Chapter 109: Little Brat
“It’s still because Boss, you lead wisely and have a keen eye for talent, that you can bring all these capable people under your command. Presumably, after Jingzhe hears this news, he will be deeply grateful and surely risk life and limb to repay your kindness in recognizing his talent.”
“Hahaha~~ You always love saying nice things, but this kid does have some ability. The reward can’t be stingy, so give him the rank of Lieutenant, and add a Fifth-Class Cloud Banner Medal. Alright, go handle it quickly. Also, remember to transfer the funds, and don’t let there be any oversights.”
Mao Renfeng was astonished. He knew Boss Dai thought highly of this young man, but he didn’t expect him to think so highly, “Boss, isn’t the reward a bit too generous? Moreover, this matter hasn’t been completed yet, this…”
Boss Dai waved his hand domineeringly, “Merit must be rewarded, faults must be punished! The three-character maxim I set is no child’s play.”
“He previously rescued one of our Military Statistics Bureau special agents, and provided accurate intelligence twice. Before, because he wasn’t one of us in the Military Statistics Bureau, his merit was temporarily set aside. But now that he has become one of us, we can’t be stingy.”
“Tell certain people that no one is allowed to touch this funding. If anyone sabotages this cooperation, I’ll hold them accountable!”
The so-called three-character maxim was promotion, control, coffin. Boss Dai often had this three-character maxim on his lips, both to intimidate and to motivate.
Mao Renfeng naturally knew this. Since the boss had said so, he naturally wouldn’t foolishly refute.
A flattery was sent over: “Meeting a boss like you is truly the good fortune of us special workers. Jingzhe will surely be very encouraged when he finds out!”
Xu Jin’ge, who was in Beiping, soon received the reply from headquarters.
After seeing the content of the reply, Xu Jin’ge let out a long sigh of relief. This matter was now settled once and for all.
But when he saw the content behind it, his eyes immediately widened, and envy almost overflowed.
In the private room.
Xu Jin’ge briefly described the superior’s decision. Cao Weida was speechless and wanted to stand up: “Just for this little thing, do you really need to call me over so solemnly?”
“Don’t be hasty, there’s one more thing.” Xu Jin’ge quickly stopped him, took out a document from his pocket, his expression somewhat jealous, “This is the commendation telegram from the superior for you.”
“Jingzhe:
Confidential. Since joining the Military Statistics Bureau, you have penetrated deep into enemy areas and repeatedly established extraordinary merits amid hardships. With your extraordinary courage, outstanding wisdom, and the adaptability of a national, after careful consideration by Military Statistics Bureau high-level, it is decided to exceptionally promote and commend you, promoting you to the rank of Lieutenant… Forget it, you read the rest yourself.”
Cao Weida took it and looked. He immediately grinned. So now he could be considered an officer?
Looking further back, wow, not only promoted, but also awarded a Fifth-Class Cloud Banner Medal.
The Kuomintang has many kinds of medals, roughly: Blue Sky and White Sun Medal, Cloud Banner Medal, Loyal and Diligent Medal, Moderate Virtue Medal, Great Unity Medal, River Map Medal.
And the medals generally issued by the Military Statistics Bureau are mostly Cloud Banner Medal, Moderate Virtue Medal, and Loyal and Diligent Medal.
The Cloud Banner Medal is divided into first to ninth class, ninth class lowest, first class highest. Officers above Major rank can receive third class and above.
For non-staff personnel or low-level special agents like Cao Weida, it’s basically impossible to get third class and above. Fifth class is already considered high for his level.
Cao Weida couldn’t help but smirk evilly, “Hey, you’re not jealous, are you?”
Xu Jin’ge rolled his eyes. How could he not be jealous? He risked life and limb to assassinate the Puppet Government police director Shen Wanshan, nearly losing his life, and at the cost of a leg wound, only got a Cloud Banner Medal.
Of course, his medal was second class, much more valuable than this fifth class, but Cao Weida hadn’t done any dangerous missions!
Just like that, he got a Cloud Banner Medal in a muddled way, and was promoted in rank, jumping from non-staff personnel straight to Lieutenant rank. This commendation had to be said to be quite substantial.
Cao Weida chuckled oddly, patted his shoulder and cackled: “Little devil, don’t you salute when you see the officer?”
“Get lost, you’re really disrespectful.” Xu Jin’ge shook off the hand on his shoulder and laughed scoldingly, “This old man is now a Lieutenant Colonel. You, a Lieutenant, acting like an officer in front of me. It’s already good I didn’t make you salute.”
“Alright, since the higher-ups have agreed, hurry up and implement this matter, lest delays cause changes. Once Group Three leader loosens his mouth, we’ll be passive.”
“Fine, but wait, Old Xu, we only have mission funding. Where’s my reward money?” Cao Weida carefully flipped through it but didn’t see his reward money.
“We spent money to build relationships. Won’t the higher-ups reimburse it?”
“Don’t be ungrateful after getting the benefits,” Xu Jin’ge said speechlessly, “You’ve earned quite a bit from this mission. Still think it’s not enough? Don’t take the superior for a fool.”
