"Oh? How do you figure?" Bai Yantang was a little surprised. He had always remembered that the current defense commissioner, as well as Keith Nishita, who already had one foot in the presidential palace, seemed to think highly of Yu Lian.
As a nonpartisan, Old Mr. Bai had never minced words about the major parties in Congress. He thought the Prosperity Party were "traitors," while most of the Friends of the People Party were comprador lackeys. Even the National Choice Party, which flew the banner of nationalism, was nothing more than a group of braggarts who talked a good game.
By comparison, Keith Nishita might have been the only person White Old Master could still stomach. The man's family background and marital ties posed security risks, and he always seemed to overdo it a little in public. Still, compared with the vermin crawling all over Earth's high offices, he had at least managed to get some things done.
Mr. Qi, however, had a different opinion. He pondered for a moment. "Perhaps it's precisely because they think highly of Yu Lian that they can't let him remain at the front. Bernard, have you read this dispatch?"
Mr. Wood, who was huddled in a corner of the room, caught between a rock and a hard place, never dreamed he'd suddenly be called on. All he could say was, "Sir, I'm afraid I know nothing about military affairs, and this is indeed outside my jurisdiction."
"Then tell me: in your civil service, if a colleague who'd only recently joined had outstanding abilities and powerful connections, got things done and earned merit, but also attracted a lot of attention, how would you handle him?"
If someone like that managed to earn merit, the rest of us veteran civil servants would have no choice but