Chapter 619: A Gift

He woke up in the morning.

He looked at his watch. It was early. It was only six o'clock.

He was awakened by the loud sound of firecrackers.

'Popping...'

'Popping...'

The sound of firecrackers outside became more and more intense.

He remembered. Today was New Year's Eve! The time when families eat reunion dinners.

Hopefully, today will be a quiet family dinner!

I hope the spies don't come and cause trouble...

To be on the safe side, he moved the family dinner to noon. Just in case something comes up at night.

In their line of work, they actually hate the dark.

Because their enemies often operate in the dark. They are also forced to work in the dark.

Over time, their biological clocks are basically out of whack.

To be able to sleep a whole sleep would be perfect.

If he could sleep for three or four days and do nothing, he would be in heaven.

He looked out of the window. It was still dark. He hadn't drawn the curtains. It was still dark outside.

He lay inside the quilt, lost in thought.

It seemed that the 226 Incident was only 20 days away.

He didn't know what consequences his 226 plan would ultimately trigger.

If the course of history hadn't changed, this day would have shocked many people. Especially the Japanese themselves. There would probably be a brief period of chaos.

So, what are my chances?

Money?

People?

Or something else?

It seems that only I know the final outcome of the 226 mutiny. If I make the most of it, I should be able to make a lot of money.

For example, Jiang Guohu. Go and scare him. I'm sure he'll be in a state of chaos. He'll eventually kneel down and beg for mercy.

And my own fictitious plan for a major thunderstorm...

Will it continue to ferment?

Will it be exposed?

Can he find any opportunities to get rich from this?

Intelligence or no intelligence, it doesn't matter. What matters is getting rich!

He'll take dollars, pounds, gold bars, silver dollars, anything. But not rubles, liras, or anything else.

And fiat currencies too.

It's said that headquarters has already started paying salaries in fiat currencies.

Many people still think fiat currencies are good.

What short-sightedness...

No paper currency is as good a store of value as metal currency. By the middle of the year at the latest, the value of paper currency will have started to decline. One unit of paper currency can no longer be exchanged for one unit of silver currency in the free market. By the end of the year, two units of paper currency can no longer be exchanged for one unit of silver currency.

Therefore...

He absolutely does not want paper currency.

However, this is a national policy. No one is allowed to refuse to use paper currency. Otherwise, it is illegal.

Moreover, the continued use of silver currency is strictly forbidden. Banks are enforcing the exchange.

In other words, it is also illegal to keep silver coins in private. If you are caught, you will be dealt with. The silver coins will be confiscated.

This is the terrible thing about power. It is above money.

'Knock, knock!'

'Knock, knock!'

Someone suddenly knocks on the door.

It seems to be quite forceful. It knocks loudly.

Zhang Yong: ?

Come on. Who knocks at this time?

Don't they know that I haven't woken up yet?

Something urgent?

Knocking so loudly.

He had to get dressed. He went to the door.

Outside was Natasha. In uniform. Wearing the rank of Major. Very dashing.

And very tall. Taller than Zhang Yong. This was really something. A woman taller than he was. He wasn't short, though. 1.7 metres. Average height.

'What is it?'

'Urgent telegram.'

'Where is it from?'

'Read it yourself.'

Natasha handed him the telegram. At the same time, she handed him a folder. And a pen.

Oh, it needs to be signed. Zhang Yong was still receiving such telegrams for the first time. He felt like a leader. So he took the telegram. Then he signed it. To confirm that he had received it. Then Natasha turned and walked away. Never looking back.

This woman is really a workaholic.

She definitely doesn't have a boyfriend.

I don't think she needs a boyfriend.

A boyfriend would only slow her down when sending and receiving telegrams and deciphering them.

She closes the door.

She reads the telegram.

Oh, it's from the Ministry of Air.

It's about the Hangzhou celebrities who are preparing to receive the Mountain Eagle. A list is attached.

Zhang Yong quickly reads to the end. He finds that Jiang Guohu, Ding Furong and Li Guanghai are all on the list.

So, the Japanese spies have indeed infiltrated the group.

Jiang Guohu is a Japanese spy himself. Ding Furong has a Japanese spy around him. So does Li Guanghai.

You can imagine with your knees how many Japanese spies there will be at the welcome banquet. What if someone brings a weapon? Or plots something?

So, here comes the main event. The crux of the telegram is in four words: inspection and verification.

As the name suggests, it means that everyone on the list will be inspected. One by one. To ensure safety.

Hm, the familiar smell is back.

This is official business!

Sigh...

Sure enough, there's no good news in the radio station.

All kinds of red tape. All kinds of things from the higher-ups.

In the past, he was so free. He could do whatever he wanted. No one interfered. No one assigned tasks every other day.

His only task was to catch spies.

Catch them. Fail to catch them. No one cared.

But now, things have changed. The higher-ups have started assigning all kinds of daily tasks.

And feedback is required on whether the tasks have been completed. The higher-ups will be asking about it any minute now.

Natasha's radio team has three people, and they are clearly prepared to work in three shifts. They are online 24 hours a day. They can send and receive telegrams at any time.

What should they do?

What else can they do?

They must do what the higher-ups have instructed.

The list must be verified. If anything happens to the spy, it will be his responsibility.

After all, he is the future director of the Third Bureau of Intelligence!

Although the current director is Yang Lichu, she is just a figurehead. She is the mouthpiece of that lady.

If there is credit, it goes to Zhang Yong.

If there is blame, it also goes to Zhang Yong.

You reap what you sow. Since he is in this position, he has to work seriously.

