Unjust trial
The atmosphere of unease within the headquarters grew increasingly intense. Commander Xiong was recently driven to distraction by Xu Qiao, who would send several people to "visit" the headquarters every few days, purely to cause trouble.
Recently, he even took telegram records that had been leaked from who-knows-where to Nanjing to file a complaint with the emperor, demanding to search for some secret radio station. Commander Xiong was so angry that he rushed to Nanjing overnight to reconcile his statements with Xu Qiao.
The sky outside the window was still the same sky, but the corridor was no longer as lively and bustling as before. Everyone seemed to be shrouded in an invisible shadow, with only faint whispers in the distance. The sound was blown away by the wind like the tide and then turned into bubbles.
An internal secret investigation was underway when Gao Junxiao proposed to go to Xuzhou to suppress bandits, arguing that everyone had recovered enough. More importantly, Commander Xiong agreed. Director Zhao of the General Affairs Department, as a confidant, understood Commander Xiong's thoughts very well.
Firstly, it was to proactively clear Gao Junxiao of suspicion; secondly, it was to allow Gao Junxiao to quickly earn some military merits, which would give him leverage to negotiate with his superiors in Nanjing. The fact that Governor Gao withdrew at this time, avoiding involvement in this mess, was a truly wise move.
While Director Zhao was processing official documents, his subordinate rushed in to report that during a meeting of the anti-banditry task force, Director Gao was detained by Staff Officer Tang and his men, who accused him of colluding with the enemy.
This is outrageous! Outrageous! Isn't this personal revenge?! Chief of Staff Tang is openly confronting Commander Xiong.
The clerk told Director Zhao to calm down; the bandit-suppression team members were no pushovers, and they didn't take the staff officers seriously at all. Even Chief of Staff Tang hadn't shown up. But then, a disagreement arose, and Division Commander Chen took the lead in drawing his gun, followed by his men, and they were currently in a standoff.
The military's secret police should be under the jurisdiction of several brigade commanders. The fact that the General Staff suddenly intervened suggests that they have obtained some strong evidence that Gao Junxiao cannot overturn the verdict.
In response to Director Zhao's question, the clerk sighed and said, "There's no particular evidence. It's just that Director Gao made a phone call from his office to a mysterious person, who said that we could take action, etc. They recorded it without any evidence. Unless he clarifies who he called, it's a case of collusion."
It's obvious without even guessing that he's been given some secret mission by his superiors. This is troublesome. Some actions can't be spoken of without the approval of those above, even if Gao Junxiao had a hundred lives, unless he wanted to go to a military court. They've figured out that the commander isn't at headquarters, and they want to make the espionage case a reality.
"What's the latest news from Commander Cao? I remember he was in charge of overseeing the anti-bandit squads," Director Zhao asked, taking a deep breath.
"Brigade Commander Cao has already gone to communicate with them, but the people from the General Staff Department won't listen to him and are using Chief of Staff Tang's official authority to intimidate him," the clerk honestly replied.
"And what about Section Chief Li? He didn't even intervene in such a big commotion." Director Zhao's voice rose eight hundred degrees, startling his subordinates.
"Section Chief Li disappeared early this morning. The people in the Publicity Department said he went out on official business and they don't know when he'll be back," the subordinate stammered. Section Chief Li did have the authority to act, but unfortunately, he wasn't there.
Director Zhao felt completely lost; these people were truly... utterly useless when something went wrong. Having no other choice, he could only send a telegram to Commander Xiong, urging him to save the person first.
Gao Junxiao is not only a walking medal of honor, but his former superior, Commander Tan, has also been promoted to Committee Member Tan. If someone you lend out gets inexplicably ruined in their hands, and Tang Jizu just walks away, Commander Xiong will be out of luck in the officialdom.
As Director Zhao headed to the mailroom, the situation in the conference room had already reversed. A squad of soldiers rushed into the small room, instantly subdued everyone, and forced the officers and soldiers to disarm.
Gao Junxiao pressed down on Chen Yao's gun and offered to cooperate with the investigation. Staff Officer Tang had gone all out this time, bringing in the military law department. He feared his men would be implicated if things escalated, and he couldn't allow them to continue their confrontation with the military law department.
The interrogation room was filled with a rotten smell, and the dim lighting made people drowsy. It always felt colder here than outside. Gao Junxiao sat in the interrogation seat, without a trace of tension or grievance on his face, as if he were just sitting in his office meeting with guests.
