Kang Fan and Mei Xiang came out of the American Embassy and passed by He Shuixiu's mother-in-law's house. They visited He Shuixiu and gave some mountain goods to her parents-in-law. Mei Xiang handed He Shuixiu the gift specially prepared for He Shuixiu. He Shuixiu was happy and pulled Mei Xiang in.

Back room.

"Brother Kang, sit down while we sisters go back to my room to talk." He Shuixiu said to Kang Fan.

Kang Fan looked very dissatisfied, "You have nothing to say to your elder brother?"

He Shuixiu smiled coquettishly, nuzzled her lips at Kang Fan, and ran away with Mei Xiang.

Kang Fan was chatting alone with He Shuixiu's parents-in-law, which made him feel bored. When He Shuixiu and Mei Xiang came out, Kang Fan found that both of them looked sad, and Mei Xiang seemed to have cried.

I was puzzled.

On the way into the palace, Mei Xiang was depressed all the time. Kang Fan wanted to ask what happened, but seeing that Mei Xiang had no intention of explaining, he held back and did not ask.

The Empress Dowager Cixi also liked the women's products Mei Xiang sent, but unlike Zhu Di and He Shuixiu, she also liked the mountain goods they brought. This may be because she is a Manchu and knows the beauty of these things.

.

After that, Mei Xiang would come to the palace every now and then to accompany the Empress Dowager Cixi. Kang Fan became Mei Xiang's full-time driver. In addition to being busy with official duties, he traveled between the Nankou base and the capital from time to time, picking Mei Xiang back and sending her there. Until one day

All this stopped after meeting He Shuixiu outside the palace.

It was already winter that day when he met He Shuixiu. Kang Fan drove back to pick up Mei Xiang from the palace. He saw He Shuixiu standing alone in the cold wind carrying a large baggage under the Yongding Gate in the south of the city. Her still slender body looked frail and seemed to be still weak.

She was shivering. She quickly got out of the car, took her baggage, and helped her get into the car.

He Shuixiu looked very unhappy and avoided Kang Fan's gaze. Mei Xiang pulled He Shuixiu and hid in the living room at the back, never coming out again.

Kang Fan was stunned for a while, then slowly started the car.

The headquarters of the Nankou base is a five-story building. Kang Fan has his own room on the third floor, with an office, study, living room, kitchen, bathroom and three bedrooms. After returning, Mei Xiang accompanied He Shuixiu to the bathroom to take a shower.

Fan then started to cook. He picked out some of the mountain products that Mei Xiang had brought, heated up steamed buns, cooked millet porridge, and sat at the dining table to wait for them. After Mei Xiang and He Shuixiu came out of the bathroom, their moods improved.

People are also radiant.

"You two beauties, hurry up and eat." Kang Fan said.

He Shuixiu happily sat down next to Kang Fan and said while eating: "The food cooked by Brother Kang is delicious. I haven't eaten the food cooked by Brother Kang for many years. I need to eat more today."

Kang Fan smiled, "We are close now. If you want to come, big brother can pick you up at any time."

"Shui Xiu will live in our house from now on, and you don't need to pick her up," Mei Xiang said.

Kang Fan was stunned and looked at He Shuixiu, "What's going on, Shuixiu?"

He Shuixiu stopped using his chopsticks and looked sad again. After Mei Xiang explained the reason, Kang Fan finally understood: He Shuixiu's husband was born with a disability. In order to protect the family reputation, his parents concealed this fact that meant "no future" and made a big show of it.

He planned a wedding for his only son. The relatives of the He family who were officials in the court considered that He Shuixiu's father-in-law could help them in their career, so they despicably concealed it from He Shuichang and agreed to the marriage in private. This led to He Shuixiu's death.

A good-looking beautiful woman tragically wasted several years of her beautiful youth.

"I didn't want to see Shuixiu suffer, so I advised her to run away," Mei Xiang said.

After hearing this, Kang Fan became furious and grabbed He Shuixiu's hand, "Why didn't you tell big brother earlier?"

He Shuixiu lowered his head and whispered: "If I had told you earlier, you would have definitely taken me away, but after I left, my relatives in the court would definitely be implicated. So I endured it."

"You think about them, have they thought about you?" Kang Fan was so angry that his body trembled, "What kind of bullshit relatives!"

He Shuixiu panicked and grabbed Kang Fan's sleeve, "Brother, please don't go looking for them. They are all relatives. Forget it. I've run out now, and it's enough for them."

Kang Fan jumped up from his chair and walked quickly back and forth in the room. Mei Xiang and He Shuixiu looked at him eagerly. The food on the table was steaming and fragrant, but no one moved it.

In the morning of the next day, Kang Fan scolded the two relatives of the He family in front of all the civil and military officials, but spared He Shuixiu's father-in-law: He was already very sad, let's save him some face.

When he returned to the Nankou base, Kang Fan's anger had subsided. Mei Xiang and He Shuixiu were cooking, and they were talking and laughing.

"Shui Xiu, can you cook?" Kang Fan was surprised.

He Shuixiu blushed and pouted dissatisfiedly and said, "I'm not a child, so why can't I cook!"

Kang Fan smiled, "I only remember how stupid you were."

"I originally wanted to go to the cafeteria to eat, but Shuixiu was shy and didn't dare to face so many soldiers, so I ate at home." Mei Xiang said while making dumplings: "Captain Zhou sent two dumplings just from the base reservoir.

You can catch the fish and do it."

