Before taking the general to the woods, Dingmo Village walked up to him and took him by the arm, so that the other prisoners could see for themselves the friendship between the current head of the General Security Bureau and the former head of the military newspaper.

There was a musty smell in the woods. The snow had melted, and the young shoots that were exposed to the ground looked so delicate because they had been underground for so long, as if they had been hiding in a bomb shelter. This year's shoots are exceptionally large. The oak forest is like a dream world, empty, there is no voice in the forest, there is no motor roaring, only the jays are screaming, and the echo is very loud. The pelican owls in the bushes were howling horribly.

"I'm screaming for the dead." "The pelican owl is an inauspicious bird. ”

"After a year in prison, these voices seemed like a symbol of happiness to me." The general shouted, "Hey, tell me about the situation at the front." We can't see newspapers, not even a piece of paper. ”

What do you think of it yourself? In your opinion, where are the British and Americans now? And where are the Russians? ”

"We want to block people in the Yangtze River." "The Western army is obviously advancing south toward Tokyo. ”

"And the north," Ding Mocun said. Temporarily blocked in the Yellow River, I don't think this will last. ”

"As I understand it, you came to me with advice, what the hell is the matter?"

"I guess it'd be better to hear from you."

He paused, clasped his hands behind his head and laughed, "The one who should have executed the prisoner has come to find the prisoner, but this is in accordance with knightly etiquette, and I have become 'sir', not prisoner number 52." Ding Mo Village, walking with you, I understand that you have something to ask me. Let's have a showdown, let's try to make a deal. ”

Ding Mo lit a cigarette and looked around where to throw matchsticks, and the woods next to the village were often rubbish heaps, littering wrappers and empty cans. He couldn't find a place and put the matchstick back in the box. Although he knew that this was a bad sign and that he had to get rid of the shadow of the one who was loyal to his ideals, he could not do it. He spoke slowly, repeating almost word for word what Wu Sibao had allowed him to say.

He listened, did not interject, nodded in approval, suddenly quickened his pace, and suddenly stopped.

"That's all," Ding Mocun finally said, "that's all there is." You have a decision to make. ”

"Of course, I can list a list of names, bank account numbers, and identification codes so that you can open the bank's safe. Know that this means that I will be executed quickly and unconditionally, Captain. Alas, I know that you believe in the principles of greed, self-destruction, and purposeful misconduct and I can provide you with a list, but believe that if you want to succeed, you must protect me as you will protect your family in the near future. But you can't go against your will, that's the terrible thing about your position, my young friend. ”

"There are two things you are not right, Mr. General. First, by getting rid of you, I'm going to take the risk of making our people fall for the bank with the code word, because it's entirely possible that you've negotiated all the plans with the bank beforehand. Second, I will lose a lot by getting rid of you, and your power there is well known. That was the most suitable temporary foothold for us before moving abroad. ”

He shook his head, "You haven't thought through how to talk to me, old ding. You're not angry that I'm speaking to you so informally, are you? ”

"I'm glad about that, Mr. General"

"Look, how good it is, that you're here at the mercy of some kind of command. You yourself are not determined to come to me, I know you too well. Over the past year and a half, I have observed your work very closely. It is likely that Wu Sibao sent you. You won't embarrass anyone. Since there is a temporary radio connection with our embassies abroad, the military can send telegrams to the military attaches of various countries in their own ciphers. Your people will send spies with my orders, and you don't value their livesEvery self-respecting newspaper agency has a group of people who are willing to go to great lengths to ensure the success of a major operation.

This means that the day after ten you will be given an account number for your own use and arrange for contact with one of my competent bank agents in order to legally hand over your gold to them. This is the first case. According to the second scenario, our relationship was strong at the time of our annihilation, and later they played a trick against him to prevent him from taking advantage of the prestige of the Supreme Commander to realize his unintended landing. Now that the times have changed, now that the grumpy guy has been controlled. This means that my abilities have weakened significantly. The most precious thing in politics is time, and only strength exists objectively. However, it would be a different matter if I received assurances from you that I was needed in the Far East, and that I became a useful person. ”

"What guarantees are needed?"

