Chapter Thirty-Seven: Preparing to Return Home

Ning Zhiheng’s reaction was exactly as Huang Xiansheng had expected—he was stunned, hardly able to believe it, then overwhelmed with excitement beyond words.

“Sir, I will never forget your kindness in cultivating me!” Ning Zhiheng also gave a crisp military salute.

“Haha, there’s no need for such formality among our own people. You all have made me proud through your own efforts! This time, Cui Guohao is the one who’s benefited the most—he didn’t do a thing, yet got his wish fulfilled! Truly, those without fortune wear themselves out in vain, while the blessed need not lift a finger!” Huang Xiansheng laughed. “But don’t worry, he’ll certainly show his appreciation and repay this favor!”

Cui Guohao was indeed the greatest beneficiary of this recent matter. He had long been one of Huang Xiansheng’s trusted subordinates, but due to the chief’s deliberate restraint of Huang, he had been unable to rise in rank as he deserved. Now, at last, his wish had come true.

At this moment, Ning Zhiheng recalled the box he’d set aside and hurriedly brought it over. “Sir, about the recovered illicit funds—how should we handle them?”

Huang Xiansheng had noticed Ning Zhiheng carrying the box earlier and already guessed its contents. Wei Liangbi had also briefly mentioned it, but he hadn’t expected Ning to act so swiftly. They had made the arrest yesterday afternoon, obtained a confession that night, and by this morning the stolen money was already retrieved.

“What’s inside?” Wei Liangbi asked curiously from the side.

Ning Zhiheng smiled without responding, pushed the box forward, and flipped it open.

Inside lay stacks of gold bars and bundles of banknotes, filling the box to the brim—a dazzling heap of gold and crisp, colorful U.S. dollars.

“My word! That guy really was a fat fish! If that money-grubber Qian Zhong had gotten hold of this, I’d have been banging my head against the wall in regret!” Wei Liangbi exclaimed in astonishment at the fortune before him, inwardly shaken.

Huang Xiansheng nodded in satisfaction as well. It was rare for someone to return all such a sum untouched, and Ning Zhiheng’s integrity was commendable.

In truth, Ning Zhiheng had prepared for this. He was no fool—he knew perfectly well what kind of money could be taken, and what was too hot to handle.

The sum was significant, and during subsequent interrogations, Huang Xiansheng would certainly account for every coin. If anything went missing in his hands, the consequences would be dire—it would be utter folly to risk everything for a petty gain.

Having lived twice, Ning Zhiheng was mature enough not to stake everything on a small windfall.

“Sir, about this money—should we ask you to submit it officially on our behalf?” Ning Zhiheng inquired with a respectful tone.

Without another word, Huang Xiansheng reached into the box and pulled out several bundles of U.S. bills, tossing them to Wei Liangbi and Ning Zhiheng.

“Even the emperor rewards his loyal soldiers! This is your hard-earned reward—take it with a clear conscience. The rest I’ll deliver to the chief for further arrangements. I’m sure he’ll be pleased!”

This was standard practice: confiscated illicit funds never made it to the national treasury. Instead, they were divided according to rank. The chief and Deputy Director Huang would, of course, take the largest shares—this was accepted by all, and from now on, any questions regarding the money would be handled by the two directors. No one would trouble Wei Liangbi or Ning Zhiheng about it, nor would anyone dare bring it up again.

The two men left Deputy Director Huang’s office and hurried back to Wei Liangbi’s office in the Operations Division. Once inside, they locked the door and eagerly took out the bills from their pockets.

Four thick bundles—six thousand dollars in total, three thousand each.

And what did three thousand dollars mean at that time? At the current exchange rate of four to one, that amounted to twelve thousand yuan in legal tender.

As a second lieutenant, Ning Zhiheng’s monthly salary was sixty yuan. In other words, it would take sixteen years of work to earn that much. Of course, neither man entertained the foolish notion of exchanging it for legal tender.

In fact, over the next decade or so, as the dollar grew ever stronger and the legal tender rapidly inflated and lost value, the purchasing power of Nationalist officers’ salaries dwindled to the point where they could barely make ends meet.

The two men burst out laughing, unable to contain their excitement—promotion and a windfall on the same day, such good fortune was almost too much to take. Had Wei Liangbi been a less steady man, he might have lost his composure entirely.

Ning Zhiheng was all smiles as well. Though his fortune already far exceeded this sum, a windfall was always cause for cheer.

More importantly, he was about to be promoted to lieutenant, which meant greater authority within the Nationalist ranks, and another layer of protection for himself.

Both men had gained much, and their spirits soared. This incident, too, had brought them closer together in subtle ways.

With the matter settled and everyone having profited, Ning Zhiheng realized he could no longer delay his trip home. He should have departed a week ago, but the case had kept him running about with no time to spare.

And there was the matter of Xiaowan—her situation could not be put off any longer. Truth be told, the week’s delay must have left her family anxiously worried, and Ning Zhiheng felt a pang of guilt. He needed to set out at once.

