How to pronounce "近在咫尺"
Transcript
[Silent Honor]
[Episode 2]
In 1949,
Hong Kong, under British colonial rule,
developed a unique and diverse social structure.
It also became a crucial hub for the CPC to obtain strategic supplies,
[Yongchuntang Pharmacy in Hong Kong]
transit personnel,
and relay intelligence.
Wan Jingguang, an underground CPC member,
used the Yongchuntang Pharmacy as a cover
[Wan Jingguang, Head of the Second Task Force, Taiwan Work Committee,]
to secretly establish
[East China Bureau of the CPC; Underground Member of the CPC]
the East China Bureau's Taiwan Work Committee.
It directly supervised the underground intelligence team
in Taiwan to which Wu Shi belonged.
[Zhu Feng, Liaison of the CPC in Hong Kong]
In August of the same year,
the Battle of Kinmen landing was imminent.
The superiors ordered Wan Jingguang
to procure a large supply of penicillin and send it to the front lines.
Due to the Party's foreign exchange shortage,
he entrusted Zhu Feng, the CPC liaison in Hong Kong,
hoping she would use
her position as financial director at Hong Kong Union Company
to complete this challenging mission.
But Zhu Feng never dreamed
that she would become Wu Shi's courier.
Mr. Jiang, look at this horse.
Its name is Black Pearl.
I heard it will definitely place in the top 3 today.
Really?
That impressive?
Alright, Ms. Zhu, I'll take your word for it.
Kai.
Mr. Jiang.
Place a bet for me on Black Pearl to finish in the top 3
in the next race.
Okay.
300 dollars.
Okay.
300.
Ms. Zhu, you've always dealt in big business.
Why would you come to someone like me,
who runs such a small business,
to buy penicillin?
Mr. Jiang, you're being modest.
Everyone knows
that all medicinal supplies in Causeway Bay
must pass through your hands.
However much you've got, I'll buy it.
Name your price.
You really are a big-time dealer,
straight to the point.
Well, you see.
The market price for penicillin has been rising lately.
I wonder, Ms. Zhu,
how do you plan to pay?
Will it be in US dollars or British pounds?
I'll use soybeans.
Sir, here we are.
Here's the money.
Thank you.
[Hong Kong Union Company]
Come in.
[De Ying, Liaison of the CPC in Hong Kong]
Ms. Zhu.
That British guy from Mr. Jiang's company is demanding more money.
He says there are other buyers interested in this penicillin.
He wants to break our agreement and raise the price.
I did some investigating.
Yesterday afternoon, this British man met with
a Kuomintang official from Guangzhou,
as well as a Frenchman.
How much is he raising it?
Thirty percent.
Thirty percent?
That's pure extortion!
Do you think he found out
about our company's background?
On the surface, he's just raising the price,
but in fact he doesn't want
to sell us the penicillin at all.
That's unlikely.
The British only care about business.
They don't care about ideology.
As long as the price is right,
they'd even do business with the Soviets.
Where would we get that much money?
Ms. Zhu, what should we do?
Trade soybeans for penicillin.
De Ying, please check
if that shipment of soybeans from Dalian has arrived at the port.
Comrade Jianfeng, regarding the investigation you requested,
I've made some initial progress.
The President has repeatedly emphasized
that the construction work must be completed
within half a month.
However, due to material shortages,
construction at the Fuzhou Pacification Office has been delayed.
According to reports, Liu Ruming, Li Yannian,
Li Liangrong and others
[Liu Ruming, Commander of the 8th Corps, Kuomintang; Army Lieutenant General]
had a heated argument
about this matter during the special meeting.
During the meeting, Wu Shi called the timber merchants' association
demanding they supply the timber as soon as possible.
But they refused.
After our investigation,
the timber merchants' association didn't receive
any calls from military or government departments that day.
Who did Deputy Chief Wu actually call?
We're still checking the call routing nodes.
But in both matters,
Deputy Chief Wu is definitely involved.
I believe he must be hiding something.
The city's defenses are not yet complete.
And the 318th Division suddenly defected.
Even if we had two Tang Enbos defending,
I'm afraid Fuzhou could fall at any moment.
I just received a telegram from the BIS in Chongqing.
Deputy Director Xu
has already deployed personnel in Fuzhou and Taiwan
to conduct a thorough investigation of this matter.
You are colleagues.
You should unite and work in full cooperation
to handle this matter successfully.
Comrade Jianfeng,
our BIS in Taiwan has made arrangements as well.
Jifu.
You've been working
in this kind of environment for a year?
Actually, it's not like this happens every day.
Uncle Jifu,
I saw the sign
that read "the Guangming News Case."
What kind of case is that?
Communist spies from their Taiwan Work Committee
delivered their "Guangming News"
to the residences of the President and General Chen Cheng.
The BIS just solved the case recently.
They raided a school in Keelung
and arrested dozens of people.
That's how things are in Taiwan now.
If you're associated with the words "communist spy,"
you'll be skinned alive even if you don't die.
What is the Taiwan Work Committee?
The Communist Party's Work Committee in Taiwan.
It's the underground organization of the Communist Party in Taiwan.
This is a temporarily requisitioned house.
They haven't even had time to change the door plate.
Come on, Jiancheng.
Dad, why did you
[Guesthouse of Guangfu Power Company]
cover my eyes just now?
They were about to set off firecrackers.
I was afraid you'd be scared.
Did Xuecheng and the little bird cover their eyes too?
I didn't close my eyes.
I saw everything.
Xuecheng, what did you see?
Xuecheng, go upstairs now.
Liar.
Jiancheng, let's go.
[Duan Tuizhi, Director of the Second Department,]
[Ministry of Defense, Nationalist Government]
Uncle Jifu, which room is mine?
Come.
Look, this is the room for you and Xuecheng.
Do you like it?
I like it.
Go ahead.
Be careful.
Yuxun.
