cicada

Chapter 936
There is a saying in the Kuomintang-controlled area that the front is tight and the rear is tight, which means that the front is full of wars, and the soldiers have no food and clothing.

Zuo Jun, Cheng Danli, and Luo Yongying got out of the car and stood on Duyou Street, the core area of ​​the main urban area. The three of them had a deeper understanding of this sentence as they watched the bustling crowd.

This street is extremely bustling, gathering shopping malls and banks such as Huahua Company, Hengdeli Watch Shop, Juxingcheng Bank, Postal Savings and Remittance Bureau, as well as Cathay Grand Theatre, Experimental Theatre, Unique Cinema, and Shengping Cinema.

From time to time, you can see potbellied Guodang elites walking into department stores selling high-end Western goods with young girls on their shoulders, or well-dressed gentlemen walking past ragged burdens with their civilized sticks and heads held high.

Seeing this scene, Luo Yongying's expression was complicated, but she didn't know what to say. After all, the people who followed the military commander by her side would not survive long in this world.

On the contrary, Cheng Danli asked Zuo Zhong bluntly: "Mr. Zuo, there is a shopkeeper at home who returns to Nanyang, and when he talks about the domestic people's livelihood and the suffering of the army, it often makes people sigh.

For example, according to the regulations of the government, the army can receive 24 taels of rice per person per day, but it is still not enough. The military salary is 35 yuan per month, which is not real, and there is not enough firewood, let alone food?
But I also heard that when Vice President Kong of the Executive Yuan was in Jinling, all the ministers had a banquet, which was astonishingly luxurious. There were 15 hosts and guests, and the total cost was more than 190 yuan, and the tobacco and alcohol alone cost about 50 yuan.

The rich have a banquet, and the poor have half a year's food. It's true. The national crisis is extremely urgent. The front is full of bloody battles. When the country is shrinking, the highest official still does not hesitate to spend on the banquet.

Under such circumstances, how can the discipline of the Guo army not be broken, and the government does not treat soldiers as human beings. How can they fight against the strong Japanese? Do you say these things are true or false? "

She used the mouth of the shopkeeper of the Cheng family to express her dissatisfaction with the government directly, not only expressing her attitude, but also leaving enough room for tact, Miss Cheng family, it really is not easy.

Faced with such a sharp question, Zuo Zhong did not and could not avoid it, because the other party was not asking on behalf of an individual, but on behalf of millions of Nanyang compatriots, and the response must be decent.

He pondered for a moment, then slowly replied: "I am appointed to carry out the New Life Campaign┴ and limit the price of banquets, requiring that each table of banquets should not exceed 8 yuan, and I only drink boiled water on weekdays. Life can be described as frugal.

On the other hand, due to bureaucratic troubles or work needs, it is true that some chief executives cannot follow the regulations. It goes without saying that the government has indeed neglected its duties.

But some of the banquets exceeded the standard, but it was due to the self-assessment of the shopkeepers. In order to obtain more profits, these profiteers raised the dining standard without authorization, and many officials were also speechless.

As for the impact of eating and drinking on the front line, I think it is alarmist. Miss Cheng, you should know that most of these soldiers come from the countryside, and serving as soldiers is nothing more than eating imperial rations and supporting their families.

It was the corrupt officials who drank the blood of the soldiers that really led to the defeat and low morale on the front line. In this regard, our military commander arrested and executed more than a hundred officials at all levels under the order of the committee.

It is unrealistic to completely prohibit this from happening, so we can only tighten the curse on the officials from time to time, so that they have some scruples, and try to let the soldiers at the bottom get the treatment they deserve. "

Zuo Zhong made it very clear in these words, the appointment is good, the bad is the officials, the military failure is not determined by eating and drinking, and there are bad people among the people, who completely shift the responsibility.

After hearing this, Cheng Danli didn't agree or refute, and she didn't ask the bottom line. There was a polite smile on her delicate face, she stood there quietly and didn't speak anymore.

Zuo Zhong glanced at the other party, she was a smart girl, then looked at the stupid Zuo Jun, and sighed secretly, if this stupid boy really becomes the son-in-law of the Cheng family, he will suffer in the future.

Shaking his head to drive this thought out of his mind, he raised his hand to look at his watch and said to everyone: "Let's go, otherwise Lao Bai should be in a hurry, let's go and taste the authentic Cantonese cuisine."

After speaking, he looked at his younger brother and the two girls: "Today, the chief of the Shancheng Police Department hosted a special banquet to apologize to you, and at the same time he assured me that the same thing as before will not happen again at Chaotianmen Wharf."

The police chief apologized to them?
The three of Zuo Jun were startled and immediately realized that the other party was looking at Zuo Zhong's face. If there was no such relationship, what was waiting for them might not be an apology.

On the other side, Gu Qi led everyone to a beautifully decorated restaurant, and introduced in his mouth: "Guansheng Garden has three floors, and the ground floor is the candy and pastry sales department and the ice drinking room.

On the second floor there is a food and beverage department, with scattered seats and private rooms specializing in Cantonese cuisine. On the third floor is an office, where the boss of Guanshengyuan personally sits. This place can be regarded as the first-class restaurant in the mountain city. "

As he was talking, three people walked out of the gate of Guansheng Garden, Bai Wenzhi, Deputy Director Yang of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and a strange middle-aged man quickened their pace, laughed and stretched out their hands to Zuo Zhong.

"Deputy Director Zuo, welcome, welcome."

