The First Volume: The Hollow Spirit Chapter 60: Excuse

  Yaozu Ge, there are many things I don't understand. My parents think I'm stupid and say that all I can do is be a good wife. My classmates also say I'm very simple-minded, so I really can't think of anything to help you with Yaozu Ge, I can only listen. But I think, why doesn't Yaozu Ge go talk to the person you mentioned? There have been many events in history where misunderstandings were caused by a lack of communication between two parties.

  Shangguan Hui finished speaking and looked at Wang Yaoyu, the chopsticks in his hand clutched a piece of beef, but it didn't go into his mouth, suspended above the plate.

  "Thank you, Ah Hui, I know what to do now! Let's have lunch, after we finish eating, I'll send you back. This afternoon I still have work, next time let's find a good time to accompany you for dinner and shopping."

  Wang Ya Zu said, and then picked up the knife and fork again. Seeing Wang Ya Zu start eating again, Shang Guan Hui also moved her chopsticks. Shang Guan Hui felt that eating with Wang Ya Zu, no matter what they ate, was delicious. However, what Shang Guan Hui most hoped to do was to have Wang Ya Zu eat the dishes she cooked with his own hands and for him to truly praise her cooking as delicious.

  Shangguan Hui left, after seeing Shangguan Hui off, Wang Yaoyu looked at the time and thought it was about time to go to work. However, when he entered the small building, he found that three ordinary members of the group had already returned, and one looked less energetic than the other. Looking at the time again, there were still nine minutes until 2 pm. Shi Ankang's instructions last night were too vague, saying only to report after lunch without specifying a particular time, and it was up to each individual to decide how long to take for lunch.

  No energy is no energy, three guys have two lying on the table sleeping, and another one sitting in a chair, closing his eyes and doing a rocking motion with his head, guessing that when the time comes, he will also lie directly on the table.

  In the large office, only Wang Ya Zu and Le Xin were in high spirits. The attendance sheet was placed outside, and after Wang Ya Zu signed it, he sat back down at his own seat. Le Xin was sitting right next to him.

  "What about Lao Shitou? With his temper, he should have started scolding by now. How come this time, he's still in the office? I don't want to provoke him right now." Wang Yaizu looked very relaxed and Leixin was also calm.

  "Lao Shi is tired. He rushed back overnight, wrote a report, and sorted out intelligence. Finally, he stayed up all night to send a telegram to the Nanjing side to ask for credit. He was busy until dawn, when I arrived, he was still busy, and didn't sleep until 9 o'clock. I estimate that in another hour, he will wake up. At that time, if there are still people who haven't arrived, then I won't have a way either."

  While others were indulging in pleasure and luxury, Shi An Guo was working through the night, which was indeed a great irony. Wang Yao Zu couldn't help but let out a cold laugh of despair.

  "It depends on whether those bastards have had enough fun and will calm down. Or they'll just lie in the bitch's bed and can't get up. Le Da Ge, are you free recently? I want to go to your house for a meal, just a meal."

  Regarding Wang Yaozu's sudden request, Le Xin was somewhat surprised and grasped the Buddhist beads on his left hand with his right hand. But Le Xin also quickly made a decision and said: "Okay, you haven't tasted your sister-in-law's cooking for a long time, I'll let her cook more delicious food. We'll have a good meal together. By the way, Yaozu, I've already told Lao Shi that it was me who fired the shot last night."

  "Oh. That's to prevent that Communist suspect from dragging us down with him. I really can't understand what those people want to do. So-called ideals and isms are just excuses for intellectuals to send others to their deaths. The Peach Blossom Spring is just a romanticist's fantasy, all for the sake of so-called ideals and faith. So many people have died, was it worth it?"

  Wang Yaizu leaned his head against the back of the chair and looked up at the ceiling. The more books you read, the more principles you understand, but the clearer you see things, the more contradictory they become. Ideals, beliefs, loyalty are just slogans that those in power and intellectuals use to send people to their deaths. But without ideals, without beliefs, without knowing what loyalty is, using all sorts of excuses and clever reasoning to justify one's own selfishness... What does that amount to? Wang Yaizu was becoming increasingly clear-minded, yet increasingly conflicted.

  "No matter if it's my party or the Communist Party, they are all about faith and ideals. It's just that the ideas are different, and there are contradictions between interests. What the Chinese nation has revered and pursued for thousands of years is not as simple as you say. How many people have sacrificed their lives for their faith and ideals? How many soldiers died on the way to the Northern Expedition? If you easily deny everything, what about the sacrifices of those martyrs who fell during the Northern Expedition?! Is right and wrong, good and evil really that unimportant to you?!"

  Wang Yaozu closed his eyes, he was thinking. Every word Leixin said was fine, but if Wang Yaozu was heard by Shi Anguo, being scolded would be a minor matter. Ti Tou and Maozi's gang could make as much trouble as they wanted, it was just a matter of style. But for Wang Yaozu, it was a very serious issue of faith. And Shi Anguo attached great importance to the party state's faith and ideals.

