Chapter 199 Transferred to Beijing
As soon as Zhao Wenchang settled down, he saw a training report from the border patrol team that had just been delivered spread out on the table. The report was filled with data, and several places were marked with red circles, indicating that there were significant problems.
He sighed with a headache, and thinking of Jiang Wanqiu's tenderness last night, he understood even more the ancients who "from then on, the emperor no longer held court in the morning".
I had just picked up my pen, intending to write annotations on the report, when the office door was suddenly pushed open from the outside.
"Report!"
The guard, Xiao Zhang, rushed in anxiously without even knocking, nearly tripping and falling.
Zhao Wenchang frowned even more deeply and said in a deep voice, "What's the panic! Enemy shells are coming?"
"Commander!" Xiao Zhang gasped for breath, finally managing to stand up. "Commander Le wants you to come over immediately; it's urgent!"
"I understand, let's go."
Without thinking twice, he grabbed his military cap, put it on his head, and strode out.
The office of Chief Le was filled with smoke. As soon as Zhao Wenchang entered, he saw Chief Le standing alone by the window with his hands behind his back, smoking one cigarette after another. The ashtray on the table was piled high with cigarette butts, like a small hill.
Upon hearing footsteps, Chief Le slowly turned around, raised his chin, and gestured for Zhao Wenchang to sit down in the chair in front of the table.
He sat down as instructed, his back ramrod straight, waiting for his superior to give instructions.
"Smack!"
A document was slammed onto the table.
It was an urgent document with a bright red heading, and the four large characters "Beijing Military Region" at the top were particularly eye-catching.
"See for yourself."
The document is a transfer order.
They specifically named Zhao Wenchang and demanded that he be transferred to the capital immediately and placed under the command of... the Cui family's faction.
Commander Le stubbed out his cigarette, lit another, took a deep drag, and slowly said, "The old man of the Cui family has reviewed your file from this border mission and is very satisfied with you. This time, you've finally caught his eye."
He exhaled a thick cloud of white smoke, his eyes becoming complicated: "On the surface, this transfer is a promotion, sending you to work in the Beijing Military Region. But in reality, it's the Cui family's way of planting their own fresh blood in the military. Wenchang, this is both a ladder to the top for you and a bloodbath that devours you without spitting out the bones."
Zhao Wenchang remained silent, and for a moment, the only sound around him was the hissing of tobacco as Chief Le smoked.
After a long while, Zhao Wenchang gently placed the document back on the table, stood up, put his legs together, and snapped to attention a perfect military salute.
"Reporting to the commander! I obey the organization's arrangements! I guarantee to complete the mission and will never let you down!"
Seeing his expression, a hint of relief finally appeared on Chief Le's tense face. He waved his hand, gesturing for Zhao Wenchang to sit down, and his tone softened: "You kid... I knew you wouldn't be so vague."
The tone shifted abruptly, and the hint of relief on his face was replaced by deep worry: "But... what do you plan to do about that girl, Wanqiu?"
He paused for a moment, then said, "Sir, could I... request to wait until Wanqiu gives birth before I go to report for duty?"
"I'm afraid that won't work." Chief Le shook his head and sighed. "There are quite a few people eyeing your position. The Cui family owes us a favor because of the Cui Hua incident, which is why they're putting you in this predicament despite the pressure. If you keep delaying, it'll be difficult to explain to them."
Seeing the undisguised disappointment on Zhao Wenchang's face, Chief Le opened a drawer, took out a note that had been written long ago, and handed it over.
"Here you go. This is the letter of introduction I wrote to the railway bureau, granting your family special permission to travel in a soft sleeper compartment. I'll arrange a special car to take you to the station. After all, we can't let Wanqiu and the child suffer too much on the journey."
Chief Le patted him on the shoulder and earnestly instructed him, "Beijing is different from here. The waters run deep there, and relationships are complicated. Remember to tone down your sharp edges. Of course, if someone dares to bully you, don't be a coward! The Cui family will take care of you, and this old man of mine can also stand up for you!"
"Commander..." Zhao Wenchang nodded solemnly, "I've got it! I'll go back and make arrangements right away, and hand over my work as soon as possible."
...
Chief Le sat in his office for a long time, until he finished a whole pack of cigarettes, before getting up to go home.
As soon as I opened the door, I was stunned by the sight before me.
The living room was a mess, as if it had been robbed. Large and small boxes were piled up all over the floor. His daughter, Le Yunyun, was directing the orderly to stuff clothes and jars of face cream into the boxes.
Chief Le was furious and raised his voice immediately: "Le Yunyun! What are you trying to do? Rebel or run away from home!"
Le Yunyun was stuffing a newly made dress into her suitcase when she heard this. Without even looking up, she replied matter-of-factly, "Dad, you're back? Jiang Wanqiu and the others are going to Beijing, right? I'm going with them. I have a shop there."