Kang Fan happily agreed and touched the back of He Shuixiu's head, "It tastes great at my brother's place. I'll make you fat and white. I'll make your father happy when I get back to Shanxi."

He Shuixiu rolled out the dumpling wrappers awkwardly while smiling sweetly at Kang Fan.

Since the Empress Dowager Cixi began to put Kang Fan in a high position and consulted him on all matters big and small, Kang Fan became busier and busier and visited the palace more and more frequently. As a result, he could not leave the Nankou base easily.

By the end of the year, the main project of the Nankou Military Base was completed, and what was left was some trivial work of adding equipment and repairing some parts. The Jin Army's standing army and internal guard troops who were transferred to Beijing finally no longer have to sleep in the wild, and they have all moved into fully equipped facilities.

, spacious and clean military camp.

In this way, Shanxi has two bases in Tianjin and Beijing at the same time, controlling the Beijing-Tianjin area and making the lifeline of the Taiyuan-Beijing-Tianjin Railway more stable. Kang Fan handed over both bases to the General Staff for law enforcement

The Supervision Bureau is responsible for management, and the Security Bureau relies on these two bases to better carry out relevant work in key areas around Beijing and Tianjin.

As the main administrative official responsible for exchanges and cooperation between the Shanxi government and the U.S. government, Judy works conscientiously and responsibly. Under her strong urging, after Christmas, the first batch of people were officially dispatched to Shanxi in the name of the U.S. government.

The arrival of the Americans at the Nankou base marked the official beginning of cooperation between Shanxi and the United States.

According to the cooperation framework agreement signed with the United States, the United States will send a large number of outstanding experts and scholars to work in Shanxi to provide paid support to the Shanxi region, and will also receive paid students from schools across Shanxi to study in the United States, including military academies, to help

Shanxi cultivates modern professional and technical talents urgently needed for local construction in all walks of life.

The Shanxi government will export to the United States locally produced daily necessities, household appliances, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and industrial mechanical and electrical products that are very popular with the American people at the best prices. It will also import large quantities of American goods at the best prices.

For example, machinery, minerals, agricultural products, books, etc.

The first batch of Americans arriving are mainly talents in education, medical and other fields. Correspondingly, Shanxi's Ministry of Culture, Education and Health will be responsible for the specific matters concerning the work and life of these American friends, while Mei Xiang

As the Minister of Health and Medical Affairs of Shanxi Province, he had to go back to Shanxi to take charge of the work. Therefore, when these American friends came to China, it was time for Kang Fan to say goodbye to them.

After Kang Fan confirmed the relevant matters with Shanxi via telegram, he told Mei Xiang: "After returning, urge your fellow minister of the Ministry of Culture and Education to make arrangements for the first batch of international students in the United States as soon as possible without delay. I have already joined the army.

We have selected candidates to study at the U.S. Military Academy, and we can set off together after you are ready." After that, he turned to Judy and said: "After you go to Shanxi, Finance Minister Zhong Hanqiang will give you the first study abroad funds.

Leave it to you. After completing the handover, you can lead our international students from Shanxi directly to the Tianjin pier, where your cousin's ship is waiting for you."

Judy asked: "Aren't you going to the United States with me?"

Kang Fan shook his head and smiled bitterly, "The situation in Gyeonggi is not stable yet, so I can't leave yet. Besides, you must visit your parents when you go back this time, because you didn't go back for Christmas. But they are eager to reunite with you but they won't welcome me.

My appearance will destroy the harmonious atmosphere of your Wood family. I'd better stay in China and wait for your return."

Judy bit her lip and frowned.

It did take some courage for He Shuixiu to break through the feudal shackles and run away from home under Mei Xiang's instigation this time. Since Mei Xiang is the initiator, of course she must be responsible for He Shuixiu to the end. Fortunately, He Shuixiu was born in a scholarly family, and has a strong literary background.

She could write very charming handwriting, so Mei Xiang hired her as a secretary in the Ministry of Health and Medical Affairs, which was considered a good use of people.

"Do you know why Shui Xiu is so brave this time?" Mei Xiang asked Kang Fan quietly before boarding the train.

Kang Fan didn't understand, "What?"

Mei Xiang poked his finger on the forehead and said, "It's because of you Shui Xiu that you are so brave."

Kang Fan was stunned, "Because of me?"

Mei Xiang glared at him bitterly, "I tried to persuade Shui Xiu to run away from home, but Shui Xiu refused. Later I said that you asked me to persuade you, and this was your wish, so Shui Xiu agreed. When she

After you realized you had been fooled, it was already too late."

Kang Fan pondered for a long time and said: "No matter what, I support your approach this time."

"I knew you would support me, so I did it." Mei Xiang smiled.

Kang Fan asked: "What is Shuixiu thinking?"

Mei Xiang raised her eyebrows proudly and said: "She wanted to run, but she didn't have enough courage to take action. It was your and my support that prompted her to take action."

"That's good." Kang Fan was relieved. He looked up and saw He Shuixiu in the carriage happily gesticulating with Judy sitting opposite. Judy was also gesticulating with a smile on her face. Both of them looked very interesting.

"The political struggle in the capital is very dangerous. After leaving the base, you must stay with our Jin troops and do not go out alone." Mei Xiang warned, "You have offended so many insidious and cunning people. There are many people who want to punish you. I really

worry about you."

Kang Fan smiled and nodded, "I know. There are brothers from the Security Bureau all over the capital. Even if I go in and out alone, nothing will happen. I will not let myself die before I bring you back to your parents completely."
Chapter completed!