Chapter 69: Open Strife and Secret Plunder

  After lighting a cigarette, Peng Youming took a few deep breaths before speaking: "Old Yan, you and I are both suspended from our duties for reflection. Before the organization makes a decision on how to deal with us, do you think we can still take on the responsibility of distinguishing work?"

  Yan Xiwen replied, "One code for one code, we were deceived by this son of a bitch Gao Qiqiang and the organization suffered such a great loss. Whatever punishment I receive, I will accept it, even if they kill me, Yan Xiwen, I won't feel wronged. After reading the latest chapter of Perfect World, go to Ganggang's. But what does this have to do with Zhen Biyue Tufei? Could it be...?"

  Peng Youming leaned forward and asked, "What's wrong?"

  Yan Xiwen replied: "Isn't it that you people from Yimeng want to poach our wall?"

  Peng Youming was stunned, habitually stood up and paced back and forth in the room. After a few rounds, Peng Youming suddenly burst out laughing and said to Yan Xiwen: "Absolutely impossible!"

  Yan Xiwen stood up, not convinced, and said: "How is it impossible? Ye Tufei can fight, and this old Lü from Yimeng also knows about it. Didn't he reveal his intention to poach Ye Tufei when he invited us for a drink two days ago?"

  Peng Youming continued to laugh loudly, and it wasn't until Yan Xiwen glared at him that he finally stopped.

  "You don't think about it, how could Ye Tufei possibly stay in his Yimeng base? You, really clever for a lifetime and muddled for a moment, I'll tell you, Ouyang is our Xu Zhou Diwei's person, where Ouyang is, Ye Tufei will definitely be there too, absolutely, one hundred percent."

  Yan Xiwen suddenly realized, using both hands to pull his hair back a few times, and laughed: "I really forgot about this pot, Old Peng, you're right, Ye Tufei is willing to join us because of Xueping."

  Peng Youming suddenly thought of something and his expression became tense, saying: "No, no!"

  Yan Xiwen also became tense and asked urgently: "What's wrong? What's not right?"

  Peng Youming said: "The organization agreed to transfer Dr. Ouyang to our Xuzhou Prefectural Committee, but that was because our Xuzhou Prefectural Committee's work was going relatively well at the time and really needed excellent talents like Dr. Ouyang. But now..."

  Yan Xiwen understood and continued Peng Youming's train of thought, saying: "Is it that the organization temporarily changed its decision and transferred Xue Ping to the Yimeng base area?"

  Peng Youming seemed to be deep in thought, muttering to himself: "But this shouldn't be possible either? Although Old Lü is a cunning guy, he doesn't know about Ye Tufei and Dr. Ouyang's affairs!"

  At this point, Peng Youming suddenly stared at Yan Xiwen and asked in a word-by-word manner: "Was it you who told Old Lü?"

  Yan Xiwen angrily said: "How would I tell him that? Am I Yan Xiwen a brainless person?"

  Peng Youming returned to his original chair and reached out to Yan Xiwen for a cigarette. Yan Xiwen, however, threw away the entire half pack of cigarettes.

  "This can't be decided just by Lao Lü's temperament. I have to report this up and give my opinion. No matter what, Ye Tufei can't stay here!"

  Peng Youming took a deep drag on his cigarette, exhaling a thick plume of smoke. Gazing at the swirling mist, he said, "You go look for him, but it's uncertain whether that will have the desired effect. Old Yan, listen to me, let's observe from afar. I believe in Ye Tufei; he's a man of principle."

  They said they were unhappy and wanted to go to the organization to make suggestions, but now they are under someone else's roof, and all things big and small have to be reported to Old Lü. Yan Xiwen was also worried that if things got messed up, it would give Old Lü an opportunity to muddy the waters, so he accepted Peng Youming's suggestion.

  To Lyu Yao of the Yimeng base area, Ye Tufei was a name that was not unfamiliar.

  As early as three years ago, his guerrilla detachment was at a disadvantage in the battle with the government army and was caught by the government army from Lingbi, Anhui to Erlang Mountain. In order to improve the mobility of the troops, Lü Yáo had no choice but to leave more than 10 wounded soldiers in Dachun Village near Erlang Mountain.

  When leaving the dozen or so wounded, Lü Yáo shed tears. He knew in his heart that these dozen or so wounded would face what kind of danger. But the result was far beyond Lü Yáo's expectation. Three months later, all the wounded returned to the team without a single exception.

  The wounded said it was the big-leafed Da Ye Tong Fei on Erlang Mountain that saved them.

  From that day on, Lü Yao remembered the name Ye Tufei and made up his mind to meet him in person. The reason was not just gratitude, but more because he admired heroes and would have regrets if he didn't see the real hero himself.

  A month ago, comrades in the Xuzhou area said there would be a major action and asked him to lend troops. After getting organizational approval, Lü Yao readily lent two battalions of troops to Peng Youming.

  Unexpectedly, Peng Youming suffered a defeat. Nearly seven hundred soldiers from the two battalions returned with less than one-third of their original number. Although Lü Yao understood that fighting required sacrifices and victories entailed defeats, he was still somewhat infuriated by the sudden loss of so many soldiers.

  After getting angry, Lü Yao was surprised to find that Ye Tufei had also arrived at the base with Peng Youming.

