Chapter 189: The Huge Traitor Wang Kemin
Zheng Chaoyang’s news network in the police station naturally could not compare to Xu Hancheng’s. The moment he asked that question, Cao Weida knew that Zheng Chaoyang definitely did not know the details.
Without any concealment or exaggeration, Cao Weida directly told the whole story exactly as it happened.
At the end, he asked: “Chaoyang, these beasts treated the children so cruelly, causing them to die or become disabled. Do you now think I should or shouldn’t have them executed by a thousand cuts?!”
Zheng Chaoyang opened his mouth. He was a very principled person, with justice in his heart.
He was optimistic and cheerful, brave and resourceful, quick-witted and decisive, eloquent, but at this moment, he didn’t know how to respond for a while.
The previous righteous indignation and aggressive demeanor were long gone. After hemming and hawing for a long time, he finally stammered: “That’s true, but… you could just kill them.”
“Moreover, people’s hearts are hard to fathom. If this gets out, it will also tarnish your reputation.”
“The organization has always wanted you to join the party, even the leader personally wrote you a letter praising you, but once this happens, the situation will be completely different. You…”
“Hey, I thought it was a big deal. If I can’t join the party, then I won’t. Cao Weida didn’t mind at all, casually putting his arm around his shoulders with a carefree attitude,
“With my greedy and lustful nature, I’m not suited to join you anyway.”
“Besides, contributing to the people and to China doesn’t require joining you. Take now, for example.”
“Even if I joined the party, I couldn’t do more. Right?”
“…” Zheng Chaoyang sighed. Rationally, he did not approve of Cao Weida’s handling of the matter, but in his heart, he didn’t really oppose it.
He couldn’t possibly speak up for those conscienceless human traffickers, could he?
If he really did that, his conscience wouldn’t allow it!
Moreover, what’s done is done; saying more wouldn’t change anything.
What comforted him was that, just from his hatred of evil, it could be concluded that Cao Weida was still the same Cao Weida and had not changed his nature because of his high position.
“Alright, don’t think about all that mess. Come on, buddy, I’ll treat you to a bath.” Without letting him think more, Cao Weida ushered him forward.
After being busy until now, plus staying in the interrogation room for so long, his whole body was already itchy.
Zheng Chaoyang sighed inwardly and followed him to the bathhouse.
The current Cao Weida was far different from the previous one; he naturally wouldn’t go to a low-end bathhouse and force himself to endure hardship.
Dongshengping Bathhouse was located on Yangmeizhu Slanting Street in Qianmen Dazhalan, the most high-end bathhouse in all of Beiping.
Don’t think that just because it’s the Republic of China era, the bathhouse environment is inferior to later generations.
Dongshengping Bathhouse had three floors, with advanced internal facilities, built in the style of Shanghai bathhouses.
It was equipped with lighting, tap water, foreign porcelain fish tanks, and other modern equipment. Private rooms had steam heating, with lounge beds and lounge chairs, and provided tea snacks, soap, cosmetics, and other items for customers to use.
Its services were also very thoughtful. In addition to bathing services, it also offered tea, haircuts, shaves, scrubbing, pedicures, massages, manicures, athlete’s foot treatment, and more.
It also provided guest reception areas, mahjong rooms, and more to meet guests’ various needs.
At the same time, a rest area was indispensable.
It could be said that, apart from lacking many electronic products due to technological gaps, the services here were no worse than those of later high-end bath venues—in fact, even better.
Of course, you get what you pay for. The bath fee here wasn’t cheap: one silver dollar per person, and that was just for the second-class ordinary official hall.
For the top-class official hall, the minimum bath fee was two silver dollars, with additional charges for other services.
It could be said that those who came here to bathe were all dignitaries and nobles, capitalists, government officials, and the like.
“Cao Ye, this is too extravagant!” In the private official hall bath pool, Zheng Chaoyang said with a pained expression.
Two silver dollars!
If sent to the base area, it could feed how many brothers several full meals!
If it were him, he definitely wouldn’t bear to spend it.
It was just a bath; going to a low-end bathhouse would still get him clean.
Hearing this, Cao Weida rolled his eyes in annoyance, comfortably lying in the pool, letting the warm water from the spout wash his body. He closed his eyes in bliss, looking fully enjoying it, and lazily replied: “Give me a break. It’s not like I asked you to spend money, and you’re still feeling the pinch.”
“Good thing I didn’t join you, or you’d nag me to death.”
Zheng Chaoyang looked embarrassed. “I didn’t mean it that way…”
“Just kidding with you. Why take it seriously?” Cao Weida opened his eyes, tilting his head to look at him: “I’m not the type to endure hardship when there’s none. I’m just someone who enjoys pleasures.”
