Volume 1: Turbulent Times Chapter 48: Empty Space

  After finishing the drink, Fang Zida personally brewed two new cups of tea and handed one to Chen Qimei. He smiled and didn't refuse, took it and smelled it under his nose, then slowly savored a mouthful.

  "Is it Song Jiaoren who called you here?" After asking, Chen Qimei smiled and said: "Yuan Shikai is a hero, borrowing a knife to kill people is really beautiful. He licked Yuan Shikai's toes in Beijing and became the premier, turned against his own comrades, just wait and see, there will be a day when Song Jiaoren regrets it. Besides, if Sun Wen hadn't escaped privately this time, who knows who would have died? Don't forget, our revolutionary party overthrew the Qing dynasty back then, let alone a small character like Yuan Shikai now?"

  Fang Zidao did not respond to Chen Qimei's words, but quietly sat on one side with a smile, listening attentively. Even when Chen Qimei vented his grievances and scolded Song Jiaoren, Yuan Shikai, and even Sun Yat-sen, Fang Zidao did not get angry, but instead lit a cigar and smoked it slowly and thoughtfully.

  Chen Qimei spoke at length, his face flushed with excitement, and sat back down, panting heavily.

  "How is Commander Chen's body? Should we call a doctor to take a look?" Fang Zida showed concern on his face, if others didn't know his identity, they might have thought he was one of Chen Qimei's good friends.

  "It's nothing, I won't die yet!" Chen Qimei refused Fang Zida's kindness, took a sip of tea to calm down, and lay back in his chair to rest.

  "I came here today, first to see Director Chen, and secondly to inform you that we will be leaving here tomorrow and heading north." Fang Zidao got straight to the point, and Chen Qimei was not too surprised by this, as he had already fallen into Fang's hands. Since the thrilling scene at the dock, he had been prepared for this.

  "However, Director Chen, please be at ease. After all, you are a veteran of the revolution, and your contributions to the overthrow of the Qing dynasty in 1911 are well-known throughout the country. Although you have taken a wrong turn recently, committed treason, and made mistakes that cannot be forgiven under national law, considering your past merits, the country will not treat you too harshly. Nevertheless, spending a few years in Beijing, finding a quiet place to reflect on your errors, is unavoidable. Please understand this, Director Chen."

  Fang Zida's words were both direct and subtle, Chen Qimei listened with a bitter smile. He knew clearly that going to Beijing would mean certain imprisonment, neither Yuan Shikai nor Song Jiaoren would let him off easily. Moreover, on the list of rebels released by the central government, Chen Qimei was one of the top few important culprits.

  "In the afternoon, a doctor will come to treat Director Chen. Please take good care of your body, Director Chen. I'll take my leave for now and come back tomorrow to escort you north."

  Now that the matter has been settled, Fang Zida didn't linger either. He stood up to take his leave, but just as he was about to walk away, he stopped in his tracks and turned back with a smile, asking: "Commander Chen, do you want to know how I managed to grasp your movements and lay an ambush for you at the dock?"

  "What's so strange about it? Either the few small pawns under the Green Gang are eating inside and peeling outside, or the police station on that side has received your bribes." Chen Qimei said disdainfully.

  "Heh heh, Director Chen, you've guessed wrong. This news wasn't spread by the Green Gang, nor was it from the police station. It was actually told to me by a Japanese person."

  "What did you say? Are they Japanese?!" Chen Qi Mei was startled and suddenly sat up. This time he escaped, Jiang Zhi Qing had told him that all the arrangements were made with the help of the Japanese, as long as he got on the boat, he would be completely safe. When he was caught, he had thought about where the leak was, but no matter how hard he tried, he never thought that the Japanese who helped him were involved. Hearing Fang Zi Da's words, Chen Qi Mei was shocked and furious.

  "Good! Good! Japan... Japanese people... good! Haha! Good!" Chen Qimei laughed furiously, after a few loud laughs he fell back down, slowly closing his eyes, but still clenching his fists tightly.

  Fang Zida left, leaving Chen Qimei alone in the courtyard. He looked back at Fang Zida sitting on a chair, and felt both admiration and regret. Chen Qimei was always known for his high self-esteem and unscrupulous methods, but no matter how others evaluated him, he remained a unique individual.

  In the afternoon, Dr. Fang invited a doctor to examine Chen Qimei and told him that due to his long-term personal life being in disarray, coupled with the recent psychological blow, his body had completely collapsed and he was now seriously ill. Even if he slowly recuperated, he would have at most one or two years of life left. After reading the diagnosis, Fang Zida instructed the doctor to take good care of Chen Qimei and then let him go.

  He sighed, Chen Qi Mei's days were numbered. Fang Zi Da didn't know why he felt a pang of sadness. However, escorting this person to the north was something he had to do, and it was also one of the reasons he came to Shanghai in person.

  On that day, Tōyama Ichirō suddenly told himself Chen Qimei's whereabouts and plans. Fang Zida sniffed out the conspiracy from this little Japanese man's words. Although Tōyama Ichirō kept saying he was thinking of China's overall situation, he also blew a tune about how he had been in China for many years and deeply fell in love with this country. He said that although he was Japanese, his heart had long since become Chinese. For the sake of stability in Chinese politics, for the friendship between the Chinese and Japanese peoples, and as a member of the Eighth Route Army, he had both the duty and responsibility to report this matter to his superiors.