Maybe I shouldn't have brought the kids
with you to Taiwan?
Since you're here,
make the best of it.
Are you sure this is the right address?
Yes.
Drive the car away.
I'll stay nearby.
[He Sui's home in Taipei]
Yuxun.
Sui.
[Ministry of Defense in Taipei]
Chief, Deputy Chief Wu arrived yesterday with his wife and children
and settled in the guesthouse without issue.
The Deputy Chief's family brought minimal luggage
and no outsiders have visited their residence yet.
[Zhou Zhirou, Acting Chief of the General Staff,]
However, I've noticed
[Ministry of Defense, Nationalist Government;]
[Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force; Army General (Second Rank)]
that the Deputy Chief's wife and daughter seem
quite unhappy about relocating here.
Deputy Chief Wu just came from the mainland
where the situation is complex and Communist spies are rampant.
He now holds a key position
with access to core classified information.
I will continue to monitor closely
and won't miss any details.
Just follow the protocols.
Yes, I will do my utmost duty.
After the liberation of the whole country,
I'll focus on raising chickens full-time.
[He Sui, Member of the Legislative Yuan under the Nationalist Government;]
I've already developed some expertise.
[Secret CPC Agent;]
[Veteran of the 1911 Revolution]
How are the children?
Has Kang come too?
Kang stayed in Shanghai.
He's working at the Military Control Commission.
My oldest and second one are both here.
They're working in the salt administration.
My daughter He Jia and her husband have also come.
He Jia has come too?
Yes, she has.
Your oldest and second one work in the salt administration.
That's excellent.
They can control a vital resource for people's livelihood
and also conveniently travel in and out of Taiwan.
They both have perfect covers.
I have good news for you.
Just before you arrived,
I received word
that our hometown, Fuzhou,
has been liberated.
Really? That's wonderful news.
Yuxun,
you deserve some credit for this too.
I have a feeling that with you joining us,
Taiwan's liberation is just around the corner.
Yuxun,
I can almost
hear it now -
our PLA sounding
the bugle for Taiwan's liberation.
I've waited
for this day far too long.
The Chinese nation
has endured too much suffering and humiliation.
It's time for us to stand tall again.
The long night is ending and dawn is breaking.
A brand new China will soon be born.
So for your mission in Taiwan,
you only need to focus on one thing:
intelligence gathering.
We've spent 3 years
building an intelligence network in Taiwan.
It automatically delivers intelligence to our superiors.
I've given this intelligence network a name -
the East Sea Intelligence Team.
The superiors have approved it.
Yuxun.
The East Sea Intelligence Team.
Welcome aboard officially.
The enemy has always portrayed me
as the most disruptive troublemaker
in modern politics.
Now with you, Top Scholar Wu, taking the lead,
we'll surely create huge waves in the East Sea.
My heart's vexation cries out for drink—
wine as vast as the East Sea, poured with the Northern Dipper itself.
The children are asleep?
It's so late. Of course they are asleep.
You've been drinking?
I went to see an old friend.
If he's an old friend,
doesn't he know about your high blood pressure?
Yet he let you drink so much.
I'll have some wine too.
Honey.
I bought you something else.
I know you hadn't finished
reading this book, "Autumn Begonia",
before you came to Taiwan.
I bought this copy especially for you.
This isn't the only book I haven't finished.
["Autumn Begonia"]
Then make a list of books,
and I'll buy them for you one by one.
All of them?
All of them.
Shaocheng is already 22 years old
and he's reaching the age to start a family.
Lancheng is a young girl living alone in Shanghai.
She needs your guidance in both work and life.
And there's Xuecheng and Jiancheng.
They're at the age
when they need their father's companionship and guidance.
Stop drinking.
I know.
Don't you want
to be surrounded by your children and grandchildren in your old age?
Show him in.
Chief, Deputy Chief Wu is here.
Please come in.
[Wu Shi, Newly Appointed Deputy Chief of Staff, Ministry of Defense,]
[Nationalist Government; Army Lieutenant General]
Senior, I've finally been waiting for you to come!
Chief Zhou.
I'm just acting in this position.
You're being too modest.
Right now, besides you,
who else could take on this responsibility?
Chief Gu is assisting the President
in Guangzhou to oversee matters there.
I'm merely following orders to temporarily manage
the General Staff Headquarters of the Ministry of Defense
and its affairs in Taiwan.
How dare I call myself Chief?
I don't care. I'm calling you Chief.
All right.
I'll just assume you're addressing me
as the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force.
Please, have a seat.
Have you taken the opportunity before taking office
to meet with some old friends?
I paid a visit to General Chen.
I invited Yimin for a hometown meal.
I recall that you and He Sui were family friends.
Haven't you met him?
We've been corresponding by letter,
but since coming to Taiwan,
I haven't had the chance to meet him yet.
What's wrong?
Has something happened to He Sui?
I heard from internal sources in Hong Kong
that He Sui's younger son, He Kang,
is serving in the Agricultural and Forestry Office
of the Shanghai Military Control Commission,
and he was photographed by reporters.
I know your two families are very close.
I'm concerned you might not understand the situation
and get implicated.
I wouldn't want someone with your talents
to have nowhere to apply them.
I was actually planning to invite him to catch up.
Thank you for the warning, Chief.
The current development of the war situation
is truly unpredictable.
Just a few months ago, we were considering dividing rule along the Yangtze River,
but now the government keeps retreating.
This time the President
has asked me to manage the affairs of the Ministry of Defense.
Is it a blessing or a curse?
In my opinion,
Chief, you can rest assured
for some time.
What insights do you have, Senior?
Su Yu has occupied Fuzhou and is heading south,
directly targeting Guangzhou.
It seems fierce,
but in fact, since the Xuzhou-Bengbu Campaign,
his forces have been fighting continuously and are severely weakened.
By the time they reached Fuzhou, they were already exhausted.
