Regarding Yang Zhen's thoughts, although he was very moved by Yang Zhen's generosity, Vice Chairman Zhou did not take it to heart. In his opinion, Yang Zhen's thinking of going to the United States to make money is somewhat fanciful and unrealistic. Even if those materials can really be sold at the price that Yang Zhen wants, this money is not easy to use.

Vice Chairman Zhou, who didn't want to dwell on this topic, pondered for a moment and said, "It's just that in this situation, what do you decide to do?" This matter cannot be postponed indefinitely. You've offered to return home, but they've been slow to send planes. For now, they've made up their minds that if you don't agree, they're going to drag you here. ”

"As a military commander, if you stay here for a long time, it will be very irresponsible to your troops. Once the domestic war situation changes, I'm afraid something will go wrong if you don't go back. Even if you can't get along, you have to find a way to hurry back. And you have to be careful in some areas too. The central government absolutely does not want to repeat what happened before. ”

Those aspects need to be careful, Vice Chairman Zhou didn't say, but Yang Zhen knew it. It's just that Yang Zhen didn't care much, he thought that at least for now, they wouldn't attack themselves, and it would be more beneficial for them to live by themselves, right? Besides, with their own ability, as long as they are more careful, even if they want to get rid of themselves, they may not have that much ability.

In later generations, in addition to the body and skills and tactics, what is played is the heart eye. After all, in conducting special operations, as a middle-level commander, many times the brain is more important than the body. Fighting alone, even a small negligence on the part of the commander who leads the team will result in the annihilation of the entire army.

Regarding Vice Chairman Zhou's question, Yang Zhen only had one word "drag". Looking at Vice Chairman Zhou's slightly furrowed brows, Yang Zhen smiled and said, "Vice Chairman Zhou, don't worry, as long as the Kwantung Army does not give up its attempt to advance north for a day and still maintains a heavy army group in the northeast, they will not do anything to me for a day." And I also have the strength to make them not unscrupulous. ”

Looking at Yang Zhen's confident face, Vice Chairman Zhou, who knew the current world shape very well, was still worried about Yang Zhen's safety, but he believed that Yang Zhen should be able to handle these things well.

It's just that Yang Zhen, who is quite confident at this time, doesn't know that he is really dangling outside the ghost gate right now. He still underestimated the other party's determination to take the lead in this matter.

Yang Zhen's estimate was not wrong, and the Soviet Union, which had painstakingly managed the intelligence network that had almost all been destroyed, was indeed more anxious than him now. It is clear that General Abanashenk, who has not made any progress in the past few days, has lost patience. He's not one of those diplomats who is a mouthful. He is a military man and prefers to go straight.

After Kovalev sent Vice Chairman Zhou to Yang Zhen's residence and returned, he was found in his office by Senior General Abanashenk, who had received the latest instructions from Moscow. When he died, he was an old intelligence officer, and as soon as General Abanashenk looked for him, Kovalev felt that something was wrong.

Looking at Kovalev, who seemed to have guessed what he meant, General Abanashenk went straight to the point: "Comrade Kovalev, I want to ask you a question. I hope you can answer me truthfully. Remember, this is a question for you on behalf of Moscow. ”

"If this Yang Zhen disappears completely, will there be anyone in their army who can replace him? This matter cannot be postponed indefinitely. This time our intelligence organizations in Japan and Manchuria were dealt a degrading blow, and Moscow was in a hurry. If we can no longer get an answer that satisfies Moscow, then we can only replace it with someone who is obedient and can be used by us. ”

"You've worked with them, not for long, but you've been the one among us who knows them best. I hope you can give me an answer today. Please remember that the security of the eastern border of the Soviet Union was at stake. So answer me truthfully. Get rid of this Yang Zhen, can we find a replacement among them, like a figure like Sheng Shicai in Xinjiang. ”

Abanaschenk's words made it clear to Sù Kovalev that Moscow had now lost patience and was ready to change horses. Kill Yang Zhen and support another obedient one from within them who can obey Moscow's command. The most important thing is to replace them with someone who is a certain distance away from the center of the northwest.

