1905: Beer Hall Speaker

Page 151

Every business trip Liu Ting took with his orderly brought a lot of work to the bureau, all of which was handled by the deputy director.

After hearing this, Liu Tingdu felt a little embarrassed and kept encouraging his second-in-command to persevere.

The deputy director has only one problem: how long will he stay after he comes back this time? If it's really not possible, let him take his men on a business trip. What department head is always nowhere to be seen?

Liu Ting couldn't answer this question, nor could he approve the second-in-command's business trip request. It involved professional data and technical review, and even Liu Ting, a graduate of MIT, still needed to constantly improve his skills. He couldn't trust his second-in-command, who came from a military academy.

The things military academy professors teach can deal with the enemy, but they can't deal with those cunning and shrewd arms dealers. I'll have to do it myself.

After finally getting rid of the deputy director, things didn't calm down. All the majors and section chiefs below were lined up at the door waiting to report.

General Affairs Section, Office, Communications Section, Documentation Section, Review Section, Technology Section

Every section chief had something to discuss with Liu Ting, not for currying favor or trying to get close to him, but for serious business.

A pile of financial statements needed to be signed, and funding approvals had to be approved. Many technical equipment development plans that even deputy directors didn't fully understand still needed to be reviewed and signed off by Liu Ting, the top leader who had personally inspected them.

Vice Minister Huang Wengu also sent a pile of documents for Liu Ting's approval, which were also related to professional and technical matters.

Liu Tingren was numb, but finally understood that when you're on vacation, you should stay home and not come to the office out of boredom.

Now things are really messed up. Once I sit down in this office, I can't leave. Endless work is piling up, even more tiring than going on a business trip.

In particular, many documents eventually have to be sent to the Imperial Study. In the past, the deputy director was in charge of this matter. Because the documents were not up to standard, Zhao Yan was dissatisfied, and the deputy director had been scolded by Dai Mingde many times. Now it is his turn as the top leader to do it.

The bureau and even the Joint Logistics Department knew about Liu Ting's status as a top student. Other departments also sent him professional materials that they didn't understand. As the saying goes, the more capable you are, the more work you should do.

Liu Ting had been busy until 6 p.m. and still hadn't finished get off work. He hadn't eaten lunch and was so hungry he could see the stars. Only then did Dai Mingde come to pick him up.

"Director Liu is truly a model worker. I'll apply for a model worker award for you at the end of the year," Dai Mingde said gloatingly.

Liu Ting's eyes were sparkling: "Minister, let's go eat right away! I'll go no matter who's treating, as long as there's food!"

Dai Mingde smiled and said, "No rush, finish your work first."

Liu Ting quickly shook his head: "If we don't hurry, we'll starve to death. Let's eat first. I'm not coming tomorrow no matter what. I'll stay home and sleep!"

"I granted you three days off, but you insisted on wandering around the ministry aimlessly. Now you want to go home? Too late!"

"Everyone knows you're back. Even the deputy minister called me. Your vacation is over early. Come to work tomorrow!"

Liu Ting's face turned pale. In the end, he had no choice but to accept reality. With a resentful look on his face, he got up, grabbed his coat and put on his peaked hat, and followed Dai Mingde to the banquet.

Chapter 249 The Real Big Shot

Inside the black sedan, Liu Ting and Dai Mingde changed into civilian clothes. It wasn't that wearing military uniforms to go out to eat was a violation; the military encourages soldiers to wear their uniforms wherever they go.

After all, those handsome military uniforms were designed and supervised by Zhao Yan himself. In this day and age, there are no short videos or TV dramas for promotion, so it all depends on the soldiers themselves wearing them to promote the good image of soldiers to the public.

Young people are increasingly less willing to enlist, especially highly qualified individuals, since the military offers low pay but is no less dangerous.

A private receives five yuan a month when he first enlists, which is just enough for food, lodging, and a little social security benefits. Any ambitious young man can earn more by doing anything else than being a soldier.

The only thing that can attract young people to join the army is probably that handsome military uniform.

Forget about patriotism and the martial spirit of the Chinese people; Zhao Yan never believed in that. He only believed that it was human nature to seek advantage and avoid harm.

People won't choose the worse option if there's a better one; self-interest is the biggest factor in weighing the options. In recent years, the National Defense Force has relied on conscription, and there aren't many volunteer soldiers enlisting.

Nobody wants to suffer on the border, much less bear the danger of potential outbreaks in hotspots. Just like a hundred years from now, the peak period of enlistment will also be the peak period when the government and the military have raised the welfare benefits of soldiers to a certain level, making them much better off than ordinary workers, and there is no danger of war, so being a soldier is also very safe.

