Red Merry

('The moon is in the middle of the sky, and the study of General An is brightly lit. This is an old-fashioned study, ten square meters square, with old furnishings, except for the high-hanging wall lamps, there are no traces of modern carvings.

On the west side of the study is a huge bookshelf, which is full of various thread-bound books, mostly novels and novels.General An, who was born in the army, most respected the great leader's method of absorbing war ideas from classical novels, and admired and followed him, so he has the most novels about war in his study.There are not only domestic ancient and modern romances, but also foreign war novels translated into Chinese. In addition, the theoretical monographs of Marx, Engel, Lenin, and Ling and theoretical works on these theories are displayed on the bookshelves.This huge bookshelf occupies one-third of the entire study room, and next to the bookshelf is a camp bed, which is used for General An to rest when he is tired from reading.Apart from these two main pieces of furniture, there is only a mahogany Eight Immortals table and Taishi chair set left in this small study room.The Eight Immortals Table is placed directly opposite the door, with a Taishi chair at each end, and a total of four Taishi chairs in two rows on the left and right under the main seat, and a sandalwood stool for tea placed between the chairs.

At this time, there were six people in this small old study.Old General An sat in the middle, Lao Wang stood on the side, the two brothers An Zaihai and An Zaijiang sat on the left side, and the eldest son-in-law Zuo Qiuming and the second son-in-law Chen Dao sat on the right side.

Zuo Qiuming was a fat man with a red face and black frames on his eyes. He was 52 years old this year and married the eldest daughter of General An, who was the only brother-in-law of the An brothers.Zuo Qiuming is currently a member of the Jianghuai Provincial Revolutionary Committee. Although he is a deputy minister at this age, he has a smooth official career and a prominent officialdom.But he knows his own family affairs well. He took the current position at the age of 48. It has been four years and he has not moved. In the Revolutionary Committee team, he was also pushed aside. The rankings have climbed to his head, so how can he be embarrassed by a senior member who thinks he is a bit rooted?Therefore, he squeezed into the mourning delegation from Jianghuai Province to Beijing this time, just to find help from his father-in-law. Who would have thought that he would be lucky enough to step into this legendary mysterious place for the first time.At this moment, he sat upright with his eyes on his nose, his nose on his heart, his mind was spinning rapidly, searching for wonderful ideas and amazing words.

The situation of Chen Dao and Zuo Qiuming is very different. He is only 38 years old this year, and he looks dignified. The throne at the department level is only one step away from the director of the revolutionary committee at the department level, and the Pingyang area is the core area of ​​Jianghan Province, second only to the Hanshui area where the provincial capital is located.Old General An had two sons and eight daughters, and Chen Dao married the seventh daughter. Although he had six brothers-in-law besides his eldest brother-in-law who lived in the vice-province, those brothers-in-law were either working hard in the army or sitting on the bench in government agencies. , how can he live in eight seats like this, with all his majesty, so everyone is out of his eyes.Even the eldest brother-in-law of this deputy province, in his opinion, is only mediocre, and I am afraid that he will not exceed 45 in that position.At this time, Chen Dao was also sitting upright and full of ambition. He came to worship the canceled [-]th birthday of his father-in-law. In the end, the leader passed away, and he has been staying in the home until now. The old man's study meeting.He had to gather his energy and think of strategies.If he had to sell a trick while hearing about the high-level competition, the father-in-law would definitely look at him with admiration from now on and give him great support.No matter how boldly he thinks about it, it is not impossible for Anxi to be handed over to him in the future.

"Okay, it's almost time for people to arrive, Old Wang, go and close the door and light some incense." The old man ordered the old Wang who was standing next to the main seat on the other side.He didn't say that everyone was here, only that everyone was almost there, and what he meant, only Lao Wang, who was in charge of making the phone call, knew what he meant.

Pharaoh responded in a low voice, and after closing the door, he took out a foot-long incense stick with various colors from a corner of the bookshelf. It is sandalwood, agarwood, and musk kneaded together with tiger bone powder. It is mixed with various spices, and the colors of white, yellow, gray and black are twisted together to form such a color.Sandalwood clears the orifice, agarwood refreshes the brain, musk condenses the scent, and tiger bone strengthens the spirit. These four major benefits are all helping people to condense their minds and clear away distracting thoughts. Therefore, this incense is called Lingtai Incense.Lingtai incense is specially made by General An according to the ancient prescription on an old paper, and entrusted Lao Wang to go around in many ways.The annual output is no more than a dozen, and apart from giving away, the ones left by myself are only a dozen or so, and they will only be used when there is a need to think about major issues.

Lao Wang found the incense burner and put it in the middle of the Eight Immortals table, inserted the Lingtai incense firmly in the middle, and lit it smoothly. Suddenly, a fragrance like orchids, musk deer, chrysanthemums and lotuses wafted out. The cigarette smoke was like a thread, like a silver needle. Usually, inserting it directly into the forehead from the nostrils will instantly clear the spiritual platform of the person.

Old General An took a deep breath, leaned his back against the back of the chair, and said, "Zai Hai, first tell Qiu Ming and Chen Dao about the current situation and tonight's agenda."

An Zaihai cleared his throat when he heard the words, and said, "Brother, Seventh, I believe you all have a little understanding of the big situation after staying in the capital these days, so I won't go into details. Dad held this meeting today, The main reason is to discuss whether we should accept the conditions proposed by the person from Mr. Ji this afternoon? I think..." An Zaihai was dressed in white clothes like snow today, with pomade still on his head, holding a folding fan in his hand, While talking, he seemed to be pointing the country and provoking the flavor of the words. Unexpectedly, he was about to express his opinion, but was interrupted by General An.

"Okay, I asked you to introduce the situation, but didn't ask you to express your opinion." The old man glared at him, then glanced at the eldest son-in-law who seemed to be sitting in meditation, "Qiu Ming, the juniors in this room respect you for their age, Tell me first."