They cannot break through in the short term
our army's major forces in the Zhangzhou-Xiamen
and Chaoshan areas.
The southeast is temporarily free from danger.
Central China, however, will definitely face a fierce battle.
Lin Biao has been resting for a long time
and is determined to take Hunan.
But to defend Guangxi, we must first defend Hunan.
Acting President Li Zongren won't stand by and do nothing.
Bai Jiansheng, the "Little Zhuge Liang,"
hasn't earned his reputation for nothing.
Without your urging,
he will fight to the death.
That's why I say for some time,
you can rest easy.
The President truly has an eye for talent.
In the future,
I'll inevitably need to rely on you, Senior.
Chief, with your trust,
I will certainly do my utmost and give my all.
-Freeze! Freeze! -What are you doing?
Hurry!
[Ye Xiangzhi, Director of the Operations Division of the BIS]
Mr. Ye, they couldn't have gone far.
The medicine is still brewing.
Let's wait for them to return.
Team One, guard the front entrance.
You take Team Two to watch the back.
Be careful not to leave any traces.
Yes, sir.
Quick, search the place.
Yes, sir.
Kang was photographed by reporters.
The photos were published in Hong Kong.
Today I received evacuation orders.
Why haven't you left yet?
I was waiting for you.
Sui.
I can only escort you this far.
The materials for you,
along with the tokens and codes
used to contact the courier,
are all in here.
Keep them safe.
The courier's name is Zhang Hao,
a veteran underground operative.
His current identity
is first mate at a shipping company.
The radio is hidden on the ship.
It's only used when at sea.
Even radio direction-finding or checking power meters
couldn't track him down.
It's very secure.
This radio is for emergency contact only,
not to be used routinely.
Okay.
If there's important intelligence or an emergency,
I'll activate it then.
If you encounter any difficulties in Taiwan,
you can go to Yongchuntang Pharmacy in Hong Kong
and seek assistance from its manager, Mr. Wan Jingguang.
Use these same tokens and codes inside this.
I'll contact him later
to inform him about your situation.
Remember.
You must meet him in person.
Understood.
I've been investigating
who managed to infiltrate
the Keelung Work Committee within 2 weeks,
which led to its complete destruction.
Did you find out?
His name is Gu Zhengwen.
He's the head of the BIS Counterintelligence Section.
If you ever deal with him in the future,
remember, never underestimate him.
I understand.
The East Sea Team
is now in your hands.
Alright.
Sui.
After this,
♪ I hear it, in these silent passing years ♪
we can't even exchange letters anymore?
That's right.
♪ As if it were you, recalling all the past ♪
But don't worry.
If there's an emergency,
I'll write to you.
♪ You light up every shadow of night and every dawn ♪
He Sui told Wu Shi before parting
♪ As if you had never been away ♪
that on September 21,
the 1st Plenary Session
of the CPPCC
♪ From then on, I gaze at the life you left unfinished ♪
had renamed Beiping as Beijing and designated it as the capital.
On, October 1, 1949,
♪ Rushing toward this reunion across time apart ♪
the great moment of New China's founding was about to arrive.
♪ This dream was once within your reach ♪
♪ And I, will answer you with the future ♪
♪ As if you were right here ♪
The Central People's
Government
of the People's Republic of China
is established today!
Our army was intercepting on multiple fronts. The battle was fierce.
Commander Tang Enbo states that
the Kinmen and Xiamen are as unassailable as ironclad fortresses.
Hurry up and send it to the 55th Army directly.
Eighth Squadron, are you ready?
What? Just one aircraft?
Send it out anyway.
Have you managed to contact Tang Enbo?
Not yet.
Keep trying.
Yes, sir.
Senior.
Xiamen has fallen.
Didn't Tang Enbo claim that his Xiamen fortress
was impregnable?
Didn't he say it could hold for 3 to 5 years without any problem?
It's only been 3 days!
The Communist Army
used feint attacks
to tie up Commander Tang's reserve forces
and established a landing field in northern Kinmen.
General Chen only found out
when he received a call from the director of Xiamen Telecommunications Bureau
that Communist troops had already entered the city.
What about casualties?
Can our troops withdraw?
Sir, at present, it can be confirmed
that the 74th Division
and the 181st Division in northern Kinmen,
as well as the 29th Division in the city area
and on Gulangyu, have all been completely wiped out.
The remnants of the 68th
and 96th Armies in southern Kinmen are in grave peril.
Only the 166th Division remained relatively intact,
retreating with General Tang to Kinmen.
Conservative estimates put casualties at nearly...
Stop!
Casualties are approaching 30,000 men.
Chief.
Xiamen has fallen,
and Kinmen is in grave danger.
With such a vast party-state,
we still cannot dispatch even a single unit to rush to Kinmen's aid.
General Chen.
Where's Hu Lian's 12th Corps
at this moment?
[Chen Cheng, Chief of the Southeast Military and Political Office]
They should be approaching Zhoushan by now.
[of the KMT;]
[Chairman of Taiwan Province; Army General (First Rank)]
If Hu Lian's forces could come to Kinmen's aid,
[Xiao Yisu, Deputy Chief of Staff,]
[Ministry of Defense, Nationalist Government;]
that would certainly be the best solution.
[Army Lieutenant General]
But officially,
the 12th Corps are still under General Xue Yue's command.
I'm not in a position to redeploy them.
Sir,
urgent telegram from the President.
President's Order:
Effective immediately,
Hu Lian's Corps
is transferred under the command of the Southeast Military and Political Office.
Weiwen,
[Lin Wei, Deputy Chief of the Southeast Military and Political Office]
Send a telegram to General Hu yourself.
[of the KMT; Army Lieutenant General]
Order the 18th and 19th Armies of the 12th Corps
to turn their ships around and hasten to Kinmen.
Yes, sir.
Good. We've finally addressed this urgent crisis.
Yuxun.
This time
you and the President are thinking alike again.