He asked Wei Liangbi for leave, who readily agreed and even bought two gifts, saying they were for Ning’s parents. Ning did not refuse—reciprocity was the best way to get along, and there was no need for false modesty.

That afternoon, he first bought a train ticket for Hangzhou for the next day, then prepared gifts for his family.

He also gathered some presents and went to pay a visit to Liu Molin’s home on Beihua Street.

The day before, Liu Molin had been of great help—sending men to pick him up, even suffering some grievances in the process, and later risking himself to identify Huang Xiansheng at the arrest.

Ning Zhiheng saw all this clearly. Though Liu Molin had been polite, he still harbored some resentment—anger he dared not voice.

Having navigated officialdom for years in his previous life, Ning Zhiheng knew how important details were in dealing with people; they could determine success or failure.

An unintentional slight could become a stumbling block at a crucial moment, leaving one baffled as to the cause—it might well be because you’d once left someone feeling disgruntled.

Moreover, having profited from the case, it was only right to thank Liu Molin for his efforts.

Liu Molin had not expected Ning Zhiheng to visit, and to be honest, he had always been wary of these secret agents with power over life and death.

He had witnessed Ning Zhiheng apprehending Huang Xiansheng from afar and could not stop recalling the dangerous scene upon returning home.

After all, what ordinary citizen would wish to deal with men who could, with a single thought, destroy families and take lives?

Ning Zhiheng’s visit, bearing expensive gifts, was a complete surprise.

He was humble, first apologizing again for any offense the previous day, then expressing gratitude for Liu Molin’s contribution to the investigation.

Having spent years in official circles, Ning Zhiheng was a gifted speaker. His words were gentle and tactful, putting Liu Molin and his wife at ease, dispelling any lingering resentment, and making for a pleasant conversation.

Young-faced and slightly boyish, dressed in a Zhongshan suit, Ning Zhiheng looked every inch the young scholar; his refined manner and warm demeanor almost made the couple forget he was a secret agent.

In the end, Ning Zhiheng promised that if Liu Molin ever ran into trouble he could not resolve, he should come to him, and Ning would do all he could to help.

Liu Molin and his wife were overjoyed. They knew the Military Intelligence Bureau wielded vast authority over the military, police, and gendarmerie. With Ning Zhiheng’s promise, they no longer had to fear disaster befalling them unexpectedly—it was as good as a life-saving card.

He politely declined their invitation to stay for dinner, and hurried off to a small restaurant to meet Liu Datong.

Liu Datong soon entered. For the past two days, he had made a point of stopping by before and after work to see if Ning Zhiheng was waiting for him—their only means of contact in an age without convenient communication. While Ning had a telephone at his office, Liu, being just a patrolman, did not. This was their way of staying in touch.

Seeing Ning Zhiheng sitting in the restaurant, Liu Datong was instantly energized. He strode over. “Officer Ning, you’re here! Did the case go smoothly? Is there anything you need me for?”

Ever since he started working with Ning Zhiheng, Liu Datong felt transformed—his steps were steadier, his footing surer. Where once he had gone out of his way to avoid the chief and captains, fearing an accidental offense might bring reprisal, now he felt none of that anxious caution. Those once-untouchable figures no longer intimidated him.

This shift in attitude had even changed his behavior; he unconsciously raised his voice when greeting colleagues, once even joking with a captain and surprising the man. The habit of stooping had vanished—he walked with a confident stride, and those around him could sense the self-assurance in his tone. Even his wife remarked that he seemed a new man, as if years had dropped away.

He knew this was because he had always felt rootless in the world, like a floating weed at the mercy of any storm. But Ning Zhiheng’s appearance had given him a solid, reliable pillar to lean on.

Ning Zhiheng smiled, gesturing for him to sit. “The case went smoothly. The suspect was arrested yesterday, and our superiors are very pleased! You and your men did well—here’s a reward, three hundred U.S. dollars. Distribute it as you see fit.”

With that, he produced another thick wad of bills and set it on the table. This time, he hadn’t had time to exchange it for legal tender, but dollars were widely accepted in the market.

Liu Datong was dumbfounded. In just a few days, and in this small restaurant, Ning Zhiheng had handed him a reward for the second time—the first being two hundred yuan, already a considerable sum, making him look good in front of his men. This time was even more astonishing: three hundred dollars, bright and colorful. As someone accustomed to the streets, he knew the value of American currency.

“Officer Ning, we’ve only just finished distributing the last reward. The men were thrilled! But this time, it’s so much—it’s hard to know what to say.” Liu Datong twisted his hands together, embarrassed to take so much money.

Ning Zhiheng chuckled. “Isn’t it a good thing to have money? If you really don’t want it, I’ll just take it back!”

Only then did Liu Datong reach for the bills. He could imagine how much this would help his men’s lives. Just picturing their faces when they received the reward filled him with excitement.