Zuo Qiuming had expected that today's topic must be related to the visitors from over there in the afternoon. He and Chen Dao had been living in Songzhuzhai for the past few days. I have already learned about seven or eight from the An brothers.He had already prepared a draft in his chest, and he only waited for the old man to ask, and then he revealed his astonishing insights. Sure enough, the old man was the first to find him.Hearing the old man's call, he bowed slightly to the old man (this subtle movement, in the eyes of others, seemed more like he was showing that he was a living creature), and said: "Father, I think we should lay a foundation, not Unwavering, the current situation is strange, the waves are big and the water is deep, the outcome is the most difficult to determine, and we can't play a decisive role. If we follow up rashly, we may choose the wrong direction. I mean not moving like a mountain. Save yourself wisely, and then reap the benefits." After Zuo Qiuming finished speaking, he glanced around triumphantly, and when he glanced at the old man's face, his complacency turned into longing, as if he was anxious to get the old man's approval.

As soon as Zuo Qiuming finished speaking, everyone's faces were full of colors.An Zaihai smiled lightly, but did not speak; An Zaijiang concentrated on Jiangmei Peak, as if he was in deep thought; Chen Dao smiled at the corner of his mouth, presumptuously, and he couldn't tell whether he agreed or disagreed.Zuo Qiuming's brilliant idea, which he thought was a clever plan, was not affirmed by everyone, and the room was filled with silence.

Old General An gently tapped the table with his finger bones, attracting everyone's attention, his eyes fixed on An Zaihai, "Zaihai, you have been eager to talk, now you speak, let's see what you have to say. "

An Zaihai heard the words, waved the folding fan in his hand lightly, closed it inward, opened his lips and showed his teeth, and said: "Father, I think elder brother's ideas are too conservative, the weather is not so obscure, it is clearly the scenery. The moon can be seen at a glance. Although Ji Lao has prepared boats and fishing nets, he doesn’t know that the wind is high and the waves are rough. How can it be time to go to sea? Besides, there are far more fat fish for us than Ji Lao, why don’t we go with the flow? Enjoy your success? I think there is no need to discuss it. Indecision is a big taboo, Dad, it’s time to make a decision.” An Zaihai finally stood up with a passionate tone, swaying and waxing His hair also showed signs of unraveling.

"Impotent! Sit down! Who is indecisive? There is no need for you to teach me a lesson. Whenever there is a big event, you need to be calm. Where is your calmness?" Mr. An suddenly changed his face, slammed the table, and shouted An in the sea. He hurriedly sat back, and the other three were also shocked by the old man's power, and their faces turned pale.After the old man's seizure, An Zaihai called An Zaijiang's name in order, "Third son, tell me." The old man knew that his youngest son was good at military affairs but not good at strategy, but every time there was a discussion in the study, he would Ask the younger son for his opinion.The old man's intention is obvious, that is to train this young son who he thinks is more useful than the impetuous eldest son.

An Zai Jiang Sulai is a soldier, sitting as straight as a javelin. As soon as the old man finished speaking, he picked up: "I can't say what exactly I want to do. I only know that no matter what time the harpoon mustache You have to hold it tight." His words were as short and sharp as his hair.

After listening to the younger son's speech, the old man nodded slightly in a rare way, and then said softly to his most valued son-in-law: "Lao Qi, what's your opinion? Among them, you are the best at maneuvering, and you must have a lot of troubles in your heart." Let's talk about it." The old man rarely listened to the words, and he praised him first, and his praise made An Zaijiang and Zuo Qiuming frown again and again.

Chen Dao saw all this, and to be honest, he also felt that his uncle was frivolous.How can such a major matter of fate, life and death be resolved with one word without careful planning?In addition, Chen Dao also underestimated his second uncle, thinking that although what he said was correct, it was completely nonsense.Who doesn't know that the harpoon is important, without the harpoon, would you be able to get on the table? Does this need to be repeated?In his opinion, all the princes in the room are not enough to conspire, but to consult and praise the old man, he has to rely on his own brain that has read 3000 years of tricks and tricks. An's future is not in An, but in Chen!

Chen Dao stood up, straightened his clothes, and said in a loud voice: "Father, I think what the three brothers said are all reasonable, but I have a different opinion. In my opinion, first of all, it is us who hold the harpoon tightly." The premise of talking about everything. The third brother has already said it just now, so I won’t say more. I just add one point, that is, we should give advice to the comrades who master the harpoon, so that they can distinguish the right time and avoid troubles. Secondly, the second brother said that that side has the upper hand at the moment, which is indeed the case, and it is necessary for us to show our favor to that side. But we can't completely fall to that side, because it is not yet the time to decide the outcome, and the other side It may not necessarily have an overwhelming advantage. In the end, I think it is feasible for the big brother to act like a fisherman. But the method is still open to discussion. I think we can’t just sit on the sidelines blindly, we must change passiveness into initiative, and both sides should show goodwill. What matters is that when the outcome is decided, we..."

"Of course, my strategy may be regarded as sloppy and a big taboo. But the current situation is like this. Although the situation is tilted, it still maintains a delicate balance. It is impossible to judge who wins and who loses." And we can't sit and wait, that will only be unfavorable to both sides. Proper activities, first, show muscles, and second, delay the time to wait for the situation to change. In summary, I think that we should do it now There are nothing more than two things. First, closely connect our own forces and wait for the right time. Second, send personnel to discuss profit with both sides at the same time, delaying time, and wait for the winner to be determined. The above is my opinion. "

Chen Dao's words were not in a hurry, and he spoke eloquently. He explained the current difficulties facing Anxi thoroughly, and made a brief comment on the opinions of the three of An Zaihai. , so that the three of them can't hate it, and they have to accept his love.In the end, he summarized his opinions into two small points, grasping the theme and highlighting the key points for General An to make a decision.After these words, he fully demonstrated his talent in strategy theory and planning.

