Struggle in Russia

Rumyantsev Jr. also seemed to have noticed the anxiety of Grand Duke Constantine. The Second Minister of the Navy sitting at the head of the rostrum gave the Grand Duke Constantine a very indescribable smile, and then categorically announced:

"Silence! This questioning session begins."

The suddenly noisy auditorium was filled with solemnity. Whether it was the spectators who were noisily watching the excitement, or the various chess players with ulterior motives, or Grand Duke Constantine and Li Xiao, they all held their breaths and held their voices, waiting for the start of the battle.

As the host, Rumyantsev Jr. slowly began to talk nonsense, nothing more than the importance of this meeting, thank God and the emperor, thank Everyone. After talking for a full ten minutes, I finally handed over the right to speak:

"Colonel Yerofe Vasilyevich Fedinov, as the sponsor of this inquiry meeting, what matters do you have to ask Grand Duke Andrei Konstantinovich. Please explain it one by one. "

Yerofei Vasilyevich Fedinov was naturally the black gunman that Grand Duke Konstantin secretly found. As a designer of the Russian Navy, although he did not have any outstanding achievements, he was superior in his seniority, from the era of Catherine the Great to the era of Nicholas I, from a second lieutenant drafts assistant to a designer and builder. Already over 65 years old, he still wants to go further.

If you can become the chief designer of a major general before the age of 70, your pension will be greatly increased, and you will also be able to arrange better positions for your sons and grandchildren so that they will not start from scratch like yourself. Suffer these years.

But what leaves Ye Luofei speechless is that although the current chief designer, Major General Litmanning, is 75 years old, and although he has been panting in a hospital bed for many years, he just refuses to give up. Not only refused to give up, but also relied on Menshikov's backing to hold on to some key positions, so that their chief designer assistants who are also over sixty can only look forward to it dryly, it is really annoying and hateful. !

But this time Ye Luofei felt that the timing was right, and he climbed on the big ship of Grand Duke Constantine. With the support of the Grand Duke, he should be able to get what he wanted. Well, as long as you can do what the Grand Duke said, you will be fine!

Ye Luofei glanced at Li Xiao who was facing him, and to tell the truth, he didn't take Li Xiao very seriously. A little boy with no hair on his head knows how to build a ship. I think he was still learning to swing a sledgehammer from the masters in the shipyard at his age.

Shipbuilding is a handicraft job, without ten or eight years of precepts and deeds, it is impossible to get started!

Anyway, Ye Luofei didn't pay attention to Li Xiao at all, thinking that the other party was just a boastful show. Can you understand shipbuilding by publishing articles in newspapers? Isn't this nonsense!

Ye Luofei not only ignored Li Xiao, but also deeply despised those academic schools that have only emerged in the past ten years - teaching shipbuilding in the classroom? Are you kidding me, can you build a good ship by doing math, drawing pictures, and tinkering with some strange symbols and formulas? Isn't this nonsense!

Ye Luofei felt that it would take less than five minutes for this questioning meeting to refute Li Xiao to the point of revealing his true nature, and ten minutes to make the other party flee in embarrassment. It is really a victory for an experienced old shipbuilder like him to deal with a kid. No martial arts!

Ye Luofei, who stood up, noticed the concerned eyes of Grand Duke Constantine, and he immediately replied respectfully: "I am doing business, you are relieved." Then he spoke with confidence:

"As the assistant to the chief designer of the navy, I have noticed that Grand Duke Andrei Konstantinovich has recently published a series of unimaginable strange talks in relevant newspapers and magazines in the name of author A.

"

"Rumors about shipbuilding technology and naval tactics... These absurd remarks have no factual basis at all, they are just for eyeballs... They have caused an extremely bad impact on the Navy. Therefore, I implore the Second Secretary of the Navy to clean up these absurd lies. , punish the makers of these lies, and let the naval construction no longer be disturbed by mistakes!"

Rumyantsev Jr. replied in a low voice: "This minister has been informed of your opinion." Then he turned to Li Xiao and asked very harshly: "His Excellency, Grand Duke Andrei Konstantinovich, what about Fedino's opinion?" Colonel Husband, do you have anything to say?"

Li Xiao stood up in a leisurely manner, not at all affected by Rumyantsev's oppressive questioning, and asked easily: "Your Excellency, I don't understand? Isn't today's questioning meeting? Or is it here today?" Court martial?"

Little Rumyantsev looked at him coldly and replied: "Of course it is an inquiry meeting, but..."

Li Xiao immediately interrupted him: "Since it's an interrogation meeting? How can you accuse me? Have I committed a crime? Are you being interrogated?"

Little Rumyantsev really didn't expect Li Xiao to be so strong, and he dared to interrupt him. Naturally, he was very upset, but the problem was that Li Xiao's statement was correct. Today was just an interrogation meeting, not a court.

He could only say sullenly: "Your Excellency, what you said makes sense. Colonel Fedinov, please correct your previous statement. If you want to sue Grand Duke Andrei Konstantinovich, please send A court-martial filed a lawsuit. Today is an interrogation session, and you can only initiate an interrogation!"

Yerofei responded with a dull yes, and had to say again: "His Excellency, Grand Duke Andrei Konstantinovich, do you admit that you have published a large number of absurd and strange theories that cannot withstand scrutiny, among which There's a fair amount involved in naval shipbuilding and design?"

Li Xiao responded indifferently: "I don't know what your so-called weird talks are referring to? As the grand duke of the empire, as a naval officer who always cares about the construction and development of the navy, is there any problem in discussing the direction of naval construction?"

Ye Luofei said bitterly: "You are not discussing, but talking nonsense..."

Li Xiao said again: "Let's not talk about whether my opinion is nonsense. I just ask you, do I have the right to talk nonsense?"

Ye Luofei was taken aback, he always believed that he was a master shipbuilder and an authority, and other laymen and people with lower status than him should naturally listen to him. But the problem is that he can think about this kind of concept for himself, but it really can't be done when he speaks it out. Even in closed and conservative Russia, you can't shut up other people's mouths, can you? What's more, you still want to block the mouth of a grand prince of the empire. It would be too arrogant to say it.

"Of course not!" Ye Luofei didn't dare to take the blame, even if he thought so in his heart, he didn't dare to say it.

"Since that's the case," Li Xiao sneered, "What did I say, and what does it matter to you? You don't think it's right, so you don't have to listen to it. What are you planning to do today when you're working so hard?"