Chapter 76 - 1#
Chapter 76: The Struggle Between Yu and Wang (1)#
The day after He Nanshan and Fang Yu finalized the plan for Jiang Chenshui was precisely when Yu Shuifeng returned from his visit to Linia.
Today, He Nanshan was also scheduled to visit a foreign country. The two met at the airport. He Nanshan approached Yu Shuifeng first to greet him: “Chairman Yu, you’re back.”
Yu Shuifeng was also an old man in his sixties. He wore a crisp suit, but he wasn’t particularly tall. Wearing a pair of wide-rimmed glasses, he had a somewhat scholarly air but lacked the domineering aura often described in novels. If not for the layers of security personnel surrounding him, he would look just like an ordinary middle-aged or elderly man in his fifties.
“Nanshan, walk with me for a bit,” Yu Shuifeng nodded and said upon seeing He Nanshan.
“Yes, Chairman.” He Nanshan was consistently very respectful towards Yu Shuifeng. Everyone within the system knew that He Nanshan was the backbone of Yu Shuifeng’s faction.
With just a couple of casual sentences, the two walked slowly, one slightly behind the other. As usual, secretaries and guards followed behind. However, because the leaders needed to talk, they stood a bit further away than usual, though this “further away” was still a distance that could be covered in just two quick steps.
“Nanshan, don’t take the matter in Suilin to heart,” Yu Shuifeng said. “Although there are some minor disagreements, generally speaking, our goals and positions are still very aligned. The policies in Suilin should indeed be slowed down. On this point, you, the impatient one, are not as good as Comrade Gu, the slow and steady one.”
“You are right, Chairman,” He Nanshan smiled.
Yu Shuifeng added, “However, regarding Jiangnan, there are some matters that really need an impatient person like you to straighten out and organize.” He reached out and gently patted He Nanshan’s shoulder. “It’s been hard on you. We’ve worked together for so many years; I see your capabilities clearly.”
This was a very obvious gesture of appeasement.
From the perspective of benefits and peace of mind, Jiangnan was naturally countless times better than the border region.
He Nanshan stated his position: “I will follow your instructions, Chairman.” At their level of officialdom, what benefits could still move them? If Gu Xinjun hadn’t been standing with the Wang faction against He Nanshan, he probably wouldn’t have bothered with the mess at the border. As for He Nanshan himself, there wasn’t much difference between the border and Jiangnan. Of course, for Yu Shuifeng, this was a quality a leader must possess: to be fair in rewards and punishments with subordinates. Since He Nanshan’s high-profile confrontation with the Wang faction was at his behest, he inevitably had to secretly compensate the other party for their losses, and this compensation had to be more than what was lost—otherwise, it would inevitably chill the subordinate’s heart.
These were actually the basics. Naturally, Yu Shuifeng wouldn’t keep He Nanshan just to say these things. He looked around the airport and continued, “You are visiting Nokampe, right? They were among the first countries to establish friendly diplomatic relations with us. When our country was in debt before, they sent supplies and personnel, showing great care.”
He Nanshan understood immediately: “During this visit, I will stay there for a few more days to take a good look at their country. There should be many scientific and economic projects for cooperation between China and Nokampe.”
Yu Shuifeng chuckled: “Alright, go board your plane. I see they are ready.”
“Chairman, let me see you off,” He Nanshan said.
But Yu Shuifeng waved his hand: “With so many people following me, do I need one more?” With that, he walked forward on his own.
He Nanshan still followed him for a distance before slowly stopping. He watched Yu Shuifeng and his entourage leave the airport before saying to Fang Yu beside him, “You stay behind this time.”
Fang Yu was startled: “Premier?” He sensitively associated this with the conversation between He Nanshan and Yu Shuifeng just now. But that conversation had only consisted of about ten sentences in total…
“You stay behind.” When the surrounding security personnel were five or six steps away, He Nanshan lowered his voice and repeated. His face was somewhat dark, looking even more serious and unapproachable than usual. “Keep an eye on He Hailou for me. He is not allowed to go out and mess around before I come back! If he insists on going out, have someone break his legs!”
