Chapter 80: Old Li Never Blows Hot Air
Zhang Wanhe stood silently on the side, watching Li Muzhi and the brigade commander discuss the price.
Once Li Muzhi agreed to give the brigade commander twenty-five Hell Cannon shells, and the brigade commander looked dumbfounded, Zhang Wanhe immediately clapped his hands and spoke up: “Brigade Commander Chen, these things you brought are still a bit short of the previous oil. Twenty-five shells for you is not little; it’s already a lot. You should be content—contentment brings happiness.”
Giving twenty-five shells, in Zhang Wanhe’s view, was a very good situation.
After all, this was Li Yunlong’s brigade commander, someone even shrewder than Li Yunlong.
The words were already spoken and couldn’t be taken back.
Plus, with Zhang Wanhe assisting Li Muzhi on the side, the brigade commander just nodded: “Alright, twenty-five it is then.”
Previously, Li Muzhi had agreed to give an extra three shells, and Li Yunlong traded oil for twenty shells.
Plus these twenty-five shells now.
So the 386 Brigade’s total shell count would reach forty-eight!
According to what Li Muzhi said, one thousand catties of sugar can make one hundred shells. We got over three thousand catties of sugar for the arsenal here, which can make just over three hundred shells in total.
For our brigade to get nearly one-sixth is still pretty good.
What’s more, the money robbed from Heyuan County Town is still on account, and these shells can be exchanged for later.
Just don’t know how high a price this old Zhang, the iron rooster, will set.
“Brigade Commander Chen, the food is ready too. Let the troops eat together with us.” With all the goods stored away, Li Muzhi invited the brigade commander to eat together.
“Sure, I’m hungry anyway.” The brigade commander wasn’t polite. “I heard the arsenal’s meal standards are very good. I can take advantage of it this time.”
The meal was very abundant: unlimited steamed buns, fan-strips stewed in meat soup, and also unlimited white rice.
“Brigade commander, here.” Li Yunlong attentively served rice and fan-strip meat soup for the brigade commander and brought it to him.
“No good deed goes unpunished. Get lost.” The brigade commander’s anger hadn’t subsided, and he vented at Li Yunlong.
“Brigade commander, you misunderstood me. I was just serving you food; no other meaning.” Li Yunlong explained.
“Go go go, I get annoyed just seeing you.” The brigade commander waved his hand dismissively, shooing Li Yunlong aside. He scooted closer to Li Muzhi on his own and pushed his bowl in front of Li Muzhi: “Here, you eat first.”
“Brigade Commander Chen, no need. Keep it for yourself.” Zhang Wanhe brought the bowl over to Li Muzhi.
“Haha, true, true. With you, Old Zhang the nanny here, I’m indeed a bit superfluous.” The brigade commander laughed heartily, took his bowl back, and started eating heartily.
“Mm, this arsenal’s food is really delicious.” The brigade commander praised endlessly. “Better than what we eat at brigade headquarters.”
“Brigade Commander Chen, as long as you like it, every time you bring stuff, I’ll provide meals here.” Zhang Wanhe laughed.
“You sly Old Zhang, calculating so shrewdly.” The brigade commander laughed and cursed.
……
At another table, Li Yunlong, Ding Wei, and Kong Jie sat together.
Seeing Li Yunlong fawn over the brigade commander and get chased away, Kong Jie still asked: “Old Li, how did you piss off the brigade commander again?”
“Kong Er Lengzi, what do you mean ‘again’? I’m seriously defending myself: the brigade commander was just in a bad mood, not because of me.”
“Give me a break. Every time the brigade commander is in a bad mood, it’s because of you.” Kong Jie didn’t believe it and turned to ask Ding Wei: “Old Ding, why is the brigade commander angry?”
“Forget it, don’t mention it.” Ding Wei waved it off, not wanting to talk.
Li Yunlong’s Hell Cannon had been confiscated, and his own cannon was off the table too, so Regiment Commander Ding was in a bad mood.
If not for the arsenal’s really good food, he probably wouldn’t even feel like eating.
“Li Yunlong, you still say you didn’t cause trouble? It must be you who angered the brigade commander.” Kong Jie turned to look at Li Yunlong and said, “Can’t you spare the brigade commander some worry? If you give him health problems from anger one day, next time you get in trouble, no one will cover for you.”
“Kong Er Lengzi, no need for your concern. I’ve already found a new backer.” Li Yunlong was quite calm.
“New backer, who?” Kong Jie perked up at that, couldn’t help glancing at Li Muzhi, then looked back at Li Yunlong. “Don’t tell me it’s Factory Director Li?”
“Exactly.” Li Yunlong laughed. “With Younger Brother Li backing us up, from now on, as long as we can get stuff for the arsenal, we can do whatever we want. Kong Er Lengzi, are you jealous of me?”
“Jealous of your ass.” Kong Jie wasn’t jealous at all.
Li Muzhi was logistics personnel; at most, he’d say a few words for you.
You, Li Yunlong, are still under the 386 Brigade’s command. If you cause trouble, the brigade commander will still deal with you!
Seeing Ding Wei in a bad mood, Li Yunlong comforted him: “Old Ding, don’t hang your head like a frostbitten eggplant. Elder brother here has already smoothed things out for you. Just wait—once back, the brigade commander will hold a meeting and allocate that Hell Cannon from his hands to you.”
“Li Yunlong, get your own Hell Cannon back from the brigade commander first before saying that.” Ding Wei still didn’t believe it.
Hearing this, Kong Jie beside them froze and looked at Li Yunlong: “Li Yunlong, did the brigade commander confiscate your Hell Cannon?”
In Kong Jie’s heart, he started cursing.
Damn you, Li Yunlong, still daring to fool me into giving up coal mining to follow you—what a load of crap.
Good thing I’m not stupid and didn’t fall for your bluff.
You couldn’t even keep your own Hell Cannon, and you want to get one for me? Not afraid of blowing your own ox to death!
“Kong Er Lengzi, what’s with that look!” Li Yunlong saw Kong Jie’s eyes full of strong doubt and said solemnly, “The brigade commander is just temporarily keeping it for me—keeping, do you understand?”
“The fear is that this ‘keeping’ means never giving it back; by then, your goose is cooked.” Kong Jie didn’t believe Li Yunlong’s nonsense at all.
Such a precious Hell Cannon—the brigade commander treasures it immensely. Once it falls into his hands, it’ll never come out. Pull the other one.
“Hmph, I don’t want to waste breath on you, you fool.” Li Yunlong snorted, shoveled two mouthfuls of rice, then said to Ding Wei: “Old Ding, trust me. Soon, the Hell Cannon will really be yours. Look, my Hell Cannon is in the brigade commander’s hands—why am I not worried at all? If it really couldn’t be gotten back, would I still have the appetite to eat now?”
With that, Li Yunlong kept his head down and ate voraciously, then said enviously: “The arsenal’s food is really great. Kong Er Lengzi, how’d you get so lucky?”
“Haha, I’m just lucky; your envy won’t help.” A smile finally appeared on Kong Jie’s face.
Ding Wei listened thoughtfully: “Old Li, you can really get your own Hell Cannon back?”
Ding Wei knew Li Yunlong well.
This guy’s Hell Cannon was confiscated by the brigade commander, yet he really showed no loss and ate very heartily.
Ding Wei didn’t think it was just Li Yunlong loving to take advantage and eating for free.
Most likely, this guy really could get his own Hell Cannon back.
“Of course. The Hell Cannon in the brigade commander’s hands will be released to you too—just watch.” Li Yunlong was full of confidence. “Old Li here never bluffs.”
……
