Siheyuan: A warm home with wife and children

"Sir, may I accompany you inside?"

Xiao Duan felt that something was wrong with the situation, and he would feel more at ease if he stayed with her.

Yang Jianguo opened his eyes and laughed heartily, "What are you going to do with me? Wait here, I'll be back in a bit."

After saying that, he got out of the car, walked along the familiar road, crossed the arched bridge, and saw the Third Elder's office.

The two guards at the gate were unfamiliar faces.

The ever-open front door was now tightly shut, making the entire office feel like a prison cell.

"Hello, Chief."

Upon seeing Yang Jianguo approaching, the guard hesitated for a few seconds, then exchanged glances, saluted, and stood tall.

Instead of responding with a smile and a nod as usual, Yang Jianguo walked straight to the door and pushed it open with a forceful slap.

He then strode into the empty office.

The Third Elder was absent, the secretary was nowhere to be found, and the staff who served him outside had also vanished completely.

If it weren't for the documents on the table and the books on the wall-to-wall bookshelves...

Yang Jianguo thought that there was something wrong with his memory.

"What happened? Where is Elder San?"

Faced with Li Zhenyu's questioning, the two guards were at a loss for words.

After all, they were just two lowly gatekeepers.

To outsiders, this position is the highest one they can hope for.

But in front of Yang Jianguo, the two of them felt guilty even when they spoke.

"I said, where is the Third Elder!"

The tone wasn't harsh, but it terrified the two of them.

Just when he was about to give up, a familiar voice suddenly came from behind him: "Minister Yang, don't make things difficult for them."

It was Secretary Huang, the Second Elder's trusted chief secretary.

"Secretary Huang, I was just about to look for you."

Yang Jianguo neither showed anger nor roared; he simply looked at the other person calmly.

But in Secretary Huang's heart, it felt as if someone had suddenly struck her with a hammer, or as if she had been targeted by the most ferocious beast in nature.

Every cell in my body was trembling; I was terrified.

That kind of deep-seated fear was something even the Second Elder had never made him feel.

"Where is the Third Elder?"

A calm question sent shivers down Secretary Huang's spine.

"Minister Yang, no... cough, don't rush, I'll take you there."

After coughing to ease her fear, Secretary Huang turned around, and her right leg suddenly twitched.

He almost collapsed to his knees.

This Yang Jianguo is simply too terrifying.

"Let's go, what are you waiting for?"

Yang Jianguo's urging filled Secretary Huang with renewed energy.

Following the other party forward, Yang Jianguo realized that they were heading towards the Second Elder's office.

"Is the Third Elder here?"

"Yes, please come in."

Yang Jianguo pushed open the door and entered the room, walked through the equally empty central courtyard waiting area, and knocked on the elder's door.

"Come in."

Upon entering the office, Yang Jianguo saw the Second Elder and the Third Elder sitting face to face.

"See? I told him to come."

Upon seeing Yang Jianguo, the Second Elder chuckled and said, "I knew it, those people outside couldn't stop him."

"I've said it before, he'll come."

"I spoke first, so I still won this round."

Seeing the harmonious atmosphere between the two, Yang Jianguo, who was nervous and had imagined countless possibilities, was completely bewildered.

What's going on here? The two of them don't seem to have any tense atmosphere at all.

Instead, it was like two old friends chatting and having a quiet get-together in a secluded corner where no one would disturb them.

Enjoying this rare moment of leisure, and delighted by the effects of the little tricks and pranks they had devised.

Chapter 764 Faith, On and Off Stage

This scene was performed jointly by the Second Elder and the Third Elder.

Neither of them informed the other in advance; it was simply the unspoken understanding between comrades that allowed them to understand each other's feelings.

The organization does not allow for a single voice, but it also has no place for traitors.

However, distinguishing between 'other voices' and 'traitors' is not an easy task.

This pond is so big that it's inevitable that some dark corners and hidden alleys will be teeming with shady characters and shady dealings.

When you try to sweep it up, these monsters will stir up the water and flee quickly, leaving only small fish and shrimp for you to catch nothing.

To find out who the 'big black fish' hiding inside is, we need to think of another way.

That's why the two of them came up with all these things.

They even put the conflict out in the open, letting everyone around them see it clearly.

The second elder used himself as bait to catch all the 'big black fish' hidden in the pond.

They were laid out in front of me one by one, clearly visible.

Which ones should be released, and which ones absolutely cannot be released? We must catch them all.

The Second Elder already knew everything about it.

"Jianguo, don't underestimate us old comrades!"

"Back then, we also took an oath, ah, haha..."

The Second Elder laughed heartily, showing no sign of annoyance or frustration at being misunderstood.

Those pointless emotions were no longer worth his time.

