Volume 8 National disaster

After the poem was recited, Guo Moruo held his glasses and asked enthusiastically: "How is it?"

Chen Zikun nodded: "The passion bursts out and the vitality is full of energy. It contains the admiration of the heroes against Japan and the expectation of victory in the War of Resistance. It is like the lightning that penetrates the sky when the clouds are covered with clouds, and the end is powerful!"

Guo Moruo was very surprised: "I didn't expect the general to have such a deep understanding of poetry."

Chen Zikun said: "I laughed at you, and I played with my friends at the Crescent Society for a while in my early years."

Guo Moruo opened his eyes wide: "But Beijing Crescent Poetry Society?"

"Yes, Lin Changmin and Lin Huiyin, father and daughter, Xu Zhimo, Chen Xiying, and Ling Shuhua often go to No. 7, Shihu Hutong in Xidan. At that time, I was still a small lieutenant clerk in the Beiyang Army Department. It was so sad to think of those years." Chen Zikun narrowed his eyes and looked at the clouds in the sky and sighed.

Guo Moruo was overjoyed and was about to discuss in depth, but Chen Zikun looked at his watch and said, "Sorry, there is still something to do. Mr. Guo has lost his companion."

The poet had to stand in the exhaust of the car and waved calmly: "Goodbye, General Chen."

Chen Zikun did not deliberately ignore Guo Moruo, but something was really wrong. A large number of machinery and equipment were still rusted in the cargo yard, and it would be scrapped if it was not pulled back. Yao Yilei had negotiated countless times before, but was pushed around like a kick from various departments. Chen Zikun had been furious for a long time. The first thing to solve was this.

He drove straight to the freight yard of Chaotianmen Wharf. When he arrived, he suddenly thought of Bai Yufang. He turned to the dock and found the big ship of Qi's troupe. After asking, he found out that Bai Yufang and his daughter had gone to the city to run for work. The troupe spent all the money on bribing the police. Now he had eaten but had no meals. If he didn't contact some business, he would be hungry.

Everyone in the opera troupe was very respectful and polite to Chen Zikun. When he spoke, others dared not interrupt, and they stood with their hands hanging down, with a humble smile on their faces, which made Chen Zikun very uncomfortable, but he could do nothing. The gap between classes is an insurmountable obstacle.

After saying goodbye to everyone, Chen Zikun went to the cargo yard and went straight in to check his own goods. The generator set steam turbine was exposed, and the wind and rain were blowing, and there was a nest of wild cats living inside. Many wooden boxes were taken apart, and the equipment inside disappeared. It was really distressing to see it.

"Hey, what are you doing?" the guard of the cargo yard shouted from afar.

Chen Zikun walked over and said, "Take me to your supervisor."

When the supervisor saw a senior officer coming to inspect, he hurriedly ran over. Chen Zikun was tall, tall, straight military uniform, wearing white gloves, and backed his hands, and was arrogant without anger.

"You are General Chen in the newspaper!" The supervisor recognized the person in front of him and was extremely surprised.

Chen Zikun said: "Yes, it's just me. I have a batch of goods here. Come and check it out."

The supervisor immediately sweated profusely, thinking of the lady who came to ask for goods every now and then, wasn't it Mrs. Chen?

"That's right. This batch of materials was temporarily detained by the Ministry of Finance's Material Management Committee. Because the procedures are incomplete, so..."

"Why should the Ministry of Finance detain my things? What procedures do I need to load and ship my own machinery and equipment? I have to waste all the good things in the wilderness. Who should I ask for compensation?" Chen Zikun snatched the yard manager and was speechless.

"General, the young man is also ordered to do things, and it's very difficult. Otherwise... if you look for a car to pull things away? I'll just pretend that I didn't see it." The supervisor was careful to accompany him.

Chen Zikun became even more angry. Yao Yilei asked for it for a long time but didn't say anything. He got angry and the other party let it go directly. A group of guys who were in vain really responded to the saying, "The front is tight and the back is tight, and everyone wants to make money from the national crisis. Even the manager of a small cargo yard is slanderous, bullying the weak and afraid of the strong."

"Look at things well, one screw is missing, you are the only one asking!" Chen Zikun left and left, leaving the supervisor to keep wiping his sweat. He had read Chen Zikun's heroic deeds in fighting behind enemy lines in the "Central Daily" and knew that this person could not afford to offend him.

The goods were temporarily detained by the Ministry of Finance, so naturally they had to ask for them. Chen Zikun called his old friend Song Ziwen first to inquire about the situation.

"I'm really sorry before I can greet you... You said the Material Management Committee, that's the responsibility of Kong Xiangxi, and the Ministry of Finance is under his jurisdiction... Zikun, don't worry, I'll help you."

Song Ziwen is very good at taking over the big bag. Chen Zikun can make time to handle other things. He first went to the hospital to visit Chen Qilin. He was seriously injured and had a broken intestine. He needed a long time to recuperate. He would not be able to return to the battlefield in the short term.

After leaving the hospital, Chen Zikun went to the Eighth Route Army Office again. Last time, he helped so much, so it would not work if he didn't go there in person to express his gratitude.

There are also various social groups in Chongqing and invitations sent by dignitaries and nobles. As Jiangdong fell, Chen Zikun became a general with no territory or army. He had to weave a network of relationships in the accompanying city as soon as possible.

In the evening, Song Ziwen invited her to the house, and Chen Zikun brought Yao Yilei and Jianbing to attend. During the meal, they were mostly big names in the political and business circles. Although there was shortage of supplies, on the Chongqing black market, you can buy anything as long as you have money, including champagne, whiskey, canned American food, Japanese biscuits, Russian caviar, and Filipino cigars.

