How to pronounce "软肋"

[Silent Honor]

[Episode 4]

They're lying in wait—

either for us,

or for Xie Zhonghao.

What about him?

Was he arrested?

No trace.

Even the dead drop can't reach him.

We need to find him.

We need to confirm if he's still alive.

How do we do that?

We could check his place.

You've got his address, right?

If we go there,

at least we might learn something.

No, Sir.

That's too risky.

We can't just abandon our comrade.

Who knows how many

BIS agents are watching his place?

You were the one who warned me about that.

Speaking of which,

the Communist line

really does have its own appeal.

It's very persuasive, almost enchanting.

But that's both their strength

and their weakness.

Back in Beiping,

it was those leftists at the universities.

And here in Taiwan,

it's young men like Liu Kangfu.

But they're different.

Liu Kangfu's generation

grew up in an environment

under Japan's push

to imperialize them.

Many of them

ended up in Japanese uniforms,

sent across

Japan’s battlefields throughout Southeast Asia.

So I don't think their professed faith

in communism is genuine.

It's just a way to drive us out.

People like that

are a double-edged sword.

Crush that

fragile faith,

and

they'll betray steadfasts like Zhang Hao,

and in turn, even more

individuals of higher rank and influence.

Our comrade's fate is unknown,

yet we dare not take any action.

I'll go.

I must go.

Sir.

Were you the one who fired first?

Yes. I failed to keep discipline among my men;

sorry for alarming you,

Vice Minister.

That's Xie Zhonghao's house up ahead.

Sir, the window looks newly replaced.

I can see bloodstains beneath it.

Sir, you're back.

Xuecheng.

Dad,

why didn't you knock before coming in?

I did knock.

No, you didn't.

You're just too nervous. What are you doing?

Nothing. Nothing.

I bought you some candy. Try it.

Why are you tearing my book?

Where did you get this?

A classmate lent me his lecture notes.

Your classmate's notes look like this?

Give it to me.

No!

Xuecheng, give it to me.

Why should I give you my things?

Give it to me!

No!

Xuecheng!

No!

Is that how you talk to your father?

He tore my book!

Give it to me!

No!

Xuecheng,

give it to me.

Are you aware that

she's been looking at these books and

her classmate's lecture notes like this?

What if something happens because of it?

It's confiscated.

Do not associate with that classmate.

Go to the school tomorrow to find out what's going on;

if necessary, arrange for her to be transferred.

Warlord! Coward!

Warlord!

-Xuecheng! -Coward!

Warlord!

-Stop talking nonsense. -Coward!

-Xuecheng -Warlord! Coward!

Warlord!

Yuxun!

Sir.

Yuxun.

Team Leader.

Team Leader.

This time Mr. Wu was driving the car himself,

with his adjutant in the passenger seat.

I think that's the only suspicious part.

Think about it.

Captain Yu.

I, Wu Shi,

a Vice Minister of Defense,

if I want to drive myself, is that any of your business?

BIS is overstepping.

If it can't even serve as evidence,

then stop talking.

It's all nonsense.

I actually think it makes sense:

Vice Minister Wu just arrived in Taiwan, newly appointed.

He went to Keelung to inspect the defenses,

which makes it perfectly reasonable for him

to pass by Xie Zhonghao's house—

seamless.

It's nothing.

Have you been taking the blood-pressure medicine

I set out for you every day?

I'm asking you—have you taken it?

I did, I took it all.

Speak clearly.

Sometimes I forget.

Is Sir alright?

He fainted. He's inside.

Where's Nie Xi?

I told him to make sure you

take your blood-pressure medicine every day.

Where is he?

Here!

Here.

Nie Xi,

he's a workaholic.

And you're copying him, aren't you?

If you keep doing this,

how can I trust you in the future?

I'm sorry, Madam—it was my oversight.

Madam, don't blame Nie Xi.

It's my fault.

Nie Xi, please step outside.

Calm down, Madam.

Come, sit down.

If you want to die,

you can't die in Taiwan.

You must go back to Fuzhou.

I'll die with you.

My parents are in Fuzhou.

They can take care of the children.

Come, my dear.

All right.

I'll take my medicine on time.

It's not just about taking medicine on time—

I need to lay down some ground rules with you.

Please go ahead, my dear.

First,

you must be home before nine every day.

Second,

no drinking outside.

No matter what the children do,

you can't lose your temper.

Also,

if you're sent out on assignment,

you must take me with you.

Wherever you go, I go.

And lastly,

tomorrow you're staying home to rest.

No matter how big the matter, you're not allowed out.

Dear, that's five rules now.

I don't care how many—

just promise me.

Okay.

I promise you.

I promise you.

Okay.

Okay.

Then… Can I

have one condition?

No conditions allowed.

Fine.

[Biquan Sauna]

[Hong Kong Hezhong Company]

Ms. Zhu, here's your letter.

It's from Taiwan.

Great! All for me?

This one's yours,

and this one's from my boyfriend to me.