The interrogation was conducted by Captain Huang from the military law department. Although young, he was already a regimental commander. Director Yan, that old fox, didn't want to offend either side, so he feigned illness and stayed home to recuperate, deliberately delegating authority to his subordinates to get involved in the mess.
"Supervisor Gao, confess everything. When did you join the G Party? Who did you contact? Tell me everything you know." The interrogation lines were all formulaic and lacked any originality.
"Captain Huang, shouldn't you clarify things before things escalate, instead of accusing me of being a member of the Communist Party?" Gao Junxiao said coldly.
"Isn't this exactly what we need your cooperation for? Here, listen to this recording for yourself." Captain Huang said, turning on the tape recorder next to him. As the tape turned, a sound with crackling noise came out, and all that could be heard was that the person on the other end was a man.
"Have you received the item yet?"
Then came Gao Junxiao's crisp reply from inside, but the background sound was very pure.
"Got it."
Then, a crackling noise accompanied by a voice message rang out.
"Then we can proceed."
In the end, it was Gao Junxiao's voice.
"good."
The echoes still lingered in the room. Captain Huang remained silent, observing Gao Junxiao's changing expressions. However, to his disappointment, Gao Junxiao showed no reaction to the "evidence," looking at him with an expression of utter bewilderment.
"Inspector Gao, tell me who this person is?" Captain Huang arrogantly asked, turning off the recorder. He didn't care whether Gao Junxiao was really a member of the Communist Party. But he had received instructions from the Chief of Staff, so he had to handle things well, didn't he?
According to the General Staff, even if he doesn't confess today, they will still pin the blame on him and make him stink.
"Let's put aside whether you tampered with the audio recordings you took from my office. Everyone knows that disclosing classified military operations to unauthorized individuals is a court-martial offense. What do you think I can say?" Gao Junxiao calmly retorted.
"Okay, if you can't say, then let me ask you another way. Why do you suddenly want to go and suppress bandits at this time? Is there any special reason?" Captain Huang was trying to get him to say something, which was one of his purposes today.
"Captain Huang, first straighten out your attitude. I'm not a member of the Communist Party; I'm a soldier of the Party and the State." Gao Junxiao expressed his dissatisfaction word by word, refusing to follow Captain Huang's interrogation approach.
“Since you are a soldier of the Party and the State, you have an obligation to cooperate with the investigation.” Captain Huang also cooperated by escalating the matter to a higher level.
"Besides this ambiguous fragment, what other evidence do you have to prove that I am a member of the Communist Party or colluding with the Communist Party? Bring it all out." Captain Huang paused at Gao Junxiao's words. There really was no other evidence besides this. Couldn't they have prepared more evidence?
"The Party Affairs Investigation Department has suspected you before; you have a criminal record. Now they're questioning you, and you won't say anything. When Commander Xiong comes back, even he won't be able to protect you," Captain Huang could only threaten sternly. At least to protect his own reputation, he should reveal something.
“Then come find me after you get Commander Xiong’s authorization. I will definitely tell you everything then. Why waste your time? Do you know that while I’m talking to you, I could have killed several bandits?” Gao Junxiao said jokingly.
He either gave no comment or said it was none of his business when asked a series of questions, which made Captain Huang very angry. This man looked very polite and was rumored to have a mild temper, but after being asked both good and bad things, he remained unyielding. He even suspected that the man in front of him was really a member of the Communist Party.
“I don’t know how many gold bars you took, but you have to think about why someone as greedy as Director Yan wouldn’t dare to take them, but instead let you take this benefit,” Gao Junxiao tried to persuade him.
"Hmph, Director Yan is getting old and there are some things he doesn't dare to do. I know you have Committee Member Tan behind you, a veteran whom even Principal Jiang has to give way to." Captain Huang whispered to Gao Junxiao, "So what? Even if you're not a member of the Communist Party, we can make you one, it's just that you might not be able to see the evidence with your own eyes."
"Captain Huang, did you go to the Party Affairs Investigation Section for training? This skill of framing people looks so familiar. Our Military Law Department doesn't have this kind of talent," Gao Junxiao mocked.
The cell was becoming increasingly damp and stuffy, making it unbearable. Captain Huang suppressed his anger and decided to try again: "It's okay, even if you don't confess, we will help you write a confession. You just need to put your fingerprint on it."
Gao Junxiao remained unmoved, so Captain Huang whispered in Gao's ear, "A wise man knows when to yield. Speak up, or you'll suffer the consequences."
