premeditated.” Minister Zhou slapped his thigh in annoyance.
“Who could think of such a thing?” Chen Biqun spoke up for Gu Yansheng. “Gao Zhongwu ran, which can be said to be dissatisfaction for not getting the minister position; Tao Xisheng also ran, and he was Minister of Propaganda, executive committee member—we treated him well too. Who could expect that?
Yansheng’s motive for lending him money was fine. Yansheng, continue.”
Gu Yansheng continued: “Once he ran, I realized there was an issue with this money. I had someone check, and this person had been stock trading all along.
According to the No. 76 team member tracking him, he made some money.
But regarding today’s matter, we can completely reshape his identity into another image.
An image of someone who embezzled public funds for stock trading, lost a huge sum he couldn’t cover, was about to be exposed and arrested for questioning, and under inducement and coercion in Chongqing, hit it off with Chongqing, used Chongqing’s channels to leave Shanghai, cooperating with Chongqing to slander Mr. Wang’s image—then all justice on this person is stripped away.
Combined with the recent cotton yarn futures battle at the exchange where he lost money, Shanghai people can easily understand.
And once this witness’s justice is stripped, the evidence he provides, that is the Japan-Wang secret agreement, can completely be said to be forged by Chongqing.
At the time of our Qingdao Conference, Chongqing maliciously fabricated the secret agreement, intending to sabotage the Save the Nation Through Peace process.
This matter can’t be proven or disproven unless Japan steps forward to support Chongqing saying it’s real; otherwise it’ll just be a murky account.
He says his piece, we say ours; he says we signed some secret agreement with Japan, selling out the country—can’t we say he and Chongqing signed some secret agreement with Japan to strike at the Communist Party?
For example, Chongqing doesn’t supply the Communist Party’s army—that many people know; is that resisting Japan? Propagandizing resistance to Japan but not resisting—isn’t that clear proof?
That’s attacking the witness, attacking the evidence, attacking the plaintiff.”
“With Yansheng’s analysis, this matter is clear.” Chen Biqun’s eyes brightened. “I think it’s feasible; the logic holds up. What do you all think?”
Wang Ni nodded first: “I think it’s feasible; listening to it, no issues at all. Worthy of being an elite lawyer—feasible.”
Chen Gongbo nodded: “Muddy the waters, and the goal is achieved.”
Minister Zhou pondered: “The method is definitely fine, but we still need to do one thing. Saying that secret agreement is fake isn’t enough; best to have the Japanese step forward personally to say the secret agreement is fake—that would be more effective.”
“Will the Japanese admit it?” Chen Biqun had doubts; saying it’s fake would make it truly fake—wouldn’t the Japanese get suspicious?
Minister Zhou knew her concern and smiled: “This matter isn’t as complicated as you think. The Qingdao Conference hasn’t even started; we haven’t finished negotiating with the Japanese—isn’t that very normal?
No need for the Japanese to admit if it’s fake or not; we simply haven’t signed yet.”
Chen Biqun understood and nodded casually: “No problem then; we’ll go with that. I’ll talk to the Japanese side; we’ll unify our statement and then clarify to the outside.”
The Japanese representative here now is Kagesa. With the incident, he’s the most anxious person right now, more anxious than the Wang Faction people.
Seeing merger success almost there, and this monkey wrench thrown in—if the other two groups find an excuse to make trouble, his major general position would be farther away again.
So when Chen Biqun went to him, Kagesa immediately said he would fully cooperate.
“We must ensure the Qingdao Conference’s complete success.”
The next day, the talks officially began.
The talk location was at the guesthouse where Wang Ni stayed in Qingdao.
Qingdao was previously occupied by Germany; this guesthouse was actually the former German Governor’s Mansion.
Second floor for residence, first floor for meetings.
At the guesthouse entrance, guards were tight; traitors dressed sharply entered one after another.
Today was North China, Central China, and Wang Faction’s three-way traitor gathering; one could say all traitor bigwigs in the Japanese Occupied Area came.
If an explosion were pulled off here, the entire traitor group could be sent to the afterlife.
However, the Japanese chose here for another reason too: Qingdao’s Military Statistics Bureau station had been uprooted not long ago, station chief Fu Shenglan defected, and based on Fu Shenglan’s familiarity with Qingdao, Qingdao posed no threat to the traitors.
As today’s host, Wang Ni himself needed to put on airs and appear last.
So Minister Zhou, Chen Gongbo, and Gu Yansheng came down first as reception.
Mainly Minister Zhou and Gu Yansheng; they’d contacted the other two groups before, so no awkward silence.
But it was still awkward.
“Mr. Wang, hard work coming from Beiping.” Minister Zhou smiled and greeted Wang Kemin as he entered.
Wang Kemin stopped and sneered on meeting: “Minister Zhou, letting the Japanese Army stay in North China forever—I wouldn’t dare do that. I cooperate with the Japanese, but I’ve never signed such a document. Mr. Wang truly has bold guts.”