Kovalev, who didn't think it was a good decision to kill Yang Zhen now, was silent for a while and said: "Comrade Abanashenk, if Moscow wants to ask for my opinion, I can only say that this decision is terrible. At least now in the North Manchurian region, there is no one who can replace him. ”

"The leaders of their Third Route Army are more suitable for political work, and military work is not their strength. As for the First Army, I don't know much about it. But one thing is clear to me, he can't replace Yang's job. Comrade Commander, now they are all relying on Yang's help to survive under the harsh shape. ”

"Although this man has a strong sense of nationality, his military talent is what we urgently need at the moment. Although this so-called unit of the Jidong Military Region is based on a part of the Second Route Army of the Anti-Japanese Union, most of the people were brought out by him, and he is like Comrade Stalin in this unit at the beginning, and he has a very high prestige in this unit, just like Comrade Stalin did to the Soviet Red Army. With a different person, I'm afraid it will be difficult to command the movement. ”

"And even if we kill him, northern Shaanxi will not agree to their own choice to replace him. The first of their three disciplines and eight points of attention is to obey the command of the first qiē action. Without the approval of their central government, it is impossible for anyone to take over this position. ”

"Although I don't know much about the leaders of the Chinese Party, as far as we can tell us so far, they are very sensitive to sectarianism within the party. If we kill this person, they will definitely bring someone else to replace them.

"Comrade Commander, instead of changing to a stranger, I want to get acquainted with each other again, I prefer to continue to deal with this guy. Although he is difficult to deal with, it is much better than someone we don't know at all. ”

"What do you mean by that? Comrade Commander, I think we have to think about the problem in a different way. Manchuria is different from Xinjiang, and the shape of the present is also different from that of the past. Previously, the representatives of the Chinese Party in the Comintern in Moscow valued the interests of the Soviet Union, but now that they have made direct contact with northern Shaanxi, it is impossible for us to control them as before. ”

"And Manchuria is the main area of our confrontation with the Japanese army, which is now controlled by the Japanese army. It is very different from the situation in Xinjiang. It is vast and sparsely populated, and most of them are ethnic minorities. Sheng Shicai, who lacked an effective force, would have been defeated by the rebels without our support. ”

"But they run it all the way around, not only do they have a very strong and well-equipped army, but they also have strict discipline. They were not warlords like Sheng Shicai, who was the first to preserve their existence, but a disciplined, well-targeted, and well-organized team. ”

"Comrade Commander, if I had to choose, I would choose to cooperate with Comrade Yang Zhen. Even if you make some concessions, you have to keep working with him. Because we need a stable eastern front in future wars, at least for the time being, no one else can replace him in this regard, especially in military talent. And the Soviets in future wars, if they need a stable eastern front, they will not be able to do without this man. ”

"But Commander, we can't have much hope for their vice chairman of the Military Commission to come this time. This man is strong-willed, and no one else can influence him. Even their superiors are the same, he will not be willing to become a marionette. This person has his own opinions, and once he has made up his mind, he will never be shaken by external reasons. ”

After saying this, Kovalev carefully observed General Abanashenk's somewhat gloomy and uncertain expression, and closed it with interest. He said that this does not mean that he is on Yang Zhen's side. It's just that as an intelligence officer, it is his job to analyze problems and draw conclusions that are most beneficial to him. But as a sober-minded man who has some personal friendship with Yang Zhen, he doesn't want Yang Zhen to have an accident whether he is public or private.

After listening to Kovalev's analysis, General Abanashenk did not answer him, but fell into deep thought. After waiting for the interested Kovalev to withdraw, after a brief hesitation, he picked up the red confidential phone on his desk and asked to call the switchboard of the military district: "Pick me up Moscow, the Kremlin, switchboard No. 1." ”

What the Moscow Kremlin's switchboard No. 1 means, even in the Far Eastern Military District, only a few people know. And what no one knows is what General Abanashenk, who has always liked a concise and bright military style, made a phone call for nearly an hour this time.

