"A year's plan starts with spring." Many things had to be planned at the beginning of the year. By the second day of the meeting, Chen Ke noticed that Chai Qingguo's expression was a bit unpleasant, as if he were angry with someone.

"What's wrong? Even if someone came to your door pleading for favors, you don't need to be this angry," Chen Ke asked with a smile.

The gentle words of comfort did not make Chai Qingguo relax in the slightest. He turned his face away slightly, his expression looking even worse. The other four comrades knew something was wrong; Chai Qingguo must have encountered some trouble.

"Speak your mind," Wu Xingchen was the first to ask. There had been too many troublesome matters recently, and Wu Xingchen could not bear any more sudden accidents.

At Wu Xingchen's question, Chai Qingguo opened his mouth with a face full of anger. "This time we plan to use troops against Henan. I can guarantee that I haven't said a word to anyone, and I don't recall anyone mentioning this matter in front of me. However, yesterday someone came to me to plead for leniency, and actually mentioned that we might use troops against Henan, hoping I could give a certain person a chance. Chairman Chen, leaders, if you think I said anything, you are free to investigate me. But for such meeting content, someone actually dared to leak it. This must be investigated."

The other four comrades changed their expressions simultaneously. The People's Party didn't actually have many secrets. For policies and systems, the Party was only afraid that the propaganda wasn't sufficient; there was no issue of secrecy. What needed to be kept secret were plans for struggle against the enemy. At least until now, there had been no leaks. And certainly, there had never been a leak from such a high-level meeting.

After a brief silence, Chen Tianhua asked, "Who came to find you?"

Chai Qingguo had a look of "hating iron for not becoming steel." "He doesn't have that many schemes; he must have been deceived by someone else."

Hearing Chai Qingguo say this, the first name that popped into everyone's mind was "Pang Zi."

Wu Xingchen asked with a stern face, "Is that person Pang Zi?"

Chai Qingguo knew this matter couldn't be hidden. If it were anyone else, he would have detained them long ago. But Pang Zi was his old brother, and a Division Commander. Chai Qingguo was a Corps Commander; he wasn't sure if he could just directly detain Pang Zi like that. When Wu Xingchen asked, Chai Qingguo nodded in confirmation. "He said he was pleading for leniency in advance. Pang Zi has many faults, and his understanding isn't high. But I don't believe Pang Zi would deliberately inquire about such confidential issues. He's too lazy."

If anyone else had said this, Wu Xingchen would probably have started lecturing them immediately. But with Chai Qingguo saying it, Wu Xingchen laughed coldly out of anger. "If you were truly worried about Pang Zi making bigger mistakes, you should have detained him right then. Are you letting him go out to continue spouting nonsense?"

"Brother Wu, it's not like you don't know Pang Zi's temper. If I detain him and try to reason with him, do you think he'll speak the truth? We'd just be tangling with him endlessly."

"You..." Wu Xingchen was choked by Chai Qingguo's blunt words. Wu Xingchen had truly experienced Pang Zi's personality, so he could understand Chai Qingguo's actions. If one had to say it, Pang Zi was a stubborn donkey who always thought highly of himself—a complete fool who would "help count the money after being sold." You couldn't say he wasn't smart, but his smarts never seemed to work for his own good. Pang Zi knew very well that Wu Xingchen and Chai Qingguo didn't actually want to hurt him, so Pang Zi felt he should "take responsibility" in front of others. This personality often made Wu Xingchen's teeth itch with anger.

"Sigh!" Wu Xingchen squeezed a sound out of his throat through gritted teeth. The strategic work meeting, which had been going well, could no longer continue. With a leak problem, how could they continue the meeting? Wu Xingchen asked with a cold face, "Comrade Chai Qingguo, what did you say to Pang Zi last night?"

Chai Qingguo answered very crisply, "I said, Comrade Pang Zi, how did you know this news? This is high-level secret meeting content. Knowing it now means there has been a leak. I told Pang Zi to immediately find Comrade Wu Xingchen to report this matter."

Everyone's eyes fell on Wu Xingchen's face. Wu Xingchen's face flushed red. If Pang Zi had come to find Wu Xingchen to report this matter that night, or early this morning, the leak could naturally have been disassociated from Pang Zi. But Pang Zi hadn't appeared until now. No wonder even Chai Qingguo dared not take responsibility for Pang Zi anymore.

The faint resentment towards Chai Qingguo in Wu Xingchen's heart dissipated completely. Whether from organizational rules or brotherhood, Chai Qingguo had done his utmost.

At this moment, Chen Ke interjected at just the right time. "Comrades, we shouldn't view the problem too severely just because Comrade Pang Zi is a Division Commander. As long as he didn't intentionally pry into and leak information, this mistake is very common. On the contrary, for us, the news definitely leaked from our surroundings. Whether intentional or unintentional, direct or indirect, we definitely have responsibility. Now let's first recall where the leak might have occurred. I'll speak first; I am the most suspicious."

