"Old Wu, what do you mean?" Xue Huaili felt that the matter was really difficult.

"You must have the intention to kill, but also the intention to guard against others." Huang Guowu said slowly: "You can seek help from the Japanese when starting a business, but you can't be completely determined to let others lead you. In the end, you will become them. The victims of our previous expansion were too powerful. We forced away the Cheng family, defeated the Bao family, and forced the small and medium-sized wealthy families to unite to resist. Of course, if the advance detachment had not come across, they would naturally not be our opponents. But Now we need to reconsider this issue. Moreover, judging from the recent performance of the Japanese, it seems that we do not want our family to be the only one. In this case, let the Japanese take the lead and we cooperate. If the Japanese hand over power Give it to the captain, and you can legitimately force the small and medium-sized gentry to contribute money and share the risks."

"Advancing to the detachment will directly touch the interests of my Xue family." Xue Huaili said unwillingly: "There is also that Bao Ningle. He can avenge private revenge."

"Jiping Town is our foundation. It has been in business for many years and has strong fortifications. As long as we hold on there, we can let the advancing detachment do whatever they want." Huang Guowu analyzed: "It depends on how long the Japanese can endure. The land cannot escape. The Xue family It's just a small loss of money. As long as you have the strength, you can get it back twice as much in the future."

Huang Guowu raised his head and looked at Xue Huaili. He said in a sad tone: "I am nearly sixty years old. My days of serving the Xue family are numbered. I hope you can hold the tiller steady, withstand the wind and waves, and save the Xue family. I can easily explain it to the old man."

Xue Huaili looked at Huang Guowu's gray hair and the pale moonlight blending together, highlighting his old age more and more clearly. In an instant, a series of past events came to mind.

Huang Guowu graduated from Baoding Military Academy in his early years. Due to his unsatisfactory official career, he joined the Xue family in the twelfth year of the Republic of China. With his alertness, tact and loyalty to his master, he became the right-hand man of Xue Huaili's father, Xue Yihua. Xue Huaili was only a teenager at that time. In the way of running a family, he received a lot of education from Huang Guowu. After his father passed away and Xue Huaili went east to study in Japan for four years, it was Huang Guowu who managed the family business for him. In the past few years, Huang Guowu also made an appearance. Dali. Even now in his twilight years, Huang Guowu is still making suggestions for the Xue family and running around. Thinking of his recent alienation from Huang Guowu, Xue Huaili couldn't help but feel a little apologetic.

Xue Huaili understood the meaning of Huang Guowu's words. It was not only a revelation of true feelings, but also a vent of resentment and private anger. Ever since he married a Japanese woman, it aroused Huang Guowu's wariness. Recently, this Japanese woman has become more and more explicit. Huang Guowu openly interfered in the major affairs and minor affairs of the Xue family, and bribed several elderly people in the Xue family, which made Huang Guowu even more dissatisfied. He advised Xue Huaili several times to have his own opinion and not to listen to women. However, Xue Huaili thought that he was motivated by Selfishness and jealousy caused the relationship between the two to become estranged.

"Mr. Wu, why are you saying these sad words? Everyone knows your loyalty and contribution to the Xue family." Xue Huaili thought about Huang Guowu's words. His mind seemed to be clearer. If Huang Guowu had said this before, he might have It has been ignored for a long time. Now we are facing a serious situation. In this house that is full of Huang Guowu's hard work, facing this old minister Tuogu. There is no one else present. It is a desolate moonlit night. The opposite is bleak. Here and now. This situation. The two people's hearts suddenly became much closer.

Huang Guowu got some comfort from Xue Huaili's words. He said: "I have said everything I need to say. I am getting older. Maybe I will talk a little more. What I said may be inappropriate. As long as you can understand my difficulties, I will Satisfied."

Xue Huaili looked at the manor shrouded in a foreboding atmosphere again, as if saying goodbye to it. After a long time, he closed the window with a bang, turned around and said resolutely to Huang Guowu: "Okay, I will do it as you want. Let’s see how the situation develops. Pack up the valuables here. Let’s go back to Jiping Town.”

……………………

The time was around twelve o'clock. A faint moonlight shone on the window paper. The sparse tree shadows and the vertical and horizontal window lattice intertwined to form an irregular pattern. It was quiet indoors and outdoors. The only sound. It was Zhang Sanmao's even and low snoring.

Zhang Sanmao has such a characteristic. He works vigorously and energetically. No matter how tired he is, he rarely looks sleepy. But as soon as he lies down, he can fall asleep quickly without snoring or gritting his teeth. He never talks in his sleep. He never tosses and turns. He often wakes up in the same position as before going to bed. He explains his good sleep as being simple-minded. Of course, most people don't think so. Sun Zhicheng is very envious. He has the advantage of being good at resting. He cannot be like Zhang Sanmao. Once he lies down, he can put down things temporarily and close his eyes and fall asleep quickly. He always lies quietly, closes his eyes slightly, and He carefully considered the important things that happened that day and tomorrow's work. Although these issues had been properly arranged, the waves in his mind would not calm down all of a sudden.

The situation here is indeed very complicated. There are not only Xue Huaili's puppet troops, but also sporadic armed forces organized by small and medium-sized wealthy families. The Japanese are also watching covetously. Although they also have conflicts, it cannot be ruled out that they temporarily unite to fight against the outside world. Xue Huaili is The chess pieces manipulated by the Japanese will be killed sooner or later. The question is just to see when the Japanese need to do this. What methods will they take to maintain their strength as much as possible and drive away the advancing detachment? According to him There is no guarantee that he can act alone. And how can he be willing to take advantage of the fire? In the end, he will take advantage of the small and medium-sized wealthy families.

The most urgent task for the army is to gain a firm foothold, develop and grow. Then it must make fewer enemies. At least the enemies must have different ideas and cannot act in unison. In other words, they cannot overwhelm a whole boat of people with one pole and take the interests of everyone at once. Just like the conclusion reached during the research and deduction at the headquarters: there are leaders and subordinates, there are fights and pulls, both fights and violence. Policies must be flexible and changeable, and be rolled out gradually. They cannot be exposed all at once. Let some people have illusions and move slowly. When the advancing detachment has a firm foothold and is strong enough, it will be the time for the final showdown.
Chapter completed!