Chen Dao's high-spirited speech was quite like a political strategist, Old General An nodded again and again, even An Zaihai and Zuo Qiuming, who had never liked him, were not annoyed by him, but a little admired feel.After Chen Dao finished speaking, Wei Wei bowed to the old man, and sat back in his original position with a calm face and a complacent heart.

After listening to everyone's views and opinions, the old man didn't speak.Even for the point of view of the seventh son-in-law whom he had just nodded in approval, he was noncommittal.He squinted his eyes slightly, tapped the table with his bony fingers lightly, seemed to be thinking, but really sighed.Although the old man is an old army leader who rolled out of the sea of ​​blood and corpses, how can he not know the strategy if he has been able to stand still in the raging sea with turbulent waves and constant waves for decades?Don't know the time of day?

The old man didn't express his opinion first, but asked his four most promising and hopeful pillars to express their opinions. First, he wanted to exercise their ability to deal with top games, but to see if everyone could express some eye-catching opinions. It's a pity that none of the four can satisfy him.In his opinion, the eldest son-in-law's idea is too wishful thinking, how can one get the fisherman's benefit by staying out of the top game?Which side is not a collection of think tanks, working in preparation for planning?How can this trick be deceived by others, just to make people laugh; the eldest son's idea seems to be quite brave and full of momentum, but in fact it is ridiculously naive. With such impetuousness, how can he provoke An Xi's leadership in the future?Although the youngest son's words are well-regulated, calm and heavy, it is not the current choice. The most urgent thing is to break the situation, not to defend himself; as for the seventh son-in-law who is the most strategic, I nod to him in approval, just to affirm his accurate grasp of the situation , the discussion is clear and the countermeasures are listed.However, this is also a one-sided view. The mountain is just a mountain. After all, I have not experienced the top level of fighting, and my knowledge is not enough. Using the following game methods to deal with such changes, the difference is a thousand miles away.

Old General An lightly knocked on the tea cover, motioning for Lao Wang to refill his tea, Lao Wang smiled awkwardly, and hurriedly refilled the tea for Old General.Lao Wang was also thinking about the situation in front of him, but he became obsessed with it.He knew that the old general regarded himself as his confidant, and he did not shy away from himself in these conversations. He hoped to exercise his abilities so that he could find a future for himself in the future.Although the old general once joked that he would be transferred to the Central Office and still do paperwork, he actually knew that the old man still wanted to lead the troops by himself.Therefore, even though he doesn't speak in the study room, he thinks carefully, and after memorizing everyone's ideas, he has nothing to do to analyze and ponder them to exercise his adaptability.

The old man picked up his teacup again and took a sip of tea, then lowered his eyebrows again, and the atmosphere in the study returned to dullness.Undoubtedly, An Zaihai was the first one who couldn't stand this kind of depression. He thought that his high-spirited remarks, not to mention being accepted by the old man, should have some approval. Later, he was praised and slandered by this insidious old Qiming, and he really couldn't swallow this breath.

An Zaihai stood up, but he couldn't grasp the folding fan that had been shaking in his hand. It turned out that he threw it on the stool casually and placed it in a mess.He straightened his back, looked at the old man and said, "Father, Lao Qi's high-spirited remarks must be in line with your thoughts. Do you think we should do what Lao Qi wants?" He just made a sound, and he wouldn't just nod in approval, he was giving Chen Dao some eye drops.

How could Old General An not be aware of his ghostly tricks, his eldest son was good at everything else, but he liked to compete for favor in front of him.On weekdays, An Zaihai is not so narrow-minded, but once someone threatens his future position as the head of the family, he can't help being petty.

The old man glared at An Zaihai, and said: "Why are you in a hurry, to make a decision, you have to brainstorm, and there are still people who haven't arrived yet."

As soon as these words came out, everyone in the room was shocked.Anyone else?who is it?The old man's confidantes, they all know each other, but now none of them are in the capital who are worthy enough to enter this room. If you want to talk about outsiders, the old man will definitely not invite him to such a confidential place as the study.An Zaihai stood on the spot dazedly, a little puzzled, and was about to ask a question when a small military alarm "Didi" on Lao Wang's waist rang.

Old Wang smiled at the old man: "He's here."

"Go and meet him, let's see if this kid looks like he's in a hurry?" The old general chuckled and waved his hands.

...........

Xue Xiang put down the phone, kissed the little guy hard, laughed out of the main room, came to the parking shed, and the engine car roared away.The astonished little guy was left in a daze. Suddenly, the little guy stomped his little foot and said angrily in a milky voice: "Brother smelly, you actually ran away while he wasn't paying attention."

Xue Xiang drove all the way, the gloom of these days was swept away, and he arrived at Songzhuzhai in a short while.When he passed the guard post in the alley, the guards let him pass all the way, but when he reached the gate, he was blocked. The guards took the telegraph and reported. Not long after, the old Wang with a strange face greeted him.

"Xue Xiang, you came really fast. You've been sleeping by the phone these days." Lao Wang welcomed Xue Xiang into the compound, and led him to the study, joking around.

Xue Xiang was taken aback when he heard the words, and he heard two meanings from Lao Wang's words: one is that Old General An really hanged himself on purpose; the other is that the old man's meeting tonight must be a confidential negotiation.He smiled back at Lao Wang, did not speak, bowed his head and followed Lao Wang into the main room, passed through the main room, and came to a room he had never been to before.

Xue Xiang followed Old Wang into the study, and said hello to the old man before he looked at the other people in the study.He knew the An brothers very well, and he also greeted them with a smile.He had never met the other two, but the ones who entered this place must be old general An's confidants and relatives, so he also nodded to them as a greeting.

