Chapter 8 Multiple Helpers

  Wang Heng and Yu Shisan looked at each other in dismay, both thinking that the master must owe this foreigner something or have some connection with him.

  Ye Xuanbiao smiled wryly: "Gentlemen, the world is vast and full of wonders. You say that only our countrymen go to foreign lands, but why would foreigners come to ours? This Mr. Pitt is an American, who arrived in Chengdu at the beginning of this year. Ah, it's strange, he somehow found out that we were training a new army and insisted on joining."

  Wang Hengyue and several others were very curious, and Ye Xuanbiao continued to say: "But this new army is not something that anyone can join. For example, Wang Shixiong, although he is overseas, after all, he is still a citizen of our country, so it's no problem. But for a foreigner, there may be many inconveniences."

  "Sir," asked Du Chaliang, "as far as I know, there are foreign instructors in the new armies everywhere. What's wrong with letting them join?"

  "Elsewhere is elsewhere, here is here." Ye Xuanbiao shook his head: "In the past, there were also foreign instructors in the Sichuan New Army, but they were all recommended by various countries. Moreover, last time, a foreign instructor fell off his horse during a drill and injured some bones, which cost us a lot of silver to compensate. So now we are better off with fewer things, one less foreign instructor is better. This Mr. Pete has no one to vouch for him, no official documents to recommend him, it's absolutely impossible. But he won't give up, these days he keeps coming to our office every day, I'm really tired of it."

  Wang Hengyue looked at Pite and asked: "Why must you join the Chinese army?"

  "I like this country." Pete said without hesitation, "My grandfather was a soldier in the South, we lost to the North, my grandfather didn't become a soldier anymore, came to China to do business and fell in love with this country. After returning to America, from the time I understood things, he always told me about this country, so I also like this country. My father, captain, I learned many things from him. Americans, British, French, and others are not good, they fought with China, my father didn't want to come to China to fight, so he left the army. Now I'm here, I want to help my country pay its debt, help China, I understand a lot of things, believe me."

  What Pete said was all over the place, but you could still make out what he meant.

  His grandfather represented the South in the Civil War, and when the South lost, his grandfather came to China for business. During the invasion of China by the Eight-Nation Alliance, Pitt's father did not want to fight against China, so he didn't join the army. What is even more strange is that Pitt actually wanted to help America pay off its debt? And he also wanted to help China train its military? Such a foreigner is rarely seen.

  "But Elder Ledo refused to agree with me." Pi Te pointed at Ye Xuanbiao with some anger: "You look down on me, you look down on me!"

  What is "dog eye look at me low"? Wang Hengyue and several others couldn't help but laugh, thinking that this Peter hadn't learned Chinese well, wanting to say "dog eye looks down on people", but ended up saying "dog eye looks down on me". But if you use this phrase on someone else, it would be very inappropriate.

  Ye Xuanbiao was accustomed to hearing it, and he shook his head repeatedly: "I will never agree to this, I, as an official, cannot bear the responsibility."

  "Sir, why don't you just give this person to me?" Wang Hengyue suddenly said.

  "What?" Ye Xuanbiao glared, about to refuse, but Wang Hengyue had already spoken up: "Sir, Piet understands military affairs and might be able to help. Once the troops are well-trained, it will also bring honor to your face, sir. If you still don't trust him, I can draw up a document stating that for anything Piet does while under my command, I will take full responsibility, so you won't need to worry."

  Wang Hengyue said that, and there's a lot to be discussed. If something happens, he doesn't need to take responsibility, and it's best if the adults don't get involved. In the future, if they have to pay compensation, the Wang family has plenty of money, and it won't affect the adults at all.

  Ye Xuanbiao thought for a moment: "Since you've said so, I won't embarrass you. But you must think carefully."

  Wang Hengyue smiled and said to Pete: "Pete, I'm the team leader. How about you come with me?"

  "Team officer?" Pete was taken aback for a moment, then became excited: "I know, that's the company commander, a big official, my father is also a company commander, you are just like my father. Good, I like you, do you want me to go with you?"

  Qin Guangcheng, Du Charles and Ye Xuanbiao looked at each other in dismay. Pete was actually younger than Wang Hengyue, yet he claimed that Wang Hengyue was just like his old man? What on earth were these foreigners thinking?

  Wang Hengyue successfully enlisted in the army and unexpectedly gained an assistant, feeling extremely delighted. Meanwhile, Qin Guangcheng invited Ye Xuanyu to his home for a drink, but Ye Xuanyu declined, citing his busy schedule and lack of free time, and they agreed to meet another time.

  He stood up and bid farewell, Du Charlie also said that his foreign firm still had things to deal with, and he bid farewell to several people for the time being.

  Back at the Qin residence, Qin Guangcheng ordered a banquet to be set up. It was meant to celebrate Wang Heng's promotion and also serve as a farewell dinner. Pitt was also invited to join them.

  At the dinner table, Peter told jokes nonstop, trying to show off his Chinese skills, but he kept saying things that didn't make sense. Although people could barely understand him, he still made a fool of himself.

  After telling a few jokes, Qin Guangcheng suddenly remembered something: "Shu Zhi, you're going to Leshan this time, and the local customs are unfamiliar. Although there's Peter, he's still a foreigner after all, and doesn't understand Chinese customs. I want to send someone to accompany you by your side."

  "Send me personally?" Wang Hengyue put down his chopsticks, very curious.

  "Go and call Yang Fangyun over."

  Not long after, a young man in his early twenties walked in and stood in front of the wine table without saying a word.

  "This is Yang Fangyun. He was sent to me by his master when he was a child." Qin Guangcheng introduced: "Shu Zhi, you may not believe it when I say it out loud, but Fangyun is actually deaf."

  Deaf person?

  "Not bad." Qin Guangcheng smiled and said: "But don't underestimate him, Fang Yun is not only deaf but also knows how to speak and can understand what others are saying."

  "What?" Pete's eyes widened suddenly.

  It's not strange at all for Wang Hengyue to know that "lip language" has existed since ancient times, and many deaf people can understand what the other person is saying through lip language. In fact, some deaf people find it much easier to read lips than to watch hand gestures.

  It's just that this sentence is also correct, but it seems that this person named Yang Fangyun became deaf later in life.

  "Who is this Yang brother's master?" Wang Hengyu asked casually.

  Yang Fangyun indeed understood what others were saying: "My master is Li Qingyun, proficient in traditional Chinese medicine, and has dedicated his life to opposing the Qing dynasty!"

  "As soon as he heard the three words 'Li Qingyun', Wang Hengyue thought he had misheard, his eyes wide with shock: 'Which Li Qingyun? The immortal old man Li Qingyun?'"

  "It is, it's this long-lived old man!"

  Wang Hengyue almost collapsed.

  Li Qingyun? Is there really such a long-lived old man Li Qingyun in this world?

  It is said that Li Qingyun lived for more than 200 years and was a Chinese medicine and pharmacology scholar in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China. He was also one of the world's most famous long-lived elderly people. He received special government awards for his outstanding achievements in traditional Chinese medicine. After the founding of the People's Republic, he often went to universities to give lectures, during which time he accepted interviews from many Western scholars.

  Wang Hengyue originally thought that this was just a legendary figure, but who would have thought that his disciple actually appeared.

  It's a bit exaggerated to say that Li Qingyun lived for over 200 years, but living for over 100 years is not that unusual!