After General Abanashenk put down the phone, after pondering for a while, he called Kovalev, who had just left: "Comrade Kovalev, Moscow has agreed with them. But it will have to wait for him to meet with the comrade vice-chairman. Don't rush to play our final hole cards just yet. ”

Speaking of this, General Abanashenk paused for a moment and said: "Comrade Kovalev, your father is my old comrade-in-arms, and I have always regarded you as my own son and nephew. I think it's necessary for me to give you some necessary reminders about your words and actions. Don't give the impression that you're too close to them. ”

"Although the results of this winter operation have slowed down the purge in the army, you should also be careful not to give people a grip. Although we knocked down that guy this time, we went to the Chief of the General Staff, General Boshnikov. The newly appointed former commander of the Leningrad Military District, Colonel-General Meretskov. ”

"I had contact with him when I was deputy commander of the Belarusian Military District. This person is a general, but not a handsome talent. When he is in charge of fighting in a certain direction, he is a person who can be trusted. However, as the chief of the General Staff of the whole army, he was compared with General Shaposhnikov, although he served as deputy chief of the General Staff before he became commander of the Volga Military District. But in command of the overall situation, his ability is still much worse. ”

"I don't understand why such an outstanding commander-in-chief as General Shaposhnikov should be dismissed from his post and go to the People's Commissariat of Defense to become a deputy People's Commissar of Defense in name. With the dismissal of Senior General Shaposhnikov, I am afraid that our future work will be somewhat constrained. At the very least, the support of the General Staff will be weakened.

"The only good news for us now is that Marshal Timoshenko is still in his position, and Comrade Stalin attaches great importance to the shape of the Far Eastern Military District. In the future, our work will be reported directly to Marshal Timoshenko, without going through the General Staff. Otherwise, it is not yet known what kind of trouble will arise. ”

Hearing about the dismissal of General Shaposhnikov, Kovalev was taken aback. I thought that this respected veteran would also be like those veterans who mysteriously disappeared in the Great Purge. When he heard that the general had only been transferred to the post of Deputy People's Commissar of National Defense, he breathed a sigh of relief: "Comrade commander, thank you for your reminder, please rest assured that I will pay attention." ”

"But Comrade Commander, I must remind you that we have not discovered anything about his surveillance during this time. Although the intelligence department of the military region conspired against one of the two communications staff officers he had brought with him, it obtained all the passwords for his contacts with the country, including the passwords for his direct contact with the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. But so far, all we've gotten is inconsequential information. ”

"I think he's either spotted our actions or guessed our intentions. Therefore, he was very cautious and never communicated his ideas to the country, or even reported to their central government. Every day we communicate with Guò on the radio are trivial things, which are of no use to us negotiating with him. ”

"If my guess is correct, then this man is very difficult and shrewd. Comrade commander, I'd better go straight. Going around in circles, I'm afraid it will be difficult to do. If we don't get it, we'll get caught up in this guy again. This person looks inconspicuous on the outside, but in fact he is very scheming. ”

General Abanashenk did not answer Kovalev's words, but said: "Comrade Kovalev, you are the representative appointed by Moscow to be stationed there, and you see if they can really share intelligence with us in their intelligence work with Japan." You know that's important to us. ”

In response to Abanashenk's still somewhat uneasy rhetorical question, Kovalev said without hesitation: "Comrade commander, I think he will." Because this man is shrewd, he knows very well what is best for him right now. Now he can't do without our support for them, and if we cut off a single Qiē aid, he will soon run out of ammunition and food. He saw this very clearly. ”

"It's not like they're in the mainland, they don't have logistical support here, they don't have friendly forces. Not even a safe and reliable line of transportation. Without us, they have nothing. Moreover, this man's attitude towards Japan is very resolute and he will never compromise. ”

"As long as Japan is hostile to the Soviets at the moment, we are allies. Providing us with strategic intelligence is in their own interest. We have no reason to doubt that. Although our cooperation with them cannot be compared with Sheng Shicai, it is undoubtedly our best choice now. ”

"Comrade Commander, I know that when you were the commander of the Central Asian Military District, you had contact with that prosperous era for a while. But you should understand that this man is an out-and-out opportunist, who has taken refuge in us in order to preserve his position, and not to genuinely serve the Soviets.

"And this man is different, he works with us, even though he is also forced by reality. But their starting point is different, one is an out-and-out warlord, and the other is to fight the Japanese army. With this person's resolute determination to resist Japan, he can be a reassuring ally.

And Sheng Shicai, who is at both ends of the head, in order to keep his power, no matter who supports him, he will also take refuge. I don't think he will be more reassuring than the current emperor of Manchuria. Comrade commander, compared to two people, I would rather deal with this person. ”

"If Sheng Shi is a cunning wolf, then this person is an eagle. Yes, he gives me the impression that he is like an eagle king overlooking a qiē, shrewd and brave, cunning and sincere. You can be seen as an ally, but not as a friend. ”