With a flushed face, Bai Wenzhi bent down slightly, and saluted respectfully. He didn't see any of the rebelliousness when they first met a few years ago.

Zuo Zhong shook hands with him reservedly, then turned his head and greeted Deputy Director Yang with a smile: "Old Yang, it's been a year since we left Jinling, why, I heard you're going to be promoted again?

If you have a chance, you should remind Lao Bai more, you can’t always keep your head down to do things, you have to look up the road, this time his subordinates want to arrest my relatives and friends, next time they will arrest the relatives who are sitting next time. "

As soon as the words came out, Bai Wenzhi took out a handkerchief to wipe the cold sweat on his forehead, and apologized again. Deputy Director Yang also explained from the side, and everyone said that they chatted for a long time before Zuo Zhong let go.

"Old Baiyi is one of his own, so I will say a few more words. You can get no credit for serving in the capital, but you must not offend anyone. You were recommended by our military commander. If something goes wrong, I will also take responsibility.

Let’s leave it as it is, the sheriff will be sent away as soon as possible, and your police department will come forward to compensate the extorted passengers, and if there is another blackmail under the guise of counter-espionage, you will be severely punished.

By the way, I heard that Mrs. Sister-in-law secretly transported a lot of local products back from her hometown in Lu Province last year. There were as many as three trucks for the transportation alone. You can send two boxes to me later. Don’t you feel embarrassed? "

"It's not difficult, it's not difficult."

Bai Wenzhi gritted his teeth and replied, cursing in his heart that the damn agent Gou was indeed spying on the senior officials of the government, that's all, it was nothing more than two boxes of souvenirs, and he admitted to the fall.

After talking about the business, the middle-aged stranger who kept smiling raised his hand to invite everyone without saying a word, "Sirs, please take a seat inside, I have already arranged the best private room."

Deputy Director Yang seemed to have thought of something when he heard the words, and quickly introduced to Zuo Zhong: "Deputy Director Zuo, this is Mr. Xian, the owner of Guanshengyuan, and he was a well-known food tycoon in the Republic of China.

When Mr. Xian heard that you were coming, he specially recruited the best chef of Cantonese cuisine to take charge of the banquet. He and I are good friends. It is difficult to do business in this current situation. I hope you will take care of me in the future. "

Zuo Zhong looked at the humble middle-aged man in front of him, and walked into the restaurant with a slight grace, but Mr. Xian was very happy, and hurriedly called the waiters to entertain the accompanying people.

To get a response from the deputy director of the Military Control Bureau, even if it was just a soft hum, it was enough to make some people who were fighting the autumn wind quit, and the thousands of French coins given to Deputy Director Yang were not in vain.

Zuo Jun in the crowd blinked. He knew that his brother was in a high position and had great energy, but he was still a little surprised to see such a big businessman as Mr. Xian treat himself and others with such care.

During the greetings, everyone came to the empty second floor and walked into a magnificent private room. The little spy in charge of security immediately controlled the stairs and windows, and some people asked about the location of the kitchen to check.

Zuo Zhong looked at his younger brother who had a strange expression, and explained casually: "Okay, I'm not talking about ostentation, it's because my job is easy to offend people, and there are some things that I have to guard against."

After finishing speaking, he sat down at the first place, and after some humility, Gucci and Wu Chunyang sat down on the left and right. Zuo Jun and the three ladies also sat down under Bai Wenzhi's arrangement, and the banquet officially began.

One after another, exquisitely prepared and fragrant delicacies were served, and many rare delicacies from mountains and seas were delivered to the table as if they were free of charge. Even Cheng Danli, the eldest lady of the Cheng family, was astonished at the level of luxury.

Zuo Zhong held up his chopsticks and hesitated for a moment, then frowned and asked Bai Wenzhi: "It's a time when the country is suffering, and the commissioner requires that the banquet fee should not exceed 8 yuan, Lao Bai, are you a bit over the top?"

"Not too much, don't worry."

Bai Wenzhi flattered him: "This banquet is funded by me personally, and it is definitely not a public consumption. Besides, these dishes are exquisite, but they are actually samples. The price is not expensive, right, old Xian?"

Mr. Xian's expression was normal, and he agreed with a smile: "Yes, Guanshengyuan moved from Shanghai to Shancheng, and I don't know if it suits the taste of the local people, so we prepared a few tables of meals for everyone to taste.

As for the price, it is exactly 7 yuan, which is absolutely in line with the standard set by the committee. Deputy Director Zuo must not be polite, getting your tasting is a blessing that no number of stores can ask for.

It is also thanks to Director Bai and Deputy Director Yang that I have the opportunity to meet you just now. If I am not worried about affecting your reputation and disappointing Director Bai's kindness, I should treat you. "

What is being able to speak is called being able to speak.

Zuo Zhong sniffed the shark's fin soup in front of him, pointed at Boss Xian and laughed loudly: "Very well, I like you, and if you have anything to do in the future, contact the Military Command Office, provided you don't break the law yourself."

Boss Xian didn't dare to say that, he is a businessman, if you want to say that oppressing employees and other capitalist practices do exist, but you really dare not do illegal things. Really gone.

Seeing the other party's statement, Zuo Zhong didn't say much, and raised the bright red wine to everyone: "Come on, everyone, since it's Lao Bai's own treat, let's not be polite, cheers!"

　This paragraph is related to the new plot
　　
　
(End of this chapter)