Old General An happily watched him busy, and called Lao Wang to bring an embroidered stool, put it down next to An Zaijiang, and let him sit down.Seeing that he was seated, Old General An introduced the identities of Zuo Qiuming and Chen Dao to Xue Xiang, and asked him to follow An Weihong to call them "Uncle". Xue Xiang stood up again and said hello again.

While Zuo Qiuming and Chen Dao were dealing with Xue Xiang's greeting, they were as curious as a cat's paw scratching their heart.What's so special about this boy who looks like he's only in his twenties?Unexpectedly, the old labor king went out to greet him in person, and even stepped into the core of this place that he had been peeping for many years.Ever since Xue Xiang entered the room, the two of them had been staring at the young man, their scorching eyes seemed to burn him from the inside out.

In fact, not only the two of them were curious, but also the An brothers, who had met Xue Xiang several times and knew each other a little bit, were inexplicably shocked.Previously, the old man looked up to Xue Xiang, and they didn't think there was anything wrong with it, but they thought it was a compliment to a brave, resourceful and lucky young man.The old man's "wait and see", the two of them just took it as a joke, how could the old man actually call Xue Xiang to such a place, this is to participate in the secret, this, isn't this too hasty up!Could it be that the old man is old and confused, is it so confidential, how can a child be able to hear it?It's just that the two brothers haven't lost their minds and dared to speak rudely to the old man.Even so, the two couldn't help standing up to talk several times, but they were forced back by the old man's eyes.

Lao Wang brought a slightly shorter purple stool from the hall, put it in front of Xue Xiang, brought a cup of tea, and put it on it.Xue Xiang thanked him, and Lao Wang was waiting to return to the place where he was originally standing, but was stopped by the old man's words: "Xiao Wang, don't worry, you first tell Qiu Ming and their opinions to Xue Xiaozi."

Lao Wang followed his words and relayed to Xue Xiang the views of Cai'an brothers and Zuo Chen's brother-in-law just now.Although he is not good at strategy, he has a superb memory, and his writing and eloquence are first-class. He expresses the main meaning of each person clearly, and even occasionally uses words and sentences to embellish them. A paraphrase almost becomes a stage for Lao Wang to show off his skills.Old General An nodded again and again, apparently extremely satisfied with the secretary who had followed him for many years.

After the old Wang finished his narration, he returned to his original place and stood up. Everyone's eyes fell on Xue Xiang.Xue Xiang stood up, looked at Mr. An with a smile, and said, "Mr. An, what do you mean?"

When everyone heard the words, they almost collapsed.This is too much nonsense, if the old man can express his feelings directly, what do you need to do, just order me to wait to act.In fact, if they knew an extremely powerful and popular vocabulary composed of a certain Chinese character and a certain English letter in later generations, they would definitely use it on Xue Xiang without hesitation.Of course, if the old man is not angry and allows it, they want to use the old man even more.

Unexpectedly, the old man was not as furious as everyone expected, he still looked at the reckless boy with a smile on his face, and said, "I came to ask you to shake your fan, not to ask me."

"You must at least have a tendency, so I can stand in your position and praise you." Xue Xiang's smirk made Zuo Qiuming and Chen Dao extremely surprised. This kid Why are you so familiar with the old man?

"My old man has no inclinations. I asked you to come here to analyze the situation. If you keep talking, I'll have someone kick you out." The old man patted the table lightly, scaring his own two sons and son-in-law into silence, but Xue Xiang still had a look on his face. Grinning.This gesture was much more visible when he killed the old man until his blood flowed like a river, and now he is no stranger to it.

What Xue Xiang wants is that the old man has no inclinations. If the old man has obvious inclinations at this time, it will be difficult for him.

If the old man decides to fall to that side, with the old man's mental fortitude, I'm afraid it will be difficult for me to persuade him to change his mind.Although, as he expected, An Zaihai really leaned towards that side, but from Lao Wang's report just now, it seemed that the old man was very dissatisfied with this discussion, so how exactly did the old man lean towards that side in his memory?He was a little confused now, perhaps An's decline was not due to this storm.Did he know that in the next few years, there would be countless fierce collisions, and the An clan might capsize at any one time.Of course, these are not what he needs to explore right now.

On the other hand, if the old man had already decided to accept Ji Lao's invitation to go to sea, An's would definitely get through it calmly and gain a lot of money.But in this way, wouldn't it make Xue Xiang useless? From this perspective, An Zaihai's persistence helped him a lot.As a traveler, although he doesn't know certain things as clearly as the palm lines, but the simplest one wins and loses.During these days of waiting for the old man's call, he had almost thought out all the arguments. Even if the old man decided to lean over there, he was somewhat sure of turning the tide.Regardless of whether the old man said that he has no inclinations, anyway, this is the time for him to be a hero.

Xue Xiang took a sip of tea, moved the embroidered stool slightly, stood up, faced the old man, and said, "Since you always think highly of the boy, the boy knows everything to say, and I will be brave. I would like to express my views on Kongguan, and I hope you all..."

"There's a lot of nonsense. I remember that although you were naughty in the past, you were quite refreshing. Do you want to cheer up and show off when you see outsiders today? Tell you to talk to me and talk about words with my old man. Be quicker." Tell me quickly." Mr. An was upset when he saw that Xue Xiang didn't get to the point, so he interrupted his foreplay.