Fang Yu felt a phantom pain in his teeth. For He Nanshan to say this much, anyone would know that something big was about to happen recently. He quickly said, “Premier, I understand. I will definitely take good care of Young Master He and absolutely won’t let him go out! But what about your accompanying staff, should we add…?”
“No need, this is fine.” After speaking, He Nanshan stepped onto the red carpet on the gangway and boarded the plane.
Minutes later, Fang Yu stood inside the airport, watching the plane taxi quickly down the runway, retract its landing gear, and gradually fly into the distant sky.
May 11, 2013
Four days since Gu Chenzhou and He Hailou returned from Ishvish.
Five days since the tacit handover between Gu and He.
Four days since the Jiang Chenshui incident.
Three days since Yu Shuifeng returned to the country.
Three days since He Nanshan left for his visit to Nokampe.
Everything seemed calm.
For the past two days, Gu Chenzhou hadn’t returned to stay at the Tianxiang Villa in the suburbs. He stayed at his own home, rarely even visiting Zhende Garden or the Shen residence. As for social engagements within his circle, he declined them all.
At this time, the only person who could still contact Gu Chenzhou was probably Wei Xiangjin, who was several provinces away and had already returned to the army.
“Are you there?” A message from him popped up on QQ on the computer.
Since he had been staying at home these past few days, Gu Chenzhou would log into QQ whenever he turned on his computer, but he stayed invisible, only visible to Wei Xiangjin.
“I’m here,” Gu Chenzhou replied casually.
“You haven’t gone out for the past two days?” Wei Xiangjin said. “Too much of a homebody!” Then, after rummaging around, he actually dug out a news article about a certain province planning to classify unemployed vagrants who stayed at home and didn’t interact with people as mentally ill and prepare to administer drug treatment to them.
Gu Chenzhou glanced at it and replied: “Took an arrow to the knee.”
“Does it hurt?” Wei Xiangjin sent a grinning emoji.
“It really hurts,” Gu Chenzhou said.
Wei Xiangjin typed again: “Jokes aside, why haven’t you gone out recently? Don’t tell me something happened in the capital again.”
“Do you want the truth?”
“Of course.”
“Things happen every day in the capital,” Gu Chenzhou replied. “It just depends on whether you notice them or not.”
“Heh, true enough,” Wei Xiangjin said. “But these things shouldn’t be enough to make our Young Master Gu hide at home to avoid the limelight, right?”
Gu Chenzhou paused for a moment, then gave a reply that seemed completely unrelated: “He Hailou hasn’t been seen for the past few days.”
Wei Xiangjin was stunned: “What does this have to do with him?”
It was a long story. Gu Chenzhou couldn’t be bothered to type, so he asked, “Can you video chat or call?”
Just after the reply was sent, Gu Chenzhou’s phone on the desk rang.
Gu Chenzhou picked it up and said, “I specifically checked. He Hailou hasn’t come out to play for the past two days; he’s been staying at He Nanshan’s house.”
“And then?” Wei Xiangjin asked.
“Fang Yu stayed here and didn’t go abroad with He Nanshan for the visit.”
“So?”
This time, Gu Chenzhou didn’t speak.
“You mean He Hailou is being watched, and Fang Yu isn’t by He Nanshan’s side, which is suspicious?” Wei Xiangjin guessed Gu Chenzhou’s meaning. “Actually, I think if He Nanshan wants to control He Hailou, leaving his chief secretary behind is quite normal. Probably only that secretary can control him.”
“Xiangjin,” Gu Chenzhou lowered his voice, “it’s already May. The National People’s Congress is early this time; it will be held in September. The time is about right.”
The struggle between Yu and Wang!
Wei Xiangjin said on the other end of the phone, “Have you guys found anything?”
“If I had found something, would I still be here guessing He Hailou’s movements?” Gu Chenzhou countered.
“The Wang faction…” Wei Xiangjin said.
“Of course, we are always prepared,” Gu Chenzhou said. “Everyone knows the Yu faction will make a move, just not when or how.”
“What if the Wang faction takes the initiative?” Wei Xiangjin whispered.
Gu Chenzhou said, “Do you remember who the leader of our circle was when we were fifteen or sixteen?”
“Shen Delin,” Wei Xiangjin replied. “He was in the limelight back then.”
“And before Shen Delin?” Gu Chenzhou asked again.