No wonder you're the President's handpicked top scholar.
You flatter me, General Chen.
General Chen has always been decisive in military matters.
No need to be so modest, Senior.
In short,
now our Army in Kinmen
suddenly has over 60,000 elite troops.
And the Communist forces have neither navy nor air force.
Even if Ye Fei
were to hurl the entire 10th Corps, 100,000 troops,
onto Kinmen Island,
they would surely never return.
Gentlemen, for Boyu's counterattack
to succeed brilliantly,
be absolutely silent and maintain strict secrecy.
The content of today's meeting
is restricted to everyone present.
General Chen, you can rest assured.
Among us,
could there possibly be Communist spies?
Senior.
Chief.
To be honest,
when I learned today that Xiamen had fallen,
I truly felt that there was no way to defend Fujian any longer.
Look,
Xiamen has an airport, fortresses, and a city,
yet it only held out for 3 days.
What does Kinmen have?
Just defeated troops.
Now it's fine.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force,
I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Yes, yes.
Come to my office.
I just got some Dongding oolong tea.
Let's brew a nice pot of tea,
relax a bit,
and have a chat. Come on.
Chief.
Let's have tea another day.
Maybe it's because I've been too stressed lately
that I've been feeling dizzy,
and my blood pressure has remained high.
I'd like to request some time off
to visit the hospital.
You should go right away.
You've been on duty for several nights.
At our age,
we're no longer like we were back at Baoding Military Academy.
Yes.
Health comes first.
Go quickly.
I'll have someone send the tea to you later.
Thank you.
Contact Zhang immediately
and change into civilian clothes.
Sir.
Today isn't our scheduled meeting day.
This last-minute arrangement isn't well-prepared.
I'm worried there might be problems.
There's no time.
Chen Cheng has ordered
Hu Lian's two armies to reinforce Kinmen.
The garrison forces have tripled.
Amphibious landing operations
are the PLA's weakest point.
If the intelligence about Hu Lian's reinforcements
doesn't get out,
the PLA, without any command of the sea or air
and lacking defense in depth,
who was preparing to attack 20,000 defending troops,
will launch a desperate assault against a beachhead
held by 60,000 elite forces.
The consequences would be unimaginable.
Then we must take this risk.
After the meeting, Zhang needs to return to Keelung.
It will definitely be after curfew.
I'll get him a pass first,
then accompany you to the hospital.
There's no time.
Take me to the hospital first.
Get the pass afterward,
then come back to pick me up.
But I'm worried about your safety.
It's fine. Since Sui left,
I've met with Zhang Hao at the hospital three times.
He's very experienced.
If there's any danger,
he won't meet with me.
[National Taiwan University Hospital]
[Gu Zhengwen, Head of the Counterintelligence Section, BIS]
Zhang Hao.
So who exactly are you going to meet?
[Zhang Hao, Underground Liaison of the CPC;]
[First Mate of a Shipping Company]
[Yu Xiaonan, Member of the Counterintelligence Section, BIS]
Sir.
Want some penicillin?
Fresh supplies.
Deputy Chief Wu?
Fresh supplies.
Hu Lian is leading the 18th and 19th Armies
to reinforce Kinmen.
They'll arrive in the coming days.
Go to Danyang Street.
No more passengers. Go away.
If you're not taking passengers, why are you stopping here?
Get moving!
Bunch of idiots.
Kidnap me.
Don't move!
Move aside!
Don't move!
What are you doing?
Nobody move!
Move and I'll kill him!
Nobody shoot!
Back off!
Don't hurt Deputy Chief Wu!
Deputy Chief?
So that's why all this commotion.
Open the door!
Open it!
Open it!
Alright.
Don't do anything rash.
Hurry up!
Step back!
Stop!
Back off!
Hurry!
Quick, get in the car!
Get in!
Quick, after them!
They won't dare shoot while I'm here.
It's all my fault.
I was careless.
No.
Thanks to you for noticing.
What kind of driving is that?
So recklessly fast!
Don't shoot! Deputy Chief Wu is in the car!
Go! Go!
The Leader fired!
Somebody's shooting!
Murder!
Who fired the shot?
Who fired first?
I...
Deputy Chief Wu, I...
Deputy Chief Wu, I...
Deputy Chief Wu, I...
It was me!
I fired it.
You fired first?
Yes.
I am
Gu Zhengwen, leader of the Counterintelligence Section at BIS.
I failed to control my subordinates.
I apologize for frightening you.
[Bureau of Investigation and Statistics of the Ministry of Defense]
The Deputy Chief of the Ministry of Defense
sit in a car given by General Chen Cheng,
and you dared to shoot at him?
Who gave you such courage?
Aren't you afraid of dying
by firing at him?
There aren't many Deputy Chiefs
in the Ministry of Defense.
How could it be such a coincidence
that he showed up at a Communist spy meeting point?
How is it such a coincidence
that he was held hostage by a Communist spy?
Do you really think this is a coincidence?
We monitored Zhang Hao's residence
in Keelung.
After receiving a phone call,
he immediately followed the instructions
and rushed to the National Taiwan University Hospital
to meet someone
under the pretext of selling penicillin.
Afraid of alerting them,
we went to the hospital early to set up an ambush.
That day,
Zhang Hao tried to sell penicillin
to 4 people in total.
The other 3 have already been
taken back to our section for investigation.
They've basically been cleared of Communist connections.
Currently, the most suspicious person
is Deputy Chief Wu.
Did you trace the source of the phone call?
Did you hear the conversation
between Deputy Chief Wu and Zhang Hao?
Also,
did you find any evidence
on Zhang Hao?
Nothing at all.
Then it's just hearsay.
How am I supposed to explain this to my superiors?
That man used a public phone
and his voice was disguised.
Enough.
You can see how cunning they are.
You may leave.
Yes, sir.
Connect me with
Deputy Chief Wu Shi.
Deputy Chief Wu, this is Mao Renfeng.