If he wants, he can even think more far ahead. Later, the war against Japan broke out in full swing, and the Flying Tigers were formed. Later still, the Nationalist Air Force received a large amount of American aid. The Nationalist Air Force may have to cooperate with the United States and Britain in the war...

And there was the Doolittle Raid, where American pilots had to land in China. They had to be found and rescued as soon as possible. Anyone could see that it would be his job again. He was specialised in this kind of work.

There's also the Hump Line...

He's behind all of it.

His job is to catch spies. Including, but not limited to, Japanese spies. You can see how busy he is.

This is not even the beginning.

Chennault hasn't even arrived yet. Only when he arrives will the first step be taken.

Can the Japanese let Chennault help the Nationalist Air Force train and fight without any worries? Of course not. They will definitely try every means to sabotage it.

After the attack on Pearl Harbour, the Japanese will definitely be even more crazy.

In short, on the day of the banquet, he absolutely cannot let a Japanese spy appear in the banquet hall.

Not even nearby.

This is his job. And his responsibility.

Check the watch.

Seems to be okay. There is no problem with having a reunion dinner.

Get up.

Go next door to find Yang Lichu. Found out she wasn't there.

Upon inquiry, I learned that she had already gone downstairs to have breakfast. Haha. This woman. She is punctual for all three meals a day.

So he goes downstairs. He finds Yang Lichu. He sits down opposite her.

He makes a surprising discovery: Li Jingqian is also there. She has come downstairs alone. She sits quietly in the corner.

No one notices her.

The latter says that no one dares to notice her.

Because everyone knows that she was carried back here by Zhang Yong himself.

All that crazy talk about Zhang Yong...

It actually serves as quite a good protection for her.

'I have a present for you,' Yang Lichu tells him, intentionally or not.

'From you?' Zhang Yong was looking forward to it.

'No.'

'Whose is it?'

'It's from the Ministry of Air.'

'Really?'

'Gao Yuanhang will be delivering it soon.'

'Huh?'

Zhang Yong was surprised.

Gao Yuanhang is delivering it himself?

What could be so precious?

He looked at Yang Lichu. He hoped she would give him a hint. However, Yang Lichu deliberately remained silent. She was obviously teasing him.

Zhang Yong: ...

Okay. I'll cooperate with you.

But he was also a little curious. What could this New Year's gift be?

"It's from the United States.'

'What?'

'A gift bought from the United States. It's very precious.'

'Really?'

'No one else can buy it except our Air Force. It's unique. No one else has it.'

'Really?'

Zhang Yong couldn't help but become even more curious.

What gift could be so precious? And sent from the United States? Could it be an airplane?

No way...

In shock...

The Air Supply Department wouldn't really have given themselves an airplane, would they?

Bought from the United States. Unique to the Air Supply Department. It seems that apart from the airplane, there is nothing else. But to give away an airplane, that's exaggerated...

Ten minutes later, someone came in. It was Gao Yuanhang.

Behind him were two orderlies. Each was carrying a box.

Zhang Yong hurriedly stood up to greet him.

'Captain Gao!'

'Captain Zhang!'

'Captain Zhang, I have been ordered by Minister Min to deliver two boxes of things to you. Please accept them.'

'Thank you! Thank you!'

Zhang Yong and Gao Yuanhang shook hands. They exchanged words of blessing.

Gao Yuanhang soon took his leave. He was obviously very busy.

After all, Chen Nai-fu was coming. A lot of work had not yet been completed at the Jiqiao Airport. The authorities were anxious. Perhaps in a few days, the Madame herself would come to inspect.

Zhang Yong looks at the two boxes. Is this a gift from the United States? It's not an airplane!

Open it. Oh. It really is from the United States.

One box of cherries.

One box of plums.

These cherries are also called cherries. At that time, they were not cultivated domestically. They were only imported.

The plums are the big, dark ones, which are also translated as black plums. In the future, in the year 2000, they are still one of the imported noble fruits.

'Do you believe me now?'

'Yes.'

Zhang Yong nods.

Suddenly, he felt something was wrong. Yang Lichu seemed to be missing.

'You...'

'I'm not,'

Yang Lichu said with a straight face. Then she got to work.

Zhang Yong then gave her all the two boxes of fruit. He really didn't care about them.

He had already eaten them in a previous life. The cherries were okay. But the plums were not. They were not at all delicious. It was only in this era that they were so precious.

'I'll give them all to you,'

'Really? I won't be polite,'

'Take them back to your room and eat them slowly,'

'What about her?'

Yang Lichu looked at Li Jingqian.

Li Jingqian looked out the window. Like a statue. Beautiful but empty.

At this moment, she didn't look like the fierce woman who was always ready to kill with a spear. She looked like a gentle lady.

'No, I won't give it to her,'

Zhang Yong said quickly. Frankly.

Li Jingqian had not yet recovered and could not eat these fruits.

'Then I'll take them,'

Yang Lichu beamed. She really told someone to take away the two boxes of fruit.

Zhang Yong doesn't like to eat it. She likes to eat it. He's such a fool! He doesn't even know how precious these fruits are. It was hard to ship them back from abroad.

Not to mention the high price. Along the way, they had to be carefully served. Especially the cherries. The shipping cost was expensive.

But it's just that this fool is so face-saving. She doesn't even have it.

Really. This was all ordered by Madam.

The quantities are very rare. Allowing Zhang Yong to take two boxes is definitely a great favour.

Zhang Yong looks at Li Jingqian and doesn't bother him.

The years are quiet and peaceful.

It's very rare.

In Hangzhou, this kind of peace will last for no more than two years.

Alas...