America 1881: Legend of the West

Chen Jianqiu, who had watched the whole farce from the sidelines, was not in a hurry to leave.

He was looking for something in the crowd.

"Chen, do you think these children of Raymond Russ are real or fake?" Danny asked from the side.

Chen Jianqiu did not turn his head, but continued to scan the crowd:

"The latter ones are fake, but the first black child might be real."

"But even if it's true, there's someone else's handwriting in it."

"Otherwise, how could a teenage child know the appearance of his biological father who had abandoned him long ago? How could he and his mother be so lucky to appear at the scene of Lars's speech to recognize their relatives on this day?"

Chen Jianqiu's eyes quickly stopped on a person's face.

The fat congressman next to Scott.

At this time, he was looking at the backs of Harlem and the Democrats leaving, with a look of gloating on his face.

"Let's go, we'll probably be busy soon."

Chen Jianqiu greeted Mayor Danny and left the scene.

In Santa Fe, the Democratic Party's gubernatorial election stronghold, backbone members are discussing countermeasures.

There was an air of pessimism hanging over the room.

Some people were sighing, some were muttering, and some were angrily accusing Raymond Russ of missing the mark at critical moments.

"I'm just saying that it's not a good idea to turn the battle line into personal attacks!" a lawyer muttered dissatisfied.

He was holding a cigarette in his left hand, and the pen in his right hand was tapping the table rhythmically.

"Scott is particularly experienced in this kind of dirty stuff," the lawyer said.

"Can you please stop talking about these things afterward?" A newspaper editor sitting opposite him expressed his dissatisfaction. "Also, can you stop banging on the table?"

The lawyers immediately began to retort like cockfighting cocks.

The quarrel in the room started again, and more people joined in the shouting match.

"Please calm down!"

Congressman Harlem, who was sitting at the top of the table, finally stopped covering his face.

He started pulling his hair.

"Now that the situation has gotten so bad, you actually still have the heart to quarrel here?"

The people on both sides of the table stopped talking and looked at Harlin.

What else? What else can you do now besides quarrel?

After what happened in Lincolnshire, the campaign was over.

Raymond Rath's reputation is ruined, and the Democratic Party's efforts this election cycle will be in vain.

Just one step away, they already have a certain advantage in the state assembly during the midterm elections.

"Where's the prosecutor general? How's it going?" Harlin turned his head and asked the person next to him.

"Since I came back from Lincolnshire, I have been staying in my own house behind closed doors and not seeing anyone."

Harlem covered his face again.

As a politician, Raymond Rath is so subpar.

If it were him, he would shamelessly pretend that nothing had happened and continue to explain his point of view.

As long as you are not embarrassed, others are embarrassed.

"Harlem, there are several businessmen who want to withdraw from our campaign team." The editor suddenly said, "They found various reasons."

"Do these people not understand what political loyalty is? Do they think that if they turn to Scott now, will they still be wanted?"

Harlem rubbed his face.

Despite the scolding, he knew that the political donations promised by these people must have been lost.

"How about we go find Mr. Chen again? Among the powerful bosses in New Mexico, he is the only one who has not expressed his position." The lawyer began to write again.

"Okay! Go and invite Mr. Chen!"

Harlem agreed without thinking.

There was no hesitation, even though the two had broken down not long ago.

He only knew that if there were no funds, the election could be over directly, and he would have to continue to endure Scott's arrogance.

What is a face? Is it important?

"Otherwise, we'd better go find him directly!" The lawyer was more thoughtful than him.

The next day, the two men showed up under the Santa Fe Railroad Company building in Albuquerque.

"Mr. Chen is not in the office, he went to Mr. Gardner's house." A company employee said to the two.

So Harlin and the lawyer rushed to Gardner's house without stopping.

The door to the Gardner home was closed.

The two of them knocked for a long time without opening it.

There wasn't even a servant to open the door.

They had to go around to the back of the yard to find the reason.

A burst of laughter came from the fence of the yard.

Gardner's servants were playing croquet on the lawn of the yard with Chen Jianqiu and the lumber dealer.

"Mr. Chen! Mr. Chen!"

Chen Jianqiu was about to hammer the ball into the goal.

He raised his head and saw a hand shaking back and forth above the fence that was as tall as a person.

That voice was familiar to him.

"It's Congressman Harlem," he whispered to Gardner. "Open the door and let him in."

The servant opened the back door and brought the two in.

