Chapter 430: Victory Grand Assembly

This is definitely playing the emotional card too far.

But once the words are out, there's no reason to take them back.

When he noticed the military cap youth's uneasy glance, Lu Cheng realized that braking now was a bit inappropriate.

Heh, my eyes are seeing flowers; I even thought a rabbit had hopped out.

Lu Cheng tossed out a random excuse, kept driving, and tried to steer the conversation elsewhere.

"You don't need to go mourn; there's nothing worth seeing. As long as you can believe in the country, you'll do justice to my father's sacrifices."

Even though he said that, the military cap youth felt that not going would be too impolite, after all Minister Lu had worked so hard for the Educated Youth.

The military cap youth still insisted on going to see: "But…"

Yang Yin interrupted: "Don't go, his father was cremated, turned to ash, so you won't see a corpse."

Lu Cheng turned his head, opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't say a word.

The military cap youth still felt it was improper: "Even if cremated, we should…"

Yang Yin cut in again: "Ah, you really shouldn't go; the family is grieving, they have no mood to receive you. They need quiet now, so don't disturb them, okay, listen."

The military cap youth hesitated: "We won't disturb; even if we bow a few times at the door, it's our respect."

Yang Yin thought being too righteous wasn't good: "I understand your respect. His father served the people in life and wanted to guard the motherland after death, so his ashes were scattered into the great rivers. If you truly want to bow, it doesn't matter where."

Lu Cheng wanted Yang Yin to stop; what the heck, he's already reduced his father to dust!

If Old Lu heard this, he'd be furious.

Yang Yin's eyes curved like a crescent: "Lu Jingzhang, say something. Am I right?"

Lu Cheng inhaled: "Ah, right, right, don't go, your respect is noted."

The military cap youth finally nodded: "Then stop the car; we'll bow a few times here, see Minister Lu off."

Lu Cheng wanted to tell them not to be so formal, but seeing their determined eyes, refusing would make a later trip to the Capital City for mourning awkward.

Having no choice, Lu Cheng stopped the car; a few Educated Youth got out, knelt, and solemnly bowed toward a nearby river.

Lu Cheng, at a loss for how to wrap up, looked at Yang Yin in the back seat and said, "Come, come, come over, get closer…"

Yang Yin, knowing a beating was coming, firmly refused: "If you dare hit me, I'll expose you right now."

Damn, another incriminating piece!

Lu Cheng couldn't be more helpless; he felt Yang Yin was his nemesis in this life.

"Wuwu, Minister Lu, may you travel well, we bow to you…"

"Yes, Minister Lu, you worried for the people all your life; now in heaven, enjoy peace and happiness…"

"We certainly won't cause trouble again, won't make you worry…"

Listening to the cries outside, Lu Cheng worried, "Why are they still crying?"

Yang Yin laughed and added, "They're crying for your dad. Why don't you go down and cry a couple of times? You're supposed to be his son…"

Lu Cheng reached out to strike, but Yang Yin hurriedly ducked behind.

Lu Cheng only pretended to scare, and Yang Yin this time, whether out of mischief or something else, indeed helped.

Rescuing the military cap youths took considerable effort; even the Railway Troops were mobilized, but it wasn't in vain.

Driving the jeep at speed, they finally intercepted that group of Educated Youth; it was already dark.

The Educated Youth, perhaps tired, had gathered branches for fire, roasting beside the railway.

Worried that darkness would hide people, the firelight attracted Lu Cheng, who drove toward the campfire.

The headlights also caught the Educated Youth's attention; someone shouted, "Stop the fire, run!"

They thought the jeep came to capture them; in the dark, vague shapes rose, men and women, at least fifty or so.

Each stared at the approaching jeep, all looking tense,

One, likely the leader, squinted against the jeep's lights.

"Only one vehicle, surely not many people; no need to run, just grab stones. If they really dare to catch us, we'll fight them."

The leader, counting on numbers, wasn't at all afraid of the approaching jeep.

Getting closer, following the light, Lu Cheng saw the Educated Youth poised with stones, and he only felt relieved he hadn't brought the Railway Troops; otherwise a clash could have caused casualties.

In the end, regardless of how this is resolved, someone will be held accountable.

Lu Cheng drove and gestured to the military cap youth ahead: "I still don't know your name?"

The military cap youth replied indifferently: "You don't need to know my name; you only need to know we share a common name: Knowledgeable Youth."

Lu Cheng smiled; he was indeed a sentimental person.

Actually, hearing "Knowledgeable Youth" struck a chord with Lu Cheng; first, he had lived the Educated Youth life in his previous life, and second, his older brother was also an Educated Youth.

So, his first thought was to persuade rather than resort to force.

"Do you know the leader up ahead?"

Lu Cheng said another line, and the military cap youth nodded.

"I know him; he's from the Youth Commune next to ours, we usually play together. He must have heard I was captured, which is why he brought people to the Capital City to cause trouble."

Since they're on good terms, it's easy to handle.

Lu Cheng drove the jeep straight through; the military cap youth took off his cap, stretched his arm and head out, waving the cap while shouting.

"Ping Zi, put down the stones, it's me…"

It turned out the leader's nickname was Ping Zi; hearing the military cap youth's voice, he hurriedly told everyone not to act.

Otherwise, with over fifty people throwing stones, it would be like rain, shattering all the jeep's windows.

When they got close, the car hadn't stopped yet, but the military cap youths opened the doors and jumped out.

Like a victorious gathering, the military cap youth and Ping Zi clasped hands tightly, while several others embraced the other Educated Youth.

Ping Zi pounded the military cap youth: "What's up? Weren't you captured? We're heading to the Capital City to demand an explanation for you."

They say they're seeking an explanation, as if nobody ever imagined they could return safely.

Going to stir up trouble in the Capital City on National Day would surely get you caught, yet not a single person backed down.

The cap‑wearing youth was deeply moved: "Thank you, my dear Comrades, it was the Comrades from the Railway Bureau who saved me; otherwise, the few of us would truly have been taken to the Capital City for sentencing."

Hearing the cap‑wearing youth's words, the leader Bottle only then looked toward Lu Cheng, who had stepped off the vehicle.