Your boyfriend wrote to you?

That's wonderful.

Wait, Ms. Zhu,

why are you so happy today?

I'm going back to Shanghai.

What's wrong?

Nothing.

What's wrong, Deying?

I can't bear to part with you.

I'm happy for you, I congratulate you,

-But I don't want to be part with you. -Alright.

Come on, Deying,

go read your boyfriend's letter.

Go on.

Dear Mother,

Changcheng and I have arrived in Taipei with the office.

The baby was born safely—

it's a boy,

and he looks a lot like my father.

Are you still busy in Hong Kong?

If you're free,

Changcheng and I want to invite you to Taiwan for a short stay.

We miss you very much—Ju.

Chief, you wanted to see me?

Vice Minister Wu has fallen ill.

Go visit him on my behalf.

Prepare a generous gift.

Yes, sir.

I heard that

the communist spy who jumped from a window and died

during the BIS' recent operation in Keelung

lived right along Vice Minister Wu's patrol route.

And right after Mr. Wu returned, he had a hypertensive attack.

What a coincidence.

Check out the background on that spy.

Yes. What about the Vice Minister Wu?

Vice Minister Wu got startled at NTU Hospital

and has been overworked with military affairs.

You need to clarify

the cause of his illness.

Yes, I'll go right away.

Please convey my thanks to the Chief.

Chief cares about you a lot.

He sent me to bring some of your favorite foods.

Thank you, Mrs. Wu.

Please have a seat.

I can handle this myself.

You're too kind,

bringing so many things.

Please thank the Chief for me

for sending you to visit Yuxun.

It's my pleasure.

Please sit down.

Alright.

Take your time chatting.

Okay.

Have some tea.

Since I heard about your incident,

I've been extremely worried.

But I didn't dare disturb your rest today,

so I didn't even call.

Now I feel relieved.

What accident could happen to me?

I came back from the battlefield.

I'm not that fragile.

You're

getting all flustered.

Those men under Mao Renfeng

have pulled stunts like this before.

That Communist spy at NTU Hospital—

once he realized he was being watched,

of course he'd take a hostage and run.

You just happened to cross paths with him.

That's normal.

But Gu Zhengwen is like a mad dog—

going after anyone in his way.

Now he's trying to brand you as a spy.

As far as I know,

Gu Wenzheng

isn't with BIS' operations unit.

He's an external staff member of the Reconnaissance and Prevention Team.

That team

is a secret branch,

reporting directly to Director Mao—

their office

isn't even in the BIS headquarters.

The innocent have nothing to fear.

Let him go after if he wants to.

I can't stoop to quarreling with a colonel.

Of course you wouldn't.

But

the one he's slandering

is the Vice Minister of our Ministry of Defense.

And from what I know,

they're still digging into your visit to the 318th Division

before it defected.

That falls under

our Second Department's jurisdiction.

If that's the case, he's offending us as well.

Just say the word,

and I'll take care of it.

What are you planning to do?

That depends on your wishes.

I appreciate your kindness, Director Duan.

But the matter has already passed some time ago.

Comrade Jianfeng already invited me

for tea about it,

and Director Mao himself called to apologize.

If I keep pressing, it wouldn't look right.

You truly are broad-minded.

I'm ashamed by comparison.

By the way,

the situation at Kinmen is getting tense.

How's your research

on the PLA Third Field Army, Tenth Corps

coming along?

It's in progress.

Our people are actively infiltrating as well.

But the Communists' political vetting

is brutal,

making our work difficult.

If communist spies are seeping into our forces,

we should infiltrate theirs in return.

Know your enemy, know yourself.

Yes.

Have some tea.

Wu Shi is sure

Zhou Zhirou is getting suspicious.

Taiwan intelligence line has been severed.

The new courier can't get to Taiwan anytime soon.

BIS and the Ministry of Defense

had inevitably set up an inescapable web,

waiting for him to slip up.

Would he let the Kinmen intelligence go to waste

and watch the PLA die in vain?

Wu Shi chose to step into the game.

If Zhou Zhirou wanted proof,

he would give him a flaw.

That flaw

was Hong Kong.

Cigarettes! All brands available!

Would you like cigarettes, sir?

Boss.

Don't look back again.

This man might be Xie Zhonghao.

Take him alive.

Good morning, Adjutant Nie.

Morning, Qian.

Haven't had breakfast yet?

Have some.

After washing the car, take a break.

I'll drive Sir.

Adjutant Nie,

you always finish my work for me.

Will they dock my pay for that?

Don't worry about it.

Isn't it nice to get some rest?

Adjutant Nie,

let me wash your car too.

Sure, thanks.

Sir.

Come in.

Here are the minutes from today's Ministry of Defense meeting—

for your review.

Chief Zhou said your health comes first

and approved two extra days off.

I can't rest.

I must go to Hong Kong myself.

To Hong Kong?

What would you do there at a time like this?

To deliver intelligence.

The Kinmen battle is on the verge of breaking out;

if we wait for a new courier to reach Taiwan,

it will be too late.