This is a trap. Collusion is death, and leaking secrets is also death. Whether Gao Junxiao speaks up or not, he can't get past this hurdle for the time being.
"No comment." Gao Junxiao's tone hardened, his eyes filled with impatience.
Captain Huang, who had just been all smiles, suddenly turned stern and punched Gao Junxiao, knocking him to the ground. He considered himself to be extremely patient, but when faced with this kind of person and this kind of attitude, he could no longer tolerate it.
He then grabbed Gao Junxiao by the collar and sneered, "It doesn't matter whether you confess or not. Since you won't listen to soft tactics, we'll use hard ones."
"Take your hand away, don't touch my uniform." Gao Junxiao pulled Captain Huang's hand away with a look of disgust, and then muttered, "Oh, it's dirty. I'll have to wash it when I get back. It's the rainy season, and the clothes won't dry."
"Get him up! I want to see how tough he is!" Captain Huang finally snapped, glaring at the guards and shouting.
"Captain Huang, let me give you a piece of advice: don't covet ill-gotten gains. Don't get sold out and still be happily counting the money for the other party." Gao Junxiao's words were pointed. Director Yan pretended to be stupid, and Chief of Staff Tang was unwilling to be the villain, so he spent money to bribe a few ignorant young devils.
However, Captain Huang had long been impatient. He grabbed a rag and stuffed it into Gao Junxiao's mouth. The guards removed his belt and coat and tied him to the execution rack. Captain Huang personally picked up a whip, dipped it in salt water, and began to wield it.
In the small, square interrogation room, the whips whistled and cracked, occasionally punctuated by the sounds of striking hard objects or the floor. Amidst the whipping, Captain Huang's curses and forceful swings were interspersed, but all he heard was Gao Junxiao's muffled groans as he was hit, a hint of disgust in the man's eyes.
As the leather strap was swung, some drops of blood splattered onto Captain Huang's boots, which made Captain Huang even more frantic. So what if he's a colonel? Even if he's reinstated, he won't dare to do anything to our military law department.
At this moment, a junior staff officer from the General Staff Department ran into the interrogation room and whispered a few words to Captain Huang.
After the junior staff officer left, Captain Huang, panting heavily, wiped the sweat from his brow, removed the rag that was gagging him, and with a splash, poured the entire basin of salt water over Gao Junxiao, directly waking him from his unconscious state.
"You're lucky, kid. Write a letter to the anti-smuggling team and ask them to release Staff Officer Xu. If everyone compromises, this matter can be settled privately." Captain Huang repeated Staff Officer Tang's message.
Gao Junxiao spat out a mouthful of blood and chuckled coldly. His hair hung down on his forehead, with water droplets constantly dripping from the ends. His white shirt was stained with blood and clung to his body, with torn flesh visible through the wounds, making him look like a wounded soldier who had just come from the battlefield.
"Staff Officer Xu broke the law and was caught red-handed by the anti-smuggling team. Chief of Staff Tang has even more influence, but he still couldn't get his beloved student out. How could I possibly have the face to bail someone out?" Gao Junxiao said weakly.
"Don't push your luck. Just write it." Captain Huang deliberately leaned closer and patted Gao Junxiao's swollen cheek. This was the first time he had ever seen such a tough nut to crack within the Party and the State. He was truly amazed.
"What about me?" Gao Junxiao's smile vanished, his gaze sharp as two swords, fixed on the other man.
"That means you won't listen to reason, so you'll have to suffer the consequences." Captain Huang lashed the ground with his whip, the loud sound echoing in the interrogation room, making the temperature inside seem to drop a few degrees.
"You'd better kill me today, don't let me live to see tomorrow." Gao Junxiao's eyes narrowed, a cold killing intent flashing in them.
Ah, people don't shed tears until they see the coffin. Gao Junxiao is a veteran from the battlefield. He can still resist whips and sticks, but when he actually stands in front of the coffin, let's see if he can still calmly keep his head clear.
Captain Huang grinned, intending to grant Gao Junxiao's request: "Please invite Inspector Gao to the electric chair!"
Under Gao Junxiao's cold gaze, the soldiers swiftly strapped him to the electric chair. Captain Huang stood in front of Gao Junxiao and said smugly, "Supervisor Gao has only seen executions, but has never experienced one firsthand."
"Hmm, quite rare." Gao Junxiao stared indifferently at the bandage on his hand.
