What did you say? ! Su Ji... Did Su Ji take the lead and sign an exclusive supply contract with Zhang Ji Silk Workshop in the south of the city? "!"
When Li Molan heard the news, she felt a chill rush straight from the soles of her feet to her head, almost losing her balance. The teacup in her hand dropped to the ground with a "clank", shattering into pieces. The boiling hot tea splashed and soaked the hem of her skirt, but she was completely unaware.
Zhang Ji Silk Workshop! That was a secret supply channel for some high-end silk threads that Jinxiu Pavilion had been secretly negotiating for a long time and finally reached an agreement with great difficulty. It was prepared to be used to replace the supply of gold and silver threads after the supply was cut off! For this matter, apart from her and the second young lady, only Mr. Liu, the accountant in charge of specific liaison, and... And a new little girl who has just joined the "Dandelion" project and is responsible for gathering information and passing on samples on the periphery knows!
How could Su Ji know? ! Moreover, the actions were so swift and the conditions offered were so precise, just a little above the bottom line that Jinxiu Pavilion could bear. This forced Zhang Ji Silk Workshop to abandon the oral agreement with Jinxiu Pavilion and switch to Su Ji!
This is by no means a coincidence!
An ominous premonition instantly seized Li Molan's heart. She suddenly recalled that disturbing news from yesterday - Liu Chengyu, the down-and-out young man they had originally intended to offer a helping hand in exchange for a "backdoor listing" qualification, had actually left "Bailuefang" and headed straight for Su Ji!
Could it be... Is it him? ! Did he sell the intention of the Jinxiu Pavilion to win him over as a bargaining chip to Su Ji? !
No... No! Li Molan quickly denied this guess. Although Liu Chengyu is a swindler, he should still be unaware of the details of the contact between Jinxiu Pavilion and Zhang Ji Silk Workshop. Even if he were to side with Su Ji, it would be impossible for him to disclose this specific intelligence.
So, where is the problem?
Li Molan 's gaze swept over the study and finally settled on an unremarkable needle and thread 笸箩 in the corner. That was a place in the "Dandelion" project where several newly recruited girls practiced needlework on a daily basis and also used it to convey some non-urgent information.
Could it be... Is it inside? !
This thought was like a venomous snake, instantly tightening her heart.
She immediately withdrew from both sides, leaving only Wang Xiuniang behind, and laid bare all the news she had just received and her own guesses.
After hearing this, Wang Xiuniang's face turned deathly pale. She was very experienced and immediately understood the seriousness of the matter.
Mo LAN, do you mean... Has something gone wrong among our people? Wang Xiuniang's voice trembled in disbelief.
Li Molan nodded in pain, her voice harsh: "Never leave the ten." Very few people know about Zhang Ji Silk Workshop. Even if Liu Chengyu had sided with Su Ji, it would have been impossible for him to know so thoroughly and so quickly. The only explanation is that someone within us leaked the news! Moreover, it is very likely to be... Those "dandelions" we newly recruited!
This conclusion made both of them feel a chill down their spines.
The "Dandelion" plan was personally decided by the second young lady before her departure. It was an important step for the Jinxiu Pavilion to seek self-protection and broaden its horizons in difficult circumstances. They devoted their efforts and placed high hopes on this. This is just the beginning of operation, and such a fatal flaw has occurred!
How could... Wang Xiuniang murmured, her face full of pain. "Most of those girls were carefully selected. They have pure backgrounds and all look honest and upright..."
"You can know a person's face but not their heart, Xiu Niang!" A trace of bitterness and self-reproach appeared on Li Molan's face. "It's me..." It's me who was too eager for quick success! Before the second young lady left, time was pressing. She only instructed that an intelligence network should be established as soon as possible. I... I only thought about recruiting people as soon as possible and getting them up to speed as soon as possible, but overlooked... The most important thing!
She punched the table hard, her knuckles turning pale. "I only taught them how to look, how to listen, and how to convey messages using secret codes, but I didn't repeatedly emphasize the importance of confidentiality!" Without telling them that a casual word or a negligent act could bring about a catastrophic disaster to the Splendid Pavilion! Even less... There was no strict examination of each of their backgrounds and true motives!
Yes, she remembered. The little girl in charge of passing the samples to Zhang Ji Silk Workshop is called Xiao Cui. It was introduced by a distant relative of Wang Xiuniang, who said that the family had suffered a disaster, both her parents had passed away, and she was left alone and helpless. It looked truly pitiful and her hands and feet were still quite nimble. Li Molan didn't conduct a further investigation and directly included her on the periphery of the "Dandelion" plan.
Now that I think about it, there are numerous doubts! Why is a girl who has just lost both of her parents and is now living in a foreign land so familiar with the streets and alleys of Pingjiang Prefecture? Why didn't she pay attention to the shrewdness that flashed occasionally deep in her seemingly timid eyes at that time? !
