Chapter 9: Old Commander, Don't Hide It Anymore, I Know
After his daughter-in-law left, Su Bing Sheng couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.
His daughter-in-law was good in every way - dutiful and understanding - except for the fact that she always doted on her youngest son too much.
While Ye Wen Qin claimed there was nothing to it, how could Su Bing Sheng not know what she was thinking?
She said she wouldn't stop this time, but when it came time to send Su Yuan to the army, she would likely be the first to intervene.
She wouldn't be as agreeable as she had just said.
However, Su Bing Sheng knew that Ye Wen Qin was reluctant to send Su Yuan to the army because their eldest son was already serving, and she didn't want to send their second son, Su Yuan, as well.
If both sons went to the army, who would take over the company?
Ye Wen Qin's actions were not without reason.
It was precisely because of this understanding that he didn't push the matter too hard.
However, in his opinion, going to the army for training wouldn't hinder Su Yuan from taking over the family business.
On the contrary, training in the army would make Su Yuan better suited to take over the family business.
He had great confidence in this.
He was confident that after being tempered in the army, Su Yuan would become more mature and responsible.
This confidence was coupled with a strong determination to send his grandson to the army.
Su Bing Sheng put down the small shovel in his hand, picked up the thermos beside him, and prepared to take a sip of water before continuing to tend to his small vegetable garden.
Just then, a loud phone ring sounded.
If it were just an ordinary phone call, Su Bing Sheng might not have paid attention, but this sound came from his military confidential phone.
There were not many people in the army who knew his contact information on this phone.
Most importantly, these people were all generals in the military.
They didn't call his personal phone, but specifically called his military confidential phone, which meant it wasn't a small matter.
Without hesitation, Su Bing Sheng quickly picked up the phone and answered.
"Old Commander, it's me."
Before Su Bing Sheng could even speak, a familiar voice came through the phone, interrupting his question.
"Jun He?"
Su Bing Sheng was taken aback for a moment, then realized who it was. The seriousness on his face only flashed briefly as a hearty laugh escaped his lips, "Why are you calling me at this time? Is something happening in the army?"
He knew about Wang Jun He's situation.
He wouldn't use a military phone to call him for ordinary matters.
And with Wang Jun He's current position in the army, if he couldn't handle something, Su Bing Sheng wouldn't be able to do anything about it either.
After all, he was only a lieutenant general when he retired.
Wang Jun He was different. He was now a general of the land forces. One step further, and he could enter the Military Commission. His influence in the army was much greater than Su Bing Sheng's back then.
Of course, he still had some advantages in certain areas.
It was because of this that he asked that question.
"Yes, but also no."
Wang Jun He hesitated for a moment.
"What do you mean?"
Su Bing Sheng could hear the hesitation in Wang Jun He's tone and felt that this matter might not be simple. Otherwise, with Wang Jun He's current position, he wouldn't have this kind of tone.
However, at that moment, Wang Jun He's tone held a hint of amusement.
"Old Commander, don't hide it anymore, I know everything!"
"Hmm?"
Even though Su Bing Sheng was a little confused, he still nodded subconsciously.
He wondered if Wang Jun He knew about his visit to Wei Lao's house the other day.
This guy…
His information network was quite impressive.
But this matter… wasn't a big deal!
Was it worth calling him on his military confidential phone?
"You, you're still so impulsive!"
Su Bing Sheng shook his head, looking as if he was scolding a child for being stubborn.
But then, a smile appeared on his face, showing no sign of reproach.
As his former subordinate, Wang Jun He had risen to the rank of general, far exceeding his expectations. What could he possibly be unhappy about?
After all, he had promoted Wang Jun He because he saw potential in him. He believed Wang Jun He would one day cross the threshold from a colonel to a general, becoming a high-ranking officer of the Great Xia military.
But he had never thought that Wang Jun He would not only cross that threshold but also reach the pinnacle of the Great Xia military.
Su Bing Sheng's reaction made Wang Jun He stunned, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.
He initially thought that Su Bing Sheng didn't know about Su Yuan.
But hearing his tone now, it seemed like his old commander knew.
Thinking about this, Wang Jun He exchanged a look with the others, pressed the phone against his ear, and whispered, "Regarding Su Yuan, our old commander probably knows. Otherwise, he wouldn't have that tone..."
"Old Su knows about this?"
Before Wang Jun He could finish his sentence, Li Ming Zhe frowned deeply, his tone tinged with seriousness.
His expression wasn't very good.
The others, although they didn't say anything, looked solemn when they heard this.
Wang Jun He sighed inwardly. Their reaction was within his expectations.
After all, if old commander Su Bing Sheng really knew about this and didn't report it to the higher-ups in time, it would be a major incident.
This matter could be big or small, depending on how the higher-ups viewed it.
If they really wanted to investigate, Su Bing Sheng might face consequences.
Of course, judging from Wei Lao's private conversation with them today, he clearly placed great importance on Su Yuan's status as an ace pilot. In this situation, it was unlikely they would investigate Su Bing Sheng for knowing about it but not reporting it.
But it wasn't impossible.
Thinking about this, Wang Jun He whispered, "Old Commander probably has some reservations."
Li Ming Zhe and the others nodded slightly.
It wasn't just a matter of reservations.
If Su Yuan were an ordinary person with no special identity, joining the military of another country wouldn't be a problem.
But the truth was, Su Yuan's grandfather was a high-ranking military officer, and his father was only one step away from becoming a high-ranking officer of the Great Xia military.
Growing up in such a family, he was destined to be different from ordinary people.
