Chapter 349 Do you have this qualification? (Big chapter asking for a guaranteed monthly ticket)
Among the four seasons of the year, spring is actually the most unpredictable season.
The sun is warm during the day, but the coldness hits in the morning and evening, making people feel like "spring cold" - this is commonly known as "late spring cold", which often occurs more frequently when it is rainy for a long time.
In the words of a meteorologist,
This is caused by areas being frequently hit by strong cold air and temperatures dropping rapidly at night.
At this time, holding an umbrella and walking in the rain outside Congressman Kenneth's residence, Higashinohara clearly felt a coldness that did not belong to this season in the weather in April.
But those ladies who dress up for the banquet with most of their skin exposed and wear long skirts that highlight the width and depth of their figures clearly have an ability to withstand the cold that is different from ordinary people.
Higashinohara shook his head secretly at first, feeling that women really don't want any warmth for beauty.
But when he walked to the door of Senator Kenneth's mansion, handed over the invitation, and followed the footsteps of the previous guests and stepped into the mansion for the first time, he realized that he was "superficial."
It must be said that the facilities in Senator Kenneth's residence are very unique.
As soon as you enter the courtyard and enter the mansion, a warm breeze automatically rises under your feet. You don't feel the "spring chill" at all on a rainy night. Instead, you feel like "the warm breeze makes visitors drunk".
Higashinohara followed the footsteps of these mayors and councilors and walked slowly forward.
On the way, his eyes swept over the faces of these big shots, looking for the man named "Congressman Kenneth" who would invite him to the banquet tonight, but the eyes of these big shots hardly stayed on Higashinohara's shoulders for more than a second.
In fact, if it weren't for the formal attire prepared by my aunt Kolodia for Higashinohara, it would be different from the waiters walking back and forth holding trays at today's birthday dinner.
Maybe when Higashinohara was walking among the crowd, someone would snap their fingers and ask this young and handsome "waiter" for a glass of champagne.
Finally, before the banquet started, Higashinohara found Congressman Kenneth holding his daughter's hand next to a champagne tower - he had searched online before coming and easily found Congressman Kenneth's photo.
But when his eyes fell on the man of the mansion, Congressman Kenneth, the host of tonight's banquet, someone finally also laid eyes on him.
They were two black-clad ability agents from the United States of Targos's Eagle Secret Service. They were tall and strong and seemed to be in charge of Congressman Kenneth's birthday dinner tonight.
So when Higashinohara was alone in the courtyard, he stared at Congressman Kenneth and took a step forward.
The two agents in black looked at each other, walked towards Higashinohara in unison, and then quietly stretched out an arm to cross in front of Higashinohara.
"Sorry, do you need anything?" one of the agents asked in a gentle tone.
They will stop Higashinohara,
On the one hand, Congressman Kenneth has a special status.
As we all know, Kenneth is the favorite to be the next mayor of Meiji Mansion.
If you continue with this kind of resume, you may even have the opportunity to run for president of the United States of America. Of course, the security around you will need to be strengthened at public events such as birthday parties.
on the other hand,
This is Higashinohara's personal problem.
The people attending tonight's banquet are either rich or noble, and each of them has a kind of temperament that has been on top of others for a long time in their reserved eyebrows. Most of them are not accompanied by beautiful and proud female companions.
Only Higashinohara was alone, and his temperament was incompatible with such an occasion.
As if aware of something strange here, Congressman Kenneth, who was talking to a minister from another party, glanced at this place from the corner of his eye, and quickly looked away again, smiling and toasting with the minister in front of him.
The ten-year-old girl who was following him was holding a princess doll in her hand and stood there boredly.
She probably knew in her heart that today's dinner was nominally to celebrate her birthday.
But in reality it was just a gathering for my father to bond with friends from the political and business circles.
At this time, Higashinohara withdrew his gaze from Congressman Kenneth and his daughter.
Facing the two figures standing in front of him, he stopped and said, "I'm sorry, I was invited by Congressman Kenneth last night. Please let me know. I'm the messenger of Team Leader Tokugawa of Wano Country."
.”
The agent in black looked at Higashinohara, nodded politely, then turned around and walked over, nodded towards Higashinohara and said, "Please wait a moment."
After finishing speaking, one of the men turned around and walked over, while the remaining man was still staring at Higashinohara expressionlessly.
Higashinohara didn't think much of it either.
He stared at the agent who went back to report. He watched the agent walk up behind Congressman Kenneth. After the conversation between the Congressman and the slightly bald minister came to an end, he approached him and covered his ears with his hands and whispered a few words.
What.
Congressman Kenneth turned his head and looked at Higashinohara. For a moment, there was some confusion on his face - maybe Higashinohara's visit last night was just a trivial matter for him.