His time is running out.

We must do what we can within the limited time available, contributing our last bit of strength to the revolution.

"Second Elder..."

Yang Jianguo felt somewhat guilty, unsure how to face this revolutionary veteran.

I was being too simplistic in my thinking, actually questioning the ideological awareness and beliefs of such an old comrade.

"No need to explain, I understand."

The second elder stood up and patted him on the shoulder; his magnanimous attitude made Yang Jianguo feel even more ashamed.

It turns out, I was the one who was the villain...

"Jianguo, we'll need your cooperation in the next scene."

"Yes, elders, please give your orders."

For a fleeting moment, Yang Jianguo wondered if the Third Elder was being controlled by the other side, and if this was the real scheme.

But he immediately dismissed this doubt in his heart. Yang Jianguo was a witness to how firm the Third Elder's belief was.

He couldn't imagine what could destroy the faith of such an old man.

If such a thing truly exists, then I too will surely be destroyed by it.

Therefore, instead of doubting these things, we should believe in their iron will and their adherence to their beliefs.

"I know you're deploying troops outside; get your men moving!"

Looking at the list that the Second Elder had produced, with the character "Lü" starting in the middle, Yang Jianguo's doubts completely disappeared.

Imperial Capital No. 1 is one of the most low-key and mysterious clubs in Beijing.

From the moment this club opened its doors, it truly was a place where learned scholars conversed and no commoners frequented.

At this moment, inside the Supreme Emperor's bag, a group of people were puffing away, their wine glasses swaying in the breeze. One sip was worth two years' wages for an ordinary worker.

"Ah~ if you ask me, this wine is still the best. It has a sweet aftertaste and a wonderful aroma. One sip is like swallowing an entire orchard."

"Minister, what you said is so insightful. When it comes to wine tasting... you're the only one who can do it."

The minister smiled smugly, turned to look at the silent bald man beside him, and chuckled, "Old Lu, why have you been looking so gloomy all day? What happened? Did some beautiful woman dump you?"

"Haha, in this city of Beijing, is there anyone who dares to disrespect President Lü?"

"Exactly, which woman wouldn't want to get into Mr. Lü's bed? It's paved with gold and diamonds..."

Hearing everyone's teasing, Old Lu raised his hand and smiled modestly, his brows still furrowed. "Alright, enough of this idle talk. Let's think about what's coming up in a few days!"

"What are you still thinking about? With the Second Elder in charge, we're practically guaranteed to win."

"that is."

The minister, with a cigar in his mouth, took a deep drag, tilted his head back, and exhaled a plume of smoke with a smug look. "Old Lu, look at all these people here, isn't every one of them a well-known figure?"

"If we stomp our feet, everyone in the area will catch a cough or a cold. And with the two elders above us, as long as we're of one mind, what can't we accomplish?"

Old Lu knew that what he said was absolutely right, but the key was that he still felt uneasy.

It's like there's a spring stuck inside, making it bounce upwards.

It made him restless and absent-minded all day, as if he were possessed by a ghost.

"...That's true." After a moment's thought, Old Lu still felt he should say a few more words: "But it's precisely at times like these that we must not let our guard down."

"Don't forget, there are still quite a few people outside who support the Third Elder. Before the meeting, no one dares to say what the outcome will be."

"Hey, don't worry about it!"

The minister grabbed his shoulder and laughed loudly, "He's just Yang Jianguo, why are you so scared? He's just a technician."

"What good is having great power in the Ministry of Works if you don't have this in hand?"

With his thumb and forefinger spread symmetrically to form a hook, the minister waved his hand smugly and said, "Political power comes from this, as the great man said. We have this in our hands, but does he?"

"Besides, he was sent to the southwest for so long last time, and he's only just returned. What can he possibly accomplish?"

Old Lu thought it over carefully and realized that what he said made sense.

In just a few days, even if Yang Jianguo were Sun Wukong, he couldn't turn the world upside down.

Besides, there's the Buddha above him, so no matter how hard he tumbles, he can't escape the Buddha's palm.

Putting aside his unease, Old Lu picked up his glass again and said, "Alright, it seems I was overthinking it. Come on, let's drink together..."

Boom!

The heavy door to the private room was rudely opened, silencing Old Lu who was about to say something.

"Minister Han, President Lü, and everyone else here, please come with me!"

Seeing the other party in full military uniform, holding real weapons in his hands, Old Lu flicked his wrist, and it felt as if all the strength in his body had been instantly drained away.

The wine glass in his hand tilted and fell onto the expensive carpet.

Chapter 765 Who's Next? Let's Drink Until We're Drunk!

The arrest operation was carried out in great secrecy; only after everyone had been escorted to the military camp did the lower ranks begin to react.