What surprised me was not what he said but____he said it.

“使我吃惊的不是他说的什么而是他说话的方式”。the way （that）he said it中 （that）he said it作定语修辞the way 。that和in which都可作宾语，再作宾语的情况下，只要that前没有介词，是可以互换和省略的。当that作主语时，不可以省略和互换。

关于定于从句中the way 的用法
the way直接加从句，省略连接词，如本题
the way in which 加从句
the way that加从句
所以选A

What surprised me was not what he said but ________ he said it. (NMET 2004湖北卷)
A. the way B. in the way that C. in the way D. the way which
选择答案, 选A

使我惊奇的不是他说了什么而是他说话的方式
What surprised me was not what he said but the way （that）he said it.这里that可以省去，that相当于in which，也就说The way in which he said surprised me.