Fortunately, our Congressman Kenneth is not just a fish with a few seconds of memory. The frown lines on his brows quickly relaxed, and a thoughtful look appeared on his face.
Suddenly, he smiled and said something to the minister with a slightly bald forehead who turned to leave. The other minister looked up in surprise and looked in the direction of Higashinohara outside the crowd, with a smile on his face as well.
Although Higashinohara, who was standing quietly on the spot, could not hear clearly what they just said in the noisy environment, the smiles on the faces of the two people made him feel inexplicably familiar.
Then I feel unhappy.
Involuntarily, the figures of certain officials from Wano Country appeared in my mind.
Soon, the Eagle Bureau agent came back quickly and said respectfully in front of Higashinohara:
"Mr. Congressman invites you to sit in the corridor next to the courtyard. He is happy to discuss the issues you are concerned about before the banquet begins. Please come with me."
Is that so?
Higashinohara's face was thoughtful.
But now that we are here, there is no reason to give up halfway.
Higashinohara nodded slightly and followed the man along the bluestone path next to the courtyard towards the resting place. From time to time along the way, a slightly humid warm breeze would blow in his face from behind the potted plants next to the corridor.
What Higashinohara must admit is that,
The United States of Tagos is truly one of the most powerful countries in the Cross Continent. The facilities and layout of the residences of the members of the capital alone are more luxurious and exquisite than the official residences of the Prime Ministers that Higashinohara once visited.
Watching the flowers all the way,
When he was approaching the resting place in the corridor, Higashinohara suddenly noticed a line of sight.
Turning his head, what he saw was a woman wearing a black evening dress, standing alone in the crowd like him before, holding a goblet.
But the difference is that Higashinohara, who was alone just now, was just a little transparent person that no one noticed, and almost no one's eyes stayed on him for more than a second.
However, the woman wearing a tight black evening dress, even if her face is covered with a gauze and her face cannot be seen clearly, the half of her swan-like white and slender neck that is breathtaking, as well as her beautiful and outstanding figure and temperament are all very beautiful.
The type that makes people easily addicted at first sight.
However, this woman exuded an indescribable aura.
Even if you don't get close and just stare with your eyes, your eyes will feel cold and dry after looking at them for a long time.
Those who tried to invite people after entering the dinner party all stopped unconsciously after approaching the other party ten meters away.
It was as if there was an invisible cold invisible force field in front of them, silently blocking their steps.
But at this time, the woman holding the wine glass cast her gaze across the crowd towards Higashinohara who was following two guards in black in the corridor.
Her red lips under the veil were slightly raised, and her delicate and fair face showed a slightly thoughtful expression.
Is it him?
The boy who was holding an umbrella in the rain when he arrived.
As soon as Higashinohara walked to the corridor where he was taking a rest, he heard the crisp sound of glasses clinking from the front.
Three middle-aged men held amber drinks with strong aroma in their hands, and they drank a glass of wine while clinking with each other. You could vaguely hear the words "Then let's have a happy cooperation."
"Oh, people are here."
Councilor Kenneth took a sip of his drink and noticed Higashinohara behind the black-clad security guard. He couldn't help but smile and walked up and said, "Sit down first. Do you want something to drink?"
"No, thank you." Higashinohara said after sitting down.
Diagonally opposite him, the Minister with a slightly bald forehead whom he had met before picked up a cigar in a cigar box, gently passed it under his greasy nose, took a deep breath of the fragrance of tobacco, and immediately became familiar with it.
After cutting it and lighting it, I took a deep breath and exhaled a large amount of smoke.
Under the diffuse smoke, the Minister looked a little scornfully, and said condescendingly to Higashinohara, "Young man, would you like one?"
"Thank you, no need." Higashinohara declined again.
Among the three people, the thin middle-aged man sitting on the far right swayed a dazzling amber wine glass under the light in his hand, and said with a smile:
"Haha, it seems that he is a 'three good young men' from the country of Wano. No wonder he works so hard for the country."
Running around is not a big deal.
Higashinohara Shindo.
At this time, Congressman Kenneth, who was sitting down again, put down his wine glass, straightened his appearance, and said with a smile, "I have read the letter from your leader Tokugawa yesterday. I understand his sincerity and enthusiasm for the country. I believe
The same goes for you, but before that, I would like to introduce you to the two future colleagues sitting next to me."
"The man on the left is the Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Salvin. Not surprisingly, he will also be a member of the Tagos delegation to attend the World Conference in June. Your request depends largely on Salvin.
Your Excellency Wen."
When Kenneth made the introduction, Foreign Minister Salvin was still holding his cigar and puffing out the sweet smoke, with a condescending look on his face that was half-smiling.
