Southern guerrilla warfare: I led the Red Seventh Army Corps to amassed a million troops.

Just then, the Red Army cadre walked over from a distance and called out, "Hey, have you finished chatting? It's almost time to get back to work!"

Xia Chuzhong nudged Dai Yunong's arm: "You should go back first. Remember to let Minister Chen know you're safe."

"Okay, take care, senior." Dai Yunong understood, took a deep breath, and turned to leave with a belly full of turmoil.

……

The hotel room where the Nationalist Army representative was staying was filled with smoke, and the floor was littered with cigarette butts.

Clearly, the members of the negotiating team hadn't stopped smoking since leaving the meeting.

Zhang Chong said with a worried look, "Minister, are we really going to report the Red Army's demands truthfully? The negotiations have turned out like this; I really have no face to face the principal!"

Chen Lifu did not respond, but instead frowned, pressed his knuckles against his forehead, and fell into a long silence.

He's clearly starting to drift off into his own world!

After a long silence, he suddenly raised his hand and slapped his forehead hard: "Damn it! I fell for it!"

Everyone was taken aback, looking at each other in bewilderment.

Chen Lifu suddenly stood up and paced back and forth in the narrow room, his hurried steps creating a gust of wind:

"From the very beginning, this Zhou Zeyuan has been trying to confuse us! In particular, he brought up the story of Li Jing and Tang Jian's mission to the Turks, quoting classical texts while secretly harboring murderous intent, which made us uneasy."

"Later, he frequently provoked us, using his shameless logic to make it impossible for us to calm down and think things through. In the end... we were completely led by the nose!"

Upon hearing these words, the officials present were shocked, followed by deep regret.

An official sitting on the edge of the bed gasped, "Hiss! Minister, now that you mention it... it's really true! This Zhou Zeyuan has a complete grasp on our mindset. The entire pace of our negotiations is completely in his hands."

Zhang Chong also looked dejected, muttering to himself, "Is this even human? This is simply monster! How could a twenty-year-old do something like this? Calling him a two-hundred-year-old monster wouldn't be an exaggeration!"

"What nonsense! What kind of monsters are there in this world!" Chen Lifu shouted instinctively.

Then, changing the subject, he sighed, "However... in times of chaos, heroes always emerge, but so do monsters."

"People used to say that Zhuge Liang was 'so wise he was almost supernatural,' and I thought it was an exaggeration. We're all human, how could there be such a big difference? But today... hehe, we've had the good fortune to run into such a prodigy, but unfortunately, he's right on the other side."

The room fell into a deathly silence once again.

After a long pause, Zhang Chong broke the silence with a pained expression: "Minister Chen, what's the use of saying all this now? The principal is still waiting for our report on the progress of the negotiations. This report... I really don't know how to write it."

"You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask? You can't even handle this little thing, what use are you guys!"

Chen Lifu replied irritably, a single sentence that brought everyone's astonishment back to their real-life troubles.

Everyone secretly thought to themselves, "It's true what they say, 'A higher-ranking official can crush you.' They've certainly managed to shift the blame quite smoothly."

Just as everyone was frowning and at a loss, the door was pushed open.

When Dai Yunong walked in, this was the scene that looked like a mourning hall.

A group of colleagues sat together, all looking gloomy, as if their parents had died.

He was such a shrewd man that he could tell at a glance what the group had been talking about when he left.

He coughed lightly, breaking the silence in the room: "Minister, I have something important to report to you."

Chen Lifu was annoyed at the moment, so he waved his hand.

Zhang Chong and the others felt as if they had been granted a pardon, and slipped out one by one, considerately closing the door behind them.

Only two people remained in the room. Dai Yunong's expression turned solemn, and he gave a concise report on the intelligence that Xia Chuzhong had revealed in the prisoner-of-war camp regarding the supply of ammunition from the Guangdong Army to the Red Army.

"What?!" Upon hearing the report, Chen Lifu's dejected expression vanished instantly, replaced by a face full of anger.

He slammed his hand on the table, a sharp pain shooting through his palm, which fueled his rage. He immediately burst into a tirade of curses:

"Chen Jitang! He's utterly inhuman! We're fighting and bleeding on the front lines, and he's feeding the Red Army from behind! He's trying to drain our army of its last drop of blood!"

"This man is utterly vicious! Being the King of the South in Guangdong isn't enough for him; he has to climb to power by stepping on our bones!"

"Minister, what do you think about this matter? Should we report it to the principal immediately?" Dai Yunong asked tentatively.

Chen Lifu paced around the room twice, forcibly suppressing his anger: "Reporting is definitely necessary, but we must come up with a solution for the principal in advance. Otherwise, simply reporting our troubles and incurring the principal's wrath without offering a solution is not the way of an official."

Dai Yunong immediately adopted a learned expression: "Minister, you have a long history in officialdom and your insights are unique. I am truly grateful for your guidance. In fact, our Special Service has also made some arrangements regarding Chen Jitang, preparing to divide and weaken him from within. I believe that after this incident, we need to intensify our efforts even further."

Chen Lifu nodded, his gaze deep: "I've heard a little about this matter. Here's what we'll do: you quickly come up with a plan, and I'll also think of a way. Then we'll submit both plans together and let the principal choose."

Dai Yunong's eyes lit up, and he asked, "Minister, do you have a better idea?"

Chen Lifu glanced at him, hands behind his back, his tone carrying the deep, old-fashioned bureaucrat air:

"Of course not. But if I don't come up with one, how will the principal make a choice? Yu Nong, since ancient times, strategists have always offered at least two options when devising plans for their lords. Do you understand the reasoning behind this?"

Dai Yunong quickly bowed, a look of sudden realization on his face, and said sincerely, "Thank you for your guidance, Minister! This advice is truly invaluable; I have benefited immensely from it!"

As he spoke, his face subtly revealed his admiration and respect for Chen Lifu's political wisdom.

Whether he truly understood or was merely pretending, only Dai Yunong himself knew the answer. This future head of the secret service was probably inwardly cursing Chen Lifu's "correct nonsense," but outwardly he maintained a flawless facade.

Chen Lifu was quite satisfied with Dai Yunong's "learned" look. His mood, which had been depressed due to the failure of the negotiation, finally eased a little.

"Alright, go ahead, don't keep the principal waiting." Chen Lifu waved his hand.

"yes!"

Dai Yunong turned and left, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips.

Although he lost the negotiation, Dai himself benefited greatly.