Xue Xiangjun blushed slightly, and he was really excited just now. After all, this was the first time he had participated in such a level of game in his past and present life. In his subconscious, the literati showed off. In such a magnificent scene, the sour words in his mouth can't help but come out.He smiled awkwardly, reorganized his thoughts, and said, "Sure, then I'll be more straightforward. I'll continue what Uncle Seven said. After all, Uncle Seven has already done what uncle, uncle, and uncle said. This is a summary, and I also agree with his basic point of view. What I want to say is just a supplement to Uncle Seven. First of all, I think it is inappropriate to watch from the sidelines and act like a fisherman. For example, first of all, you must have strong strength, and you will not be afraid of backlash if you sit on the mountain and watch a tiger fight. But do we have such strength now? If we have this strength, I am afraid that there is no need to bother to discuss self-protection strategies at this moment. Besides, the fisherman The move, this storm is unusual, I don’t need to repeat it, everyone knows the danger. Usually, if a fisherman wants to make a profit, it is when both sides fight and lose, but in the current situation, will both sides lose? The game between the two sides is not two wild beasts biting each other, no matter which side wins, it will be scarred. But the actual situation is that one side wins, and the stars and the moon completely devour the strength of the other side, thus becoming stronger, a stronger victory Will the latter allow us to be fishermen? I think it’s time to settle accounts. Next, I’ll talk about my views on the outcome of the second uncle’s situation. The current situation is indeed as clear as the second uncle said, but, It's not that the victory over there is obvious, but that Mr. Ji's victory is already in the cards..." His words were interrupted by An Zaihai with a dissatisfied face.

"Xue Xiang, I'm afraid you're talking in your sleep, boy, why are you talking upside down. I appreciate your previous judgment, but I can't stand you confusing right and wrong like this." Xue Xiang criticized Zuo Qiuming Of course he was happy with his point of view, but when it came to him, no matter how harsh the criticism sounded, he would of course stand up and refute it.He doesn't have all kinds of worries like Zuo Qiuming, he is afraid that the old man will be unhappy, etc. He has the home court advantage and can say whatever he wants. While patting his chest, he must convince the old man, at this time, how can Xue Xianglai be allowed to do bad things.

"You can't finish listening to what others say. What's the use of being so frizzy despite your age?" The old man became upset and slammed his teacup on the table.

Xue Xiang hurriedly smoothed things over: "I don't understand the reasoning. What my second uncle taught me is my fault." Of course he didn't want to offend An Zaihai. Sir, I am a rookie who barely has one foot in the official career, maybe I will invite him to help me a lot in the future.

Xue Xiang calmed down the old man's anger a little, turned to An Zaihai and said, "Second Uncle, don't worry, listen to me slowly. In fact, it is not difficult to judge the outcome of the two sides. Just now, Uncle Wang said that this afternoon Ji Laona The person who came over offered the conditions for going to sea, I guess the ones offered over there are all small fish and shrimps, which are not worthy of the old man's weight."

As soon as Xue Xiang finished speaking, everyone looked dignified, showing a look of thought.All the people here are shrewd people, even if they are not good at maneuvering and maneuvering, they are also outstanding in intelligence, and they don't speak clearly. Xue Xianggang pointed out the gap, and everyone saw the key from it.Yes, it stands to reason that if they sincerely invite their side to go to sea, they shouldn't offer such unsuitable conditions. Even if their side doesn't take advantage of the fire and raise the price on the ground, the normal price should be reached.But the conditions given by the other party are not to say that they cannot be compared with that side, but they are simply pushing one's own side there. Isn't this extremely weird?In this way, there is only one possibility at the moment, such an unreasonable approach will occur, that is, the fishermen have already gathered there, so it can be said that the victory is guaranteed, and the support of our side is no longer needed. This condition is just to test our attitude.What's more, that side is probably waiting for my side to refuse, taking this opportunity to uproot one's own forces, divide and swallow them, and reward others for their help.Thinking of this, everyone's face changed drastically, even the old man who had been as stable as Mount Tai showed a dignified expression for the first time.

What a word to wake up the dreamer!

Everyone was silent, and the narrow room was filled with cigarette smoke, lingering, and changing into various shapes with the breathing of everyone.An Zaihai's previous dissatisfaction suddenly disappeared at this time, his face was full of tension, and he secretly regretted his rashness; An Zaijiang lowered his head and squeezed his finger bones hard, as if he was thinking about how to break the situation; At this moment, Chen Lianjin's curiosity and contempt for Xue Xiang disappeared, replaced by full of surprise, and the two of them lost their previous calmness at this moment. After all, he and An's have a relationship of both prosperity and loss, and the matter has nothing to do How can you not be in a hurry?

General An asked for a cigarette from Lao Wang, and the Lingtai incense could no longer clarify his Lingtai. He needed nicotine to stabilize his spirit.He took a few deep breaths of cigarettes, let out a long breath, and looked at Xue Xiang with a smile: "You are still as sharp as when we first met. I praise you for being Yan Shifan first-class. I didn't wrong you, right? Well, my old man I'm getting old, and I can't stand your tossing, you brought this up, and you settle it." The old man could not help but shift the responsibility of making decisions to Xue Xiang.

Xue Xiangzi is not hypocritical, why is he here?Isn't it just to make this decision.He went back to his bench and took a sip from the teacup, moistened his dry throat, turned around again, met the old man's eyes, and said, "Actually, the situation was very clear from the very beginning. , the hull over there seems to be solid, but their strength is only built on the sand. Even though they still hold the steering wheel at this moment, the most important question is, as the third uncle pointed out, how have they ever really mastered the fish? Fork? The old man's famous judgment, how have they ever remembered. The harpoon is not grasped, the sail is broken early, and there are grievances everywhere, everyone has suffered for a long time. With the widest support, they came here today just as a formality. Of course, it is a formality for them, but it is a matter of life and death for us. Right now, it is no longer possible to talk about who wins and who loses. In any sense, the most urgent thing to do is nothing more than two points. First, immediately clarify your position to Mr. Ji, and don’t talk about any conditions. They dare not punish us for not teaching us. If they really dare to make us fat Fish, the alliance of fishermen formed now will collapse soon. A leader who does not keep his word cannot make the allies feel safe. Since it is not safe, no one is willing to 'serve' the tiger with his body, so we are safe for the time being .Secondly, I suggest that the old man go down more often in the past few days, especially the old comrades who have been in contact with each other. No matter what the relationship is, they should also visit once or twice. The important thing is to communicate more with potential fishermen and unite for self-protection. I think if we do these two things, I don’t know what kind of rewards we will get in the future, but at least we are safe for the time being.”

