A cadre of officials in Beitai City was embarrassed under Chen Zikun's questioning, but they were all old fritters who had been officials for many years, and they were familiar with this kind of thing, Mu Yichen immediately said that he would solve Erxi's official work status and give him another three months' salary advance to solve his urgent needs.

Xiao Lang also said that he would squeeze out some funds from the treasury to completely solve the problem of the slums on the river beach, and Chen Zikun asked them to come up with a specific timetable on the spot, Xiao Lang thought about it and said: "Most of these refugees are fleeing from Henan, and the number is huge, and it will take at least two years to achieve initial results, after all, we can't focus all our energy on this." ”

Chen Zikun said: "Well, I will give you a grace period until the first half of 1949, and you can't rectify the chaos on the river beach at that time, but you ask." ”

Xiao Lang replied solemnly: "I dare to make a military order." ”

When these words were spoken, the common people of the slums on the river beach were watching from the sidelines, one by one unkempt, ragged, or numb or humble, and only after the big officials left, they started to talk about it, some people said that the big man was Chen Zikun, so a group of people called the Qingtian lord, but there were also some young people who scoffed, saying that the world was as black as a crow, and the officials were just for show.

Chen Zikun returned to Jiangwan Villa and held a meeting, which was attended by all officials from the political, economic, financial, and military fields of North Thailand.

After everyone sat down and exchanged pleasantries for a while, Chen Zikun made an opening remark: "Before the meeting, I would like to give you an update on the recent battle situation. ”

The palatial conference room was suddenly silent.

"In January, the East China Field Army of Chen Yi and the Central Plains Field Army of Liu Bocheng launched fierce attacks on Lunan and Southwest Lu respectively, annihilating 60,000 national troops, and Xuzhou was tight."

Everyone whispered, and they always heard good news on the radio, but they didn't expect to lose so badly.

Chen Zikun knocked on the table: "Xuzhou is in danger, the gateway to Jiangbei is wide open, if this industrial city falls into the hands of ***, ** will inevitably be like a tiger with wings, like a bamboo, how the national army fights, we can't control, what we have to do is to maintain stability, the population of Beitai has increased sharply, forming an unstable factor, any careless handling, will cause serious consequences, remember a sentence, water can carry a boat can also overturn a boat, the people's heart, always more important than the barrel of a gun." ”

Everyone nodded frequently.

At the same time, in a grass hut in the slums of Jiangtan, several middle-aged men were holding a meeting, and the first bearded man said: "Comrades, the Kuomintang reactionaries have adopted more cunning and gentle tactics, which has made our call for a strike have to be postponed. ”

One person said: "Chen Zikun's prestige among the people is very high, and some older workers originally promised to cooperate with the strike, but now they have repented, saying that when Chen Dashuai comes, there will be a blue sky." ”

The bearded man pondered for a moment and said: "Chen Zikun has been a powerful man in Jiangbei for many years, and how many innocent people's blood has been stained on his hands, this person is very good at disguise, extremely difficult to deal with, our strength is not strong enough, we cannot confront him head-on for the time being, I will consult my superiors, and send comrades with more experience in struggle and more theoretical knowledge to lead our work." ”

At the end of the meeting, the comrades walked out of the grass shed one after another, Lu Erxi stood guard at the door, his vigilant eyes swept everywhere, and the bearded man patted Erxi's shoulder and said, "Erxi, is your mother's illness better?" ”

Lu Erxi said: "Uncle Jiang, thanks to the help of the workers, my mother's illness is much better." ”

The bearded man nodded, took out a stack of guanjin coupons from his pocket and stuffed them: "Erxi, say hello if you have something." ”

Erxi took the banknote, nodded gratefully, and the bearded man put his coat on his shoulders and strode away.

……

In the provincial capital, on Central Street, groups of students were demonstrating again, and the slogans of "anti-US garrison" and "anti-civil war" were flying all over the sky.

A car was struggling in the sea of people, many slogans were pasted on the glass of the car, and the vision was blocked, but Lin Wenlong, who was sitting in the back seat, was not angry, and said with emotion: "The people have awakened. ”

The driver said, "Mr. Lin, why are you so happy that students are making trouble on the street twice in three days?" ”

Lin Wenlong said: "You don't understand, this is called forcing **, only the awakened people can make the government sober, end the ****, and establish the ** government." ”

The driver said: "I don't understand those big truths, I just know that your ship is going to be delayed." ”

Lin Wenlong said: "It's okay, you drive slowly." ”

It took an hour to get out of the crowd, and when he arrived at the passenger terminal, he saw that the passenger ferry bound for Shanghai had already departed, Lin Wenlong couldn't help but smile bitterly: "Although I missed the ship, it was worth it." ”

In the room facing the street on the fourth floor of the Central Hotel, the secret service agent was monitoring the crowd with binoculars, and the three binoculars locked on a face at the same time, which was Yang Shugen from the senior high school.