Captain Huang threatened Gao Junxiao's arm with a wooden stick: "Then I can give you a brief introduction. The sizzling current will pass through your limbs. At this time, you will feel every inch of your body being roasted. As the strength of the current changes, your internal organs, limbs, facial features, and bones will all twitch. I heard from prisoners that it's a bit like lying on lava when you're seasick. Your skin is charred and you're still screaming."
The room fell silent. Gao Junxiao looked as if someone was choking him; only his rising and falling chest indicated that he was still breathing.
Despite the initial shock, he was still afraid. Captain Huang didn't forget his mission and patiently said to Gao Junxiao, "However, if you agree to write a letter or confess now, I will still treat you with courtesy."
Gao Junxiao, sitting in the electric chair, suddenly laughed: "Hahahaha, it's a pity that Captain Huang doesn't go to the teahouse to tell stories."
"So you're determined to suffer the consequences? We'll start with the smallest one." Captain Huang said, placing his finger on the button.
Stop!!!
A roar from the doorway interrupted Captain Huang's hand that was being held down. All eyes turned to the doorway.
Section Chief Li pushed open the door with a stern face and, with lightning speed, slapped Captain Huang twice across the face. The sound was quite unpleasant.
"You didn't even inform me about the case of smuggling? I think you don't want to stay in the military law department anymore," Section Chief Li said impatiently.
Captain Huang covered his face, somewhat bewildered. When he came to his senses, he was about to lash out at Section Chief Li when Section Chief Li took out the translated version of Commander Xiong's secret telegram from his pocket and said sternly, "Open your dog eyes and see clearly. All cases involving the Communist Party are to be handled secretly by our Propaganda Section. I'm taking the man with me."
Just as Section Chief Li announced that he was an imperial envoy, Director Zhao immediately led his men in to untie Gao Junxiao. At this point, Captain Huang could only suppress his strong dissatisfaction and let them take the man away.
Instead of locking Gao Junxiao up elsewhere, they took him to the infirmary, where the on-duty doctor patiently cleaned his wounds and arranged for him to stay for observation overnight. Section Chief Li looked at Gao Junxiao with some sympathy; why go to such lengths?
"Brother Zexiu, I'm afraid you'll have to stay in the hospital for a few days until Commander Xiong returns," Director Zhao said, offering words of comfort.
"It's alright, the conditions here are much better than in prison." Gao Junxiao knew that his charges had not yet been dropped, only that his expulsion had been changed to house arrest.
"Director Gao, if you have any needs, just talk to the doctor or nurse on duty. They are all the Commander's people." Section Chief Li pondered for a moment and then said, "It just means that you can't contact outsiders for the time being."
This is a bit troublesome. Gao Junxiao hesitated for a moment and asked, "Can I see Chen Yao? I have some things to tell him."
Section Chief Li and Director Zhao looked at each other and shook their heads in denial. After talking for a while, Director Zhao left first, while Section Chief Li said he had some things to tell the doctor and guards and would leave later.
After Li Sheng finished his tour, Gao Junxiao had already changed into a hospital gown and was waiting for him. Li Sheng had sensed that Gao Junxiao had something to say to him, so he deliberately delayed and sent Director Zhao away first.
Looking at Gao Junxiao's swollen face, Li Sheng felt a little regretful. He was indeed on official business today. Several representatives from nearby regions might arrive in Shanghai early, and he had to manage the team to ensure the passage was open.
Fortunately, Comrade Xiao He had reminded him beforehand that the mole would definitely make things difficult for Director Gao after Commander Xiong went to Nanjing, and asked him to help. Out of respect for Comrade Xiao He, he paid special attention to Gao Junxiao's movements, and it was almost too late.
"Supervisor Gao, why aren't you resting and recuperating?" Li Sheng followed his lead and took him to a secluded corner.
"Section Chief Li, before Commander Xiong left, he told me to come see you if I needed anything," Gao Junxiao said, getting straight to the point.
"Since the commander has given instructions, I would like to hear the details." Li Sheng smiled, acknowledging the request.
“I have a subordinate named Lei Shanhai. He recently translated a batch of lists, which you probably already know about.” Gao Junxiao noticed a slight surprise on Li Sheng’s face, indicating that he was unaware of Shanhai’s true identity.
Li Sheng didn't interrupt, letting Gao Junxiao continue: "He's in a bad situation lately. The forces within our organization that are colluding with bandits have their eyes on him."
"Okay, I'll send someone to protect him." Li Sheng solemnly agreed, not expecting Gao Junxiao to reveal his secret to him.