[Silent Honor]
[Episode 2]
In 1949,
Hong Kong, under British colonial rule,
developed a unique and diverse social structure.
It also became a crucial hub for the CPC to obtain strategic supplies,
[Yongchuntang Pharmacy in Hong Kong]
transit personnel,
and relay intelligence.
Wan Jingguang, an underground CPC member,
used the Yongchuntang Pharmacy as a cover
[Wan Jingguang, Head of the Second Task Force, Taiwan Work Committee,]
to secretly establish
[East China Bureau of the CPC; Underground Member of the CPC]
the East China Bureau's Taiwan Work Committee.
It directly supervised the underground intelligence team
in Taiwan to which Wu Shi belonged.
[Zhu Feng, Liaison of the CPC in Hong Kong]
In August of the same year,
the Battle of Kinmen landing was imminent.
The superiors ordered Wan Jingguang
to procure a large supply of penicillin and send it to the front lines.
Due to the Party's foreign exchange shortage,
he entrusted Zhu Feng, the CPC liaison in Hong Kong,
hoping she would use
her position as financial director at Hong Kong Union Company
to complete this challenging mission.
But Zhu Feng never dreamed
that she would become Wu Shi's courier.
Mr. Jiang, look at this horse.
Its name is Black Pearl.
I heard it will definitely place in the top 3 today.
Really?
That impressive?
Alright, Ms. Zhu, I'll take your word for it.
Kai.
Mr. Jiang.
Place a bet for me on Black Pearl to finish in the top 3
in the next race.
Okay.
300 dollars.
Okay.
300.
Ms. Zhu, you've always dealt in big business.
Why would you come to someone like me,
who runs such a small business,
to buy penicillin?
Mr. Jiang, you're being modest.
Everyone knows
that all medicinal supplies in Causeway Bay
must pass through your hands.
However much you've got, I'll buy it.
Name your price.
You really are a big-time dealer,
straight to the point.
Well, you see.
The market price for penicillin has been rising lately.
I wonder, Ms. Zhu,
how do you plan to pay?
Will it be in US dollars or British pounds?
I'll use soybeans.
Sir, here we are.
Here's the money.
Thank you.
[Hong Kong Union Company]
Come in.
[De Ying, Liaison of the CPC in Hong Kong]
Ms. Zhu.
That British guy from Mr. Jiang's company is demanding more money.
He says there are other buyers interested in this penicillin.
He wants to break our agreement and raise the price.
I did some investigating.
Yesterday afternoon, this British man met with
a Kuomintang official from Guangzhou,
as well as a Frenchman.
How much is he raising it?
Thirty percent.
Thirty percent?
That's pure extortion!
Do you think he found out
about our company's background?
On the surface, he's just raising the price,
but in fact he doesn't want
to sell us the penicillin at all.
That's unlikely.
The British only care about business.
They don't care about ideology.
As long as the price is right,
they'd even do business with the Soviets.
Where would we get that much money?
Ms. Zhu, what should we do?
Trade soybeans for penicillin.
De Ying, please check
if that shipment of soybeans from Dalian has arrived at the port.
Comrade Jianfeng, regarding the investigation you requested,
I've made some initial progress.
The President has repeatedly emphasized
that the construction work must be completed
within half a month.
However, due to material shortages,
construction at the Fuzhou Pacification Office has been delayed.
According to reports, Liu Ruming, Li Yannian,
Li Liangrong and others
[Liu Ruming, Commander of the 8th Corps, Kuomintang; Army Lieutenant General]
had a heated argument
about this matter during the special meeting.
During the meeting, Wu Shi called the timber merchants' association
demanding they supply the timber as soon as possible.
But they refused.
After our investigation,
the timber merchants' association didn't receive
any calls from military or government departments that day.
Who did Deputy Chief Wu actually call?
We're still checking the call routing nodes.
But in both matters,
Deputy Chief Wu is definitely involved.
I believe he must be hiding something.
The city's defenses are not yet complete.
And the 318th Division suddenly defected.
Even if we had two Tang Enbos defending,
I'm afraid Fuzhou could fall at any moment.
I just received a telegram from the BIS in Chongqing.
Deputy Director Xu
has already deployed personnel in Fuzhou and Taiwan
to conduct a thorough investigation of this matter.
You are colleagues.
You should unite and work in full cooperation
to handle this matter successfully.
Comrade Jianfeng,
our BIS in Taiwan has made arrangements as well.
Jifu.
You've been working
in this kind of environment for a year?
Actually, it's not like this happens every day.
Uncle Jifu,
I saw the sign
that read "the Guangming News Case."
What kind of case is that?
Communist spies from their Taiwan Work Committee
delivered their "Guangming News"
to the residences of the President and General Chen Cheng.
The BIS just solved the case recently.
They raided a school in Keelung
and arrested dozens of people.
That's how things are in Taiwan now.
If you're associated with the words "communist spy,"
you'll be skinned alive even if you don't die.
What is the Taiwan Work Committee?
The Communist Party's Work Committee in Taiwan.
It's the underground organization of the Communist Party in Taiwan.
This is a temporarily requisitioned house.
They haven't even had time to change the door plate.
Come on, Jiancheng.
Dad, why did you
[Guesthouse of Guangfu Power Company]
cover my eyes just now?
They were about to set off firecrackers.
I was afraid you'd be scared.
Did Xuecheng and the little bird cover their eyes too?
I didn't close my eyes.
I saw everything.
Xuecheng, what did you see?
Xuecheng, go upstairs now.
Liar.
Jiancheng, let's go.
[Duan Tuizhi, Director of the Second Department,]
[Ministry of Defense, Nationalist Government]
Uncle Jifu, which room is mine?
Come.
Look, this is the room for you and Xuecheng.
Do you like it?
I like it.
Go ahead.
Be careful.
Yuxun.
Maybe I shouldn't have brought the kids
with you to Taiwan?
