Chapter 24 twenty four

Chen Keming lowered his head, with his hands behind his back, pacing squarely in his long and narrow bedroom.He looked at his watch from time to time, but he didn't seem to trust his watch, and he looked up at the sky from time to time. There are clouds and wind, and the west-slanting sun comes out for a while, and hides for a while. He stopped at the window, looking at the erratic gray-white clouds.For a while, he remembered that Yan Jizhen and Jiexiu had been away for almost a week, why there was no letter yet; What will it bring him. This is an annoying problem, Chen Keming doesn't want to think about it, but it still keeps bothering him.For the date in this question, Chen Keming was originally not enthusiastic - even a little disgusted.On the morning before Yan Jizhen left, he hurriedly told Chen Keming on the phone that it was new every day. "" Yi Zhuan Xici 1 ":" Rixin is called Shengde. "There are many scholars in later generations, and Wang Shenyi can help, but Wang Shenyi's chief wants to meet with Chen Keming; at that time, Chen Keming was a little unhappy. Wang Shanyi is an "old classmate", but his chief is strangers. If he refused to help with such a small matter, how could he have a joint relationship with the officer who met him? Could it be that he refused to help if he didn't see him?

But for the future of the publication, Chen Keming agreed. However, what really aroused Chen Keming's disgust was that they had made appointments during the meeting, and this was the third time. There were two light knocks on the door. The handsome maid crept in and presented a business card with both hands. Chen Keming thought to himself: "This is here." He picked up the business card and looked, but it was Hu Qingquan's, and there were two lines written on it: Autumn is high in crab fat, and it is advisable to eat it quickly. My brother has half a day's leisure, and I secretly wish to taste it with my brother.Waiting for a clean bottle, without any responsibility.

Chen Keming smiled, and took out his business card, and was about to draw out his pen, when he heard someone outside the room laughing loudly, it was Hu Qingquan, and then he came in, saw Chen Keming holding the business card in one hand, and the pen in the other. Guessing what he meant, he first declared "there is no one else, just me and you", and then said with a smile: "Today is a combination of three rare opportunities: I bought real Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs, and I actually stayed at home for half a day, and you, Brother Keming, just didn't go out either." "But I have an appointment—"

"I know you have a date," Hu Qingquan said, pulling Chen Keming and walking out of the room. "But it's irrelevant. Whenever Wang Shenshi comes, you can leave at any time. You can't miss anything!" Chen Keming was startled, thinking how could Hu Qingquan know about this?But he didn't say anything, he just responded with a "huh". The small living room has been specially furnished.A small teak wood table is moved in front of the window, with cups, chopsticks and plates.On the surrounding ground, there are five or six pots of chrysanthemums, large and small, and there are two pots of pure white chrysanthemums on the high table.

The fat cook brought in a large plate of hot crabs.The handsome maid was standing beside her with a Sai silver tray, which contained a bottle of brandy and a jug of Tai Diao. "Brother Keming, do you use the yellow one or the white one?" Hu Qingquan took a fine porcelain wine glass and looked at Chen Keming.But before Chen Keming could answer, the handsome maid poured "Tai Diao" into the thin porcelain cup in front of Chen Keming, and filled the tall glass with brandy. "Come on, brother Keming, let's have a drink first." Hu Qingquan put down the thin porcelain cup and raised a tall glass, and the handsome maid hurriedly poured half of it for him.Hu Qingquan drank it up as soon as he raised his neck.

Chen Keming only took a sip from the fine porcelain cup. The handsome maid stood by the table skillfully peeling the crab meat. Hu Qingquan drank the second half glass and urged Chen Keming to toast. Chen Keming just ate the crab, took another sip in a social manner, and suddenly asked: "Qingquan, have you seen Wang Zuochen often recently?" "No." He answered casually.But suddenly rolled his eyes, Hu Qingquan laughed loudly, and said: "Keming, you are a bit confused, why do I know that you have a date with Wang Zuochen today!" "a little bit." "There is no secret." Hu Qingquan smiled and took another sip of wine. "Last night, he called you after two o'clock, and I answered it. You were already asleep at that time, and I didn't come to call you either." .The time of your date today was proposed by me on your behalf."

"Oh," Chen Keming also laughed. "Then you should be punished!" Hu Qingquan remained silent, raised his glass and drank the rest of the wine in one gulp.The handsome maid filled the cups of both of them, and placed a full crab shell in front of everyone. "Qingquan," Chen Keming said holding a cup, "your house is very quiet, and the furnishings are not out of the ordinary. The pines and cypresses and the grape shed in the yard are exquisite and elegant, and they have a certain flavor." "Japanese flavor?" Hu Qingquan asked deliberately as if he had seen Chen Keming's heart, narrowing his eyes.

