Warlords: Rising from the Northwest Border and Sweeping Across the Powers

Chapter 1264: Drawing Water from a Bamboo Basket and Empty Game

"That's enough!" Mary suddenly raised her voice, "What on earth are you guys doing? This is my birthday party!"

Smith turned a deaf ear and continued to instruct his men to carefully check every corner of the case: "Check the interlayer! Check the lining! There must be a problem..."

"Gentlemen," Chen Ming remained calm, "That is a Stradivarius worth millions, please be careful."

"Shut up!" Smith said sharply, "Do you think you can hide your identity by using an expensive violin?"

But the search of the violin case yielded nothing. Apart from the exquisite violin, a few sheets of music, and some daily maintenance tools, there was nothing suspicious.

"Sir..." Thompson hesitated.

"Search him!" Smith suddenly ordered, "He must be hiding something!"

"What?" Mary was furious. "Are you crazy? Chen is my best friend and one of the best violinists in the UK! Why do you do this to him?"

Brighton stepped forward: "Smith, you're going too far..."

"Get out of the way!" Smith still refused to give up, "You have all been deceived by him! This so-called musician..."

"Stop!" Prime Minister Churchill's voice echoed in the hall, "Mr. Smith, what are you doing?"

"Your Excellency, Prime Minister," Smith turned, "I have every reason to suspect that..."

"That's enough," Chu Jian interrupted him, "You have been suspended, but you broke into the Prime Minister's Office without permission and disrupted my granddaughter's birthday party. This has exceeded any tolerable limit."

&34;But...&34;

"Guards!" Qiu Jian shouted, "Please ask Mr. Smith and his men to leave immediately."

&34;Mr. Prime Minister, please let me explain...&34;

"No explanation is needed," said Churchill coldly, "Your behavior has already said it all. I will formally protest to MI34 tomorrow."

Mary's eyes were red with anger: "You ruined my birthday party! Chen did nothing wrong, he just came to play!"

Brenton put his arm around Mary's shoulders: "Don't be angry, dear. These people will pay for their rudeness."

The guards began to clear the area, and Smith and his men were forcibly taken away from the scene. Before leaving, he looked back unwillingly.

Chen Ming, accompanied by Brighton and Mary, was carefully checking his Stradivarius for damage.

"I'm sorry, everyone," Qiu Jian said to the guests, "for letting you see such an unpleasant scene. Please continue to enjoy the banquet. Chen, can you please play another song for us?"

"Of course, Your Excellency Prime Minister." Chen Ming nodded gracefully.

&34;Bang! &34;The door of the banquet hall was pushed open violently.

Smith rushed in breathlessly, holding a pistol. Everyone was stunned, the guests screamed and retreated, the guards raised their guns, and the scene was extremely chaotic.

"Don't move!" Smith yelled, pointing his gun at Brighton. "Everyone, don't move!"

"Smith!" Chujian shouted, "Are you crazy? Put down the gun!"

"No, Prime Minister," Smith's voice trembled, but his eyes were firm, "Please listen to me, just this once. I can guarantee with my life that every word I say is true."

Mary hid behind Brighton, her eyes full of fear: "What are you going to do?"

"I want to reveal the truth," Smith gritted his teeth, "Prime Minister, do you know why Brighton suddenly pursued your granddaughter? Why does a Chinese violinist frequently visit the Prime Minister's Office?"

Brighton sneered: "Are you still obsessed with these ridiculous conspiracy theories?"

"Shut up!" Smith roared, "Your plan is perfect. Brighton frequently goes in and out of the Prime Minister's Office under the pretext of pursuing Mary. And Chen Ming, the so-called musician, comes in the name of playing, bringing his suspicious violin case..."

"That's ridiculous!" Blyton interrupted. "I love Mary, and everyone knows it!"

"Really?" Smith sneered, "Then why does Chen Ming go to the Chinese Embassy every time he comes to perform? Why is he always present at every date you have?"

Qiu Jian frowned: "Smith, you'd better have solid evidence."

"Your Excellency, Prime Minister," Smith's voice suddenly became earnest, "I have been investigating for three months. Every contact between Brighton and Chen Ming, every suspicious detail, shows that they are not as simple as they seem."

He took a deep breath: "Think about it, why would Brighton suddenly pursue Mary? Why would a political consultant trust a Chinese musician so much? This is all too coincidental!"

"No," Mary said suddenly, "you are too paranoid. James loves me, and this does not need a reason. And Chen is my friend, and this does not need an explanation."

"Miss Mary," Smith said bitterly, "you have been deceived by them. This love, these friendships, are all carefully designed scams..."

"Enough!" Chujian roared, "Smith, your accusation is baseless. Put down the gun, otherwise..."

At this moment, Chen Ming suddenly said: "Mr. Smith, you are right."

Everyone was stunned.

"I do go to the Chinese Embassy often," Chen Ming said calmly, "because my mother works there. Since my father passed away, I visit her every week and have dinner with her."

He smiled bitterly: "I know it sounds suspicious, a Chinese musician whose mother works in the embassy. But sometimes, the simplest truth is often the truth itself."

"Evidence!" Qiu Jian's voice echoed in the hall, "Smith, do you have any solid evidence?"

Smith's hands trembled slightly: "I..."

"You what?" Qiu Jian approached, "Just because Chen Ming went to visit his mother who worked in the embassy? Just because Brighton fell in love with my granddaughter? Is this your evidence?"

"No, there's more..." Smith said eagerly, "Their contact pattern, that violin case..."

"Enough!" Churchill roared, "Do you know who you are suspecting? Brighton is my most trusted aide and the most promising young man in English politics. And you, just because of some unfounded speculation, broke into my granddaughter's birthday party with a gun?"

Smith's face became paler and paler.

"You disappoint me so much," Qiu Jian said coldly, "I thought you were just too serious about your work, but now it seems that you have been completely blinded by paranoia."

He turned to the guard: "Hold him!"

Several guards immediately stepped forward, snatched Smith's gun, and pinned him to the ground.

Chu Jian took out his phone and dialed a number in front of everyone: "Sir Robert? It's me. Do you know what your subordinate Smith just did?"

There was a hurried inquiry from the other end of the phone.

"He broke into my granddaughter's birthday party with a gun," Qiu Jian's voice was full of anger, "accusing Brighton and a young musician of being spies. And his evidence was that the musician's mother worked in the Chinese Embassy!"

After a brief silence, a series of apologies came from the other end of the phone.

"No, an apology is not enough," Churchill said sternly, "I ask MI34 to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation of this matter. Smith's behavior has seriously endangered national security and diplomatic relations."

Smith knelt on the ground, his face pale as death. He knew that he was finished.

Mary held Brighton's arm tightly, her eyes full of pity: "Mr. Smith, you are so disappointing."

Brighton patted Mary's hand gently: "Don't be sad, dear. This will pass."

Chen Ming stood aside, with a look of helplessness on his face: "Mr. Smith, with all due respect, you acted like an unreasonable barbarian tonight."

The guards began to clear the area and escorted Smith out. Before leaving, he looked back: Brighton was gently comforting Mary, and Chen Ming began to pack up his violin case and prepare to continue playing.

Everything seems so normal and so reasonable.