Since you're here,
make the best of it.
Are you sure this is the right address?
Yes.
Drive the car away.
I'll stay nearby.
[He Sui's home in Taipei]
Yuxun.
Sui.
[Ministry of Defense in Taipei]
Chief, Deputy Chief Wu arrived yesterday with his wife and children
and settled in the guesthouse without issue.
The Deputy Chief's family brought minimal luggage
and no outsiders have visited their residence yet.
[Zhou Zhirou, Acting Chief of the General Staff,]
However, I've noticed
[Ministry of Defense, Nationalist Government;]
[Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force; Army General (Second Rank)]
that the Deputy Chief's wife and daughter seem
quite unhappy about relocating here.
Deputy Chief Wu just came from the mainland
where the situation is complex and Communist spies are rampant.
He now holds a key position
with access to core classified information.
I will continue to monitor closely
and won't miss any details.
Just follow the protocols.
Yes, I will do my utmost duty.
After the liberation of the whole country,
I'll focus on raising chickens full-time.
[He Sui, Member of the Legislative Yuan under the Nationalist Government;]
I've already developed some expertise.
[Secret CPC Agent;]
[Veteran of the 1911 Revolution]
How are the children?
Has Kang come too?
Kang stayed in Shanghai.
He's working at the Military Control Commission.
My oldest and second one are both here.
They're working in the salt administration.
My daughter He Jia and her husband have also come.
He Jia has come too?
Yes, she has.
Your oldest and second one work in the salt administration.
That's excellent.
They can control a vital resource for people's livelihood
and also conveniently travel in and out of Taiwan.
They both have perfect covers.
I have good news for you.
Just before you arrived,
I received word
that our hometown, Fuzhou,
has been liberated.
Really? That's wonderful news.
Yuxun,
you deserve some credit for this too.
I have a feeling that with you joining us,
Taiwan's liberation is just around the corner.
Yuxun,
I can almost
hear it now -
our PLA sounding
the bugle for Taiwan's liberation.
I've waited
for this day far too long.
The Chinese nation
has endured too much suffering and humiliation.
It's time for us to stand tall again.
The long night is ending and dawn is breaking.
A brand new China will soon be born.
So for your mission in Taiwan,
you only need to focus on one thing:
intelligence gathering.
We've spent 3 years
building an intelligence network in Taiwan.
It automatically delivers intelligence to our superiors.
I've given this intelligence network a name -
the East Sea Intelligence Team.
The superiors have approved it.
Yuxun.
The East Sea Intelligence Team.
Welcome aboard officially.
The enemy has always portrayed me
as the most disruptive troublemaker
in modern politics.
Now with you, Top Scholar Wu, taking the lead,
we'll surely create huge waves in the East Sea.
My heart's vexation cries out for drink—
wine as vast as the East Sea, poured with the Northern Dipper itself.
The children are asleep?
It's so late. Of course they are asleep.
You've been drinking?
I went to see an old friend.
If he's an old friend,
doesn't he know about your high blood pressure?
Yet he let you drink so much.
I'll have some wine too.
Honey.
I bought you something else.
I know you hadn't finished
reading this book, "Autumn Begonia",
before you came to Taiwan.
I bought this copy especially for you.
This isn't the only book I haven't finished.
["Autumn Begonia"]
Then make a list of books,
and I'll buy them for you one by one.
All of them?
All of them.
Shaocheng is already 22 years old
and he's reaching the age to start a family.
Lancheng is a young girl living alone in Shanghai.
She needs your guidance in both work and life.
And there's Xuecheng and Jiancheng.
They're at the age
when they need their father's companionship and guidance.
Stop drinking.
I know.
Don't you want
to be surrounded by your children and grandchildren in your old age?
Show him in.
Chief, Deputy Chief Wu is here.
Please come in.
[Wu Shi, Newly Appointed Deputy Chief of Staff, Ministry of Defense,]
[Nationalist Government; Army Lieutenant General]
Senior, I've finally been waiting for you to come!
Chief Zhou.
I'm just acting in this position.
You're being too modest.
Right now, besides you,
who else could take on this responsibility?
Chief Gu is assisting the President
in Guangzhou to oversee matters there.
I'm merely following orders to temporarily manage
the General Staff Headquarters of the Ministry of Defense
and its affairs in Taiwan.
How dare I call myself Chief?
I don't care. I'm calling you Chief.
All right.
I'll just assume you're addressing me
as the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force.
Please, have a seat.
Have you taken the opportunity before taking office
to meet with some old friends?
I paid a visit to General Chen.
I invited Yimin for a hometown meal.
I recall that you and He Sui were family friends.
Haven't you met him?
We've been corresponding by letter,
but since coming to Taiwan,
I haven't had the chance to meet him yet.
What's wrong?
Has something happened to He Sui?
I heard from internal sources in Hong Kong
that He Sui's younger son, He Kang,
is serving in the Agricultural and Forestry Office
of the Shanghai Military Control Commission,
and he was photographed by reporters.
I know your two families are very close.
I'm concerned you might not understand the situation
and get implicated.
I wouldn't want someone with your talents
to have nowhere to apply them.
I was actually planning to invite him to catch up.
Thank you for the warning, Chief.
The current development of the war situation
is truly unpredictable.
Just a few months ago, we were considering dividing rule along the Yangtze River,
but now the government keeps retreating.
This time the President
has asked me to manage the affairs of the Ministry of Defense.
Is it a blessing or a curse?
In my opinion,
Chief, you can rest assured
for some time.
What insights do you have, Senior?
Su Yu has occupied Fuzhou and is heading south,
directly targeting Guangzhou.
It seems fierce,
but in fact, since the Xuzhou-Bengbu Campaign,
his forces have been fighting continuously and are severely weakened.
By the time they reached Fuzhou, they were already exhausted.
They cannot break through in the short term
our army's major forces in the Zhangzhou-Xiamen
and Chaoshan areas.
