Page 271 of Never
It was not what Huang wanted, but it was better than nothing, and he agreed without resistance.
Kai noticed Wang Qingli entering the room. Wang was head of Presidential Security. Although a crony of Huang and Jianjun, he was much better dressed, and was sometimes mistaken for the president he guarded. Now he stepped up onto the stage and spoke in Chen’s ear.
Kai did not like this. Something was going on. Jianjun had left the room, then Wang had come in. Coincidence?
He caught the eye of his ally, Kong Zhao. Kong frowned. He, too, was unnerved.
He looked at the president. Chen, listening to Wang, looked startled, then anxious, and even went slightly pale. He was shocked.
By now everyone around the table had realized that something odd was happening. The discussion came to a halt and they waited in silence.
Fu Chuyu, the Security Minister and Kai’s boss, stood up. ‘Forgive me, comrades, but I must interrupt our discussion. I have to inform you that a Guoanbu domestic investigation has revealed strong evidence that Chang Kai is an agent of the US.’
Kong Zhao burst out: ‘Ridiculous!’
Fu pressed on. ‘Chang Kai has been running his own clandestine foreign policy agenda, unknown to his comrades.’
Kai could hardly believe this was happening. Were they really moving to get rid of him, in the middle of a global nuclear crisis? ‘No, no, you can’t do this,’ he said. ‘China isn’t some banana republic.’
Fu continued as if Kai had not spoken. ‘We have proof of three fatal charges against him. One, he informed the CIA about the weakness of the Supreme Leader’s regime in North Korea. Two, that at Yeongjeo-dong he made an agreement with General Pak that he was not authorized to negotiate. Three, that he gave the Americans early warning of our decision to replace the Supreme Leader with General Pak.’
All of that was more or less true. Kai had done those things – not because he was a traitor, but because they were in China’s best interests.
But this was not about justice. Such accusations never were. He might just as easily have been charged with corruption. This was a political attack.
He had thought he was armoured against his political enemies. He was a princeling. His father was vice-chairman of the National Security Commission. He should have been untouchable.
But his father had left the room.
Kai now saw the profound symbolism of that action.
Fu said: ‘Kai’s close partner in these activities has been Kong Zhao.’
Kong looked as if he had been punched. ‘Me?’ he said incredulously. He quickly recovered his composure and said: ‘Mr President, it’s obvious that these allegations have been brought forward at this precise moment because an aggressive warlike faction within your government sees it as the only way to win the argument.’
Chen did not reply to Kong.
Fu said: ‘I have no alternative but to place Chang Kai and Kong Zhao under arrest.’
Kai thought: How can they arrest us in the middle of the Situation Room?
But they had thought of that.
The main door opened, and six of Wang’s security men came in, in their trademark black suits and black ties.
Kai said: ‘This is a coup!’
He guessed this was what his father had been plotting with Fu Chuyu and General Huang over their dinner of pigs’ feet at the Enjoy Hot restaurant.
Wang spoke to Chen again, but this time loudly enough to be heard by everyone. ‘With your permission, Mr President.’
Chen hesitated for a long moment.
Kai said: ‘Mr President, if you go along with this, you cease to be the leader of our country and become a mere tool of the military.’
Chen looked as if he agreed with that. Clearly he thought the moderates had won the argument. But the old guard were more powerful. Could he defy them and survive? Could he defy the army and the collective authority of the old Communists?
He could not.