Going to Hong Kong to find Manager Wan

is the fastest way to get the intel through.

Now BIS knows

our courier is dead

and the line is cut.

Anyone going to or from Taiwan

will be under close scrutiny.

And you're a prime suspect.

If you go to Hong Kong now,

wouldn't that be walking straight into a trap?

Not just BIS,

Duan Tuizhi has been probing me too,

about my trip to the 318th Division.

Then all the more reason you can't go.

Both departments are eyeing you closely.

They don't have hard evidence against you yet.

I'll give them the evidence.

Hand this military aid allocation plan

to the Ministry of Defense for review.

You're gambling that the Americans will be satisfied with the plan

and then send you to Hong Kong to make the handoff?

Yes.

Because they need evidence.

So Zhou Zhirou will definitely send me to Hong Kong.

General Walker

keeps pressing me to arrange the handover.

He holds the rank of Lieutenant General in the U.S. Army.

So our representative

can't be of lower rank than that.

Who do you think

is most suitable?

Who do I think is most suitable?

In my mind,

there are only three possible candidates.

First, General Sun Liren.

When he was with the Chinese Expeditionary Force in India,

he had many dealings with the Americans.

The U.S. military still holds a good impression of him.

Second,

apart from General Sun,

the one with the most interactions with the Americans

is Deputy Commissioner Lin Wei

of the Southeast Office.

And the third person?

The third one

is you, Chief.

If you were to personally take the lead,

it would truly show our respect for our allies.

Impossible. The battle for Kinmen is about to erupt,

and Chongqing is also in danger.

Zhou Zhirou is the Air Force Commander—

there's no way he could abandon his post.

General Sun, though,

is indeed a suitable candidate.

He studied in the U.S. and enjoys deep trust from the Americans.

But there was once a rumor circulating

that the U.S. military wanted to use General Sun

to replace the President.

I'd say,

right now, the last thing the President wants to see

is General Sun getting too close to the Americans.

As for Weiwen,

back during the Expeditionary Force days,

he was caught between the President and Stilwell,

and the relationship soured badly.

Even though Stilwell isn't around this time,

I doubt the Americans

would welcome him either.

Then honestly, I can't think of

anyone else who's more suitable.

As you know,

personnel matters aren't my strong suit.

I think I understand now.

So you're suggesting that

Zhou Zhirou appears respectful to you,

but what he really wants is evidence

to find out whether you're a Communist.

So he'll definitely send you to Hong Kong.

So this is my only chance.

My brother told me before he left

that they must see me in person in Hong Kong

to make contact.

Send it out first.

I don't care about the consequences anymore.

[Yongchun]

Wan.

Comrade Zhu Feng.

What's wrong?

You don't seem in high spirits.

Maybe I've been too busy lately.

Did you need something?

Yes.

I want to show you something.

I want to know

if this could be useful to you.

A special pass?

Issued by the Taiwan Provincial Police Department?

Yes.

How did you get this?

My adopted daughter Ju is in Taiwan.

My son-in-law is the director

of the Provincial Police Department.

I remember you once reported

about their plans to go to Taiwan.

Yes.

Ju invited me to Taiwan,

but now I need to return to Shanghai.

So this special pass

is of no use to me anymore.

I thought it might be useful to you, right?

Of course.

You know,

back then, as long as we wanted,

there was no city we couldn't enter.

We even sent quite a few cadres to Taiwan.

But now, with the White Terror in Taiwan being so severe,

and the provincial chairman Chen Cheng

having imposed martial law again in May,

sending someone to Taiwan now

is extremely difficult.

With this special pass,

we can make replicas.

Actually, if you needed it,

you could have told me earlier.

I could have asked Ju to get one for us.

Look,

the pass

has the issuing authority

and the exact home address.

If you ask them for it and then don't go,

it could cause trouble for the family,

and visitors can't stay there

or they'll be exposed.

Now that they're sending it over,

things are much easier.

Comrade Zhu Feng,

I thank you on behalf of the Party.

I'm glad it can be of use.

I'll keep this special pass

for you.

It will definitely be very useful.

Dear Chief Zhou,

we're very satisfied with the new military assistance plan

recently sent by your department.

We can properly send personnel to Hong Kong

to complete the handover procedures.

Best regards, James Walker.

You may go now.

Please ask Director Duan to come in.

Yes.

Chief.

You wanted to see me?

You went to visit Vice Minister Wu;

how is he?

He looks a bit weaker than usual,

but generally fine.

I conveyed your concerns to him.

Tell him to rest more

and not worry about work.

Has BIS

made any new moves recently?

A report from my mole inside BIS:

Gu Zhengwen believes that

the person who was supposed to make contact with Zhang Hao

suddenly lost connection.

They will surely establish a new communication line,

so recently they've been strictly investigating

people coming out of Taiwan.

Go back and keep watching.

Yes!

Chief.

Okay.

Senior.

Chief.

How are you?

Feeling any better?