For example, becoming a military officer of another country or a mercenary was strictly forbidden.
However, not only did Su Yuan join the military in the Bear Country, but he also became a major general, reaching the level of a high-ranking officer. This was not a small matter.
Su Bing Sheng's hesitation and reluctance to report it were understandable.
Su Bing Sheng himself probably didn't expect the Bear Country's military to provide full support to Su Yuan, even allowing him to attend high-level meetings between the two countries.
He didn't expect Su Yuan's actions to be exposed.
"But Old Su is so calm and collected!"
"He managed to conceal this for so long, for four whole years! If it wasn't for this time... *sigh*, who knows how much longer he would have hidden it."
"It's better that it came out now. The longer he hid it, the worse it would be for Old Su."
"Heh, if he had hidden it until Su Yuan reached a higher rank, there would be no turning back. Now, at least there's room for maneuver, and he won't be punished so severely."
"It's good that it's out now, but Old Su needs to explain this to Wei Lao. He could hide it before, but now that it's been exposed, if he doesn't report it, he'll be seen as having a problem with his thinking."
Everyone nodded in agreement. They needed to report this properly.
With Wei Lao's emphasis on the Air Force, as long as Su Bing Sheng explained things clearly, there wouldn't be any major problems. At worst, he'd be scolded by Wei Lao.
Wang Jun He looked at them, nodded slightly, and already had a plan.
However, before he could speak, he heard Su Bing Sheng's hearty, smoky voice, "Jun He, you have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox!"
"You even know about my visit to Wei Lao's house last week."
As Wang Jun He's former superior, Su Bing Sheng had some understanding of his former subordinate's thoughts.
Wang Jun He had been promoted to general for several years now. In less than a year, the Military Commission would undergo a major reshuffle, and Wang Jun He had a chance to get in, but it might not be certain. That's why he came to his old commander to get some advice.
Even though Su Bing Sheng was retired, his former rank was higher than Wang Jun He's current rank. But when it came to relationships with people like Wei Lao, Wang Jun He couldn't compare to him.
Su Bing Sheng rose from a humble soldier to a general of the Great Xia. Moreover, he had known Wei Lao since they were both in the same unit, almost joining the military around the same time. Their relationship was unlike any other.
He had also witnessed many things alongside Wei Lao.
In fact, he had the opportunity to be promoted to general, but Su Bing Sheng felt that he was getting old and didn't want to occupy that position. He chose to retire and let someone who could make a greater contribution to the country take his place.
Otherwise, with his relationship with Wei Lao, he wouldn't have retired as a lieutenant general.
Moreover, at the level of general, it didn't really matter what rank you retired at.
As long as you did what you were supposed to do for the country, that was enough.
Also, for military officers who had reached a certain level, they all knew that Wei Lao liked to consult retired high-ranking officers on matters related to the Military Commission.
It was precisely because of this that Wang Jun He came to him to gauge his opinion. This was within his expectations.
No soldier wants to stagnate, especially a general.
"Huh?"
Sensing something amiss, Wang Jun He raised an eyebrow, swallowing the words that were on the tip of his tongue.
Did his old commander think he was here for the Military Commission?
Perhaps his old commander didn't know about Su Yuan yet?
Considering this possibility, Wang Jun He couldn't help but take a deep breath. He chuckled nervously, "It's still the Old Commander who understands me!"
He laughed heartily and cautiously asked, "By the way, Old Commander, has it been four years since Su Yuan was sent to the Bear Country for his studies?"
Hearing this, Li Ming Zhe and the others couldn't help but frown.
It seemed like things had taken a new turn.
However, they didn't ask any questions and waited.
"Yes," said Su Bing Sheng. "It's been four years since he was sent. He's almost graduating this year. I heard from his mother that he should be coming back in the next few days."
"Heh, when he comes back, I'll definitely send him to the army for some training."
There was a hint of seriousness in Su Bing Sheng's tone when he said this, revealing his determination to send Su Yuan to the army.
It was understandable. For an old-time military man like Su Bing Sheng, having his descendants serve in the army, defending the country, might be his biggest wish.
Even if it was just for training, and he was discharged after two years, it would still be good.
However, Wang Jun He was suspicious.
Based on his understanding of Su Bing Sheng, if he really knew about Su Yuan's actions in the Bear Country, he wouldn't say those words.
Of course, it was also possible that he was trying to mislead them.
But that possibility was unlikely.
Wang Jun He raised an eyebrow. His old commander might not know what amazing things his grandson, Su Yuan, had accomplished in the Bear Country during the past four years.
Taking a deep breath, Wang Jun He's expression turned serious. "Old Commander, I should go to your place. I think it's necessary to have a good talk with you."
"What's wrong? What happened?"
"Isn't it about you joining the Commission? Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Su Bing Sheng was puzzled. He didn't understand.
While joining the Commission was a big deal, it didn't warrant a personal visit to his place.
To be honest, he only had the right to suggest. The final decision was up to Wei Lao.
Whether he came or not wouldn't make much of a difference.
"It's not about me, it's about Su Yuan!"
PS: Besides writing, the author will be reading the comments section. I'm definitely happy if you like it (delighted). You mentioned whether he should stay in the country or remain in the Bear Country. I'll also say this about the book. Staying in the country means no fighting, that's for sure. So I've prepared two storylines. One is a domestic storyline, and the other is the Bear Country storyline. The two storylines can be considered parallel development. As for what happens later and whether I can think of a better plot, we'll see then. Thank you for your support, readers! I'm deeply grateful!
Also, please give flowers and rating votes!