Chapter Thirty-Eight: Tea Party

  As the year-end is approaching, the streets have become much quieter. Many outsiders who came to do small business or work as apprentices have returned home one after another. Dong Zhiyu carried several packages of New Year's goods and stopped in front of Dou Wenhuan's boat. It was just noon, and a wisp of smoke rose from the boat. Is Uncle Dong really here? What is he doing here?

  As I walked into the boat, it was still the same fellow who came up to greet me, "Miss, are you going to eat?"

  "No, I'm looking for someone, Dong Xun, is he here?"

  The fellow looked at her and said, "Old Dong? May I ask who the young lady is?"

  "My surname is also Dong, we're relatives."

  "Please sit down and wait for a moment, Miss Dong. I'll go to the kitchen to let them know. Here's some freshly brewed tea, please help yourself." After saying that, she dusted off the chair in front of the counter, poured a cup of tea from the teapot on her side, and handed it over.

  Thanks, partner. Dong Zhiyu sat down and looked around the boat, still with its simple and rustic layout. Just now, the partner mentioned the kitchen, and he remembered the authentic Huaiyang dishes he had tasted last time, which were similar to his childhood memories. Could it be that Uncle Dong was holding the spoon?

  Just then, a man of medium build walked quickly over and stopped in front of the desk, gazing at her eagerly. Dong Zhiyu looked up to see that the person was in his fifties, thin and wiry, with some white hair added to his temples, looking much older than she remembered. Her eyes moistened for a moment, but she held back, transforming into a faint smile on her lips and eyebrows. "Uncle Dong, it's me," she said, standing up.

  Dong Xun suddenly choked up, stepped forward and grasped Dong Zhiyu's hands, "Young lady, it's really you!" He said, taking a step back to size her up, "You've grown taller than a few years ago, and even more beautiful!"

  Dong Zhiyu then reached out to grab his arm, from what she remembered, Uncle Dong had always doted on her, although he was a servant, in her eyes he was even closer than her own uncle.

  "Alas, I've been busy in the kitchen for half a day, and my body is covered in oil stains. I'm afraid I've gotten your clothes dirty," said Dong Xuan as he looked at the official uniform on Dong Zhiyu's body. "Miss, when did you arrive in Xuanwu? Have Miss Ruo and Cousin Miss also returned?"

  "It's been several weeks since I came back, and both Auntie and Cousin are still in Shanghai, so I won't leave Xuanwu."

  "Not going anymore?"

  "Uh, I got a job with the government and now live on the other side of Chengxian Street."

  Dong Xun's face suddenly sank, and quickly returned to normal, "Little miss, the old mansion..."

  "I've been there, it was Miss Zhen inside who told me your whereabouts."

  "That's right, that girl from Huo country is the one I entrusted her to. Since then, Uncle Dong has been waiting for you here," Dong Xun hesitated, "I don't know how Miss got involved in government affairs, what is she doing?"

  Dong Zhiyu detected a hint of regret and disappointment in his tone, nowadays the people in the occupied areas have gradually seen through the true nature of Wang Zhiming's regime, those with conscience are dissatisfied with it, saying that working for the government is no different from being a traitor, but his real identity, even his position as Xuanyuan, not even his aunt knows, now he also needs to keep it secret from Dong Xuan, "Fortunately, my uncle has some connections in Shanghai, so I managed to get a job as an English translator, it's also learning by doing, after all, 'home' is here too," saying that, he lowered his head.

  Dong Xun sighed and didn't say anything for a while, then suddenly seemed to remember something. "Miss hasn't eaten yet, right? Would you mind staying here and trying some of Uncle Dong's cooking?"

  "It's a coincidence, I've already tasted Uncle Dong's craftsmanship. I came here with colleagues before and was amazed that the dishes here taste just like my family's cooking at home. You must have learned from the chef back then." She said with a giggle.

  This afternoon, I returned to the unit and received a notice that there will be a New Year's tea party at Yejinling the day after tomorrow. Since colleagues from other places have not yet returned to their hometowns for family reunions, everyone will gather together. There will inevitably be singing and dancing performances, and those with talents can also go on stage to show off their skills. Whether the performance is good or bad doesn't matter, it's just for fun.