"No!" Chen Keming replied seriously. “Kindly tastes like Switzerland!” "Oh! Switzerland, the scenic spot of Europe." "That's right. Not only is the scenery beautiful, Switzerland also has its political atmosphere suitable for all kinds of adventurers." Hu Qingquan raised his eyebrows, and then burst out laughing. "During the First World War, Switzerland—" Chen Keming said slowly while scraping the crab roe in the crab shell, "the so-called neutral zone, where the Germans and French, the British and the Americans were all there. Doing business—arms business, intelligence business. Not long after the war started, the Anglo-French coalition forces retreated steadily, and even Paris was in a tight spot, but the agents of the French—well, the industrial giants of the Allied Powers were selling military supplies in Switzerland To Germany.—Qingquan, do you believe there is such a thing?"

"Why don't you believe it!" Hu Qingquan replied loudly, and took another big sip of wine. "There is a good example right now. The U.S. government keeps saying that it opposes the Japanese invasion of China, but American steel and gasoline are sold to Japan in bulk." "However, it is not a belligerent country after all. Qingquan, I heard that the Chinese also engage in this kind of business for the enemy, do you believe it?" Chen Keming's question was so abrupt that Hu Qingquan seemed to be taken aback; but then he raised his face and laughed, and said while laughing:

"Is there anything foreign that China can fear? The officials in Nanjing also do this. What they sell is thousands of times more important than steel! I have proof!" "Oh! Qingquan, you really have it! You should also take advantage of the situation to get a vote! Haha!" Chen Keming raised his glass to take a photo at Hu Qingquan, and drank it dry. Hu Qingquan also took a big sip with a smile, and suddenly said with a half-joking and half-serious attitude: "I appreciate your advice, thank you. But my brother took things too simply. Have you forgotten Yuan Shikai?"