Much better.

My wife has been taking care of me.

Your blood pressure still won't come down,

that's a real problem.

How about

I find you a good American doctor

-to take a good look at you. -No need.

I just need to take my medication regularly.

It's nothing serious.

Work is important,

but you must take care of your health too.

Chief, what did you call me here for?

Did you draft this allocation plan

yourself?

Yes, I did.

With the Ministry of Defense so busy,

they told me to rest at home and do nothing.

But that makes me uneasy.

Besides, I know

the Americans have been waiting for this plan

for a long time.

So I wanted to help ease your burden.

You're my senior;

I should naturally come to you

for advice and strategies.

I've reviewed this plan;

it's very thorough.

Did they respond yet?

They did. Not a single word was changed.

It's been approved.

Well, that's excellent news.

It'll help ease the urgent situation in Kinmen.

If there's nothing else,

I'll head back now, Chief.

Senior, don't rush off.

Come.

General Walker

has been urging me

to arrange the handover.

He holds the rank of Lieutenant General in the U.S. Army.

So our representative

can't be of lower rank than that.

Senior,

since this allocation plan

was written by you personally,

I think you should go yourself.

I can't.

First, I'm terrible at social interactions.

Second, with my health the way it is—

just last night my blood pressure spiked

close to 200.

My wife scolded me terribly for it.

If I get sick again in Hong Kong,

wouldn't that jeopardize the whole mission?

That's not a problem.

The medical facilities in Hong Kong

are far better than in Taiwan.

If you could make the trip,

I'd assign a military doctor

to accompany you the entire time

to guarantee nothing would go wrong.

Chief, I cannot go.

BIS suspects me

because of the Taiwan University incident.

They're now strictly monitoring everyone leaving Taiwan.

If I really go,

it might give others something to criticize.

That's true.

Chief, if there's nothing else,

I'll take my leave now.

Senior.

Senior.

I've been thinking it over,

and you're still the most suitable person.

Our Ministry of Defense is going on an official trip—

surely we don't need to bow to BIS' whims.

Senior, don't worry.

You're being sent by me personally.

If they dare cause trouble, they can come to me.

Besides,

you've already helped me

finalize this plan.

You must help me see it through to the end.

It's settled then.

Senior, you'll depart tomorrow.

Yes.

I won't let you down.

Thank you for your help.

Director Duan.

Chief Zhou.

Vice Minister Wu is heading to Hong Kong tomorrow

regarding U.S. military aid.

Your Second Department must send someone along.

Remember,

make sure you complete your assigned task.

Understood.

Finish your current work quickly.

Then prepare to take delivery of

the American aid documents.

We leave tomorrow

To Hong Kong?

Yes.

I'll accompany you home to pack your things.

What's wrong, Sir?

I can't go in.

I just remembered

a few days ago my wife made me agree to five rules.

I promised her.

One of them was that

whenever I travel on business, I must take her along.

What kind of rules?

Basically, wherever I go, she insists on going with me.

But this trip to Hong Kong isn't an ordinary assignment,

I can't take her with me.

What should we do then?

How about this:

tell Madam that

the Ministry of Defense has urgent duties these days,

and that I'll be staying at the office.

Just bring me a few changes of clothes.

Alright.

So what do you need me to bring?

A suit.

A suit… Okay.

And two pairs of leather shoes.

Two pairs of leather shoes… Got it.

And my dress uniform.

Dress uniform… Okay.

That's all.

But Madam will definitely ask

why would you need a suit just for working late at the Ministry?

Just tell her the Ministry might have some gatherings these days.

Gatherings… Alright.

And the two pairs of shoes?

Just say you don't know

which pair I'll find more suitable.

And what about the dress uniform?

Tell her

I've lost some weight recently

and need to take the uniform

to the military headquarters for alterations.

Okay.

Sir.

Nie Xi.

Madam.

Why are you here so late?

Is something wrong?

Come in quickly.

I'm here to get some clothes for Sir.

Clothes? Where is he?

He's still at the Ministry of Defense.

There's an urgent military matter,

so he needs to stay there for a few days.

Alright.

Dou!

Dou!

Get the suitcase ready.

Yes, Madam.

Why bring a suit?

The Ministry might hold a reception this weekend.

So is he staying just a few days or for a whole month?

Should I pack up the entire bedding too?

That won't be necessary.

Take these leather shoes. They go with everything.

Alright, I'll pack them.

And a military dress uniform.

A dress uniform?

For working late at the Ministry?

He said he's recently put on weight— no, lost weight—

and needs to have it altered at headquarters.

Okay.

Madam, one suitcase is enough.

He promised me

wherever he goes, I go.

I'm coming with you to the Ministry.

Please don't.

Wait a moment.

Madam.

What's wrong? Let's go.

No, it's not...

I...

What's going on?

Dear.

Why are you here?

Here I am.

Nie Xi said you were working late at the Ministry of Defense.

Not anymore.

Let's talk inside.

Let me take that.

You go back first.