"The person on the right is Director Byron of the Trade Office of the Ministry of Energy. He is mainly responsible for the country's foreign energy import and export trade. Of course! Our conversation today is private, so you don't have to worry about that."
Councilor Kenneth said with a smile.
Higashinohara nodded,
Waiting for the next step without saying a word.
But in fact, Senator Kenneth and the other three people don't like the calmness of young people.
At their age and status, compared to being "calm", what they would rather see is the feeling of embarrassment and "fear" when they stand up immediately after introducing their identities.
It's a pity that this kind of performance did not appear in Higashinohara.
From the time we met all the way to now,
The expression on Higashinohara's face was always calm, as if he was an outsider who had nothing to do with him.
Congressman Kenneth couldn't help but frown slightly when he saw this. Higashinohara's performance made him feel that their next conversation might not go as smoothly as he imagined.
"I heard from Mr. Congressman that the Tokugawa leader of Wano Country hopes to get our help at this world conference, and hopes that the Tagos delegation can vote for them at the critical moment."
Suddenly, Director Byron of the Department of Energy gently shook the wine glass in his hand and said with a smile, "About this, I think that as long as Minister Salvin next to me is willing, he can do it very easily."
This is a declarative sentence.
Straight to the point, they laid out the fact that they could help, followed by a brief pause.
Higashinohara raised his head and glanced at Congressman Kenneth sitting in the middle, and then at the Energy Department Minister Byron and the Foreign Affairs Minister Salvin who were sitting on the left and right sides.
Finally, his eyes returned to Senator Kenneth who was playing with the wine glass in his hand.
Suddenly, I laughed silently in my heart.
He somewhat understood.
I understand why Congressman Kenneth did not give a reply after reading Tokugawa Ritora's letter last night, but instead asked him to come over today for a detailed discussion.
Because today, Congressman Kenneth is no longer a "member", but a long-sleeved "broker", a broker who helps Mr. Director and the Minister to win business.
To be honest, Tokugawa Ritora asked Higashinohara to send the letter and wait for a reply.
Based on that tiger’s experience,
Higashinohara did not believe that the other party was a politician who only wanted to work in Tagos with enthusiasm, and did not make any "promise" or "conditions" in the letter.
But it is a pity that Congressman Kenneth in front of him is obviously not satisfied with the conditions offered by Tokugawa Ritora.
That's why the current scene happened.
They want more.
It’s just that Higashinohara does not have this authority.
To take a step back, even if he did, he would not put meat into the mouths of politicians.
Higashinohara is different from Tokugawa Ritora, who had a strong sense of responsibility for Wano and therefore sought medical treatment in a hurry.
When he wants to come,
This is no different from beating a dog with a meat bun.
"Frankly speaking,
I sympathize with what your country is going through."
At this time, Foreign Minister Salvin, who had been puffing away at his cigar and looking down at Higashinohara, slowly said:
"But in this world, you can't get anything done by relying on sympathy. The energy mining rights conditions offered by Team Leader Tokugawa are very attractive, at least for our country, but it's us, the people below, who are doing the work."
Speaking of this, Foreign Minister Salvin paused and continued, "Although I am one of the spokespersons of the Tagos delegation at the world conference, I am not the only one in the delegation. Some words are not
I can say whatever I want."
"I want to help your country as much as you do, but I can't guarantee that my colleagues are as enthusiastic as me, so I have to come up with something that can impress people, right?"
After Minister Salvin said this, he gently raised his hand to flick the ashes of his cigar.
He was very satisfied with his flawless and reasonable statement, and glanced at Higashinohara casually.
The three of them didn't think the young man in front of them could make a decision.
But the advantage of "young people" spreading the word is that when faced with mature politicians and congressmen like them, they only need to use appropriate words to make the other party panic, thereby grabbing more for themselves in this "deal"
Benefit.
However, at this moment, Higashinohara, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke.
"So, your Excellency, Minister, you want to get more benefits?"
Saying that, Higashinohara raised his right hand.
The index finger, middle finger and thumb are rubbed together to make an "international" gesture.
all of a sudden,
The air suddenly solidified!
The three elegant people sitting here,
No one thought that the young man with a gentle appearance, strong appearance and calm demeanor would actually say such "vulgar words" when he came in front of them.
That’s right!
Compared with Minister Salvin's words, what Higashinohara just said was simply "vulgar" in the extreme, and the gesture of twirling his fingers made them even more polite.
It was as if the people sitting here were not the rich and powerful who had long lived in the upper class, but a group of mud-legged people in the vegetable market haggling over a fat pig waiting to be slaughtered.
In just a few seconds,
Minister Salvin of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Master Byron of the Ministry of Energy had slightly gloomy expressions.