  "What songs and dances are there?" Zhou Biqing often drops by the Translation Department when she has nothing to do.

  "I heard that a Cancan dance troupe from France was invited, but the most authentic Cancan dance is still at Moulin Rouge in Paris. I'm lucky to have seen it once." added Wu Naiju.

  Zhou Biqing made a face at Dong Zhiyu, who wanted to laugh but was facing Wu Naijun and had to hold it in, lowering her eyelids for fear that the laughter would spill out of her eyes.

  Wu Naijun saw that no one responded after a while, and it wasn't good to continue either. Feeling embarrassed, she casually said: "I heard that the coquettish singer has left."

  "Who is it?"

  "It's the one who sings."

  "That tune sounds nice." Dong Zhiyu finally spoke up after remaining silent for a while.

  "Why don't you sing a song then? Just sing this one!" Zhou Biqing seized the opportunity to tease Dong Zhiyu.

  "That's right! I've heard Dong Fang translating songs before, and they sound great!" Secretary Xiao Lü also joined the conversation.

  "Is Dong here to perform a translation?" A loud voice came from the doorway, followed by a middle-aged man wearing glasses and sporting a small flat-top haircut.

  "Minister Xu!" Wu Naiju was the first to stand up, and others also stood up to greet him. It turned out that the newcomer was the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Xu Liang. The original minister, Chu Minyi, had been appointed as an ambassador to a dark country.

  Xu Liang waved his hand to signal everyone to sit down, "I came here just to talk about the tea party, and it so happens that you are all chatting, and even have a program ready!" After finishing speaking, he burst out laughing.

  "Minister Xu, they said I was singing, but I don't know how to sing at all." Dong Zhiyu smiled.

  "I think you're great, I've heard people from Shanghai say that Dong is talented in both academics and arts," he said, thinking for a moment, "Young people should be more proactive in showing themselves off. When I was studying in the US, those American young people didn't know what humility was, they just went for it!"

  Dong Zhiyu turned her head and stared directly at Zhou Biquan. It was she who had just nodded, and Zhou Biquan stuck out her tongue at her.

  "Don't glare at Little Zhou, consider it my idea, now get ready!" Xu Liang smiled and walked out, he let out a sigh of relief. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had to come up with a friendly program, this was an order personally given by Chairman Wang that morning. It just so happened that he overheard such a thing at the door earlier, what could be more suitable than performing the theme song of the movie "Night of Qin" which promotes Sino-Japanese mutual prosperity?

  At this time, Kageyoshi was not so peaceful in his hotel room in Genbu Castle. Sitting opposite him was Takemoto Jo, a military hardliner who had just arrived from Kurikura.

  This was Yeosha's last night in Hwamun before the Lunar New Year, and a large part of this trip to Hwamun was to wait for his arrival.

  "In that case, 'Ketsu' must be hiding among the high-ranking officers of our Imperial Army or the Wang's army." Tonomura Jo seemed to be asking a question, but at the same time, he was also thinking out loud, his lips moving up and down as he muttered to himself, his ancient bronze-colored face twitching with every word.

  Qian Xinmin was initially uncertain whether 'Quē' existed, but now He Shuqiang's intelligence clearly mentioned 'Quē', and it is in the upper echelons of the military. Even Qian Xinmin, the district chief of Xuanhui District, had only heard of his name, showing how extremely secretive and important this person's identity was.

  "So, I wonder if Ying Xiang Jun has a scope of investigation."

  "Not only are there few, but the scope is also very small. There are Chinese people and also people from our own country," said Kage's glasses flashed, "Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Army to China, Tadashi Takeda, Vice Chairman of the Military Commission of the Genroku Government, Chen Xianbo, Commander of the 7th Division, Shi Yajun, and Chief of Staff, Huai Jin."

  "Huai Jin?" Yuan Ben raised a pair of sharp eyes, "This name is very familiar."

  "That's right, the only female student from Korea at the Army Officer School back then. You should remember her, Colonel Tsukamoto," Kozo gazed into the void behind Tsukamoto, "but I don't want it to be her."

  The author has something to say: Every time a girl promotes my article, it attracts many new readers. Thank you for appreciating me and helping me promote it, dear. (Whispering, better than selling out...)

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