Xu Zhong Yi picked up the conversation and continued, "Director, you have a remarkable memory. You're truly the top man in our Military Unification. You're right, the President ordered you back to Chongqing, and he took over your position as the head in Shanghai. Although he didn't perform as well as you, he was passable. Recently, Boss Dai is thinking about unifying the various Military Unification stations across the country and plans to turn the Shanghai station into the Eighth Bureau."
"Bureau? Isn't it the Military Unification station?"
Chen Han Wen pretended not to understand and looked at Xu Zhong Yi, asking, "What's this? Does the old man think Boss Dai has too much power and wants to create a new intelligence agency?"
"You are truly farsighted and have a brilliant mind, Director."
Xu Zhong Yi gave Chen Han Wen a thumbs up and said, "The old man indeed has this idea, but Boss Dai wants to change the intelligence agency into our own people. Tan Zhong Shu also got wind of this and is planning to work on it. He's a military man and a Huangpu graduate, and both the Chairman and Boss Dai will agree with him. It's just that it's not clear who it will be yet, so he came to Chongqing beforehand to work on it."
Tan Zhong Shu is a very capable person. He loves math, is a master at various puzzle games, and is also a natural psychologist. Liu Xin Jie was heavily influenced by him.
From Chen Han Wen's perspective, he didn't want Tan Zhong Shu to be the head of the intelligence station in Shanghai. If someone so capable was there, it would cause severe damage to the Communist Party's underground work.
But, if not Tan Zhong Shu, who else?
No one else was suitable.
Tan Zhong Shu wasn't a bloodthirsty person. He followed rules, understood politics, and was very righteous. He didn't have a deep-rooted hatred for the Communist Party. Instead, he respected the party greatly. It was just that they stood on different sides and fought for their own causes.
Chen Han Wen nodded and commented, "Tan Zhong Shu is a good man. He's a military man and should have more bottom lines than someone from the Military Unification."
The underground covert operations were cruel and silent. Many comrades died without knowing how they were exposed. This was why Chen Han Wen didn't dare to change the course of history in the Republic of China.
For example, Tan Zhong Shu, if he was in charge of the intelligence agency in Shanghai, would not kill innocent people for the sake of capturing our party's underground workers. Moreover, he had his own comrades by his side. When both sides' spies engaged in covert operations, it would offer some protection to our party's underground workers.
Chen Han Wen thought for a moment and said to Xu Zhong Yi, "I remember he has a younger brother named Liu Xin Jie, right? He's also in the Military Unification headquarters, isn't he?"
Xu Zhong Yi was the Military Unification's errand boy and a well-informed person. He knew everyone in the headquarters, even the janitors. Upon hearing Chen Han Wen's question, he immediately replied, "Yes, he's in the intelligence department. However, he was wounded in the war and his ears are not good. He's basically a xian ren (idle person) now. Should I arrange a place for us to meet tonight?"
Chen Han Wen nodded, "Alright, go ahead and do it."
"Okay, I understand."
Xu Zhong Yi readily took on the task. He said to Chen Han Wen, "Director, you are currently under confinement, but I think Boss Dai won't let you idle. The establishment of the Eighth Bureau is urgent, and you are familiar with the situation in Shanghai. He will definitely come to you for advice on the personnel of the Eighth Bureau."
Chen Han Wen chuckled, "Boss Dai puts me under confinement and expects me to work? What a lovely dream!"
Xu Zhong Yi followed along, smiling but not saying anything. He then cleaned the table, took his lunchbox, and prepared to leave the confinement room.
However, before he left, Chen Han Wen said to Xu Zhong Yi, "Tan Zhong Shu can go to the Eighth Bureau, but before that, I need Liu Xin Jie to do something for me. Ask him to handle the buying of houses and shops in Shanghai and Nanjing."
Xu Zhong Yi immediately agreed, "Yes, Director!"
…
Although Chen Han Wen was in confinement, people came and went non-stop. Mao Ren Feng, Zheng Jie Min, Xu Bai Chuan, Yu Le Xing, Zhao Li Jun, Wang Tian Mu, Xu Bai Chuan... the eight pillars and four assassins of the Military Unification, those who could come, basically all came. Each of them brought gifts, such as Coke, coffee, cigarettes, Black Label whiskey, all of which were things Chen Han Wen liked.
Zheng Jie Min even said to Chen Han Wen, "If it wasn't for the fear of bad influence, I would have brought that woman from the Central Unification to you for fun."
Chen Han Wen directly cursed, "Go to hell!"
Zheng Jie Min clearly had something to ask Chen Han Wen. He stayed in the confinement room and invited him, "Let's have dinner together after work?"
"Not today, maybe another day."
Chen Han Wen declined and then said, "My junior from Huangpu is returning to Chongqing from Shanghai. We might have a gathering."
Shanghai?
Zheng Jie Min immediately understood who Chen Han Wen was talking about and asked tentatively, "Tan Zhong Shu?"
"Yes, it's him."
Chen Han Wen took a puff of his cigarette and asked Zheng Jie Min, "Old Zheng, are you looking for him too?"
"Isn't that great? We can all get together."
Zheng Jie Min slapped his thigh and said to Chen Han Wen, "I have a fellow villager who said he wanted to meet you. It's a coincidence that we'll all be together. I'll treat tonight. Ming Cheng, bring him along. Let's have a gathering together."
Hearing what Zheng Jie Min said, Chen Han Wen knew what he meant.
Tan Zhong Shu's subordinate, Qi Pei Lin, the director of the intelligence department in the Eighth Bureau, was Zheng Jie Min's fellow villager.
Interesting.
Chen Han Wen didn't refuse and nodded in agreement.
Of course, Chen Han Wen also knew that Zheng Jie Min wouldn't just be seeking him out because of his fellow villager. He must have something else in mind.
Thinking about the future... Chen Han Wen's heart sank: Could it be that thing?
…
In the upper echelons of the Kuomintang in Chongqing, everyone knew that Xu Zhong Yi was Chen Han Wen's right-hand man. Coupled with his smooth-talking personality, it was easy for him to find anyone.
With just a phone call, Xu Zhong Yi learned that Tan Zhong Shu was staying at the Xin Cheng Hotel, an inn for internal use by the Military Unification. Liu Xin Jie had arranged his check-in procedures, as Liu Xin Jie himself lived in a collective dormitory and didn't have his own place.
Tan Zhong Shu had also considered finding Chen Han Wen. After all, they were classmates, but he felt a little embarrassed.
After all, he had taken over Chen Han Wen's position in Shanghai, and now he was seeking the position of the head of the Eighth Bureau in Shanghai. No one could guarantee that Chen Han Wen wouldn't have any resentment in his heart.
However, when Xu Zhong Yi's call reached Tan Zhong Shu's room, Tan Zhong Shu realized how powerful Chen Han Wen was.
Xu Zhong Yi's phone call to Tan Zhong Shu was simple. He said they should go to his office in the afternoon, and Chen Han Wen would treat them to dinner in the evening.
Tan Zhong Shu finally understood that he had been judging a gentleman with a villain's heart.
After hanging up the phone, Liu Xin Jie immediately came over, "What did Chief Xu say?"
"Chief Xu said we should go to his office in the afternoon, and he'll treat us to dinner in the evening."
Tan Zhong Shu looked at Liu Xin Jie and asked, "Xin Jie, who is this Xu Zhong Yi?"
Liu Xin Jie immediately explained, "Our old senior's close confidant. He does everything the senior says. The fact that he made this call to us is enough to show the senior's attitude."