Okay.

[Silent Honor]

[Episode 4]

They're lying in wait—

either for us,

or for Xie Zhonghao.

What about him?

Was he arrested?

No trace.

Even the dead drop can't reach him.

We need to find him.

We need to confirm if he's still alive.

How do we do that?

We could check his place.

You've got his address, right?

If we go there,

at least we might learn something.

No, Sir.

That's too risky.

We can't just abandon our comrade.

Who knows how many

BIS agents are watching his place?

You were the one who warned me about that.

Speaking of which,

the Communist line

really does have its own appeal.

It's very persuasive, almost enchanting.

But that's both their strength

and their weakness.

Back in Beiping,

it was those leftists at the universities.

And here in Taiwan,

it's young men like Liu Kangfu.

But they're different.

Liu Kangfu's generation

grew up in an environment

under Japan's push

to imperialize them.

Many of them

ended up in Japanese uniforms,

sent across

Japan’s battlefields throughout Southeast Asia.

So I don't think their professed faith

in communism is genuine.

It's just a way to drive us out.

People like that

are a double-edged sword.

Crush that

fragile faith,

and

they'll betray steadfasts like Zhang Hao,

and in turn, even more

individuals of higher rank and influence.

Our comrade's fate is unknown,

yet we dare not take any action.

I'll go.

I must go.

Sir.

Were you the one who fired first?

Yes. I failed to keep discipline among my men;

sorry for alarming you,

Vice Minister.

That's Xie Zhonghao's house up ahead.

Sir, the window looks newly replaced.

I can see bloodstains beneath it.

Sir, you're back.

Xuecheng.

Dad,

why didn't you knock before coming in?

I did knock.

No, you didn't.

You're just too nervous. What are you doing?

Nothing. Nothing.

I bought you some candy. Try it.

Why are you tearing my book?

Where did you get this?

A classmate lent me his lecture notes.

Your classmate's notes look like this?

Give it to me.

No!

Xuecheng, give it to me.

Why should I give you my things?

Give it to me!

No!

Xuecheng!

No!

Is that how you talk to your father?

He tore my book!

Give it to me!

No!

Xuecheng,

give it to me.

Are you aware that

she's been looking at these books and

her classmate's lecture notes like this?

What if something happens because of it?

It's confiscated.

Do not associate with that classmate.

Go to the school tomorrow to find out what's going on;

if necessary, arrange for her to be transferred.

Warlord! Coward!

Warlord!

-Xuecheng! -Coward!

Warlord!

-Stop talking nonsense. -Coward!

-Xuecheng -Warlord! Coward!

Warlord!

Yuxun!

Sir.

Yuxun.

Team Leader.

Team Leader.

This time Mr. Wu was driving the car himself,

with his adjutant in the passenger seat.

I think that's the only suspicious part.

Think about it.

Captain Yu.

I, Wu Shi,

a Vice Minister of Defense,

if I want to drive myself, is that any of your business?

BIS is overstepping.

If it can't even serve as evidence,

then stop talking.

It's all nonsense.

I actually think it makes sense:

Vice Minister Wu just arrived in Taiwan, newly appointed.

He went to Keelung to inspect the defenses,

which makes it perfectly reasonable for him

to pass by Xie Zhonghao's house—

seamless.

It's nothing.

Have you been taking the blood-pressure medicine

I set out for you every day?

I'm asking you—have you taken it?

I did, I took it all.

Speak clearly.

Sometimes I forget.

Is Sir alright?

He fainted. He's inside.

Where's Nie Xi?

I told him to make sure you

take your blood-pressure medicine every day.

Where is he?

Here!

Here.

Nie Xi,

he's a workaholic.

And you're copying him, aren't you?

If you keep doing this,

how can I trust you in the future?

I'm sorry, Madam—it was my oversight.

Madam, don't blame Nie Xi.

It's my fault.

Nie Xi, please step outside.

Calm down, Madam.

Come, sit down.

If you want to die,

you can't die in Taiwan.

You must go back to Fuzhou.

I'll die with you.

My parents are in Fuzhou.

They can take care of the children.

Come, my dear.

All right.

I'll take my medicine on time.

It's not just about taking medicine on time—

I need to lay down some ground rules with you.

Please go ahead, my dear.

First,

you must be home before nine every day.

Second,

no drinking outside.

No matter what the children do,

you can't lose your temper.

Also,

if you're sent out on assignment,

you must take me with you.

Wherever you go, I go.

And lastly,

tomorrow you're staying home to rest.

No matter how big the matter, you're not allowed out.

Dear, that's five rules now.

I don't care how many—

just promise me.

Okay.

I promise you.

I promise you.

Okay.

Okay.

Then… Can I

have one condition?

No conditions allowed.

Fine.

[Biquan Sauna]

[Hong Kong Hezhong Company]

Ms. Zhu, here's your letter.

It's from Taiwan.

Great! All for me?

This one's yours,

and this one's from my boyfriend to me.

Your boyfriend wrote to you?

