Chapter 46: Solely My Own Method Chapter 46: Plan Set

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Protagonist:

Chen Yi

Chen Yi's eldest uncle Chen Guoliang was nearing forty, and as the Political Commissar of the Jiangning Military Region, his rank was not high but his power was weighty; he had long passed the time when he needed protection. In fact, it was precisely because of Chen Guoliang's existence that the Chen Family could continue to maneuver; or rather, it was precisely because of this that Grandfather Chen Zhongguo was able to quietly step down.

Chen Congyu did not know what his son wanted to do, but he still called his elder brother, then watched Chen Yi sleeping soundly without moving a muscle, as if he had been electrocuted into unconsciousness.

The Lincoln car maneuvered like a yellow eel in a basin through the crowded lanes, weaving back and forth for nearly an hour before the Driver finally stopped the car.

The sky outside had gradually darkened, and Fang Man Yi gently shook her son awake, saying, "We've arrived at your eldest uncle's house. Don't you want to say what's going on?"

Chen Yi first picked up the bottle in his hand, took a large gulp of Energy Recovery Potion, then said, "Someone cheated in the exam hall."

"Hm?" Neither of them changed expression.

"He Fuhan's nephew He Tao may have cheated as well. Using a very small earpiece, possibly a military earpiece." Chen Yi gestured, saying, "I suspect it might be embezzlers using military earpieces for collective cheating — a very large number of people, hundreds."

He did not dump everything out at once.

Although his words were vague, Chen Congyu and Fang Man both felt a secret shock. This matter could be big or small; originally it need not be taken to heart, but if it involved He Fuhan, it might not be a bad counter-move, precisely because of his special identity. The two couldn't help but ask in unison, "How do you know this?"

"This time it's a leaky wall through and through; we'll talk together when we see Eldest Uncle." Chen Yi rushed out of the car, fighting for every second.

Chen Guoliang personally greeted the family of three at the door, smiling especially at Chen Yi: "Heard you did well on the exam; confident about tomorrow?"

"Barring accidents, Jiangning University is no problem; with good luck I can even pick my major." Chen Yi replied offhandedly, and after entering he repeated what he had just said, then added, "I have a friend who got hold of a pair of earpieces, only the size of a grain of rice, able to transmit several kilometers even under jamming — absolutely high-tech, not civilian technology."

"Oh... know who gave it to him?" Chen Guoliang had been smiling, but at this his smile faded. Rice-grain-sized earpieces — he had seen them, and merely seen them at that. The local military he was in did not yet require such cutting-edge spy equipment. Yet it also showed that the event before him truly and genuinely involved the military.

When talking politics, Chen Guoliang had the bearing and elegance of a statesman, but when it touched the military he loved, his tolerance would rapidly drop — just like a dolphin in an oceanarium versus in the ocean, the skills needed differ. An excellent dolphin must be able to both eat fish and balance a ball, to pretend to be a whale and pretend to be a goldfish.

When Chen Guoliang dealt with military matters, it was like a dolphin encountering salt water — its foraging nature emerged.

However, his aggressive gaze did not make Chen Yi change his mind; the latter shook his head lightly and said, "It involves my friend; this part I cannot tell."

"Chen Yi, what are you hiding now..." Old Dad couldn't help but scold him, but was stopped by Chen Mu.

When Chen Guoliang kept a straight face, it carried the full majesty of a general; he uttered not a sound, yet brought immense pressure.

Chen Yi stubbornly held his ground, saying, "I can't tell you my friend's name and such information, but that doesn't affect the concrete matter."

"I can find out." Chen Guoliang wasn't angry, but hid his curiosity behind his majestic face.

Chen Yi shook his head, saying, "The College Entrance Examination lasts two days total; what are you wasting that time for? I can provide a list of students using earpieces."

"Oh?"

"You also don't need to wait until students leave the exam hall to check." Chen Yi said, rubbing his fingers, "No matter how high-end the earpiece, if the person crushes it for you, you've got nowhere to look; I'll give you the list directly, and you can catch them red-handed in the exam hall."

Chen Guoliang looked at his third brother, smiling without speaking.

"A Yi, speak properly with Eldest Uncle." Chen Congyu indeed spoke up.

Negotiating terms with one's own family has this drawback. Chen Yi was helpless; the elders were all Party Members — you talk kinship, they say they must speak of principle; you talk principle, they say I'm your dad.

Chen Yi touched his nose, focused on the target, and said, "I think catching He Tao on the spot is a must, and best done when the exam is about to end. As for the person sending the messages, that's not so important."

"Oh, why? Wouldn't that corroborate his behavior?" Eldest Uncle seemed to be testing him.

"If you step forward, the reason for catching him absolutely won't be college entrance exam cheating." Chen Yi said with a smile, "Whether he uses an earpiece to cheat or not, the result is the same: cancel this exam's scores and put it in the archive. No matter how big, it can't reach He Fuhan — they're uncle and nephew, not father and son. Wouldn't that lose all meaning? Your reason for stepping in is someone privately selling military equipment; that way, the He Family at least has to first think of a way to avert disaster, rather than attack us."

As Chen Yi spoke, he thought that at that time he must have Fatty destroy that unlucky earpiece first, at minimum not implicating him.

"Too risky, the impact is too great." Chen Guoliang listened and smiled, "You've thought it through fairly comprehensively, just a bit simplistic."

He pointed a finger at Chen Yi, saying, "This matter, the military can handle it, but the government handling it is better. You must know, proper channels always have the greatest killing power. Precisely because the killing power is great, they are hard to walk."

He paused, then again spoke in an instructive tone: "The list you mention, there's no need to do it. Are we supposed to arrest all cheating students? Not only would it offend many people, it would also ruin their futures. Just need to confirm whether He Fuhan's nephew and his few trusted aides are among them; nowadays every family has only one child — hold the son, and the old and young alike can't rest easy."

A whole speech, a whole arrangement — truly watertight.

Chen Congyu praised: "Good, this reduces the attack surface; He Fuhan will be at his wit's end."

But it was Chen Yi who asked: "How do you command the government?"

"The local Military Region's Political Commissar is also a Standing Committee Member locally." Chen Guoliang laughed heartily, "Our family has been in Jiangning so many years; when the matter ends, I can naturally bring it to the Standing Committee. Even if it's a show-of-hands Standing Committee, it's still the Standing Committee. He Fuhan is the government's patriarch; let him handle it himself."

Chen Yi listened, staring dumbfounded. He had completely not expected so many twists and turns; he shook his head and said, "Exams are still simpler. Remember to keep your promise — don't investigate my friend."

"Actually no need to investigate; how many friends can you have? Those worth protecting like this, ten or eight at most." Chen Guoliang said with a laugh, "If I wanted to investigate, I'd have the files on my desk in 10 minutes."

Chen Yi broke into a cold sweat and said, "You guarantee you won't affect my classmates."

"No problem." Eldest Uncle laughed heartily and waved his hand; the official awe from before was long gone.

Fang Man Yi said: "Business is done, we're going back; there's still an exam tomorrow."

Chen Guoliang saw them out again, smiling: "Your aunt is on a business trip today too, so I won't keep you. Chen Yi, take the exam well, good performance. But finding earpieces and such — you don't need to bother."

Seeing the plan was set, Chen Yi naturally didn't care; he rubbed his nose bridge, yawned, and said, "I'm going back to the car to sleep. Don't wake me tonight either; see you tomorrow morning."

Fine, whatever his parents thought, Chen Yi really returned to the car and fell sound asleep.

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