"Furthermore, that Staff Officer Xu has a very questionable background. They just asked me to write to the Anti-Smuggling Bureau to get him released, but I refused. This Staff Officer Xu must have some special significance to Chief of Staff Tang," Gao Junxiao analyzed seriously.
In fact, Section Chief Li had never figured out what Chief of Staff Tang was trying to do this time. He shouldn't be so impatient with just a confidant. He could have waited until Gao Junxiao left and then slowly made his way in. With his connections and some time to smooth things over, he could have gotten it eventually. Why break ties with Commander Xiong?
“I suspect Xu Xun is the ‘bridge’ between the bandits and the mole. I’ve already sent people to Xu Xun’s hometown in Jiaxing to investigate, and they found that he was adopted by his parents. If he was adopted from Deqing County, it would make sense. I’m just waiting for the investigation report now.” Gao Junxiao’s eyes revealed a coldness.
After Gao Junxiao's reasoned and well-founded analysis, Li Sheng suddenly realized that Chief of Staff Tang was really anxious this time, extremely anxious. There was definitely a need to get Xu Xun out before Gao Junxiao went to war. The investigation had already reached Deqing County, and the anti-bandit team was very efficient.
Despite his own precarious situation, he was still able to make calm and decisive arrangements. Li Sheng finally understood why Commander Xiong admired him so much. Oh, and their Comrade He really had a sharp eye; he thought young girls only liked pretty girls.
"Zexiu, I can bring you the investigation report. What else is there? I'll take care of it for you." Without realizing it, Li Sheng even changed his way of addressing him.
"As for the rest, Chen Yao should be able to handle it for me, no problem. There's no need to trouble you, you have your own official business to attend to," Gao Junxiao replied modestly.
"Then I'll be going now. Take good care of yourself and don't go to fight bandits while you're injured." Section Chief Li patted his shoulder, and when he saw the other man grimacing, he immediately remembered that he was injured and apologized by offering to take him back to his ward.
"Actually... there's something else." After finishing his follow-up visit, Gao Junxiao pulled Section Chief Li aside, swallowed hard, and whispered, "Don't tell her I'm injured."
Section Chief Li was completely baffled by what he said. What did he mean by "him"? Commander Xiong or Chen Yao? He could only agree and say no, no, and later, no matter who asked, he would say he didn't know.
After Li Sheng went outside and lit a cigarette, the evening breeze made him realize something. Oh no! He must have recognized Xiao He last time; this little devil was testing him. But even if he didn't say anything, she already knew.
It was pitch black outside the window. Gao Junxiao had injuries on his chest and back and was on an IV drip. No matter how he lay down, he was uncomfortable. The weather was also unbearably hot and humid. So he simply stood by the window and counted the stars. As he counted, he did not feel sleepy at all.
He heard the faint sound of a nurse pushing a cart to check on him outside the door. He quickly lay back down on the bed, closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. His vision was plunged into darkness, but his hearing was amplified several times. He heard the nurse take something from a stainless steel tray and then come to his side and stay for a long time. She was probably adding some medicine to his IV drip.
The nurse, who was supposed to leave, suddenly reached out and checked his forehead temperature. Then, she took a ball that looked like an egg and rubbed his face. Her hand was very soft and warm, and the scent was somewhat familiar. He wondered if she had added some kind of sleeping pill. He felt a little sleepy.
Then he felt the nurse quietly sit down beside him. He barely opened his eyes a crack, and in the hazy light, he thought he saw He Qingcheng. Perhaps it was something he had been thinking about all day. How could it be her?
As the effects of the anesthetic gradually wore off, the burning pain in his wound countered some of his drowsiness. The nurse patiently wiped his sweat with a dry towel, thinking how dedicated she was. Suddenly, he realized something was amiss.
But the curtains had already been drawn by the nurse, and the whole room was shrouded in darkness. He struggled to open his eyes and could only see a nurse wearing a mask washing a towel. The nurse seemed startled when she saw him with his eyes open and took a few steps back.
Waves of drowsiness from the medication washed over him, and he finally drifted off to sleep, closing his eyes again. In his hazy state, guided only by his senses, he grasped the nurse's hand and placed it on his chest, gently calling out "Qingcheng." It seemed that this lessened the pain in his body.
He finally felt something wet dripping onto his hand. As he drifted off to sleep, he thought: Was it a tear? Then she wouldn't be He Qingcheng. My Qingcheng wouldn't cry even if she encountered bandits; she would only pretend to cry when she was lying.
Are you lying to me again, little fox?
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