That's wonderful.

Wait, Ms. Zhu,

why are you so happy today?

I'm going back to Shanghai.

What's wrong?

Nothing.

What's wrong, Deying?

I can't bear to part with you.

I'm happy for you, I congratulate you,

-But I don't want to be part with you. -Alright.

Come on, Deying,

go read your boyfriend's letter.

Go on.

Dear Mother,

Changcheng and I have arrived in Taipei with the office.

The baby was born safely—

it's a boy,

and he looks a lot like my father.

Are you still busy in Hong Kong?

If you're free,

Changcheng and I want to invite you to Taiwan for a short stay.

We miss you very much—Ju.

Chief, you wanted to see me?

Vice Minister Wu has fallen ill.

Go visit him on my behalf.

Prepare a generous gift.

Yes, sir.

I heard that

the communist spy who jumped from a window and died

during the BIS' recent operation in Keelung

lived right along Vice Minister Wu's patrol route.

And right after Mr. Wu returned, he had a hypertensive attack.

What a coincidence.

Check out the background on that spy.

Yes. What about the Vice Minister Wu?

Vice Minister Wu got startled at NTU Hospital

and has been overworked with military affairs.

You need to clarify

the cause of his illness.

Yes, I'll go right away.

Please convey my thanks to the Chief.

Chief cares about you a lot.

He sent me to bring some of your favorite foods.

Thank you, Mrs. Wu.

Please have a seat.

I can handle this myself.

You're too kind,

bringing so many things.

Please thank the Chief for me

for sending you to visit Yuxun.

It's my pleasure.

Please sit down.

Alright.

Take your time chatting.

Okay.

Have some tea.

Since I heard about your incident,

I've been extremely worried.

But I didn't dare disturb your rest today,

so I didn't even call.

Now I feel relieved.

What accident could happen to me?

I came back from the battlefield.

I'm not that fragile.

You're

getting all flustered.

Those men under Mao Renfeng

have pulled stunts like this before.

That Communist spy at NTU Hospital—

once he realized he was being watched,

of course he'd take a hostage and run.

You just happened to cross paths with him.

That's normal.

But Gu Zhengwen is like a mad dog—

going after anyone in his way.

Now he's trying to brand you as a spy.

As far as I know,

Gu Wenzheng

isn't with BIS' operations unit.

He's an external staff member of the Reconnaissance and Prevention Team.

That team

is a secret branch,

reporting directly to Director Mao—

their office

isn't even in the BIS headquarters.

The innocent have nothing to fear.

Let him go after if he wants to.

I can't stoop to quarreling with a colonel.

Of course you wouldn't.

But

the one he's slandering

is the Vice Minister of our Ministry of Defense.

And from what I know,

they're still digging into your visit to the 318th Division

before it defected.

That falls under

our Second Department's jurisdiction.

If that's the case, he's offending us as well.

Just say the word,

and I'll take care of it.

What are you planning to do?

That depends on your wishes.

I appreciate your kindness, Director Duan.

But the matter has already passed some time ago.

Comrade Jianfeng already invited me

for tea about it,

and Director Mao himself called to apologize.

If I keep pressing, it wouldn't look right.

You truly are broad-minded.

I'm ashamed by comparison.

By the way,

the situation at Kinmen is getting tense.

How's your research

on the PLA Third Field Army, Tenth Corps

coming along?

It's in progress.

Our people are actively infiltrating as well.

But the Communists' political vetting

is brutal,

making our work difficult.

If communist spies are seeping into our forces,

we should infiltrate theirs in return.

Know your enemy, know yourself.

Yes.

Have some tea.

Wu Shi is sure

Zhou Zhirou is getting suspicious.

Taiwan intelligence line has been severed.

The new courier can't get to Taiwan anytime soon.

BIS and the Ministry of Defense

had inevitably set up an inescapable web,

waiting for him to slip up.

Would he let the Kinmen intelligence go to waste

and watch the PLA die in vain?

Wu Shi chose to step into the game.

If Zhou Zhirou wanted proof,

he would give him a flaw.

That flaw

was Hong Kong.

Cigarettes! All brands available!

Would you like cigarettes, sir?

Boss.

Don't look back again.

This man might be Xie Zhonghao.

Take him alive.

Good morning, Adjutant Nie.

Morning, Qian.

Haven't had breakfast yet?

Have some.

After washing the car, take a break.

I'll drive Sir.

Adjutant Nie,

you always finish my work for me.

Will they dock my pay for that?

Don't worry about it.

Isn't it nice to get some rest?

Adjutant Nie,

let me wash your car too.

Sure, thanks.

Sir.

Come in.

Here are the minutes from today's Ministry of Defense meeting—

for your review.

Chief Zhou said your health comes first

and approved two extra days off.

I can't rest.

I must go to Hong Kong myself.

To Hong Kong?

What would you do there at a time like this?

To deliver intelligence.

The Kinmen battle is on the verge of breaking out;

if we wait for a new courier to reach Taiwan,

it will be too late.

