Jiang Wendao

"What is it?" The police officer on duty at the guard post asked with a yawn, his eyelids drooping. "Urgent official business. I need to see Chief Jiang," Chen Xiuqi replied. "Do you have an official dispatch? An appointment?" Chen Xiuqi shook his head, then lowered his voice. "Officer Fang Jibai sent us. It's an important matter that must be brought before Chief Jiang." "You're saying... Fourth Brother Fang sent you?" The officer looked Chen Xiuqi up and down. "Yes. Fourth Brother is currently in Lücheng Town. His third sister is getting married today," Chen Xiuqi explained. Reaching into his jacket, he produced a letter. "I have a handwritten letter here from Fourth Brother to Chief Jiang." "That's Fourth Brother's handwriting, all right." The officer took a look, nodded, and picked up the telephone. "Connect me to the chief's office. Yes, urgent business." As he spoke, he glanced at Chen Xiuqi, who tactfully stepped back a few paces. Covering the mouthpiece with his hand, the officer murmured a few words into the receiver. When he hung up, his demeanor had grown considerably warmer. "Section Chief Chen, our chief will see you." "Much obliged." Chen Xiuqi pressed a pack of cigarettes into the officer's hand. The man's smile broadened even further. "Since you're a friend of Fourth Brother Fang, I won't stand on ceremony." "Of course, as it should be," Chen Xiuqi said with a smile. "Might I ask your name, brother?" "Zhao Xianliang," he replied. "Head straight into the courtyard. Room 204 on the second floor is the chief's office." "Thank you kindly, Brother Zhao." Chen Xiuqi instructed his men to wait at the street tea stall while he entered the courtyard alone. Up on the second floor, he straightened the collar hook of his tunic before knocking on the door. "Enter!" Jiang Wendao was a man in his early thirties, dressed in a police officer's uniform with his collar fastened impeccably. He cast a sharp glance at Chen Xiuqi. "What is your relationship to Qiming?" "Reporting, sir." Chen Xiuqi snapped to attention and saluted. "Officer Fang is my distant cousin-uncle. We grew up together." "And the letter?" Jiang Wendao gave a slight nod. Chen Xiuqi retrieved the letter from his pocket along with his credentials, presenting both with two hands. Jiang Wendao opened the credentials, glanced over them, gave Chen Xiuqi another assessing look, and set the booklet aside. Then he picked up the envelope and inspected the brushstrokes. His eyes lingered for a second on the signature—*Your Subordinate, Fang Jibai*. Just after the second character of the name, there was a dot left by a deliberate pause of the brush. He gave a subtle, approving nod to himself. "No need to be so formal. Have a seat," Jiang Wendao said evenly, looking over at Chen Xiuqi. "Yes, sir." Chen Xiuqi complied, though he perched only on the edge of the sofa, spine straight as a ramrod, poised to spring up at a moment's notice. Jiang Wendao drew out the letter and read it carefully. Suddenly, his expression changed. Looking up at Chen Xiuqi, his eyes sparkled with excitement. "Where are the people?" "There are too many eyes and ears around. For security's sake, we temporarily housed them at the nearby Dazhong Inn," Chen Xiuqi stood up immediately to report. "I stationed six of my men on tight guard, rounds chambered. We dared not slack off for a single second." "Has the radio been properly looked after?" Jiang Wendao asked next. "Dedicated men are guarding it." "Very good." Jiang Wendao smiled and nodded. "Someone come in!" he called out. The office door opened, and a young officer in his twenties entered. "Chief." "Assemble a squad. Take weapons, start up the military truck, and move out with me." "Understood!" Jiang Wendao looked at Chen Xiuqi. "Did Qiming send any verbal message?" "Officer Fang didn't say anything special. He only said he was busy seeing his sister off for her wedding," Chen Xiuqi said, shaking his head. "When I asked him what to do once we reached Nanjing, he simply told me that after meeting Chief Jiang, everything should follow your arrangements, sir." "That rascal." Jiang Wendao shook his head and chuckled. "Always looking for a chance to slack off." After a moment's reflection, Jiang Wendao picked up the receiver and cranked the handle. "This is Jiang Wendao from Jiangjun Temple. Put me through to the Capital Police Department's Special Operations Branch. I need Jiang Xingzhi, head of Section Three." Before long, the call went through. "Jiang Xingzhi speaking." "Sixth Brother, it's me," Jiang Wendao said. "I'm taking some men over to the Pear Garden in a bit. Wait for me there. Yes, it's good news." Hanging up the receiver, Jiang Wendao glanced at Chen Xiuqi. "The Pear Garden is where the Special Operations Branch keeps its interrogation rooms." "Understood, sir," Chen Xiuqi nodded. A wave of relief washed over him. That seemingly casual half-sentence of explanation from Jiang Wendao was actually what mattered most: it meant he had won the man's trust, and more than half the battle was already won. Jiang Wendao also studied Chen Xiuqi. From Chen Xiuqi's reaction, he could tell that Fang Jibai had already disclosed the connection to his brother-in-law Jiang Xingzhi. This further proved and confirmed that this man truly enjoyed a close relationship with Fang Jibai and could be trusted. *** "Xiuqi." Jiang Wendao climbed into the passenger seat of the military truck, leaned out the window, and saw Chen Xiuqi about to climb into the truck bed. He called out, "Ride up front!" "Yes, sir!" Chen Xiuqi signaled his subordinate Feng Xiaochao to climb into the back, then hurried into the cab beside Jiang Wendao. The gates of the Jiangjun Temple Police Station swung wide open, and the military truck roared out of the courtyard packed with heavily armed officers. "That boy Qiming is always too modest, never willing to talk up his own merits," Jiang Wendao said, turning his head toward Chen Xiuqi. "Tell me the details of this case. I want to see just what kind of havoc that brat raised this time." "Yes, sir," Chen Xiuqi answered immediately. "You hit the nail on the head, Chief. Officer Fang deserves the lion's share of the credit for capturing this ring of Japanese spies." Inwardly, Chen Xiuqi marveled at how much Jiang Wendao favored Little Fourth of the Fang family. With a single sentence, the chief had already determined where the principal credit for this case belonged. Of course, for Jiang Wendao himself, Fang was a capable subordinate. A major achievement by Fang was an accomplishment born of Jiang Wendao's exemplary leadership, translating into a tremendous feather in his own cap. Moreover, Jiang Wendao's remark served as both a reminder and a warning, cautioning Chen Xiuqi against any notion of vying for credit. At the same time, asking Chen Xiuqi to recount the case was a form of reassurance, subtly signaling that his own contribution would not be swept under the rug and that he could put his mind at ease. After all, only those who had earned merit in the operation were qualified to tell the story. *** Cao Anmin jogged up the stairs, threw open the door to the section chief's office, and declared with excitement, "Chief, we found him!" Zhang Jiaju had been staring pensively at the single cigarette resting on his desk. He looked up, casting a hostile glare at Cao Anmin. "Get out and knock!" "Yes, sir!" Cao Anmin backed out in a flash, pulling the door shut with practiced ease. *Knock, knock, knock.* "Chief, it's me, Cao Anmin." "Enter." Cao Anmin pushed the door open and stepped inside. "Reporting, Chief, we found him." He felt that after this little display of discipline, much of his excitement had evaporated. The chief truly knew how to ruin the mood. "What did you find?" Only now did Zhang Jiaju nod in satisfaction. He swept the cigarette into a drawer and asked with a stern expression. "The Jinling Bearing Factory," Cao Anmin said hurriedly. "'Great Sage' ought to be right there at the Jinling Bearing Factory!"