After some discussion and recollection, everyone believed they hadn't directly mentioned anything related to strategic assumptions. Chai Qingguo and Shang Yuan were ruled out first; they weren't directly involved in this military plan. As long as they didn't mention it verbally, it should be impossible to leak. Wu Xingchen was also roughly ruled out. Listing his itinerary after the meeting on the blackboard, Wu Xingchen carefully recalled every detail and shouldn't have mentioned any relevant situations. However, Wu Xingchen remembered casually asking the Chief of Staff if there were any abnormal movements in Henan. If the Chief of Staff were attentive, he might have discovered some clues.

Chen Tianhua believed that if he had a possibility of leaking, it was mentioning to cadres of the Political Security Department that with so many current cadre issues, now really wasn't a good time to expand the base area.

After the four comrades finished speaking, Chen Ke talked about his own situation. Recently he had been collecting a lot of intelligence on Henan, so from the intelligence department to his secretary and guards, everyone could see these situations. The news likely leaked from these two links.

Chen Tianhua's face had become extremely ugly. Managing secretaries and guards was the work of the Political Security Department. Absolutely no news was allowed to be leaked; this was one of the most basic disciplines. He said with a face full of anger, "I'll send someone to investigate this immediately."

Chen Ke waved his hand. "Don't rush. Call Comrade Pang Zi over first and ask him."

Wu Xingchen lowered his gaze. After discussing for so long, Pang Zi still hadn't appeared. This couldn't be said that Chen Ke hadn't given Pang Zi a chance. Looking at the time, it was almost noon. Even if Pang Zi did nothing last night, there should have been a result from pursuing this matter during the day. Raising his head, Wu Xingchen said, "I'll give the order."

When Pang Zi appeared at the door led by the guard, he was stunned. It seemed Pang Zi hadn't expected to be brought into such a high-level meeting. Wu Xingchen had specifically instructed the guard that if Pang Zi asked where they were going, the guard could only answer that Commander Wu Xingchen invited Pang Zi over.

Soon, Pang Zi's eyes fell on Chai Qingguo. Pang Zi's cheek twitched involuntarily. Wearing a fearful expression of knowing he was wrong, Pang Zi stepped into the room.

"Comrade Pang Zi, do you know what we want to ask you?" Wu Xingchen spoke.

Pang Zi hesitated, looking like he didn't want to admit it. After waiting for three minutes, Pang Zi was still tongue-tied.

Wu Xingchen really didn't know what to say. He said gently, "Comrade Pang Zi, as the Commander of the Huaihai Provincial Military District, I formally notify you that you are now suspended. Go with the guard to handle the suspension procedures and honestly accept the investigation."

"Wh... why?" Pang Zi was stunned.

Wu Xingchen didn't want to say anything more. He continued calmly, "Nothing. As the Military District Commander, I have this authority. I used this authority. You go now."

Pang Zi stared at Wu Xingchen, then looked at Chai Qingguo and Chen Ke beside him. His lips trembled as he said, "Commander Wu, I did say some things, but you can't make me sell out my brothers."

Wu Xingchen waved his hand helplessly. He said in an almost despairing tone, "You don't need to say anything now. Someone will ask you during the investigation. If you really want to talk, say it then."

Pang Zi's eyes were red. "Brother Wu, what time is this? You can't make me sell out my brothers behind their backs, right?"

Wu Xingchen turned his face away and stopped looking at Pang Zi. "Guard, take Comrade Pang Zi down."

From when Pang Zi was brought in to when he was taken away, the other four people didn't say a word. No one took the initiative to give Pang Zi an out or let him explain at the meeting. After Pang Zi's figure, full of grief and indignation, disappeared outside the courtyard gate, Chen Tianhua tentatively asked, "Should we let the comrades from the People's Internal Affairs Committee participate this time?"

Chen Ke's face was also completely calm. "This isn't a contradiction between ourselves and the enemy right now; it belongs to the category of organizational discipline issues. Investigate the discipline issue clearly first."

Hearing Chen Ke say this, Chen Tianhua breathed a sigh of relief. His tone was full of helplessness. "Then how do we explain Comrade Pang Zi's issue to the comrades? I think everyone will feel there's some background to this matter."

Chen Ke replied calmly, "Just tell the truth. While many comrades will think there are unknown secrets in the Rectification Campaign, many comrades will also believe that the Party organization's resolution isn't engaging in some personnel struggle."

"Many comrades have made contributions to the revolution," Chen Tianhua couldn't help but remind Chen Ke very implicitly.