“If I didn’t have the ability, no matter how difficult your organization was, I wouldn’t sacrifice my own interests to help you.”
“But I’m not overly greedy either. After securing my own life, I’ll help as much as I can.”
Zheng Chaoyang was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed. He relaxed his body, losing the earlier stiffness, exhaled, and said: “You know, with your personality, you’re really not suited to join the party. If you did, it wouldn’t take long before you’d have a sack full of disciplinary actions.”
He shifted his body to lie more comfortably. “You’ve already done a lot. I, and my organization, are keeping track of your merits one by one.”
With a splash, he sat up straight, his tone very serious: “On behalf of those soldiers fighting bloody battles, and the people around the base area, thank you!”
“Lie down, lie down.” Cao Weida was amused by his sudden seriousness. “I’m just doing what any Chinese person should do. Victory in the War of Resistance is just around the corner, but who will rule China’s future is extremely important. Compared to the Kuomintang, I hope you win the final victory.”
He looked up at the misty ceiling, a few drops of condensed steam dangling from the top, playfully refusing to fall.
Zheng Chaoyang looked at Cao Weida in surprise. This was the second time he had heard similar words from Cao Weida.
“You believe in us that much? What if the Kuomintang ends up ruling China? Wouldn’t everything you’ve done be for nothing?”
Although his faith in the party was very firm, he actually had no confidence about the future.
After all, the disparity in strength between the two sides was too great.
In terms of current troop comparisons, the Kuomintang’s combat forces were about 6 million, while the Communist Party’s army numbered only 500,000!
Even adding the New Fourth Army’s 250,000 and the South China People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Team’s 20,000, the total force was only 770,000.
A ten-to-one troop disparity, plus such a huge gap in weapons and equipment—this vast difference in strength couldn’t be bridged by blind confidence.
Cao Weida picked up the tea beside him and took a sip, saying leisurely: “China has a saying: those who win the people’s heart win the world.”
“With the Kuomintang’s bureaucratic style, endless extortion and taxation—if not for the current War of Resistance, they would have lost the people’s heart long ago.”
“In contrast, your party is the one that serves the people and acts as their master. That’s truly our own people’s team.”
“If even such a team fails, then heaven is truly blind.”
At this point, he shrugged. “Of course, if heaven really is blind and the Kuomintang ends up taking the world, I’ll just have to accept my bad luck.”
“With the Kuomintang’s bald leader groveling and begging internationally, if they really win, China will have plenty of hard days ahead.”
“You really dare to say it.” Zheng Chaoyang was amused. Daring to directly call that one “bald head” showed this guy truly had no fondness for the Kuomintang.
At the same time, his heart was filled with pride.
Being recognized and supported by the people made him, as a Communist Party member, feel greatly honored.
At the same time, it further strengthened the faith deep in his heart.
“Alright, no more nonsense. Come on, time for scrubbing.” With a splash, he stood up, proudly shaking his well-endowed manhood,
“Today I’m treating. We’ll go through all the services here, guaranteed to make you comfortable!”
“How about soaking a bit longer? It’s only been ten minutes or so—such a waste.” Zheng Chaoyang was reluctant to get up. Two silver dollars for so little time—what a loss!
If possible, he’d love to soak here all day.
It was expensive, but the price was justified.
Unlike the cheap bathhouses with a layer of grime and murky water, the water here was constantly refreshed, so clear you could cup it up and drink!
“Look at you, so pathetic. Hurry up, the best is yet to come.” Cao Weida mocked, forcibly pulling him up, ignoring his embarrassed covering of his privates, and dragged him to the back scrub room.
High-end bathhouse enjoyment naturally meant high-end services, including scrubbing.
The scrubbers at low-end bathhouses were already very skilled, but compared to those here, the difference was obvious.
They didn’t even need you to say anything; the scrubber would observe your reactions and control the pressure precisely.
After scrubbing his back and rinsing off, Cao Weida pulled him toward the rest area.
Along the way, Zheng Chaoyang looked around curiously. It was his first time at a high-end bathhouse; low-end ones didn’t have all these options, so he was naturally intrigued.
As he was looking around, after his gaze swept past a figure and moved away, it quickly snapped back, and he exclaimed in surprise.
“What’s up, see someone you know?” Cao Weida stopped, following his gaze. In the distance, two men were entering a private room.
“You know them?”
“Of course. He’s famous!” A flash of killing intent in Zheng Chaoyang’s eyes, he said in a low voice: “He’s the current Chairman of the Beiping Government Executive Committee, Wang Kemin!”
“Him?!” Cao Weida’s mind instantly recalled the person Xu Jin’ge had asked him to look into—it was none other than Wang Kemin!
This guy was a huge traitor!