With the response plan ready, Minister Zhou sneered unflinchingly: “You serious? Such obvious sowing discord—you can’t see it?”
Wang Kemin paused, frowned, and said: “Your two ministers exposed contents, and you tell me it’s sowing discord?”
“We’ll talk about this together later; family ugliness I don’t fear airing outside. Rest assured, I’ll give you an explanation.” Minister Zhou gestured invitingly: “Have a seat first.”
Wang Kemin thought for a moment and didn’t press; one by one entered and sat; soon Liang Hongzhi arrived.
With Wang Ni’s treaty exposed, public resentment boiled; Liang Hongzhi felt his chance had come again.
Seeing Minister Zhou, he was all smiles: “Hahahaha, I say Mr. Zhou, is there still need for this meeting? Does Mr. Wang still have face to show?
He dares sign such a contract? You think anyone will accept him as president?”
Liang Hongzhi finished without waiting for Minister Zhou’s response, smirking as he led his people to seats.
Last to arrive were the summoned Wang Ni and Kagesa Sadaki, host of the merger affairs.
Kagesa in military uniform appeared, intimidating the on-site traitors; the big and small traitors quietly discussing the signing contents all fell silent.
Kagesa invited Wang Ni to sit, then said beside him: “Very pleased to see today’s grand three-party talks. For Japan, a stable government is an indispensable part of building the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.
So Japan has always worked hard to promote unification and merger of all parties.
As Japan’s representative, I am honored to attend this meeting.
At the same time, I know there are some slanders against Mr. Wang on the market, rumors about Japan-Wang cooperation.
I can tell you all here that we have indeed negotiated with Mr. Wang, but up to now, we fundamentally have not signed any contract; the contract contents circulating on the market, especially the secret agreement contents, are completely fabricated nonsense.
The reason is simple: the Chongqing Government does not hope for a unified government in our area, which I believe everyone understands well.
So, no more disputes, and no more situations where friends hurt and enemies rejoice.
If someone is still bringing up this matter, I can’t help but suspect—what is this person’s true intention?”
After Kagesa finished, he paused, nodded, gestured to Minister Zhou, and sat.
Minister Zhou picked up: “Thank you Your Excellency Kagesa for your righteous words. Actually, I originally felt this matter needed no explanation—it was clearly deliberately fabricated before our meeting to damage Mr. Wang’s credibility.
Unfortunately some people really believed it, so I’ll explain once to everyone, and also explain once to national media after the meeting.
The news is of course fake; the problem is with Gao Zhongwu and Tao Xisheng these two people.
These two—one defected, one is a spy probe Old Jiang has always planted by Mr. Wang’s side.
Shamefully, we only discovered this recently. Everyone knows Mr. Wang’s seniority is much deeper than Old Jiang’s; as early as Republic of China year fourteen, Mr. Wang was already Chairman of the National Government, while at that time Old Jiang was merely principal of Whampoa Military Academy.
Employ without doubt, doubt without employing—Mr. Wang trusted Old Jiang, let him grasp military power, step by step rise high, but Old Jiang’s lust for power has no limit.
He racked his brains to frame Mr. Wang, extremely afraid Mr. Wang’s party influence would one day strip him of all power, so he spared no means.
Dirty water tricks aside.
Republic of China year twenty-four, Sun Fengming assassinated Mr. Wang at the Sixth Plenum in Nanjing.
You all know this, but what you don’t know is that this meeting was supposed to be hosted throughout by Old Jiang, but precisely that session, Old Jiang was suddenly absent, letting Mr. Wang host, standing in the most conspicuous host position!
How did Sun Fengming know Mr. Wang would host that meeting and tightly arrange the assassination?
The facts are obvious—the one wanting to kill is Old Jiang!
Failing to kill, Old Jiang arranged eyes and ears by Mr. Wang’s side.
Tao Xisheng is such an example.
Mr. Wang trusted him, let him manage the Propaganda Department.
But Director Ding of No. 76 was responsible for internal investigation and discovered clues of Tao Xisheng contacting Chongqing in daily life.
Tao Xisheng had no choice but to flee in this situation.
And Gao Zhongwu.”
Minister Zhou continued according to Gu Yansheng’s account.
A spy took away a gambler.
The explanation was perfectly reasonable.
At least it gave the whole matter logic.
Most didn’t fully accept but were half-believing.
Except Liang Hongzhi.
Liang Hongzhi sneered: “Whatever you say is what? I think, whether what you say is true or not, Mr. Wang’s reputation is already bad—why force it?
I believe everyone electing a president whose reputation isn’t damaged can lead everyone better.
Everyone agree?”
Bang—Kagesa’s palm slammed on the table: “Mr. Liang, Mr. Wang’s chairman identity is confirmed; you better think thrice before speaking.”