For a moment, even the organizer, Congressman Kenneth, who was sitting in the middle, looked a little unhappy, and once again looked at the "harmless" young man in front of him.
He must admit,
Today he looked a little wrong.
"If you understand it this way,
That’s not a bad idea.”
Suddenly, Congressman Kenneth nodded slightly and said, "They need to add an additional 50% to the conditions proposed by Team Leader Tokugawa. The additional 50% is private.
You should be able to understand,
This request is not too much.”
Higashinohara did not know what other conditions and prices Tokugawa Ritora offered in the letter.
But just talking about "energy mine",
According to Higashinohara's common sense, energy mines are the economic lifeblood of any country in the world. Now the three people in front of them are asking for half of their personal income.
If this is not too much
That's really a ghost.
However, now that they have completely "opened up their faces", Minister Salvin of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Director Byron of the Department of Energy have both resumed their previously superior and disdainful gaze, looking at Higashinohara calmly and unhurriedly.
Obviously, they were confident and not in a hurry. Instead, they looked at Higashinohara's silence with interest.
Because they know that in this world situation in Wano, it is Higashinohara and the people behind him who should be worried.
After being silent, Higashinohara said calmly, "With all due respect, the favor fee requested by Mr. Congressman is too forced. I think Team Leader Tokugawa and Wano Country will not agree to your request for cooperation.
"
Hearing Higashinohara say vulgar words again and refuse, the expressions of the three of them also turned cold.
Even Congressman Kenneth's eyes seemed to be looking at a beggar crawling on the roadside.
Not the guests he just sent out invitations to attend his daughter's birthday party last night.
"Listen to me, kid."
Congressman Kenneth shook his head in amusement, and his expression suddenly became indifferent.
He said expressionlessly:
"There are not too few people in this world who are qualified to reject us, but you are definitely not among them. In fact, the fact that you are able to walk into this mansion is largely thanks to the country behind you that is willing to 'sell its body'
.”
"so."
Congressman Kenneth paused and continued, "Don't reject others easily, because that will only make you and the country behind you fall into endless regret and pain."
Having said this, Senator Kenneth raised his wrist and looked at his watch, with a smile on his face again.
He apologized to Minister Salvin of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Director Byron of the Department of Energy, "I'm sorry for wasting your time, but the dinner is about to start. We have arranged a dance, and I believe you two will definitely
interested in."
"Of course."
Minister Salvin and Director Byron smiled, and their eyes never fell on Higashinohara again.
As if this person does not exist,
With their identity and status in this country, they can indeed ignore most people.
The Eagle Bureau agent standing behind Higashinohara noticed Congressman Kenneth's cold words as he said goodbye.
For a moment, his previous respectful attitude was no longer what it was before, and he said in a cold and blunt tone, "Sir, please come this way, and we will arrange to open the side door to send you out."
obviously
This is already an eviction.
Higashinohara is not greedy for this place.
He looked at the backs of the three people who stood up and said to himself, "Although I don't agree with meat buns beating dogs, I will still give you your answers. The choice should be left to Team Leader Tokugawa and Kazuo
The top brass of the country."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Walking on the corridor of the courtyard,
Many of the guests noticed the "unhappy ending" at one corner of the banquet. Looking at Higashinohara's "lonely" back, they couldn't help but shake their heads and sneer secretly.
At every banquet in high society, there will be one or two young people who overestimate their abilities and want to get ahead.
Isn't it?
Higashinohara naturally didn't care about these sights.
As he walked down the corridor with a calm face, he caught a glimpse of the symphony conductor on the second floor of the mansion adjusting the tie around his neck, and the other musicians were also making final preparations and adjustments to their instruments.
The dance is about to begin.
In the blink of an eye, a soft prelude of music gurgled in the courtyard.
Many guests in the courtyard quickly looked away. The men with dancing partners put their arms around the woman's slender waist, and those without dancing partners all turned their attention to the single female guests in the courtyard.
The men's eyes criss-crossed, but in the end most people's focus was once again focused on the woman in a black evening dress with a black veil on her face in the corner of the courtyard.
Some people began to feel anxious in their hearts.
Men are biological creatures that naturally expect to win the favor of women in front of other males.
But at this moment, the woman who looked like a black evening lotus suddenly put down her goblet and walked around.
For a time, countless people's eyes followed the woman.
Finally, a young man appeared inexplicably in everyone's sight from the corridor beside the courtyard and was about to be sent out by security personnel at the side door.
"Can I dance for a while?"
Under the black tulle that made his face unclear, his red lips parted slightly, and a soft and melodious voice said to Higashinohara.
In the corner of the courtyard, when several people from the Adjudication Division saw this, their expressions suddenly became extremely strange.