  How can the fat meat on the mouth be only smelled and not bitten? This is obviously not Lv Yao's character.

  Lyu Yao's desire for Ye Tufei was strong, but he still interacted with Peng Youming and Yan Xiwen as usual, without revealing his true intentions. However, behind the scenes, he mobilized all available resources to thoroughly investigate the relationships between Peng Youming, Yan Xiwen, and Ye Tufei.

  When he found out that the only reason Peng Youming and Yan Xiwen could keep Ye Tufei tightly in their hands was a woman, Lü Yao laughed happily. He knew that in this battle for talent, Lü Yao had already taken the initiative.

  Zhao Zhibin, the head of the Intelligence Section, questioned Lü Yao's optimism, saying: "This female military doctor was assigned by the higher-ups to the Xuzhou Prefectural Committee. As long as this female military doctor arrives in Xuzhou, Ye Tufei will definitely follow her there, Commander Lü. Unless you have a way to transfer that female military doctor to our district."

  Lyu Yao burst out laughing and said, "Xuzhou Prefectural Committee? Do they still have the ability to fight now? Without half a year or eight months, can they recover their energy? Is that right! In this situation, you say getting such an excellent military doctor over there to do what? Don't worry about it, old Lyu is 90% sure of this matter, just take care of your own affairs and get along well with Ye Tufei's brothers.

  Zhao Zhibin nodded and asked, "But, Commander Lü, have you considered this? This Ye Tufei is only infatuated with that female military doctor named Ouyang Xueping, and that's why he's willing to join the revolutionary ranks. Can such a person's revolutionary attitude be thorough? I'm worried..."

  Lyu Yao interrupted Zhao Zhibin's question and said, "First get him in, then slowly reform his ideology. Did you, Zhao Zhibin, have your current awareness from the start? Didn't it grow bit by bit? I understand this Ye Tufei, fundamentally speaking, he is still quite good."

  Zhao Zhibin said: "I believe this, three years ago, if it wasn't for Ye Tufei, I and those wounded comrades might not have returned to the team."

  Lyu Yao smiled and said, "Exactly! You didn't mention it, I had almost forgotten. Ye Tufei did have a lifesaving grace for you, Zhao Zhibin, hehe, from now on, the important task of guiding Ye Tufei onto the revolutionary path will be handed over to you, it can also be considered as your repayment of kindness to Zhao Zhibin."

  Zhao Zhibin smiled and said, "These are all afterwords, the key is still up to you, Commander Lü. Don't be happy first and disappointed later, first get Ye Tufei in your hands before talking."

  Lyu Yao beckoned to Zhao Zhibin, and when he approached, he leaned in close to his ear and whispered mysteriously: "The organization has assigned us the task of investigating Ye Tufei, haha, do you think this is a reliable thing?"

  Zhao Zhibin's face showed surprise and delight, saying: "Really? Commander Lü, then I'll organize the personnel right away and hurry to get things done, lest there be too many dreams in a long night."

  Lü Yáo smiled and nodded, saying: "The key is that Ye Tú Fēi was in èr Láng Shān for that period of time, but there's no big problem. He didn't harm the common people, nor did he surrender to the White Bandit Army. On the contrary, he even helped our revolutionary troops."

  Zhao Zhibin corrected Lü Yao's statement, saying: "Commander Lü, in my personal opinion, Ye Tufei's focus was on the year after the Battle of Xuzhou, after all, he wore the uniform of the puppet army."

  Lü Yáo put on a bitter smile, pointing to his own head and said: "Director Zhao, what's going on with your brain? Why did Ye Tú Fēi become a puppet soldier? Wasn't it Péng Yǒu Míng and Yuán Xī Wén who were working behind the scenes? Can't you just get them to vouch for him and everything will be fine? Ah, I'm telling you, this intelligence was provided by you in the first place!"

  Zhao Zhibin showed a embarrassed smile and said: "You see, you see, I really made a mistake, I actually forgot about this batch."

  Lyu Yao stretched out his hand to Zhao Zhibin and said: "Take one over?"

  Zhao Zhibin didn't understand what Liao Yao wanted and asked: "What?"

  Lü Yao somewhat impatiently replied: "Cigarettes!"

  Zhao Zhibin hastily pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, handed one to Lü Yao, and then stuffed another into his own mouth. Lü Yao struck a match, and the two lit their cigarettes with the same flame.

  Zhao Zhibin puffed on his cigarette and said, "Didn't you quit smoking?"

  Lyu Yao Mei puffed on her cigarette and replied: "I quit buying cigarettes, but I didn't quit smoking."

  Zhao Zhibin hastily stuffed the pack of cigarettes into his bosom and said, "Commander Lü has arrived? Then I'll be off first!"

  Lyu Yao stared at Zhao Zhibin, sneering and saying: "If you want to leave, just leave, anyway your legs are under your butt, I think even if I wanted to control you, I couldn't!"

  Zhao Zhibin was made to feel uneasy by Lü Yao's cold smile, gritted his teeth, took out the box of cigarettes from his pocket and threw it onto Lü Yao's desk, saying: "Can I leave now?"

  Lyu Yao smiled and said, "Well, I didn't plan on keeping you for dinner."

  As Zhao Zhibin walked out the door, Lü Yao shouted from inside the house: "Hey, hey, you forgot your cigarettes. I won't be polite about it."

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