"As a first stage of cooperation, I write out what interests you, and we formalize an agreement. There is no way out, foreign countries will never understand me now, and I am a discredited person in the police. You send my newspaper over there, and I'll prepare you for the work you're interested in."

"There are places that are excluded. If we reach a secret agreement, we now have no right to disturb ourselves about our friends' meetings with my people, because that would mean handing over your relations, your company, and my people to the enemy. It seems that it is you, not me, who are unprepared for the conversation. Either you believe me and let's think about the future together, or you don't believe me and I have to do what I am told. I have two days to think, and I will come back to you before twelve o'clock on Saturday. ”

"Don't put off what you can do today until tomorrow, and besides, we haven't walked for more than an hour and a half. How pleasant it is, give me another ten minutes, dear, I'm ready to write it right away, without any delay, I need about a month to clarify the big issues and put them into practice. ”

"Mr. General," Ding Momura interrupted him sharply, "the most dangerous thing in your situation is to lose track of time. It should not be when you also understand that a month is not suitable for me, as I and you know very well. Why would you want to give you thirty days in exchange for what you know? Even a little bit of what you write in an hour and a half won't solve the problem. Two days is not a bad deadline, how much can happen in two days. Now every minute is pregnant with the unexpected. ”

"Well, what's wrong with you, do you want to let others know what you're talking to me?"

Ding Mocun snorted with his nose: "Are you intimidating me?" I was surrounded by intimidation and I was preparing to draw up a report myself, Mr. General, and at the very time of your very dangerous meeting with the representative of the newspaper agency, a copy of your report to the enemy on the necessity of contact with the enemy was placed in my safe, which mentioned the possibility of 'unexpected turns' in the meeting. You are a cunning strategist, Mr. General, and I see you not only as a teacher, but also as I do in some way. ”

He talked and smiled: "This is a digression, dear, please answer completely frankly, do you really think that Wang Wei has the talent to get the country out of the crisis in a time?" Don't worry, wait a minute, if you still convince yourself that this is going to happen, then there is no point in us continuing to talk. But if you decide to let yourself answer this obvious question, then you are clearly faced with a choice of the path ahead. I understand what you think when you are interested in my newspaper and what I know, as you are happy to point out. You know, if you had personally suppressed the rebellions, assassinations, defections, and dissolution of political parties a year ago, you could have become the savior of the nation, and you and your colleagues would have remained in the key positions of the state apparatus against the Bolshevik bandits. ”

"Mr. General, I came to you as a politician, not as a renegade"

"Please replace the word 'apostate' with 'flexible empiricist'. Any club will accept you. Lao Ding, Lao Ding, it is no longer possible to make the individual the future of the nation. ”

Ding Mocun looked at his watch, hiding his panicked embarrassment. His words were exactly what he had thought of with trepidation two days ago, when he had just returned from Zhan Guoqiang's headquarters. From time to time, lightning flashed in the east, and a humid wind blew from the sea. The strange words of the national leader seemed to echo in his ears: "Ding Mo Village, the people of the country should think about the future of the country when they think about themselves. ”

"No," Li Guangyuan said after listening to the woman, "it is not at all like this to talk to our friends about the difficulties that it may be to sign a peace agreement, your reaction is too limited." You're a woman, and there's a sense of excitement. Your father is a human being, so a part of your heart belongs to China. You should attack and save the nation from the catastrophe, you must accuse the other side of inaction, and you must carefully point out this truth step by step. The truth cannot be marked, either people say it, no matter what the cost, or they tell lies, or there may not be a third possibility"

The woman stared intently, looking at Li Guangyuan painfully, and a terrible and unusual smile appeared on the corner of her mouth from time to time.

"Man of heart," she said, "don't rebuke me so harshly, women are the most obedient students, so she always repeats what men say and do." I don't want to talk about my husband, he is an unfortunate little person, but he is the initiation teacher who I applied for a job. I'm imitating his methods, understand? When I was a kid, I practiced and the coach became my god. If he had ordered me to look out of the window, I would have jumped. Suddenly you're here, smart and kind man, some like a coach, telling the truth. ”

"Not always." Li Guangyuan said bluntly.

"Well, your lies are very credible. You're good at joking. Listen well, don't lecture anyone, make me feel like a woman. You see, I'm snuggling up to you like a cat. ”

"It's better to rely on me like an athlete does with a coach."