The southeast is temporarily free from danger.
Central China, however, will definitely face a fierce battle.
Lin Biao has been resting for a long time
and is determined to take Hunan.
But to defend Guangxi, we must first defend Hunan.
Acting President Li Zongren won't stand by and do nothing.
Bai Jiansheng, the "Little Zhuge Liang,"
hasn't earned his reputation for nothing.
Without your urging,
he will fight to the death.
That's why I say for some time,
you can rest easy.
The President truly has an eye for talent.
In the future,
I'll inevitably need to rely on you, Senior.
Chief, with your trust,
I will certainly do my utmost and give my all.
-Freeze! Freeze! -What are you doing?
Hurry!
[Ye Xiangzhi, Director of the Operations Division of the BIS]
Mr. Ye, they couldn't have gone far.
The medicine is still brewing.
Let's wait for them to return.
Team One, guard the front entrance.
You take Team Two to watch the back.
Be careful not to leave any traces.
Yes, sir.
Quick, search the place.
Yes, sir.
Kang was photographed by reporters.
The photos were published in Hong Kong.
Today I received evacuation orders.
Why haven't you left yet?
I was waiting for you.
Sui.
I can only escort you this far.
The materials for you,
along with the tokens and codes
used to contact the courier,
are all in here.
Keep them safe.
The courier's name is Zhang Hao,
a veteran underground operative.
His current identity
is first mate at a shipping company.
The radio is hidden on the ship.
It's only used when at sea.
Even radio direction-finding or checking power meters
couldn't track him down.
It's very secure.
This radio is for emergency contact only,
not to be used routinely.
Okay.
If there's important intelligence or an emergency,
I'll activate it then.
If you encounter any difficulties in Taiwan,
you can go to Yongchuntang Pharmacy in Hong Kong
and seek assistance from its manager, Mr. Wan Jingguang.
Use these same tokens and codes inside this.
I'll contact him later
to inform him about your situation.
Remember.
You must meet him in person.
Understood.
I've been investigating
who managed to infiltrate
the Keelung Work Committee within 2 weeks,
which led to its complete destruction.
Did you find out?
His name is Gu Zhengwen.
He's the head of the BIS Counterintelligence Section.
If you ever deal with him in the future,
remember, never underestimate him.
I understand.
The East Sea Team
is now in your hands.
Alright.
Sui.
After this,
♪ I hear it, in these silent passing years ♪
we can't even exchange letters anymore?
That's right.
♪ As if it were you, recalling all the past ♪
But don't worry.
If there's an emergency,
I'll write to you.
♪ You light up every shadow of night and every dawn ♪
He Sui told Wu Shi before parting
♪ As if you had never been away ♪
that on September 21,
the 1st Plenary Session
of the CPPCC
♪ From then on, I gaze at the life you left unfinished ♪
had renamed Beiping as Beijing and designated it as the capital.
On, October 1, 1949,
♪ Rushing toward this reunion across time apart ♪
the great moment of New China's founding was about to arrive.
♪ This dream was once within your reach ♪
♪ And I, will answer you with the future ♪
♪ As if you were right here ♪
The Central People's
Government
of the People's Republic of China
is established today!
Our army was intercepting on multiple fronts. The battle was fierce.
Commander Tang Enbo states that
the Kinmen and Xiamen are as unassailable as ironclad fortresses.
Hurry up and send it to the 55th Army directly.
Eighth Squadron, are you ready?
What? Just one aircraft?
Send it out anyway.
Have you managed to contact Tang Enbo?
Not yet.
Keep trying.
Yes, sir.
Senior.
Xiamen has fallen.
Didn't Tang Enbo claim that his Xiamen fortress
was impregnable?
Didn't he say it could hold for 3 to 5 years without any problem?
It's only been 3 days!
The Communist Army
used feint attacks
to tie up Commander Tang's reserve forces
and established a landing field in northern Kinmen.
General Chen only found out
when he received a call from the director of Xiamen Telecommunications Bureau
that Communist troops had already entered the city.
What about casualties?
Can our troops withdraw?
Sir, at present, it can be confirmed
that the 74th Division
and the 181st Division in northern Kinmen,
as well as the 29th Division in the city area
and on Gulangyu, have all been completely wiped out.
The remnants of the 68th
and 96th Armies in southern Kinmen are in grave peril.
Only the 166th Division remained relatively intact,
retreating with General Tang to Kinmen.
Conservative estimates put casualties at nearly...
Stop!
Casualties are approaching 30,000 men.
Chief.
Xiamen has fallen,
and Kinmen is in grave danger.
With such a vast party-state,
we still cannot dispatch even a single unit to rush to Kinmen's aid.
General Chen.
Where's Hu Lian's 12th Corps
at this moment?
[Chen Cheng, Chief of the Southeast Military and Political Office]
They should be approaching Zhoushan by now.
[of the KMT;]
[Chairman of Taiwan Province; Army General (First Rank)]
If Hu Lian's forces could come to Kinmen's aid,
[Xiao Yisu, Deputy Chief of Staff,]
[Ministry of Defense, Nationalist Government;]
that would certainly be the best solution.
[Army Lieutenant General]
But officially,
the 12th Corps are still under General Xue Yue's command.
I'm not in a position to redeploy them.
Sir,
urgent telegram from the President.
President's Order:
Effective immediately,
Hu Lian's Corps
is transferred under the command of the Southeast Military and Political Office.
Weiwen,
[Lin Wei, Deputy Chief of the Southeast Military and Political Office]
Send a telegram to General Hu yourself.
[of the KMT; Army Lieutenant General]
Order the 18th and 19th Armies of the 12th Corps
to turn their ships around and hasten to Kinmen.
Yes, sir.
Good. We've finally addressed this urgent crisis.
Yuxun.
This time
you and the President are thinking alike again.
No wonder you're the President's handpicked top scholar.
