The Black Cannon Incident

Zhao was suspended because the telegram he sent to the hotel, requesting help finding his missing black chess piece, was interpreted as a suspicious coded message. The phrase 'Missing black cannon. 301. Searching. Zhao' was read as potential espionage communication by the authorities, leading to his immediate removal from the sensitive WD project interpreter role.

The telegram's phrasing was ambiguous and lacked context. The mention of 'black cannon' (a military term), a room number '301', and the word 'searching' created a pattern that authorities interpreted as potential secret communication. In the political climate of the time, any cryptic message from someone with access to sensitive projects could trigger suspicion.

After Zhao was replaced by Feng Liangcai, the WD project suffered because Feng lacked engineering knowledge. His most serious error was mistranslating 'bearing' as 'bracket' during a test run, which caused physical damage to components and significant financial loss for the company.

Earlier, Hans Schmidt had insisted on working with Zhao again, hinting at the problems that would follow.

The Black Cannon Incident was the formal investigation into Zhao Shuxin based on his telegram about a missing chess piece. The case was opened when authorities interpreted the message as potentially coded espionage communication, leading to Zhao's suspension and a company-wide investigation that lasted until the missing chess piece was eventually returned.

The chess set represented Zhao's solitary companion and daily routine. As an introverted man with few social connections, the chessboard and its pieces were his trusted friends. The missing black cannon disrupted his methodical world, prompting him to act impulsively by sending the telegram that triggered the investigation.

Zhao was cleared when the postal package arrived containing the missing Black Cannon chess piece. The hotel had found the piece and returned it. Zhou and others had covertly opened the package, saw the chess piece, and realized the entire investigation was based on a misunderstanding of a harmless telegram about a lost chess set.

Earlier, Li Renzhong had discovered the chess set with the missing piece, providing the first clue.

Feng Liangcai was assigned as interpreter because the authorities needed an immediate replacement when Zhao was suspended. Feng was a tourism interpreter with no engineering background, making him unsuitable for technical discussions about the WD project. This decision was driven by the urgency to fill Zhao's position rather than finding someone with the necessary technical expertise.

Zhou Yuzhen insisted on completing a thorough clarification of the incident before taking any action. Despite Li Renzhong's argument that Zhao should be allowed to return to his duties, Zhou wanted political caution and full investigation rather than acting prematurely. This reflected the broader theme of bureaucratic caution in the story.

After being cleared, Zhao asks 'Why can't I send a telegram of my own?' This quiet, defiant question highlights the lingering injustice, he did nothing wrong, yet suffered professional demotion and investigation. The question underscores the film's critique of a paranoid system where even innocent actions can be misinterpreted, leaving Zhao with a sense of unfairness despite being officially cleared.