"Mr. Chen, I heard that the state government is preparing to slash wages from the railway company. In this regard, the governor has done a very unethical thing." Harin stood next to Chen Jianqiu and said.

"Weren't you also there when the motion was voted on?"

Chen Jianqiu lowered his head, waving the mallet in his hand, aiming at the small door.

Harlem was a little embarrassed.

Indeed, this bill was passed by the state assembly, but at that time I and the Democratic congressmen did not try their best to stop it.

They don't have to veto every bill Scott introduces.

"You can't beat Scott like this," Chen Jianqiu swung the mallet lightly. The mallet hit the ball and the ball rolled steadily into the wicket.

"What do you mean?" Harlin asked helplessly.

"Listen to me, I guarantee you will govern in New Mexico." Chen Jianqiu put down the gavel in his hand and looked at Harlem.

Harlem hesitated, but it seemed he had no choice.

"Then please tell me."

"First, as I said before, change the gubernatorial candidate." Chen Jianqiu said simply.

"However, our publicity is all centered around Raymond Russ. The final candidate will be determined in two days. If we change now, will there be any problems?"

Changing generals before battle is a taboo for military strategists, so Harlin was a little unsure.

"He already stinks like shit on the street." Chen Jianqiu looked at Harin in disbelief, "Do you understand shit? If you don't sweep him away, how can you hug him to sleep?"

It's a cruel but realistic metaphor that Harlin understands.

He even admired Chen Jianqiu's vision a little.

From the very beginning, Chen Jianqiu told him that Lars was not good and would fall behind.

But the problem came again.

"Then, who should I replace?"

Harlem thought about it, but couldn't find anyone who could stand up to him, not even himself.

"Him."

Chen Jianqiu pointed at Gardner, who was smiling like a wealthy man next to him.

His words shocked everyone in the yard.

"he?"

Harlem and the lawyer were stunned.

"I?"

Gardner pointed at himself, in disbelief.

"Yes, Russ withdrew from the election due to illness, and Mr. Gardner became the final candidate." Chen Jianqiu's look indicated that he was not joking.

"Wait a minute, he is a businessman and has no experience in politics!" Harlin shook his head desperately.

"Yes, yes." Gardner himself agreed with this view.

"I'm not good with words yet," he added.

"Who told you that businessmen can't join politics? Who told you that you can't become governor if you don't speak well?" Chen Jianqiu walked to the chairs in the yard, and the others followed him.

He was the youngest in the compound, but now he looked like the leader.

"It's true that Mr. Gardner is an amateur, but this is precisely the most important thing, because he has a good reputation." Chen Jianqiu motioned for several others to sit down.

He resumed his wonderful metaphor.

"If you were served two plates of shit and a plate of soda crackers, which one would you choose?"

"I'm going to throw up," the lawyer retched.

Chen Jianqiu completely ignored the lawyer because he could not find any other more suitable description other than using shit to describe the current candidates of the two parties.

Harlem thought for a moment.

Chen Jianqiu seems to be right. Lars is completely out of luck now, so why not give Gardner a try?

Just break the jar and break it.

"What about the second point?" Harlin continued to ask.

"Second point, from now on, everything that follows the election, including the platform, must be listened to by me."

"I will not show up during the whole process, and I need you to strictly implement my policy!"

"I will do my best to help you become the ruling party in New Mexico, including financial, human, and material resources. Either I don't do it, or I have to do it to the end."

Chen Jianqiu stared at Harlin and the lawyer with deep eyes.

Harlem instinctively wanted to refuse.

Are you kidding me? A Chinese man dominating the Democratic gubernatorial election?

Is he trying to control the Democratic Party?

We can’t win, but we can win by listening to you?

"You'd better listen to him," Gardner said. "He's capable beyond your imagination. At least the Santa Fe Railroad followed him and never suffered a loss."

Harlin was a little shaken. From what he knew about Gardner, this man never lied.

Chen Jianqiu raised his fingers at him and motioned for the congressman to come over.

Harlem did so.

Chen Jianqiu whispered something in his ear.

Harlin's expression changed drastically.

"Is everything you said true?" He looked at Chen Jianqiu.

"Of course what I said is true. No one knows this number better than me." Chen Jianqiu showed a mysterious smile on his face. "Although the absolute number is still small, it is decisive."

"So, you couldn't win in the past, but now, you can."

"Then, let's do it!"

Harlin held Chen Jianqiu's hand.