Going to Hong Kong to find Manager Wan

is the fastest way to get the intel through.

Now BIS knows

our courier is dead

and the line is cut.

Anyone going to or from Taiwan

will be under close scrutiny.

And you're a prime suspect.

If you go to Hong Kong now,

wouldn't that be walking straight into a trap?

Not just BIS,

Duan Tuizhi has been probing me too,

about my trip to the 318th Division.

Then all the more reason you can't go.

Both departments are eyeing you closely.

They don't have hard evidence against you yet.

I'll give them the evidence.

Hand this military aid allocation plan

to the Ministry of Defense for review.

You're gambling that the Americans will be satisfied with the plan

and then send you to Hong Kong to make the handoff?

Yes.

Because they need evidence.

So Zhou Zhirou will definitely send me to Hong Kong.

General Walker

keeps pressing me to arrange the handover.

He holds the rank of Lieutenant General in the U.S. Army.

So our representative

can't be of lower rank than that.

Who do you think

is most suitable?

Who do I think is most suitable?

In my mind,

there are only three possible candidates.

First, General Sun Liren.

When he was with the Chinese Expeditionary Force in India,

he had many dealings with the Americans.

The U.S. military still holds a good impression of him.

Second,

apart from General Sun,

the one with the most interactions with the Americans

is Deputy Commissioner Lin Wei

of the Southeast Office.

And the third person?

The third one

is you, Chief.

If you were to personally take the lead,

it would truly show our respect for our allies.

Impossible. The battle for Kinmen is about to erupt,

and Chongqing is also in danger.

Zhou Zhirou is the Air Force Commander—

there's no way he could abandon his post.

General Sun, though,

is indeed a suitable candidate.

He studied in the U.S. and enjoys deep trust from the Americans.

But there was once a rumor circulating

that the U.S. military wanted to use General Sun

to replace the President.

I'd say,

right now, the last thing the President wants to see

is General Sun getting too close to the Americans.

As for Weiwen,

back during the Expeditionary Force days,

he was caught between the President and Stilwell,

and the relationship soured badly.

Even though Stilwell isn't around this time,

I doubt the Americans

would welcome him either.

Then honestly, I can't think of

anyone else who's more suitable.

As you know,

personnel matters aren't my strong suit.

I think I understand now.

So you're suggesting that

Zhou Zhirou appears respectful to you,

but what he really wants is evidence

to find out whether you're a Communist.

So he'll definitely send you to Hong Kong.

So this is my only chance.

My brother told me before he left

that they must see me in person in Hong Kong

to make contact.

Send it out first.

I don't care about the consequences anymore.

[Yongchun]

Wan.

Comrade Zhu Feng.

What's wrong?

You don't seem in high spirits.

Maybe I've been too busy lately.

Did you need something?

Yes.

I want to show you something.

I want to know

if this could be useful to you.

A special pass?

Issued by the Taiwan Provincial Police Department?

Yes.

How did you get this?

My adopted daughter Ju is in Taiwan.

My son-in-law is the director

of the Provincial Police Department.

I remember you once reported

about their plans to go to Taiwan.

Yes.

Ju invited me to Taiwan,

but now I need to return to Shanghai.

So this special pass

is of no use to me anymore.

I thought it might be useful to you, right?

Of course.

You know,

back then, as long as we wanted,

there was no city we couldn't enter.

We even sent quite a few cadres to Taiwan.

But now, with the White Terror in Taiwan being so severe,

and the provincial chairman Chen Cheng

having imposed martial law again in May,

sending someone to Taiwan now

is extremely difficult.

With this special pass,

we can make replicas.

Actually, if you needed it,

you could have told me earlier.

I could have asked Ju to get one for us.

Look,

the pass

has the issuing authority

and the exact home address.

If you ask them for it and then don't go,

it could cause trouble for the family,

and visitors can't stay there

or they'll be exposed.

Now that they're sending it over,

things are much easier.

Comrade Zhu Feng,

I thank you on behalf of the Party.

I'm glad it can be of use.

I'll keep this special pass

for you.

It will definitely be very useful.

Dear Chief Zhou,

we're very satisfied with the new military assistance plan

recently sent by your department.

We can properly send personnel to Hong Kong

to complete the handover procedures.

Best regards, James Walker.

You may go now.

Please ask Director Duan to come in.

Yes.

Chief.

You wanted to see me?

You went to visit Vice Minister Wu;

how is he?

He looks a bit weaker than usual,

but generally fine.

I conveyed your concerns to him.

Tell him to rest more

and not worry about work.

Has BIS

made any new moves recently?

A report from my mole inside BIS:

Gu Zhengwen believes that

the person who was supposed to make contact with Zhang Hao

suddenly lost connection.

They will surely establish a new communication line,

so recently they've been strictly investigating

people coming out of Taiwan.

Go back and keep watching.

Yes!

Chief.

Okay.

Senior.

Chief.

How are you?

Feeling any better?

Much better.