  These nonsense words, Fang Zidao didn't believe half of them. He was even certain that the identity behind Tōyama Ichirō was absolutely not simple, and it was most likely that he was instructed by Japanese intelligence agencies to intentionally reveal Chen Qimei's information.

  As for what Little Japan wants to do and what benefits it wants to gain from this matter, Fang Zidao can't guess for the time being. However, there is no free lunch in the world, and Fang Zidao is absolutely not naive enough to believe those nonsense of Toda Ichiro's. But this news is still useful for Fang Zidao, capturing the leader of the revolutionary party will have benefits for future politics, both publicly and privately.

  For this, Fang Zidao hastily made arrangements and, as expected, successfully intercepted Chen Qimei's party at the dock. Upon receiving news of Chen Qimei's capture, he personally came to Shanghai.

  After Chen Qimei's arrest was reported to Beijing, Beijing immediately issued an order to escort Chen Qimei northward. At the same time, Song Jiaoren asked Fang Zidao to return to Beijing on his way, but Fang Zidao did not know what he wanted him for at that time.

  He had met Chen Qimei, and Fang Zidao went to see He Yingqin, who was being held in the next room. After being captured, He Yingqin's spirit was very poor, his expression was dazed, and his eyes were filled with fear and anxiety. Fang Zidao didn't chat with him much either, just met briefly and left. As for Jiang Zhicheng, who was still in the hospital, he made Fang Zidao very interested. This person Fang Zidao had to see no matter what, so he rushed to the hospital especially.

  "Deputy Director Fang, Jiang Zhiqing is in this room." This was a separate ward, with two guards standing guard at the door. After Fang arrived, the soldiers guarding the hospital rushed to salute and report.

  "How is his injury?" Fang Zida asked.

  "It's nothing serious, the doctor said I can get out of bed in two days."

  "Oh, that's good, open the door." Fang Zida nodded, and after the soldier opened the door, he went in alone. All he saw was a young man lying on the bed.

  "Is this really Kong Yigong, also known as Chang Kaishen's Chang Gong?" Fang Zida was taken aback when he saw Jiang Zhicheng. This young man didn't look anything like the person he knew. Not only did he not have a shaved head, but he had a thick head of black hair, and his face was handsome and full of spirit.

  Jiang Zhicheng, who was lying in bed and dozing off, opened his eyes to the sound of footsteps and saw a stranger standing in front of his bed, staring at him with an odd gaze.

  "Who are you?"

  "Fang Zida, Fang Xiangming." It wasn't until Jiang Zhijie asked in confusion that Fang Zida snapped back to reality and smiled as he replied.

  "Fang Zida? Fang Zida of the 8th Division?" Jiang Zhicheng asked abruptly. Seeing Fang Zida nod in acknowledgement, he sighed and said: "I've long heard of Vice Commander Fang's great name. If it weren't for Vice Commander Fang, Shanghai would probably have fallen into Chen's hands by now."

  "Haha, actually, whether or not there is an Eighth Division, Chen Qimei can't seize Shanghai, and your so-called revolution won't succeed either. What do you think?"

  Jiang Zhiqing thought for a moment and smiled, nodding in agreement: "This is not wrong, the three factors of heaven, earth, and man are indispensable. This time the revolutionary timing has not arrived, and the reason for launching it is also forced, so we have lost the heavenly timing. Secondly, the defenders of the manufacturing bureau occupy the key positions, waiting for labor with ease, relying on the abundant logistics behind the manufacturing bureau, and externally supported by your eighth division. Although Shanghai was originally under Chen's jurisdiction, his old subordinates and the Green Gang and other factions were loyal, but compared to this, the geographical advantage is roughly evenly divided between us. As for the last factor of human harmony, it's better not to mention it, it's all written in the newspapers."

  Following Jiang Zhiquan's pointing, on the left side of the bed, there were several newspapers, with many headlines being comments from various circles on the "Second Revolution", it seemed that even in the sickroom, Jiang Zhiquan had not been idle.

  "As expected, he lives up to his reputation." Fang Zida nodded, Jiang Zhicheng was a straightforward person, and in just a few words, the biggest difference between him and Chen Qimei had been revealed.

  "Is Vice-Commander Fang here to escort us north?"

  "Hehe, talking to Ruiyuan is always refreshing, one word and it's right on the mark." Smiling, Fang Zida found a chair and sat down, acknowledging in one breath.

  "This isn't hard to guess either, the ones who came to arrest us were your garrison troops. Now that Brother Zhengming has personally taken action, it seems that a decision has already been made in Beijing. Speak up, when do we set off?"

  "Tomorrow we set off. I have already paid a visit to Commander Chen's side, and Brother Chiang has an injury on his leg, so it would be better to delay the trip north for a few days..."

  Bu De Fang Zi Da finished speaking, Jiang Zhi Qing refused and said: "No need, since it's settled for tomorrow, I'll go north with you."

  "Are you hurt?"

  "It's nothing, this little injury is not serious." Jiang Zhicheng moved his injured leg and smiled with a pained expression: "Commander Chen is my elder brother. If big brother has difficulties, how can I be at peace here? Please give me an opportunity, Brother Yan Ming."

  "So...alright." Fang Zida saw Jiang Zhicheng being so righteous, he could only nod in agreement. After leaving the hospital room, he was filled with doubts and wondered if this person was really the infamous "Kong Yige". How come he didn't seem evil and villainous at all, unlike what he had imagined?