The well-dressed guests talked about the current situation and how to hoard supplies and rush foreign exchange. They looked at the cigars on the mouth of the rich man and the big diamond ring on the hands of the rich wife. The band was wearing a straight suit and serenade. Suddenly the lights were all gone and the power was out.

People complained that Chongqing implemented light controls and curfews, but those were all for ordinary people. The only special departments of power supply priority, and the cars of dignitaries had passes. These policies were useless for them. However, the power plants were bombed by Japanese people and power outages were commonplace, and no one could do anything about it.

The waiter quickly lit the candles. The candlelight in the hall was hazy, and the music suddenly became lighter. The young man started dancing, his eyes full of cheongsam thighs and suits and ties. The air seemed to contain some ambiguous smell, which made Chen Zikun feel very uncomfortable.

Song Ziwen came over with a glass of wine and sat down: "Zikun, I have negotiated with the Ministry of Finance. Your batch of goods can be transported away at any time."

Chen Zikun said: "Where can I put it in? It's a complete set of power generation equipment. Now it's been dismantled and can only be used as spare parts. I think it's better to sell it to the Ministry of Finance at a discount."

Song Ziwen's eyes lit up: "This is a good method."

"Brother Ziwen, I'll ask you for this matter."

"Where is it, it should be. My sister-in-law has also contacted me about this matter, because it's too busy, and you know... Although Kong Xiangxi is my brother-in-law, I have a big difference in political views with him. Forget it, I'll go too far. I'll call you after I've dealt with this matter."

Chen Zikun expressed his gratitude again. Before the dance was over, he took his wife to leave first and left the gate. The street outside was bright and the stars were sparse, and the cold air was gushing at his face, and there was a faint sound in his ears. However, there was a beggar lying down in front of him. He stepped forward to see that the person had been frozen to death.

"The weather is dry, be careful of the candle." The updater knocked the clapper and walked by, not surprised.

On the way back, Yao Yilei said: "I'll have an appointment with Bai Yufang and his daughter to have dinner tomorrow. If there is any other venue, I'll just push it."

Chen Zikun suddenly remembered something: "Didn't you say that Chen Diaoyuan's mother would hold a party for her birthday?"

"Oh, yes, but the old man is not suitable for martial arts shows when he is having a birthday party." Yao Yilei said lightly, turning his head to look out the window.

...

The next day, on the Qi family's ship at Chaotianmen Wharf, Bai Yufang carefully combed his hair in front of the mirror and took out a golden hairpin from the box.

"Mom, I'll help you." Qi Xiu appeared behind her and helped Bai Yufang insert the golden hairpin into her hair bun. "Mom, you finally figured it out."

"What do you think of?"

"When we are doing something with our godfather, won't we go tonight?"

"We have to go there. If we give us a face, we have to continue, let alone let others laugh at you. Come on, mom, help you comb your hair."

The two Daoma Dan dressed up, without applying makeup, and without waiting for the special car to pick him up, they went to the street to buy some pastries and went straight to Chen's mansion with them.

Compared with the houses in Beitaihe Provincial Capital, Chongqing Chen Mansion is simply shabby, but for Bai Yufang and his daughter, it is still a luxury place that is out of reach. Crystal chandeliers, wool carpets, elegant European dining tables, candlesticks, exquisite porcelain and silver tableware, which exudes the owner's social status and economic ability everywhere.

The Qi family is not a big drama troupe. They often set up stages in the county and rural areas. They have never seen such scenes. Qi Xiu was a little nervous, but Bai Yufang was never humble or arrogant, calm and moderate. Chen Zikun's family was very enthusiastic, asking about his well-being and having a meal.

Bai Yufang sat at the dining table and looked at it, saying, "I'm sorry, can you take two pairs of chopsticks?"

"Mama Wang, bring two pairs of chopsticks." Yao Yilei ordered.

Chen Zikun frowned slightly.

During the meal, Yao Yilei and Jian Bing sang together and introduced the situation of the Chen family. The master had four wives, all of whom were well-educated and well-behaved and sad, and even Xia Xiaoqing, who had a low level of education, was also from a martial arts family in Cangzhou, and had both outstanding hidden weapons and light skills.

Bai Yufang has been in the world for many years, and if you can't hear the meaning of this, it will be useless. The other party is implicitly telling himself that you do not belong to this family and you are out of place with us.

After the banquet, Bai Yufang stood up and said goodbye: "Thank you for the hospitality, I won't bother you."

"Sister, don't sit for a while." Yao Yilei said politely.

"No need, we will have a date later." Bai Yufang clasped his fists and took his daughter out.

"I'll go and see it off." Chen Zikun followed.

After walking speechlessly under the moonlight for a while, Bai Yufang suddenly said, "General Chen, let's leave here. The Qi family will leave Chongqing tomorrow."

"Where to go?" Chen Zikun asked subconsciously.

"Maybe to go to Chengdu, or go out of Sichuan, the world is so big, and you still have no place to go." Bai Yufang looked at a crescent moon in the sky.

"Why not stay?" Chen Zikun put his hand on Bai Yufang's shoulder.

Bai Yufang gently took his hand away and smiled faintly: "It is better to forget each other than to support each other and forget me."

After saying that, he made great strides resolutely. Qi Xiu shouted and hurriedly followed him.

Chen Zikun spread his palms and placed a small boat made of white jade in his palm.
Chapter completed!