However, just because he couldn't do it didn't mean others couldn't. Huo Yueze turned around and went upstairs, arriving at Zuo Rou's office door, where he knocked.
"Team Leader Zuo, I have a favor to ask of you!"
At dinner, Ning Zhiheng sat at the table, where Zuo Rou had carefully prepared dishes, all of which were Ning Zhiheng's favorites.
Zuo Rou asked softly, "Would you like to have some wine today?"
Ning Zhiheng shook his head. He didn't like drinking. He was in a bad mood because of Chen Dongsheng's matter. In the end, he wasn't a truly ruthless person, at least not towards his own brothers.
For so long, he had not dealt with any of his subordinates. Sending Chen Dongsheng back to headquarters to be subject to military law was a last resort.
Zuo Rou didn't say anything more. She filled two bowls with rice, placed them on the table, and the two began to eat.
The two ate and chatted from time to time. After thinking for a moment, Zuo Rou finally asked softly, "I heard that Chen Dongsheng from the intelligence team violated the family rules. Do you want to punish him?"
Ning Zhiheng put down his bowl and chopsticks, frowned, and asked, "Has Huo Yueze come looking for you?"
"I've already looked for him!" Zuo Rou didn't deny it. Ning Zhiheng was very perceptive and it would be difficult to hide anything from him, so it was better to just admit it directly.
She said softly, "It is a soldier's duty to risk his life for his country, but it is also a matter of human relations to marry and have children. The Military Intelligence Bureau's family rules are too inhumane."
Ning Zhiheng looked up at her, understood what she meant, and explained, "Chen Dongsheng is a front-line agent who is deeply embedded in the enemy's heart. One wrong step and he will fall into an abyss. He is already living in constant fear. If he also has feelings for his children, and one day his wife and children fall into the hands of the enemy, who can guarantee that he can stick to his principles and remain loyal and unyielding? Those around him will also suffer."
"Then what will we do in the future? If the war of resistance is not won, will we have to keep waiting?" Zuo Rou looked at Ning Zhiheng with melancholy eyes. This was also a question she had been worried about, and she took this opportunity to ask him clearly.
Ning Zhiheng smiled slightly and comforted him, "We are naturally different. This family rule is mainly for people below the middle level, especially front-line agents. The higher-ups at headquarters are not subject to this restriction. Besides, I am from the Baoding faction, and I have powerful backers. The Director wouldn't interfere so much in my family affairs. As long as we don't make too much of a fuss, he won't interfere."
"Really?" Zuo Rou was overjoyed upon hearing this. After such a long time, a weight had finally been lifted from her heart, and she couldn't help but smile broadly.
After a moment's hesitation, she continued, "But if we do that, how can our brothers be convinced? After all, they are meritorious people who have served the country. They haven't committed the crime of colluding with the enemy and betraying the country. It's common for those high-ranking officials and nobles in the rear to indulge in debauchery and take several concubines. Let's not be too demanding of them."
Ning Zhiheng pondered for a moment. Zuo Rou insisted on pleading for Chen Dongsheng, and he himself was not really willing to kill Chen Dongsheng. He asked, "Letting him go is against family rules, but killing him will alienate the brothers. Do you have any good ideas?"
Zuo Rou nodded and said, "I have a solution that satisfies both sides. Chen Dongsheng's identity has been exposed, so he can't stay in Shanghai, but there's no need to send him back to headquarters. Our intelligence team in Hong Kong has always been short-staffed, and now that place has become our most important base. I've been wanting to send some people there, and this time we can send Chen Dongsheng along. We can just say it's a normal work transfer to the outside world."
"And what about his woman?"
“We’ll secretly send them over. We can’t just leave them, a widow and her children, in Shanghai. We won’t know what to do. As for what happens afterward, it’s a long way off there. We’ll just pretend we don’t see it and give them a way to survive. Are we really going to ruin their lives over this?”
Zuo Rou's method was also a feasible solution. Since they couldn't stay in Shanghai and dared not return to headquarters, going to Hong Kong was an option. It wasn't Japanese territory, so safety could be guaranteed, and they could cover it up to outsiders.
After much deliberation, Ning Zhiheng finally nodded and said, "Alright! That's the only way. But this is a special case; otherwise, it will be difficult to control others in the future."
Zuo Rou was overjoyed upon hearing this. She knew that it was already very difficult for Ning Zhiheng to make such a concession. She could plead for him this time, but next time, it might not be so easy.
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