"Say whatever you want."

Stirlitz stood up, walked to the telephone, and dialed the number: "Hello, orderly, it looks like I can't go today, you can prepare a meal for one person." ”

"Where are you?" The orderly asked.

"Does your boss allow you to ask me that question?"

"No, it's me. I'm worried. ”

"You're a lovely lad, don't worry. Everything was fine, there were three submachine gunners protecting me. I'll call you tomorrow, maybe at ten o'clock. Please iron my gray outfit and prepare two shirts, one gray and one white, tie, whatever you like. Please polish your shoes, those black pointed-toe ones. ”

The orderly wondered: "Is it the pair of kitchen with the pointed end?" ”

"You're already familiar with it, yes, right there. With a few steamed buns with sausages to make, I'm ready for a very tiring trip. ”

"I don't understand, how many steamed buns to make."

"It's going to be exposed," Li Guangyuan found, "It's all exposed, this is really a groove, southerners don't eat steamed buns, let alone 'a few steamed buns'." No, it may be, but it shows that the person speaking is not a Southerner or a pure Southerner. I should say, 'Make seven steamed buns,' and that's the rule." I want Chang Kaishen to understand why I said this pure northerner's words. ”

"Did your boss tell you that I was going with a big one? During the day we ate three meals, two at each meal, for a total of six. Isn't that hard to calculate? When I came back, I was alone, that is, I ate once at night and again in the morning, and if I could sleep in the car and not encounter bombing on the road, the final number should be six plus four, a total of ten. If your sensitivity were so poor, I'm sure you wouldn't know how much water to fill in a thermos, six cups. ”

The orderly was silent for a moment and sighed: "Then what am I going to eat on the road?" My boss ordered me to send you and your travel companions. ”

"Before your boss changes the order, you make six more steamed buns and fill another thermos."

Li Guangyuan put down the phone and turned on the radio. The announcer is broadcasting a new one

Wen: "The heroic tanks of our army repelled the enemy on the entire line of the eastern barrier, and the impregnable line of defense of the Yellow River fortress was the death zone of the bandits. Local battles were fought on the western front, and the army suffered heavy losses. Ninety-two enemy aircraft were shot down by our valiant pilots, thirty-four tanks and three ammunition depots were destroyed. Our soldiers, inspired by great ideas, are loyal to the country, and victory is coming irreversibly, despite the last stubborn resistance of the exhausted enemy. ”

After the news was broadcast, the announcer announced that it was time for the mini-drama program. The deputy head of the Propaganda Department was particularly fond of Huangmei opera, so the program editor added this kind of music to the daily program, sometimes playing it twice a day. In recent months, air strikes have been frequent, but the rations per voucher are still pitiful. Ordered ideological experts to play the tunes of the early thirties, "at least let the pleasant music make the people happy," said the head of the propaganda department, "to always provide attractive programs, to make more songs, which have no ideas, and which can be rebroadcast happy songs, even if they are juetu, with pre-arranged commentary, which is a melody from our close neighbors." ”

"Do you like it?" The woman asked, and she tiptoed over to Li Guangyuan. He felt light, breathless.

"Do you hate it?"

"I'm a herd man, and if you like it, I like it too"

"Do you ever feel like an unfortunate person?"

The woman seemed to have been struck and froze. Li Guangyuan didn't turn back, but imagined what she looked like.

"Why do you ask me that?"

"Because we're about to get to work, I have to get it all figured out."

"You don't know me?"

"It's not"

Li Guangyuan turned around, put his hands on her shoulders, and Li Guangyuan said softly:

"Where did they put the bugs?"

The woman turned her gaze to the large lamp.

"Is the bugging machine on all the time? Or after turning on the lights? ”

"Always on," said the woman softly, "but you apparently didn't pay attention, and I pulled the plug when you came. So what you say in your sleep is only heard by me."

They got out of the car and stood on the street. Li Guangyuan asked:

"Do you understand what I said in my dream?"

The woman shook her head: "The nanny didn't fully teach me the language of her country. ”

In the dining room, an accordionist is playing. According to the order of the Minister of Propaganda and the Minister of Health of the Capital, all restaurants must be open, and goods and alcohol must be served openly, without the need for a supply card.