After Xue Xiang finished speaking, everyone remained silent for a long time. An's brothers, Zuo, Chen Lianjin, and Lao Wang, who was making soy sauce, simultaneously thought of a word: handsome!

Only the old man stood up and heaved a long sigh: He is wise and heaven-sent, and the country is unparalleled!

Everyone changed color together!

………….

The Jiang Family Mansion is located in a secluded place on the side of Wangfujing West Road. This is the most authentic courtyard house.To say it is authentic is to compare it with the structure of Songzhuzhai.Songzhuzhai is a single-entry courtyard. In one main room, multiple rooms such as the main room, bedroom, and study room are set up. Where is the essence of a courtyard house built on four sides and surrounded by arches and guards.But this mansion of the Jiang family is different. It is a courtyard with three entrances. Large garden.This authentic and retro courtyard house has been passed down for more than 100 years. It was originally a Baylor house in the former Qing Dynasty.Jiang Geyang originally had a residence in Da Nei, but, like Old General An, he didn't want to live in Da Nei, except that he would be stuck in Da Nei when he was working late on weekdays, most of the time, he was still willing to rush Come home and reunite with your wife and children.

Just as Xue Xiangyu waited in the old general's study, there were three people in Jiang Geyang's study who were chatting and pointing the waves.

Compared with Jiang Geyang's study and Old General An's study, it is a world of its own. It can be said that they are two stark contrasts.The interior decoration of Bailaiping is resplendent and resplendent. The marble floor is crystal clear under the illumination of the crystal chandelier on the dome. Three large black leather sofas surround a one-meter-square crystal coffee table. Five meters in front of the crystal coffee table There is a TV set on the glass cabinet. The brand is exactly one of the 143 color TV sets trial-developed by Mingzhu Electromechanical Power Plant. Right behind the TV set is a bright red alloy metal bookshelf. This huge bookshelf is not It stands on the ground like an ordinary bookshelf, but is embedded in the wall, and countless tomes are displayed in it.The [-]-square-meter study room is grand and solemn, especially avant-garde in this era, with almost no old colors and outdated utensils.

On the large leather sofa, Jiang Geyang sat in the middle, holding a purple sand oval cup in his hand, listening to a middle-aged man on the left side of his lower head with a smile on his face.Jiang Geyang is only 54 years old this year. Although he is about to enter his twilight years, for those who are struggling in the officialdom, it is the golden age when the sun is shining.He is well maintained. He has a square face with a fair face and no beard. He has thick eyebrows and big eyes. Although his thick black hair has no hairstyle to speak of, it is well-groomed. .

The middle-aged man named Ding Shiqun who was talking to Jiang Geyang was Elder Ji's life secretary.He has just turned [-] this year, and he is full of ambition. In addition to taking care of Ji Lao's life on weekdays, he is also a counselor for writing work, which is quite valued by Ji Lao.This afternoon, he was ordered by Ji Lao to visit Songzhuzhai. Unexpectedly, his trip did not achieve the desired effect.No, when I was free, I ran to Jiang Geyang overnight to ask advice.

"Mr. Jiang, my errand is a mess. I feel ashamed. In fact, I feel wronged and bitter. When I heard the bottom line of Ji Lao, I knew it was a difficult task." An errand, but since Mr. Ji has spoken, it’s a sea of ​​swords and flames, so I have to deal with it sooner, right? I tried my best, but there was only vagueness and no attitude. I think it’s a mystery. There are no outsiders here, so I will follow Let me tell you the truth, Ji Laokai’s conditions are really harsh. I’m too embarrassed to open my mouth even if there are three or two small shrimps. I hope you will explain a thing or two to me in front of Mr. Ji, what kind words!" Ding Shiqun's face is upright, and his clothes are immaculate. It is almost the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the heat has not dissipated, but he is wearing a Chinese tunic suit with lapels, and the buttons are tightly buttoned. , the neat little parts on the head were also a little messy with the swing of the speech because of the excitement.

"Don't worry about the world. You only know one thing, but you don't know the other. Mr. Ji has other deep meanings. With his old man's style and wisdom, if he really wants to win people over, how can he make such a condition? It's just a test. It’s just their attitude, or I want to push them. I think, Ji Lao didn’t tell you the truth, but he was practicing the policy of ‘conceal it to others first’. Shi Qun, you haven’t seen it before you came back from there. Over Ji Lao, right? If you had met Ji Lao, you wouldn’t come to me in such a panic to ask for advice.” Jiang Geyang comforted the chaotic Ding Shiqun with earnestness, after all, this guy in front of him is quite trusted by the old man. After carrying the banner, it might be necessary to borrow his help.

"Tall, Mr. Ji is really tall. The 3000-year contingency technique is in his hands, and he just melted into it!" Ding Shiqun listened to Jiang Geyang's explanation, and his suspended heart slowly relaxed. Standing up, he started flattering Ji Lao, which is his usual practice, no matter whether Ji Lao is present or not, whenever he talks about Ji Lao, he will stand up solemnly and admire him.

Suddenly, Ding Shiqun's complexion changed drastically, he stopped blowing, and said in a voiceless voice: "Jiang Gong, it's still not right, I didn't see the flaws that Mr. Ji showed, would Mr. Ji think that I am blunt and unbearable? "

Jiang Geyang felt disgusted when he saw how helpless he was, it's rare that you still know that you are unbearable.This kind of person talks loudly on weekdays, but actually can't take care of anything. I don't know how Mr. Ji values ​​him.Could it be that people like this kind of people after reaching the peak?