This is why the selection process for military service is as difficult as taking the civil service exam. Nobody's stupid; who wouldn't be happy with something that's a sure thing?

But if war were to actually break out, it's hard to say whether young people would sacrifice their lives to defend the interests of those high-ranking, predatory individuals for things they can't see or touch.

"Once we're at the table, talk less and listen more, eat less and drink more. Get Zhu Jing drunk, preferably unconscious!" Dai Mingde instructed with some concern.

Liu Ting felt a pang of conscience: "Minister, he's a lieutenant general in the army! And he was your former superior. Isn't this inappropriate?"

Dai Mingde curled his lip and said, "I swore brotherhood with him, but he treats me like a Japanese soldier!"

"Now that Zhu Jing guy has formed his own faction, he's thinking of returning to the central command and taking charge of a department. The other lieutenant generals aren't pushovers, but I'm the easiest to mess with. Do you think I dare to negotiate with him like a tiger?"

Within the People's Liberation Army, a major general is merely an entry-level leader. Only a lieutenant general is a true figure capable of establishing his own faction. A lieutenant general must at least command a group army or lead a department, with a group of people following him.

However, Zhu Jing was in an awkward position, neither high nor low. After being promoted to lieutenant general, he took over as deputy chief of the General Staff and resigned from his posts as commander of the Second Army Group and the Songhu Garrison.

He became the second-in-command, but his power was actually reduced compared to before he was promoted.

Now that Zhu Jing has come to invite Dai Mingde to dinner, anyone who isn't stupid will understand Zhu Jing's intentions: to win Dai Mingde over to her side and, incidentally, bring the Joint Logistics Department under her influence. Even if that's not feasible, she'll at least establish a mutually supportive relationship with Dai Mingde.

Liu Ting wasn't interested in the power struggles and intrigues of the upper echelons, and he only vaguely understood what Dai Mingde was talking about.

The car was still speeding toward Juxianlou, where an officer was standing waiting at the entrance.

Juxianlou is one of the top-tier restaurants and meeting places in the inner city of Beijing. It is extremely upscale and the prices are outrageously expensive, but the service quality and the ambiance are unparalleled.

Whether they are locals or high-end individuals from out of town, they all like to entertain guests or welcome them here. Price is not important to these people; face and class are the most important things.

A well-equipped parking lot has now been built in front of Juxianlou, and there are even professional doormen to park for customers. The parking lot also provides services such as car washing, refueling, and even repairs.

Cars haven't been popular for very long, yet Juxianlou has already started offering specialized services for them.

A white sedan with out-of-town license plates pulled up in front of Juxianlou. A middle-aged man and a young woman got out of the car. A servant at the door immediately came forward to greet them, but the middle-aged man didn't even look at the servant and casually tossed him a five-yuan note to send him away.

His eyes were fixed on the officer standing at the door. He could tell at a glance that the officer was waiting for someone, waiting to welcome a distinguished guest.

A person who can make a major stand obediently at the door to greet them must be a very important person.

"Uncle, what are you looking at? I'm starving! Aren't you going to come in and eat?" Huang Yun tugged at her uncle Chen Jiaxie's sleeve, her stomach rumbling with hunger and eager to get some food.

Huang Yun originally went to Wuhan to watch the first National Martial Arts Tournament, but she was persuaded to leave on the first day of the tournament. It was a real martial arts competition, the kind that determined both skill and life and death. Several contestants died on the first day of the opening ceremony, and Huang Yun was terrified.

Unable to bear it any longer, Huang Yun thought of Liu Ting, whom she had met on the train, and went to Shanghai. However, she couldn't find Liu Ting, so she could only stay at her uncle Chen Jiaxie's house for a month or so, and travel all over Shanghai.

A few days ago, my uncle Chen Jiaxie was coming to Beijing on a business trip, and Huang Yun came along, hoping to try her luck in Beijing.

We drove all the way here. The railway line from Shanghai to Beijing wasn't completed yet, but the national highway was open. We were in a hurry to get to our destination, so we didn't have many hot meals.

Having just arrived in Beijing today, Chen Jiaxie brought his niece Huang Yun to Juxianlou Restaurant for a meal, hoping to try his luck and meet some important figures.

"What do you know, young lady? Do you really think we came here to eat? This place may be a restaurant, but eating and drinking are the least important things here!"

"Come on, your uncle will show you around and broaden your horizons!"

Chen Jiaxie strode into the restaurant with his niece, no longer curious about who the major was waiting to greet. Whoever he was waiting for was not something Chen Jiaxie could inquire about; rashly approaching might offend someone.