Li Guangyuan ordered a bottle of wine, and he preferred foreign wines. Before the war, he used to drive to Yantai on Sundays. The farmer who made the wine told him about the risks of doing it.

"Ma'am, I would like to toast to you sincerely helping me and wish you success."

"I'm a superstitious person who doesn't toast to success."

"Then I'll be simple, and toast you back here as soon as the war is over."

"It's villainous behavior to treat others like this, even though we're only husband and wife in name. However, in the end, this is still the behavior of the villain. He survived only because I did things for you. ”

"He's dead. That one lied to you. Your husband died in prison. Those letters they handed you were written a week after your husband's death, and they were written in advance, understand? ”

The woman nodded. Her eyes filled with tears and her jaw trembled.

Li Guangyuan saw a young girl walk into the restaurant. She quickly glanced around the hall, her gaze resting on Li Guangyuan's reflection in the mirror, then at the woman, and sat down nonchalantly at a table next to them.

Li Guangyuan put a hand on her arm and whispered: "People are watching us, now they are going to hear and concentrate, I invite you to dance, and we will talk about it at that time, okay?" ”

He understood that the girl who came in meant that he was under full surveillance. Half of the department in charge of surveillance joined the guards and were sent to the high ground. Li Guangyuan heard in the corridor of the General Security Bureau that the "Faith and Beauty" organization established by the department in charge of surveillance had recruited the best girls to participate in their work. Inadvertently falling into this conspiracy led him to connect the two facts and quickly and accurately conclude that Chang Kaishen knew every step he had taken so far. If that were the case, it would mean that Chang Kaishen knew the address of his operator.

"This young operator could have been my assistant," Chang thought as he waltzed slowly with her, "and after knowing my whereabouts for nearly a month, they could read my telegram according to my name and geographical coordinates." God, how can I trust her as a woman? It's clear that she's involved in their conspiracy, but how close is she to them? She's a smart woman, and that's good for me to take action. She's smart, which means she won't be unaware of the utter lie that brought the people together here. This can be covered up, but it can't be covered up, because it's everywhere and the ears and eyes. There's no way a smart person can't spot these rabbit ears. She has her own misfortunes, women's misfortunes. A very wise person can suffer misfortune, let alone a beautiful woman who has never given birth. However, if that's the case, if that side understands this in the first place, why doesn't he train her to deal with me? He's a clever lad. But this can't be done, no matter who or anything, don't believe it, it's not going to work. No, you can."

He retorted to himself. Her son was shaking from the tears, and even though her eyes were dry, only the cheekbones of her cheeks were flushed.

"This is not only feasible, but it is necessary in the present situation, because a plot is being hatched here that is clearly very dangerous for my countrymen. But I haven't figured out what they're up to, and I'm the only one who can figure it out, and I don't have the authority not to figure it out anyway. ”

"Hey," he whispered to the woman, "I won't say anything to you in the car, whether it's today or tomorrow." You have to concentrate on remembering, though. Now I'll tell you that you get off the bus in the border area, and after careful checking, go buy a car. Right near the gas station, the license will be issued immediately, and then you drive around the city, then hit the road and settle down in a small town. When you are alone, send a second telegram in addition to the one you must send me. Remember. 'Get a chance to send me my sleeping pills, or I'll be completely ill.' 'Remember? ”

The woman shook her head, and a tear quickly slid down her cheek.

"I'll repeat it to you in the next round. You have to do it. You and I need that, maybe especially you. ”

The telegram that the woman remembered would not have been deciphered. This is an alarm signal. After receiving the telegram, the center had to decide what Li Guangyuan's next move would be. For he reported that he had apparently been discovered by the enemy, but that he was still carrying out their mission, the contents of which he did not know. He was to begin an emergency operation, but he warned that although all the newspapers he had now sent to the Center concerning negotiations with the West were in accordance with the facts, they had been deliberately leaked by Chang Kaishen in order to make the enemy aware of the newspaper first, and no one else.

There is no stalking on the street. Li Guangyuan sent her home, promised her to come back in half an hour, and then drove to the neighborhood where the radio operator lived. The fact that he was being watched convinced that Chang knew about his first visit.