Ning Zhiheng was very clear about Wei Liangbi's past. Before Ning Zhiheng joined the Military Intelligence Bureau, Wei Liangbi was the most outstanding figure in the Baoding faction of the Military Intelligence Bureau. In the Action Section, he carried out almost all the most important missions, especially those targeting dissidents in the military. In the first half of 1938, almost all dissidents in the military were killed by Wei Liangbi. The number of killings was so great that even Wei Liangbi himself was chilled to the bone.

Later, Ning Zhiheng repeatedly persuaded Wei Liangbi to stop in time and even leave the headquarters to be exiled on his own.

Wei Liangbi knew he couldn't keep killing, otherwise he would have enemies everywhere and would never have a peaceful life again. So he listened to Ning Zhiheng's advice and voluntarily transferred to Chongqing, which was then just a border city, to avoid trouble.

Even so, the disastrous consequences of what he did before have come to light. Now, Lin Zhen has actually found out about it. It makes sense, considering that Wei Liangbi had many people involved when he carried out these missions. There are no secrets that stay hidden forever. After all, Lin Zhen is a veteran in the military and has a lot of influence. If he really wanted to find out, he couldn't keep it a secret.

Hearing Lin Zhen directly state the reason, Ning Zhiheng was really worried. This was completely different from what he had thought before. He stammered and explained, "As you know, we people in the intelligence business naturally have to be more secretive in our work, so our methods are inevitably a bit ruthless."

"But he killed too many people! So many valiant generals were dealt with, including two of my old friends. Although these people weren't from the Baoding clique, they all had powerful backgrounds. Which one of them didn't have relatives, comrades, and brothers who had risked their lives for him? Take Cai Boyan from the 69th Army for example. Now his two brothers hold great power and are stationed in their respective areas. They have men and guns under their command. If they find out who killed his brothers, do you think they won't retaliate?"

Ning Zhiheng weakly argued, "But these are all orders from our superiors. We're just following orders; we have no choice..."

"If these people don't dare to cause trouble for their superiors, do they not dare to vent their anger in private? It's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. There are so many people, each of them is a time bomb. You never know when they will explode and blow you to pieces, leaving no trace of your body."

At this point, Lin Zhen's expression darkened. He sighed softly and said again, "So the right path for a soldier is to fight openly on the battlefield and earn a future with his life. But once you go astray and enter a department like the Military Intelligence Bureau, your future is bleak and you will never see the light of day. Look at all those who have done this job throughout history, how many of them have had a good end?"

Lin Zhen's words were so hurtful that Ning Zhiheng couldn't refute them for a moment. No matter how much merit they made, they would have little chance of advancement. Even if they held the power of life and death, they would never be able to rise to the top, let alone have any future. Even the Director himself, who was already very powerful, was still just a minor army major general.

Ning Zhiheng couldn't help but sigh. Lin Zhen himself did nothing wrong. As a father, knowing that the person his daughter had chosen was a ruthless killer and that there was always the possibility of retaliation, how could he watch his daughter jump into a fire pit!

It should be understood that even with Lin Zhen's status and power, there was no guarantee that there would be no future troubles.

Ning Zhiheng stubbornly insisted, "Lord You, these are all old stories. As long as we keep them secret, how would outsiders know?"

In fact, as soon as he said this, Ning Zhiheng felt that it was weak and powerless. If it could really be kept completely secret, how did Lin Zhen know about it?

At this point in the discussion, even Ning Zhiheng, who was usually eloquent and unparalleled in his eloquence, was at a loss for words.

Lin Zhen was not a snob, nor did he bully others. He was simply acting as a father, not wanting his daughter to be harmed in the future. This was perfectly reasonable. Even if Ning Zhiheng had put himself in his daughter's shoes, he would not have married her off to a troublesome man like Wei Liangbi.

Lin Zhen shook his head and said, "I've already kept it a secret for him. So many relatives and friends have come to propose marriage, but I haven't mentioned any of these things. I'm afraid that if these things get out, it will cause him trouble. I've done more than enough! But if I can find out, others can too. I can't gamble with my daughter's lifelong happiness."

"Zhiheng, to be honest, I'd rather it was you who proposed. At least over the years, although your reputation is bad, you've only killed spies and Japanese invaders. But Wei Liangbi is different. His future is limited to this; he'll have plenty of trouble ahead of him. Tell him not to bother; I won't agree."

Lin Zhen had already sealed his fate with these words, and Ning Zhiheng couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness; he hadn't expected it to end this way.

Before coming to the Lin residence, he had made thorough preparations, full of joy that he could impress Lin Zhen, but when the time came, he couldn't bring himself to speak.

Ning Zhiheng still had many bargaining chips, and even one trump card he hadn't used yet: Lin Mucheng's identity. However, facing a father who deeply loved his daughter, Ning Zhiheng was unwilling to use such means to achieve his goal. Besides, these chips could only serve as a deterrent at best. Did Ning Zhiheng really dare to defy the world and insubordinately expose everything to the public?

Unless he's stupid! Or insane! Even if he manages to bring Lin Zhen down, he'll still be seen as a traitor and a sinner of the Baoding clique. He knows very well what fate awaits him!

Ning Zhiheng gave a wry smile, rubbed his hands together, opened his mouth dryly but didn't know what to say. Finally, he could only say, "I understand. I will convey your message. As for the rest, let's leave it to fate!"

Seeing that Ning Zhiheng was backing down, Lin Zhen felt a little relieved. To be honest, in today's brief encounter, he felt like he was facing an evenly matched opponent. This young man had done his homework, spoke sharply and logically, and always maintained the initiative in the conversation.

In their confrontation, his years of prestige proved utterly ineffective, leaving him consistently at a disadvantage. In the end, he had no choice but to appeal to the other party's sympathy, making this negotiation far more difficult than any of his previous ones.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but admire him inwardly, realizing that this person's achievements today were by no means accidental.

Talented people emerge in every generation! I hold a high position and wield great power, yet I've been forced to this point by a junior like him. Perhaps I really am getting old!

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I recommend a novel by a new author on Qidian, titled "My Wife is a House Owner" (also known as "The Golden Age"). It's humorous, witty, and vividly portrays the texture of life, showcasing wisdom about life.