"How about Yuan Shikai?" "Yuan Shikai's betrayal of the country has to be done single-handedly. Those who act as brokers for him will be bitten back by him, saying they are traitors!" Chen Keming smiled and thought to himself: Is this guy drunk?Otherwise wouldn't it be useless?Speaking of being so blatant! I have no words for the time being.The fat cook brought another plate of hot crabs and removed the leftover crabs that had cooled down. Hu Qingquan looked at Chen Keming intently as if drunk, and suddenly asked softly: "Keming, what do you think about the recent rumors?" "What rumor?" "Ask a condition—and!" "Oh——" Chen Keming now concluded that Hu Qingquan was definitely not drunk, so he tightened his tone, shook his head coldly, and added: "The rumors are just rumors!" "But this time, hehe," Hu Qingquan stretched his head across the table, his voice lowered, "Not only is there an extra person in the middle, but representatives from both sides have also held hands." Chen Keming smiled, noncommittal. "Ah! You don't believe it? Well, man, don't be so aggressive!" After a pause, Hu Qingquan raised his glass and took another sip, as if to moisten his throat. "Whether it will succeed or not is another matter; however, both sides are interested, which is another matter; the key lies with the other party. However, I have heard some Japanese attitudes." Chen Keming nodded with a smile, as if to say: Of course, you are well-informed about this.However, Hu Qingquan seemed to ignore everything, and while eating crabs, he said: "The Japanese only intend to subjugate the country without fighting. Keming, do you agree with this sentence? Now that a fight has started, the Japanese still don't want to fight to the end. They say it's 'self-defense'—of course, it's Shit; but Japan did not declare war on us after all, that is why they want to stay a little bit so that they can step down at any time. Keming, you can call me a propaganda for the Japanese. Fortunately, I am just talking to you in private, I don't write articles, and I don't give speeches—but, Keming, you can't deny that that's the Japanese plan, right?" "It's still the old plan of the country that surrenders without fighting!" "That's not it! They think it's the worst policy to fight and surrender. Keming, maybe you also know what the Japanese think of the Chinese government? They don't think the Chinese government has the determination to fight. The Chinese government also has no choice but to fight." For the sake of face, I have to put on a show; this fight is fake! However, the only one who really wants to fight and is determined to fight is the Communist Party!" Speaking of the last sentence, Hu Qingquan glanced at Chen Keming's face, and nodded with a smile, as if to say: Of course, you should admit this. But Chen Keming replied calmly: "No! It's not just the Communist Party that is determined to resist. People all over the country want to fight!" "That's right, everyone says that, but—hey, Keming, I'm not as optimistic as you. Besides, the Communist Party doesn't know that the central government in Nanjing is pretending to be a fake, but the Communist Party is trying to make it real! That's true. What the Japanese are most afraid of. Look, how much troops did the Japanese use to attack Shanghai? Isn’t this a half-truth and half-fiction to fight there? Why do they have to be half-truth? It’s not because they are afraid that the falsehood will become true and they will be fooled by the Communist Party!” "Oh! Half-truth?" Chen Keming couldn't help it, and suddenly changed his expression, "Wounded soldiers and refugees crowded the beach, and every major city in the mainland was bombed. It turned out that it was only half-truth Hit it!" "That's not right! The Japanese think and say that, but they don't say it to their own people, and they don't say it to the Chinese, but they say it to the opponent who faked the beating. Of course, the implication is: Hey, you don't know how to be funny. , I'm going to really fight! I'm afraid you can't stand it!" When Hu Qingquan said this, his expression was also a little different—it seemed to be serious, and it seemed to be cold, but what was especially different was the tone of his voice, which was hoarse and trembling.After finishing speaking, he raised his glass and drank the small half in one gulp. He put the glass heavily on the table, then lowered his head and concentrated on eating crabs. Chen Keming stared at the sky without making a sound. The handsome maid was holding two split crab pods in her hand, her eyes fixed, she looked at Hu Qingquan and Chen Keming in turn. "Even though both sides are unwilling, we still want to make the fake come true!" Chen Keming said to himself. Hu Qingquan raised his head, laughed strangely, and said: "However, after the fakes become real, they still won't be completely true. Keming, just wait and see! Only the burned houses and dead people are real, and the unlucky ones are nothing but ordinary people!" "Ah, Qingquan, I didn't expect you to be so compassionate!" Chen Keming glanced at Hu Qingquan, said with a faint smile, suddenly his face sank, and his tone changed, "But, just because the house really burned down and the people really died Now, people who hope this is a fake show will probably be disappointed in the end!" "Oh! Are you so optimistic?" "And you?" Hu Qingquan smiled and shook his head without answering.The thread of conversation was cut off. After a while, Hu Qingquan wiped his hands on the wet towel, changed the subject and said: "Recently, there is a magazine with very straightforward and interesting discussions..." He suddenly stopped, looked at Chen Keming and smiled, as if asking: Don't you know the magazine I'm talking about?But seeing Chen Keming just casually "hmm", Hu Qingquan suddenly laughed loudly, and continued: "That's just fantasy. However, at this time, if you dare to make such an argument, you can't help but admire their boldness, thoroughness, and joy! They advocate arming the workers, dividing land, launching guerrilla warfare, and overthrowing the fake resistance of the Kuomintang. To overthrow the Communist Party that surrendered to the Kuomintang! Brother Keming, what do you think of this argument?" Chen Keming knew that what Hu Qingquan said was some Trotskyist ideas, but he still didn't understand why Hu Qingquan used these words to test him.But he also felt that Hu Qingquan's intention might not be to test others, but to find a "reason" to cover up his sneaky deeds. "What do I think?" Chen Keming looked at Hu Qingquan's bright red face and replied calmly, "I think this is ridiculous and insane!" "Oh, I also said that they are fantasy..." "No!" Chen Keming interrupted Hu Qingquan, suddenly a little angry. "No! This is not fantasy, this is a conspiracy, this is destroying the anti-Japanese united front, which is exactly what the enemy wants! This is the behavior of traitors, and it is even worse than those traitors who sell military intelligence and military supplies. !" Hu Qingquan clapped his hands, laughed loudly, and suddenly asked seriously: "However, they exposed the mask of the fake war of resistance. Can't we say that they are happy? Compared with those guys who talk about fighting against Japan but never forget to compromise in their hearts, so what? I'm afraid they are more naive?" "How naive! Sooner or later they will..." Before Chen Keming could finish his sentence, the coachman came in with a business card. "Senator Wang is here," Hu Qingquan said and stood up. "Brother Keming, please do it yourself." The handsome maid stood in front of Chen Keming holding a basin of wash water, and the basin was full of plump chrysanthemum petals.While washing his hands, Chen Keming looked at Hu Qingquan who sat down again and said: "Wang Zuochen and you are old friends too?" "But I don't want to see him today." Hu Qingquan replied with a smile. "He's here to visit you today. Besides, he'd be happy to talk to me at other people's dinners, but I'm afraid he's not prepared to be here today!" Hu Qingquan picked up the wine glass and took another sip, then smiled mysteriously.