It's my fault! Li Molan closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, all that remained in her eyes was the calmness of reflecting on the past. "The team has just been established and its foundation is unstable. It's my fault as the person in charge of training and management!" This lesson... How painful!
Wang Xiuniang looked at her self-reproaching expression and felt sorry for her. She patted the back of her hand and said, "Mo LAN, this is not the time to hold someone accountable." The second young lady was entrusted with the mission at a critical moment and entrusted her family to us. We can't let her down! The top priority now is to figure out whether it is that Little Cui or not. Behind her... Is there anyone else? What she leaked was merely the matter of Zhang Ji Silk Workshop, or... More?
Li Molan composed herself and forced herself to calm down and analyze: "Xiao Cui asked for leave early this morning, saying she was not feeling well and needed to go back to her temporary accommodation to rest." Now it seems that most likely... Flee out of fear of punishment, or... It's time to claim the reward!
She must be found immediately! Wang Xiuniang said anxiously.
"Look! We must look!" Li Molan's eyes were sharp. "I've already asked A Fu to take someone to her place." But finding her may not necessarily solve the fundamental problem. If one mole falls down, there's no guarantee there won't be a second one! This intelligence blunder has exposed a huge loophole in our entire "Dandelion" plan! If we don't plug this loophole, even if we save the second young lady, the Splendid Pavilion will eventually collapse due to the decay inside!
She stood up and paced back and forth in the study, her mind rapidly thinking of countermeasures.
"Xiu Niang," she stopped, her tone unusually firm, "We must adjust immediately!" Carry out comprehensive "make-up training" and "reinforcement" for the "Dandelion" project!
What kind of supplementary training and reinforcement method is this? Wang Xiuniang asked.
First of all, it's the "entrance"! Li Molan stretched out a finger and said, "The recruitment standards must be raised!" Background checks must be doubled. Not only should one's background be examined, but also their social connections. Even a period of covert observation is required to ensure their character is reliable before they can be admitted! "Rather have nothing than something of poor quality!"
Secondly, it's "training"! She held out a second finger and said, "In the past, we only taught 'techniques'. Now, we have to teach' principles' first!" Make sure that everyone who joins understands that confidentiality is the first discipline! The consequence of leaking secrets is not only losing one's job, but also possibly endangering the lives of oneself and those we care about! Repeated training on confidentiality awareness and anti-reconnaissance skills should be conducted to let them know what to say and what not to say, what to look at and what not to look at, how to identify dangers and how to protect themselves!
Third, it's "management"! Li Molan's tone became even more solemn. "A strict 'information classification' and 'single-line contact' system must be implemented!" Core intelligence can only be held by the most reliable people and passed down layer by layer. Each person only knows the part they are responsible for, and information overlap and spread are strictly prohibited! The contact methods should also be more covert and diverse. Regularly change the code numbers and contact locations to increase the difficulty for the enemy to intercept and crack them!
"Finally," she took a deep breath, "it's 'rewards and punishments'!" For those who are loyal, reliable and have made outstanding contributions, rewards should be generous, allowing them to see hope and prospects. But for those who betrayed the organization and leaked secrets... Severe punishment must be imposed without leniency! Let everyone know that the price of betrayal is beyond their capacity to bear!
This series of measures is well-organized and progressive, directly pointing out the omissions in previous management and training. Wang Xiuniang listened and nodded slowly, and hope rekindled in her eyes.
Mo LAN, you're right! It's never too late to mend! Just do as you say! She paused for a moment and glanced at the closed study door with some concern, "But..." "Over with the young master..."
When it came to Shen Yu, Li Molan's brows furrowed again. In the past two days, although Shen Yu did not directly interfere in their actions, he has significantly increased his attention to the accounts and personnel movement. This time, the matter at Zhang Ji Silk Workshop has gone awry, resulting in considerable losses. It's probably hard to deceive him.
"Over there, Young Master..." One can only try to soothe. Li Molan sighed, "In business, it's common to make profits and suffer losses." Just say... It was Su Ji who played a underhanded trick. We made a wrong judgment and lost a business deal. As for the matter of internal leaks... He mustn't be let know for the time being! Otherwise, given his nature, he would probably immediately call off the entire "Dandelion" project, or even... More unfavorable things will be done.
Just then, rapid footsteps came from outside the door. It was Afu who came back. He shook his head with a sullen expression and said, "Sister Mo LAN, that little Cui..." Run away! When she left, the house was empty. Even the neighbors couldn't tell when she had gone!
Although they had expected it, upon hearing the news, Li Molan and Wang Xiuniang's hearts still sank.
Run away... This means that the mole does exist and has successfully escaped. How many secrets did she take away exactly? What move will Su take with this intelligence?
And is the second young lady far away in Fengqiao Town already in danger at this moment? Does she know that behind her, the foundation of Pingjiang Prefecture has become precarious due to this intelligence failure?
Li Molan clenched her fists tightly, her nails deeply embedded in her palms. The loopholes must be plugged as soon as possible and the situation stabilized. Otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable!