area51novel Chapter 1536 What is the difference?
Chapter 1536 What is the difference?
The echo of Jiang Cheng's fingertips tapping on the display case still trembled in the air. He raised the corner of his mouth slightly, looked at An Jingsheng with a sharp gaze, and slowly said:
"Boss An's influence in the Great Goose Country has indeed exceeded my expectations." Jiang Cheng's voice was as steady as the surface of a frozen lake.
After a pause, he continued, "However, no matter how strong the Siberian cold wave is, it can't blow down the red walls of the Forbidden City."
This sentence was said lightly.
However, it was this seemingly understated sentence that caused An Jingsheng's pupils to shrink suddenly.
The red walls of the Forbidden City?
An Jingsheng naturally knew where that place was.
That is a symbol of power and majesty.
It represents supreme status and unshakable power.
Jiang Cheng shouldn't be bluffing when he uses such a metaphor.
After a few taps, the tapping sound of Jiang Cheng's fingertips stopped. The aura of [Sitting Like a Divine Bell] made the air around him seem to stagnate a little.
He slowly raised his eyes, and the previous teasing was gone in his eyes, leaving only bottomless calmness, as if the chips thrown by An Jingsheng, which were enough to make anyone tremble, were just ordinary exhibits in the display case.
Jiang Cheng knew that the bigger the monster, the more difficult it was to control.
But once they become allies, the energy they can leverage becomes astonishing.
An Jingsheng revealed these cards as both a deterrent and a test.
He just wanted to see if he was qualified to have an equal dialogue with such an An.
His eyes swept over the dark golden family crest on An Jingsheng's cuff, which was an intertwined pattern of Shu brocade python and the Orthodox cross.
It itself reveals a kind of contradictory tension.
An Jingsheng is both rooted in China and deeply bound to foreign powers.
The corners of Jiang Cheng's mouth rose slightly, revealing a faint smile, but that smile did not reach his eyes, making it difficult to guess his true thoughts.
He whispered, "An's ships may indeed be able to run rampant on the Volga River, unstoppable. However, once they enter the Yangtze River, the situation is very different. The Yangtze River has its own rules. As long as you stay on this land of China for a day, no matter who you are, you have to rely on the lighthouse on the river to see if you can be illuminated. When it comes time to take the helm, do you think it will be more useful to have someone familiar with the river and reefs, or someone with overseas nautical charts?"
An Jingsheng's pupils shrank slightly.
Although this subtle change was almost imperceptible, Jiang Cheng still captured it keenly.
Obviously, his words hit his soft spot precisely.
No matter how successful he is overseas, his roots are ultimately in China.
The rules of this land can never be fully controlled by hard power.
An Jingsheng was silent for a moment.
Then he spoke slowly, his voice slightly lowered: "Are you saying that you are the one who is familiar with the river?"
His fingertips subconsciously stroked the wolf tooth pendant, as if this could bring him some psychological comfort.
His expression grew increasingly serious, and he continued, "Jiang Cheng, I admit you're no ordinary person. Cheng Gui and his gang are nothing compared to you, not even worthy of carrying your shoes. However, you have to understand that if the An Group encounters real trouble, it won't be a minor incident. It could very well be a massive tsunami, enough to overturn an entire shipping lane."
After saying this, An Jingsheng fixed his eyes on Jiang Cheng like an eagle and asked the most crucial question in his mind.
"Let me ask you, if one day the An family is truly at the end of their rope and needs your help, how far can you protect me? Don't forget, you can't even reach Moscow."
These words were like an ice-hardened knife, cutting straight to the core.
He knew that Jiang Cheng had a strong background and could roam freely in the Magic City. He could also make Cheng Gui bow down to him, make his daughter look at him differently, and even dare to negotiate terms with him.
But he couldn't guess the depth of this background, and he was even more unsure whether Jiang Cheng could cover An's most fatal weakness.
Jiang Cheng met An Jingsheng's gaze without dodging at all.
He knew that any ambiguity at this moment would be seen as a sign of guilt.
"Mr. An, tell me the truth." Jiang Cheng's voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable certainty.
"I really can't interfere with the affairs of the Great Goose Country. That's your home turf, and you know how to deal with it better than I do."
An Jingsheng was about to frown when Jiang Cheng changed the subject: "But as long as you are still in China, as long as your roots are still in this land, I can protect you far more than you can imagine."
After saying this, Jiang Cheng walked to the display case and stared quietly at the exquisite martial arts headdress.
Just stood there quietly, waiting patiently for An Jingsheng's response.
"Is it to protect the An family's legacy, or to protect the lives of the An family?"
Hearing this, Jiang Cheng turned sideways and looked An Jingsheng in the eye.
There was no trace of arrogance on the young face, only a heaviness that was inconsistent with his age.
Jiang Cheng did not answer An Jingsheng's question immediately, but slowly took out an ancient copper coin from the inside pocket of his suit.
The copper coin looked old, and the writing on it was a little blurred, but you could still see its exquisiteness.
Put the copper coin on your fingertips and flick it lightly, and you will hear a "ding" sound.
The copper coin flipped in the air, drawing a graceful arc, and finally fell steadily back into Jiang Cheng's palm.
Jiang Cheng looked down at the copper coin in his palm, then slowly raised his head. His eyes were like a deep pool, difficult to read.
"That depends on whether Mr. An wants to 'get out of this unscathed' or 'make a comeback'."
An Jingsheng raised his eyebrows slightly: "Oh? What's the difference?"
Jiang Cheng smiled slightly: "If it's the former, I can guarantee that no matter how big the storm is, no one will touch you."
"If it's the latter..."
He paused, his eyes as sharp as a knife:
"That depends on how much Mr. An is willing to pay."
Jiang Cheng’s previous “passion” for intangible cultural heritage projects was a test from the very beginning.
Use a seemingly insignificant project to influence his attitude and find out his concerns.
Finally, the real trump card was revealed.
"You..." An Jingsheng opened his mouth, wanting to ask something, but swallowed it back.
He no longer needs to know Jiang Cheng's specific identity.
Because for some identities, the less you know about them, the safer you are.
He just needed to confirm whether Jiang Cheng was qualified to say this.
At this moment, looking at Jiang Cheng's clear yet bottomless eyes, An Jingsheng already had the answer in his heart.
He originally thought that Jiang Cheng was just a descendant of a certain red family.
But now it seems that his background may be a level higher than he expected.
After all, there are people who dare to promise to "get out of it unscathed" in such situations.
It is definitely not something that ordinary children of powerful people can do.
An Jingsheng pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled:
"Mr. Jiang, you are more interesting than I thought."
"However, I, An Jingsheng, have never liked the word 'retreat' in my life."
Jiang Cheng also laughed when he heard this:
"That's perfect. I don't like it either."
The two looked at each other and understood each other tacitly.
This game is no longer a simple test, but a real exchange of interests.
An Jingsheng finally stopped hiding it and asked directly:
"What if I can offer you something that satisfies you or even exceeds your expectations? Can you really do that?"