Jiang Geyang was thinking about how to comfort this Adou, but Jiang Chaotian, who was sitting on the sofa in his right hand, took the initiative to take over the father's burden: "Don't be impatient, Uncle Ding, think about how profound Ji Lao's strategy is, you It’s normal if you don’t see it, Old Man An’s side may have been trapped by Elder Ji, so why should Uncle Ding be ashamed. Besides, your resourcefulness is well known, and you don’t need to prove it to anyone.” Jiang Chaotian said at the end In a word, I couldn't help but want to vomit. It was not difficult for him to flatter, but it really made him sick to flatter this kind of guy with a sharp mouth, a thick skin and a hollow belly.

"Oh? So old man An is probably doomed this time! Haha, let them be crazy. It's not that Mr. Ji didn't blow wind with them before, but old man An's arrogant appearance is really depressing. They If you want to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, you don’t want to weigh yourself, so let them steal the chicken this time.” Ding Shiqun was relieved by Jiang Chaotian’s relief, and he became a man again. Everything is in the palm of my hand.

Jiang Geyang picked up the purple sand pot on the tea table with his own hands and refilled a glass of water for Ding Shiqun, saying: "Shiqun can rest assured, with your weight in Ji Lao's heart, coupled with the fact that you have made such great achievements today, you will be promoted to the outside world." , that is just around the corner. Come on, as an elder brother, let me toast you first to congratulate him on his success."

Hearing Jiang Geyang's words, Ding Shiqun was so happy that his poker face instantly blossomed, and he kept saying "where, where", but he didn't stop, picked up his teacup and bumped it with Jiang Geyang, took a drink And do.

Jiang Chaotian accompanied him for a drink with a smile on his face. He had just put down the teacup when his father turned his head and asked, "Chaotian, you contacted that side twice behind my back. How is the situation? You, Uncle Ding Now, say it out, and let him feel at ease."

Jiang Chaotian was stunned. His contact with Xue Xiang was indeed self-assessed. Since he hadn't received a substantive answer from there, he didn't report it to Jiang Geyang.At this moment, Jiang Geyang asked suddenly, and he was taken aback: "Who did you listen to?" What surprised him was not that he was worried that the old man knew about his little tricks, but that he was surprised when the old man buried him beside him. eyeliner.

"Don't worry about how I know, just tell me how they answered you at that time." The last time Jiang Chaotian was beaten into the hospital, he sent someone to investigate the incident secretly. This clever son actually did so many bad things behind his back.Since then, he has placed someone beside Jiang Chaotian in private, while protecting him, and at the same time reporting all the bad things he did to himself, so that he can smooth over him at any time.Jiang Geyang has one son and four daughters, and he has loved this only son since he was a child. When Jiang Chaotian became an adult, he actually showed amazing insight into ZZ, which made him love this son even more, and had high hopes for him. Be a well-deserved successor.

At this moment, Jiang Chaotian didn't know that the old man buried someone beside him. Although the old man had good intentions, who would like to live under surveillance.Of course, the old man had to wait for Ding Shiqun to leave.Jiang Chaotian cleared away distracting thoughts, cleared his mind, and said, "Father, Uncle Ding, I have indeed contacted there twice. Although they did not give a clear answer, my goal has been achieved."

Ding Shiqun was a little confused, and asked: "Chaotian, what kind of charades are you playing again, and if you don't respond, can you still achieve your goal? Don't make circles with your Uncle Ding, be quick."

Jiang Chaotian was cursing idiots in his heart, but with a smile on his face, he said, "Uncle Ding, it's like this. The person I was talking to is probably also one of Old Man An's think tanks. The first time I asked him, how can we get through this difficult time together?" How, he replied that there is no authorization from the old man, which means that old man An saw the storm and was thinking of fishing. Since old man An has moved his mind, there is hope for us to pull him over. The second time Well, before I talked to him, Elder Ji had already won the widest support, and Old Man An's attitude is irrelevant to the overall situation. I even think we should push them to the other side, so that those who want to sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight Hunters, become food in our stomachs. In addition, we can just use them as a reward for unplugging them. So, I played a trick of concealment, pretending to be impatient, and asking him to speak on his behalf is actually paralyzing the other party. Thinking about these two intentional or unintentional conversations, the kid will definitely disclose them to Old Man An, and with these two smoke bombs, one true and the other false, our plan this time must be foolproof."

After listening to Jiang Chaotian's explanation, Ding Shiqun clapped his hands and praised: "Chaotian is worthy of being Mr. Jiang's son, and his family has a long history. I'm afraid he has been passed down by Mr. Jiang. I don't think that person will dare to conceal such important information. Let's take a step back and talk about it." That is to say, he suppressed the meaning of passing it to the sky twice, and Elder Ji has also made a perfect plan. In advance, Elder Ji has repeatedly briefed Old Man An, and this time he sent me to pass on the conditions, which can be regarded as a formal communication. Clearing up the chariots and horses, I guess An's just thinks that our conditions are harsh, and never imagined that we are actually Xiangzhuang dancing swords. This time we can say that we have a good hand in dealing with them. Unless old man An saw the wind direction clearly from the beginning , already planned to get closer to us, haha, if the old man An is so awake, I am afraid he would have expressed something a long time ago, how can he delay until the moment we start? Well, I will leave first, Ji Lao has the habit of waking up at night, I I have to go back to wait on you. Mr. Jiang, Chaotian, I'll see you later."

After Ding Shiqun made an impassioned summary, he was about to stand up and leave, when the phone on the crystal coffee table rang.Jiang Chaotian picked up the phone and handed it to Jiang Geyang. Jiang Geyang put the receiver to his ear, said a few words there, and hung up the phone before he could answer.Ding Shiqun and Jiang Chaotian immediately knew who was calling with the beeping busy tone from the handset. Except for Ji Lao, no one dared to wait for Jiang Geyang to say a word, and just put down the phone.