Although Chen Jiaxie is the chairman, boss and major shareholder of Tongda Power Company, and has some influence in Shanghai, meeting a vice mayor or department head is not a problem, but it doesn't work as well when he meets the mayor.

Once they arrived in the capital, right under the emperor's nose, Chen Jiaxie's little bit of face was practically nonexistent.

Chen Jiaxie and his niece Huang Yun had just entered the restaurant when Dai Mingde and Liu Ting's car pulled up at the entrance.

Upon seeing the special black license plate with white lettering, which started with the character "国" (Guo, meaning "country") and had the license plate number 00013, the major waiting at the door immediately stepped forward to open the car door, and the restaurant waiter hurriedly ran back to inform the manager that an important person had arrived.

In the People's Republic of China, license plates with white background and black lettering are all civilian plates, while those with black background and white lettering are official plates, regardless of whether they are military or government plates.

The cars starting with "元" are the highest level; they belong to the head of state's office and are exclusively for the head of state and the SS system. Cars starting with "总" belong to the prime minister's office, and cars starting with "国" belong to the Ministry of National Defense.

The numbers following the vehicle also have significance; the more zeros, the more impressive. For example, 00013 means that the person sitting in this vehicle is ranked thirteenth in the Ministry of National Defense.

Ordinary people may not understand these rules, but for the upper class and high-end service industries, they are a must-learn course.

"Minister Dai, welcome! The General specially asked me to greet you at the door!" The major opened the car door, picked up the man, and saluted with a smile.

Dai Mingde said with a serious expression, "There's no need to make such a fuss. It's just a meal. Why did Old Zhu arrange for someone to pick me up at the door? Are you afraid people won't know I'm here?"

"Let's go, Liu Ting, let's go inside and talk first."

Dai Mingde was afraid of this. He had come in civilian clothes, but Zhu Jing sent a major to stand at the door to greet him, deliberately showing off in front of so many people coming and going.

I'm afraid the news of him and Zhu Jing having dinner at Juxianlou will spread throughout the Ministry of National Defense tomorrow. That's a really underhanded move.

Liu Ting didn't care about any of that. Instead, he curiously followed Dai Mingde inside. Once inside, he discovered that it was a completely different world.

The hotel manager has already come over to greet him personally; a high-ranking official from the Ministry of National Defense is worth him coming over to fawn over.

Led by the shopkeeper, a group of people surrounded Dai Mingde and Liu Ting and walked inside. After passing a blue stone screen, they entered a courtyard with an elegant view.

The courtyard is surrounded by flowers and plants, and even a large amount of running water has been introduced to create a flowing stream. Lotus leaves sway in the pond, and several golden fish dart about.

This landscape, which can only be seen in Jiangnan, has been replicated in the capital by the restaurant.

After passing through a courtyard that covers a full acre, you finally enter the inner gate of Juxianlou Restaurant. The main hall and the second floor of the restaurant have ordinary seats, but the decoration is anything but ordinary.

There is no trace of glittering gold or any so-called European style; it is all antique, elegant, and simple. At first glance, it may seem unremarkable, but the luxury lies in the details.

Chinese luxury never relies on a striking first impression, but rather on a gentle elegance that makes you feel comfortable yet leaves something to be desired.

"Please, Minister Dai! The General is waiting for you in the VIP room on the fourth floor."

The major led the way up the stairs, with the shopkeeper and his servants surrounding Dai Mingde to accompany him.

Liu Ting felt a little restrained, but looking at the surrounding environment and smelling the unique high-grade sandalwood fragrance of the restaurant, he relaxed a bit.

Dai Mingde, however, kept a stern face, showing no sign of anger.

The group's ascent upstairs was spotted by guests in the lobby and on the second floor, and everyone knew that a truly important person had arrived.

Chen Jiaxie, along with two distributors and his niece, were sitting at a table on the second floor when they saw the figures coming upstairs.

"Tsk tsk, those are real big shots, true big shots, probably even more powerful than our mayor." Chen Jia was full of envy. He had to personally come here to drink, eat, and give gifts in order to develop the northern market. If he could get to know these real big shots, he could probably make his company's cars sell like hotcakes in Beijing with just one phone call.

Huang Yun didn't pay attention to any of that, focusing on her food with her head down. Her cheeks puffed out like a little hamster: "Delicious, so delicious, Uncle!"

Chen Jiaxie said disdainfully, "How can a young lady eat like this? There are guests here! I brought you here to broaden your horizons, and you actually eat here?"

As Huang Yun ate, she said, "Isn't a restaurant just a place to eat? What else can it do?"

Chen Jiaxie chuckled and said, "That's not necessarily true. Juxianlou not only hired the former imperial chef, but also some other chefs. The really fun and delicious food is on the third and fourth floors."