"Who is denying their contributions?" Chen Ke asked back.

Chen Tianhua was choked by these words and didn't know how to answer for a moment. Shang Yuan took over the conversation. "I am a bit worried. with such large-scale personnel changes, some ambitious comrades will definitely jump out. We must guard against attempts to completely knock these comrades down with one blow."

"We aren't giving a final verdict on these comrades. They are being removed from their posts now because they made mistakes. They were able to become leading cadres because they had corresponding achievements. These are two different matters. This Rectification Campaign needs the organization to establish a basic concept: whether promotion or removal, it is just about the matter at hand. We neither dig up old scores nor erase contributions. Our Party repeatedly talks about seeking truth from facts. The contributions of these comrades are history, facts that have already happened. Relative to the present, they are existing history. Similarly, their mistakes are also factual occurrences. As a materialist, it's impossible to make things that have already happened become non-existent. That is deceiving oneself. Closing one's eyes doesn't make the sky go dark," Chen Ke answered decisively.

"Does that mean we won't pursue the responsibility of those who pleaded for leniency?" Chai Qingguo asked.

Chen Ke smiled bitterly. "Comrade Chai Qingguo, I was quite moved by your unwillingness to let everyone have preconceived notions about Comrade Pang Zi just now. I felt quite warm in my heart. No one wants their friends, relatives, or comrades-in-arms around them to have problems. We don't want them to suffer any unfair treatment. This is human nature, and I think it is understandable."

Chai Qingguo sighed slightly. "Chairman Chen, it seems you still aren't willing to let those pleaders off."

Chen Ke replied, "Because I don't know what kind of thoughts they held when they came to plead. So I have no evaluation of this. We also can't have preconceived notions about these comrades. Seeking truth from facts is enough."

The discussion continued for quite a while before adjourning. Before leaving, Wu Xingchen applied to question Pang Zi personally. "I think Pang Zi, this Division Commander, has to be suspended for a while. Who should take over the position of Division Commander?"

Chen Ke answered without hesitation, "This is the authority of the Military Commission. Let the Military Commission meeting decide. For now, the Political Commissar will concurrently serve as the Division Commander."

Recalling what Chen Ke had said, Wu Xingchen walked towards the Cavalry Division Headquarters in low spirits. He really didn't want to face Pang Zi. It wasn't because he felt ashamed that Pang Zi, widely recognized as a member of the Wu Xingchen faction, had gotten into trouble. Wu Xingchen felt it would be hard to make Pang Zi understand Wu Xingchen's own feelings. With Pang Zi's attitude, he would definitely view the Rectification Campaign as a purge.

Sure enough, as Wu Xingchen expected, when he faced Pang Zi and demanded to know who told Pang Zi the news that the base area was going to use troops against Henan, Pang Zi said with a face full of "shouldering justice on iron shoulders": "Commander Wu, if I say who said it now, won't you guys just persecute that brother to death? If you want to punish someone, just punish me. I won't participate in such things."

Wu Xingchen had anticipated Pang Zi would say this beforehand. He said patiently, "Pang Zi, don't you hate Yuan Shikai to the bone, wishing you could cut him into a thousand pieces? You won't say this person's name now. If this news continues to leak and eventually becomes known to Yuan Shikai, then I can only say that you, Pang Zi, are Yuan Shikai's accomplice. Don't you hate Yuan Shikai at all?"

Pang Zi never expected Wu Xingchen to say this. His face quickly turned red from holding it in. After a moment of silence, Pang Zi said in a rough voice, "I believe this comrade would absolutely not tell the news to Yuan Shikai."

Wu Xingchen was extremely tall. Even sitting there, he was more than half a head taller than Pang Zi. He looked down at Pang Zi and asked slowly, "Comrade Pang Zi, how many Beiyang spies have we caught? Including in your Cavalry Division, you've caught spies too, right? How can you guarantee there are no Beiyang spies in our troops? How can you guarantee this news won't be known by Beiyang spies?"

Pang Zi remained silent on this question.

Wu Xingchen waited for a moment and continued asking, "Comrade Pang Zi, don't be silent. Say whatever you're thinking. Does your silence mean you default that you actually don't hate Yuan Shikai?"

Pang Zi pursed his lips tightly, the expression on his face becoming more and more aggrieved. After a while, Pang Zi's eyes turned red. He twitched his mouth, managed to hold back his tears with difficulty, and then spoke, "Commander Wu, if you want to purge people, just say it directly. You don't need to find so many excuses. And you don't need to pin so many crimes on me. I went to see Chai Qingguo just to vouch for some people, that they aren't bad people. Look at what things have become now. Rumors are everywhere in the troops. As soon as someone speaks, it's about who is a big villain. Commander Wu, you know who these comrades are; they aren't bad people."