“This commendation from the superior is very generous. Don’t be greedy, just take the good and stop.”
No
Cao Weida, who didn’t get to fleece any wool, was very disappointed. He swayed home unsteadily. His butt hadn’t even warmed the seat when Du Shiniang said: “Master, not long ago Shopkeeper Luo called for you, asking you to go to Ruixin General Store when you return.”
“Hmm? How does he know I’m here with you?”
Du Shiniang covered her mouth and laughed, “He also called Xinghong’s place, and grumbled that family members shouldn’t live separately.”
She walked over gracefully, sat on his lap, draped her arms around his neck, and coquettishly said: “Master, I think Shopkeeper Luo is right. We’re all family. It’s inconvenient to live separately. Why don’t you let her come live here? There are rooms anyway. When you’re not here, I’ll have someone to talk to.”
“Don’t worry, Shi Niang is quite satisfied with the current life and absolutely won’t be jealous.”
“We’ll talk about it later.” He patted her plump butt, got up and walked out, “Day after day, I’m just a life of toil.”
“Busy during the day is one thing, but still have to work at night. My life is just too bitter.”
He arrived at Ruixin General Store. As soon as he entered, sharp-eyed Old Luo spotted him first, “Master, you’ve finally come. I’ve prepared the accounts, locked in the inner room. Come with me, I’ll get them for you.”
After entering the inner room, two employees unobtrusively guarded near the door to prevent outsiders from approaching.
In the room.
“Old Luo, what happened to make you so urgent?” Old Luo absolutely wouldn’t contact him if there was no emergency. Since he did, there must be something.
“Beiping intelligence group member Li Huaide was arrested yesterday while buying medicine!”
“Who?”
“Li Huaide. Do you know him?”
“Ah, no, I don’t. Just think the name sounds quite noble.” How could he not know? The vice director of the steel rolling mill in the TV series Full Courtyard of Romance, later the director, wasn’t it Li Huaide!
That was quite the old lecher who explored many flowers, simply a model for us!
However, in the original TV series, Li Huaide shouldn’t have been arrested. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be the later Director Li. Could there have been some change?
He probed: “Does your intelligence group also handle purchasing medicine?”
Old Luo shook his head, “Our intelligence group isn’t supposed to handle purchasing medicine, but because the organization has a big gap in medicine, we’ll do it if there’s opportunity. But this time it’s not.”
“Li Huaide isn’t from our group. I’m not clear on the specifics. I only know Li Huaide was inadvertently exposed during the last major search, got shot while fleeing. This time he went out to buy medicine because the gun wound got inflamed and he had to go to the pharmacy. He was spotted by Puppet Government special agents near the pharmacy.”
As he spoke, he glanced at Cao Weida twice.
Cao Weida guiltily shrank his neck. Alright, so the change was because of him.
In this one or two months, he kept killing a couple of Japs or traitors at every turn, raising Beiping’s search intensity by more than one level.
This also indirectly caused underground workers’ activities to be increasingly restricted, especially at night, everywhere full of overt and covert sentries, just waiting for this mysterious man to appear and arrest him.
“Cough cough, um, do you know where he’s being held?”
It was strange. In one day, both Military Statistics Bureau and Underground Party had people arrested. Did the two sides coordinate?
Old Luo had no intention of blaming. Cao Weida risked unprecedented danger to assassinate enemies, their inadvertent exposure was their own carelessness, “I know. He’s locked up in Liutiao Mansion.”
Liutiao Mansion was exactly the East Asia Academic Research Association’s den.
“So what do you mean, Old Luo? Want to rescue him or…”
“If possible, try to rescue him.” Old Luo leaned closer and whispered: “I’ll be frank with you. This Li Huaide is a leader’s son-in-law. After knowing he had an accident, the leader found many people to think of ways. Under possible circumstances, hope to rescue him.”
The Underground Party was different from the Military Statistics Bureau, who casually wanted to kill their own to prevent leaks.
Unless absolutely necessary, they wouldn’t easily do assassinations.
“Of course, the leader also said, if it’s impossible, prioritize your own safety.”
“You know, this matter is quite a coincidence. I just chatted with that old Jap Fujita today. Now they have 76 captured living special agents from both parties. Deeply dissatisfied with the frequent activities of anti-Japanese elements recently, so they plan to take these people outside the city for execution by shooting, to deter anti-Japanese elements.”
“Good!” Old Luo’s spirit shook, “This news is very important! Help scout how many people in total for this transport, what the firepower configuration is like. I’ll contact the action group to prepare for rescue!”
“Damn, Old Luo, you don’t mean to forcibly hijack, do you?!”
“Yes, such a good opportunity…” If the person was locked in the city, Old Luo really wouldn’t dare think otherwise, but outside the city was different.
As long as ambushed in advance, when the transport vehicles enter the encirclement, they still had some confidence to rescue the captured comrade.
Of course, before, he would need to think twice, but after two cooperations with Cao Weida, the nearby Underground Party action team’s firepower configuration had risen more than one level, giving him the confidence to say such words.
