Ning Zhiheng was extremely wary of this veteran spy chief. If he revealed even the slightest flaw in his interactions with him, it would have irreparable consequences.
Over the years, Keiji Tsuchihara has stirred up trouble in China and can be considered one of Japan's top spies, so Ning Zhiheng has no choice but to deal with him carefully.
Keiji Tsuchihara looked kind and said warmly, "Fujiwara-kun is so young, yet he has gone overseas and built a successful career in this Far Eastern metropolis. He is truly a promising young man and a leader among the younger generation. I wonder if you have any plans to enter politics?"
Ning Zhiheng's mind raced, but he didn't quite understand Tsuchihara Keiji's meaning. He simply said, "My uncle did ask me the same question, but he thinks I'm better suited to develop in China right now. He wants me to handle some affairs in the future Chinese government administration. After all, I'm still young, and many things depend on how things develop!"
Ning Zhiheng's words were ambiguous, somewhere between possible and impossible. He needed to see what Tsuchihara Keiji meant by what he said next.
When Tsuchihara Keiji heard Ning Zhiheng's ambiguous answer, one thing was clear: this young man had no intention of returning to China to develop his career.
Then Tsuchihara Keiji smiled and said, "The thing is, I am currently preparing a special committee on China under orders from the Imperial General Headquarters. The main task is to establish a new Chinese government. This department is composed of people from all walks of life, including the army, navy, foreign ministry, and even civilian organizations. If you are interested, Mr. Fujiwara, you can join us. Our office in Shanghai can be mainly composed of the Fujiwara Company and can be called the Fujiwara Agency. You will serve as the head of the agency. What do you think, Mr. Fujiwara?"
Keiji Tsuchihara was drawn to the identity of Tomohito Fujiwara. He urgently needed support from all sides, and if he could establish a connection with the Fujiwara family, the background of the committee would be completely different.
Moreover, the Fujiwara Company, founded by Tomohito Fujiwara, is a leading business force in Shanghai and possesses considerable strength, enabling it to provide sufficient financial support to the committee.
It is important to know that commercial spies make up a large proportion of Japan's various intelligence organizations. In the early days, Japanese businessmen who did business in China all had the function of collecting intelligence and serving the Japanese intelligence agencies.
The most famous Black Dragon Society was the largest civilian intelligence organization in Japan. They conducted intelligence activities in various parts of China in the form of a chamber of commerce. During the Russo-Japanese War, they collected Russian military intelligence in Lushun, Northeast China. Before the War of Resistance against Japan, they had branches in major cities in China and constantly provoked conflicts. The first Battle of Shanghai was instigated by the Black Dragon Society. They had more than 100,000 members in their branches across the country.
Another well-known Japanese company was the South Manchuria Railway Company. Under the guise of commercial activities, they cooperated with the Japanese Kwantung Army to collect intelligence on the Soviet Army, the dynamics of the Chinese anti-Japanese armed forces, and conducted geographical surveys along the railway, including mountains, rivers, and troop deployments along the coast. They carried out intelligence activities for more than 40 years, making them arguably the oldest intelligence agency in history.
Keiji Tsuchihara had specifically inquired about the current size and strength of the Fujiwara Company. He believed that this was a ready-made framework, and his intelligence agency could be based on the Fujiwara Company's branches in various regions. In the shortest possible time, he could develop and expand the committee's strength. It could be said that this was a good deal that would achieve multiple goals at once.
Upon hearing this, Ning Zhiheng couldn't help but find it both infuriating and amusing. Tsuchihara Keiji actually had designs on him? Did he really think he was a three-year-old child?
Ning Zhiheng would certainly not join this so-called committee, nor did he care about the empty title of "head of the organization".
His Fujiwara Company was originally established to supply the Nationalist government with various military supplies urgently needed for the war against Japan. Now it seems that it has exceeded its mission. The Fujiwara Company has developed extremely smoothly and has now become the most effective tool for him to infiltrate the upper echelons of various sectors in Japan. How could he possibly allow these Japanese spies to participate? In that case, many things would become impossible to do, and he would be constrained in his actions.
Furthermore, it is even more impossible for him to provide intelligence assistance to the Japanese. The foundation he has painstakingly built will benefit others, and he will ultimately become an accomplice of the Japanese.
As for the so-called head of the agency, one can imagine that with the intervention of powerful departments such as the army, navy, and foreign ministry, how much real power can he, as the head of the agency, actually wield? At best, he is just a figurehead.
This is an attempt to get something for nothing. Using the name of an agency chief, he wants to provide his own money and effort, and even asks for the Fujiwara family's backing. It seems this old spy really thinks he's a sucker. Who gave him the confidence to set his sights on him?
Ning Zhiheng looked at Tsuchihara Keiji with a meaningful expression, a strange smile appearing on his lips, and said lightly, "I am grateful for the general's kindness, but my uncle's intention is for me to develop in the government department in the future. As for the so-called intelligence agency, our Fujiwara family will not participate. He said that I am inexperienced and do not know the wickedness of people's hearts, and I am bound to be used by others. It is better to take the right path."
Ning Zhiheng's words made Tsuchihara Keiji blush. Fujiwara Hirofumi said he hadn't said that, and Tsuchihara Keiji didn't know, but he certainly knew that the young man opposite him was no pushover. He rejected his suggestion almost without any consideration, and even made it very clear in his words that the other party was well aware of his scheme and simply wouldn't take the bait.
It seems that the young man chosen by Fujiwara Hirofumi is indeed no ordinary person. His sharp eyes and keen reflexes made Tsuchihara Keiji abandon his wishful thinking.
The two did not get along, so Tsuchihara Keiji had to get up and say goodbye. Ning Zhiheng politely saw him to the door.
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