My wife has been taking care of me.

Your blood pressure still won't come down,

that's a real problem.

How about

I find you a good American doctor

-to take a good look at you. -No need.

I just need to take my medication regularly.

It's nothing serious.

Work is important,

but you must take care of your health too.

Chief, what did you call me here for?

Did you draft this allocation plan

yourself?

Yes, I did.

With the Ministry of Defense so busy,

they told me to rest at home and do nothing.

But that makes me uneasy.

Besides, I know

the Americans have been waiting for this plan

for a long time.

So I wanted to help ease your burden.

You're my senior;

I should naturally come to you

for advice and strategies.

I've reviewed this plan;

it's very thorough.

Did they respond yet?

They did. Not a single word was changed.

It's been approved.

Well, that's excellent news.

It'll help ease the urgent situation in Kinmen.

If there's nothing else,

I'll head back now, Chief.

Senior, don't rush off.

Come.

General Walker

has been urging me

to arrange the handover.

He holds the rank of Lieutenant General in the U.S. Army.

So our representative

can't be of lower rank than that.

Senior,

since this allocation plan

was written by you personally,

I think you should go yourself.

I can't.

First, I'm terrible at social interactions.

Second, with my health the way it is—

just last night my blood pressure spiked

close to 200.

My wife scolded me terribly for it.

If I get sick again in Hong Kong,

wouldn't that jeopardize the whole mission?

That's not a problem.

The medical facilities in Hong Kong

are far better than in Taiwan.

If you could make the trip,

I'd assign a military doctor

to accompany you the entire time

to guarantee nothing would go wrong.

Chief, I cannot go.

BIS suspects me

because of the Taiwan University incident.

They're now strictly monitoring everyone leaving Taiwan.

If I really go,

it might give others something to criticize.

That's true.

Chief, if there's nothing else,

I'll take my leave now.

Senior.

Senior.

I've been thinking it over,

and you're still the most suitable person.

Our Ministry of Defense is going on an official trip—

surely we don't need to bow to BIS' whims.

Senior, don't worry.

You're being sent by me personally.

If they dare cause trouble, they can come to me.

Besides,

you've already helped me

finalize this plan.

You must help me see it through to the end.

It's settled then.

Senior, you'll depart tomorrow.

Yes.

I won't let you down.

Thank you for your help.

Director Duan.

Chief Zhou.

Vice Minister Wu is heading to Hong Kong tomorrow

regarding U.S. military aid.

Your Second Department must send someone along.

Remember,

make sure you complete your assigned task.

Understood.

Finish your current work quickly.

Then prepare to take delivery of

the American aid documents.

We leave tomorrow

To Hong Kong?

Yes.

I'll accompany you home to pack your things.

What's wrong, Sir?

I can't go in.

I just remembered

a few days ago my wife made me agree to five rules.

I promised her.

One of them was that

whenever I travel on business, I must take her along.

What kind of rules?

Basically, wherever I go, she insists on going with me.

But this trip to Hong Kong isn't an ordinary assignment,

I can't take her with me.

What should we do then?

How about this:

tell Madam that

the Ministry of Defense has urgent duties these days,

and that I'll be staying at the office.

Just bring me a few changes of clothes.

Alright.

So what do you need me to bring?

A suit.

A suit… Okay.

And two pairs of leather shoes.

Two pairs of leather shoes… Got it.

And my dress uniform.

Dress uniform… Okay.

That's all.

But Madam will definitely ask

why would you need a suit just for working late at the Ministry?

Just tell her the Ministry might have some gatherings these days.

Gatherings… Alright.

And the two pairs of shoes?

Just say you don't know

which pair I'll find more suitable.

And what about the dress uniform?

Tell her

I've lost some weight recently

and need to take the uniform

to the military headquarters for alterations.

Okay.

Sir.

Nie Xi.

Madam.

Why are you here so late?

Is something wrong?

Come in quickly.

I'm here to get some clothes for Sir.

Clothes? Where is he?

He's still at the Ministry of Defense.

There's an urgent military matter,

so he needs to stay there for a few days.

Alright.

Dou!

Dou!

Get the suitcase ready.

Yes, Madam.

Why bring a suit?

The Ministry might hold a reception this weekend.

So is he staying just a few days or for a whole month?

Should I pack up the entire bedding too?

That won't be necessary.

Take these leather shoes. They go with everything.

Alright, I'll pack them.

And a military dress uniform.

A dress uniform?

For working late at the Ministry?

He said he's recently put on weight— no, lost weight—

and needs to have it altered at headquarters.

Okay.

Madam, one suitcase is enough.

He promised me

wherever he goes, I go.

I'm coming with you to the Ministry.

Please don't.

Wait a moment.

Madam.

What's wrong? Let's go.

No, it's not...

I...

What's going on?

Dear.

Why are you here?

Here I am.

Nie Xi said you were working late at the Ministry of Defense.

Not anymore.

Let's talk inside.

Let me take that.

You go back first.

Okay.