You flatter me, General Chen.
General Chen has always been decisive in military matters.
No need to be so modest, Senior.
In short,
now our Army in Kinmen
suddenly has over 60,000 elite troops.
And the Communist forces have neither navy nor air force.
Even if Ye Fei
were to hurl the entire 10th Corps, 100,000 troops,
onto Kinmen Island,
they would surely never return.
Gentlemen, for Boyu's counterattack
to succeed brilliantly,
be absolutely silent and maintain strict secrecy.
The content of today's meeting
is restricted to everyone present.
General Chen, you can rest assured.
Among us,
could there possibly be Communist spies?
Senior.
Chief.
To be honest,
when I learned today that Xiamen had fallen,
I truly felt that there was no way to defend Fujian any longer.
Look,
Xiamen has an airport, fortresses, and a city,
yet it only held out for 3 days.
What does Kinmen have?
Just defeated troops.
Now it's fine.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force,
I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Yes, yes.
Come to my office.
I just got some Dongding oolong tea.
Let's brew a nice pot of tea,
relax a bit,
and have a chat. Come on.
Chief.
Let's have tea another day.
Maybe it's because I've been too stressed lately
that I've been feeling dizzy,
and my blood pressure has remained high.
I'd like to request some time off
to visit the hospital.
You should go right away.
You've been on duty for several nights.
At our age,
we're no longer like we were back at Baoding Military Academy.
Yes.
Health comes first.
Go quickly.
I'll have someone send the tea to you later.
Thank you.
Contact Zhang immediately
and change into civilian clothes.
Sir.
Today isn't our scheduled meeting day.
This last-minute arrangement isn't well-prepared.
I'm worried there might be problems.
There's no time.
Chen Cheng has ordered
Hu Lian's two armies to reinforce Kinmen.
The garrison forces have tripled.
Amphibious landing operations
are the PLA's weakest point.
If the intelligence about Hu Lian's reinforcements
doesn't get out,
the PLA, without any command of the sea or air
and lacking defense in depth,
who was preparing to attack 20,000 defending troops,
will launch a desperate assault against a beachhead
held by 60,000 elite forces.
The consequences would be unimaginable.
Then we must take this risk.
After the meeting, Zhang needs to return to Keelung.
It will definitely be after curfew.
I'll get him a pass first,
then accompany you to the hospital.
There's no time.
Take me to the hospital first.
Get the pass afterward,
then come back to pick me up.
But I'm worried about your safety.
It's fine. Since Sui left,
I've met with Zhang Hao at the hospital three times.
He's very experienced.
If there's any danger,
he won't meet with me.
[National Taiwan University Hospital]
[Gu Zhengwen, Head of the Counterintelligence Section, BIS]
Zhang Hao.
So who exactly are you going to meet?
[Zhang Hao, Underground Liaison of the CPC;]
[First Mate of a Shipping Company]
[Yu Xiaonan, Member of the Counterintelligence Section, BIS]
Sir.
Want some penicillin?
Fresh supplies.
Deputy Chief Wu?
Fresh supplies.
Hu Lian is leading the 18th and 19th Armies
to reinforce Kinmen.
They'll arrive in the coming days.
Go to Danyang Street.
No more passengers. Go away.
If you're not taking passengers, why are you stopping here?
Get moving!
Bunch of idiots.
Kidnap me.
Don't move!
Move aside!
Don't move!
What are you doing?
Nobody move!
Move and I'll kill him!
Nobody shoot!
Back off!
Don't hurt Deputy Chief Wu!
Deputy Chief?
So that's why all this commotion.
Open the door!
Open it!
Open it!
Alright.
Don't do anything rash.
Hurry up!
Step back!
Stop!
Back off!
Hurry!
Quick, get in the car!
Get in!
Quick, after them!
They won't dare shoot while I'm here.
It's all my fault.
I was careless.
No.
Thanks to you for noticing.
What kind of driving is that?
So recklessly fast!
Don't shoot! Deputy Chief Wu is in the car!
Go! Go!
The Leader fired!
Somebody's shooting!
Murder!
Who fired the shot?
Who fired first?
I...
Deputy Chief Wu, I...
Deputy Chief Wu, I...
Deputy Chief Wu, I...
It was me!
I fired it.
You fired first?
Yes.
I am
Gu Zhengwen, leader of the Counterintelligence Section at BIS.
I failed to control my subordinates.
I apologize for frightening you.
[Bureau of Investigation and Statistics of the Ministry of Defense]
The Deputy Chief of the Ministry of Defense
sit in a car given by General Chen Cheng,
and you dared to shoot at him?
Who gave you such courage?
Aren't you afraid of dying
by firing at him?
There aren't many Deputy Chiefs
in the Ministry of Defense.
How could it be such a coincidence
that he showed up at a Communist spy meeting point?
How is it such a coincidence
that he was held hostage by a Communist spy?
Do you really think this is a coincidence?
We monitored Zhang Hao's residence
in Keelung.
After receiving a phone call,
he immediately followed the instructions
and rushed to the National Taiwan University Hospital
to meet someone
under the pretext of selling penicillin.
Afraid of alerting them,
we went to the hospital early to set up an ambush.
That day,
Zhang Hao tried to sell penicillin
to 4 people in total.
The other 3 have already been
taken back to our section for investigation.
They've basically been cleared of Communist connections.
Currently, the most suspicious person
is Deputy Chief Wu.
Did you trace the source of the phone call?
Did you hear the conversation
between Deputy Chief Wu and Zhang Hao?
Also,
did you find any evidence
on Zhang Hao?
Nothing at all.
Then it's just hearsay.
How am I supposed to explain this to my superiors?
That man used a public phone
and his voice was disguised.
Enough.
You can see how cunning they are.
You may leave.
Yes, sir.
Connect me with
Deputy Chief Wu Shi.
Deputy Chief Wu, this is Mao Renfeng.