After Ding Shiqun guessed that it was Ji Lao's call, half of his body that had just stepped out of the coffee table froze suddenly, his face was full of panic, "Jiang...Jiang Gong, did Ji Lao scold me for calling? Sneaking over, could it be that Ji Lao was furious."

When Jiang Geyang saw Ding Shiqun's appearance, he wished he could kick him to death, but he didn't take it seriously, what's the big deal to come out without permission?So scared, it seems that the old men like to keep such respectful servants around.No matter how uncomfortable Jiang Geyang felt, his face would not reveal any clues. He still comforted him and said: "Shiqun, it's nothing. It's not your business. Why panic? Elder Ji called to report the situation."

"What's the situation?" Ding Shiqun heard that the matter had nothing to do with him, his mind was fixed, and he became curious again.

"Mr. An just talked with Mr. Ji himself on the phone and agreed to go to sea." Jiang Geyang relayed the news he received expressionlessly, seemingly telling Ding Shiqun, but actually asking Jiang Chaotian about his plan.

Ding Shiqun slumped back to the sofa, "How did this happen? How did old man An find out? Could it be that they already know that our side has become a big trend? No, it is impossible to reveal the matter of Mr. Ji's contact. In the end What's going on? An Department actually narrowly escaped death! If they heard a flaw from my words, they wouldn't have waited for more than ten hours before deciding to stand up, there must be something wrong." Ding Shiqun followed like a demon , Ask yourself, answer yourself, talk for yourself.

Jiang Chaotian got the news, but he came back to his senses after a moment of stupefaction. His father's eyes glanced over, and he knew that it was a question. Now seeing Ding Shiqun's distraught appearance, he decided to give an answer together: "Uncle Ding, don't be anxious, the sky will not fall. I think there are two reasons for this situation. One is that they may know about Ji Lao's alliance. After all, no matter how concealed it is, it is inevitable." The wind is coming out. However, I think the possibility of such a situation is relatively small. The confidential matter is at this critical juncture. The fishermen all know the seriousness and severity. After all, it is a matter of life, and the possibility of disclosure is very small. Two Yes, they saw a flaw in Ji Lao's conditions. Even if we have been paralyzed before, it is inevitable that someone will jump out of the situation and get involved in the mystery. I think this is the most likely situation. Uncle Ding, this matter must I can't blame you, you are just spreading the word on behalf of Mr. Ji, and you have done nothing wrong. Dad, do you have anyone on Mr. An's side, even the people buried at the door of the house. , must have just broken the game, maybe the person who participated in the mystery came in tonight, and may come out now, as long as you know who it is, you can probably determine the secret behind Anxi's upside down." In fact, Jiang Chaotian The most likely candidate was Xue Xiang, but he had no evidence and relied on intuition, so he didn't say it.He has always held a curious and inquiring attitude towards Xue Xiang. He thinks that this person is extremely alert and courageous. What's more rare is that he has a grand structure and a world-minded mind. Such a person cannot be overestimated.

"Your boy is very suspicious. Didn't you just send someone to look after you, and you actually suspect that your father is a spy? What is the place of Mr. An? Isn't it easy to find people there?" Jiang Geyang is rare. He scolded his precious son.

Jiang Chaotian smiled slightly, but didn't speak, he was just joking with the old man on purpose, worried that he would be hit by this sudden change, and relaxed his heart.With his intelligence, how could he not know that his father would never do such tricks?

After listening to Jiang Chaotian's words, Ding Shiqun finally calmed down.He was in constant shock today, and even with the indomitable spirit he had honed from taking care of Mr. Ji every day, it was inevitable that he felt physically and mentally exhausted at this moment. At that moment, he said goodbye to Jiang and his son and left.

Jiang's father and son sent Ding Shiqun off, and then sat back on the sofa.

"What? I think you're a little depressed. Whether An's falls or not doesn't actually affect us. Most of them are in the barracks. Even if it becomes a meal on the plate, we can't eat it. Besides, although we are in a big situation now It's done, and the chances of winning are within grasp, but no one dares to say the outcome of this level of game until the last moment. It would be a good thing to have one more help. I see that you have always looked at the overall situation, why are you staring at An Shi today? One corner, isn't that what you usually do?" Jiang Geyang patted Jiang Chaotian's shoulder lightly, fearing that he would be depressed, so he came to comfort him instead.

Jiang Chaotian raised his head and showed a smiling face: "I'm fine, Dad, I just think this matter is very strange. Although the An family is strong, it's just a dead bone in the grave, with no successors. I don't care too much about it. It's just that , I felt that someone suddenly stepped in and disrupted the rhythm I had set, and for the first time in my life, I felt admiration for a person."

Jiang Geyang was very curious when he heard it. He knew that his son had been extremely high-sighted and accurate since he was a child. in the eyes.In addition to having respect for the old man who has passed away, even the father and son to me are just a father-son relationship, and I have never had a high opinion of myself. Instead, I have borrowed more of his talents from time to time to stabilize my position in the past few years. , Gradually entered Ji Lao's eyes, and now he has the potential to take over the banner.The son actually said today that he felt admiration for a person, and he couldn't help but let him, the old man, be shocked.

"Who is it? Tell Dad." Jiang Geyang asked, staring into Jiang Chaotian's eyes.

"Passed." Jiang Chaotian raised his eyebrows.

"If the weeds are harmful, take advantage of this opportunity of spraying and pull them out together. It might kill two birds with one stone."

"Forget it, Dad, those methods are inferior after all. If not done well, it will hurt both others and yourself. Besides, he may not necessarily stand opposite us. Besides, wouldn't it be nice to have an opponent? Otherwise, Isn’t life too boring? I have no rivals in my head, maybe it will rust.” After Jiang Chaotian finished speaking, he got up and took out a bottle of red wine from the cabinet under the bookshelf, and raised his hand: “Dad, for this victory , Let's have a toast."

"Success, I'll have a few drinks with my son."');