Shen Kai took out the file he got from the school, compared it and said: "That's right, it's this person, this kid has been a peripheral member of *** since he went to the Normal College, and he has repeatedly organized students to make trouble, he is one of the culprits, and he will be dealt with tonight!" ”

That night, at half past seven, Yang Shugen was discussing with several student activists in the dormitory how to march on the street tomorrow, when suddenly there was a knock on the door, and he asked vigilantly: "Who?" ”

No one answered, and Yang Shugen asked a boy to open the door to check, and he stood by the window and was ready to evacuate at any time.

The boy opened the door and saw an envelope on the ground, picked it up and handed it to Mr. Yang.

Yang Shugen took out the letter paper and looked at it, and there was a scribble on it: "You have been exposed, withdraw quickly." The signature is only one Arabic numeral 2.

"Students, if there is an emergency, I will transfer immediately, you all go back, take care!" Yang Shugen didn't even have time to pack his luggage, so he went straight out and left through the back door of the school, and the students also dispersed separately with a tacit understanding.

Yang Shugen just left only three minutes ago, two cars with black government license plates drove into the school, a group of secret bureau agents jumped out of the car, kicked open the door and rushed in, searched around, Shen Kai walked in with a pistol, saw that the kettle sitting on the briquette stove was still steaming, and immediately said: "People didn't run far, chase me!" ”

The agents took a wolfdog out of the car, sniffed the shoes under the bed, and the wolfdog barked wildly and chased away.

Yang Shugen walked deep and shallow in the alley, heard the dog barking behind him, and immediately quickened his pace, but the sound of car brakes came from the front, and the spies had already laid a net, and he had nowhere to escape, except for the brightly lit Fenglin Road in the distance.

Between the lights and flints, Poplar Root makes a decision to go to Maple Grove Road!

Fenglin Road is a residential area for high-ranking officials in Jiangdong, with strict guards, and idle people are not allowed to enter, but Yang Shugen is dressed decently, and he is a teacher from a senior high school, so he naturally has a way to get in, he took out his business card and gave it to the police on duty at the intersection, saying that he was Young Master Chen's teacher and wanted to come to do a home visit, and the police were convinced and let him in.

The spies arrived on their hind feet and were stopped by the patrol police, Shen Kai showed the secretary of the Secret Bureau: "We are chasing the ** criminal, can you be responsible if the person runs away?" ”

The police did not dare to stop them and let them in.

Yang Shugen came to the door of Chen's mansion, but was stopped by the guards, he repeated his old trick, saying that he would visit his home, and the guards told him that the second young master was not at home, and he went to his grandmother's house with Secretary Liu, and asked him to come back another day.

Hurried footsteps sounded from behind, and a group of spies appeared, outflanked from both ends, all with cold eyebrows, sneers on their faces, and loaded pistols in their hands.

Instead, Yang Shugen calmed down, calmly tidied up his clothes, and stood with his head held high.

Shen Kai laughed evilly, waved his hand and said, "Tie up this ** element for me!" ”

Suddenly, two pillars of light shot in, the obscene spies bent down to cover their eyes, and their ugliness was revealed, and a Willis jeep drove at a gallop, and it was the young master of the Chen family, Air Force Captain Chen Bei, who was sitting in the car.

"Poplar roots, get in the car." Chen Beidao.

Yang Shugen was quick and jumped into the jeep, the gate of the Chen Mansion opened, Chen Bei stepped on the accelerator and went in, Shen Kai chased after him, but was stopped by the guard: "I'm sorry Mr. Shen, you can't bring a gun in." ”

Shen Kai said: "That's a ** molecule!" ”

The guards are all elite soldiers personally selected by Chen Zikun, loyal, only admit death, the faction of the Secret Bureau is good elsewhere, it doesn't work here, in short, it's okay to go in, only one person is allowed, and you can't bring a gun.

In desperation, Shen Kai had no choice but to unload the gun, enter the mansion to persuade Chen Bei to hand over the poplar roots, and at the same time let his subordinates guard the front and rear doors of the Chen Mansion to prevent the prisoners from escaping.

In the living room of the Chen Mansion, Chen Bei stood on the second floor and looked at Shen Kai condescendingly: "Mr. Shen, why did you come to my house in the middle of the night?" ”

Shen Kai said: "Eldest prince, I am here to catch poplar roots, this person is *** underground personnel, and the crime is extremely ......."

Chen Bei interrupted him impatiently: "What evidence do you have that he is a criminal?" ”

"I have enough evidence, please hand over the person first, and let's talk slowly." Although Shen Kai was angry, he still maintained enough respect, after all, the air force is the master who can't be provoked, especially this one, who is the righteous son of Madame Jiang, lawless, even Ou Guangwu was removed from his post and investigated, and he was a small major of the Secret Bureau, so he naturally didn't dare to come hard.

Chen Beidao: "I won't talk to you, I'm going to sleep when it's late, please go back." ”

Shen Kai said: "Don't embarrass me, don't embarrass me, do you want to ask Chief Chen?" ”

Chen Beidao: "If you want to use my father to press me, please do it, the phone is on the table, he is now inspecting in Beitai, you can hang up the long distance directly." ”

Shen Kai thought for a while and said, "Okay, I'll give the eldest prince a night to think about it, and we'll see you later." Then he turned and left.

Chen Bei returned to the room, and Yang Shugen resolutely made a gesture to leave: "I can't affect you." But his feet did not move.