"Nonsense!" Chief Le was so angry that he glared and puffed out his beard. "What kind of place is Beijing? It's a melting pot of all sorts of people. You, a mere young girl, going to do business is just asking to be swallowed whole! I haven't even settled accounts with you for sneaking around buying shops in Beijing before!"
Le Yunyun finally finished stuffing the last piece of clothing into her clothes. She clapped her hands, walked a few steps to her father, affectionately took his arm, and began to act coquettishly.
"Oh, Dad—I'm not fooling around, I'm going to do something big!" She shook Chief Le's arm, laughing like a little fox. "Besides, Sister-in-law Wanqiu is pregnant, how can she not have someone to take care of her? I'm going to be her 'protector'!"
Seeing that her father's face was still dark, she rolled her eyes and leaned closer again: "Think about it, you are a high-ranking official, how could your daughter be bullied in Beijing? What if, I mean what if, someone really messes with me, you, as my father, just stand by and do nothing, and don't cover for me?"
Chief Le was speechless after being silenced by his daughter's words. He rolled his eyes at her and called her a "debt collector".
He ultimately felt sorry for his daughter. No matter how fiercely he scolded her, he was already thinking about his old comrades in Beijing who he could talk to, figuring out how to pave the way for this ignorant brat.
"Alright, alright," he waved his hand dismissively, as if relenting. "Go if you want, but remember this! Once you're in the capital, don't go out and cause trouble under my name. If your lousy shop fails, you'd better get back here right now and obediently go on blind dates and get married!"
Upon hearing that there was hope, Le Yunyun's eyes instantly lit up like two small light bulbs. She snapped to attention, mimicking the guards, and gave Commander Le a crooked military salute: "Yes, sir! Mission accomplished!"
...
That night, Zhao Wenchang returned home and said to Jiang Wanqiu, "Wanqiu, I have something to tell you."
"What is it?" Jiang Wanqiu became nervous as Zhao Wenchang's serious expression made her nervous as well.
"I've been transferred to the Beijing Military Region. I'll leave in a few days after the handover is complete."
"This is a good thing!" Upon hearing this, Jiang Wanqiu's face instantly lit up with joy.
Zhao Wenchang glanced at Jiang Wanqiu's belly and said, "But the journey is too far, it will take several days by train. You're pregnant now, I'm afraid you won't be able to endure the hardship. I was thinking... how about I go there first, settle everything down, and then come back to pick you and the baby up after you give birth and recover?"
Jiang Wanqiu frowned upon hearing this, clearly disagreeing with Zhao Wenchang's plan.
"You mean, you want me to give birth here alone?"
"That's not what I meant!" he hurriedly explained, "I was afraid you..."
“Zhao Wenchang,” Jiang Wanqiu interrupted him, “I know Beijing better than you do. The people and things there are different from here. You’re a grown man, young and capable, going there alone, without even a single person to care for you. How can I feel at ease?”
She paused, her tone softening slightly: "I trust you, but I don't trust that place. Besides, giving birth is a huge deal, and I don't want to be without you by my side. It's just a train ride. As your woman, if I can't even endure this little bit of hardship, what kind of couple are we?"
These words made Zhao Wenchang feel even more distressed. He then handed the note approved by Chief Le to Jiang Wanqiu.
"It was specially approved by Chief Le for a soft sleeper compartment. It's just for the three of us, so it's not crowded and you can rest well on the way."
"Then...when are you leaving?"
"the day after tomorrow."
"So fast?"
"Um."
The news that Commander Zhao was to be promoted and transferred to Beijing spread throughout the entire military compound within a single day.
Early in the morning, the threshold of Zhao Wenchang's house was almost worn down by the crowds.
Li Yanhong led several military wives, carrying eggs and brown sugar, saying they came to offer their congratulations, but their expressions were full of reluctance.
Li Yanhong held Jiang Wanqiu's hand, her eyes red like a rabbit's: "Wanqiu, with you leaving, my heart feels so empty. The Zhou family was like that before, and now that you're gone, this courtyard will probably be quiet again."
In the afternoon, Le Yunyun, wearing a brightly colored trench coat, flew in like a butterfly.
"Sister-in-law Wanqiu! I'm going to Beijing too!" Her voice preceded her arrival. "I've already bought my ticket! I'll be on the same train as you! I'll look after you!"
"You're going too?" Jiang Wanqiu asked in surprise.
"Oh, Wanqiu, have you forgotten what I told you before?" Le Yunyun winked at Jiang Wanqiu. "I've taken over a shop in Beijing! We'll make it one of the top businesses in the entire city! We'll have rich people lining up to buy our stuff!"
Seeing her eager expression, as if she couldn't wait to rush to Beijing and make a big splash, Jiang Wanqiu was both amused and exasperated. She coughed awkwardly and said in a low voice, "Yunyun, this thing... it's better to keep it a little mysterious."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