"It's a pity we can't get up there!"

The third and fourth floors of Juxianlou are not open to the public; they are reserved for a specific group of people. If you don't meet that level, you can't get in even if you have money. If you do meet that level, you don't need to bring a penny, but people will still bow and smile and invite you in.

Chapter 250 You actually ate it?!

"Haha, Brother Dai, it's been so many years! I've missed you so much!"

In a private room on the fourth floor, Zhu Jing, who was sitting at the table enjoying the view, turned around when she heard a noise at the door. She saw Dai Mingde walking in first and immediately stood up to greet him warmly.

He stepped forward and gave Dai Mingde a big hug. Dai Mingde forced a smile and said, "Old commander, you're still so enthusiastic. It's been years since we last met."

At the promotion ceremony earlier this month, when Minister Wang conferred the rank of lieutenant general upon you on the stage, I was right there in the audience, and I clapped with all my might!

Zhu Jing opened her arms and affectionately punched Dai Mingde: "You, Dai Mingde, are you making fun of me? What kind of meeting is that, a conferment ceremony?"

"I was looking for you after the ceremony, but you just left without a word, not even saying goodbye. We worked together, we were both from the same old school, it's so unfair of you."

"You have to punish yourself with three drinks today!"

"Come, come, sit down first!"

The group quickly took their seats. Zhu Jing looked at the restaurant manager standing outside the door and said, "Bring out all the best wine and food, whatever you have, and close the door behind you!"

"Yes, everything will be as you say!" The restaurant manager smiled broadly, not daring to enter the room the entire time, and left immediately upon hearing the instructions.

Zhu Jing had an excellent memory and recognized Liu Ting at a glance: "Director Liu, you're now a colonel! Congratulations! Let's have a few more drinks today!"

Turning his head, Zhu Jing began introducing the people he had brought to the table. He gestured to the colonel sitting alone at one side of the table, sipping wine, and said, "This is Colonel Yang Dingtian, the deputy director of the Operations Department of the General Staff! Just like you, Director Liu, he is an outstanding young officer. You two should get to know each other well today!"

The colonel who dared to sit alone at the table and drink first in front of two generals was none other than Yang Dingtian. He was just a lowly soldier from the Green Standard Army, the lowest of the low. But because he met Zhao Yan in Changsha prison and was given the name Yang Dingtian by Zhao Yan, he followed him to fight in Beijing.

In less than ten years, he rose from humble beginnings to become a colonel in the National Defense Army and deputy director of the First Operations Bureau of the General Staff, with a promising future ahead of him.

When the Far East War ended, Yang Dingtian was already a lieutenant colonel and regimental commander in a front-line main force division. After more than three years of seniority, he was transferred to the General Staff Headquarters to gain experience in the capital. After two years in the General Staff Headquarters, anyone who left would easily become a division chief of staff or even a deputy division commander, and future promotion to division commander would be a natural progression.

Dai Mingde and Zhu Jing were only higher in rank than him, but neither of them dared to treat him as a mere subordinate, because he was officially under Zhao Yan's command! When they were down on their luck, they followed Zhao Yan through the courtroom of the governor's yamen, and even Zhang Mingqi was once threatened with a knife by him!

Apart from Liu Ting, the people at the table were basically all veterans of the Changsha Uprising, and they all knew each other.

Dai Mingde brought a colonel with him, and Zhu Jing also happened to bring a colonel with her, just as if it had been planned in advance.

The four of them sat at the table and chatted for a while. In the private room, there were special maids who were excellent at making tea. It was like a performance art. As soon as you raised your hand, she would immediately come forward to listen to your instructions.

The private room is on the top floor, more than 20 meters high, offering a panoramic view of Beijing. As dusk approaches and the night is about to end, the table faces the sunset outside the pavilion, making the view outside the building truly beautiful.

Of course, given Juxianlou's financial resources, it could have been built even higher, but it dared not build any higher.

The same is true throughout Beijing. There are plenty of rich and powerful people, but no one dares to build their houses very tall, because the highest standards are already set.

No matter how rich or powerful you are, would you dare to build a house taller than the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the presidential palace?

The government has never explicitly prohibited the construction of high-rise buildings, but both the government and the public abide by the established rules and never overstep them.

Moreover, Zhao Yan disliked skyscrapers. He viewed Beijing, the capital, as a political city with no economic or industrial functions, and he intentionally suppressed population growth in the capital.

Returning her attention to the dining table, after exchanging pleasantries, Zhu Jing felt it was about time. She waved to the maid to serve the dishes and wine, preparing to get down to business.