  "Maybe I'll just be a contradictory and selfish person. What I'm pursuing is not"

  I just want to live a decent life in this world, no need to be above others. Standing on the mountain waist is enough. So-called ideals and beliefs have nothing to do with me, likes and dislikes, right and wrong, I think what's right is right, what's wrong is wrong. The old stone hates my place the most, that's probably it. Hehe!

  Wang Yaozu stopped talking after laughing, and Le Xin also stopped talking. It was at this time that the investigator arrived, and Yan Song walked into the small building of the investigation department with a nervous heart. Seeing that there were few people inside and Wang Yaozu was also there, Yan Song felt slightly relieved. However, this time Yan Song had two soldiers carrying rifles following him, both to protect Yan Song and to monitor Yan Song.

  "Look who's here, Vice Officer Yan, it's been a while since we last met. I heard the Public Security Bureau has been quite lively lately, how do you have time to come to our investigation department today? Be careful not to lose your rice bowl." Wang Ya Zu had a relaxed face and his tone was full of mockery, doing what he should be doing.

  "Deputy Director Wang, don't worry, what I've got may not be a golden rice bowl or a silver rice bowl, but at least it's an iron rice bowl. Our garrison command has been busy lately, but everything is under control, and we have to thank the people from your investigation department. Your investigation department isn't running around shooting guns or throwing hand grenades everywhere, causing chaos. Last night was quite a commotion, and my brothers couldn't even sleep well. Your investigation department really has spirit!"

  Three points true, seven points false. Wang Yaowu's tone is not good, and Yan Song's tone will not be good either. Even if acting, the heart will be angry, and the mouth can't be polite, taking the opportunity to say some unpleasant things, it won't matter in the end.

  "Chief, we're really exhausted lately. You're here to ask about what happened last night, right? Actually, it's nothing much. A communist party leader was hiding in the Jiū Shū (Nine Uncle) grocery store, and the owner and his father were both communists. They bought two handguns and ten hand grenades, and during the arrest process, a gun battle and explosion occurred. The owner and his wife pulled the pin on a grenade to kill themselves, and the communist leader was shot dead. Adding this to yesterday's case, our Shanghai Investigation Division has destroyed three underground communist organizations in a short period of time, killing many communists. This is a great achievement, and it will all be reported to Nanjing, so I believe we'll receive praise from them soon. Although there are only 23 people in our investigation division, when it comes to getting things done, it's still up to us."

  Wang Yaoyu's meaning is that there are many people in the Garrison Command, but they can't catch any Communist suspects. This meaning Yan Song will definitely take back to tell Commander Xiong, as for who said this sentence, Wang Yaoyu estimates that Yan Song, this slippery head, won't say it was Wang Yaoyu's words, but will tell Commander Xiong that these are Shi Anguo's ideas.

  "Well, in that case, I don't need to stay here anymore. To avoid hearing more unpleasant words, it's just good luck that I'm leaving. You all shouldn't forget, thirty years on the east bank of the river, thirty years on the west bank of the river, after all, when it comes down to certain things, it still relies on strength. The cooks in our Garrison Command kitchen outnumber your investigation team! Farewell!"

  Yan Song left like this, having said what needed to be said and waited long enough. Staying any longer would have been dangerous, as some of the deputy officers next to Commander Xiong's command center would surely say unfavorable things about him again. Just as Yan Song was leaving, the people from the investigation department who were supposed to return had all come back. As soon as Yan Song brushed past them, he caught a whiff of the smell of wine on their bodies, along with the fragrance of rouge.

  Wang Ya Zu and Le Xin were both fanning themselves, the smell of wine coming out of their mouths was very pungent, while the fragrance of rouge powder on their bodies was very sweet. If these two smells could be mixed together to cancel each other out, that would be fine, but the problem was that the smells from everyone's bodies kept wafting up, and the smell of wine kept coming out of their mouths, so both smells were everywhere. And with the weather being hot and muggy, staying in this small building really felt unbearable.

  —

  Everyone has arrived, and those who need to sign have signed. The crowd had just sat down for a short while when they started talking about the prostitutes from last night's brothel, boasting about how great they were. Just then, Shi Ankang finally came out of his office, having slept enough. His face looked terrible, but that was due to work exhaustion. The others also looked pale, but it wasn't because of work exhaustion; everyone knew why.

  "Alright, although the food doesn't taste great and everyone looks pale, at least we're all here. You've had your fun and you know it's time to come to work. Remember, as long as you do your part, not only will those above reward you, but I'll also satisfy some of your excessive demands. It's all for the Party and the country, and to protect what you have now. Yaozu, come in!"

  Shi An Guo encouraged Wan Ren, then swept his gaze over the crowd and nodded at Wang Yaozu's name. Wang Yaozu walked into Shi An Guo's office under the watchful eyes of the crowd, feeling as if a sword was stabbing him in the back. Gunsmoke Silent Volume 1: Empty Spirit Chapter 60: Pretext