Chapter 81: Bringing Up Old Matters_1

Colonel Stanton waved the cigar in his hand, "We should concentrate all our efforts on fighting the Trisolarans, not fighting among ourselves!"

"One day you will regret your dictatorship!"

"And the illegal detention of foreign scientists is tyranny, it's a trampling of democracy!"

Jiang Yu calmly blew a tea leaf floating on his cup and took a small sip.

Then, disregarding Colonel Stanton's agitation, he leisurely lit a cigarette before asking lightly, "Colonel Stanton, the remarks you just made, are they your personal opinion, or are they the opinion of your Federal Government?"

Colonel Stanton suddenly didn't seem as confident as before, this was naturally because he had been frustrated during the recent meeting and wanted to argue with someone about it.

He knew he was no match for the wily Chief Ji and Chang Weisi, so like an old lady picking persimmons, he chose the soft ones to grab and came to argue with Jiang Yu instead.

However, Colonel Stanton tried to puff out his chest, showing no sign of weakness, "In any case, regarding the ETO issue, we have huge disagreements, and you shouldn't be so arbitrary in completely denying ETO's existence."

Jiang Yu shrugged, "Colonel, some things don't cease to exist just because you wish them not to.

"For example, ETO could continue to exist until the eve of the doomsday battle; it's not something we can ban if we desire to."

Colonel Stanton looked bewildered, "Then, why did you have to go and … during the meeting …"

Jiang Yu took a drag from his cigarette, "That was just to state our position, to make it known to the human world, as well as to the Trisolaran World."

Colonel Stanton shook his head, "By doing so, you're not leaving any room for maneuver, you'll regret it sooner or later! Political games are not played this way!"

Jiang Yu laughed, "Should we play like you? Stirring up trouble everywhere?

"Why is the world united now? You're too busy to stir trouble, and without that, the world unites!"

Colonel Stanton shook his head, "Mr. Jiang, your rhetoric is truly, it's truly too vulgar!

"Regardless, in this era of freedom and democracy, in this age where science knows no national boundaries, your actions …"

"Enough, enough." Jiang Yu interrupted him, "Your public intellectuals have already been criticized by us, there's no need to spew those words that not even ghosts would believe here!

"Freedom? Your freedom includes the liberty to massacre Native Americans, to trade in black people, to exercise hegemony across the world! It includes the freedom to arbitrarily detain foreign businessmen who pose a threat to you!

"With such freedom, you are free, but have you considered the feelings of others?

"And what about that crap 'science knows no national boundaries'? When poaching top talents from our side, you know no boundaries.

"But when they want to return home to serve their country, then you have your boundaries! Didn't you detain Qian Xuesen in the past?"

Colonel Stanton frowned, "We're discussing current matters, let's not always dredge up the past."

"In this respect, you have never disappointed, not digging up the past – you expect me to forget all those lessons?" Jiang Yu crushed the cigarette butt in the ashtray:

"Is it that only by following your lead can it be called democracy, and anything else is considered dictatorship, right?"

Colonel Stanton didn't immediately catch the sarcasm in Jiang Yu's words and arrogantly said, "Yes, after all, we are the beacon of democracy to the world."

Jiang Yu laughed in disbelief, "Colonel, I would like to ask you a serious question: In your eyes, is it that if it's not democratic, it's autocratic? If it's not autocratic, it's democratic?"

Colonel Stanton spread his hands, "Isn't it so?"

Jiang Yu smiled, "The Chinese always have a third way to walk, a suitable way, a pragmatic way.

"The thought that everything is either black or white is outdated; you've been blinded by your own concepts and logic and have lost the power of initiative. You cannot represent the future of humanity anymore."

Jiang Yu saw the confused look on Colonel Stanton's face and added, "I once explained this principle to my son, but I'm sorry, this kind of teaching isn't passed to daughters, and to a foreigner like you, I have even less to say."

"Besides, you might never understand this principle, and even if you did, you wouldn't be able to grasp it."

Having said that, Jiang Yu issued a request for the guest to leave: "Sorry, I'm a bit tired and need to rest."

After seeing off Colonel Stanton, who clearly wasn't satisfied with the conversation, Jiang Yu said to Di Fengyi, who was clearing the teacups, "I just realized, the biggest impact of the Trisolaran Civilization on Earth is that it has created a huge enemy for America!"

Di Fengyi asked, "Is that impact good or bad?"

"Hard to say," Jiang Yu replied, "If there were no Trisolaran Civilization, in the latter half of this century, the ideological trends of The East would gradually overtake those of The West.

"It's hard to say what the situation would be after a few centuries, but for the next one or two centuries, The East could have the upper hand.

"Now, the presence of this formidable enemy largely makes up for the cracks that have appeared within The West, which will allow the Eastern and Western ideologies to be evenly matched for a long time.

"There are pros and cons."

Jiang Yu took a sip of tea and asked, "From the look on your face just now, you seemed to agree with some of Colonel Stanton's remarks?"

Di Fengyi paused, seemingly mustering courage before responding, "With such a powerful enemy at our doorstep, shouldn't we present a united front?"

Jiang Yu laughed, "Don't be naive. When there was one superpower and many strong powers, it might have been possible to 'unite against a common enemy when humanity faced a formidable threat.'

"But that's not possible now. Have you ever seen a person with two heads? There has only ever been the strong leading the weak against a common enemy, never two strong parties leading together."

Di Fengyi nodded thoughtfully.

...

As the world order gradually recovered, PDC finally made some substantial progress in its work.

In the blink of an eye, more than a year had passed, and it was now the early summer of Crisis Era Year Three.

Jiang Yu sat in his home's dining room, watching his nine-year-old nephew devour pies across the table.

Hu Huilan brought over a bowl of porridge, "Eat slowly, don't choke."

Jiang Ying brought a cup of hot milk, "Don't forget to drink your milk after you finish breakfast."

Lele couldn't speak with his mouth full, so he just nodded vigorously.

After finishing the pie and drinking half a bowl of porridge, Lele couldn't help but ask Jiang Yu, "Uncle, why do you keep staring at me?"

"It's nothing." Jiang Yu laughed, "I was just thinking, just suddenly realized a, a misconception I had earlier."

Then, Jiang Yu asked Hu Huilan in the kitchen, "Mom, I'm earning so much money now; you might as well retire early."

Hu Huilan glanced at Jiang Yu, "You're still young; you don't know what unexpected events are, and even with money, don't spend it all; save some.

"When you get married and have children, I'll retire early to take care of the kids for you.

"I will make sure to raise them plump and white, never letting them suffer the slightest!"

Jiang Yu then said to Jiang Ying, "Your husband is so capable; you could just stay at home and be a full-time housewife."